We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Brit Schwab a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.
Brit, appreciate you joining us today. Alright – so having the idea is one thing, but going from idea to execution is where countless people drop the ball. Can you talk to us about your journey from idea to execution?
About ten years ago I started to become more and more fascinated with photography but always assumed I had to go to school for it. I was just wrapping up my bachelors degree in education and didn’t think it would be wise for me to go back to school and pursue photography. I decided I would just buy a basic starter camera and play around with it instead. I then started watching videos and researching on how to capture the perfect shot. I then upgraded my camera and continued to learn more and more on my own. I then realized I don’t need to go to school in order for me to feel confident behind the camera. I was happy with my photos and other people seemed to be too. That was when I decided to take the jump and shoot as a second shooter for a wedding under other professionals. That hands on learning was amazing. I started to slowly branch off on my own and I grew much faster than I was expecting. People loved my photos more than I would have ever expected. It was an incredible feeling. I then decided it was time to make it an official business and that is when Photography by Brit L.L.C. started and it’s been amazing.
Brit, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?
Well I already gave a good background on how I got to where I am today. When it comes to the services I provide, I am a wedding, engagement and senior photographer. I also do destination weddings! I chose to focus on these three areas because I felt that was where my craft was. I am a school teacher by day and photographer by night. I felt that narrowing in on photos of couples and seniors was my best option. I love capturing love and I also love capturing personalities of my seniors. I want my couples to feel comfortable with me, to laugh with me and forget I am even there. I want my seniors to have fun and enjoy this moment of their life before they enter the next stage. I also want to show who they are. I never want to make them feel like they need to put on a show for the camera or ever look at the pictures and feel the photo doesn’t reflect them. My goal as a photographer is not only to capture some amazing moments in time but to make all my clients feel beautiful and comfortable. I think that would be what I am most proud of. I am proud of how when everything is over my clients tell me I made them feel so comfortable and they had fun with me as well.
Is there mission driving your creative journey?
I think the goal I have that is driving me through my creative journey is to be the best photographer I can be and to be known by people far beyond Minnesota. I would love to travel all over and capture incredible moments. I love to wander. If someone across the world saw my photos and felt a connection to me and wanted me to be the one to capture their wedding, I would hop on a plane and be there in a heart beat.
We’d love to hear the story of how you turned a side-hustle into a something much bigger.
One major perk of being a teacher is I have my summers off, which in return in my busy season for photography. My busy season for photography runs usually from June-October so there is a little lapse in there once school starts. I have yet to take photography on full time. I get asked almost daily when the day will come that I pack up my classroom and open up a studio of my own but the love I have for teaching is far too strong. I also feel that teaching keeps me from getting burned out in photography. It’s nice to get to bounce back between the two. I always tell people maybe one day I will hang my teaching hat up for a bit and wear a camera full time but right now I am enjoying the ride.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.photographybybritjo.com
- Instagram: photographybybritjo
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/photographybybritjo