This week on Weslee Weighs In, we sit down with one of the most recognizable photographers in jiu-jitsu, Dorian Brownlee.

Dorian’s story is about a lot more than taking pictures. From watching UFC 1 as a kid and serving in the Army, to getting humbled on his first night of jiu-jitsu, Dorian eventually found himself shooting tournaments with a borrowed camera, and turned that opportunity into a full-time career photographing some of the biggest events in the sport.

We talk about how he Heath Pedigo gave him his first opportunity at an IBJJF tournament, what it takes to capture that split-second moment that tells the story of a match, and why he believes the best jiu-jitsu photographers actually need to understand the sport from the inside.

But this conversation goes way beyond photography.

Dorian gets real about toxic gym culture, over-the-top parents, sportsmanship, women’s programs, youth coaching, and what it actually takes to build a strong jiu-jitsu community. He also shares the story behind his signature giraffe look, the tragedy that pushed him to stop waiting for permission and bet on himself, and the journey that eventually led him to opening a brand-new Pedigo Submission Fighting gym in Columbia, Missouri.

In this episode, we talk about:

• Dorian’s journey from marketing cars and using a borrowed camera to becoming a full-time combat sports photographer

• How he got his start photographing IBJJF tournaments

• What separates a great jiu-jitsu photograph from just another picture of a match

• Why photographers who compete have a unique perspective on the sport

• The communication between athletes and photographers that can make tournament coverage better

• The story behind Dorian’s signature giraffe look 🦒

• Toxic gym culture, bad sportsmanship, and the impact they have on the next generation

• Over-the-top jiu-jitsu parents and what coaches and gym owners can do about it

• Why women’s programs and youth coaching are so important

• What it really means to build a “tribe” in jiu-jitsu

• The decision that changed Dorian’s life and pushed him to bet on himself

• His new Pedigo Submission Fighting gym in Columbia, Missouri

Dorian has spent years documenting the people, moments, and chaos that make jiu-jitsu what it is. Now he’s stepping into a completely different role as a gym owner.

This one is part jiu-jitsu, part photography, part entrepreneurship, and a whole lot of honest conversation about the culture surrounding the sport.

Follow Dorian on socials: @bjjedits

Check out his new gym, Pedigo Submission Fighting in Columbia, MO

@psfcolumbiamo

www.psfcomo.com