We recently connected with Brey Yosemite’s Golden Photography and have shared our conversation below.
Hi Brey, so excited to talk about all sorts of important topics with you today. The first one we want to jump into is about being the only one in the room – for some that’s being the only person of color or the only non-native English speaker or the only non-MBA, etc Can you talk to us about how you have managed to be successful even when you were the only one in the room that looked like you?
To truly stand out in photography, you need to be more than just skilled with a camera. You need to be real. For me, that means being authentic, bold, and confident – qualities that come from facing life’s challenges directly. There’s a pressure out there, like a “weird cloud,” pushing creative people to conform and fit a mold. But when you break free from that, you see your unique place in the world – small but significant, like “a small dot in the galaxy.”
I wasn’t always this way. My upbringing and culture contributed to my struggles with feeling judged, insecure, and negative. I used to struggle with these feelings deeply. A difficult personal experience, with my own mother, became a turning point. Instead of dwelling on self-pity or trying to control everything, I chose to accept things and change my perspective. I focused on my passions, tried new things, and opened myself to conversations with diverse people, even on uncomfortable topics.
And to be clear, I’m talking about real-life issues: love, mental and physical health, politics, the economy, nature – the core things that shape us all. These are what inform my viewpoint, and what you see reflected in my photography.
This broad perspective comes through in my work. I don’t limit myself to one type of photography. From portraits of families, couples, and businesses, to big weddings and intimate elopements in varied locations, to personal boudoir sessions – I embraces it all. Some might see this range as a lack of focus, but it’s a strength. It allows me to adapt quickly and confidently to any situation. This versatility is about more than just technical skill; it’s about a genuine interest in people and capturing the full range of human experience.
This is what makes me different. I’m not just taking pictures; I’m a person living a full life, with all kinds of emotions and experiences. I bring that real-world experience, that authentic viewpoint, to my photography. Your perspective is crucial. Judging things closes doors; being open to different views builds connection and understanding. And in photography, it’s that unique, lived perspective that makes your work resonate and makes you stand out.
Let’s take a small detour – maybe you can share a bit about yourself before we dive back into some of the other questions we had for you?
Well, geographically, I’m based in California, but honestly, that’s just a home base. Photography has taken me everywhere. I truly mean it when I say I travel anywhere – across the country, for all sorts of things, work and personal. Travel is just part of the deal for me, and I love it. And, you know, it’s important to me to give back, so I’m really happy to offer discounts to our first responders and military, both active and veterans.
I actually started my photography journey back in 2019. It was a bit of a career shift for me. I was in government before, and honestly, I needed to make a change for my mental well-being. I was looking for something more… organic, something that really resonated with me. And photography just clicked. I dove in headfirst, 100% committed to learning everything I could. YouTube was my classroom! Completely self-taught, and I’m so incredibly grateful for where it’s taken me. Honestly, it’s the most fulfilling thing I’ve ever done, and I’m just excited to see where it goes next.
I am one of three – the oldest. A first-generation American. My mother, from El Salvador. My father, from Mexico. Their paths diverged when I was a child, fractured by drugs, alcohol, and abuse. I witnessed a path I knew I never wanted to take. But that path, that history, has never been my excuse; it’s been my fuel to become a better person. I haven’t seen my father since. Instead, I was raised by a single mother, an immigrant who became a US citizen, a business owner, and above all, a present parent. She ensured we had the basics, and more – sports, clubs, activities – realistically, things to keep us grounded, out of trouble. Growing up in a small town meant living under a microscope, but also within a safety net. A community that watched, but also supported – a vital balance for a single mother raising kids.
At seventeen, I met the love of my life. We’ve been together ever since. First loves. The purity of our connection is unique, a bond I cherish every day. We come from worlds apart in terms of upbringing, yet we are united by loss. The loss of a parent – for him, too soon; for me, by choice. But in this shared space of loss, and countless other points of connection, we find balance.
You might be wondering, what does this deeply personal story have to do with my photography? It’s everything. This is the bedrock of who I am. My personality, my business, my approach to life – it’s all rooted here. Sharing the raw truth of my life isn’t about seeking pity; it’s about showing the world that we all carry stories. We all have upbringings, whether perfect or challenging. And within those stories, there are always threads of connection, lessons to be learned, bridges to be built.
My work as a photographer becomes a way to explore those threads. It allows me to connect with you, with others, on a human level. We may appear different on the surface, but beneath it all, we share a heartbeat, a story wanting to be told. Photography, though sometimes underestimated, is the art of remembrance. It’s how we revisit our past, understand our present, and glimpse our shared future. It’s through this lens, the lens of my own lived experience, that I approach every photograph, seeking to capture not just an image, but a piece of a shared human story.
If you had to pick three qualities that are most important to develop, which three would you say matter most?
oh boy…did I mention that I majored in sociology and criminal justice?? which means – this won’t be a short one! You’ve been warned!
I find these three to be the most impactful but heavily loaded:
1. Radical Authenticity and Self-Awareness: This isn’t just about being “yourself” in a general sense. It’s about deeply understanding your own story – the good, the bad, and the raw. It’s about acknowledging the experiences that have shaped you, like your upbringing, cultural background, and personal turning points. This self-awareness becomes the bedrock of your personal foundation. It allows you to communicate genuinely and connect with others on a deeper level because you’re not afraid to show who you truly are, flaws and all.
-Seek Honest Feedback (and Learn to Filter): Ask trusted friends, mentors, or even peers for honest feedback on how they perceive you and your work, your interactions, your approach. Listen actively, but also learn to discern what feedback resonates as true and helpful for your growth, and what might be projections or unhelpful criticism.
– Embrace Vulnerability and Set Boundaries: Start small by incorporating elements of your personal story into your interactions, your work, or your creative expressions, wherever feels appropriate for you. Gradually allowing your authentic self to shine through will create stronger connections with others. But also, don’t be afraid to keep certain things private. There are many things you might choose not to share, and that’s entirely your choice. You don’t need to explain your boundaries to anyone. Protect your privacy and choose what you share intentionally.
2. Open Perspective-Taking (Dialogue & Active Listening): This allows you to connect with a wide range of people and appreciate the nuances of human experience. It’s about seeing beyond the surface and recognizing the shared humanity in everyone.
-Actively Listen to Understand, Not to Argue: There is a difference between having a dialogue or conversation versus engaging in an argument. No one “wins” in an argument when active listening is turned off. Arguing often involves emotions that can detract from the core purpose of connection and understanding. Emotions are temporary and can sometimes be manipulated, diverting from the actual goal of meaningful communication. Aim for dialogue to truly connect.
-Step Outside Your Comfort Zone: Engage with people from different walks of life, cultures, and backgrounds. Read books, watch films, and explore diverse forms of expression and thought that expose you to different perspectives and challenge your assumptions.
-Practice Perspective Exercises: Consciously try to see situations from another person’s point of view. Imagine their motivations, feelings, and experiences. This can be done in everyday interactions, when encountering different viewpoints in media, or even when observing characters in stories.
3. Adaptability, Versatility, and Courage: Your willingness to embrace diverse experiences and your ability to navigate varied situations demonstrates significant adaptability and versatility. This is underpinned by courage – the courage to step outside a narrow focus, to face new challenges, and to be bold in your choices. This combination allows you to seize opportunities and connect with a WIDER spectrum of people and experiences.
-Embrace Continuous Learning: Be a lifelong learner. Explore different fields, techniques, and strategies relevant to your goals and interests. Don’t be afraid to experiment and evolve your approach as you grow and learn.
-Reframe “Fear of Failure” as “Opportunity to Learn”: Understand that setbacks and mistakes are inevitable parts of growth in any journey. Instead of fearing failure, view it as a valuable opportunity to learn, adapt, and refine your skills and approach. The courage to try new things comes from knowing that even if you don’t succeed perfectly the first time, you’ll gain valuable experience.
okay, now go rest your eyeballs and brain because that was a lot!
What was the most impactful thing your parents did for you?
Sorry in advance but this is the CORE of it all… not being loved from the start of life.
If I’m truly honest, and this is the core of it all, the most impactful thing my parents didn’t do was love me in the way a child needs. It wasn’t about neglect in terms of food or shelter – those basics were there. But there was a gaping absence of love, of affection. Discipline? Yes, in abundance. For a long time, I mistakenly equated discipline with love itself, because that’s all I knew. No one taught me about love, about tenderness, about emotional warmth.
That changed completely when I met my husband. He became my unexpected teacher of love. What we built together, from the beginning, was grounded in vulnerability and open communication. Where my upbringing lacked gentle guidance, he offered open-mindedness and unwavering support. His feedback, always logical, was delivered with a gentleness so foreign to my experience. I, in contrast, was more direct, less inclined to soften the edges – a reflection of what I’d learned.
But over these past almost sixteen years, his consistent love and genuine affection have been transformative. It’s been through his love that I’ve learned to cultivate self-love, to extend love to others in healthy ways, all while understanding and respecting boundaries – something I never witnessed growing up.
For so long, I desperately sought validation from the wrong places, craving the love I missed. Now, in my thirties, I look back and feel a deep compassion for my younger self. I want to embrace that girl who endured so much, chasing something that was never offered, trying to prove myself worthy of love. It was a long journey to redirect that search inwards, to discover that self-love and healthy love from a partner are possible, even when parental love was absent. And yes, therapy has been an invaluable part of understanding and healing along the way. So, perhaps the most impactful lesson, though painful to learn, is that love isn’t always given in the way we need it to be in childhood, but it can be learned, found, and cultivated later in life, and within ourselves.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.yosemitesgoldenphotography.com
- Instagram: @yosemitesgoldenphotography
- Facebook: Yosemite’s Golden Photography
- Other: Tiktok: @yosemitesgolden
Google: Yosemite’s Golden Photography
Image Credits
none required. I took all the photos.
so if you or someone you know deserves recognition please let us know here.
