Meet entrepreneur, photographer, and the babe behind Brunette the Label’s campaign photography, Brit Gill. Born and raised in Vancouver, B.C., Brit is a lifestyle photographer on a mission to capture the beauty of the world and share her version of it through natural, documentary-style photography. Brit shoots everything from families and editorials, to fashion and brand identities, and so much more. Welcome, Brit!
What does babes supporting babes mean to you?
I think it means cooperation and collaboration over competition; that’s the new wave of business in my opinion. I remember reading a quote that said “comparison is the thief of joy” and I never could see competition the same again. Years ago, I created a group on Facebook for female photographers in Vancouver to share stories and business questions, this really embodied that shift for me. We started sharing info, strategies, and tips instead of sitting at home envious of each other’s Instagram feeds. That has been a really special project for me that’s very babes supporting babes.
Do you have a life mantra/motto that you live by?
“A little less conversation a little more action” – ELVIS. Before I started my business, I was all talk and all study. I read every book there was to read, and talked the big talk but I never actually took the risk to CREATE something of my own. I knew having a boss was never for me but I was always too fearful to go out on my own. A year before I started my company I kept repeatedly getting that Elvis song in my head and I swear it was a sign from the Universe to get my butt in gear! My intuition was so stoked on me following my dreams that it sent me subliminal messages through music. How fun is that? 🙂
Tony Robbins talks a lot about that. We all need to act on our instincts before our minds take over and convince us otherwise.
What’s your spirit animal?
HMMM, whenever I think of it I see lion, but I’m probably closer to a wolverine.
What’s your proudest babe moment or achievement?
I think it’s hard to appreciate how far you’ve come when you’re stuck in your day to day struggles. I swear each day is a roller coaster of ups and downs, BUT, my proudest moment is a project I can’t share yet. 🙂
What’s your most used app?
I would say Instagram but lately, I have been more into Twitter, so I can actually learn.
What product would you seriously stockpile if you found out they weren’t selling it anymore?
Black MOLESKINE journals; I’m obsessed. I’ve used them for 10 years and have anthologies collected. Maybe one day I’ll write a book from them or pass them down to my kids. 🙂
What emoji best describes you?
🖤 + 🍾
What was the best piece of advice you received when you were first starting your career?
HIRE HELP EARLY. It took me way too long to actually trust that advice but once I hired my first assistant everything changed. I made more money, became more productive and we raised each other up. Doing it all myself is a chronic problem I have, but that keeps my game way too small, so I’m constantly working on changing that.
Who should EVERYONE be following right now?
ME! 🙂 Honestly, I am not scrolling Instagram as much as I used to but on Twitter, I’m into Russel Brand and Jordan Peterson.
When I dance I look like….
An interpretive Latin dancer. Don’t ever try to interpret it.
What’s your go-to karaoke song?
“Pour Some Sugar on Me” — don’t ask.
Tell us about a Babe who has supported you?
Anybody who has ever hired me to shoot for their company. I feel so honoured to have the best clients and I feel like they trust me with their brands. We raise each other up collectively and that feels so nice, it’s even better that we are all buddies. Love you MIRIAM! 🙂
How would you describe your personal style?
I’m totally into the personal uniform. White button-down shirt, nice jeans and leather boots; that’s how I roll. On hot vacations, I just add more lace and linen to the mix and that’s me. I rarely wear colour and keep it pretty simple with really high-quality fabrics. I once heard that creatives tend to keep their wardrobes simple, so they can focus their creativity elsewhere. That totally resonates with me. I like to have fewer pieces but make sure they’re good quality.
What’s your favourite thing about living in Vancouver?
NATURE, I’m obsessed with the trees, the mountains and the ocean. Also PEOPLE, I feel like we house the best humans here. People feel real in Vancity.
What’s the most fulfilling part of your career?
PEOPLE again, I love people and they’re why I love my job so much. They literally give me life. I could be down in the dumps, tired and get to a shoot and feel immediately uplifted. The human connection is real y’all; get some.
What inspired you to start pursuing photography?
Growing up I was always interested in the arts, photography and doodling. My dad gave me his old cameras after he was finished with them and I always had a hoot playing around with them. I took a couple of photography classes in high school as well, but because I loved academia (total nerd sauce) I felt forced to study my core subjects and focus on getting a ‘real’ career and getting into a ‘professional’ university.
I ended up studying science with an intention to be a Registered Dietitian but ended up with a degree in Global Nutrition from the University of British Columbia. This degree was far more suited to me than dietetics. It looked at the bigger picture as to why people are sick and malnourished all over the world. I had high hopes to change the world and this degree gave me the opportunity to do just that. On my first big trip to Africa with my degree behind me, I felt far more compelled to photograph people and tell their stories visually than through writing academic reports. That shift in my inspiration, coupled by the response I got from people back home loving my photos, was the start of my shift from scientist to artist. I have been happily bordering both hemispheres of my brain ever since.
What’s your guilty pleasure?
Watching stupid TV, sometimes I get annoyed of learning and listening to podcasts while I edit so I watch reality TV. Sue me. HAHA.
What quality are you working on yourself right now?
Clear communication. Being passive aggressive is my biggest pet peeve. I think too many of us bottle up how we really feel and aren’t truly honest. I’m committed to working on that. People often live and die without sharing their deepest thoughts with loved ones and I just think that’s so sad.
What’s the biggest hurdle you’ve had to overcome in business?
Trying to keep up with the workload. I know that seems like a good problem to have. I’m slowly shedding off tasks one by one and hiring help where I can, but it hasn’t been easy. I feel so responsible for the quality of art I put out into the world. To solve this, I now hire help for all non-artistic tasks.
What advice do you have for those trying to break into the photography industry?
Shoot what you want, not what others want. Post what you want and not what you think is expected of you or gets the most ‘likes’. Just do you…we don’t need any more clones.
Click here to visit The Babe Shop!
Keep up with Brit on Instagram @brit_gill.
Introduction written by Lindsay Pearce.