Capturing Life’s Moments One Shoot at a Time

By Eric Shapland

Dwan Miller, the creative mind behind Dwan Miller Photography, has built a reputation for telling compelling stories through his lens. Dwan’s work ranges from fashion and lifestyle photography to capturing unforgettable events. With a passion for his craft and a commitment to listening to his clients' needs, Dwan invested in a $1,500 microgrant from BEFH and has made a significant impact in the Flint Hills community.

How did you start your business, and what inspired you to start it?

“I retired from the military in 2017, moved from North Carolina to Kansas with some family, and started the business in 2019. We got the studio right at the beginning of COVID, so by the end of 2020, the studio grew from just taking a couple photos from there. But the business was founded because of the connection that me and my daughter have. She graduated from college with a graphics degree and a minor in photography. So I bought her all her equipment, and she is now a photographer on a military base. I first started photography in the military, taking photos of soldiers and my family when we went on vacation. Then I started asking people if I could take photos of them. And then once I found out how it connected to them and how it saved a memory, it went from there. When I finished the military, I got my bachelor's degree in business, so I thought it would be time for me to be an entrepreneur, so I started my business.”

What is your favorite type of photography to do?

“I've narrowed it down to fashion, lifestyle, and event photography. Fashion is my passion, I work with a lot of models that are mainly coming out of KC, K-State, and the military base, and then we major in lifestyle, which is birthdays, maternity, weddings, and other events.”

What does being a black entrepreneur in the Flint Hills mean to you?

“Being a black entrepreneur in Flint Hills is life-changing. I've had a lot of people come to me from Junction City High School and Manhattan High School and see me as a mentor, leader, and somebody that started from the bottom and got an opportunity to get a storefront in downtown Manhattan. So representing my culture means everything to me, and being able to fund my own business is one of the things that I am proud of. And for black culture, for not having the opportunities to get a lot of financial opportunities, especially since I came from the country, so I was walking with no shoes on, and my mom couldn't take us anywhere. And to be here where I'm standing now is just a representation of how much work I put into it, and I will be that leader if I need to be.”

Since receiving the grant funds, how has it assisted you in your business growth, and how has your business evolved since then?

“I want to thank [BEFH] for selecting me as one of the grant recipients, and that has provided a lot of motivation for me to continue to be a leader here in Kansas. Those funds were used to buy studio equipment, such as backdrops, papers, and necessities needed to run the studio. And the reason I decided to use it that way is because I have a lot of people that are requesting to rent the studio, and I want to stay at a certain price so that they can afford to come here and experience photography. So that grant helped me be able to open the doors to a lot of other people. There's not a lot of photography studios here, and I just want to be able to provide the phototherapy that a lot of people need. So when people come here and get a chance to come into the studio and automatically feel relaxed because of the setting, then the photos are a lot easier. And when people go back and upload those photos, tag me, or share those, I've now become a part of their lives. And so that's probably the biggest thing, because I believe that we all have a purpose in life, and I think my purpose is to share life experiences with many.”

How has BEFH supported you in your entrepreneurial journey thus far?

“They market me and let other business members know that I am here in downtown Manhattan and what services I provide, and that keeps my business going, and that actually motivates me to continue to support the black entrepreneurs, our culture, and this community. I think that without [BEFH] being here to represent the black culture and businesses, we might not get the opportunity to excel, feel happy, be encouraged, and support our family. So community is everything, and Black Entrepreneurs of the Flint Hills is one of the biggest parts of this community here in Manhattan, Kansas.

Has BEFH Influenced or changed any of your business decisions or strategies at all?
“They have introduced me to a lot of other black entrepreneur-owned businesses, and that allows us to find those businesses that can help support the community. And so when all those services come together, one of the number one reasons why they come together is because BEFH is connecting us, introducing us to each other, and showing us how we can help the community.”

Is there a specific event that BEFH has put on that has helped you in your business?

“Each year, [BEFH] identifies businesses to update their headshots, and they come through my photography studio. The businesses don't have to pay, BEFH funds that for them, and it gives them the opportunity to have dynamic headshots that can market their business to help their sales and to help again.”

Can you tell us more about how BEFH programs, such as Black and Bankable, have helped your business?

“Black and Bankable opened up a lot of doors on how to become successful business entrepreneurs. It has connected black businesses throughout the state of Kansas, and I have found some of the strongest leaders and am still connected to them personally today. But for our culture, we have been raised in low poverty, and we've been raised not to be educated on our credit, so our credit is low, and so that is a strike against us. So with the education, commitment, and teamwork from BEFH, Black and Bankable, and the Chamber of Commerce, we're just one step away from helping not only our culture but, like I said, the community.”

Looking at the future of your business, what are some of your long-term goals for your business, and how are you planning to achieve those?

“Some of my long-term goals would be to actually hire employees and to actually get into the contracting side of photography. But I'm scared to let go. And that's one of the number one reasons why a lot of entrepreneurs fail, because they're scared to let go. And so with the Black and Bankable and with the course that [BEFH] is teaching— they're helping us educate ourselves to let go and to write those business plans, to hire those employees, and to reach that next level.”

How do you stay motivated and inspired in this entrepreneurial journey of yours, especially during challenging times or even just being a minority-owned business?

“I think the number one reason I stay motivated is because of my daughter. Every day we get a chance to talk, and we talk about cameras, editing, and business plans. The other motivation is that it's a hobby, and I have something that I can call my own. There's no bad moment with taking photography; it is an escape from life's challenges, and it actually gives me a chance to see other people smile, which makes me happy.

What advice would you give to other aspiring entrepreneurs, especially those from underrepresented backgrounds?

“The advice I would give is to find a passion. Find something that makes you happy and make it part of your life. So that way, when life challenges kick you in the butt, you can take a step outside with your camera, and you can go into another world. Photography is therapy. When people come through the studio, they are leaving happy with what they're seeing, and they're going home and actually giving themselves the attention that they need. So that's important. And I think we all need it.”

What has been one of the coolest things to come out of running a business?

“One of the coolest things is that one of my clients had a senior photo shoot, and she was my 1,000th portfolio. We finished the photo shoot, and I pulled this wrinkled piece of paper out of my bag that said, “Photo shoot free. You're my 1,000th client.” And her face just dropped, and she started crying. Also, going to LA and doing a red carpet shoot with two or three actors that have over a million followers, meeting them, and I’m still talking to them to this day. There's so many different stories and thankfulness that I've gotten from K State students, 18- to 25-year-old women that are coming here, trusting me and the therapy that has actually helped them through a lot of challenges. So I think that my full-time job is my part-time job, and my part-time job is my full-time job, and that is the reason why I can just be happy every day knowing that I am doing something for more than just myself.”