Rising Stars: Meet Miachelle Breese

Today we’d like to introduce you to Miachelle Breese

Hi Miachelle, it’s an honor to have you on the platform. Thanks for taking the time to share your story with us – to start maybe you can share some of your backstory with our readers?
I moved to Arizona in 2004, and started a jewelry business while going back to college to finish my degree. I began networking with the local fashion industry to try and promote my designs and ended up working with local fashion designers, photographers, and other creatives. I was also getting my designs in jewelry design publications, so when I couldn’t afford to pay a photographer to constantly shoot my work, I had to learn how to photograph it myself. That was the touchstone for getting interested in photography. I shut my business down in 2010, and as it turned out, my ex-husband got me my first true DSLR camera for Christmas that year. I was completely hooked. In 2011, I took a chance and contacted an editor for a local magazine, and asked if there was a need for photographers or writers. I had my degree in technical writing, and I figured I could do both. She kept me on her list, and eventually, I was getting assignments for business profiles, high-end events, and small things like “Question of the Month.” That last one forced me to learn to be brave in approaching strangers to get their photo and their response to the question. There was a lot of rejection involved, but I always got my work done. I essentially took what I learned from running the jewelry business and applied it to my photography business.

Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
It definitely has not been a smooth road, but it has been an amazing journey. Photography is much harder than people think. Running a photography business is always about chasing the next customer, satisfying that customer, and a lot of problem-solving on the spot. I’ve never been a full-time photographer; being a bit older and having family responsibilities, I found it essential to stay tethered to the corporate world and do photography on the side. I have found at times I was working essentially two full-time jobs, and hit burnout periodically. BUT…I have met some amazing people along this journey, and I have met people and done things that I never would have had it not been for photography. That is something I am eternally grateful for. I’ve been given insight into the human condition; I’ve seen people at their highest highs, and sometimes at their lowest lows. I think photography has given me additional empathy for people; the camera makes you vulnerable, and it reveals things even when you think you’ve got your walls up. And that, too, can be a struggle on this side of the magic black box.

Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
Currently, I’m in a business pause, but I’m still creating, and occasionally take side jobs for photography. I’m still the house shooter for a local venue, and I am part of a concert photography group that specializes in alt/goth/hard rock bands. When I’m shooting for personal pleasure, nature and wildlife are my specialties. I think concerts are an amazing subject; it’s one of the few times that a mass of strangers come together, and have typically a joyous experience together. The energy in the room is palpable. I love photographing performers because they are “in the moment” and the raw emotions and raw talent are what I love to capture. For nature and wildlife, as I grow older and watch my grandchildren grow up, I fear we are destroying our environment, and my grandchildren will grow up not appreciating what we have. So I try to photograph animals and flora, to memorialize them and give my family something they can look back on after I moved on. I think what sets my work apart is my peers have always called me a clean shooter, a purist. I don’t like my images to be cluttered with distractions. I want to make you hone in on that moment easily, and convey to you what I saw in that moment. I admittedly am not a massive Photoshop editor. Most of the time, I have a specific set of edits I make to my photos, and leave it at that. Every once in a while, I will do some intense editing, but that’s not my norm. I think it stems from being in high school in the late 80s and learning to develop film and print in a darkroom. There were certain things we did, but by and large, the photo had to speak for itself out of camera. I still feel that way today.

Before we let you go, we’ve got to ask if you have any advice for those who are just starting out?
First of all, we live in an era where there are a ton of articles on the Internet about “make money from your passion.” I think there’s too much emphasis on anything you do for pleasure, turn it into a side hustle. My advice is, no matter what the hobby is, do it because you love it, and it makes you feel good. I think we have forgotten how to do something creatively just for the pleasure of it.
Second, if you really do want to turn it into a business, take some business classes. Many of us (myself included) just think, “ok, I’m going to start a business from this.” I think that’s an important first step, but running a business administratively is hard work. You will spend as much time doing the administrative/overhead tasks as you do the actual creative work, and sometimes more. Do yourself a favor, and take some business courses. It will give you a better foundation of knowledge, and reduce the mistakes you make.
Third, every person you meet is some sort of opportunity, whether business, networking, or learning. Don’t burn bridges, and don’t be an asshole. No matter where you live, the creative community is a small one, and people do talk.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://breesespieces.zenfoliosite.com/
• Instagram: @miachellebreese

Image Credits
Maynard Breese (image of Miachelle)