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Meet Trailblazer Breelle Hilsenrath

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Today we’d like to introduce you to Breelle Hilsenrath.

Thanks for sharing your story with us Breelle. So, let’s start at the beginning and we can move on from there.
I picked up a camera at 17 years old, simply to “get an easy A” for my senior year of high school. My neighbor was a photography teacher, so I thought it would be easy. Let me tell you: I HATED it. Not to discredit him, he was an amazing teacher, but you can only get out what you put in, and it just wasn’t my focus at the time. However, my twin sister BreeAnna was competing (and won) for Miss Teen Colorado United States during this time period. We needed portraits for her, but we couldn’t afford anything professional, so my parents, knowing I was in photography, forced me to take her portraits. I was going to be grounded if I didn’t, so I grabbed my camera, told my sister to get in the car and get this over with. But we ended up having a great time together and I was able to get some photos of her laughing – as sisters do! To my surprise, her photo won the pageant cover photo.

Admittedly, it wasn’t “technically” a very good photo, but I can still picture the emotion I was able to capture in it, which is why I think it won. My Ahpa (dad in Korean) was also interested in photography as a hobby, so we’d go to Denver together and some of my favorite memories with him are the two of us, spending time alone, each carrying cameras and practicing together while I finished my class. From there, my friends started asking for portraits, and the passion carried me through college as a hobby while I was studying. After being forced to drop out due to some pretty intense personal situations, I never let my hobby go, despite the challenges. Someone asked me to shoot their wedding and from my very first one: I was hooked. So now I shoot weddings/elopements and portraits!

Has it been a smooth road?
I feel like the progression of becoming a business owner is tumultuous itself. Add in the fact that I’m a pretty “emotional person” (which I don’t necessarily believe is a negative thing, but can create its own challenges when trying to run a business), and it’s easy to feel you aren’t good enough. I’m constantly asking myself how I can progress, how I can better serve my clients, how I can create photos that I’m proud of. I am a naturally introspective person and sometimes I can be hard on myself… Honestly, I don’t know many artists who are not. I used to let this get me down and make me feel defeated, but I’ve learned to channel that into motivation. I’ve always been proud of how “emotional” I am because while that word gets a bad rap because people ASSUME if you are emotional that you are therefore illogical, I truly believe it has allowed me to be empathetic in a way that I can connect with my clients and capture that emotion through my camera. I’ve learned to embrace my personality but still run my business with reason in mind.

To young women starting this journey: don’t sell yourself short. From a business aspect, this means learning about the industry you are yearning to be a part of, becoming a legal business when you are ready, and until then, investing in business classes, and paying professional photographers to mentor you! From a deeper perspective of not selling yourself short: BE YOURSELF. Make decisions with your head AND your heart! I think photographers are in a unique position to be there for happy moments, but to also be there for others through hard times and that’s why I feel I’ve had success: I’m not afraid of the emotion. I’ve given an expecting mother portrait before her baby entered the world, and I’ve given a grieving mother portrait that we didn’t know would be her daughter’s last ones. I’ve watched grandmothers dance with their grandsons at a wedding they never knew they’d make it to, and I’ve captured tears (while holding back my own) from a bride wishing her brother could have fought off his illness and been at her wedding so she could hug him one more time.

All this to say: I think the images I’ve been able to capture that are my favorite are because of my personality and my advice is to be yourself and you will attract like-minded clients. Learn proper business etiquette, invest in classes, and trust your gut. Repeat it with me: DON’T SELL YOURSELF SHORT. In your own mind, or in your business. Don’t compare yourself to anyone else, don’t count your followers, adapt, and just keep doing what is right in your heart and also for the industry, and you will be okay! It’s okay to grow, but it’s not okay to compromise your beliefs or self-worth, so just guide with that. Lean on your community, ask for help, and learn from your mistakes. We all make them, and life will go on!

Please tell us more about your work, what you are currently focused on and most proud of.
Okay, going to get a little heavy on you for a minute here, but only because photography is about light, which can’t be perceived without the shadows: My love for photography is fueled by photographing connections and moments that if not captured, will be lost to the faulty interpretation of our memory. For years, I admit, I simply took photos of people without fully understanding WHY. I just took portraits to make people feel pretty. Sweet? Sure. Purpose fulfilling? Not. I don’t think it was until a few years ago that things really clicked for me. Three years ago, I lost my Ahpa (dad in Korean – he was my stepdad, but he raised me with my mother since I was two.) I learned to love photography through him, and he loved it because his dad did too (to this day, I have tons of undeveloped film from my grandfather’s archives that I plan to restore.) I used to want a business simply to take off work when I wanted to have my own money and follow the beat of my own drum.

But it wasn’t enough. It felt like I was ignoring the tragedies of the world and just saying, “Look how PRETTY this is!” Once Ahpa died, my perspective changed. I saw the world differently and realized that every person runs the same risk of losing the people they love, or just letting time slip by and forgetting moments that tell their story. I came to this realization because the first thing I did when I could collect the strength to do so was looking for photos of Ahpa after he passed. To my disappointment, since he loved to take the photos so much, I don’t have many to share, because he was never in them.

Luckily, as a photographer, I can still appreciate the fact that his photos are the world through his perspective, and that means something to me, but I have promised myself that if I can make a difference by gifting people a moment in time, then they won’t suffer the same fate of having waited too long for portraits that they’ll never get the chance to pose for. So while on the surface, it looks like all I shoot is “boho vibes all day” (because YES I do love that AESTHETIC), I think the reason I am successful is because I value the connections my clients have with each other, their families, and the world, and I feel honored and humbled by the fact that I get to help preserve and tell their stories.

I thrive on connection – love, fleeting moments, and wanderlust souls, and I think my clients get that vibe from me just from looking at my website and my work. I’m a pretty open book on my personal and business pages because I want clients who want ME, not just pretty photos. I am most proud of the fact that my business is not just about making people feel pretty but making them feel SEEN. My clients will be the first to tell you that I’m there as a friend and photographer on their day. I’ll give you pep talks when it’s raining on your day and you’re upset (but don’t be, rain makes for amazing photos), I’ll grab a drink for you if you’re feeling a little on edge, and I’ll always go that extra mile to make your day amazing, not just your photos!

OH AND I think people know me as the woman who will photograph you with all the animals. I’ve shot with cows, horses, dogs, and even a purebred WOLF. And yes – he was super friendly and fluffy and his name was Max!

We’re interested to hear your thoughts on female leadership – in particular, what do you feel are the biggest barriers or obstacles?
There are so many amazing women photographers and I’m so inspired daily by them! I know 10-15 years ago, this was a male-dominated industry and it’s very cool to see how women have played such a huge part in revolutionizing the industry!

Pricing:

  • Intimate Weddings and Elopements start at $2500
  • Weddings start at $2800
  • Portraits starting at $400

Contact Info:

Image Credit:
Breelle Hilsenrath Photography

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