We were lucky to catch up with Brittne Lunniss recently and have shared our conversation below.
Brittne, thrilled to have you on the platform as I think our readers can really benefit from your insights and experiences. In particular, we’d love to hear about how you think about burnout, avoiding or overcoming burnout, etc.
Working for yourself, particularly in a creative field, can be tiring! Gigs are never guaranteed, so consistently operating and representing yourself as a business is of the utmost importance. One of the ways I do this is by putting effort into my work every day. This used to feel daunting and I certainly encountered burnout, but I have learned to approach this process gracefully. Even if I have days or weeks where I can only muster the strength to take baby steps in my business, I persist by simply doing *something.* This can be an Instagram post, researching upcoming shows, or simply reaching out to a band. This approach allows me to progress while still having grace with myself. At the end of the week, instead of realizing how much I didn’t do because I felt burnt out — I can see that I still showed up, accomplished something, and get ready to do more tasks when I feel rested. Approaching work habits holistically rather than punitively reinforces the notion that we can’t bully ourselves into being successful. The world is already a pretty tough place to be, let’s be a little nicer to ourselves. Burnout doesn’t mean it’s time to quit, but it does mean it’s time to slow down. That’s okay to do!
Appreciate the insights and wisdom. Before we dig deeper and ask you about the skills that matter and more, maybe you can tell our readers about yourself?
Imagine talking to your favorite bands on the phone, giving your professional opinion on new music, or standing front row at concerts to get the best moments on camera. I’m a music journalist, and that’s all in my job description. I have been a writer and artist from a young age, but I never picked up a camera until the pandemic. To most, the COVID-19 shutdown seems like an odd time to get your start in concert photography — but that’s when my music career really began. I lost my social services job at the beginning of the pandemic and started volunteering my time with a non-profit record label called BiG BLDG. Like most cities, Seattle’s music venues were forced to close during this time. In response, BiG BLDG hosted a weekly live-stream concert featuring local bands. Folks could watch the stream on YouTube to participate in — and donate to — Seattle music. The livestream, “Grounded,” was run on a very bare-bones crew due to social-distancing. We were in need of a photographer, so I borrowed a friend’s camera and gave it a go. Admittedly, I didn’t quite know what I was doing — but from the moment I heard the shutter, I knew I had to keep doing it. I found a way to combine my passion for writing, music, and communication. And I could get paid to do it? It was like something I had been searching for my entire life showed up on my doorstep wrapped in a COVID-19 test strip. As I hit the ground running — I pushed myself to network, listen to new music, attend local shows, write, and take concert photos whenever possible. 5 years later, I’m still pushing myself in these areas — but to a greater magnitude. This is something I will never stop doing. Currently, my artist interviews and music reviews revolve around rock, psych, and alternative genres. Some favorite artists that I’ve covered include Taylor Swift, Taking Back Sunday, Paul McCartney, Boygenius, and My Chemical Romance. While I photograph artists in every musical realm, I particularly enjoy photographing pop, hardcore, hip-hop, and anything else that gets people moving!
Looking back, what do you think were the three qualities, skills, or areas of knowledge that were most impactful in your journey? What advice do you have for folks who are early in their journey in terms of how they can best develop or improve on these?
Networking, compassion, and confidence are three important qualities that have helped me throughout my music journalism career. Networking has allowed me to build connections and community that otherwise would have never existed! It’s important to treat each interaction in your field as a networking moment. Networking doesn’t need to be overly formal either! Simply making conversation and adding each other on Instagram is a very valid way of doing it. Compassion has helped me connect with clients and form lasting relationships. While photoshoots and interviews may be considered business transactions, this doesn’t mean we need to remove the humanity from our interactions. To really connect with someone and communicate on a mutual level is a learned skill, and it is one that will allow you to standout in your field because people will relate to you. Finally, having confidence in myself and work has allowed me to progress quickly in my industry. You don’t even have to ACTUALLY be confident, but I guarantee that if you “fake it until you make it” long enough, that inner confidence will start to appear. Many of my opportunities have come from asking. “Do you need a photographer? Does your publication need a writer? Would you like me to review your album?” The worst thing someone can do is say “no,” and the best thing they can do is say “yes.” You have a 50/50 chance and if someone shuts you down, move on to the next! They’re not part of your journey!
Is there a particular challenge you are currently facing?
A challenge that I currently (and frequently) encounter as a freelance music journalist is imposter syndrome and feeling like I belong! This concern is common in every field, and it can be particularly difficult in the creative ones. As an artist, our work is very subjective and the definition of a “good photo” or “good article” is open to interpretation. This makes it difficult to quantify the impact of photos or words that we’ve worked hard on! When we start comparing ourselves to others, we begin robbing ourselves of the joy of creativity. I’m a self taught photographer with (admittedly) mediocre gear. I learn along the way and I make my gear work for me, but it’s very difficult to resist comparing myself to other photographers in the industry. “They have more knowledge. They have better gear. They get more opportunities.” These intrusive thoughts don’t make us better, they only fuel self-doubt and prevent us from inspiration. I have been trying to change these statements as I think them. “They have more knowledge — what should I study next? “They have better gear — can I budget for something used?” “They get more opportunities — maybe we can help each other.” If someone is successful, that doesn’t prevent me from also finding success. If someone is successful, instead of competing against them — what if we learned from each other?
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.britttakemypic.com
- Instagram: @britttakemypic
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