Meet Brian Bitterfeld | Cinematographer

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

Hi Brian, what do you attribute your success to?
To me, the most important factor behind my success has been to take almost every opportunity that has come my way. I’ve always said, there is no such thing as a bad opportunity. Almost every time, if you jump at a new opportunity, it will usually open up new doors that will eventually lead to bigger and better things. I always ask myself “what do I have to lose?” and the answer is usually “nothing”. When I was just starting out as a freelance camera man, I took every job that came my way, no matter how big or how small. Just to have the chance to meet new people and expand my brand however possible. I will never forget, laying in bed asleep and around 1am I get a text on my phone. My friend Cherie reached out asking if I wanted to go to Africa on a 2 week long remote film shoot. Immediately, I texted back “YES!” asking when the shoot was. When Cherie told me we would leave in a week I didn’t even know what to think. 7 days to prepare, get vaccinated and straight up leave the country to a remote location I had never even dreamt of going to. It was THIS opportunity that changed my career forever. Next thing I know, I’m on a plane to South Africa from which I would then travel to Zambia, a land locked country in the heart of Africa. From there on out I found my niche in what I call “Adventure Filmmaking” and continue to revolve my filmmaking career around. Since then I have filmed in Egypt, Jordan, Norway and Alaska to shoot in some of the most harsh conditions. If I hadn’t taken that spur of the moment trip to Africa, I’m not sure what I would be doing today. But what I do know is, whenever opportunities arise, I jump at them. You have nothing to lose!

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.
Currently, I work primarily as a camera operator in the television industry. I’ve worked with networks like National Geographic Discovery Channel, History Channel, BRAVO and many more. I began as a freelance videographer in Aspen, CO shooting lots of weddings, real-estate and local videos. From there I eventually networked enough to meet the right people to get me working in television. At first, it was really tough. Aspen is a very expensive place to live so to find enough freelance work to sustain that type of lifestyle did not come easy. Sometimes I would have to work multiple jobs on top of my freelancing to afford my rent and food. Eventually, the hard work paid off and I was only freelancing. Once I started working with larger television networks I decided to move to the Front Range of Denver where there were more work opportunities and more people doing the same type of filming as myself. Some thing I think that stuck with me the most growing myself as a freelance cameraman is maintain a strong work ethic. That strong work ethic will shine and will attract people to want to hire you for more and more gigs.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
This is perfect because my best friend Ben Fisher recently visited me a few months ago. To start it off, we went into Denver and took a stroll through the art district on 30th and Larimer. We checked out all the graffiti and got some drinks at a local bar. From there we drove up to the town of Nederland for a quick hike to a high alpine lake then drove down through Boulder. I always like to take my buddies to Boulder because thats where I went to college so it has a special place in my heart. Plus is absolutely beautiful there, no matter the time of year. The next few days we got out of town and spent a good bit of time in Breckenridge. I think it really shows what Colorado has to offer. From the Front Range to the mountain towns. There is almost TOO MUCH to do in this state.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
Someone who deserves more than enough credit is my wife Taryn. If it wasn’t for her support, I would not be doing what I am doing today. My career involves lots and lots of traveling. A lot of times I am without cell phone or internet service. Without her support, I wouldn’t be where I am today. I owe a lot to her. Both for her physical and emotional support when I am gone from home. It’s a tough balance but she makes it way easier.

Website: www.bitterpictures.com

Instagram: bitter_pictures

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/brian-bitterfeld-246792a4