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Episode 05 - Fotos by Bri - Photography, World Travel
120 Plays3 years ago
"Capturing a life worth living" - that's the statement you'll find on this episode's guest's Instagram account, Bri, who runs @fotos_bybri on Instagram, is a digital creator and freelance photographer currently based in Dallas, TX.
In this episode, Bri and Jordan discuss how pursuing photography adds a lens on observing collectivist and individualistic cultures, how it enables one to connect with others, and the objectivity and subjectivity that is captured in the artwork of photography.
Bri details how grwouping up as a child of diplomats has colored her life perspective, spontaneously moving to Egypt, and how she's created her own opportunities as an outgoing individual.
You can follow and book Bri through @fotos_bybri, where she will:
- Party with you and be your personal paparazzi for your event
- Take your engagement, brithday, headshot nd dating app pictures
Links to connect with Bri and our podcast:
https://www.instagram.com/fotos_bybri/
https://www.instagram.com/convoswithjordan/
Recommended
Transcript
Introduction to 'Convos with Jordan'
00:00:06
Speaker
Hello everyone, and welcome to Convos with Jordan, the podcast where I, Jordan Keith, interview and introduce you to people pursuing their dreams, living authentically, and self-actualizing to their true selves.
Guest Experiences and Future Aspirations
00:00:19
Speaker
Guests discuss their unique experiences, trials, and tribulations that they have overcome, shape them into who they are today, and where they are headed next on their life's journey.
Jordan's Personal Insights on Self-Improvement
00:00:29
Speaker
On our solo episodes, I'll draw upon personal experiences from my own life, concepts from the self-improvement community, and topics revolving around success and inspirational ideas so that you can become the person you want to be.
00:00:42
Speaker
Thanks for tuning in on this journey.
00:00:48
Speaker
Capturing a life worth living.
00:00:51
Speaker
That's the statement you'll find on this episode's guest's Instagram account.
Introducing Bree - Photographer and Creator
00:00:55
Speaker
Bree, who runs at Photos by Bree on Instagram, is a digital creator and freelance photographer currently based in Dallas, Texas.
Photography: Connecting Cultures
00:01:04
Speaker
In this episode, Bree and I discuss how pursuing photography adds a lens on observing collectivist and individualistic cultures, how it enables one to connect with others, and the objectivity and subjectivity that is captured in the artwork of photography.
Bree's Diplomatic Childhood and Life in Egypt
00:01:20
Speaker
Bree details how growing up as a child of diplomats has colored her life's perspective, spontaneously moving to Egypt on a whim, and how she's created her own opportunities as an outgoing individual.
00:01:33
Speaker
You can follow and book Bree through at Photos by Bree, where she will party with you and be your personal paparazzi for an event and take your engagement, birthday, headshot, or dating app pics.
00:01:46
Speaker
Follow us at Convos with Jordan on Instagram,
00:01:49
Speaker
and enjoy this week's episode.
Episode Five: Jordan Meets Bree
00:01:53
Speaker
Hey everyone, welcome back to the podcast, episode five of Convos with Jordan.
00:01:58
Speaker
Today, my guest, I have Brie, photos by Brie.
00:02:03
Speaker
We recently just met, and it's funny, I met at an event, and I'm like, oh, this is someone who would be a great guest on this podcast.
00:02:10
Speaker
So welcome to Convos with
Bree's Passion for Photography
00:02:12
Speaker
Jordan, Brie.
00:02:12
Speaker
Thank you.
00:02:13
Speaker
Really nice to have you.
00:02:14
Speaker
Saw you interviewing at that
00:02:16
Speaker
event that was or whatever that was from jigsaw so why don't you tell um our guests a little bit about yourself you seem like you like to document and kind of capture the moment of whatever's going on oh man if i don't capture anything honestly i would probably forget i did it i mean every time someone asks me they're just like oh what'd you do last summer what'd you do last weekend i'm like i've done so much let me check my let me check my album like my camera roll real quick
00:02:39
Speaker
But that's what I do.
00:02:40
Speaker
I mean, right now I'm just doing photography.
00:02:42
Speaker
I'm actually pursuing something that's not really, you know, I guess it's my dream, something that's not really kind of like corporate job or something like that.
00:02:52
Speaker
But yeah, a little bit about myself.
00:02:54
Speaker
I mean, I'm a photographer, content creator.
00:02:57
Speaker
I love capturing the moment, whether it's taking videos or photos or making people feel special or look good.
00:03:03
Speaker
I love when people look back at the videos and photos and they're laughing or they're like, wow, I forgot about that or damn, I look good.
00:03:09
Speaker
And I just it makes me feel good about like my work myself and like the skill that I don't know who gave me, but thank God I have it, honestly.
00:03:18
Speaker
Yeah, I think so too.
00:03:20
Speaker
And I think that's incredible.
00:03:21
Speaker
I mean, like I looked through your Instagram and noticed that so people pay you to follow them, capture different nights or high moments.
00:03:30
Speaker
Well, it all started in College Station, Texas.
00:03:33
Speaker
I mean, actually in 2015, my parents gave me a digital camera Canon and we went on like a trip for a summer.
00:03:39
Speaker
We went like all around the world.
00:03:41
Speaker
We went to Dubai, Italy, France, Thailand.
00:03:45
Speaker
And then I just kind of was like taking pictures of everything.
00:03:47
Speaker
And I was like, wow,
00:03:48
Speaker
I like this.
00:03:50
Speaker
And then I kind of put it away, went to university and then I finished school and then I went to College Station and I was like, hmm, I want to pursue photography here.
00:03:57
Speaker
And then I kind of just started going out.
00:04:00
Speaker
My brother actually was the one who said, hey, my friends, they own like a party group.
00:04:05
Speaker
Why don't you come out to one of their events, Latino Night?
00:04:08
Speaker
And shout out Tamo Activo.
00:04:10
Speaker
and why don't you take pictures like of the event and post it like you know and you could party and you know get paid for it i was like that's a really good idea so i started doing that i started taking pictures of people and posting and they would love it because like no one was really doing that back in um 2020 yeah like after like after the pandemic this is in august and people loved it people loved it so i just started going out taking pictures of people and i was just posting and tagging and that's how i kind of got clout
00:04:38
Speaker
But then I was like, I need to make money off this.
00:04:41
Speaker
Like, so I started kind of like selling the pictures to people or, you know, like the, they would hire me to photograph like their event.
00:04:50
Speaker
And then I would just like give them whatever they wanted, get the photos, get the money.
00:04:55
Speaker
But it just kind of started from there.
00:04:57
Speaker
So yeah, but now I just kind of go around, take pictures of people, get their Instagram, tag
Living Globally: Bree's Multicultural Perspective
00:05:02
Speaker
them, they tag me.
00:05:02
Speaker
And then whenever they ask, what do you do?
00:05:04
Speaker
I'm like, well, I'm a photographer.
00:05:06
Speaker
I could take headshots, Tinder pictures, hinge, jigsaw.
00:05:08
Speaker
all that whatever you need engagement like I could do anything and everything so just trying to dabble into that kind of life creator lifestyle yeah that creator um you know freelance type lifestyle and capturing events in the moment too right that seems a lot of it because um that seemed what you were doing you're documenting at that um jigsaw like single happy hour kind of thing yeah I I don't know I just I got a mini microphone recently yeah I love that
00:05:36
Speaker
Yeah, and it's, it's, I've seen a lot of people do interviews and it's just the funniest thing ever.
00:05:40
Speaker
And I'm a pretty like outgoing, bubbly individual.
00:05:43
Speaker
So I just kind of was going up to random people and I was like, why are you single?
00:05:47
Speaker
Why are you here?
00:05:48
Speaker
Like, and it just, I just thought it was really funny.
00:05:50
Speaker
So I did too.
00:05:52
Speaker
I think it caught some people by surprise.
00:05:54
Speaker
And so other people were super receptive to it.
00:05:56
Speaker
Like when I saw you doing like, oh, this is someone I need to go and talk to because they have the kind of energy that I like and want to, um,
00:06:04
Speaker
and be late you know yeah you your interview was pretty funny too honestly I mean like I made you move and I was like wait the wind or this and that and you're like I have a podcast I know what I know what you're talking about yeah and I was like no way and then that's kind of like how we connected and that's why we're here today so thanks it's yeah pretty awesome I think so too I'm really curious you know you mentioned that in 2015 you know you were given this camera then you traveled around the world um is that
00:06:29
Speaker
like due to your parents' job or was that more like personal travel or what was going on there?
00:06:33
Speaker
Because it seems like you hit a lot of places and
00:06:37
Speaker
So I've been to 31 countries.
00:06:40
Speaker
I've lived in like 10, I believe.
00:06:42
Speaker
My parents are diplomats, so they work for the State Department.
00:06:45
Speaker
So ever since I was a kid, after I was born in New York, three months later, I moved to Honduras, where my dad's from.
00:06:51
Speaker
And then three years later, we moved to Mexico and then Guatemala.
00:06:55
Speaker
So every three years we were moving around.
00:06:56
Speaker
So I mean, back in 2015, my dad was into photography.
00:07:01
Speaker
And I think my sister got a camera and then like I got one because I was like, I liked it.
00:07:05
Speaker
And then my parents just during the summer, they were like, we're going to have a summer vacation.
00:07:09
Speaker
Let's pick like three or four countries.
00:07:11
Speaker
And where do you guys want to go?
00:07:12
Speaker
Let's do like a big family outing.
00:07:15
Speaker
And we just chose a couple of countries and we just toured kind of like a mini world little tour.
00:07:22
Speaker
So it was really cool.
00:07:23
Speaker
So now they're in China.
00:07:24
Speaker
My brother's in College Station, me and my sister here in Dallas, Texas.
00:07:28
Speaker
So.
00:07:28
Speaker
So it's really, do you guys have like some sort of ties to Texas originally or did you just some kind of draw to Texas?
00:07:34
Speaker
That's a good question.
00:07:35
Speaker
My dad was an Aggie.
00:07:36
Speaker
So like my whole entire like Latin side of the family, they were all Aggies.
00:07:40
Speaker
So like kind of just following that little tradition and my dad has in-state tuition.
00:07:44
Speaker
So he was like, either you go to Texas or my mom has in-state tuition in Florida.
00:07:48
Speaker
So we kind of chose Texas and then we all kind of just loved, we loved it here.
00:07:52
Speaker
I mean, it's, everything's better in Texas.
00:07:54
Speaker
Honestly, it's awesome.
00:07:56
Speaker
It's really cool.
00:07:57
Speaker
Yeah, it is.
00:07:58
Speaker
And I moved here a couple of years ago from New York.
00:08:00
Speaker
I think maybe I mentioned that to you.
00:08:01
Speaker
And I've been to Miami.
00:08:03
Speaker
I was last year.
00:08:04
Speaker
One of my best friends is in Miami.
00:08:06
Speaker
He's in the Coast Guard.
00:08:07
Speaker
I used to be in the Coast Guard.
00:08:08
Speaker
But I'm like, wow, this is like New York for like Latin culture.
00:08:12
Speaker
Yeah.
00:08:13
Speaker
100% I'm actually going in December and bringing my camera and seeing whatever I can capture there but Miami is like its own little Latino US New York I mean I don't know but New York scares me I mean I've thought about moving over there there's a lot of content creators and and the fashion and just kind of like the vibe over there is just different but I feel like did you have FOMO when you were there because there's so much going on like the city's huge
00:08:35
Speaker
I mean, like, how would you even plan a night out?
00:08:37
Speaker
Like, or in general, like, did you do a lot?
00:08:41
Speaker
Or were you just kind of like, let's take it day by day?
00:08:44
Speaker
I feel like for me, I did a lot when I was in New York, but you find your pace and you find kind of your cadence and your
Cultural Adaptations: US vs Abroad
00:08:50
Speaker
people.
00:08:50
Speaker
And I lived in Manhattan.
00:08:52
Speaker
I lived on the Lower East Side for a couple of years, Upper East Side for a year after I'd gotten out of the Coast Guard.
00:08:57
Speaker
But you kind of find your people.
00:08:59
Speaker
And that's what I love about that city, though.
00:09:01
Speaker
And if you go, I guess you were born there, too.
00:09:04
Speaker
Your parents probably worked oftentimes at the UN, for all I know, you know, over on the 50th Street.
00:09:08
Speaker
No, no.
00:09:09
Speaker
My parents, they work for like the State Department.
00:09:11
Speaker
So like overseas, like they're the, what you call it, the headquarters in Washington, DC.
00:09:15
Speaker
So we would kind of like go there if we needed anything, but UN, wow.
00:09:19
Speaker
That's what I wanted to do or be president of the United States of America.
00:09:21
Speaker
But here we are shooting photography and doing podcasts with Jordan.
00:09:26
Speaker
So yeah, but I mean, I think photography is super cool because you get to capture those moments and it's like, you're more of an observer of these types of cultural things and you get to see a lot and capture a moment.
00:09:36
Speaker
maybe expressions of how people are feeling at certain events or you know if they're happy or if they're oh yeah not so happy i've done yeah i've i've done a lot i think my favorite like place to capture i went to like this music festival and in egypt it was called a shorelines festival man like people are it's like on it's actually on the beach so you have like the water right there you have cabanas you have the bar here you have the the main stage there and everyone's like
00:10:03
Speaker
it was just so much fun.
00:10:04
Speaker
You could see people having fun.
00:10:05
Speaker
You could see people going swimming.
00:10:06
Speaker
You could see people drinking.
00:10:07
Speaker
You could see people dancing on the stage.
00:10:09
Speaker
So it's definitely fun capturing the different vibes like and that you can get at like a party, a festival or anything.
00:10:17
Speaker
But I think people are more receptive in the US than they are overseas, like taking pictures because a lot of places in Egypt, they'd be I'd bring my camera and they'd be like,
00:10:27
Speaker
no you have to keep it with management or pay a fee and stuff like that and i'm like why and they're just like because we don't want to photograph this but here it's like everyone's like they want to be captured because it's fun and right i guess you know clout i guess i don't know but but people are people are people are freaking awesome here so yeah and a lot of fun yeah i agree and texas and u.s in general because you'd mentioned that how long were you in egypt for before you
00:10:53
Speaker
Yeah.
00:10:53
Speaker
Okay.
00:10:54
Speaker
So I was in Egypt.
00:10:56
Speaker
I lived there for a year.
00:10:57
Speaker
Yeah.
00:10:58
Speaker
I was there from April, 2020, 2021 until recently, August, I just left.
00:11:04
Speaker
I've been in Dallas, Texas for two, two or three months now.
00:11:08
Speaker
Yeah.
00:11:08
Speaker
So, but yeah.
00:11:10
Speaker
And it's like, what brought you out to Egypt versus like, because your parents seem like they're in China.
00:11:15
Speaker
Were they living there?
00:11:17
Speaker
So right now they're stationed in China.
00:11:18
Speaker
So they're living there.
00:11:19
Speaker
They have like another like a year before they have to like choose another country.
00:11:22
Speaker
They bid and then they go and do work over there.
00:11:25
Speaker
But it's funny because the literal reason I went to Egypt was because of a video of like a TikTok.
00:11:31
Speaker
Oh, really?
00:11:32
Speaker
Yeah.
00:11:33
Speaker
So I met an Egyptian in my study abroad in Prague in Czech Republic in 2019.
00:11:38
Speaker
If you get the chance to study abroad or leave the country, do it.
00:11:41
Speaker
Oh, my God, this is your sign.
00:11:42
Speaker
But yeah, we like were friends and whatever.
00:11:45
Speaker
And then I graduated university.
00:11:47
Speaker
I know I didn't want to stay in the U.S. Not like my vibe, not my pace.
00:11:50
Speaker
um randomly one day he just like posted a video on his instagram story it's like what egypt looks like to locals and versus foreigners so the foreigners was like the pyramids and sand and desert and camels and what yeah and then it was like versus what it looks like to locals and it was like you could beach parties like
00:12:12
Speaker
the restaurants, the vibe, Ramadan, their culture, their Muslim culture is just so rich.
00:12:18
Speaker
And I was just like, I swiped up and I was like, how do I move to your country?
00:12:22
Speaker
And he was like, what?
00:12:24
Speaker
Why?
00:12:24
Speaker
You're in the US.
00:12:25
Speaker
Of course you're not gonna wanna come to Egypt.
00:12:27
Speaker
Why Egypt?
00:12:28
Speaker
And I was like, have you been like anything?
00:12:30
Speaker
Anything?
00:12:31
Speaker
Like I am a risk taker.
00:12:33
Speaker
Yeah.
00:12:34
Speaker
And I was just like, I like content creation, marketing kind of thing.
00:12:37
Speaker
I was like, if you know somebody like make help me make it happen.
00:12:40
Speaker
And then two months later, I was I booked a
00:12:44
Speaker
flight and then i was one way yeah actually i was there for two months it was like before summer um just like a test run kind of thing so i was like all right let's let's go for two months april may and then i'll come back you know have summer here um and then i just went back i honestly went on a whim i knew one person there he picked me up from the airport i had his picture
00:13:05
Speaker
Waiting it like I was where I told him I was like, hey, I'm wearing like a tie dye, like two piece set, like a jumper and like some sweatpants that are tie dye and I have a black hat with like fur on top.
00:13:15
Speaker
He's like, OK, I'll find you.
00:13:16
Speaker
And then we picked me up and went to work the next day and did some marketing over there and then met people, friends and kind of just lived my life over there while working.
00:13:26
Speaker
That's wild and that is a big risk.
00:13:28
Speaker
But do you feel like growing up the way you did, constantly moving, exposure to different cultures must have had some interplay with that, right?
00:13:35
Speaker
Oh, 100%.
00:13:36
Speaker
I mean, I wouldn't take back my upbringing or my childhood for anything.
00:13:40
Speaker
I mean, when I was young, I would be like, why do we have to move?
00:13:42
Speaker
Like, I love, like, my friends are here and all this stuff.
00:13:45
Speaker
But then I was like, I got to be different people.
00:13:48
Speaker
I got to meet different people.
00:13:49
Speaker
I got to see experience.
00:13:51
Speaker
Like, I'm ahead of the game, you know?
00:13:53
Speaker
um so yeah I definitely played a huge role I have like an itch that I need to scratch and it's just I mean it's it's bittersweet it's good and bad because like it's good because it's like you're exposed and you're out there and you're you know you're kind of like this risk taker and um you just want to go and you just kind of are bubbly and eccentric but then it's also kind of like sad because you have to leave people behind or it's like you really like a place but it's like you need to go because your body's telling you and
00:14:20
Speaker
there's so much to see and so much to do, but thanks to my parents, that's the way that I am now.
00:14:26
Speaker
Yeah.
00:14:27
Speaker
How many, like, where have you traveled to?
00:14:28
Speaker
Like, where's the farthest place you've gone?
00:14:31
Speaker
So furthest place I've gone, I've been to Greece, which I don't know if that's geographically the furthest.
00:14:37
Speaker
I've been all throughout Latin America back when I was in the Coast Guard.
00:14:41
Speaker
I've sailed across the Atlantic Ocean on a boat, the Coast Guard Academy, where I went to college.
00:14:47
Speaker
I actually have a couple of friends who are in the State Department now, too.
00:14:50
Speaker
Yeah.
00:14:50
Speaker
Do they like it?
00:14:52
Speaker
Yeah, they do.
00:14:52
Speaker
One of my friends, his parents were missionaries over in Jordan, or as we call the country Jordan.
00:14:58
Speaker
That's how we say, you know, like, you know, that's how we pronounce it because he had a little bit of an accent.
00:15:01
Speaker
You know, he's American born and all that American citizen.
00:15:04
Speaker
But he met his wife in Jerusalem.
00:15:06
Speaker
So I think they live.
00:15:09
Speaker
I'm trying to remember where they live right now.
00:15:11
Speaker
But over in the Middle East, I don't know if he's shifting country soon.
00:15:14
Speaker
But for him, you know, that's like home pretty much.
00:15:17
Speaker
That's where he grew up.
00:15:18
Speaker
Wow.
00:15:19
Speaker
Yeah, it's crazy, like, the definition of home, honestly.
00:15:21
Speaker
I mean, people say it's, like, four walls, but people say it's a place.
00:15:25
Speaker
People say it's, like, a person, people.
00:15:27
Speaker
I don't have one.
00:15:28
Speaker
I mean, I'm living in my sister's home.
00:15:30
Speaker
My brother has his home.
00:15:31
Speaker
My parents have their home.
00:15:32
Speaker
Egypt was my home, but it just wasn't working out, so now it's time to find a new one, I guess.
00:15:36
Speaker
Yeah.
00:15:37
Speaker
Do you feel like, too, were there big cultural differences, I imagine, living in Egypt?
00:15:42
Speaker
Ooh, yes.
00:15:43
Speaker
Because you've been around a lot of different cultures, but was it any type of culture shock?
00:15:47
Speaker
No.
00:15:48
Speaker
I think the biggest culture shock I've ever had was in the United States.
00:15:52
Speaker
Really?
00:15:52
Speaker
So I used to live in Bangladesh, like right next to India.
00:15:55
Speaker
Yeah.
00:15:56
Speaker
Like my majority of my high school and I graduated like high school there.
00:15:59
Speaker
And then I moved to Texas and Bangladesh is like a Muslim country.
00:16:02
Speaker
I mean, it's very like compact.
00:16:04
Speaker
It's very like rustic.
00:16:06
Speaker
And like it's very the U.S. is like individualistic.
00:16:10
Speaker
And over there, it's like collectivist.
00:16:11
Speaker
So everyone's kind of like a community there.
00:16:13
Speaker
And the traditions that they do have in the Muslim religion, it's very, like in Islam, it's very like, you have Ramadan, you have, or you fast for a month.
00:16:22
Speaker
You have, they're also like in India, they have Diwali.
00:16:26
Speaker
So it's like the... Which has just happened too, right?
00:16:29
Speaker
Yeah.
00:16:29
Speaker
So they have like, it's just rich.
00:16:31
Speaker
It's just rich in just anything and everything that they come together.
00:16:35
Speaker
And then I think coming to the US was like, coming to Texas where they have like boots and guns and like deers on the wall.
00:16:42
Speaker
I was like, what?
00:16:44
Speaker
but I think like the biggest like differences is kind of like the community for sure I mean yes there's camels you know walking on the street and horses and five cars in like a three lane car road but it's beautiful I mean it's very rustic and it's that it's it feels like home it's like tight and like compact you know it's like I don't know there's buildings everywhere here it's like more spread out you need a car everywhere but over there it's like kind of just like
00:17:12
Speaker
jam-packed in the middle and it just feels like busy like new york i can i can imagine yeah yeah with just dogs and cats all over the place yeah like street street dogs and street cats they're very nice though that's good i i have a friend who's um first generation indians or her parents immigrated from india and she was born here but she's like um she visited back home some relatives and she mentioned that they're like oh watch out for the neighborhood dogs or whatever because they know if you're not from the neighborhood or something yeah they know they
00:17:39
Speaker
They're very smart.
00:17:40
Speaker
I mean, one time, there's the funniest story
Street Dog Chronicles in Egypt
00:17:42
Speaker
ever.
00:17:42
Speaker
Like one time, me and my friend were walking around like my neighborhood in Egypt and like dogs are nice.
00:17:47
Speaker
Like one of them came up to us and was like just following us around.
00:17:50
Speaker
And all of a sudden we enter like a different, not territory, but like dog territory, quote unquote.
00:17:55
Speaker
It was like four or five streets down.
00:17:57
Speaker
And like all the like all those street dogs were like growling at that dog because it was from a different neighborhood.
00:18:02
Speaker
And my friend goes, yeah, he he probably was using us as a shield just so he can like venture out to see like if he wants to like move from his his neighborhood.
00:18:10
Speaker
I was like, what?
00:18:12
Speaker
But they're very sweet.
00:18:13
Speaker
yeah that's crazy they're very intellectual yeah animals they are animals yeah i mean they got to get by and it's really funny like down south you know and uh different places i've been throughout the caribbean you always see island dogs you know wherever you're in puerto rico or like you know on rotan oh yeah but it's crazy because like people take care of them like they're street dogs but it's like they are loved they're fed they're all this stuff but here it's like i saw a street dog and i was like
00:18:38
Speaker
oh my god I want to take it home like poor thing you know then I was like I don't I can't afford a dog right now like I think I think it'll be okay I mean I guess you can call like an animal shelter but I'm not really sure familiar how it works here yeah so yeah there are like Dallas Animal Services that's a different
00:18:54
Speaker
story and I can tell you later but I found a dog that had been essentially abandoned a German Shepherd I'll show you a picture of him after we record this but he was this awesome dog um co-worker of mine came down and adopted him from Kansas City since he a dog that big needs a yard but there are places that'll take him that are no kill shelters if you run into any dogs but I mean it's true
00:19:13
Speaker
Is that something you notice observing in American culture?
00:19:16
Speaker
Do you think it's a little bit cooler than it is abroad, you know, in terms of like community?
00:19:22
Speaker
Because we're more individualistic here.
00:19:23
Speaker
Do you notice that?
00:19:24
Speaker
A hundred percent.
00:19:25
Speaker
I mean, kind of like me going day by day.
00:19:28
Speaker
I mean, for example, like even at the smallest things, like we were out eating.
00:19:32
Speaker
I mean, living here is quite expensive, not going to lie.
00:19:34
Speaker
But in Egypt, it was like very inexpensive, honestly, like with...
00:19:40
Speaker
Okay, so they have like Egyptian pounds, like 200 Egyptian pounds is like $10, but like you can't go on like a boat ride.
00:19:48
Speaker
You can buy dinner, you could buy lunch, you could buy flowers, you could buy like Coca-Cola and chips and you can have like a whole day with like $10 in here.
00:19:56
Speaker
It's like...
00:19:57
Speaker
You need $50 for like a whole, even a hundred.
00:20:00
Speaker
But like the smallest thing I was out eating with my friends and we had like avocado toast or whatever.
00:20:05
Speaker
And they had asked me, Oh, is it good?
00:20:06
Speaker
I'm like, here, try it.
00:20:07
Speaker
Like take some, like have like, and I gave them like a chunk of it and they're like, Oh my God.
00:20:11
Speaker
And I'm like,
00:20:12
Speaker
there you go like eat it or even just in general like it's very here it's kind of like it's not a bad thing at all I mean it's definitely culture but coming from a place where it's very collective and kind of yeah just collective coming to like an individualistic place it's hard because people are just they don't take advantage of your niceness but like they can but also like people are very skeptical like if you ask for something of their drink or whatever it is they're like well what can I get in return and you're just like
00:20:39
Speaker
smile I mean I don't know you can watch me drink it I mean I don't know but I mean it's it is what it is but yeah I think I identify more as like a collectivist individual and I think bringing that back here with like my friends it's definitely been a culture shock for them but but yeah I mean I don't know do you think the individualistic culture like have you been to a collectivist culture
00:21:01
Speaker
So, I mean, not living in a significant period of time, I would say in somewhat having been in the military, there's more of a collectivist culture there versus an individual one out in general American society.
00:21:14
Speaker
Do you like with photography, is that part of the appeal to to capture, you know, these kind of cultural trends?
Cultural Narratives Through Photography
00:21:20
Speaker
Like, do you see collectivism in these events like group unity?
00:21:23
Speaker
Is that something or individuality?
00:21:24
Speaker
Ooh, okay.
00:21:25
Speaker
That's a really good question.
00:21:27
Speaker
Cause like I was actually talking to, like I was actually out the other day, um, at like Millie's and I, everyone was like dancing and like their like little group puddle.
00:21:34
Speaker
And I was just like dancing whenever you're in Egypt, like, or I mean predominantly Egypt, cause that's like kind of where I used to live.
00:21:41
Speaker
you go out and like you bring your friends, but like you dance towards the DJ, like you're there for them.
00:21:46
Speaker
And like taking pictures there, it's like everyone's a crowd.
00:21:49
Speaker
Taking pictures here, it's like everyone's a group.
00:21:51
Speaker
And I was just kind of like with like my photography, I've been going up to people and just being like, oh my God, smile and like bringing people together.
00:21:57
Speaker
And then like I remember I noticed that Millie's at the beginning of the night, everyone was dancing in their little like groups.
00:22:03
Speaker
And at the end of the night, everyone was dancing like towards the DJ.
00:22:05
Speaker
We're all kind of like a huge vibe.
00:22:06
Speaker
And it was just incredible that I could, I did like, I mean, I don't,
00:22:10
Speaker
I'm going to give myself the credit.
00:22:13
Speaker
But yeah, I was crazy with like just a camera and like just a pair of sunglasses.
00:22:16
Speaker
I always have sunglasses.
00:22:17
Speaker
That's like my signature.
00:22:18
Speaker
So I always like just hand out my glasses and I'm like, smile.
00:22:22
Speaker
Like that's kind of like the icebreaker.
00:22:23
Speaker
But I definitely feel like if I don't go out with my camera,
00:22:27
Speaker
I get like a little more introverted.
00:22:29
Speaker
I get a little more like, yeah, I don't know why.
00:22:31
Speaker
Like, I feel like my camera is like not my personality when I'm out, but it's a really big icebreaker.
00:22:36
Speaker
And I feel like bringing out my camera, I can like go up to different people and not have to have like a reason or something like that.
00:22:42
Speaker
It's more of like a smile, like take a picture, you know, it's kind of granted, you know, they're going to open up, you know, with the camera.
00:22:49
Speaker
Yeah.
00:22:50
Speaker
Like you said, it's an icebreaker.
00:22:51
Speaker
Also, I feel like that's where you feel in your element, perhaps when you're doing that.
00:22:54
Speaker
Oh, yeah.
00:22:55
Speaker
Well, how does it feel?
00:22:55
Speaker
Like, I wonder, like, from the opposite end, like, when I went up to you, like, how does that like, how did that make you feel when I was just like, are you single?
00:23:01
Speaker
Or like, whatever I asked you, if I could interview you?
00:23:03
Speaker
Yeah, no, I was totally fine with it.
00:23:05
Speaker
But maybe for me, I'm someone who can talk to other people easily.
00:23:09
Speaker
And I have I love
Therapy's Role in Personal Growth
00:23:11
Speaker
talking.
00:23:11
Speaker
I love
00:23:12
Speaker
That's why like when I saw you, you were going up to one of the bartenders or whatever and you were interviewing him.
00:23:17
Speaker
And I, you know, I don't even like drink alcohol.
00:23:20
Speaker
I stopped drinking like a year ago.
00:23:21
Speaker
Variety health reasons, performance reasons, all of that.
00:23:24
Speaker
But, you know, I was just getting like a Topo Chico or whatever.
00:23:28
Speaker
And, you know, I was just like, oh, I'm going to have to like swing back around and talk to this person, you know, because I like what they have going on.
00:23:35
Speaker
Thanks.
00:23:35
Speaker
Yeah, it's I love it.
00:23:38
Speaker
I love it.
00:23:39
Speaker
It's just so much fun.
00:23:40
Speaker
I also like making people feel uncomfortable with like these interviews.
00:23:42
Speaker
Like I like I have a therapist and like sometimes she told me she was like sitting with that like awkwardness is how you grow as individuals.
00:23:50
Speaker
So like, I mean, maybe I do it out of spite.
00:23:53
Speaker
I mean, I don't know, but I'll ask like a.
00:23:55
Speaker
uncomfortable like question kind of just to see people like squirm and be like oh wait what because instead of asking like for example when i was at like the single uh jigsaw event i was like instead of asking what's a red flag that you see like in someone or like your red flag i was like what is you as a person what's your red flag that you project on other people and they were like what
00:24:15
Speaker
oh, what?
00:24:16
Speaker
And I was like, yeah, what's your problem?
00:24:18
Speaker
You know, and they were kind of just like, I don't know.
00:24:20
Speaker
And I was like, oh, so you're perfect.
00:24:21
Speaker
And they're like, no, no, no.
00:24:22
Speaker
And like, I was just like, just kind of like a joke and be funny.
00:24:25
Speaker
But yeah, I think, I think that's great personality, like a trait that I have.
00:24:30
Speaker
Yeah, to try and be open with people.
00:24:33
Speaker
And I go to therapy too.
00:24:34
Speaker
I've been going to therapy for over a year.
00:24:36
Speaker
And I always tell people too, especially I'm a guy, I tell men, you go to the gym.
00:24:43
Speaker
Well, that's also for mental health, I feel for me.
00:24:45
Speaker
But it's like you go to the gym to work on your body.
00:24:48
Speaker
It's the same thing for your mind and your emotional regulation and everything, right?
00:24:53
Speaker
I feel so much better every time I come out of that door.
00:24:56
Speaker
You just feel like...
00:24:58
Speaker
unbiased like opinion judgment like someone who knows like what they're talking about and knows like what like how to help you and how to like talk to you in a way that's very like you're figuring it out for yourself instead of like a friend where like they're giving their opinions and like just seeing what's best for you through their eyes so they don't yeah so
00:25:16
Speaker
And there's that therapists are objective, whereas like every friend has kind of non-objectivity to them, right?
00:25:24
Speaker
Do you feel like in your photography you capture more subjectivity or objectivity?
00:25:29
Speaker
Oh.
00:25:31
Speaker
Oh.
00:25:32
Speaker
Wait, okay, okay, okay, so what's objectivity again?
00:25:35
Speaker
So I would say objectivity would be something like where you just see something and, you know, it's there for someone to observe unbiased, whereas subjectivity, is there more of an influence there?
00:25:47
Speaker
Is there more of an angle?
00:25:48
Speaker
Is there more of a story that you're trying to tell in that particular moment?
00:25:52
Speaker
I feel like there's definitely a bit of both.
00:25:54
Speaker
Because like when I first started photography, it would just be objectivity.
00:25:59
Speaker
Like I would just take pictures of like, for example, like pipes or like a building or like things that like no one would like bat an eye to because it's like not, not that it's not beautiful, but it's just like regular thing, you know, like, like cracking the road or, or like a window.
00:26:14
Speaker
But like, I'll be like, oh, that's pretty.
00:26:15
Speaker
And I would angle it like a certain way and be like that.
00:26:18
Speaker
has meaning like look at it and then i would like edit it with like a filter i would like change like the settings or whatever and and everyone would be like oh wow that's really nice like like that's that looks really great and i'm like yeah and they're like i never would have looked at something like that you know but i also kind of like like to go out and capture like people and be like you like this is how i see you this is how this is what you project onto everybody else and then
00:26:40
Speaker
whenever I post and they're like, oh my God, I didn't know like I look like that or oh my God, I didn't know that like you're taking a picture of me like I love it.
00:26:46
Speaker
Oh my gosh.
00:26:47
Speaker
So it's like I think it's a little bit of both.
00:26:49
Speaker
Honestly, I think maybe it's my mood or how I feel that day or the event I'm at or what I'm doing.
00:26:54
Speaker
But photography is very powerful.
00:26:57
Speaker
It's honestly very powerful.
00:26:58
Speaker
And I have like 30,000 photos on my phone.
00:27:02
Speaker
I have so much content.
00:27:04
Speaker
But like after you stare at it for so long, you're just kind of like, it's ugly.
00:27:07
Speaker
I hate it.
00:27:08
Speaker
So you just I just don't do a lot with that content.
00:27:10
Speaker
But I think now kind of like the wave and not a trend, but like, I think the wave definitely is more of a digital, like creative world.
00:27:19
Speaker
So I think people are just posting, like to post and put things out there and be like, this is like what I see my life and stuff like that.
00:27:27
Speaker
So yeah.
The Shift from Photography to Videography
00:27:28
Speaker
Yeah.
00:27:28
Speaker
Yeah.
00:27:29
Speaker
Because obviously dominated by Instagram and then TikTok, as we're seeing a lot.
00:27:34
Speaker
And what are your thoughts about that?
00:27:36
Speaker
Like photography versus videography in terms of I'm seeing like a shift in this movement or that's what I'm observing.
00:27:42
Speaker
Do you notice that too?
00:27:43
Speaker
Like less still stuff and even Instagram's algorithm to compete with TikTok is more like reels and videos.
00:27:48
Speaker
Yeah.
00:27:49
Speaker
Yeah, I mean, ooh.
00:27:52
Speaker
I feel like photography is... I started off with photography and taking pictures and being just still images because it's powerful within itself.
00:28:01
Speaker
But with videos, I think it's more of a story being told.
00:28:06
Speaker
And you can have kind of like, for example, you can make a reel with just nightlife and you can do different nightlife in different countries.
00:28:13
Speaker
That could be the content you're creating.
00:28:15
Speaker
And you can do that with images, but I feel like with videos, it's like...
00:28:19
Speaker
our attention span needs like something moving, needs something more kind of like fast.
00:28:22
Speaker
Cause that's kind of what we've developed into.
00:28:25
Speaker
Um, but I, yeah, but I definitely, um, I'm starting to do more video content.
00:28:31
Speaker
Um, but I mean, it's, it's good.
00:28:36
Speaker
Yeah.
00:28:37
Speaker
I like the trend.
00:28:38
Speaker
I like the videos.
00:28:39
Speaker
I like whatever's trending.
00:28:40
Speaker
I like, I think it makes sense kind of like our community, what, like what's out there in the world.
00:28:47
Speaker
Um, but yeah, like as someone like, you're not a photographer, are you?
00:28:51
Speaker
No, I mean, very amateur.
00:28:52
Speaker
I've been an Instagram boyfriend before, so I know how that works, right?
00:28:55
Speaker
Oh, yeah.
00:28:56
Speaker
You're a well-trained Instagram boyfriend?
00:28:57
Speaker
Yeah.
00:28:58
Speaker
Yeah, yeah, yeah.
00:28:58
Speaker
I'm taking, you know.
00:28:59
Speaker
I'm taking a couple of good pics.
00:29:01
Speaker
Yeah, I mean, that's so funny you say that because there's a lot of videos where it's like the content is just like taking my well-trained boyfriend to like a dinner or like a boat or vacation and they take like some bomb pictures.
00:29:12
Speaker
But yeah, it's all about projecting kind of like that life that you want.
00:29:17
Speaker
I feel like if you photograph the life that you want and like what you're doing, I feel like with that, you kind of like enter that life.
00:29:23
Speaker
And I can see how people are posting and how it could be deceiving to the eye.
00:29:29
Speaker
And it's like you're not really living that life.
00:29:30
Speaker
So I talked to my therapist about this.
00:29:32
Speaker
That's why I posted something about kind of like...
00:29:35
Speaker
I was on a boat and I was like, yeah, I'm on a boat and I'm happy and I'm healthy.
00:29:38
Speaker
But like, honestly, sometimes some days suck.
00:29:41
Speaker
Some days are not good.
00:29:42
Speaker
Like, you know, like whatever people project on social media is like the life that they want to live and they will eventually live that life.
00:29:48
Speaker
But sometimes people still struggle and, you know, you can't really capture that on like photography, but they do have like, oh, I don't know what it's
Cultural Scene in Dallas
00:29:55
Speaker
called.
00:29:55
Speaker
I wanted to get into it.
00:29:56
Speaker
It's like where you take photos, but like you document kind of like culture and life that I wanted my photos to be on a textbook.
00:30:02
Speaker
But I do party a lot.
00:30:04
Speaker
So I take a lot of those party pictures with me.
00:30:06
Speaker
So it's been kind of hard to kind of like go out and capture like the culture of Dallas or, you know, Egypt and stuff.
00:30:11
Speaker
But and what would you say about the culture of Dallas and so far?
00:30:17
Speaker
Because it seems like you've been going to different events and documenting Dallas.
00:30:22
Speaker
Have you made any firm observations?
00:30:24
Speaker
You've been here for a few months now, you mentioned.
00:30:26
Speaker
Yeah, some firm observations about Dallas.
00:30:30
Speaker
I'm so bad with this.
00:30:33
Speaker
I feel like because I just, not that I live in my own world, but like I do have my own bubble.
00:30:39
Speaker
And I feel like whenever I go out and meet new people and do all these things, I feel like they're entering my world because I have my camera because I have my personality that kind of like
00:30:49
Speaker
It does sometimes overpower other people and I've noticed that.
00:30:52
Speaker
But at the same time, I think that people are very like, it's a working place.
00:30:57
Speaker
Like Dallas is like very city and very kind of like not corporate, but their lifestyle is like work and then happy hour and then go home and then work and then gym and all this stuff.
00:31:08
Speaker
So it's been hard to kind of like integrate into here, especially when like photography, when kind of like the days are dead in Dallas, a deep element and everything.
00:31:15
Speaker
Yeah.
00:31:15
Speaker
But I think the culture here is definitely like people are super open.
00:31:18
Speaker
People are super fun.
00:31:19
Speaker
People are like willing to talk to you.
00:31:21
Speaker
And I met so many different people from like all walks of life, all parts of the world.
00:31:26
Speaker
I'm enjoying my time here, honestly.
00:31:28
Speaker
My sister's been here for two years now, I think, I believe.
00:31:31
Speaker
And I came here two months ago and she's telling me I'm more popular than her.
00:31:35
Speaker
And I'm like, girl.
00:31:36
Speaker
You gotta put yourself out there.
00:31:38
Speaker
I mean, you gotta see what there is.
00:31:39
Speaker
So I take her everywhere with me and I do a lot of things solo.
00:31:43
Speaker
Yeah.
00:31:43
Speaker
I feel like you can get far when, like when you're alone, honestly.
00:31:46
Speaker
But, um, but I do like Deep Ellum.
00:31:49
Speaker
It's beautiful.
00:31:49
Speaker
I mean, it's like, I don't know.
00:31:51
Speaker
It's like my favorite place to like photograph because it's so much things to see.
00:31:54
Speaker
It's, but you also have like little po- in Dallas, you have like little pockets.
00:31:57
Speaker
Like where do you hang out mostly?
00:31:58
Speaker
Cause they have like Lower Greenville.
00:31:59
Speaker
They have like downtown, they have Deep Ellum, they have like the South.
00:32:02
Speaker
It's where do you hang out usually?
00:32:04
Speaker
I feel like for me personally, I live in like kind of uptown Victory Park area.
00:32:09
Speaker
So I walk on the Kitty Trail a lot.
00:32:11
Speaker
You know, I have a dog, so I walk him.
00:32:13
Speaker
But I do go out like Deep Ellum, I think is good.
00:32:15
Speaker
I'm more of like an early evening Deep Ellum guy.
00:32:17
Speaker
If you haven't gone, Jenny's Ice Cream is pretty good.
00:32:19
Speaker
They're pretty inventive.
00:32:21
Speaker
You know, and Deep Elm, you'll see all sorts of different people.
00:32:24
Speaker
I like hanging out at music places, you know, seeing live music and everything.
00:32:29
Speaker
It's a big variety.
00:32:30
Speaker
I like Knox Henderson, too.
00:32:31
Speaker
You know, that's a good little area to walk around to access the Katy Trail.
00:32:35
Speaker
I think what I personally enjoy about Dallas is it's really diverse.
00:32:39
Speaker
And you wouldn't think that necessarily because you think Texas, right?
00:32:43
Speaker
Mm hmm.
00:32:44
Speaker
that's true it is it is you have a lot of different people i mean everyone has it's crazy entering into different like coming from already my own community back in egypt for being there for a year and like making it my home coming to a place where i kind of always rejected the us i don't know why like i mean i never really lived in the us apart from like going to university at texas state yeah and even then like i told you i had like the biggest culture shock coming here
00:33:07
Speaker
So like coming back here and like re-Americanizing, reacculturating to kind of like who I'm supposed to be and where I was born has also been something very difficult.
00:33:16
Speaker
Hence me bringing out my camera, hence me bringing things out that I can kind of like protect myself just in case like people don't like to be approached and take photos.
00:33:24
Speaker
I'm just like, oh, okay, I'll delete it.
00:33:25
Speaker
Or like, oh, hi, like just give me my sunglasses back.
00:33:28
Speaker
You know, I feel like I definitely have kind of like a big wall up in Dallas because I've heard so many things about Dallas and like my friends,
00:33:35
Speaker
All the people that I've met are like, I'm leaving Dallas.
00:33:37
Speaker
I'm going everywhere else.
00:33:38
Speaker
People hate it.
00:33:39
Speaker
People love it.
00:33:40
Speaker
I mean, it definitely depends on your community.
00:33:41
Speaker
It depends on your vibe.
00:33:43
Speaker
But Dallas is diverse.
00:33:44
Speaker
And finding your people is, it's kind of tough nowadays, honestly, with like work and everyone living their own lives.
00:33:51
Speaker
Yeah.
00:33:51
Speaker
I mean, it was so much easier, obviously, in high school and college.
00:33:54
Speaker
And because everyone's like in the same boat.
00:33:56
Speaker
But here you have people from Dallas.
00:33:58
Speaker
different like starting out their career ending their career like retiring like working trying to figure it out like freelancing this and that so it's been i love you dallas though i love you it's been fun oh yeah it's been cool
Austin's Evolving Culture
00:34:13
Speaker
Yeah, I like Bishop Arts too.
00:34:14
Speaker
I love that area.
00:34:15
Speaker
I don't think I've been.
00:34:16
Speaker
Yeah, you should totally go.
00:34:19
Speaker
Yeah.
00:34:19
Speaker
Did you go to Wynwood in Miami?
00:34:21
Speaker
No.
00:34:21
Speaker
It looks like a mini Austin.
00:34:23
Speaker
I haven't been to Wynwood.
00:34:25
Speaker
That's what I'm imagining Bishop Arts.
00:34:26
Speaker
It's kind of what Deep Ellum is.
00:34:28
Speaker
It's like Austin, like an Austin vibe.
00:34:29
Speaker
You have the graffiti and you have the murals and you have the people.
00:34:33
Speaker
But I feel like Austin now is not as weird anymore.
00:34:36
Speaker
It's kind of like getting a little more serious.
00:34:39
Speaker
Thank you, Tesla.
00:34:40
Speaker
Yeah, a little more corporate.
00:34:42
Speaker
And the first time I went to Austin was in 2019.
00:34:46
Speaker
And I've even noticed a shift three years from now.
00:34:48
Speaker
And I'm sure if you've gone previously, and I've heard people say Austin's not quote unquote weird anymore.
00:34:54
Speaker
It's just different, less artists and more like tech coming in and...
00:34:58
Speaker
Yeah.
00:34:59
Speaker
You know, corporate, right?
00:35:00
Speaker
I mean, yeah.
00:35:00
Speaker
I mean, I just went recently.
00:35:01
Speaker
My one of my best friends actually moved there.
00:35:04
Speaker
She's living right on Rainey.
00:35:05
Speaker
I mean, it's still like the weird, it's still like the eccentric, fun Austin.
00:35:09
Speaker
It used to be like I went back in 2017 and I would go there a lot.
00:35:13
Speaker
Sixth Street, whenever I was in like university, West, kind of just going there for the trails and everything.
00:35:19
Speaker
It definitely still has that Austin weirdness and that little spice to it.
00:35:23
Speaker
But it has kind of like developed into something more
00:35:27
Speaker
more of this age and like the tech and kind of like where corporate is kind of going in the U.S. is kind of like trying to go because it's the capital of Texas.
00:35:36
Speaker
I mean, it has to kind of, I don't know, keep up.
00:35:40
Speaker
I don't know.
00:35:40
Speaker
Shift in some way.
00:35:42
Speaker
Yeah, exactly.
00:35:42
Speaker
It's a good way to put it.
00:35:44
Speaker
And do you notice yourself shifting a lot?
00:35:46
Speaker
Because, like, I'm guessing maybe, you know, you're in your mid-20s.
Building a Career in Photography
00:35:50
Speaker
I'm guessing you're shifting, you know, to a new country.
00:35:53
Speaker
And then in photography, are you trying to capture anything particularly that, you know, resonates with any shift that you're feeling?
00:36:04
Speaker
that's a good question because the shift is weird like coming from a uh oh I feel like I'm trying not to shift into corporate quote-unquote like corporate America because like I am a content creator like I am kind of like trying to pursue a career that
00:36:19
Speaker
doesn't have a 401k doesn't have dental insurance doesn't have medical insurance and trying to live in like a a country that is quote unquote like a business is tough because in egypt for example if like i got sick i could just pay a doctor and just get it done i didn't have to have insurance so coming here but i feel like with my photography trying to capture the american culture has been more of like party scene
00:36:43
Speaker
Because I do like to party.
00:36:45
Speaker
And I feel like people are more their more authentic self whenever they do have that liquid courage.
00:36:50
Speaker
Whenever they do have that like ambiance that allows them to be weird, allows them to kind of like explore kind of what they want to do.
00:36:59
Speaker
Because like alcohol does have an effect on people 100% of the time.
00:37:02
Speaker
So whenever I'm out and capturing kind of like the culture of the US, especially Texas, I feel like it's more...
00:37:08
Speaker
in like the nightlife because people are tend to be 100% more themselves whenever they're out because you get different outfits different fashion choices people are wearing weird things like now a trend is like wearing your sunglasses out so I've been bringing like a pairs of sunglasses and writing stuff on them or even just kind of like
00:37:24
Speaker
giving it to people and being like put these on and like maybe even starting a trend you know i feel like i've shifted into someone who wants to be a trendsetter rather than like follow trends and so through my photography and videography i hope that people would see my like photos by brie my account and be like oh like that's cool i want to do a video like that or i want to go out and do the same thing even jigsaw like i mean they messaged me saying can you send me yeah that's awesome yeah they like sent me they sent me my um
00:37:51
Speaker
my video and they were like, well, you know, we love, we love what you did.
00:37:54
Speaker
Like, can you send us like the actual original content?
00:37:56
Speaker
Um, so we can like make more things like this.
00:37:58
Speaker
And I was like, as long as I can make, make the content, I mean, I would love to send you that stuff, you know?
00:38:04
Speaker
And, uh, they were very open and receptive.
00:38:05
Speaker
They were like, yeah, like we'll send you an email if we want to work with you and stuff like that.
00:38:08
Speaker
that's like what I love doing I just love I mean I want to start my own business with photography and do kind of like but it's tough because it's like so it's not tangible I mean it's I don't know if that's the right word but it's something that it's like I'm creating my own path and that's something that I'm trying to like shift into uh creating my own path and doing things that I think is good for me and myself instead of like following like
00:38:33
Speaker
something that's already established if that makes sense so like telling my parents hey i'm gonna pursue content creation and be be a digital nomad they're like well well well okay like but but but retirement but but like uh buying a house but what about health insurance or what about if you get sick or what and i'm just like you're so right like 100 you're so right i will figure it out when i get there when i get sick
00:38:57
Speaker
I will figure it out then, you know what I mean?
00:38:59
Speaker
But I think, I don't know, I love photography and I really hope that like it pays off with all like the effort that I'm putting into it.
00:39:08
Speaker
But I feel like it comes so natural to me.
00:39:10
Speaker
So whenever I charge people for like a photo shoot,
00:39:14
Speaker
I like undersell myself or under rate myself or under budget like charge them less because I'm just like yeah because I'm like it comes so natural to me and it's just so like fun and it's like I want them to like come back and enjoy and have a good time and feel like confident in like the photos that I took of them and then after like I tell my friends oh yeah I charge them like 200 for like three hours shoot whatever they're like girl if you google that it's like $600 and I'm just like I'll keep that in mind you know
00:39:43
Speaker
So now I'm trying to like up the business part of it.
00:39:47
Speaker
Cause before it was just like for fun.
00:39:48
Speaker
It was just me going out, doing it on my own.
00:39:50
Speaker
But now it's like, all right, I'm going to charge people.
00:39:52
Speaker
Cause I need to make a living, you know, like I don't, I'm unemployed.
00:39:54
Speaker
I'm 24.
00:39:55
Speaker
Like, come on.
00:39:56
Speaker
Well, you deserve that too.
00:39:57
Speaker
Right.
00:39:57
Speaker
You know, you should be compensated fairly, fairly for your skills.
00:40:00
Speaker
And I, what I'm hearing is a certain kind of coexistence with like, for instance, Jigsaw is a company, but you can work with them, but not be under the corporate gray confines of,
00:40:12
Speaker
Oh yeah, yeah, like freelance, yeah freelance, that's what I'm kind of like starting to do, but it's scary because it's like you're hustling for your money, which valid, I mean, yeah, everyone would be kind of feeling scared at times if you can make rent, if you can afford food.
00:40:28
Speaker
But at the same time, I feel like I'm living such a good life.
00:40:32
Speaker
And I see kind of like other people in the corporate America and I see them, you know, doing things that I can't do, like affording like a trip or a vacation or like getting an apartment on like downtown.
00:40:42
Speaker
And I'm like, so happy for them.
00:40:43
Speaker
And I'm like, is that ever going to happen to me if I'm not following, you know, that kind of like path of like thing that's normalized now?
00:40:53
Speaker
Um, but living in Egypt definitely changed that perspective.
00:40:56
Speaker
People are like more kind of like having three jobs over there because like they want to, because over there, I feel like in different countries and especially Egypt, cause I was there for so long.
Rejecting US Work Culture
00:41:07
Speaker
I feel like people, they work to like live, they work, work, work, work.
00:41:12
Speaker
And then they live and live and do, but here people are like kind of living to work.
00:41:16
Speaker
Nothing wrong with that.
00:41:18
Speaker
Nothing wrong with that.
00:41:19
Speaker
But that's something that's like,
00:41:21
Speaker
That's something that the U.S. I've been so rejected.
00:41:24
Speaker
Like I've been rejecting the U.S. because I don't want to shift into that.
00:41:28
Speaker
You know, because like at the end of the day, like I need to pay rent.
00:41:31
Speaker
I need to afford groceries.
00:41:34
Speaker
I need to do all that.
00:41:35
Speaker
And like with the life I'm living now with photography, it's like it's hard to kind of like it kicks off in a while.
00:41:41
Speaker
You have to kind of grow into that.
00:41:43
Speaker
Right.
00:41:43
Speaker
You know, it takes.
00:41:44
Speaker
Time to really time.
00:41:45
Speaker
Yeah.
00:41:46
Speaker
Well, I mean, I would say, too, aside from, you know, maybe you were underselling yourself a little bit, but now you have more work that you can show and now charge higher rates for.
00:41:57
Speaker
Right.
00:41:57
Speaker
So is that something to make money?
00:41:59
Speaker
That's like every time I like.
00:42:01
Speaker
Not every time I don't charge every time I'm like, I'll do it like whatever.
00:42:04
Speaker
I'm like, well, that's how I like justified in my head.
00:42:07
Speaker
I'm like, you got to spend money to make money.
00:42:09
Speaker
And so now I think it's going to start paying off because like I'm going out and I'm putting myself out there before I was just like posting and I wasn't really like tagging people.
00:42:16
Speaker
I wasn't really like doing kind of like the most in order to get the most like clout for it.
00:42:22
Speaker
But now it's like, all right, like I'm going to find if I'm going to like a ice cream shop, I'm going to be like, hey, I took this video.
00:42:29
Speaker
Look at it.
00:42:29
Speaker
Like we can work together, you know, kind of like.
00:42:31
Speaker
get my name out there and show people what I can do.
00:42:34
Speaker
And then ultimately, I think it will definitely pay off and I will have to start valuing myself at a higher rate.
00:42:41
Speaker
And I think you definitely deserve that and you can do that.
00:42:43
Speaker
And I feel like there's like so many things, businesses, you know, for like doing that, like maybe working with Jigsaw if that continues or other things like you might be, they do another one of those events.
00:42:53
Speaker
You might be like, they might hand you a t-shirt and want you to like work the event as like a contractor or whatever.
00:42:58
Speaker
Yeah.
00:42:59
Speaker
That's cool.
00:42:59
Speaker
That's kind of like what I, that's what I was in Egypt because I did, they couldn't, we couldn't get like
Navigating Work Visas and US Adaptation
00:43:04
Speaker
my work visa.
00:43:04
Speaker
Yeah.
00:43:05
Speaker
Cause like working overseas is, it's, it's,
00:43:08
Speaker
You have to have a plan.
00:43:08
Speaker
I didn't have a plan I just had someone who said yes to me and I went and then I got like another job Through friends and kind of like wanting to get like my work visa and like actually establish a life get a bank account and everything But it wasn't working out.
00:43:22
Speaker
So they kind of like Quarck contracted me So they didn't have to pay like extra taxes on like an American because it's very expensive over there.
00:43:28
Speaker
Yeah So yeah, that's why I'm back here kind of like just
00:43:32
Speaker
Get get myself because like I under I know the language here.
00:43:35
Speaker
I know kind of like how everything works.
00:43:36
Speaker
So yeah family Yeah family well a sister and my brother's like in College Station, but I do have like my community here that is supporting me and You know can help me because like they're also doing different things.
00:43:48
Speaker
So yeah, so Putting my name out there.
00:43:51
Speaker
We'll see
00:43:52
Speaker
Yeah, no, I think you'll probably continue to grow too.
00:43:55
Speaker
And you know, like, it seems like so my, my second episode, my guest Rob, he runs a YouTube channel called the Lost Boys.
00:44:05
Speaker
So he and I went to college together.
00:44:07
Speaker
He booked a one way flight ticket to backpack the world and he ended up in Indonesia.
00:44:12
Speaker
And he was, you know, some of the and for you guys who you probably listened to that episode.
00:44:17
Speaker
But, you know, he commented on the kind of difference between individualistic and collectivist culture, as well as this aspect of in the U.S. it's like, hey, go to college, whatever, training, work, get married, buy a house, have kids.
00:44:34
Speaker
Yeah, retire 401k.
00:44:35
Speaker
Yeah, it's it's weird.
00:44:37
Speaker
Like, we're not the only one that does that.
00:44:39
Speaker
I mean, of course, there's like other countries that have the different kind of path they need to take.
00:44:43
Speaker
But having that outsider's perspective and coming back to the US, it's like, I feel like we're living twisted a little bit.
00:44:50
Speaker
Like it's, it makes sense because it's like what works and it's a conservative system where it's like it's been working for so long.
00:44:56
Speaker
But at the same time, like, I think I have like a little extra like oomph to my like step and like trying to convince, not convince, but like trying to live the life like with my siblings who followed that
00:45:08
Speaker
path is very difficult and it's it's it's been interesting to kind of like keep relationships and just see how people live um but i don't know are you taking that path or are you carving your own
00:45:21
Speaker
Well, I think for me, it's a mixture of both, you know, like starting this out, this is my own thing to put out that creative outlet and to connect with others.
Balancing Corporate and Creative Careers
00:45:29
Speaker
I do, you know, I work a corporate job.
00:45:31
Speaker
I work as a cybersecurity engineer.
00:45:34
Speaker
I work remotely right now.
00:45:35
Speaker
So it's kind of that balance.
00:45:37
Speaker
But, you know, I want to get more onto the creative path for sure, because I was always like choosing security.
00:45:45
Speaker
I had really good options for myself coming out of high school.
00:45:49
Speaker
I went to a military academy.
00:45:51
Speaker
They covered my college.
00:45:52
Speaker
And there's a lot of stability in that.
00:45:53
Speaker
But I chose to leave.
00:45:54
Speaker
I left the military for a little bit more stable.
00:45:58
Speaker
But your parents are diplomats.
00:46:01
Speaker
And you know the government work is very stable.
00:46:03
Speaker
And there's nothing wrong with it.
00:46:04
Speaker
Some people love the stability.
00:46:06
Speaker
Oh, yeah.
00:46:06
Speaker
But they get that adventure.
00:46:08
Speaker
And I feel like you, I think growing up as a child and, you know, that type of circumstance, like you probably don't want to stagnate and you feel sitting in the same spot is stagnating.
00:46:20
Speaker
Oh yeah.
00:46:21
Speaker
Oh yeah.
00:46:21
Speaker
There's definitely like an itch I need to like scratch because of like my lifestyle, but teach their own, you know?
00:46:26
Speaker
Yeah.
00:46:26
Speaker
I mean like there's...
00:46:27
Speaker
I've always always just like you know what let me just get a remote job so I can like support myself you know with doing this creative stuff which is what you're doing and it's something that's so great because like you can have you know you can definitely multitask and have kind of like the best of both worlds now and then once this does launch off and you know kind of get to where you want to be and where you need to be.
00:46:45
Speaker
say bye-bye cybersecurity and like do your own thing you know like it's good that you're following that and like I congratulate you like I salute you so that's really cool I just don't think I'm that kind of person yeah you know and like I just it's it goes down to like personality um like I remember giving like my camera like my to my brother and being like go capture stuff because I wanted a party and I was like I don't want to like have my camera out like people are sweaty and my camera is eternally hung over now I mean the flash doesn't work because it's just been out with me so many times like I've just
00:47:14
Speaker
treated it really good but like it just
Collaborative Nature of Photography
00:47:16
Speaker
it's given out on me since 2015 I mean but um I gave my brother my camera and he captures like a completely different vibe and like I love it sometimes I give my camera like my sister my brother like my friends and I'm like go go off and they love it like they capture good bad ugly great like like a different vibe that I would capture and then like I post it on my account and you could tell it's like
00:47:37
Speaker
Someone different, but it's still like, you know, it's still like a cool vibe that I can have like my friend represent photos by Brie.
00:47:43
Speaker
Yeah.
00:47:44
Speaker
And kind of like whatever happened at that party, they took that picture, whatever happened at that event, they took this picture.
00:47:49
Speaker
That's something completely different of like what I would capture, you know, and like whenever I do that,
00:47:54
Speaker
And I see the pictures that the other people take.
00:47:56
Speaker
I'm like, oh, wow.
00:47:57
Speaker
And I keep it in mind.
00:47:58
Speaker
And I'm like, OK, like, let's take a picture like that now because it looked good in my eyes and it captured something completely different.
00:48:05
Speaker
And that's how you grow as like an individual.
00:48:07
Speaker
That's how you grow as a creative by like looking at other people and taking those chances of just like giving your camera to someone and just being like, here, capture this, you know.
00:48:15
Speaker
So I find that.
00:48:16
Speaker
Yeah.
00:48:17
Speaker
fascinating because it's almost like a camera is like you know the analogy i'm gonna use here is like a musical instrument and they're creating different types of music like yeah you're so right i never thought of it like that honestly to use it like that i guess what would your genre uh photography slash music be you know what's the kind of vibe or the kind of tone that you typically go for or that people say they see in your photography
00:48:42
Speaker
Ooh, okay.
00:48:43
Speaker
That's... Because I can go like the rustic style.
00:48:47
Speaker
But I feel like with my photos, it's like not dark.
00:48:52
Speaker
I like dark settings.
00:48:53
Speaker
I like it like lights.
00:48:54
Speaker
I like... I think mine would be like pop.
00:48:57
Speaker
Like pop, punk, punk.
00:49:01
Speaker
Just the party never ends kind of vibe like I feel like that's kind of like what I project through my photography But now like I mean what I want to do like where I want to go with photos by brie I mean, I just changed my bio and I said um I was like I will follow you Around like a party or something and i'll be like your entourage.
Structured vs. Creative Projects
00:49:17
Speaker
I'll take your photos.
00:49:18
Speaker
I'll take your videos like I want to do I want to be like the person that captures The like the moment the vibe and I feel like
00:49:28
Speaker
the music that I would probably portray would be like rock punk, like lights, like hard, like, yeah, something like that.
00:49:35
Speaker
But I can also do like soft.
00:49:36
Speaker
I'm doing an engagement shoot next week.
00:49:38
Speaker
And I'm just like, all right, I got to switch it up.
00:49:40
Speaker
I got to make it a little light and soft and beautiful and magical, which is something I can definitely do.
00:49:46
Speaker
But I do like, like people sticking their tongue out and capturing them like in the element of like,
00:49:52
Speaker
a party and lights and events, excitement.
00:49:55
Speaker
Like, you know, I feel like that is fun because I'm having fun.
00:49:58
Speaker
They're having fun.
00:50:01
Speaker
But yeah, I want to dabble more into kind of like actual like photo shoots, like portraits, engagements.
00:50:07
Speaker
Concierge.
00:50:08
Speaker
Yeah, something like that, you know, I feel like, or even just like if I want to like do, for example, because like I want to start my own magazine eventually and do like a just like a culture magazine.
00:50:18
Speaker
But I also need to, I haven't done like photo shoots where I like bring people on and I have like a
00:50:24
Speaker
like my own like mood board and I'm like okay you're gonna wear this and we're gonna be in this setting like model do this move your hand this way like stuff like that I want to dabble more into that because I feel like I if I want to do start my own magazine or if I want to work for a magazine I need to kind of know how to throw a photo shoot you know but
00:50:42
Speaker
I definitely like kind of like the crazy ambience and the environment where it's like it's already there for me and I just capture whatever's there.
00:50:49
Speaker
I don't want to be the one like having to create that environment, but I do need to like venture out and that's how you grow as an individual, you know, so.
00:50:57
Speaker
Yeah.
00:50:58
Speaker
Yeah.
00:50:58
Speaker
I think that sounds really wonderful because it sounds like to you're branching out more.
00:51:02
Speaker
You're like, OK, here's my quote unquote more corporate type work where I'm doing these events.
00:51:07
Speaker
I'm doing these photo shoots.
00:51:08
Speaker
But I want to also do and take this and be more creative.
00:51:11
Speaker
So that might be like, hey, this is my, you know, like hotel piano, you know, type photography.
00:51:16
Speaker
But then at the same time, here's where I'm, you know, really riffing and I'm really having a great time improvising and seeing, you know, how creative I can be.
00:51:24
Speaker
Mm hmm.
00:51:25
Speaker
Yeah, that's true.
00:51:27
Speaker
That's cool.
00:51:27
Speaker
That's what, man, do whatever you want, guys.
00:51:30
Speaker
Like, honestly, life is not real.
00:51:33
Speaker
You can do whatever.
00:51:34
Speaker
I feel like after moving to Egypt and, you know, just, I'm so thankful that I actually found like a skill that I'm good at and something that I can actually pursue.
00:51:42
Speaker
It is scary because it's something like I am creating that kind of corporate environment, like that business by myself with the little knowledge I do have.
00:51:54
Speaker
But,
00:51:54
Speaker
But you have control over it, too.
00:51:56
Speaker
And I think that seems like something that seems a little bit important to you.
00:52:00
Speaker
Yeah, definitely.
00:52:01
Speaker
I like having that control.
00:52:02
Speaker
And I feel like, I don't know, maybe being a girl helps a lot because like I can kind of like maneuver my way and be like, hey, like, yeah, like, I don't know.
00:52:09
Speaker
I feel like my personality has taken me everywhere I've needed to go and I've done everything I needed to do.
00:52:18
Speaker
And I think I'm so thankful for that.
00:52:20
Speaker
And now I'm thankful for a camera because I can move to another country.
00:52:23
Speaker
I can go somewhere else.
00:52:24
Speaker
I can kind of use that to my advantage and create a job out of nothing.
00:52:28
Speaker
That's how I got a job at a CBD shop.
00:52:30
Speaker
They weren't even hiring, but like I moved to College Station.
00:52:33
Speaker
I was like, well, I like CBD and I like vaping.
00:52:36
Speaker
Like might as well work in some place where I can, you know, get that for free.
00:52:40
Speaker
So then I went to like a CBD shop right next to my house.
00:52:42
Speaker
And I was like, hey, I'm a social media content creator.
00:52:45
Speaker
I do these videos, I do photos.
00:52:47
Speaker
I can work in store as selling and then I can also create content for your Instagram.
00:52:53
Speaker
I see you have this many followers and dah, dah, dah, dah.
00:52:55
Speaker
And they were like, yeah, when can you start?
00:52:57
Speaker
And I'm like, hell yeah.
00:52:58
Speaker
That's how I started in Egypt.
00:53:02
Speaker
I just went and I was like, I'm good at this, this and this.
00:53:04
Speaker
And it was all through my camera or my phone camera.
00:53:09
Speaker
So I'm glad that I have that because that's something that I can monetize.
00:53:13
Speaker
So I think that's what I'm like, all right, I'm going to be okay because I have this skill that I can monetize and I can make it into something.
00:53:19
Speaker
I just need to get off my ass and freaking work.
00:53:22
Speaker
I just got to do it.
00:53:23
Speaker
I'm just so...
00:53:25
Speaker
not lazy, but I feel like... Pressure?
Overcoming Creative Self-Doubt
00:53:28
Speaker
I feel a lot of pressure, a lot of pressure and like opening TikTok and opening Instagram reels.
00:53:32
Speaker
It's like, I want to create all this content, but like, I don't know.
00:53:36
Speaker
I just, I don't know why I don't.
00:53:38
Speaker
I mean, I create all this content, but then I think I watch it too many times.
00:53:40
Speaker
I don't post it.
00:53:42
Speaker
And then I like open up Instagram or TikTok and I'm watching these videos and I'm like, well, I could do that better.
00:53:47
Speaker
Or like, hey, I have a video like this or hey, I could do better than this.
00:53:51
Speaker
And then it's like, okay, then post.
00:53:53
Speaker
And then I'm like, oh, okay, okay, okay.
00:53:54
Speaker
And then like, I'll be like, okay, I'll post tomorrow.
00:53:56
Speaker
And then I'm like, oh.
00:53:57
Speaker
And then I just feel that pressure of like, it's not perfect.
00:53:59
Speaker
And then I show my friends and they're like, it's amazing, post it.
00:54:02
Speaker
And I'm like,
00:54:03
Speaker
okay i guess like i posted that jigsaw and i got like 500 likes and i got like 16 like i got like 15 000 views in like the matter of like an hour and all i tagged was jigsaw and i didn't like i didn't know who else to tag because i was like i don't know if they want to see this i mean i asked for their consent but like i'll just see what happens with like i just see what happened yeah and then you know it was very very successful so that was that was awesome i think you should like mute down that voice you know that is like
00:54:29
Speaker
discouraging and continue to like just release things i think you know and not be your own worst critic right because i but this like i my first episode i recorded like five times yeah yeah you can you can definitely like understand and kind of like see how it's like but um are you still your worst critic or are you just kind of like i'm gonna do it and just shut that little voice off
00:54:51
Speaker
Yeah, definitely that.
00:54:53
Speaker
For me, you know, there's certain types of people, I'll say maximizers, you know, like I want this to be like more of this or I'm more of a hesitator, right?
00:55:02
Speaker
Where it's like, I got to get this perfect in order for it to be ready.
00:55:06
Speaker
But it's like, well, you got to.
00:55:07
Speaker
just take that step and see what happens and improve as you go on right that's true i mean i mean for example like i went to school for international relations like i mean i wanted to be president of the united states of america i mean of course i'm not going to do that now granted but um you know like i kind of didn't and i knew i want i loved photography and videography but like i just never pursued it it just was like a hobby
00:55:27
Speaker
And now I'm kind of like stuck behind where I don't know how to use Adobe Photoshop.
00:55:31
Speaker
I don't know how to use kind of like the after effects or I just do what I know and what I like and what I think looks good for me myself and for that the thing I captured.
00:55:41
Speaker
But it also sets me back because people are saying like, oh, you're not you're not skilled in that area.
00:55:47
Speaker
So like we can't hire you or like if I did want to work for like
00:55:50
Speaker
um like a marketing agency they're like yeah you have so much experience but you don't have like the skills that make somebody a content creator a social media specialist and it's like i will give me a week trial and i'll show you i know like i know what i'm doing but it's something that like i've definitely accepted and something that i want to pursue but i feel like what i'm doing now like it works like i don't need to have all that extra oomph for something to look good and for something to kind of like go viral quote unquote you know so yeah
Corporate Stability vs. Creative Freedom
00:56:19
Speaker
Right.
00:56:19
Speaker
And there's that interplay too, right?
00:56:22
Speaker
And kind of like, I think like millennial, Gen Z type of things, like look at a company like BuzzFeed or now the Try Guys, you know, where they spun off and, you know, it's a mix of that corporate type, like, hey, let's be serious about this and get things produced.
00:56:37
Speaker
But at the same time, let's do creative things.
00:56:39
Speaker
And there is that kind of process, I guess, that comes with it.
00:56:42
Speaker
But numbers speak for themselves too.
00:56:45
Speaker
And I feel like the social media game is
00:56:47
Speaker
Yeah, but yeah, I mean, social media, but it's tough because you think something's so good and you're just like, and I post it and you're like, yeah, this is amazing.
00:56:55
Speaker
And then it's like four likes and one share and you're just like, and it kind of like you take a hit because it's like, oh, is it not good?
00:57:02
Speaker
And then you kind of like.
00:57:02
Speaker
personally yeah right yeah you're kind of like wait i could have done this better and like now i'm re-watching the jigsaw like why are you like that the interview and i'm like oh my god it's horrible oh it's so boring oh it's this and i'm like nah i got it got the attention it deserved it's it's fine like just get over it like so now whenever i do postings i just look at it a couple times and i just never look at it again
00:57:22
Speaker
Like I won't scroll down on my Instagram.
00:57:23
Speaker
I'm just like, I'm done.
00:57:24
Speaker
Like I, I don't know if you saw, like I have different vibes on my photos by Bri.
00:57:27
Speaker
Cause I am, yeah, I'm kind of experimenting with what works, what I like, what I don't like, what does work, what people like want to see.
00:57:35
Speaker
Um, so I kind of just like now I'm, I think I'm just releasing just because like, I think it's good.
00:57:39
Speaker
And I think it make it,
00:57:40
Speaker
I made something creative and great and people need to see it.
00:57:44
Speaker
And I mean, all I care about is my friends and people telling me that I'm like, you know, skilled.
00:57:49
Speaker
So yeah, that's all I care about.
Networking and Building Reputation
00:57:51
Speaker
And I think that's awesome.
00:57:52
Speaker
And it seems like you are skilled and you know, I think that speaks for itself because you're going to book more people, you know, that's like maybe your bread and butter type stuff to make it, you know, like, like actors, right?
00:58:04
Speaker
Actors make more money off commercials typically than they do.
00:58:07
Speaker
off of like those big rolls and stuff.
00:58:09
Speaker
Yeah.
00:58:09
Speaker
Yeah, man.
00:58:11
Speaker
I mean, we'll see.
00:58:11
Speaker
We'll see what happens.
00:58:12
Speaker
I mean, in College Station, if I could make people, I mean, I did used to make people pay me to be on my page because like I would take a ton of pictures.
00:58:19
Speaker
Like I would go out and like take these really cool pictures and they would want to pose.
00:58:23
Speaker
They would want me to move here, move there.
00:58:24
Speaker
And then I'd be like, oh, give me your Instagram.
00:58:26
Speaker
And I'd be like, and then they would send me like the message the next day.
00:58:30
Speaker
And I'd be like, hey, like every time I meet somebody, I'll have them send me something that like happened when we were like photo shooting or something they were wearing or something like to catch my eye.
00:58:39
Speaker
So for example,
00:58:40
Speaker
um one of them was like uh i captured these women in the bathroom like outside of the bathroom and they looked like 30 like like early late 30s and then after i was like oh like um i was like here like give me your instagram like and write like uh something that i can remember you by like how old are y'all like out of the random i said that and they're like oh we're 40s something and i'm like
00:59:01
Speaker
Y'all look like 30.
00:59:02
Speaker
Like y'all look so young.
00:59:04
Speaker
And I was like, text me that.
00:59:05
Speaker
I'd be like the 40 year old beautiful women near the bathroom.
00:59:08
Speaker
And then like, I'll remember.
00:59:08
Speaker
And like, like that is something that like, I feel like people also kind of like, like to work with and like to hear.
00:59:14
Speaker
Cause it's like, I'll be memorable.
00:59:16
Speaker
I'll be memorable.
00:59:17
Speaker
And then they may be like, they'll have something in the future, but you also never know who you're going to meet.
00:59:21
Speaker
That's why I go up to like different people all the time.
00:59:23
Speaker
Cause I'm just like, they might have a business opportunity.
00:59:26
Speaker
They might want to be captured.
00:59:27
Speaker
They might have 89,000 followers on like their Instagram.
00:59:30
Speaker
And if I tag the right person, but I think that that doesn't like kind of, that's why I don't do this, like what I do, but I think it does help like knowing that I'm going to capture something and it's going to be great.
00:59:41
Speaker
Like who knows what's going to happen when I do post that or tag that person or,
00:59:46
Speaker
Go up to that individual, you know.
00:59:48
Speaker
And I think that's something you think is really exciting, right?
00:59:51
Speaker
Versus where maybe a more traditional corporate job, you feel like there aren't those possibilities.
Forging a Unique Life Path
00:59:56
Speaker
There's a set path.
00:59:57
Speaker
And growing up, I understand, too, around parents being government workers, you see like, OK, that's how it is.
01:00:02
Speaker
And you're like, no, I just want to create my own path.
01:00:05
Speaker
I know and especially like coming with like my two siblings who are like amazing they're oh my god they're prodigies like I mean I love them and they have a path that they decided to take down that I don't necessarily understand or don't necessarily like want to pursue um and but I think I definitely like got a heart on whenever my parents would be like yeah my daughter lives in Egypt and I'm just like yeah I don't even know what I'm doing but like I freaking live in Egypt yeah I would be coming home from my uber ride
01:00:32
Speaker
Because I used to work for like an online magazine and be coming home from like events or whatever, hanging out with friends.
01:00:36
Speaker
And I would just be driving windows down.
01:00:37
Speaker
I'd be like, I really live here.
01:00:39
Speaker
Like, wow.
01:00:40
Speaker
Like I couldn't even process it.
01:00:42
Speaker
But I mean, that's like, that's the point of life.
01:00:44
Speaker
I mean, honestly, like, yeah, I want a corporate, like I do want a corporate job.
01:00:46
Speaker
I do want that security.
01:00:48
Speaker
But I...
01:00:52
Speaker
I know it's not for me and I know that I'm gonna like hate myself if I did that.
01:00:57
Speaker
It's nothing wrong with it at all.
01:00:59
Speaker
I mean, honestly, but I just know me myself and I know like what I've done in my life that now I'm like, I can't go like to a corporate job.
01:01:07
Speaker
I gotta like do something eccentric because I've already done the damn thing where I moved out of
01:01:11
Speaker
the u.s to like a random country by myself because i knew one person like imagine like i can't get a corporate job yeah i've heard someone once say um if you're familiar with the store and taylor's where dreams go to die oh my gosh yeah yeah
01:01:27
Speaker
I mean, man, I don't know.
01:01:29
Speaker
And I just, I don't think I'm going to live a long life.
01:01:31
Speaker
So I'm kind of just like, I'm honestly just going to do the most that I can.
01:01:34
Speaker
And I'll just worry about it when I get there.
01:01:36
Speaker
That's kind of my philosophy.
01:01:37
Speaker
Do not follow what I say because it works for me.
01:01:39
Speaker
It doesn't even work for me sometimes, but it's definitely something that helps me, you know, like wake up and get by through the day.
01:01:46
Speaker
So.
01:01:46
Speaker
Yeah.
01:01:47
Speaker
And then I think we're approaching our time here, but anything partying or what you're looking forward to next with this process, the journey you're on?
01:02:00
Speaker
Yeah.
01:02:01
Speaker
So I don't even consider it a journey.
01:02:02
Speaker
I'm trying to start processing it as a journey because I'm trying to find the destination already.
01:02:08
Speaker
And it's not about that.
01:02:09
Speaker
It's about like creating something where you can look back and be like, wow, like that's kind of like what I've done to get to me to here.
01:02:15
Speaker
But I think like where I'm trying to go at is, you know, just have I just want to capture things, people, places, events.
01:02:26
Speaker
culture, all of that, and have people like what they see and be like, oh, I want to follow her.
01:02:32
Speaker
I want to see what she's doing next, where she's going next.
01:02:35
Speaker
Oh, a company's like, oh, I need a cool video.
01:02:37
Speaker
Let's hit her up because she knows what the hell she's doing, you know?
01:02:40
Speaker
So that's like kind of like the path that I'm trying to take.
01:02:44
Speaker
I hope, I hope it, I hope it pays off, but I'm leaving the country in July.
01:02:50
Speaker
I don't know.
01:02:50
Speaker
I'm going to get out of here.
01:02:52
Speaker
Where to?
01:02:53
Speaker
I'm thinking Morocco.
01:02:55
Speaker
I love the Middle East.
01:02:56
Speaker
Oh my God.
01:02:57
Speaker
I identify so much with that culture, with the people, the vibe, the aura.
01:03:01
Speaker
But I also have friends in Belgium and Europe is kind of like where I want to end up, Italy or Belgium.
01:03:06
Speaker
So we'll see.
01:03:08
Speaker
Yeah.
01:03:09
Speaker
And I'm excited to see where that takes you.
01:03:12
Speaker
Oh man.
01:03:13
Speaker
Like and comment, follow all that stuff.
01:03:15
Speaker
Yeah.
01:03:16
Speaker
And you'll definitely see me grow, I hope.
01:03:18
Speaker
And with your podcast too, I mean, definitely gonna want to have to follow this up and see like who else you interview and what else, because you're definitely going to grow a hundred percent.
01:03:27
Speaker
Like who knows what you can do with this, you know?
01:03:29
Speaker
Yeah.
01:03:29
Speaker
So are you excited?
01:03:31
Speaker
Oh yeah, I'm excited.
01:03:31
Speaker
Are you excited?
01:03:37
Speaker
Yeah.
01:03:38
Speaker
I'm really effing excited.
01:03:40
Speaker
I feel like I'm going to have a great story to tell my kids, my dogs, my cats, whoever I end up with, whatever.
01:03:46
Speaker
I feel like
01:03:47
Speaker
That's kind of like why I do anything for the after photo or for like the story.
01:03:51
Speaker
I do things because it looks good and feels good.
01:03:54
Speaker
Yeah.
01:03:55
Speaker
I always say that.
01:03:56
Speaker
I'm like, I do things because I want a picture after it, like the after photo, like, you know, and so we'll see.
01:04:02
Speaker
Yeah.
01:04:03
Speaker
We'll see what happens.
01:04:04
Speaker
But thank you so much for having me here.
01:04:05
Speaker
Yeah.
01:04:06
Speaker
I hope you achieve and do everything you want because you're going to have a good life.
01:04:10
Speaker
Likewise.
01:04:11
Speaker
Thanks.
01:04:12
Speaker
And thanks so much for coming on.
01:04:13
Speaker
And for all of our listeners, I'll, you know, photos by Bree on Instagram and I'll get all the rest of your social media so people can follow.
01:04:23
Speaker
Yeah.
01:04:24
Speaker
Awesome.
01:04:24
Speaker
Thank you so much.
01:04:25
Speaker
Love you.
01:04:32
Speaker
Thanks for listening to today's episode, everyone.
01:04:35
Speaker
Please follow our Instagram account.
01:04:37
Speaker
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01:04:45
Speaker
See y'all in the next one.