Student Profile
Life Coming Into F
cus by James Knight Director of the MHU Career Center
Florida native Brittany Leckrone ’19 fell in love with the mountains of North Carolina while on family vacations throughout her childhood. The dramatic change of scenery from her home town of West Palm Beach, Florida, was captivating. The pull of the area got stronger as she surveyed schools to attend after high school. Being a dancer from an early age, she saw the energy and spectacle of the Bailey Mountain Cloggers as nearly irresistible and chose to come to Mars Hill and try for a spot on the team. It didn’t take her long to learn the ropes and carve out a place for herself on the team and on campus. Despite some initial indecision, Brittany chose graphic design as a major. The subject went hand-in-hand with her interest in photography, an interest that started around age 12, when she hijacked her mom’s brand new camera and started shooting pictures in her neighborhood. Her course work at Mars Hill showed her a vast landscape of opportunities and further spurred her passion and curiosity for the skill and craft needed to portray stories through images. One day, a classmate who had just returned from studying abroad told her about living and learning in Italy. Inspired by the classmate’s stories, Brittany began exploring what it would take to have a similar experience. In the summer of 2018 she set off to study art history, design, and photography in the cradle of the Renaissance, Florence, Italy. Her host school, Lorenzo de Medici Italian International Institute, offered a rigorous learning environment and schedule, but also allowed plenty of time to find awe and inspiration in the buildings, emporiums, and countryside. “I learned a lot while studying in Florence,” she says. “It taught me how and where to focus my attention–on what’s important to me–and that’s connection! When you’re shooting fashion shoots, 14 Mars Hill, the Magazine | Spring 2019
there is something about working with people that is exciting. There’s a connection with the models as people that has to happen to tell a story that’s unique and inspiring,” she said. Brittany said she became curious and fascinated with food photography because of its slower, more methodical pace. “It has to be precise and intentional,” she says. “Fashion is fast-paced. It’s exciting and glamorous! But I like the steady pace of food photography. It could take a whole day to get that ONE perfect shot. It takes careful planning to pull it off.” She admits that coming back to the States and back to the mountains was a bit of a culture shock in reverse. She found it hard to get back into a rhythm and concentrate her first semester back, but then an unexpected encounter changed her view. Brittany has been helping a growing church fellowship in Asheville, North Carolina, with its social media and marketing presence. The job gave her the stability and scheduling rigor she needed and allowed her to reflect and find calm and purpose. “Looking for happiness can sometimes feel empty; it’s not the same as finding purpose. As I serve creatively at my church, it’s added something I never expected–personal and professional growth for me.” Brittany’s professional growth received a huge boost in February, when she received a silver award for piece called “Lines and Angles,” from the western N.C. chapter of the American Advertising Federation. Her work will now go on to the judged at the district level. You can find an interview with Brittany in the Mountain Movers series on our website at www.mhu.edu. You can also see more of Brittany’s work on her professional website: www.brittanyleckrone.com.
Background, Brittany in Florence, Italy. Above, left: While she was in Europe, Brittany had the chance to visit the original Mars Hill, in Greece. Above, middle: A sample of Brittany’s food photography. Above, right: Her awardwinning photographs, “Lines and Angles”.
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