There are some conversations that you immediately know will shift your life - the kind where you walk away and realize you’re seeing everything just a little differently than before. Such was the case when I reached out to Brittany Colt (My Flying Dress Photoshoot Experience with Brittany Colt & Shawn Reeder) with what felt like an offhand message: “Hey, I’m in Mammoth and heading out tomorrow - do you have time for coffee?”
It was a spontaneous, low-stakes invitation.No grand agenda, no carefully rehearsed talking points. Just two creatives and the hope that schedules might align. Fortunately, they did.
Brittany said yes, and we agreed to meet at Black Velvet Coffee for coffee and conversation.
Brittany’s is the creative force behind some truly breathtaking photography experiences in the Eastern Sierras – including the stunning flying dress shoots she does in collaboration with her partner, Shawn Reeder. I had experienced one of those shoots firsthand, and it had already planted a seed of admiration for her artistic vision and the way she approaches her craft. Sitting down with her in person, that admiration only deepened.
We talked about art. We talked about creativity, process, intention, and the quiet courage it takes to build a life around making beautiful things. Somewhere in the middle of all of it, something clicked for me. Brittany said something – I won’t pretend to remember the exact words – but it landed squarely on a thought I had been circling for months without fully confronting: I was doing myself a disservice by not moving my email newsletters to Substack.
People will – and want – to pay you to write. Allow people to come out and support your art.
- Brittney Colt
It sounds like a small, practical thing. But in that moment it felt like someone had gently pointed out a door I had been standing in front of and refusing to open. The realization wasn’t dramatic; it was quiet and certain, which is often how the most important ones arrive.
After our conversation, I order a Fig Spice Latte (Fig, white sugar, cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, cardamom) for the road.
It was the perfect final note on a beautiful visit.
Black Velvet Coffee
3343 Main StreetMammoth Lakes, California 93546
