PROJECT 300

Hey friends, an announcement you may want to read: 

THE PAST: 

As many of you already know, my business has been changing over the last 3 years. I started a new business, Dame Culture Studios, and after considering this carefully, I would like to share my why. 

I started my photography business because of the way photography makes me feel. There are so many moments in my life that I was not present. Thinking of my own family, and how my grandma printed photos, created photo albums, and to this day looking at those photos is what brings me back to myself. Photography is so meaningful, it shows you who you are, it also can distort your own image of yourself, it can also bring you back to what is important. I started shooting digital in 2011. Before that was film. I had to print at least a contact sheet and see the photos on paper, in my hand, with a loop, and they felt a certain way. Now, with over 1000 digital galleries on my website filled with your photos, I often wonder if the photos are ever printed, ever sent in the mail like we used to do, or are they put into tangible family photo albums to be kept as a way to show lineage, culture, moments with people that you love more than anything else in this world. 

THE PRESENT: 

Dame, my new business, started as a way to help women heal. I have been developing it for 3 years and I realize that the one thing that has helped me is coming back to my own awareness of who I am under the mask of consumerism and trying to fit in and being programmed to think that I have to be like everyone else. I achieved the commercial photography recognition I thought would change my life, and it did. It showed me how racist, sexist and problematic the commercial industry is for the most part. So, I called out behavior, and backed away from being a contributor to the problem.

My solution is to change the way I do photography. I might go back to shooting film, but for now I am taking back what I love so much, my freedom. I no longer want to be tied to a google drive to send images, I refuse to give my clients the digital experience and not show them and remind them that we love photos because of what is in the photo, not for likes, shares and algorithm alignment. Everyday I think about deleting my social media and joining the fediverse. Remembering why I do photography in the first place brought me out of the distortion. Why have a gift if it is not being used to bring people back to themselves, to love? 

THE FUTURE: 

I am still shooting senior pictures, doing some business branding with those that I align with in terms of values and integrity. My calling is to bring people back to themselves through photographing special events, family vacations, senior pictures at your home in a messy kitchen while your senior plays their guitar and their little sister runs around the house wearing a cape and a crown. I will do your business branding, but it will be raw and authentic. We are going to tell your story together, with pictures, in spaces that are meaningful. I take responsibility for turning senior pictures into what they are now, magazine ads, airbrushed, skin smoothed, harmful versions of how young people want to look and be seen. We are not photoshopping the fuck out of your photos anymore. I want the photo of myself looking like I could put some product in my hair, but my family is there and on the counter are our favorite powdered donuts, and we have a million memories that included them. Let's all calm down and try to live our lives with more authenticity and compassion for ourselves and others. 

I started a new adventure called Project 300. I am photographing and interviewing at least 300 people. I am calling on the universe to guide me to using my gifts with photography, intuition, compassion, empathy, writing and design to tell stories and be a part of history where we turn this shit around. Coming back to who we are, maybe even learning ourselves for the first time is how we will survive and remember what is most important, love. 

Project 300 is $300 for 30 minutes, and included are 30 UNEDITED RAW UNFILTERED photos, but they will be the best version of me and you working together that we ever did. If you have things coming up, senior pictures, family gatherings, if your kid has learned to use a spelling board and you want me to come take photos of this huge milestone in communication and connection, book a Project 300 photoshoot with me. I would be honored to tell your story and show your emotions, your favorite people, your memory in a photo. For my people that are neurodivergent, queer, have accessibility needs, this is a perfect photo shoot for you to book. I am coming to you, and I am neurodivergent, and I will ask questions about your needs and create a plan with you. Can you book this for holiday photos? Yes. I need to hear a cool meaningful story and know that there is meaning in these photo shoots. 

I need to say thank you. Y'all have been with me on this Brooke Ross Photography journey since 2013 officially. Times change and I hope most of you (not all of you, ha!) stay connected with me on this  journey. I will be sharing stories, traveling, and documenting this next part of my life. Thank you for being a part of it.

I will leave you with my current favorite song lyrics, 

So you can keep me

Inside the pocket of your ripped jeans

Holdin′ me closer 'til our eyes meet

You won't ever be alone

Wait for me to come home

Sending love in abundance, 

Brooke

P.S. if there are spelling errors, please know I got all A's in writing and English classes in school. Nowadays done is better than perfect.