Today we’d like to introduce you to Brenda Manthe.
Hi Brenda, so excited to have you on the platform. So before we get into questions about your work-life, maybe you can bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today?
Photography has been part of my life since I was a kid. I got my start on an old Ricoh film camera on family road trips out to South Dakota, photographing interesting rock formations and nature scenes.
Over the years, my subject interests have changed, from abstract to abandoned and even back to nature and rock formations. But one thing has always stayed the same – my insatiable urge to explore the world and document interesting scenes with my camera.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not, what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
It hasn’t always been a smooth road. Even now, I face challenges of not being happy with my work, imposter syndrome, and motivation. But that’s part of learning and having a lifelong hobby. There will always be bumps in the road, but those are temporary. Looking back at my photography from 20 years ago, I can see the improvements along the way. That’s a huge part of what keeps me going during those tough times.
Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
I’m a fine art photographer specializing in abstract, travel, and street architecture. Finding small details and the intersection of shapes and patterns is where the bulk of my work lies, but I do occasionally photograph nature. The desert is my favorite natural subject.
I’m most proud of self-publishing a book in October of 2021. It was something that I’ve always wanted to do with my work, and to actually accomplish it was a major milestone.
What sets me apart from others isn’t actually different from many photographers. But it’s what makes us all different and that is staying true to my personal style and interests. As a young photographer, I did look at other photographers’ work and learned from that. But now, I photograph what I want, even if it’s not a typical subject.
We’re always looking for the lessons that can be learned in any situation, including tragic ones like the Covid-19 crisis. Are there any lessons you’ve learned that you can share?
The Covid-19 crisis didn’t affect my photography, as I prefer to not have people in any of my photos. It actually got easier to go out and shoot. I would gladly trade this for not having the Covid-19 crisis happen though.
Contact Info:
- Website: brendamanthe.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/brendamanthe/
Image Credits
Main photo by Rob Frazier
Brenda Manthe
