Today we’d like to introduce you to Tara Welch.
Alright, so thank you so much for sharing your story and insight with our readers. To kick things off, can you tell us a bit about how you got started?
I have a background in printmaking and was always interested in unique photographic processes. I spent a lot of time begging my friends to model for me and then finding crazy ways to print the images on a variety of surfaces. Eventually, I evolved out of printmaking and started focusing on photography exclusively. Post-college, I was part of the Dallas art gallery co-op, 500X and was an artist in residence at the Bemis Center for Contemporary Arts. Then I fell in love with a scientist and moved to Hawaii to be with him. To support me where I started photographing tourists on vacation and weddings. I was surprised to discover how much I loved working with new people every day and getting to know them.
I’m sure you wouldn’t say it’s been obstacle free, but so far would you say the journey has been a fairly smooth road?
After Hawaii, we moved to DC and then eventually came home to Austin, Texas. So I restarted my business in a new place twice! That was rough. About three years ago, I decided that I wanted to retire from wedding photography and focus exclusively on portraits. It’s been a rocky road to pivot like this but absolutely no regrets!
Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
At my heart, I’m a portrait photographer. While I try not to “prom pose” anyone, I am different from many photographers in the way that I do a decent amount of posing and coaching with my clients. No one has double chins on my watch! The trick is to get someone in a position where they are looking great and then tease out genuine emotion or action. I’m partial to urban environments, bright colors, big buildings, city lights and photographing women alone is my favorite!
Can you talk to us a bit about happiness and what makes you happy?
This is my dream job! I’ve been dressing my friends up and photographing them since I was 12 years old, so the fact I make a living doing this now is just freaking phenomenal. I am really grateful and feel very lucky.
Contact Info:
- Email: tara@tarawelchphotography.com
- Website: https://tarawelchphotography.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tara.welch.photography/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TaraWelchPhoto
- Yelp: https://www.facebook.com/TaraWelchPhoto
Image Credits
My headshot is by Lindsey Thorne.
