Just Do You: A Q&A With Brittanny Taylor
Brittanny Taylor is a photographer who does more than capture images. She’s out to capture that which is quite illusive – who you really are. And who you are is quite unique.
None of us are ordinary, Taylor says, which is why every individual she photographs appears uniquely extraordinary. Each face seems to hold a fascinating story that the viewer wants to know more about. It’s the filmmaker/storyteller in her coming through her photography.
Taylor earned her film studies degree at Rhode Island College in 2005, with the desire to become a documentary filmmaker. It wasn’t until she lost her job at a camera shop and was unemployed that she changed her focus from the moving image (film) to the still image (photography).
Out of the ashes, Brittanny Taylor Photography arose, established in 2009. For five years, she traveled back and forth to New York for fashion week, photographing fashion influencers or attending shows. Today, her clientele ranges from small business owners to wedding planners and proud graduates.
No matter the subject matter, Taylor’s camera will find your uniqueness.
She describes herself as a “Black and Indigenous queer, cis, plus-size woman” and considers every photoshoot “a body neutral zone.”
“If you love your body, I love to see it. If you’re neutral towards it, fabulous. But there is no negative body talk allowed. I have a deep appreciation for the container that carries you through life,” she says.
Taylor is not only an alumna of Rhode Island College, but a current student. This fall she began her graduate studies in clinical mental health counseling. In this article, RIC News has a one-on-one with Taylor about herself and her exceptional work.
A client comes to you and says they hate being in front of a camera. What do you do?
The first thing I tell a client is, “I know this sucks. So, let’s just put that on the table. Getting your picture taken can be terrible. So, let’s just get that out of the way.”
I don’t ask anything of them. If they want to smile, then smile; if they don’t, I don’t ask them to. If they wear glasses, then wear them. I only ask people to show up as they are. People feel like they have to show up as this inflated version of themselves or put on some type of show for social media. I don’t have a studio with a thousand lights pointed at them. It’s just me and my camera. It’s just two people relating to each other, while one of us happens to be holding a camera.
I also get them to talk about things outside of what we’re doing, like “What interests you? What have you been up to?” I get to know them, and I let them get to know me. Maybe I help them realize something about themselves. That they’re worthy of having this moment. That they’re worthy of being seen and heard and honored. I use the word “honor” a lot. Honor yourself. Because we just don’t do that enough.
There’s a lot of overlap between photography and counseling. You’re meeting people at their most vulnerable. It doesn’t matter what the photoshoot is for. They still have to show up as themselves and allow themselves to be seen. That can be really hard for people.
How did your film degree influence your photography?
I loved my time at RIC, especially the filmmaking classes I took with Holly Hay, Friday mornings, 9 to 12. Film studies taught me how to view a story. I learned how to pick out – from countless hours of footage – the story I wanted to tell. The same thing happens with photography. You can take countless photos, but you have to narrow it down to the one shot that tells the story. Film is moving image. Photography is still image. I just tell my stories in stills now.
Recently you returned to Rhode Island College to earn a master’s degree in mental health counseling.
To be honest with you, I’ve been a practicing unlicensed therapist my whole life. I’ve always been the one that people came to with an issue. They’d sit on my couch, and I’d say, “Let’s talk about it.”
Along with photography, I do tarot readings and I’m an embodiment coach. Everything I do goes back to allowing people to be seen, heard and honored, no matter how they show up in front of me. I care deeply about people being seen, and I feel lucky to be able to capture on camera those moments when they are.
What’s the biggest compliment anyone could give you?
To look at a photograph I took of them, and say, “That’s me. It looks like me.”
“Your story is unique,” writes Taylor, “and my mission is to tell it in an equally exceptional way. If you’re ready to step outside the frame, embrace the extraordinary, and immortalize your journey in a way that is as unique as you are…Explore my portfolio, get to know my style, and when you’re ready to capture your life outside the frame, reach out.
“My clients include small business owners, authors, scientists, podcasters, lawyers, photographers, graphic designers, CEOS, artists, coaches, legislators, influencers, designers, crafters, athletes, musicians, and you...”
This interview has been edited and condensed.
Brittanny Taylor Photography Website
Learn more about RIC’s Film Studies B.A.