Meet Brittney Rivera of BRiveraPhotography in Brighton

Today we’d like to introduce you to Brittney Rivera.

Thanks for sharing your story with us Brittney. So, let’s start at the beginning and we can move on from there.
While photography was an inherent part of my youth – crafting scrapbooks with my mother, taking head shots for my theatre troupe, and creating a comedy YouTube channel with my friends – my passion for photography truly sparked during my collegiate studies.

My hometown of Colorado had its own special kind of beauty: the Rocky Mountains, the quaint suburbs, and the white Christmases. Although, it was not until I reached California that my camera and I truly became one. I still remember the day I knew visual storytelling was my calling.

It was my freshman year of undergrad at Pepperdine University, and the curtain was about to go up on our production of A Midsummer Night’s Dream. During our final dress, I used my camera to record clips of dialogue, movement, and transition. I knew that when I got home that night, I was going to construct those bits and pieces into a short trailer. I was buzzing with excitement, and I figured this would be the perfect way to say goodbye to our director, and show my appreciation. Little did I know that what began as a small gesture, would lead to building my own photography company, BRiveraPhotography.

In 2016, I acted as the Publicity Manager for The Interference, a theatrical story set against the campus sexual assault epidemic written by Lynda Radley, directed by Cathy Thomas – Grant, and performed by Pepperdine Scotland. My position had me working alongside major UK distribution companies, a range of Scottish designer/playwrights, and Glasgow rehabilitation centers. Our production was awarded the Scotsman Fringe First Award for excellence and innovation in new writing, the Broadway Baby Bobby Award for exceptional work, and a shortlist for the Amnesty International Freedom of Expression Award for outstanding work addressing human rights issues. My photography was recognized and published with BBC News, Scottish Festivals, The Herald, and The Guardian. Without this international storytelling experience, I would have never known I wanted to take BRiveraPhotography beyond the streets of Los Angeles.

This past summer, I came across two opportunities that truly opened the door to the East Coast. In June, I acted as the Still’s Photographer for Simi Valley, a suburban thriller, web series produced by Adapative Studios and Black Pills Media. My time with this film company led me to take photos for The Nevada Partnership for Homeless Youth Fundraiser, hosted by women from Season 21 of ABC’s The Bachelor/Bachelor in Paradise.

From there, the rest was history!

It has always been a dream of mine to expand my photography company to both coasts, and now I am doing just that. Currently, I work as a photographer for Femme Boutique Boston, I take portraits for local and Los Angeles models, actors, and singers, and I am beginning to produce my own collaborative magazine.

I am always searching for opportunities to learn and create, and I look forward to the new, exciting, moments that are still to come.

Overall, has it been relatively smooth? If not, what were some of the struggles along the way?
When I was in high school, one of my mother’s best friends Tanya Pacheco recited a quote to me that will forever ring true: “To truly become number one, you must constantly strive to surpass yourself, not the competition.” It may sound cliché, but the most overwhelming struggles I have faced during my photography journey were the times I got in my own way. An artistic colleague would make me feel small: I facilitated that discouragement. Someone would say I was not good enough, not focused enough: I felt insulted. Someone would try to convince me photography was not my calling: I waved my white flag high. While photography is a collaborative art, I believe all great works of creativity are ultimately jump started from within. Without personal inspiration, photography, theatre, any kind of art form would not exist! Each day, I navigate my path by faith, trusting that I am not small, most definitely good enough, and that my creative mind is needed, wanted, and always necessary.

BRiveraPhotography – what should we know? What do you guys do best? What sets you apart from the competition?
BRiveraPhotography specializes in lifestyle, live performance, and fashion photography for both Los Angeles and Boston based patrons. I am most proud of the risk I took to step out of my comfort zone, and move across the country to a place where I had no prior professional or personal connections. Embracing the unknown to pursue what I truly loved resulted in my fastest and most impressionable growth.

It has been and always will be a focus of mine to establish a permanent trust between every one of my clients that I have the opportunity to work with. Insuring that my clients leave their sessions not only feeling satisfied with our interaction and their product, but also rejuvenated by their own creative energy, is of the utmost importance to me. When creating in a group, artists should only strive to reassure rather than discourage or compete with others. I want everyone involved in my shoots to feel they have a voice and that it is heard. I would say my desire to always form a collective environment is what sets BRiveraPhotography apart from other companies.

What is “success” or “successful” for you?
Success is knowing that you sparked a positive chain reaction in others. I truly believe there is no better victory than inspiring others to believe in themselves. Being successful is not about fame. It should never be measured by how much money you have in your wallet. Success is about attaining happiness for others, fulfilling the lives of those you meet, and being satisfied with the story you have to tell.

Contact Info:

• Phone: (303) 621 – 4122
• Email: britmrivera@gmail.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/brivera_photography/?hl=en

Image Credit:
Personal Photograph of Brittney Rivera (girl upside down)
Photographer: Grace Gülick Photography / Instagram : @gracegulickphotography
* All other images are by BRiveraPhotography

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