We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Brittany Brooks a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.
Hi Brittany , really happy you were able to join us today and we’re looking forward to sharing your story and insights with our readers. Let’s start with the heart of it all – purpose. How did you find your purpose?
The short answer is Jesus. The long answer is that I found it through many trials. I have always been told that who you are is shown the best by how you bounce back from adversity and I have gotten to see that first hand many times in my life. My mom was an excellent example of this. In 2016 my mom was diagnosed with breast cancer, in 2017 she went into remission, and in late 2018 it came back in surplus. Sadly in 2019, she gained her wings and left this earth for her eternal home in heaven. The way she raised me and my brother left us with no doubt of where she is today. Throughout all of her trials she remained strong in her faith in Jesus Christ, and that is one of the many reasons why she was, and always will be someone I look up to.
With all that my mom taught me in the 18 years I had with her, I continue to implement the knowledge daily. After she left was when my purpose became clear, I am here to finish what she started.
I would say that it’s always been very easy for me to do that, but that would be a lie. After she passed, I faced the reality that I was an 18 year old girl without a mom, going to a college 3 hours away from home with a roommate I hardly knew. I enjoyed college for a bit and then faced more unforeseen challenges that led me to come to a college closer to home so that I could work full-time while I was in college. This decision was the best thing I’ve ever done. It led me to the job I love so deeply, essentially my purpose (which I promise I am getting to). Even though that sounds like a fairytale, it was anything but. I fell straight into the hardship of learning how to be an adult really fast but, I didn’t do it alone. I had amazing support from my Lord and Savior, my friends, and my boyfriend and his amazing family. I am so grateful for the people I had by my side and for all that I went through because I know it has made me into who I am today. That is not the end of it either, which is what I find even more amazing. God never gave up on me, and I know he never will. He is writing a really good story for each and every one of us and it wasn’t until this year that I figured out the key to giving God the pen. My mom always did such an amazing job at letting God lead her, and I’ve always wanted to do the same.
This past year, I experienced a great heartbreak that led me to that realization. There were a few weeks that I found myself in a really low spot. Nevertheless, God did not leave me there, the second I got down he picked me right back up and showed me who I was. I am a daughter of the King of Kings and the Lord of Lords. God found me in that moment, he picked me up and he took me to work (I am a teacher and this all happened right before the first day of school too, if you know you know.). Once God got me back on my feet, I surrendered to him and began to enjoy life more. I had so much fun with my students, I became a volleyball coach, I got more clients with my photography, I made quality friends, and I found myself again; all because I put God first. Fast forward to now, I am in the best relationship I could’ve ever dreamed of, I have amazing and Godly friends, my students just started a Bible Club at our High School and I am blessed to be involved. I am finally seeing life through the same lens as my mom (who was also a teacher), and living life in remembrance of her with all of the many lovely people that I know she sent me. I am living for the purpose of continuing her legacy of spreading the word of God and continuing to trust him in all that I do (even when it’s hard to do so).
Thanks, so before we move on maybe you can share a bit more about yourself?
hI am a photographer and high school teacher. I am 24 years old and I began my photography journey in late 2020. My boyfriend (Jordan Pickett) was singing at the time and he noticed my joy for taking photos of him performing. He gifted me my first camera as a birthday present in 2021 and the next year he gifted me a camera I still often use today. I have since continued to add on to my equipment and I have grown so much in time. I have been so blessed with opportunities to work with many different families, couples, artists, and just all around great people. I get to help people capture the moments that they cherish most in life. I have taken photos of people on their big day (weddings), surprise engagements, family photos, couples photos, birthdays, bands/artists and any event imaginable. However, the photos I enjoy taking the most are band photos, because it is where I started and I do it the most. I enjoy the candid part of going to gigs and not being able to know exactly what photo you are going to get, but getting to use your imagination throughout the process. Plus, the edits are always amazing and so much fun!
A close second is couples/family photos, there is just something so special about being able to capture the pure love between people. Capturing those moments and special memories is the best part of the job. As the famous quote says “Each moment is a gift, that’s why it’s called the present.” I am grateful for the gift that God has given me to be able to meet so many different people on the job. People who I would never have gotten the chance to meet if it weren’t for photography. There are so many times I get the opportunity to talk with strangers about how good God is in our lives and it all happens behind a lens.
There is so much advice out there about all the different skills and qualities folks need to develop in order to succeed in today’s highly competitive environment and often it can feel overwhelming. So, if we had to break it down to just the three that matter most, which three skills or qualities would you focus on?
There are many good skills and qualities that any business needs to run. For me personally I find that Faith, Creativity, and Kindness are most important to me.
Faith – I have spent the past few years making sure my faith is my #1 priority. There is no one and nothing in the world more important than Jesus Christ. I bring that faith into everything I am a part of. Without Jesus I would be nothing. He gives each and every one of us a gift and it is up to us how we use it. My goal is to make my faith the center of everything I do, especially my business because without God I would not be able to call what I love, my job. Someone who has been a great example to me of putting God first is Denise Pickett. She puts God first in all that she does and she loves harder than anyone I know. She is someone I am so grateful God has placed in my life. It is a blessing to be surrounded by such Godly people that exude the kind of faith I hope to have as well.
Creativity – This is an important part of both of my jobs. During the week, I am constantly coming up with new ways to keep my students engaged in their work. In photography, I get to use it by coming up with poses, designs, ideas, etc.. I love the “ah ha” moments when I get the perfect idea for a photo and it comes to life exactly how I saw it in my head. This also happens after the photos are taken; editing is 50% of the job. Sometimes it’s a really long and hard process because I become a perfectionist that wants every picture to be perfect. On the other hand, there are a select amount of times that I am able to look at a photo and quickly have the perfect edit. Sometimes, my creativity allows me to picture the finished result the second I see the photo.
Kindness – The amount of times that I have met people at their workplace and they have changed my life is countless. Whether that be for the good or for the bad. Your kindness can take you a long way. Kindness has given me opportunities to connect with clients and students. A good friend of mine once said you may never remember what they said or did but you remember how they make you feel. I believe that is so true, I can’t count the number of people that I remember only by a feeling, whether it be because they were kind or rude, I remember the feeling. Because I work as both a teacher and a photographer, My motto is to bring kindness into everyday and every session and every student’s life. I believe that is how I can make a small difference in a big world.
Thanks so much for sharing all these insights with us today. Before we go, is there a book that’s played in important role in your development?
Now that you’ve gotten to know me a bit, it should come as no surprise that my most impactful book is the Bible. The Bible has played a huge role in my life, from a very young age when it was being read to me, to today when I pick it up all on my own. My love for this book came from my mom and I am so thankful to her for teaching me how to read it and understand it. Even Though, I no longer have her here, she gave me the greatest foundation to lean on in times of joy and trouble. The best part about this book is that you never run out of inspiration or wisdom. Every time I open the book, even if I read the same verse as the last time God speaks and I am able to take away a new understanding. Romans 10:9 states: “If you declare with your mouth, ‘Jesus is Lord,’ and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved”. This is the greatest advice you will ever receive in your life. Follow the Lord, and trust in Him.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://linktr.ee/brittanyspix
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/brittanys.pix/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/people/Brittanys-Pix/100089789948370/
Image Credits
Brittany’s Pix
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