Art

Fashion Shoot, Guerilla Style

Photographer Brittanny Taylor Explores the Power of Image Crafting

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They are not necessarily models, at least not in the stereotypical walk-the-runway, size zero, rubbing shoulders with Kanye sense of the word. Yet the radiant figures featured in many of Brittanny Taylor’s fashion and lifestyle photographs ooze absolute confidence while boasting envy-inducing personal style in soft stripes, structured lines and finished looks that could make any fashion devotee utterly swoon. That is Brittanny’s gift: uncovering the inner trendsetting powerhouse in a person by using her well-trained eye and robust talent as a photographer in tandem with a comfortable flow of conversation.

“I like bringing fashion to a more attainable place,” says the native Rhode Islander over mochas at the Cafe at Easy Entertaining. “Growing up around fashion and going to RISD for different things, you see the separation between the ‘fashion world’ and everyone else. But anyone can have fun with personal style. I like working with regular women who enjoy fashion and just want to represent themselves.”

Brittanny’s love of style and beauty started at infancy. Her mother is a fashion designer who studied at RISD and exposed her to the many creative opportunities the famed university has to offer. She initially went to Rhode Island College for film studies, however indications of her inherent passion for photography were prevalent early on. “When I was three I would walk around with a cassette tape to my face because I thought it was a camera,” Brittanny laughs between chocolate-infused sips. “[My mom] would put on fashion shows and I watched everything; all the photo shoots.”

It was an unexpected unemployment situation that helped her realize photography could be a viable career. After working at a local camera shop, Brittanny was asked to take professional pictures for a jewelry designer. “I did a trade shoot… I shot her jewelry and she posed for me and I didn’t suck at it, so I kept going. That was six and a half years ago.”

Since then, Brittanny has shot campaigns featured in Complex magazine and VIBE. She has taken pictures for multiple fashion brands, executed shoots for musicians, photographed babes (as in babies) and orchestrated shoots for various professional situations, as well. She is also the creative director of a locally based online spa and beauty company, 1am Beauty, and is the communications director for the PVD Lady Project, helming the role as their house photographer, too. But some of Brittanny’s favorite work is collaborating with fashion bloggers – women or men who appreciate the intricate world of fashionable trends and need a little of their own photographic representation.

“If I’m doing a shoot in the city – Providence, NYC – we do it guerilla style. You know a girl’s a fashion blogger [when] she’s dragging around a giant suitcase in heels and just wandering around the streets. We look and see if there is an interesting location, a cool wall, art, etc. If there are no cars, we will shoot in the street – whatever visually works,” she adds.

In terms of aesthetics, Brittanny’s is raw, of-the-moment and energetic. She prefers natural light and finds inspiration in the moments between the clicks of her camera. If she needs a certain pose, she’ll ask, but often lets the subject take the lead.

“I love working with new people – people who don’t really get their photo taken. I’ve worked with new models that are nervous [and] bloggers who are starting out and they don’t really know what to do,” she says. “My goal is to make everyone comfortable in front of the camera. I’m very relaxed when I shoot. It’s more of a conversation. It can be very nerve-wracking, getting your picture taken. It’s not fun for a lot of people.”

Currently, Brittanny is focusing on the business aspects of photography and hopes to expand her services to include consulting so that her clients will not only get beautiful photographs, but will have the additional opportunity to receive expert advice on brand management, as well, including how to set up an engaging website, aesthetic advice, content creation and more.

“I want someone to come to me and get everything they need,” expresses Brittanny in a resolute tone. “I like being my own boss, and this is a time when anyone can start their own business. I want to motivate people into putting themselves out there. It’s scary, though – everyone has their doubts – but you do it because you can’t live life any other way.”

Brittanny Taylor
261-2654

Brittanny Taylor, RISD, photography, fashion photography, pvd lady project, rhode island, Elyena "Nellie" de Goguel, VIBE, complex magazine, 1am Beauty, providence monthly

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