BSU Creative Highlight: Breanna Daugherty

Located in Muncie, Indiana, Ball State University is a nationally ranked university with highly acclaimed programs from Architecture to Business, but it is the creatives that fly under the radar on the campus. From photography to fashion design, many Ball State students are discovering their passions and creative skills during their college careers and PATTERN is happy to highlight a handful of the young talent at BSU.

Name: Breanna Daugherty
Year in college: Grad Student
Major: Graduate Student—Media Analytics and Management; Bachelor’s in Photojournalism
Instagram: @bre_daugherty

What are your creative outlets? 
Photography
Graphic Design

What made you interested in this field? 
I wouldn’t be in photography if it wasn’t for my high school journalism teacher, Heather Nichols, who noticed my potential. I like to be challenged with photography, and I think photography is a challenging task. You don’t just take a photo, you make one. I also love to learn, and photography is definitely one of those fields where you’re always learning. There’s this chance to learn about people, too. You get to meet so many people with photography that you wouldn’t typically meet, which can be really amazing. To bring it all together, there were different aspects that made me interested in photography.

What jobs/internships/student organizations are you a part of that help you pursue this field? 
The Fort Wayne News-Sentinel, The Bedford Times-Mail, The Paoli News-Republican, The Ball State Daily News, Indiana Bicentennial Torch Relay

How would you describe your style? 
I’m not really sure, yet. I think it’s hard to develop a clear style at such a young phase of my photography and design work. Despite getting into photography in 2009, I feel like I’ve only just begun. Recently, my photography was described to me as being raw and impassioned, which kind of surprised me. I never thought of the word “raw” to be a way to describe my photos. I became quite interested in design not too long ago; therefore, I feel that my style is simple and clean—but I hope to better develop my style so it’s not as simple in the future.

What are three words that you would use to describe yourself? 
Hard-working, organized, funny

What do you draw inspiration from? 
Honestly, a lot of things. I become inspired by my photo friends and what they’re doing, as well as photographers I don’t even personally know. I look at magazines or watch movies and televisions shows, and think about the shots that are being used and how to use them with my work. Sometimes I’ll be watching a movie and I’ll whisper to myself, “Oh, that’s a nice shot,” or “That’s nice framing.” I love getting on Instagram and looking at all the different photographers I follow. I especially look at Getty Images and Getty Images Sport, because one of my favorite subjects to photograph is sports. I also get on Pinterest and look at photos on there, primarily for fashion, though.

Who are your favorite creatives?
My two favorite sports photographers are Cameron Spencer and Al Bello. The way they see sports is so inspiring because you’ll see them making a clean image, but also trying something new that you don’t always see. It’s amazing how talented the both of them are. One of my other favorite creatives is my dear friend Samantha Brammer. Her portrait work is original and imaginative, especially for the locations she photographs.

What is your favorite part about being a creative?
That’s a hard question. I’ve always enjoyed being challenged with photography, and I think being creative is a challenging task. One of the reasons why it can be challenging is because there are so many.

What are your goals/where do you want to be in two years?
I honestly hope to have a job after graduating with my master’s degree. I’m not sure where, yet, but hopefully making photos.

What is your dream job?
I think my dream job would be combining photography and media analytics to become a visual specialist and strategist. But I’ve always dreamed of making photos for Getty Images Sport.

Other than this creative outlet, what do you like to do in your freetime?
When I have a few hours, I’ll go to The Caffeinery in Muncie or take a nap. I like to watch Bob Ross paint, listen to music—primarily Billy Joel—and do some retail therapy.

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