What's Up, I'm Marcus McDonald. I started photography in 2014, immediately after graduating from high school. At the time, all I wanted was a camera with a removable lens — I didn’t even know what that meant exactly. My late aunt, who passed away from cancer, gifted me my first DSLR: a @NikonUSA D5200. That camera kicked everything off. I started by shooting cars around my city, then got into urbex — exploring abandoned buildings, climbing rooftops, and capturing those environments. It was cool for a while, but I burned out fast. Around 2016-2017, I came across photos by my good friends Sebastian Rodriguez (@Rd_sebby) & Beth Saravo (@Baeth) — they were shooting artists and shows on the East Coast, and I remember thinking, 'Yeah, that’s what I want to do.' However, I had no connections, no portfolio, and no idea how even to get access to local venues. I was just a random kid with a camera. 

My first concert ever was @MacMiller in Kansas City, thanks to my homie Rolando (@Rolandoalfaro). That show changed everything — I knew I needed to be in the pit, documenting history. So I started sneaking into shows. A lot of them. Mainly at this small venue in Lawrence, KS, called The Granada (their backdoor security was subpar, to say the least). The first artist I shot there was @SuperDuperKyle. That moment told me this was it — this is what I wanted to do for the rest of my life (at the time, haha). It wasn’t about the money or clout. I just loved it. I got kicked out of venues, had my cards taken, and even faced threats of jail time for trespassing — but I kept pushing. Eventually, I started cold emailing festivals and sponsors. Most didn’t respond; some were straight-up and said no. 

However, in 2017, I received an email from @RollingLoud asking if I wanted to shoot their San Francisco date (shout-out to Leanne @Snap_ll). That was my first real break, and it gave me the confidence to keep going. I kept building, kept emailing, kept getting rejected — but I also kept landing more work. At Rolling Loud Miami 2023, I was deep in conversation with my close friends about quitting my 9-5 detailing job (which I’d been doing for 7 years) to chase this dream full time. I’d always wanted to move to LA. No one in my family had ever owned a business, but I knew I had to leap. So in November 2023, I packed up everything I owned, my mom and my dog Alaska drove with me to LA, and I moved into a small (and expensive compared to KC rent) apartment. Once here, I hit the ground running — shout out to my homies Simon (@SimonChasalow) and Tony (@TonyPillow) from @TheParallelAgency.

I started picking up random photo and video gigs — stuff outside of music — to keep the lights on. After a while, it got tough — I was broke, fresh out of a long, hard breakup, and I was honestly praying constantly for a sign that I was where I was supposed to be. Then God answered. My guy, @HenryHwu, reached out and asked if I wanted to go on tour with @Usher. I said yes — and the rest is history. I’ve now been on tour with Usher for almost two years — first across the country, and now around the world. I’m blessed, man. Truly. And I’m beyond grateful for the people in my life who believed in me when I didn’t even fully believe in myself. Next up, we gotta break into the sports industry. I know that’s my next calling. Moral of the story? As my brother, @ShaunlleWellyn_, always says, 'Keep going.'

I’ve been a storyteller since 2014. It gives me something to live and work towards every single day, and my favorite part about doing what I do best is waking up every day and loving what I do.

I’ve curated with @Tyga, @Usher, and @DiorRion. I'd love to curate with @Kehlani, @NFL, @NBA 📸