We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Bria Ferguson a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Hi Bria , thanks for joining us today. Any thoughts around creating more inclusive workplaces?

The season I’m currently in my business is building a community that matters. There have been many times where I have felt like the outsider or misunderstood because of how I look or just being in a male dominated space.

My goal has always been to inspire others and add value where I feel it’s needed. My advice to other creators would be to remember your why and also be open to feedback from other peers who feel the same as you when it comes to lack of brown skin acknowledgement in this space.

Bria , love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?

My love for photography grew in middle school I remember being in the car with my mom and seeing flickers of images as we passed but different people in places. After that I took a photography class in high school and was hooked.

I’m self taught. I went to college for a semester or two and just didn’t feel connected there. Fast forward After that I went full time in the middle of the pandemic and began teaching product photography online on Tuesday , I went live on social media and my business exploded.

Now I’m doing more story telling work and product photography here and there. I love teaching I’ve been in this industry for over a decade and the biggest thing I’ve learned is that you cannot do this alone. Being an entrepreneur gets lonely sometimes so having a foundation mentally & spiritually is very important otherwise you won’t last long.

How about pivoting – can you share the story of a time you’ve had to pivot?

I have changed niches so many times I know there has been a debate on this all over social media. I don’t believe we are meant to do one thing but I do believe that there our seasons in our journey as creatives where we are suppose to focus on a particular thing take it with us and move on to the next level of the ladder.

For example I take things I’ve learned from shooting weddings and apply it to product photography. I take things I’ve learned from product photography and create sets for my series on YouTube that I’ve created. So it’s all connected it doesn’t mean that time was wasted or didn’t matter it’s that you have something to learn in that season to take you to where your headed.

I pivoted to product photography because the world shutdown and I Chad to figure out how to maintain my business and still connect with clients and my community. I saw that people were starting new businesses that were product based and the photos looked odd to me so I started shooting products I was order or already had at home. And the rest is history .

We often hear about learning lessons – but just as important is unlearning lessons. Have you ever had to unlearn a lesson?

A lesson I’ve had to unlearn is that what I do matters. Sometimes when you’re in the groove of something it can feel like is what I am doing right now really making an impact? Or am I following trends or what others are doing?

Because being the first is a wild feeling because you have no guide you are moving in the unknown. But you know what you wish was there so you just keep going with that goal in mind. It’s not for me it’s for the generations after me. It’s for that little girl or boy watching images on tv , in books etc. that they know I see you. You created this with you in mind.

Contact Info:

• Website: Www.bnixphotography.com
• Instagram: Bnixphotography
• Facebook: B nix photography
• Youtube: B nix photography