Conversations with Brianna Dowd

Today we’d like to introduce you to Brianna Dowd.

Hi Brianna, thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, maybe you can tell our readers some of your backstories.
Growing up I always found myself drawing or coloring, but I also would be very excited to see my parents work together. They had a business as wedding/event photographers, and I would go with them and watch how they’d work with clients. I was about age 9-10 when I asked them if could I start helping, and they took a chance on me by putting a camera in my hand…from that point, there was no putting it down. As I got older I became more of an assistant and third shooter with my parents, up until I started to really develop a love for photography and begin to tap into my own story with it and my creative journey.

In my undergraduate studies at UNC Greensboro, I was introduced to the world of fine art photography and that’s where my love for the craft grew deeper. I learned how to combine 19th-century practices with digital technology in the forms of cyanotypes and van dyke prints, but also learned how to make imagery that tells whatever story I want. Now, I am nearing the end of my journey at SCAD pursuing my MFA in Photography, and I have been blown away by the success my thesis work has seen, one of those accomplishments being a 2022 Critical Mass Top 50 Finalist.

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?
This journey has not been easy at all, but well worth it. While pursuing my dream and degree I’ve overcome health challenges, navigating through the pandemic, and many moments of not feeling worthy enough in my craft. I even began to question if choosing to pursue my passion full-time is worth the investment.

I think that mentally, this was a huge deal for me because I take what I love so seriously. Not being the best in my health, and even with business moving much slower with the world shutting down, many factors challenged my drive and motivation. I learned valuable lessons that stretched my perspective, my drive, as well as my patience.

Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
As a fine art photographer, my work tends to revolve around themes such as identity, memory, and loss.

With photography, I honestly focus on storytelling, which I would say is the base for all of my work.

Whatever it is I have to say, or would like to express, I do so through photography, and it serves as a huge outlet for me. The series I am most proud of is my current thesis work entitled “Mother Pearl”, which has been one that has truly pushed me in regard to creativity and presentation. In this body of work, I have constructed a narrative via collage to portray memories I long to have created with my paternal grandmother who passed away long before I was born.

The crisis has affected us all in different ways. How has it affected you and are any important lessons or epiphanies you can share with us?
A huge lesson I learned due to the Covid-19 crisis was to relentlessly pursue my passion no matter what and find various ways to grow in it. With the world being shut down and little to no outside activity, photography sessions came to an immediate halt. For a while, I wasn’t getting phone calls to document events, weddings, or concepts because we all were in the same place… our homes. However, this time was necessary because it made me more intentional about finding ways to sharpen my skills.

What Covid-19 showed me was how to adapt to a different sense of “normal”, and gave me a different appreciation for other creative talents that I could grow. The pandemic also gave me a deeper appreciation for people, and those who continue to support me as much as I do them. The last couple of years have opened many eyes to the reality that life is short, and supporting and valuing others is what’s most important.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.butterflyvisualsllc.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/butterflyvisualsllc/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/butterflyvisualsllc