Founder’s Story
The world is my coloring book, Look! New discoveries every time when I color outside the lines” – Talib Kweli
As children, we’re taught to color inside the lines. But why color within those lines and keep ourselves in a box? When you color outside life’s lines, you valiantly open yourself up to a much bigger world out there ready to be explored. Better yet, when you color outside the lines, you not only learn more about life but more importantly you learn about yourself and your boundless capabilities. And if life has taught me anything, it’s that when it comes to embarking on new journeys such as going to school, moving to a new city, applying for that dream job, or starting your own business…Color Outside the Lines!
I’m Brian Zapata, the proud founder and owner of Fire Flicks LLC. Fire Flicks LLC is a sports photography company that offers photography services to high school and college sports programs, sports club organizations, as well as event and tournament directors in the greater Chicagoland area.
Taking a picture isn’t about taking and posting it on social media for all of your friends and old high school classmates to see. It’s about keeping a record of your greatest memories. As a child, my mom and sister always had a camera or camcorder in hand for every occasion you can think of—birthdays, vacations, holidays, or just a random Friday night. I didn’t know how significant this would be in my life until I grew older. At 34 years of age, I’ve unfortunately lost a few family members along the way, including my grandparents and my father. Whenever I have the opportunity, I always look at the pictures and home videos my mom and sister took to not only remember my humble beginnings, but to reminisce on the memories that I shared with the loved ones that are no longer with us. This inspired me to pick up a camera and record my own memories so that one day my children and grandchildren can look back at captured life moments and see what their father and grandfather was all about.
But my journey into sports photography was also sparked by a defining moment during my college years—attending my very first NBA game. I can still remember the energy in the arena and the electricity in the air. In that moment, I captured a photo of Derrick Rose, a Chicago legend and one of my favorite players. That single shot—frozen in time—showed me the power of sports photography to preserve not just action, but emotion, passion, and history. It planted a seed that would later grow into my vision for Fire Flicks LLC.
The inspiration didn’t stop there. Much like a river flowing into the sea, its strong current only further fueled my dream to create Fire Flicks LLC, so that I can use one of my life’s passions to be of service to those around me and to the community I live in. I take great pride in helping local athletes and sports programs in capturing the story behind the love, passion, and enthusiasm they have for their respective sport. My hope is that through creating Fire Flicks LLC, the happiness I find in capturing memories will help athletes not only build their personal brand, but also boost their confidence and motivation while attracting college and professional opportunities in the future.
Brian Zapata
Founder & Owner of Fire Flicks LLC