16 Year Old Starts Photography Business In SF

by Jennifer Hudspeth
July 25, 2012 9:39 PM


Between balancing school, work, and friends, most teens keep pretty busy.  But one Sioux Falls teenager has also added entrepreneur to her list of accomplishments.  At just 16 years old, Brianna Claassen has started her own business capturing memories.  With a click of a button she’s creating works of art that will last a lifetime, and we think that makes her someone you should know.

A newborn swaddled in her arms, and a lullaby playing in the background...at sweet 16, Brianna Claassen is not babysitting; instead it's all part of the job.

"I've done pretty much everything, I've done newborns, family, kids, first birthday parties, 60th birthday parties, everything," says Claassen.

With the sleeping infant perfectly posed, she quickly springs into action. As her eyes focus on angles, light, and shadow... it may be hard to believe her talent went undiscovered until last December.  Seven months ago, her company Stolen Moments Photography was born.

Claassen says, “People can take the picture and use it around their home and it's there forever.”

While her models, especially the newborns, aren't always cooperative, patience is key.  However, not every moment of owning a business has been picture perfect for Brianna. She says she’s already had her fair share of people tell her she's too young to start a business...and when told she's not good enough, Brianna knows just what to say.

“I try to look at the positive side of it and say, I'm very blessed that I can do this even at 16 and I guess I try to stay positive about it,” says Claassen.

 And it's pretty easy to stay positive when you've already booked more than 50 sessions including two weddings. As her portfolio continues to grow, she will soon return to the classroom, but Brianna knows this snapshot of her life is just the beginning.

Sessions with Brianna start at $50 for an hour. To book a session, just go to her facebook page, Stolen Moments Photography.

After high school, she plans to run her business full time while going to college for graphic design and photography.