Brandon Paillere

WRITTEN BY BIANCA NITTA MONTEIRO

PHOTOS TAKEN BY BIANCA NITTA MONTEIRO

PHOTOS EDITED BY BRANDON PAILLERE

Brandon Paillere is a portrait and fashion photographer based in New York City. As an Afro-Latino, Brandon navigates both his work and personal life in careful strides. His work displays meticulous thought, with much of it focused into the fine details that compose its sum.

As a Haitian and Guatemalan man, his identity growing up was often skewed to either black or Latino. “People have tried to convince me that I’m not black,” he explains, rather than face the complexity of his identity. “Whenever I was in a black group I was black, whenever I was in a Latino group I was Latino.” This tension leaked deeply into how he composed himself. Noticing that his duality contrasted to others not only in cultural identity but through creative thought, Brandon made it a point to lean deeply into differences.

As a creator, Brandon challenges those around him to battle the status quo — to him, mediocrity has never been an option. Instead, his work demonstrates a keen understanding of dynamic composition. His sights are often drawn to projects that require him to extend the limits of his creativity. In photography, this pushes him to champion inclusivity and sharply contrast his work from the oversaturated, white-dominant community around him, as well as from those who do not push their work.

In the long term, Brandon hopes for representation to open new gateways, allowing for more refreshing thought. “I want to challenge people’s mentalities and change the way people create,” he explains, “I want people to start being intentional with what they’re saying to the world.” Currently, Brandon is working on a short film series. He also hopes to move forward with strictly POC-driven projects in order to strengthen the impact of strong POC work and heighten the community’s sensitivity to new and valuable perspectives.

Brandon is the creative director of Encounters Magazine and is a senior at Baruch College. His work can be found on his Instagram or on his website www.brandonpaillere.com.