We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Brittiné Mantilla a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.
Brittiné, first a big thank you for taking the time to share your thoughts and insights with us today. I’m sure many of our readers will benefit from your wisdom, and one of the areas where we think your insight might be most helpful is related to imposter syndrome. Imposter syndrome is holding so many people back from reaching their true and highest potential and so we’d love to hear about your journey and how you overcame imposter syndrome.
Oh Gosh. I think everyone deals with imposter syndrome to a degree. We all have days where we feel like we don’t have it together or question if we belong. I definitely have fewer of those days as I get older and gain more experience. Care less about what others think of me. I guess mainly I have found comfort in embracing the fact that these feelings are normal. That I can also use those feelings to drive me even further by striving to learn new things and try new techniques. Being comfortable in the uncomfortable. If I’m having a day where I feel like I don’t belong I just ask myself why? Typically it comes down to not feeling like I am enough, right? But who gets to decide that? I do. I have to remind myself of that fact often. Also doing my best to remember that everyone started somewhere, we are all human, and we are all constantly learning. Perfection is not achievable; there is no end to progress.
Thanks, so before we move on maybe you can share a bit more about yourself?
I am a South West Florida based photographer- absolutely willing to travel. I am a lifestyle photographer. Meaning I am not tied down to one specific category. I definitely shoot based on lighting, location, and the vibe. Sometimes you’re bright and cheery, sometimes you’re dark and moody. That’s life! I have been focusing on a lot of Business Branding sessions so Studio’s have been a new joy for me. I really love being able to make portraits and headshots fun so that they embody the clients personality. I also love the creative aspect of helping to build a brands vibe, making sure the aesthetic is there that they are looking for, even getting creative with the product shots have been cool to play around with. I still love all my other sessions of course but this has been a fun journey to explore more recently. It has pushed me a little more out of my comfort zone and I am growing a lot creatively from each session.
If you had to pick three qualities that are most important to develop, which three would you say matter most?
Hmm I think when you are a creative person at heart some of the core things that cannot be taught, come naturally to you. The way you see the world is just different. There are so many times where I am in a moment, watching something beautiful happen in front of me and everything lines up. The light, the colors, the emotions, and for some reason everything almost slows down. I always get this feeling that I have to remember each detail. My eyes focus in and out on everything and take it all in. I remember as a kid I would almost take a picture with my eyes and try to imprint it on my brain haha. Now as an adult if I don’t have my camera I just sit there in awe and wish I did. Wondering if anyone around me recognized the significance of that beautiful moment happening right in front of us. A moment that won’t ever happen again. I think if you have that ability to feel moments like that, to feel the emotion, visualize it, that’s a great start. That’s not something you can teach. You have something to share, a different viewpoint. The technical stuff can all be taught. There are plenty of people who know all the technical terms, who have all the gear, who have all the schooling, who have all the presets, but their photos lack emotion. They lack a story. They lack creativity. They lack individuality. So don’t be intimidated by all that. Don’t try to be like everyone else. Just go out there and capture what you see and how you see it. The more you do, the better you will get and the more in tune with your “voice” you will be.
How would you describe your ideal client?
Im very fortunate to have amazing clients. I will say that my absolute favorite clients are clients who know what they want, come to me with that and a willingness to creatively build on it. Some of my favorite sessions have been the result of a client coming to me with an idea and us collaborating and coming up with not only a way to accomplish their vision but expanding on it and creating something even better. I am always up for a brainstorming session and love building off of each others ideas.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.brittinemantilla.com
- Instagram: @brittinemantillaphotography
