Breanne Furlong is one of the four artists featured in the PL130 Gallery's photography show Moms With Lenses. She is a photographer and art director made and raised in Philadelphia. Scroll down to see the photos that are featured in the show and to read our interview with her.
Q: Can you tell us a bit about yourself?
A: I am a photographer and mother, made and raised in Philadelphia. I’ve been practicing photography for almost 20 years. It is ingrained in my identity and it fuels my joy. Outside of my personal work, I’ve spent 12 years working in advertising, photographing brands both big and small. My portfolio is diverse - spanning from portraiture to still-life. I am also mother to a 10 month old baby girl, who can usually be found tangled up around my legs while I’m shooting. Now when I create work, it is no longer just for me, but for her and with her. Though motherhood is incomprehensibly exhausting, she inspires me to work harder, but in the right moments, to slow down.
Q: What sparked your interest in photography?
A: I felt lost as a child, and as a teenager. My home, my family, it all felt volatile in many ways. Photography gave me a safe space to speak.
Q: How has the experience of motherhood informed or transformed your work as a photographer (and changed your life in general)?
A: Motherhood has given me the courage to take control over my schedule. I’ve learned to say no, and to decline work that isn’t for me. If it’s not worth a moment away from Paloma, I’m not doing it. With that said, I’ve been able to refocus and capture the beauty in things that naturally occur, versus coordinating the perfect moment.
Q: What is it like to have your children as your subjects? How is that different from other photography you’ve done in the past?
A: I have always carefully observed and photographed the people I love with patience and admiration.
Q: Has covid affected your family unit? And has it influenced your work?
A: I think the pandemic is what gave me my first child. If I hadn’t been forced to slow down, focus inward, and hold my family close, I’m unsure if I would have had a child. Though the pandemic has given me a lot of anxiety and fear, it has also given me time, and in a strange way I am grateful.
Q: Your work includes both candid and posed shots. What do you like about the results of each approach?
A: I do love capturing a natural, raw moment, but there are parts of my brain that see the world through a very graphic lens. Controlling the shot, gives me more control over color and composition to create a much more fun and dynamic image.
Visit Bre's website to see more of her work and follow her on Instagram @brefurlong