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From the moment Brooke Squires picked up a camera at a pawn shop in Atlanta, she was hooked. She can’t recall a specific moment that inspired her to make the purchase, but a driving force within herself wanted to be able to express herself visually. Now, she combines her love of photography with a love of fashion to create and share her artistic vision,.
Learning photography for Brooke was a lot of trial and error. Self-taught, she spent many late nights reading articles online and working on shoots. Since her move to LA, she’s spent time networking with other photographers who’ve given her small tips, but “mainly I learn everything by just doing it,” she says.
Her motivation to continue taking pictures stems from her love of it. The endless possibilities that photography has further motivates her. Learning from every shoot and seeing her development as an artist and person, continually fuels her excitement and drive to learn more. Self-expression through visual arts is very important for Brooke. She feels the message is more clearly conveyed than in written art forms, as words have different meanings to different people.
The incorporation of styling into her photographs further allows her to share her vision, in a way that Brooke feels is more important than the location. “The styling and makeup is what evokes emotion and makes you feel a certain type of way,” she says. Her ability to style her shoots allows her to create different moods, and to work with a wider variety of models. Drawing style inspiration from places such as America’s Next Top Model and the early years of Lady Gaga’s career, Brooke finds passion in creating over-the-top styles that break from mainstream fashions.
Through her photos, Brooke wants to spark thought in people that causes them to question mainstream fashions and trends, and break away from “the traditional form of beauty that is white-centric and focused on a very niche body type.” By doing so, she wants to share diversity through the visuals she creates.
When asked what the most rewarding aspect of photography was, Brooke answered that the positive comments about themselves and the confidence she saw in her subjects was most important for her. “I’ve had people say ‘wow you made me look so good’ or ‘I feel beautiful in these,’ and that makes every single moment worth it,” she says.
In the future, Brooke has aspirations to be a full-time photographer. She aims to be working for high-fashion magazines and to be in the heart of the many fashion weeks that take place around the world. If not shooting, She still wants to be involved in photo shoots, serving as a creative director and styling. Be on the lookout for her work, as she has plans to collaborate with many boutiques and jewelry artists in the upcoming year.
Check out more of her art on Instagram @besquireart or on her website, High-Quality, Beautiful Photography!
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