Meet Brandee Rockett | The Nomadic Blue Butterfly: Photography & Art

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

Hi Brandee, what habits do you feel helped you succeed?
Habits that have supported my success, hands down, has been years of persistence despite failure. It may sound like oxymoron but learning the craft of photographic art has been quite the sum of many “failures.” Many would have given up (or never even started) having had to face the limitations I have faced in my photographic journey which have directly impacted my ability to hone in on my craft. Living with metastatic cancer is not easy. I do not allow it define me. However I cannot ignore how it affects day to day life much less my work. My work, like life, is full of peaks & valleys. I try to draw parallels of life lessons and apply them into my work: the practice of not caring what others think, staying humble when the craft comes easy, asking for help when the craft becomes difficult, giving my work to others (volunteerism), self care, and practicing “staying in the moment of today” (which is all really of us have anyhow) and not giving up despite setbacks is what consistently supports my success. Also, I do believe I have a true gift in seeing the world differently. I make time to see what some take for granted or do not intentionally seek out. As cliche as it sounds: I stop and smell the roses, I wake up early to watch the sunrises. I soak in the sunsets. I notice minute details & how light transforms a scene. I do the work mental and physical requirements to climb literal mountains. My work is very much firmly grounded in intentional “practice.” My hope is that “intention’ is conveyed through my work and transports the viewer as though they were standing next to me at the very moment the scene was captured.

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.
Many photographers have this gift of being able to capture moments. What sets my work apart is that it not only captures a moment, but an experience. It encompasses the whole scene that has the ability to transport the viewer into the moment itself. My ultimate artistic goal is that the viewer experiences it as if they were standing next to me.

Getting where I am today reminds me of the iceberg analogy where only the tip of the iceberg can be seen but not the depth and magnitude of the hard work below the surface. Lessons I learned along the way: in a world of tortoises and hares, it’s ok to be the tortoise. 2) Persistence despite significant odds and failures pay off. 3) Do not worry about what others think. Take what others say with a grain of salt. Listen to the possible kernel of truth that may or may not apply. 4) Value other successful photographers/small business owners opinions. Consider learning from them to anticipate obstacles and learn from their successes; It’s a timesaver. It definitely takes a village. 5) Be grateful, stay humble, and continued education is vital in all forms. 6) Self care is required . 7) It’s ok to not be ok.

“Life is the Adventure” sums up my brand in 4 words. Tomorrow is not promised to any of us. Time is finite. The present moment is all any of us really have. Time is a gift; it is not an entitlement. We do not always have control of circumstances but we can choose how we spend the time we are given. I was diagnosed with a chronic cancer in 2019 and turns out I had it for many years prior. It was metastatic upon diagnosis and the response to treatment was not complete. The cancer is not gone but also (currently) not growing. However the only proven cure didn’t work either and uncertainty is definitely challenging to deal with much less physical effects of significant treatment.

Even before my own diagnosis: early brushes with cancer made me eternally grateful for each day. I am thankful for the opportunity for growth I am afforded; personally & professionally. Hiking mountains, photography, and mediation practices has inspired me to expand my business this year to offer a new type of hiking tour complete with personalized keepsakes tailored to clients. I cannot wait to share my experience with others out on the trail, particularly to underserved people in the community. If I could share an important aspect from my experience with the world and shout from mountaintops “There is absolutely NO good cancer.” Anyone who has says otherwise is conflating misnomers. Life is the Adventure. Spend time wisely.

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?
If my best friend was in town, I would take her (after a long flight) to chill out at Hops & Pie off Tennyson. Living on the Front Range, we then hop on over to Rocky Mountain National Park via Big Thompson Canyon. Pre-sunrise we would hike to Dream Lake then drive up Trail Ridge. We would drive across the Continental Divide and I would take her for a sunset kayak excursion on Grand Lake. We would make all the stops including for abundant wildlife.

I wouldn’t be able to pass up showing her Lake Isabelle during wildflower season in the Indian Peaks Wilderness. We would then pop over for a post hike brew in rooftop restaurant in Boulder. The remaining days would spent on a road trip to from Colorado Springs to Crested Butte taking in all of the wildflower & scenic mountain views where we would tent camp along the way, hike, & and have iconic photoshoots with gorgeous mountain backdrops, in endless fields of wildflowers, underneath colorful Colorado skies.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
I am grateful to have so many in my corner that have given of themselves through effort, support , mentorship, love, & encouragement; so much so it is quite overwhelming to try and include them all. Stand out individuals are my mom, who not only tolerated but supported my National Geographic obsession. She is an inspiration as an award winning photographer who once passionately knew her way around a dark room. Also, she willingly let me borrow her 35 mm without restraint. My father’s legacy taught me that the little things in life mean the most. I think of him often while in nature particularly beautiful sunrises & sunsets. Life is short and not to take it for granted. I intentionally try to show that in my work and is the inspiration behind my slogan “Life is the Adventure”. I literally wouldn’t be here without the love and support of my husband & children. Not to mention their willingness to hike long distances at altitude & tolerate my photography.

I also appreciate friends who helped me muster the courage to learn to work a DSLR. I ended up investing in a second hand starter set in 2013. A few years later began working with my OG mentor Andy Heatwole: his technical expertise is unrivaled. However, when I moved 1000 miles to Colorado just before the pandemic began, it was pretty isolating. Friendships grew through photography group meet ups, particularly with Candayce Abney which is now a good friend & mentor. Personally, I had to take a few steps back professionally to maintain mental & physical health dealing with a chronic cancer diagnosis.

Enter First Descents, a non profit organization who helps underserved young cancer survivors thrive through adventure trips. I cannot really quantify how life changing it was to experience new adventures with people that understand the challenges young adults with cancer face with people that just get it. Also, I will never forget in my life 200: cancer survivors singing me Happy Birthday. It was a surreal experience I will never forget and #OutLIvingIt is more than slogan for me it’s the way I live life. I try my best to give back to others even when I am struggling because that was the kindness others have shown me. I am incredibly humbled that both Candayce Abney & Bethany Webb both nominated me. I choose to nominate First Descents, a non profit organization specifically to serve the underserved young cancer patients and inspire them to continue to thrive despite very difficult circumstances that young cancer patients find ourselves in. First Descents helped me take a radical step to reclaim my sense of self and continued purpose when I needed it most and I am only one of MANY lives they have changed.

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Image Credits
The Nomadic Blue Butterfly