I Didn’t Plan This.
But thirteen years later, I’m still here.
The Real Version
I got into photography because of some bad decisions I made in college.
That’s the honest version. The polished version is that I’m formally trained, I’ve been doing this for thirteen years, and I’m based in Lake Charles, Louisiana. All of that’s true. But the path here wasn’t some straight line with a clear plan. It was messy. A lot of life is.
I’m a country boy from north of Lake Charles. I didn’t grow up dreaming about being a photographer. I ended up with a camera in my hands, got trained, and realized I was actually good at it. More importantly… I liked it. Thirteen years later, I still do.
Why I Still Do It
I’ve thought about this more than I probably should.
It’s not the “capturing moments” thing. That phrase has been beaten to death by every photographer with a website. It’s something else.
I love that something I create can outlive the moment it came from. Maybe outlive me. A photo you take today could be on someone’s wall in fifty years. Someone’s kid might look at it and see who their parent was before they knew them. That’s not dramatic… that’s just what photographs do.
There’s something about making a thing that sticks around. That gets immortalized. That’s what keeps me doing this after thirteen years.
How I Work
I call it Conversational Photography, but it’s really just common sense.
Most photo sessions feel like a transaction. You show up, someone tells you where to stand, you force a smile, and you leave with photos that look like everyone else’s. It’s awkward for you. Honestly? It’s awkward for me too.
So I stopped doing it that way.
Now we just talk. I photograph the conversation… not a performance. Your natural body language does the heavy lifting. If something’s off, I’ll gently direct you. But most of the time, you’re just being yourself, and I’m capturing it.
That’s it. That’s the whole method. It’s not complicated. It just works.
The Quick Facts
If you’re skimming… here’s the short version:
- 13 years behind a camera
- Formally trained (the long way around)
- Based in Lake Charles, Louisiana — born and raised in SWLA
- Specializing in headshots, branding, and editorial portraits
- Known for making people who hate photos actually enjoy the process
Who I Work With
I’m not trying to be the photographer for everyone. That’s a losing game.
I work best with people who want something that actually feels like them… not a version of themselves they don’t recognize. People who are tired of generic. People who maybe hate having their photo taken but know they need good images anyway.
If you want clean, corporate, and cookie-cutter, I’m probably not your guy. If you want something with a little more soul… something that looks like it belongs to you specifically… we should talk.
Let’s Make Something
If any of this sounds like what you’re looking for, I’d like to hear from you.
Dalton Barron is a partner of Visit Lake Charles, supporting local tourism and business in Southwest Louisiana.