Today we’d like to introduce you to Brigitte Park
Hi Brigitte , can you start by introducing yourself? We’d love to learn more about how you got to where you are today?
I started photography as a hobby back in 2017 while still attending university. I used it as a means of recording my life because it felt like everything was moving so fast and it was a challenge to hold onto all of the memories! Eventually, I started using it as a creative outlet for my passion and love of makeup and fashion by incorporating these things into creative portraits. Being able to create a concept with a broke college student budget was so exciting and challenging, along with what I was studying at university, it helped to provide me with a sense of responsibility and care in what and where I sourced pieces for my shoots! I continued doing creative portraits and dipped my toe in graduation photos for a few years until starting to connect with more people within the local community in Santa Barbara. Through my work with local businesses I’ve been able to meet so many wonderful individuals and be a part of their passions. Being a part of the community here after being in the college bubble has helped Santa Barbara feel like home for nearly 10 years now!
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
As the child of immigrants, particularity Asian immigrants, I haven’t had the full support of my family in pursuing my passion. They often still see it as a hobby I shouldn’t focus on as much because it isn’t my full time job. I know they say these things out of concern but not having the full support of those you looked to for approval for so many years does often make it hard to continue and prosper.
Balancing a full time job and pursuing your passion is never easy as well, I often have to sacrifice time that I would love to use to create to take care of myself after a long day at work that can make it hard to do much outside of it because of the demand it makes of me.
Like any artist, I do my best to make the best of the days I’m able to create or focus on what I love to do while trying to make sure I have food and shelter.
Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
I am a film photographer with a passion for creative portraits. I use a 35mm film camera and only shoot film. I specialize in portrait photography for individuals and families and event photos for local businesses in the area. I’m proud of the connections I’ve made in my community, especially the Asian American community here in Santa Barbara through my work. Being able to find people who can empathize with your background has given me a space where I can create and do what I love to help others like me follow their own paths!
I think what sets me apart from others in my area is the multicultural frame of reference I have. Growing up in a place where the demographic wasn’t as homogenous as some Asian Americans grew up in helped me connect with people and be more open to learning about different cultures outside of mine. This also helped me get to know more than just the people who looked like me in university which I think was heavily influential on my creativity.
If you had to, what characteristic of yours would you give the most credit to?
I believe authenticity is essential in my success. Success to me is that everyone involved in the projects I take on has fun and can look back at the photos I provide them and remember the feelings they felt in the moment the photo was taken. Being invested in wanting to help someone express themselves or to show the work they do always helps with my ability to provide quality photos to my subjects!
Contact Info:
- Website: https://bpakphoto.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/b___pak?igsh=NTc4MTIwNjQ2YQ%3D%3D&utm_source=qr
Image Credits
Personal photo by Shawna White
