Today we’d like to introduce you to Taylor Brown.
Hi Taylor, it’s an honor to have you on the platform. Thanks for taking the time to share your story with us – to start maybe you can share some of your backstories with our readers?
I started taking photos when I was around 16. My grandma has always been an advocate for taking pictures when we went on family trips, holiday get-togethers, events, etc. I remember sometimes she would give me her digital camera and have me take the pictures. I’d show them to her and she’d reply “You took this? Wow you have a good eye for these things!” And that’s when I first thought about becoming a photographer!
I got my first digital camera from someone at my church who didn’t want it anymore. They heard I was getting into photography and just gave it to me so I could start practicing! It was super old with a really small LCD screen and barely had any memory but it was better than nothing, so I put it to good use! When I was first starting out, I would take pictures of my friends just having fun and messing around. At that time, I wasn’t really sure how to use a camera, so doing shoots with my friends and family was good practice.
When I was 18, I decided I wanted to learn more about how to use a professional camera and how to start a business with something I was passionate about, so I went to the Art Institute of Schaumburg for college in 2015 and learned all the basics. After about a year and a half at AI, I felt like I was growing out of that space and wanted to go more into depth of photography. I wanted to surround myself with other creatives, so I transferred to Columbia College Chicago in 2017 and learned everything I could! I graduated in 2019 with a Bachelor of Art Degree in Photography and a minor in Entrepreneurship. Those were some very challenging years but I felt like I needed to challenge myself in order to be successful.
Today I do freelance photography and specialize in portraits, lifestyle, and fashion!
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
Oh there have definitely been some bumps along the road, and there still are! Starting out your own business (especially one that’s art-related) sometimes can be tough to stay on top of your work and meet deadlines. You have to be both right and left-brained in order to turn your passion into a business.
Another challenge I faced throughout my time studying photography was what I wanted to specialize in. I wasn’t focused on a specific genre. When I was first starting out, I would do senior portraits and couples mainly. It wasn’t until my last semester of college that I realized fashion was my favorite subject to shoot! Since then, it’s been a passion of mine. It can be challenging when you feel like you don’t have a “specialty” or something that you’re known for, but that’s always changing and evolving. So don’t be too hard on yourself if you change your mind. That’s the awesome part about being creative!
Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
I am a portrait, lifestyle, and fashion photographer based in the Mckinney, TX area. Although I started out doing portraits in general, I found what I loved to shoot most which is mainly fashion in a natural light setting. I like to take a beautiful outfit and photograph it in more of an ordinary setting like a park or something with a more minimal background. I want to make the garments and the posing of the model the main focus and not have too many distractions. Any time I can find a new and exciting way to photograph the model is a win- whether that be different angles or taking candids while she’s fixing her hair or her clothes. Those tend to be my favorite shots!
Can you tell us more about what you were like growing up?
I was born in the northwest suburbs of Chicago (shoutout to Elk Grove Village) and lived there for the first 12 years of my life. Growing up was such a fun time. I have 6 siblings and we were all home-schooled for a number of years so our childhood was filled with a lot of creativity and making up games. We have always been a pretty artistic family. My mom majored in musical theater in college, my dad was voted “best dancer” at his high school, most of my siblings have been involved in singing, dancing, and acting at some point (as well as my extended family) so creativity definitely runs in the family!
In 2009 my family and I moved from Illinois to Texas. I was definitely a more shy kid growing up (especially when I first started public school in 7th grade). It was so new being around people who weren’t just my brothers and sisters. But as I got older, I learned how to come out of my shell and now I think most of my family and close friends would say I’m pretty goofy and have a hilarious sense of humor- or at least I think I do!
Contact Info:
- Email: tbrownie1224@gmail.com
- Website: www.taylorbrownphotography.net
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/taylor.brownphotography/
