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

Tara, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. Do you wish you had waited to pursue your creative career or do you wish you had started sooner?

I was late to the craft of photography and only learned to use a camera in my mid 30’s. I had an established career as a Family Physician and took a photography class at the suggestion of my husband after I mentioned buying a new camera when I already had a perfectly good one that I had no idea how to use. Photography then became an obsession filling most of my free time as I learned the craft and over time became an outlet from the stress of my day to day work.

I often wonder how starting my creative journey earlier would have altered my path as a photographer. How being exposed to different influences may have affected my creative choices for example. I gravitated towards nature photography in large part because I was living in Oregon at the time and was highly influenced by the large local landscape photography community. Maybe starting at a younger age, being less established in my medical career and less mature as an individual may have caused me to choose a completely different genre. Maybe in starting before the social media era I may have had more creative ideas unique to my own curiosity.

I am incredibly happy with the creative journey I am on currently but every so often I can’t help but wonder, what if?

Tara, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?

I was a late bloomer in the creative realm. Born in Barbados, I moved to the United States to pursue a career in Medicine. The sciences and linear thinking were all I knew. I always enjoyed taking pictures and collecting memories of special occasions and chapters of life but I didn’t learn how to USE a camera until my mid-thirties. I took a ‘Basics of Photography’ class to justify a new camera purchase and with that the obsession began.

Over the years there has been a progression in my images from following the trends to following my curiosity. I gravitate towards vibrant colors and unique textures and tend to prefer a less is more, minimalistic approach. Upon reflection I suspect with my images I seek to portray a simplicity that often eludes me in the busy day to day of life.

In the age of social media we are constantly bombarded with imagery and it can be incredibly difficult to find your own unique voice and vision. I am fortunate to be able to leave photography as a creative outlet rather than my main source of income and with that comes the freedom to create images for myself without the pressure of pleasing an audience. With that said, if I can entice the viewer to stop, ponder or simply admire for one second in this fast paced existence, then I have made work I can be proud of.

Is there mission driving your creative journey?

When I started out in photography, it was all about mimicking and ‘perfecting’ the craft. As I’ve matured I’ve found the most fulfillment through letting go of expectations and caring about others’ opinions about my work. The difficulty with this is we all crave acceptance. We all want to say we don’t care but we do.
The beauty of art and any creative endeavor is that we can do it throughout our lifetime and it can be a reflection of who we are at particular periods in life and my mission on this journey is to allow myself the freedom to let go.
This however, is easier said than done. Especially if you’ve been fortunate enough to have others resonate with your work. A never ending struggle but in the end freedom of expression is the ultimate goal.

For you, what’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative?

The most rewarding part of the creative journey has been getting to know a side of myself I didn’t know existed.
I never thought of myself as a creative person but photography has been a gift of self exploration. As I evolve as a human through experiences, my artistic vision too will shift and I am excited to watch how it all unfolds over time.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.taraworkmanphoto.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/taraworkmanphoto/
• Twitter: https://x.com/TaraWorkman_