Meet Wendi Brungraber

Today we’d like to introduce you to Wendi Brungraber.

Wendi, let’s start with your story. We’d love to hear how you got started and how the journey has been so far.
I had had a big weight loss and wanted to get a boudoir shoot done for myself and as a surprise for my Husband. I was super nervous for my shoot, like shaking nervous because I had always  been so self conscious. But during my shoot, she made me feel amazing and empowered and I found myself intrigued by what she was doing.  After leaving that day, and after receiving my photos, it was constantly on my mind. I wanted to learn how to do what she did for me, for other people. About a month after the shoot, I purchased my first camera and began to shoot. I got started in photography in 2016, I had never even thought of photography. I had never owned or picked up a camera. It just wasn’t something I ever saw myself doing until I had a photo shoot of my own in May of 2016.

I had had a big since leaving that day, and after receiving my photos, it was constantly on my mind. I wanted to learn how to do what she did for me, for other people. About a month after the shoot, I purchased my first camera and began to shoot.

As I started to feel myself growing more towards what I loved about photography, it started shifting for me, and I quickly realized, I was more than just a typical portrait Photographer. I began to get creative, and my emotions were leading me in my work. It was becoming more of a feeling and creating the type of thing for me. Art is what I felt I needed to create… not just for myself, but also for my subjects. It was much more than just posing and shooting a person, but the emotion in what that subject projected or what I or they wanted me to project for them.

Whether it was body positivity they needed or deep darkness, sadness, loneliness, happiness, loss or whatever EMOTION they wanted me to capture, it became what felt good for me. It also became therapy for myself. We lost our oldest Son a year ago next week, and with his death came dark and intense grief, so I decided to start photographing my emotions. Even though it won’t bring him back, it helped more than I could’ve ever imagined it would.

So here I am now. Creating and capturing the art of emotion and loving every minute.

Great, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
It most definitely has not been a smooth road. In the beginning, I struggled with what others may think of me when I told them I didn’t do family photos or weddings, etc. It wasn’t that I was against those things and that I will never shoot them, but I just figured out early on that I wasn’t that type of Photographer.

Feeling like I might be judged for my art for not always doing things according to the typical standards I guess. I also struggled with meeting new people. Social anxiety always kind of held me back from that, but I’ve grown so much since the beginning of things and working with people to create such an amazing gift.

Wendi Lynn Photography – what should we know? What do you guys do best? What sets you apart from the competition?
I do a lot of different things, but right now I mainly specialize in photographing women and children.

I am most proud of creating art for people who come to me with unique ideas, usually filled with the emotion of some sort, and seeing them thoroughly enjoy their experience and then seeing them light up when I fulfill that vision for them and helping them see things in a different and unique perspective. Body positivity is a big one for me.

What sets me apart is feeling I guess I could say. I shoot what I FEEL, and I seem to be able to capture that no matter what or who the subject may be. I draw emotion… that’s what I want to see, and that also tends to be what my subjects also want to see in the end product.

What’s your favorite memory from childhood?
Hmm… I guess I would have to say visiting my Grandparents. My Mom’s parents lived in California, and my Dad’s parents lived in Sierra Vista. When we visited my Grandparents in California, my Grandpa taught me how to play pool, and I would do some gardening with my Grandma.

At my Dad’s Grandparents’ house, I would ride my Grandpas horses. I didn’t see them often in my childhood, so when I did, it was always a treat.

Contact Info:

• Email:  wendilynnphotography@gmail.com
• Instagram:  www.instagram.com/wendilynnphotography
• Facebook: Wendi Lynn Photography

Image Credit:
Wendi Lynn Photography

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