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

Broderick, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. Do you think your parents have had a meaningful impact on you and your journey?

Growing up, watching my parents work so hard and get captivated by stress in their work made me want to really make sure that I did something that I enjoyed so that the stress would at least be more worth it. My parents have all shown me the importance of consistency and responsibility. Mind you, both of my parents remarried, and the partners they both individually chose after again still had that responsible and providing mindset. My parents did so much right that I don’t think I can even tell a wrong. They worked hard to invest in me the skills and wisdom that they’ve gained over experience as the greatest teacher. With witnessing how they worked, I was taught the importance of not being a bum. I was taught the principles of hustle, to go out and get yours! But, I was also taught the importance of remaining humble and that there is a time a place for you to be hustling and a time when you must be silent and observant. It’s like that one saying about us having two ears but one mouth for a reason. My parents instilled working hard but also the tremendous importance of working smart as well. They encourage me to follow my dreams to build my business up and serve as many as possible because I have something special that can be helpful in telling a story or building a business.

Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.

I am a professional photographer certified by the New York Institute of Photography and a videographer in the Greater Metropolitan Atlanta community. I love telling stories and capturing a brand, who they are, and what they offer. Whether you’re an entrepreneur and would like to show off your products & services, to a creative director who has a vision on a concept to change how we as humans view something, I am all for creating that moment and making sure it’s documented by the medium of photo or video. I am a photographer for people. If I sense that your brand is genuine and focused on making a change for the better, I feel obligated to do all I can to transmute your ideas and desires into media, whether photo or video. I am proud of the genuine relationships and happiness I’ve built and connected to. I learned that it’s true that if you’re around a good circle of people, more good people from other parts of that circle will be shared with you to continue on your mission or purpose.

For you, what’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative?

There is something special about performing your craft; it doesn’t feel like you are working. Like, yes, you are most definitely working, but there is no dread, disgust, or drama involved. You are…just in your element. A place where you feel comfortable and not coerced, a place of fun and thorough enjoyment. That feeling right there is one of the most rewarding aspects of being an artist. You’re just living – and a part of that “just living” does make you a living too. You’re being paid to do something you would’ve done if you weren’t getting paid. How awesome is that?!

Are there any resources you wish you knew about earlier in your creative journey?

I do encourage and share the importance of studying your craft. Luckily, continued education is a trait I’ve adopted from my mom, who encouraged me to do the New York Institute of Photography certification course. However, I did not have a mentor when I first started, and I definitely would encourage having a mentor earlier rather than later. I say this because when you are beginning, you don’t have much knowledge, and if you are observant, you see that sometimes it’s harder to learn and teach something to/from a person who believes they already know it. So for me, I have had a lot of humbling moments because I’m like, “Oh, I know this! This is the….” nope, wrong, it wasn’t that at all, and that really humbled me. Also, as you get better at your craft, you do have the potential to make money with it and a living. It’s essential to have a mentor during those times, but more importantly, to have one earlier so you can see the business aspect and how they manage so that you can figure out the best way to conduct business by example.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.amuseimagery.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/amuseimagery/
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/broderick-armbrister

Image Credits
Karen Kampovsky, Addison Dattillo, Jenné Claiborne, Jay Ellis, Dianna Thomas, God-is Rivera, XMT Fashion Organization, Miles Garrett, Nahir Sanagua, De’arra Taylor