Written by Bryanna Young
October 26, 2022
I am not an adventurous person. I like to play it safe, avoiding anything that would cause trouble or create any real danger. But there is one thing that I will risk falling off a cliff or getting hit by a moving train for—photography.
I got my first DSLR camera when I was just eight years old. My dad, a professional photographer, passed it on to me hoping that one day I might find the same joy and thrill in photography that he had. I didn’t fully appreciate this gesture until he had passed and I was left to continue his legacy.
As someone who likes to reminisce, I discovered the perfect way of fueling my nostalgia by capturing moments in photographs. I live for waking up at the break of dawn to capture the sun rising over the mountains, clouds exploding in an array of colors. I live for capturing life’s events; for capturing the moments you wish you could live in just a little longer; for chasing sunsets until I find the perfect spot for the perfect picture.
And in all of this, if I am not focused or my settings are disfigured, I miss the picture entirely. It takes just a few seconds, and those moments fade away forever.
Once I booked my first paid shoot in high school, I realized that I could turn my love for photography into something I could monetize. I taught myself how to edit photos through hours of practice and watching tutorials online. I began advertising my portfolio on social media, spending hours designing a website to aesthetically lay out my work to captivate potential clients. Using every resource available, I was committed to becoming a better photographer and business owner.
Through my marketing efforts and connections made online, I began booking photoshoots for people outside my circle. The time and energy I had invested in my business began to pay off as I started shooting graduation photos, family portraits, and even wedding events. During this time, I learned that I had to step out of my comfort zone and put myself out there to grow my business. Each client interaction helped prepare me for the next; the more photoshoots I did, the more I gained confidence in my abilities.
Following my graduation from SCU, I encountered another kind of risk in deciding my career path and searching for a job. Once again, I have to step outside my comfort zone and lean on my network to figure out what job position and company is the best fit for me. While this season has proved challenging at times, I recognize that, much like my photography, I am a work in progress and there is so much more in store for my future.
In the end, the risk I took in pursuing what I loved was worth it all. With this passion, I am able to open doors to opportunities to travel and serve. I capture time in photographs and I keep those memories with me forever. With a camera in my hand, I can dare to be bold, to be brave.
Bryanna Young '22 was awarded the 2022 Outstanding Student Entrepreneur Award and currently is building a student tool for entrepreneurial resources at Ciocca Center for Innovation and Entrepreneurship.
In addition to her activities with Ciocca Center, she completed internships in both a startup and an established company. Her service commitment has been tangible, and she’s served as Historian and Public Relations Officer for Alpha Phi Omega, a fraternity dedicated to the mission of preparing community leaders. Bryanna has also built her own photography business, focused on capturing life’s events.