Today we’d like to introduce you to Sean Bailey.
Sean, please share your story with us. How did you get to where you are today?
I grew up in a rural area of NC and found myself sketching and drawing with charcoal and graphite at any given moment. I was also very interested in medicine as my father is a pediatrician. My parents always supported me 110% for whatever my attention was drawn to. Time passed and I obtained a B.A.in Anthropology, as I was and still am fascinated by human connections. I also received a B.S. Zoology which helped me received my first job as a pre-clinical cancer researcher further supporting my motion to accept a position at UNC Chapel Hill’s Ph.D. in Genetics and Molecular Biology curriculum. After receiving my Ph.D. I accepted a job at UCLA where I predominately work on lung cancer research. After years of focusing in the sciences, I felt a need to get back into expressing myself creatively with some type of new medium and that medium comes in the form of photography. As my schedule is extremely busy with cancer research I try to squeeze in and make time whenever possible. I guess I feel at times I’m working 2 full-time jobs while also trying to be a great husband, but that’s OK with me as I know with maximum effort things usually work out for the best. I’ve been blessed to have met some talented people that have supported and given me opportunities to grow in this adventure.
As I feel everyone has the opportunity to do something brilliant I have created Something Brilliant Photography as an effort to showcase what it is to be human and experience the world we live in. I intend to do this through focusing on, but not limited to portraiture in the areas of fashion/lifestyle and family/love. Its in these areas that I like to create concepts with others that sometimes bring out who the person truly is or even take them into a space that is foreign, but revealing something unique about themselves internally and unexpectedly. Through family/love portraiture I like to capture true connections between individuals and their loved ones because at the end of the day those are the relationships that help people put the world into perspective.
Has it been a smooth road?
I have been extremely fortunate to have family and friends support me along my science career and the progress and success in that has been great. However, I will be honest that adventuring into portraiture photography in Los Angeles has been challenging as a scientist. Fortunately, my wife is supportive and believes I will be great in whatever I put my efforts towards. Additionally, I’ve become good friends with Andrew Lopez (production coordinator at HeLo) and Panas Wiwatpanachat (freelance commercial and fashion photographer) who have shared their expertise and downtown LA studio when needed. With that said, I know building a rapport takes patience and consistent hard work and I hope at the end of the day the photographs that I create speak for themselves and draw the feeling of accomplishment and gratefulness with those involved.
Have you ever wanted to stop doing what you do and just start over?
Respective to the balance of science and artistic expression, yes there have been times where finding the balance is difficult, but at the end of the day, I truly feel it’s important for myself to find that balance. Personally, I’m trying to develop personal projects that incorporate my science “life” with how I want to share how I see the world with others. For instance, I have a shot a few portraits of a scientist in a context that is non-scientific. For me, this work is personal as I too am a scientist but also have passions that may not directly link to what I have been “trained” in. I would like to work on expanding this work as I open up opportunities for other scientists to share with me their passions and capture that in a way that engages the viewer to realize that both creative worlds can and do exist if we want them to.
Let’s change gears – is there any advice you’d like to give?
As a scientist and a photographer I feel getting into certain areas of photography may be more challenging, but at the end of the day the work should stand alone and speak for itself. I find myself trying to surround myself and reach out to others that are more experienced than I am. I realize that my approach to photography can be “scientific” at times, but that comes naturally to me so why change. I suggest going with your gut and to remember to pull inspiration from all areas of your life and be true to what drives you to share with the world.
Is there something you are particularly excited about or working towards?
I’m most excited about working on developing personal series to one day share in a physical gallery. Currently, I am having plenty opportunities to advance not only my scientific career but my photography as well. The ultimate goal is to find synergy within my daily life as a husband, scientist, and photographer. If that can be achieved then that would be the icing on the cake. Honestly, I already have everything I can ever need. The challenging part is truly understanding how and what it is I would like to share with others. With all of this, its being present in a moment is critical and it’s essential that patience is always practiced.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.somethingbrilliant.net
- Phone: 919.559.1655
- Email: [email protected]
- Instagram: @something.brilliant
