Introducing Me!
Where do I begin?
Hello readers! Thanks for stumbling upon my blog! Whether it was intentional or a lucky accident, I'm glad you're here! I thought I'd get the chance to introduce myself properly and tell you a little about myself! For the record, I'm not much of a blogger, so I hope what you read will make sense to you. XD
My name is Brianna Lock. I am 25 years old. I have been a professional photographer for 7 years. It started as a hobby when I was a young teen and the first time I held that DSLR, I was hooked! You know how a parent will say, "don't have sticky fingers?" Well, you could say that a professional camera had that effect on me. On that note...I guess you could say that my dad gets that credit...it was originally his camera that I stole when I was twelve years old. #SorryNotSorry
What started as taking the odd photograph of my dog Coconut, or a beautiful sunset across the highway, or even my friends who were willing to be my guinea pig models; I never put that camera down. I clicked, and I clicked until I couldn't press that button anymore. I was willing to admit that it became an addiction. Then maybe someday...an education and a career.
These two photographs are the first I've ever taken! You have to start somewhere!
The camera became my third eye. Sometimes it saw things that I didn't, or it was able to capture what I was trying to interpret.
My very FIRST logo! When I decided to give a name to my photography, I was inspired by my home province and the country we were surrounded by. I kept the name until I changed it before I graduated from college!
What was next for me?
Years went by and I photographed more and more throughout high school; gaining experience and meeting more potential clients. As I was trying to figure out what my next move was, I found myself struggling with trying to find a way to keep photography in my life without putting pressure on myself. I did end up going to University after Graduation and enrolled at Saskatchewan Polytechnic in Saskatoon for Business. I thought more about what education I would need to help myself in the future. I knew I wanted to build a business, whether it was full-time photography or part-time. Either way, I knew it was a part of me.
Once I graduated with my Certificate in Business, I got an opportunity to work with Lifetouch Canada, Inc. If you're unfamiliar, they are the largest family and school photography company in the country. You know that picture day you dreaded every year in Grade School and High School? Yea? They took those! :P And trust me, they aren't as bad as you think!
They hired me within an hour after my interview and all I could think was, "Yes! I get to take pictures every day and get guaranteed pay!" It was a pretty nice hookup, I'll admit.
It had long days; we had to travel a lot around Saskatchewan. Most times I would be away for multiple days. It definitely was a job with challenges, but I enjoyed myself. And the best part? I fell in love with the people I worked with. We got to know each other so well and loved making plans outside work to hang out and enjoy each other's company. (That included taking photos on our own time, for example, the one of me above jumping up with joy?! My friend Lisa took that!)
I stayed with Lifetouch for a while, and as I worked hard from Monday to Friday, I still felt like I was missing something. I still had the desire to run my own business and be my own CEO, but I also feared just diving in when I needed to make money as much as I could. That's when I found one of the best art schools in Canada and decided to make it my next step. I found that they offered a Bachelor's Degree in Design, along with a major in Photography. That day, I decided to apply.
It was real!
The moment I received that acceptance letter in the mail, I had to pinch myself! Alberta University of the Arts (formerly ACAD), was my dream school and they chose ME!
Had to say goodbye...
I won't lie...when I decided to go to school and leave my job, it was an easy decision, but it also...wasn't.
I had created these beautiful relationships with my co-workers and they had become my work family.
I knew I was going to make friends in Alberta, but I had to leave my second family, and I didn't leave without shedding a tear. I planned on taking everything I learnt from there to my next adventure.
I didn't do it alone
6 hours from home is a long way...and I didn't do it alone! I was lucky and very grateful to have my fiancé (now husband!) Trevor to tag along on this adventure and support my dreams.
The larger my support system was, the more confident I was that I was going to succeed.
School...a wild and beautiful ride!
Like most college students would say, "exams suck," or "I hate this instructor," or "I don't want to do this homework or I'll die." As a girl who spent four years of her life in college, I can relate to all those statements. But doesn't exactly mean I agree with them! College was a long four years, but it was also some of the best years of my life.
I knew I wanted to go to school and learn from the best, but I didn't know where at first! I didn't have that many options when it came to Photography school in Saskatchewan, so I looked at my next option that would give me the best knowledge, but that also wasn't miles away from home. I mean, 6 hours is long enough, but it makes going home for Christmas more likely! So, Alberta University of the Arts had my dream education, so away I went!
Another thing that most college students would (probably) agree with me: the first year is always the hardest. I had to learn a massive campus map (and I mean, MASSIVE!) I had to adapt to a full schedule (my classes, technically termed as studios, would run for 3.5 hours!) At the same time, I was new to a city with a 1.6 million population and I was still trying to figure out how to use the train. You'd think that taking a train from point A to point B would be as easy as it sounds? Nope. Sigh. It had challenges, but if I didn't have those challenges, I wouldn't be the artist I am today!
During my time at AuArts, I got to meet some of the greatest instructors, and I got to connect with some great classmates who are now considered some of my closest friends! I learnt so much at this school, and I'm proud of everything I've accomplished because of this knowledge, but I'm forever grateful of the one thing they taught me: self-confidence. I really struggled with depression and anxiety since I was teen, and it took an effect on my photography and who I was as an artist. I was able to connect with my instructors and they were able to teach and push me to tell my story the way I WANTED to and create it with nothing but perseverance and emotion. From then on, I was changed as an artist and my photography was risen to a whole new level.
Below is a selection of self portraiture I have done from the beginning of my Degree, to the final year. Through the entire 4 years, I have found a way to tell my story and be able to show self-confidence in myself and teach people how to do it themselves. They are arranged from older to newer.
(Just a note, half of my degree was completed during the pandemic, so I was in my own work A LOT more than I anticipated!)
A whole new adventure
So, I probably dragged on a LOT longer than I should've, but that's my introduction! Besides the fact that I am a wife, a boy momma, and a lover of sushi and wine, there's not much to it!
I have had many struggles in my life, and it's never been easy dealing with them, but without them, I wouldn't be the person I am today.
As an artist, professional photographer and creator, all in one, I plan to live my life to the fullest, and working as hard as I can to bring my 100% to every person that asks me to document their life. The phrase, "capture the moment," is literal, and I plan to live by it.
Again, my name is Brianna Lock and it was a thrill meeting you (virtually) ;)
I can't wait to connect with you,
x
