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Welcome to Briandrea Studio

Finding a shared passion in food photography is an unexpected delight. We have always enjoyed sharing creativity with each other, from ideation to implementation. The process of creating together is fun and rewarding. The pivotal moment for food photography started when Brian shared some dark food photography photos with me and I expressed how much I enjoy seeing those type of images.

Shortly after that, Brian had the vision to do a product photo of a Bai beverage. Even though this was not ‘food’ - the experience of working together was a catalyst that created the discussion to pursue food photography. At that point we formed Briandrea Studio. Our vision not only includes food photography, but also to share our baking experiences, recipes, and our creative process.

#briandrea studio #bai beverage

Key Traits Of A Successful Creator

How we grade personal success is subjective but one thing is certain, we all want to go somewhere and achieve something.

I am not sure of all the key traits for a successful creator but there are a few I believe have to be in their DNA. Now, what is successful for you maybe different than my viewpoint and that is okay but the following I am sure has to be in the mix to get us somewhere.

Optimistic (hopeful and confident about the future ). There will be challenges pursuing success and, at times, it will try and rob us from being positive in all situations. Have faith and embrace each obstacle with the belief that positive results will prevail.

Tenacity (the quality or fact of being very determined; determination ). It’s hard to beat a tenacious person at what they do. Their grit is made up of optimism and a deep belief that they can achieve what they set their mind to now matter they face.

Perseverance (persistence in doing something despite difficulty or delay in achieving success). This was my word of the year last year and this attribute might be one I feel could be the most important. It’s the get back up when knocked down over and over again until you get to where you want to go.

Believe (accept (something) as true; feel sure of the truth of) You have to believe in yourself. You have to believe that you can achieve goals and what you create is great art. The unique you is worth pushing yourself to do more, create more, experience more.

"Success is not in what you have, but who you are." -- Bo Bennett

Do more, create more, experience more.

#brian suman #imagine. capture. create.

Social Media

Fast from what starves your creativity.

Is social media changing who you are as an artist?

I dig social media and all that technology can bring to our smartphone screens and I ‘Google it’ all the time. I honestly don’t think I would be as advanced in what I am doing as a photographer/creator if it wasn’t for all the knowledge and influence out there.

What we digest should always help make us a better version of ourselves and not suppress our creative drive.

But, if it…

Robs your joy.

Makes you question your value.

Makes you doubt yourself.

Creates the feeling that you are not good enough.

Then, maybe it is time for a new habit.

This week, try a new habit by not looking at Instagram or your other social accounts for a week or at least a day and see if you feel a difference.

There are reasons we should connect with others and live in community but there are also reasons for being in peace outside the noise. That’s where we find our joy and are reminded of our worth.

Be great. Create.

#brian suman #imagine. capture. create.#social media

Have You Found Your Niche?

What is the definition of niche?

“Denoting or relating to products, services, or interests that appeal to a small, specialized section of the population .”

So, have you found yours? Do you we really need to find it to be a successful creator?

Sure, if we find something that others want, a product or service, and we can make money at it great but isn’t our niche more personal? It starts with us first, right? Maybe instead of concentrating what our niche is for someone else we concentrate on what it is for one person.

YOU.

That means we continue to follow our heart and concentrate our efforts on what brings us joy. The things that makes us feel like a child again. The art that makes us smile from the inside out. Then, if it is meant to reach others and take root as a product or service it will be built on a solid foundation that is true to your core.

So, what robs us from truly expressing ourselves and finding it?

Comparison. We try to avoid it but it shakes us up from time-to-time.

Voices in your head. The voice that tells you that you are not good enough. What you create is not of value.

Being misunderstood. This is with everything we do but as an artist this is the vulnerability thing that raises its ugly head.

We don’t try new things. Sometimes when we focus on the main thing we think might be our niche we don’t explore new ways to create.

Now, what can counteract the negatives?

Be unique you. Stick to where you heart is leading you. Create with joy and make art that appeals to you without the worry of any other viewer.

Effortless expression. Things that take minimal effort, or feel like they come natural, might just be the gem we are looking for.

Embrace with reckless abandonment. Keep creating even if you think it sucks. Keep sharing. Keep taking steps each and everyday.

Your niche is found in what you effortlessly love to create.

#brian suman #imagine. capture. create.#niche

Nik Collection 2 Is Now Available: 42 New Presets and More

I have always been a fan of Nik Collection and we have seen it go from a paid to free version, Google dropping the software in 2016, and DxO purchasing it in 2017 telling us photographers that they would continue to develop it. So, there for awhile I think we were all nervous that the support and development of a tool we all have come to love and appreciate would die.

However, DxO has come through with their word and released a new update which I am super excited about. There are other comparable software out there, like Topaz Labs, but I have found Nik to be the best, hands-down.

Nik Collection 2 is now available for $150 (on sale for $100 through June 30th) or you can upgrade from the previous version for $80 (on sale for $60 through June 30th). If you have never tried Nik, I highly suggest you do and for the price of this software, one that will take your editing to the next level, you won’t be disappointed.

#brian suman #imagine. capture. create.#nik collection

Create More Content

Do something you have never done before.

Simple thoughts:

Start a podcast. Get your voice heard and talk about what you love to do. Whether it be informational or just sharing your journey, get out the mic and speak. Have guests, talk about your photography, talk about your challenges as a creator. Whatever it is, let your voice be heard.

Blog. I know a lot of people are not fans of writing but this is a great tool and a blog page should be on your website. If you already journal, publish it to the world. Write about your photo shoots or the process of how you do what you do.

There are so many other ways to get outside focusing on your main creative skill and keep the inspiration going and to be able to fill the gaps when your main thing feel stale.

Don’t just focus on the main thing.

#brian suman #imagine. capture. create.#podcast #blog

Weather the Storm

Feeling alone comes with being a creator.

Yesterday, a friend of mine posted on social media about wrestling with the feeling of being alone. As I responded, I couldn’t help to think about what he maybe going but it also made think that as creators we can battle with the same feeling and many things can take us to that place. A few things are…

The feeling that no one understands what you are creating.

Your desires and what you want to create don’t match up with what is popular or financially rewarding in your field.

No one, or very few, are liking, commenting, or sharing your work.

You can’t find your niche.

I have been there myself and I feel like I ebb and flow in and out of those emotions a lot however, there are a couple things that keep me in check and help me navigate through the storm.

Prayer. This is a must for me each and everyday. Just asking God to help me through these times helps to keep me calm

‘Stick’ to the plan. Stick is my word of the year and when I feel lost or alone in what I am doing I remind myself that if I genuinely feel driven in a direction as a creator I need to persevere through the rough waters and not waiver.

Partner with an encourager. This is SO key. Whether it be your spouse, significant other, or friend talk it out with that person. Be transparent, be real.

Share your feelings. This is an extension of #3 but try and not hold in your thoughts of how you are feeling. Bring darkness to light and don’t hold onto what is holding you back. It is okay to feel this way. We are human.

Create and get lost in what you do. We find joy and peace in creating art and that is therapy.

Hopefully, this post is received as an encouragement and not leave you with a negative feeling however, we will face challenges as a creator that will try to knock us out of our game. Stick to who you are and be the awesome creator you were created to be.

You got this!

"The Lord will fight for you; you need only to be still." -- Exodus 14:!4

#brian suman #imagine. capture. create.#storm

Food Photography and Styling - Briandrea Studio

If you would have asked Andrea or I a month ago if we could see ourselves doing food photography as a collaborative creative effort, we probably would have said no. However, what has started has not only felt very natural but our excitement has taken off sending us on a new adventure.

We are not sure exactly where it will take us and we are not setting an expectation that this becomes a genre that we pursue financial rewards from. Just having fun enjoying our love for food and our drive to create. So, why not marry the two together and from that Briandrea Studio was born.

Not only are we planning to take photos of food but we also want to incorporate cooking our own subjects, collaborating with local restaurants/bakeries, and offering recipes for specific foods as an added bonus.

My motto is ‘do something you have never before’ and this fits the mold.

If you are reading this and have food photography tips or experiences you would like to share please leave a comment and remember to always try new things creatively.

You never know what you might cook up.

#brian suman #imagine. capture. create.#food photography #briandrea studio

3 Tips For Creators When Your Traveling

Find what works for you when traveling that aids in creating content and lets you enjoy the trip.

Over the last few years, I have tried everything from taking all my main gear on a trip expecting to snap that perfect iconic shot to vlogging the entire time so that I could have a video to cherish the memories. Both ways served their purpose and produced great results but in the big picture it didn’t seem like a good balance for me. A balance that should allow me to be in the moment of the trip and not miss key moments with family and friends. So, on this last trip out West to Washington and Oregon I decided to mix it up a bit and approach creating content a bit different than times before. What I found was the balance I was looking for. Time to create, time to spend time with loved ones, and time to see the sites all around me.

So, what worked for me?

Carry little when it comes to your main gear. I did pack all I could in my Pelican case for the trip so I would be as best prepared but in the end, I only carried my Sony a7III with a 16-35mm lens. Sure, I could have lugged around a tripod and a microphone to name a few things but I decided to go with the bare essentials and that surprisingly worked for me. To be honest, the camera even stayed in the camera bag more than I expected but that was really due to point #2.

Use your phone camera. This is something I have really embraced over the last few months. Not that I didn’t use my phone camera before, but I was hesitant to use it for social sharing. If I can be transparent, I was cautious to share iPhone photos on my social feeds because I was fixated on only sharing my best work with my best gear. As a photographer, I always want to take pictures and I realized how I was actually limiting myself by being to biased and it was robbing my joy from creating content. Using my phone camera more during my travels has actually created a spontaneity in my creativity that I was lacking and it is giving me the ability to have fun with just capturing what grabs my attention.

Use Instagram stories for real-time documenting. I haven’t used IG stories consistently for personal use but it is a great tool to aid in sharing your story. So, traveling is a great story to communicate and ‘stories’ is a great option to let your followers know things about your trip. These few second snippets that you string together communicate your travels and keep your followers engaged.

We all are wired differently and create in unique ways but one common ground is we are always looking for ways to balance our creativity and stay efficient. Traveling is not only fun but it can also be a great teacher.

Happy travels!

#brian suman #imagine. capture. create.

Finding Your Creative Identity

Do you ever still wonder what you will become when you grow up? What is your creative purpose; your identity? I get so encouraged watching from afar or being around an artist that seems to have found their identity. I know, my viewpoint on that person is subjective but we all know or follow someone who seems to be living the dream; found their identity in life.

If you are reading this and you have found what it is for you, I am excited for you and slightly jealous at the same time. At age 52, I still seem to be seeking the “magic bean” to help me find my identity and even though I am trying to figure it all out there are some things that are becoming clearer.

Never give up on finding your purpose.

So, what can you do to help bring clarity to your quest for identity?

Accept what you are good at and focus on what comes natural to you. We are all wired with a passion and it drives us to what we can be great at. We often miss this because we dismiss our own talents because that don’t appear as glamorous as what others do or we don’t feel good enough. You are good enough. Your art is great!

Conquer fear. Find ways, as simple as they may be, to embrace your fears. Maybe it’s a fear of failure. Maybe the fear they won’t understand you. Maybe a fear that what you do won’t be cool. Regardless of what it is for you, find ways to step into your fears, not away from them.

Turn off social media and other people’s opinion. The internet has a great way of telling you that what you are good at or driven to isn’t the trend or the popular thing. Becoming complacent as a follower on social media and not being a doer creates comparison and that kills our joy. In addition, make sure if you seek the opinion of others you do it carefully. Opinions are often subjective and can deflate your progress depending on the feedback. Those that know you the closest can give you full honesty because they are around you enough and they see what you are drawn to and where your heart drives you.

Keep taking a step forward and pushing yourself outside your comfort zone. Embrace what you love to do and follow your heart.

That’s where you will flourish.

That’s where you will find your identity.

#brian suman #imagine. capture. create.#fear

WHY YOU SHOULDN'T SWITCH CAMERA SYSTEMS

Don’t buy what you want, buy what you need.

I get it, there are so many great articles and reviews out there pitching the best camera systems available and there are some great ones. Matter of fact, all the top brands make really good equipment and that is something that I respect even as I am a part of the Sony camp now. This post is not intended to be a negative review on a brand or model of camera nor sway anyone’s personal decision to switch camera brands. I recently made the switch and love the decision however, it is not for everyone and there are things to consider especially why you shouldn’t make the leap.

So, before you make the jump consider why you shouldn’t:

Because everyone else is. Social media inundates us with so much information and if you are a photographer following other photographers you most likely have seen someone raving about switching systems and how much they love what they did. You even hear how much it has improved their content.

That’s great but that is that person’s opinion and their decision not yours. As much time as you take to read all the reviews and compare specs, take as much time to reflect to really understand your motive for the switch. Do it because it makes sense for what you do and what you need. Not what is new, cool, and everyone else is talking about.

Cost. Sure, there is the initial cost of the camera body and at least one lens but like me I needed to buy an adapter to use my Canon glass and then I found out that the Canon glass doesn’t support auto-focus in video mode so guess what… I ended up buying Sony lenses sooner than I expected.

If staying on a budget and keeping your costs down is a priority, make sure you consider the potential additional costs associated with the switch.

Wowed by specs that you don’t use or need. I will be honest. I love specs and want to have a camera with them all but that isn’t what is out there and it’s a bit unrealistic. I will be transparent and say that I bought my Sony because of the video specs it offered especially for slo-mo but I have yet to shoot or use any slo-mo in my videos since I bought the camera.

That’s a simple example and it wasn’t the only reason for my switch but, if I made the decision solely based on that one thing I would have to say it was the wrong one and my Canon 5D MKIII would still be good enough for how I shoot video today.

Bottom line, decisions come down to more than one spec when looking to make the switch but like in bullet #1, know what you do and what you need to make the right choice for you.

Learning curve. This one is a biggie and starts with a question. How well do you know your camera now? If the answer is I really don’t go into the menu much at all or I am not really interested in all the options my camera can offer me than switching might not be the option for you. A lot of the features we want to use on our new camera are ones we have to turn on so you need to be comfortable in the menu systems and take the time to read the manual or Google your way to learning what is offered. Not counting the physical controls on the body you are used to or how information is displayed on the new camera maybe more than you want to try and get accustomed to as well.

So, how much time do you want to invest in the ‘new’ camera?

I personally loved making the switch and haven’t looked back however, all that I listed above had some impact on my transition to a new system. I love change and trying to buy what I need to make my content but it should never be based on the desire to change only.

Change for what YOU need.

#brian suman #imagine. capture. create.

WHY YOU CAN'T MOVE FORWARD

Recently, I had a discussions with my creative director and girlfriend Andrea Tappero from Five Petal Design about paralysis (not able to move forward creatively or towards your goals). This is probably a topic that most of us face at some time or another and I had to pause and think when she asked me the question, “how do you deal with the feeling of not being able to move forward”?

After some thought, this is what came to mind on why we can’t move forward.

You don’t have a plan.

Start with your goal and break down the steps that are needed to get you there. If the initial plan tasks still seem overwhelming, break them again to another layer. Keep doing this until you create tasks that are easier to accomplish quickly yet effective.

Your plan is too complicated.

I know I love to have all kinds of detail in my plan because I am analytical and I love to break it down to the nth degree but this is dangerous because it can be the culprit to stalling your progress. Details are absolutely important but don’t let them get you stuck on the mud.

You focus too much on the destination.

This is not about not dreaming and thinking pie-in-the-sky with your ideas but make sure you slow down and enjoy the process. Send the email. Make the phone call. Pick up the camera and take the shot. Enjoy each step and the feeling of accomplishment as you crush the plan you put together.

Enjoy the process and don’t overthink on the destination.

Are you stuck? Do you have a plan?

#dailyb #imaginecapturecreate

#brian suman #imagine. capture. create.#five petal design

WHY YOU CAN'T MOVE FORWARD

Recently, I have had discussions with my creative director and girlfriend Andrea Tappero from Five Petal Design about paralysis (not able to move forward creatively or towards your goals).

You don’t have a plan.

Your plan is too complicated.

You focus too much on the highest expectations.

Enjoy the process and don’t overthink on the destination.

#dailyb #imaginecapturecreate

#brian suman #imagine. capture. create.

5 LIGHTROOM TIPS YOU NEED TO KNOW

I am one who is always looking for tips and even keyboard shortcuts to maximize my editing workflow and make it more efficient. In this video Teppo Haapoja, shows us 5 tips you’d wish you had known such as the ‘auto mask’ and ‘range mask’. Honestly, I didn’t know these two features existed until I watched this video and I am super excited to see new additions to Lightroom such as these.

My first intention is to always stay in Lightroom for all my editing without jumping over to Photoshop and with tips like these it makes it that much easier to do. I added a couple of links below to help further explain and I would love to hear if you are using these features in the comments below.

What is your favorite feature in Lightroom?

Auto Mask Feature by Scott Kelby

Range Mask by Digital Photography School

#brian suman #imagine. capture. create.

Shapes, Patterns, Textures

There is so much detail in the world to capture with your camera.

One of the ways to break out of a rut and add something different to your photography is to shoot different subjects. Something outside your comfort zone or genre of choice. Not landscapes, not portraits, not nature.

Try taking pictures of shapes, patterns, & texture to break out and discover the beauty of the world we live in.

Shapes

Patterns

Textures

*I photo journal to help me break out of a rut and discover new ideas. Click here.

#brian suman #imagine. capture. create.

How To Create A Chill Effect On Bottles

LinkedIn is a powerful platform but I definitely think it is not thought of as a resource for photography tutorials either. This tutorial demonstrates how to create a chill effect on a bottle of beer for a photography shoot so I thought I would share this video. I recently tried a similar shot with a Bai water bottle and the content in this video was very informative and inspiring.

Do something you have never done before.

#brian suman #imagine. capture. create.#tutorial

What's New?

Do something yo have never done before?

If you have been following my blogs for any amount of time you might pick up on that I am usually always evolving and moving in new directions. This can be a negative but I am always trying to move where the heart leads and what I feel passionate about. Isn’t that what we all what to be moved by, right?

Embrace change because it is inevitable.

So, what’s new for me on my creative journey lately?

Switch from Canon to Sony. This has been a great change for me and I haven’t regretted the decision. I have also been able to sell most of my Canon lenses and trade up to a couple new Sony lenses.

Writing a book. Being able to pull out all of the great content from our Imagine. Capture. Create. podcast and put it into writing is not only pretty cool but exciting to know that we can share our conversations in another way hopefully encouraging other artists. If you haven’t checked out our podcast click here.

Food photography. Who doesn’t like food but I have to be honest that I have always liked product photography especially food items. Just didn’t think I would take such an interest in photographing edible items. Anyway, stay tuned as I embark on this journey where I plan to start a new series called Breakfast.

Downsizing. Yep, do more with less as they say. I have bought so much gear over the last few years and most of it ends up on the shelf after its few uses so I have decided to sell what I don’t need and keep my gear bag light. It also has helped that I have begun to really define my direction in photography which then helps define what exact gear is needed.

YouTube video series. I have been talking about doing video for so long and I do dabble in it however I think I have finally landed on what content I want to use for video. Behind the scenes of my photo shoots especially studio work. Nothing elaborate planned on the videos, just simply explaining my vision and how I got the shot.

Behind the scenes. More BTS posts to include photos and short videos on all social media platforms. I couldn’t do it all without the help and support of my creative director and girlfriend Andrea Tappero from Five Petal Design.

I hope this year has already opened new doors for you and you are trying new ways to create and be the unique artist that you were created to be. Keeping taking a step forward and following your heart.

#brian suman #imagine. capture. create.

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