We had the good fortune of connecting with Bree Steffen and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
I was TV news reporter for years, so I have some crazy stories from that time of my life! I am most proud of my free-spirit and not being afraid to make changes in my life that most people wouldn’t risk. One of my favorite sayings is “We’re not trees; if you don’t like where you are, move!” It’s scary and hard, but exhilarating at the same time! The pursuit of happiness and loving your work is a noble one.

My style of shooting is very photojournalistic. I love capturing moments as they happen naturally and hate staging anything. I recently started selling prints of my work, and that was a huge step for me personally because I kept having doubts in my head that I wasn’t good enough to have anything I shot hanging on someone’s wall. I think we all struggle with feeling like we’re good enough, and I remember being super excited when I sold my very first print this past spring! A huge goal of mine is to keep my prints accessible and affordable to everyone, so no matter who you are, you can have a beautiful work of art hanging in your home. I also love working with couples and small businesses to really showcase their personality, whether that’s through photos or videos!

One of the hardest things I learned as a storyteller is the power of the “pause.” It’s hard not to fill the awkward silence during an interview or follow up immediately with another question; seasoned storytellers will tell you if you keep quiet, sometimes the most powerful things are born out of that silence. Sometimes silence can speak volumes. I was also pretty messed up mentally after being in news for so long, which is what prompted me to take a break back in 2018. It was either pause and take care of myself, or I would continue to deteriorate. That was one of the best decisions of my life, and why I named my company Pause.

I also work as a science and conservation reporter for Spectrum News in LA, which is another dream job. After having such a horrible experience in local news it is wonderful to work with people who value great stories and beautiful art just as much as I do.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
I am a vegan, and there’s no better city to live in than San Diego for plant-based food!

For fancier dinners, I’d go to Donna Jean or The Plot. For the best ramen, The Yasai.

Some of my favorite drink-up places are Serpentine Cider (obvs) in University Heights and Miramar, The Hole in the Wall across from Liberty Station (they serve drinks in 32-oz pitcher!!!), Kindred if I want a fancy cocktail, and Silver Fox in Pacific Beach if I just want a super dive bar that’s cheap and fun!

I always love to do bonfires on the beach, visit Cabrillo National Monument and there is endless gorgeous hiking in San Diego! I’m also an avid rock climber, so I love to climb at Mesa Rim or hit up Mission Gorge for some outdoor climbing!

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
Chasing dreams is definitely easier with a support system. Mine comes in the form of my wonderful husband, Sean Harris, the owner of Serpentine Cider. When I mentioned straight-up quitting my job with no backup plan other than hopefully starting a successful business, his response was “Go for it! Sounds great!” It helped splitting rent and having someone to lean on financially when I was only making a couple hundreds bucks a month. As a small business owner himself, Sean gave me invaluable advice on how to operate, how to structure my business, how to navigate confusing legal stuff, how to deal with difficult clients, encouraged me to value myself when I started doubting and shared countless glasses of wine with me while I cried on the couch at the end of hard days. Some people get help starting their business from rich parents or investors; but just having someone who concretely believes in you is just as valuable to me (not to say I won’t take a million dollars if someone wants to invest in my company haha!).

I also find endless inspiration from the famous rock climber and free soloist, Alex Honnold. I have been a rock climber for years, but watching the move Free Solo was literally awe-inspiring. Every time I’m feeling unimaginative or tired or uninspired, I watch that movie. I think “If Alex can train for years to climb El Capitan without ropes, where the consequences of failure is death, I can schedule one more shoot or write one more story or reply to one more e-mail!” He also does amazing conservation work through his non-profit, the Honnold Foundation, and those values line up perfectly with what is important to me.

Website: https://pausecreativecollective.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/pausecreativecollective/ and https://instagram.com/breesteffenstories?igshid=OGQ5ZDc2ODk2ZA==

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pausecreativecollective/

Image Credits
Pause Creative Collective

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