Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Tyler Church. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Hi Tyler, thanks for joining us today. What do you think matters most in terms of achieving success?

To be successful, I think you need to be incredibly passionate about what you want to do. It has to be what drives you even when the money isn’t coming in. Not everyone is going to understand or see your vision, but you need to trust in yourself and push through that noise even in hard times.

I also think that success can look different at different ages and stages of your career. Throughout my 20s, success required a lot of sleepless nights building my brand, editing, and networking. Grinding and pushing myself mentally, physically, and emotionally to my limits while working on the road for clients, sometimes even balancing school or a 9-5 job in between gigs. It was needed, and I’m very thankful for it all because it led me to places I could have never dreamed of, but I also realized how unhealthy some of that is.

Going into my 30s, I’ve accomplished so much of what I originally set out to do, so it’s led to me redefining what success looks and feels like to me. Now, I’m looking to find more of a work-life balance, create new goals to attain, work for some bucket list clients, and just enjoy everything that I’ve worked so hard for. If I can do that, in my own eyes, I’m successful.

Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers.

I started my photography business in 2010 while I was still in high school at 15 years old. Back then, I was covering mostly skateboarding and snowboarding, but soon found my way into the music industry with events like the Vans Warped Tour.

Over the last 15 years, I’ve been the lead photographer for over 40+ festivals and have covered concerts, tours, sports, corporate events, and commercial work. I’ve assembled and directed 30+ media teams and worked with sponsors, artists, athletes, and marketing departments to provide coverage for their events and brands. Some of my clients have included the Vans Warped Tour, Disco Donnie Presents, the Pro Football Hall of Fame, Danny Wimmer Presents, Insomniac Events, Johnson Controls, and AEG.

Learning and unlearning are both critical parts of growth – can you share a story of a time when you had to unlearn a lesson?

Before the pandemic, I made my entire life about my career. From 2010-2020 I didn’t have much sense of self outside of it. I allowed it to shape my entire identity. When it all came crashing down in 2020 I didn’t even know who I was because I didn’t have a life or even an understanding of my life outside of my career. Moving forward after the pandemic, I had a new mindset and appreciation for myself outside of my career. It’s not my whole identity, it’s just a piece of the equation, and there are lots of things that collectively make up me and my life.

What do you find most rewarding about being a creative?

I’ve always loved captivating storytelling in all aspects of life, and I get to tell stories through my photos for some of my favorite companies, artists, and athletes. Sometimes it’s showcasing a festival weekend full of music, friends, and immersive experiences, and other times it’s documenting an NFL player being inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame with tears in their eyes as they reflect on their career and life. Telling stories is such a beautiful aspect of being human, and I’m so thankful my job involves working closely with people to share those stories.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.tylerchurchphotography.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tylerchurch
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/tylerchurchphotography
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tylerjchurch
• Twitter: https://twitter.com/T_Church

Image Credits

Cover photo: Drew Shaffer
All other photos by Tyler Church