Briana Austin Shares Her Lifelong Passions in Photography and Fashion

By: Lance Simons
Staff Writer

Briana Austin, 20, is an art student here at Green River and shows great interest in photography and fashion.

Austin is not yet sure which path she will decide to take here at Green River but with her interest in art, fashion, and photography, she is confident she will follow some form.

Ever since she was young Austin had always enjoyed art and fashion. She discovered her love for art when she noticed that as she got older and progressed through elementary school that everyone had stopped drawing. She didn’t want to let that go which further encouraged that she should continue with her passion for art.

“My mom helped me find a good way to express what I couldn’t put in words, into art,” Austin said. As encouraged by her mother, art and fashion continued to interest her more and more as she grew up.

She knew from a young age that this interest would help create who she is today and that she would continue with her passion. Austin continued to sketch and draw while she was in high school.

What really took her interest was sketching and drawing on computers. There she could express her ideas on a whole new platform with endless options.

“My mom had really helped me explore new mediums of art,” Austin said. It was around this same time that she took a class about black and white photography. Austin explains how this class was new and different for her because when she was younger her art had a close relationship with color.

Black and white photography helped her take a new and different perspective on surroundings rather than medium. At some point in her academic career she took a photography course as a required class.

“The class had really evolved and formed into something that I really ended up loving,” Austin said. “I never wanted to leave the classroom.” She explains that without her teachers she wouldn’t have found her interest in photography. They helped open up new doors for her and her future.

“Photography for me is a window into the mind and it makes it easier to see uniqueness in a subject that may appear repetitive to others,” Austin said.

When it came time for Austin to make decisions for her future she intended to go to school at the University of Washington. However, she realized that they did not have the fashion program she desired. This made Green River a better fit for her career path.

This realization forced her to make some difficult decisions, but she is glad to be enrolled at Green River College because of all the programs that the college offers.

Austin has also put time into learning Spanish, French, Japanese, and Italian on her own time. “I focus on languages because in the future it could help me with a degree and finding a career,” Austin said.

She has relied on her passion since she was young to help her determine both her career path and what classes she should take at Green River College to help her in all of her future endeavors.