Today we’d like to introduce you to Dontae Lamaar Baker
Hi Dontae Lamaar, we’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
In 2014, my family and I left the glitz of Las Vegas for Alief, Houston—a world of new opportunities, a cultural shock and new challenges. My parents, associate pastors at Higher D Church, inspired my first steps into leadership and creativity as I served as a youth leader. Being a creative and a musician began long before that, shaped by an incredibly difficult period of my life. From the ages of 14 to 18, I was in jail. During those years, music became my lifeline—it kept me sane and gave me hope for something greater. However, when I got out, I quickly realized that while music fed my soul, it wasn’t providing for my family.
Life threw me another curveball when my son’s mom left, unable to bear the hardship we were facing. She left me with our son, and I became a full-time dad. It was the hardest time of my life, but it’s also when I met a CEO of a major publication in Houston who was a member of the same church. He saw me struggling but also saw something bigger—my son looking up to me. He wanted to make sure I could provide for my family and be a good example to my son. I was determined to find opportunities in music, but every chance I got cost more than I earned.
One day, I purchased a used camera off Craigslist, believing that if more people could see and hear my music online, I could land a record deal. I began filming my performances and posting them online. Funny enough, people at those shows started asking me to capture their performances or take pictures for them. They were willing to pay me for something I’d never even considered a skill. And just like that, a new door opened.
What started as a way to promote my music turned into a career. I was creating content for artists, entrepreneurs, and anyone who needed visuals. Music faded into the background as I poured myself into this new opportunity. But as I grew in this field, I started losing myself. I worked with rappers, shot content at strip clubs, and got caught up in the fast life. It felt like I was making progress, but on the inside, I was falling apart. That lifestyle left me homeless, with a broken spirit, desperate for a way out. I realized I needed to go back to my roots. I turned to my faith and reached out to my mom. She connected me with the CEO of a major hair brand, who gave me the opportunity to work with him for two years. That experience brought momentum back into my life and led to so many incredible relationships and connections that I couldn’t have imagined. In 2020, I found myself at the Super Bowl in Miami, working directly with a former NFL player. I met celebrity athletes and contributed to one of the most influential podcasts of our time. But that wasn’t the only highlight of my career. That same year, I produced, wrote, and directed my own short film project “Over The Holidays”. The film supported over 60 people as cast and crew, creating opportunities for others to share their gifts. To my amazement, it was featured on Fox News, solidifying one of the proudest moments of my journey. These achievements showed me that when you pour into others, your blessings multiply. This journey has taught me one crucial truth: never forget your foundation. Honor the people who believed in you when you couldn’t see the light. My business, Dream Large & Believe, was born out of that mission. Today, we host events, podcasts, and pop-up shoots, teaching others the skills & tools we’ve used to bounce back and thrive. The mission isn’t just about creating—it’s about inspiring resilience, faith, and the courage to Dream Large & Believe.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
Some of the major struggles was being in new territory, moving at a different pace, Houston is a big city but it’s still the country if that makes sense. Building relationships took time. Being in Alief also known as the SWAT had all the challenges that comes with that. It was dangerous. Also my sons mom and I was a constant battle and we struggled to even survive. One time we finally got a car after taking the bus for a while. The same night we had the car our place was broken into and they took the keys and stole the car. We had it for less than 24 hrs. After that she left me with my son for a few months. Another struggle was having to pay to perform at open mics that at the time just didn’t make sense but it was part of the game.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
I can honestly say I was one of the first photographers in Houston to hip people to the idea of instant professional photos. At events people want their images instantly. I found technology that allowed just that and started airdropping pictures to clients. This was when airdrop was still brand new. This immediately set me apart from other photographers and allowed me to be working everyday. The grind was intense. I eventually even learned to do the same with video and became known as one of the fastest content creators for businesses in the H. Technology and innovation for content creation is one of our greatest secret weapons. When AI became a thing we jumped all over it and use it daily now to streamline content production. Honestly don’t know how we managed to do so much before we had it. We are known also for launching business ideas for others. Many times people feel stuck or overwhelmed in the early stages of content creation. We help them take off. Our pop up shoots that we host solve those problems. Even when producing our own films it is possible because of our motto “anything is possible if you dream large and believe”
What sort of changes are you expecting over the next 5-10 years?
One of the biggest trends and next steps in our industry is VR. We have a few surprises coming up to bring that to market. The industry is really based on content that brings value and information. So monetizing content has only just began and is projected to create more millionaires for the average person than before.
Pricing:
- Pop up brand shoot registration $48
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.dlbimages.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dlbimages?igsh=ZXQ1MGxsYXdzamE4&utm_source=qr
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/share/1AzihMHnXc/?mibextid=LQQJ4d
- Youtube: https://youtube.com/@dreamlargebelieve6453?si=bX-jQFViDtrihizt
Image Credits
DLBimages
