Grad turns childhood dream into a career
For as long as Brandi Hinkley can remember, she’s loved taking pictures. And though
she was rarely seen without a camera by her side, she wasn’t sure how to parlay her
passion into a career.
“After high school I attended a local four-year,” Hinkley said of her education before coming to Washtenaw Community College. “I realized the teaching style and class size there wasn’t the best fit for my learning style.”
She explored graphic design, fine art and interior design. “I went to school for things I thought I wanted, but I felt like something was missing. I wasn’t satisfied.”
That’s when she went back to her first love, photography.
“I had a few friends who had gone to WCC and taken photography classes so I did a little research on the program,” Hinkley recalled. “WCC offers such a wide variety of photo classes; you get to be in studio and on location. I knew it’s where I needed to be.”
Finding the prefect fit
The Photography program at WCC prepares students to work in a variety of settings,
including working as a photographer’s assistant, working in a photo lab, starting
their own business and transferring to a four-year art school. Students can tailor
the program to their own interests by choosing specialized electives. “For me, it
was better to learn in a smaller environment,” Hinkley said of WCC’s campus atmosphere.
“My instructors weren’t just teachers, they were also professionals in the industry.
They were very hands-on.”
Dedicated to her dream
Returning to college wasn’t an easy task for Hinkley, who was working two jobs while
attending WCC. “It was a lot of hard work, but when you find something you love to
do, you no longer view it as work but a passion,” she recalled. “It’s hard to stop
when you’re that compassionate about something.”
And she didn’t stop until she reached her ultimate goal, graduating with honors with an Associate in Applied Science for Photographic Technology. She is now thriving in the industry, having started her own business, B Cre8ive Photography, while also working freelance.
“After studying photography at WCC I knew I had found my ‘gift’ and lifelong career— it’s what I’ve always loved.”