From Washing Dishes to the Met Gala: Bre Johnson on Betting on Herself

Breaking into New York’s creative industry rarely looks the way people imagine it. There’s no single door, no clear permission, and definitely no moment where you suddenly feel “ready.”

In this episode of Artists Unveiled, we sit down with photographer Bre Johnson, whose path into fashion, culture, and high profile events was built through instinct, risk, and persistence rather than a perfect plan. From working retail and washing dishes to photographing major cultural moments and being published by New York Magazine, Bre’s journey shows how opportunity often comes disguised as uncertainty.

We talk about what it really means to learn your craft, why showing up matters more than titles, and how community, timing, and self-trust shape a creative career. Bre opens up about navigating fast-paced event spaces, resisting the pressure of social media optics, and building a body of work that prioritizes depth over visibility.

This conversation is about patience, confidence earned through work, and the quiet moments where deciding not to quit changes everything.

🎧 Listen to Artists Unveiled:  Now streaming on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, YouTube & Buzzsprout.

Thank You for Listening!

If you enjoyed this premiere season of Dream It Make It- Artists Unveiled, please remember to subscribe, rate, and leave a review—it helps more creators find us!

Connect with the Show and Dream It Make It:

• Website: www.godimi.com

Dream It, Make It is dedicated to empowering artists to build thriving, sustainable careers.

#ArtistUnveiled #DreamItMakeIt #CreativeEntrepreneur #Holiday

Transcript

Bre: I was on the train and I saw this actress that I recognized, an indie actress that I recognized. And at this point, I had never proclaimed that I was a photographer or anything like that. But I had one business card in my pocket and I walked up to them and I said, “Hey, I’m a photographer. Reach out if you need anyone.”

I got off the train, went to that job, sat at the desk, and then got an alert that she wanted me to photograph an event for her. So I did the job. I started looking around the room, started listening to the people. I’m like, Vogue? Oh, New York Times? Oh, what’s going on here? Who are these people?

And kind of long story short, I quit the job at the talent agency and I’m washing dishes. The next day, I’m washing dishes, trying to figure out what am I going to do with my life? And I get a phone call, and it’s New York Magazine, a photo editor. She says, “Hey, you took some photos at an event, and we want them.”

Holiday: Hi, welcome to Artists Unveiled, a show where we bring on exceptional creators to not just tell their story, but to give you real insights into how they went from striving to thriving.

My name is Holiday, and I’m thrilled to introduce a super charmed, focused creative to keep a lookout for. She’s opening eyes with her directed vision. Let me introduce you to an amazing photographer, Brianna Johnson.

You mentioned something about high style, blending high style and authenticity. Could you elaborate on that a little bit? How you keep it authentic, but then you go to these events or deal with people who are perceived in a particular light?

Bre: In the event space, everything’s very fast. There’s really no time for small talk.

Holiday: Gotcha.

Bre: So you really just have to get in there or the moment is lost.

Holiday: Yeah.

Bre: I’m not sure of other people’s approaches, but for me, I just like to lead with a smile and give a little wave and just say, “Hey, how are you doing?” And, “Can I have you just for a moment and get the photo that I need?”

Holiday: And they get the idea that you’re the photographer because you’ve got this camera with you?

Bre: Exactly. I hope so. Literally, yes.

Holiday: Let’s talk a little bit about your journey. You started out on the West Coast, right?

Bre: Yes.

Holiday: Can you tell us a little bit about that?

Bre: Yes. So originally, I’m from Los Angeles, California, born and raised. I shortly thereafter moved to San Francisco for college. And I kind of made a decision after college: do I move back to L.A. or do I fulfill my dreams of living in New York and work in fashion? And so I did that. Bought a one-way ticket.

Holiday: Was it a difficult decision? 

Bre: No. No, absolutely not.

Holiday: You woke up one morning, grabbed a shoe, and said, “I don’t care where my other shoe is, I’m going?”

Bre: Since I was a child, I’ve always loved New York,  through television, through film, through magazines.

Holiday: Had you been to New York?

Bre: When I was a senior in high school. My uncle and my aunt, he traveled for work and at the time he was in New York, so we went with him. That was my first taste of New York City physically at 18.

At the time, my cousins were very small and he didn’t want them to walk around the city too much. So we were in a car a lot of the time. I was just staring through the window, Times Square, Fifth Ave,  like, oh, I have to get back here one day.

Holiday: What were you doing in L.A. or San Francisco that may have prepared you for this journey when you landed in New York?

Bre: As an artist and photographer? For me, I’ve always kind of had cameras in my life. My family always purchased cameras for me, point-and-shoots and things like that.

I always studied magazines. I always had Vogue, Teen Vogue, J-14, all these glossy magazines in my life. I used to watch Style TV a lot, runway shows… I always thought about the glitz and glam of it all.

Through TV,  like Bravo, there was a show called Gallery Girls at the time, following creatives around New York City. And it was always like, I have to get there. I don’t know how, but I have to get there.

So when I went to San Francisco and was finishing college, I was like, I have room to do this. So I’m going to do it. And I did.

Holiday: And within that first week, you found a job, right?

Bre: Yeah. Within that first week, I found a job working at APC on Mercer Street.

Holiday: APC is?

Bre: It’s a fashion house, French brand. Actually, I’m wearing their jeans.

Holiday: Nice. I like those jeans.

Bre: Thank you.

Bre: So yeah, that’s kind of how I got started. And it wasn’t pretty in New York when I first got here. I was working in retail and just trying to get my bearings. I didn’t know anyone except my now husband. From there, I was working in fashion merchandising. I was just kind of going through the pathway of trying to figure out what I was doing in life.

And long story short, I’ll say, the last job I had was working at a talent agency and just getting yelled at every day, pretty much. Like, I’m not doing this, I’m not doing that, just feeling shame about what I was doing in life. It got to a point where, on my way to that job, I was on the train and I saw this actress that I recognized, an indie actress. At this point, I had never proclaimed that I was a photographer or anything like that. But I had one business card in my pocket.

I walked up to her and said, “Hey, I’m a photographer. Reach out if you need anyone.” I got off the train, went to that job, sat at the desk, and then got an alert that she wanted me to photograph an event for her. She said it was going to be unpaid. But I said, “That’s fine. I want the opportunity.”

Holiday: Exactly.

Bre: So I did the job. I started looking around the room, started listening to the people. I’m like, Vogue? Oh, New York Times? Oh, what’s going on here? Who are these people?

And then shortly thereafter, I was like, “Oh, do you want the photos?” She’s like, “No, no, no. Give it to the host.” Or she didn’t even know what to do with the photos. I was like, okay. And kind of long story short, I quit the job at the talent agency. And I’m washing dishes.

The next day, I’m washing dishes, trying to figure out what am I going to do with my life? And I get a phone call. It’s New York Magazine — a photo editor. She says, “Hey, you took some photos at an event and we want them. And we’ll be able to pay you.” And I was like, okay… how do I do this?

Because I was very green to it all. I didn’t even know how to send my photos to them. Do I put a watermark on it? And she’s like, “No, just send me what you have.” They selected four images out of the gallery that I sent them. And I got my first photos published in New York Magazine.

Holiday: That’s amazing. 

Bre: Yeah.

Holiday: It’s an important story. How things actually evolve when you want to get somewhere and you have a talent. These are the stories that are important because unless you’ve been through it, you don’t know that’s actually how it works.

Do you want to talk about the Met Gala?

Bre: Yeah. So I got a call from my agency that they wanted to choose me this year to photograph the gala. Out of the agency.

Holiday: Were you surprised?

Bre: Yeah. Absolutely. But also like, yeah, duh, you know? But yeah, out of the agency there’s at least 100 of us. They chose me and one other person. The veteran, he stays, but I got to be the second person this year. And that was a fantastic experience.

Holiday: Yeah.

Bre: The Met Gala operates like Disneyland Park in a way. You’re in a line and everyone has to queue up and go into your space, your name card that’s there on the platform. I was in a really great spot for when the talent comes directly to us first and then they kind of zigzag their way up to the stairs. It was extremely thrilling.

Funny part about that is Nicki Minaj came onto the carpet. And I’m instructed to get the photo, but I don’t have to go overboard because I also have an editor in the back. So I don’t want to overboard them. I took the pictures that I needed and I kind of had my camera down. And for whatever reason, that became a viral Twitter moment.

Holiday: Wow.

Bre: They profiled it on E! Entertainment. Somebody on Twitter screenshot my face — I was smiling so hard. The caption said, “She forgot she was taking pictures.” I was just cheesing so hard. You could see I was just so happy to be there. So that was kind of a funny moment.

Holiday: Did you specifically study photography or how did that come about?

Bre: No. I studied fashion merchandising in San Francisco with a high emphasis on sustainability. Funny enough, I sometimes think, like, oh, maybe I should have gone to school for photography in New York because I could’ve gotten more connections.

But in my program, there weren’t really people coming through to talk to us — except for one manufacturing guy. And I will say, through that, I was able to go to Portugal. I got to work at a manufacturing facility and understand where our clothes come from.

Holiday: Well, even though you didn’t specifically say, “Hey, I’m going to be a photographer,” how do you feel that maybe it informed what you’re doing right now?

Bre: My fashion background? Yeah, definitely. Understanding production. One of our last projects for that program was to run a fashion show. So I was doing production, back of house, and a lot of that stuff is what I do today. I’m back of house or front of house sometimes too.

Everything I’ve done has led me to where I’m at. Just working with people, understanding retail. I used to work at Macy’s, dealing with people has helped me tremendously with my career. And like Spencer said earlier, I just love what I do and it shows. I don’t have an ego or an attitude when I show up on set or at an event.

Also, working in events has helped me with photography,  thinking on my feet really quickly. Events are very fast. There’s no time to chit-chat. You’ve got to think about lighting, where to position someone, how to get the best results. That all helps when I’m in a more intimate, calm setting.

Holiday: When you’re in different spaces, studio, portrait photography, events, how do you know how to curate photographs in those environments? How did you figure that out?

Bre: I’m self taught. I’ve always had point-and-shoot cameras growing up. But I remember a moment where I was like, wait, maybe I should take this off auto and learn manual. From there, I taught myself. YouTube University — watching hours of videos on how to use the cameras I have.

When it comes to events specifically, I look at the lighting. I’m like, okay, it’s cool light in here, I don’t need a full CTO, I’ll change my Kelvin. Or it’s really yellow, let me cool it down. I’m always scanning the room. Always.

Holiday: It’s very intuitive to you.

Bre: Yeah, it really is. It’s kind of hard to explain because it just… is.

But I understand the technical side. And that’s important to me.

I have an issue sometimes with photographers who say they’re photographers but only use point-and-shoots. They don’t know manual, AV, TV, any of it. I didn’t ever want to be on set and have someone ask me something and I’m like, I don’t know.

Holiday: You’re learning the mastery of a craft.

Bre: Exactly. Which is different than instant gratification. And to anyone who wants to do this: learn the craft before you call yourself anything. Learn it wholeheartedly. It’ll take you way further than clout.

Holiday: It also gives depth.

Bre: Exactly. I also shoot on film. Film reels you back in, especially at events. On medium format, you have ten shots. You’ve got to make them count. You have to anticipate moments. Before the moment, there’s about to be a moment. That’s a gift. I’ll hold my camera up and people get anxious, like, is she done? But I’m waiting sometimes. And I’ve learned if I put my camera down too soon, that was the moment.

Holiday: In what ways do you see that technology intersects with your work?

Bre: One thought that immediately comes to mind, especially on the event side, is orientation. Technically, as a photographer, you can shoot horizontally and get the full-frame image. If you want to crop for Instagram, you can crop later.

But when the client sees me taking the picture horizontally, even though I know I’m going to crop, they’ll say, “Oh, can you turn it vertical for Instagram?” And I’m like, I’m not working for Instagram. I’m working to get the proper photo out of this camera. From there, you can choose formats.

Holiday: You’re not restricting yourself.

Bre: Exactly. And that actually brings up another point, Instagram in general. I don’t post my work as much as I probably should. But I grew up between old technology and new technology. I was born in 1990,  when www started.

I know a world before phones and this world now. And I think it’s awful that people think about Instagram before the art. Instagram could go down tomorrow. Then what? What do you have? I have a website. A portfolio. So in that way, technology can hinder photography. It clouds the brain. People stop creating.

Holiday: People are developing from the outside in instead of the inside out.

Bre: Exactly. When you’re a child, you create freely. You’re not thinking, what will Ryan think? You just create. That’s kind of lost now. One of my biggest pet peeves is when people stand over my shoulder asking, “Did you get it vertical?” During Fashion Week, one girl literally said, “I’m scared.”

I was like, I’m not scared. You’re going to get the photo. She was so focused on the orientation instead of trusting the process. Technology is a double-edged sword.

Holiday: You’ve been featured with other photographers as well?

Bre: Yeah, PH Museum. Honestly, it was new to me too. I woke up one day and they tagged me, “Photographer to Watch.” I think it’s an Italian photography institute.

Holiday: They know visuals in Italy.

Bre: Exactly. They literally invented paparazzi. But I did feel a little guilty about it because I’m still working. I don’t have some huge personal project yet. I’m still finding my voice outside of events.

Holiday: Sounds like life is calling you.

Bre: Yeah, I think so. Photography is all I think about. When I wake up. When I go to sleep. If I wasn’t doing photography, I don’t know what else I’d be doing.

Holiday: That’s a gift though, to know so clearly what’s meaningful to you.

Bre: I think so. It’s a unique experience. I’ve worked really hard, but I think it’s also a mix of hard work and being where you’re supposed to be. Right now, opportunities are coming to me, but I’m not necessarily creating them. That’s where I struggle, like, maybe if I create more, even more will come.

A lot of things happen through word of mouth. Like with Spencer, he was like, “You want to do photography on a music video?” And I was like, yeah. And that happened because I met you on a train.

Holiday: And you’ve been doing this professionally for how long?

Bre: Six years professionally.

Holiday: People say the ten year mark is when people really recognize you.

Bre: Yeah, I’ve been in New York ten years. The first five? We don’t talk about those.

Holiday: Discovery years.

Bre: Exactly.

Holiday: You mentioned groups of photographers walking around together, what was that?

Bre: Yeah, early on I was really trying to find community. I was always on Eventbrite. Through pure kismet, I met someone who introduced me to Souls in Focus, a photography collective of Black and brown photographers in Brooklyn. They were doing photo walks and meetups. I joined, built community, met people. That led to other work. Community really got my foot in the door.

Holiday: Do you have favorite moments from your career so far?

Bre: Definitely working with Solange Knowles. I first photographed her at BAM for her Eldorado Ballroom concert. After that, I got to take intimate portraits of her. The next time I saw her, she recognized me. Whenever I photograph her, my artistry really comes out,  it’s not just event coverage.

Holiday: Anyone else?

Bre: Yeah, FKA twigs, Coleman Domingo.

Coleman Domingo is incredible to photograph. I worked with him personally for WWD and photographed his Tony Award pre-dinner. That room was full of theater people, singing, performing. He has such an incredible presence. Those moments really stay with me.

Holiday: Have there been learning moments, maybe tougher ones, that stayed with you?

Bre: Yeah. Recently, I photographed a poet from the 1970s. Sometimes you can be doing your absolute best, and the talent is rude. That’s something I think photographers need to be aware of.

In this moment, the poet and the host had just finished speaking on stage, and that was my window to get the photo of them together. If there’s a distraction, like a cup or something awkward in the frame, I’ll politely ask them to shift slightly. So I asked him to move just a little. And he said, “I don’t like being bossed around.”

And that moment really hit me. Because I wasn’t being bossy, I was just doing my job. They had just screened his film, he had done a full talk, and it all suddenly felt off. That’s when I realized: it’s never about you. People bring their own stuff into rooms. You can’t internalize it. As long as you’re being polite and doing your job, don’t change yourself.

Holiday: That’s important. So when you’re working one-on-one with someone, what helps you capture their best moments?

Bre: Spending time with them. Talking before the shoot. Asking about who they are. Once we start shooting, if I sense they’re lost in the moment, I’ll give direction, sometimes asking them to think about something they love or hate, depending on the story we’re telling. I truly like people. That’s why I love photography. I get to meet all kinds of people, it keeps me inspired.

Holiday: Has anyone you’ve met really inspired you?

Bre: Solange. Absolutely. The way she moves, how poised she is, how clearly she knows what she wants and doesn’t want, that energy makes me want to level up.

Holiday: Any photographers you admire?

Bre: I’m always learning. Richard Avedon. Peter Lindbergh, especially his black and white portraits. Gordon Parks for documentary work. More contemporary: Ronell Medrano, Tyler Mitchell.

But I also try not to look too much at other people’s work. I’m world-building my own thing, and I don’t want to lose myself in someone else’s vision. Something I can speak on clearly is this: my work centers around leisure. As a Black woman in America, it’s still considered unusual for us to just be.

In media, the portrayal is often struggle, survival, single motherhood — all these narrow narratives. And I’m like, no. I’m laying in the park. I’m reading a book. I’m listening to music. I’m living my life. That’s what I want to show, another realm. And I don’t think it’s embedded in people’s psyche the way it should be.

Holiday: That’s powerful.

Bre: I was just watching the recent Prada runway show. And it’s like, okay, there are Black models. Great. But they all look the same. Same skin tone range, same hair, same presentation.

There’s still a lot of work to be done. I want to show us in all facets of reality. Leisure. Motherhood. Singlehood. Joy. Stillness. And make it fashion.

Holiday: That sounds like fashion meeting photography, maybe even something bigger.

Bre: Exactly. I draw inspiration from the French, that “yé-yé” era, Françoise Hardy, Ronnie Spector. That world. That’s where I want to place my characters, because they exist.

And I was watching a TikTok about Sofia Coppola. Her worlds are beautiful, but they rarely include Black or brown women. And I thought, that’s my angle. I can world-build like that, but include people who look like me and tell real stories.

Holiday: That’s very intuitive. I studied with Roy DeCarava, and he always said everyone has their thing. You have to find it. It feels like your thing found you.

Bre: Yeah. And honestly, growing up in California helped. It’s slower. People always tell me I’m very chill.

Holiday: What do you think opened the door to your creativity?

Bre: Freedom. No one tells me no. My family has always encouraged me. My dad always says, “Do what you love, God’s got you.” That freedom lets me create.

Holiday: What inspires you day-to-day?

Bre: Nature. Walking. Riding my bike through Prospect Park. Sitting alone. I’m married, but we really honor individuality. I spend a lot of time alone,  I’m an only child too. I’m comfortable with myself.

Holiday: You’re the person eating alone at a restaurant.

Bre: Absolutely. If I want the meal, I’m eating the meal. That space lets me create. I push myself a lot. I’m ambitious. I’m delusional.

Holiday: You need a little healthy delusion.

Bre: Exactly. That’s why I’m here.

Holiday: If you could go anywhere in the world to photograph, where would it be and why?

Bre: I’ve actually been thinking about this. I’m going to Italy in a week.

Holiday: Oh wow. Where in Italy?

Bre: Milan, Rome, and Florence. I’ll be taking my film camera and just getting lost. Photographing people who allow me to photograph them. But honestly, I don’t need a “crazy” location to get ideas. That’s the thing about photography for me. Inspiration isn’t about where I am, it’s about how I’m seeing. That said… if anyone wants to send me to Paris, Italy, Africa, let’s go.

Holiday: What would you say to someone on a similar path, something they should learn or maybe unlearn?

Bre: For anyone wanting to get into photography, especially in New York: Find community. Speak clearly about what you want to do. Don’t be shy. And don’t take no’s too personally. Brush them off and keep going.

Holiday: How do you find the right community? It’s such a vast world.

Bre: Trial and error. I’ve been to panels where I’ve cried afterward because I felt like I didn’t belong. And I’ve been to others where I felt completely at home. It’s ambition and determination. How badly do you want it? Try everything. Knock on every door.

Holiday: And the no’s?

Bre: They get easier. Because a no is meaningless. You can’t do anything with a no. Sometimes no’s are blessings. You realize later, thank God I didn’t go there.

Holiday: You’re very fortunate in that you’ve found your thing. That’s a blessing. It’s been such a pleasure talking with you today.

Bre: Thank you so much. I’m really happy to be here.

Holiday: Thanks for stopping by. I hope you enjoyed this episode of Artists Unveiled.

Follow us on Instagram at @dimi.app.og and visit godimi.com.