Photographer Spotlight: Interview with Brigette Sullivan, Owner of Chicago-based Outer Focus Photos

With her mom’s 110 camera in hand, Brigette Sullivan took some of her first photos at the age of five snapping away at whatever piqued her mind’s curiosity: clouds, siblings, garden animals…you name it. Twelve years ago she began shooting on a professional level and now runs her own photography business, Outer Focus Photos. Whether she’s shooting stock photography, concerts, food porn, non-traditional weddings, empowering pin-ups, or editorial, Brigette’s images have a creative style that is unique and fresh, and focus on people “outside of society’s margins.” We interviewed Brigette not only because we’re in love with the style and emotions her images evoke, but also because in the stock photography world she has been both behind the lens shooting stock and behind the desk working as a Photo Researcher/Editor. In this interview she shares her trajectory as a photographer, her art, and insights on how to pave your own way and make both a name and a living as a photographer.

PHOTOGRAPHY BACKGROUND

Tell us a little about yourself?

I’m an eclectic mix of bookworm, rock ‘n’ roll, and soft-hearted goofball. I try to take at least one small road trip a year in my Jeep Wrangler. My idea of zen is a Sunday afternoon experimenting in the kitchen while enjoying a bit of pinot grigio and listening to music–anything from hair metal to delta blues to classical symphonies. As an artist, I studied Photography and Art History at Indiana State University then got my Masters of Art & Art History at the acclaimed School of the Art Institute of Chicago. The music videos and film work of hip-hop director Hype Williams was the focus of my thesis work. I played roller derby for a few years with the Windy City Rollers and was even an extra skater in the movie Whip It. I volunteer for a local pet shelter, Special Olympics, and a physical rehab facility. Currently, I’m trying to find time to develop a business plan for a non-profit photo project/business that benefits survivors of domestic abuse and homelessness.

Where is home?

Sweet home Chicago!

How long have you been a photographer?

I’ve been exploring with cameras and photography since I was a child. I realized I could get paid for my talent and efforts about twelve years ago. I began my attempt to support myself solely as a photographer about three years ago.

What was the first camera you ever owned, how old were you? What did you shoot with it?

The first ever photo I remember taking was age 5 of my siblings in front of elephant-shaped topiary bushes at Busch Gardens. I still have that Polaroid. My mother used to hide the 110 camera from me, so I didn’t go through her rolls of film and burn all the flash cubes photographing my pets, clouds, friends, the neighbor’s flower garden, inside of my mouth… I decided to take a photography class in college when my boyfriend gave me his dad’s old metal-body Minolta camera.

 

Why did you become a photographer? Has photography always been something you planned to do on a professional level?

Looking back, photography has always been a part of my life. I used to pour over pages of photos in my grandfather’s National Geographic magazines rock magazines. The Rand McNally atlases fascinated me with their giant, colorful photo covers. Who knew I’d later get hired as a Rand McNally photo editor?! I never consciously thought of photography as a fruitful career for myself while I was studying Art in school or while working for publishers. But when I lost my full-time employment, I knew I had the basic technical skills, had done side jobs and kept photography as a hobby. So I gave it a shot; I had nothing to lose.

Other jobs you’ve had before this?

Pet shop clerk, waitress, bartender, newborn hospital photographer, substitute teacher, art buyer, photo researcher, photo editor

How would you describe yourself as a photographer? For example, what do you specialize in shooting? How would you describe your style?

Outside of stock photography, I shoot unique portraits, offbeat and quirky weddings, rock ‘n’ roll photography–and I love them all equally.

Describe the first real shoot you can remember. What were you shooting, how long ago was this?

My first wedding was for my sister about sixteen years ago when I was still in college. Not one single photo turned out because I had no idea how to use the flash unit. I was devastated. Lesson there: always have a backup plan. During grad school, I photographed all the newborn photos at a bustling, prestigious Chicago hospital. That taught me a lot about navigating sensitive situations, and helped me develop softer skills while dealing with scared, overjoyed, tired, confused, grieving, emotional clients.

Any major hurdles you’ve encountered as a photographer? How did you overcome them? Has gender ever been an issue in this field for you?

I get my own version of “stage fright” before photo shoots. Nerves make me jittery and forgetful, as I hope to exceed client expectations. Writing lists help me not forget gear, even though I pack the same equipment each time. But once I take the first photo, I’m fine and in control and feel like Joan of Arc: “I was born for this”.

Gender works for and against me, depending on the specific job. I am fairly certain I was not given an opportunity with a particular major league sports team due to the gender factor; my resume and experience were far stronger than the candidate chosen for the job.

“As a concert photographer, some guys in the photo pit think they can run me over. But often, being a petite platinum blond gal in a dark pit of big sweaty men is the very thing that helps me wiggle into small corners and directs a performer’s attention to my camera lens.”

I’ve had numerous clients tell me how much more comfortable they are posing nude or having their children around a female photographer. And my wedding clients tend to be more liberal and happily support a female-run business. I’m proud to be a woman in a mostly male-dominated profession. If gender is ever a problem for a potential client or employer, then that’s not someone with whom I want to work.

 

What/Who inspires you in life and in your work? / What motivates you?

The subjects of my work are my muses. I am motivated to their inner and outer beauty. I want to capture and share the spirit of a person’s love, passion, talent, and generate smiles with my work.

Photographer(s) who inspire you, and why?

I recently realized the music magazines that fascinated me as a teen unknowingly guided my sensibility (or at least interest) in rock ‘n’ roll photography, namely Neil Zlozower and Ross Halfin. I admire Sally Mann’s sweet yet provocative child photography, images that can only come from a place of deep trust and familiarity. The simplicity and grace of Edward Weston’s photography and the emotion of Dorthea Lange’s Depression Era portraits also move me.

What has been your most memorable or rewarding assignment and why?

When I worked as newborn photographer in the hospital maternity ward,

“one of my responsibilities was to photograph the stillborn infants. It made me realize how unimportant I am as an artist, but how important one photo can be in a person’s life.“

Do you make time for personal photographic work? What things do you shoot then?

I enjoy photographing my expressive, wide-eyed niece. Sometimes when I make a new creation in the kitchen, I can’t help but create a bit of “food porn” photography.I decided if I’m going to cook lovely dishes or fun creations, I might as well celebrate them too. We live in a society where we have choices, and I feel my food, drink, and diet choices are a luxury. Why not glorify all the wealth and bountiful harvests we have at our fingertips.

 

Greatest achievement as an artist?

Each experience I have as a photographer, each photo I create is another step in the growth and evolution of what I can do and offer people. Anytime I walk in to a client’s home and see my photography on their walls, I am humbled and flattered.

TECHNICAL

 

What type of set ups do you use during your shoots?

Concert Photography: I use one or two cameras (Nikon D700) with high ISO settings, no flash, manual focus. There is a little more “spray and pray” since I am usually only given about ten minutes to get great shots.

Weddings: thse run the gamut of options and I have to be prepared on the fly for any and everything. I use two cameras–one with zoom lens and one with wide-angle lens and depends on available lighting, often using fill or bounced flash.

Studio setups: these only require one camera and lights vary from one to three strobes or ambient light. It’s not easy to lug a big kit of strobes around or set them up quickly, so I try to utilize a smaller system for on-location work.

CAREER

What advice do you have for photographers who are just starting out and want to become professional?

You only get out of it what you put into it. Try everything to find the style, subjects, and niche you like and do best. Taking great photos and building a substantial portfolio are only a few of the puzzle pieces as a professional photographer. The other parts are networking, marketing, business planning, technical and software skills, thorough knowledge of your specific niche within the photo industry, learning the legal aspects and understanding contracts, copyrights, licensing, setting rates, and more. Make sure you use proper grammar and etiquette in email, letters, and in person. Be reliable, prompt, and responsible for your work and actions.

 

Outer Focus…what does that mean? What’s the history behind your personal photography business? Good parts, rough parts?

Outer, as in marginal, the outer fringes of society. The subjects and people I work with are not typically mainstream. It is also a play on how it sounds: “out of focus”

Sales pitches have always been a weakness of mine. I want the work to speak for itself.

“This is definitely not a job choice for the meek. It is sometimes difficult not to take critiques or rejections personal.”

I’ve seen my work copied by other photographers and used by publishers without permission. Those are minimal things I deal with and move on.

What kind of education/schooling/training have you had in photography? Have these been helpful to your career/trajectory as a photographer and how so?

The very first classes I took in college were the most useful, technically. It’s important to know how to aperture, ISO, shutter speed, f-stops, and post-production to get the result you want. I continue evolving my skills and style with occasional webinars, seminars, and workshops.

What’s the best part of being a photographer? What’s the worst part of being a professional photographer?

The good: Calling my own shots, collaborating with amazing clients, creating pictures that bring a little joy, inspiration, or insight to people.

The blah: Time spent marketing, keeping up with pro organizations, deciding how to spend money when every penny counts, keeping up on technology and software, writing emails, studying business strategies, social networking, keywording and embedding metadata, waiting for my computer to process files, working on my sales delivery… All that is time one must invest in order to have the privilege of making pictures and earning a living.

 

Favorite photos you have taken recently.

Have you ever been published and if so who with?

Stock: used in publications in Italy, Russia, and Spain. Textbooks, kid’s magazines, The Huffington Post, Bust Magazine.

Concert: Picture of Pearl Aday on the cover of music industry magazine Pollstar. I shoot and publish regularly for Examiner.com Many of my artist promo/press kit/portrait work ends up on CDs and in Chicago area newspapers.

Weddings: Featured in online magazines and blogs.

ART

You’re currently working on a non-profit photo project for survivors of domestic abuse…tell us about it!

It is still in the business planning process. I’m not yet sure what a non-profit business looks like and how it operates. I really need to find the time to get it off the ground (which means time away from making my “regular” photo efforts financially sound first). I have not yet put this project on the front burner until I can do it right. But essentially, it involves providing photography and portraits to people who are rebuilding their homes, their lives, their selves.

Pin-up photo shoots, what are these all about? What got you into them/why’d you decide to do them?

Pin-up and boudoir photo sessions are about feeling empowered, confident, and beautiful as a woman. It takes a special finesse and approach to do boudoir sessions well. I guide the everyday woman into feeling comfortable in a saucy vixen role she probably doesn’t enact often, catching the right expressions, shooting the right angles, and deciding what/if to retouch anything. However,

“I do not believe in “erasing pounds” or heavy manipulations with my Photoshop work. Curves and wrinkles are beautiful, and I want women to celebrate their real beauty.”

My first pin-up style photos were of myself–mostly because I was my own model for college projects. I got tired of looking at myself, so I invited a couple friends to pose as subjects. It is one of the most rewarding kinds of photography I do.

 

How’d you get into concert photography? How have your photos been used? Toughest part of these shoots?

I knew someone who needed a photographer to cover a Type O Negative show, so I shot my first concert photo about six or seven years ago on 35mm film. After I began making photography my full-time gig, a friend invited me to come see his band perform. I had a photo gig right before his show, so I figured I’d offer to shoot a few pix since I had my camera with me. After that, I got better at it, got a better camera, and have begun to develop a certain style to my concert work. I’ve worked my way up to arena concerts and headlining acts like Santana and Stone Temple Pilots. I’d like to document an entire tour, because my work is more about capturing feelings and moments, not just cool rockstar shots. I’d love to have the trust and access to capture the raw, gritty, and rewarding life of performers.

Of everything you shoot, what do you find are consistently the most challenging shoots? Weddings, concerts, pin-ups, portraits, stock photos…which is the toughest and why?

Stock photography is the biggest time gamble. There are no guarantees of use or payment. Weddings are the most difficult overall. Many newlyweds have high expectations of the biggest day of their lives, so it is a lot of pressure and a great deal of work before, during, and after. But as with anything in life, the biggest risks yield the most rewarding results. In the midst of so much commotion, I enjoy the challenge of creating a quiet, fun, loving work of art couples will cherish for a lifetime.

STOCK PHOTOGRAPHY

Tell us a bit about your trajectory with PhotoEdit? When did you officially join PhotoEdit and how did you first come to hear about a multi-ethnic stock photography agency?

My first job out of grad school was as a photo researcher for a textbook development house. Naturally, PhotoEdit is a main source of photos for publications like that. I worked full-time as a photo researcher and editor for eight years, making me familiar with some of the specific content publishers look for. I knew PhotoEdit was looking to add more contemporary images and subjects, and thought I might be able to add some unique content. And since many PhotoEdit contributors reside are in Califorina, adding a Chicago source might benefit PhotoEdit–especially if you need pictures of snow, thunderstorms, or hot dogs!

As an artist what do you like and dislike about shooting stock photography, text-book shots, etc? How long have you been doing these?

I dislike not knowing whether a photo is used (or for how much, or in what publication) until I get a check in the mail at any given time down the road. It is difficult to obtain tear sheets for our portfolios. I’ve learned not to shoot to trends or popular searches because they’re already in the past. I just stick to what I know and try to do it well enough that my work might get picked over the millions of other photos. On the positive side, unless I’m doing an on-spec assignment, there’s no client pressure, no expectations. I can photo what interests me, whatever I think might be of interest to publishers, I can explore and expand my abilities without fear of failure.

Check out Brigette’s stock photography on our PhotoEdit Inc. website here:

Brigette Sullivan Stock Collection