Reese Dosemagen: Finding Her Focus

When Reese Dosemagen talks about photography, she lights up. Not because of the technical side of the lens, but because of the people in front of it.

“I want to capture memories and make people feel good about themselves,” Dosemagen said. This goal, born from her own childhood longing to feel seen, has grown into this defining passion that shapes her life, her studies, and even her future career.

At a time when many seniors are unsure of what’s next, Dosemagen has already found her focus, literally. Dosemagen is majoring in multimedia communication with a concentration in TV/Video and a minor in photography. She combines the technical side of her education with her desire to build a personal photography brand. Her style, she explains, is “romantic and movie-esque, like something out of a black-and-white film.” But she’s quick to adapt her work to whatever her clients envision:

“If they want bright and bold, I’ll make it bright and bold. If they want documentary-style, I’ll do that too,” she said.

Dosemagen’s creative journey began long before she stepped onto Olivet’s campus. In sixth grade, she dreamed of being a director, shooting small homemade movies that she now laughs about.

“Looking back now, it’s the cringiest thing I’ve ever done,” she said. But that passion for storytelling never left her. She received her first camera as a high school graduation gift, and everything clicked.

“It moved into, wow, I can make people feel beautiful,” she said. “That was something I never had growing up.”

Her goal of helping others see their own worth through her photography has become the emotional core of her work. One of her proudest moments was shooting her first wedding for clients she didn’t personally know. This milestone confirmed her growing talent.

“They actually reached out to me,” she said, smiling. “That was really fulfilling.”

Dosemagen’s creative path also led her to Olivet, though not by a traditional route.

“I actually heard about it through my now fiancé,” she said, a title she joyfully repeated throughout her story. “We came here from our high school, and as soon as I visited, I knew it was right. The community was so welcoming, even more than my high school ever was.”

She only visited one college, but she said she didn’t need another. “This was my first and only visit,” she said. “I fell in love with the place instantly.”

Since then, she has continued to fall in love with the community she has built around herself. Whether it’s homecoming, Halloween events, or cheering at football games, Dosemagen says the social life on campus has made her college experience unforgettable. “It’s the people and the memories that make it so special,” she said.

After graduation, Dosemagen hopes to turn her passion into a full-time career. Her dream is to become a professional photographer known for rich cinematic portraits. But she’s realistic about the journey ahead. For aspiring photographers, she offers this advice: “Start as soon as you can. Take pictures of all your friends. Take free clients. You’re not going to be successful right away, and that’s okay. Build your name, make a website, and don’t get discouraged. It will build up. I promise.”