Today we’d like to introduce you to Neil Tandy

Hi Neil, please kick things off for us with an introduction to yourself and your story.

I picked up my first camera at 12 years of age, a Kodak instamatic and that ignited a spark that has since burned brighter and brighter. My first 35mm SLR, a Praktika MTL-3, was purchased in 1984 and my first digital camera, a Panasonic Lumix FZ30 in 2005. I got my first DSLR in 2008 and a love affair with Canon cameras began, to the present when I am using the Canon R5.
For the bulk of my working life, I was an electrical and electronics engineer who was a keen amateur photographer. On moving to USA in 2011, I took the step to change my career to that of a full time photographer and in the Summer of 2013 opened a studio on Long Island, NY – first with a partner, then in 2018 as Neil Tandy Photography on my own.

Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?

It has definitely not been a smooth road – creating a presence in a new country is never easy and even more so as an artist.
Along the way, the biggest struggles always seem to have involved financial resources and trying to have clients accept prices that are fair to both of us. Educating clients, or potential clients regarding pricing versus quality is never easy, especially with so many people owning cameras these days and choosing photography as a job.
Having some people even wanting work from me free of charge was definitely a difficult thing to deal with in the early days, until I learned to value my work and say no to those “opportunities”.|
Standing out from the crowd has been difficult with so much “noise”, but I have steadily built a solid reputation and a loyal client base.

Thanks – so what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?

My primary area is as a portrait photographer, often photographing magazine covers and features, shooting model portfolio work, editorial and headshots. I also do a lot of fine art photography when I get the chance, specifically for print sales and exhibitions – I particularly love photographing noir type urban scenes or using shutter drag techniques on a variety of subject matter. I have become quite involved in travel photography and writing during the last year or two, much of which is being published.
I mix things up on social media, but I am probably most know for my portrait work, especially black and white and the lighting approach I take, particularly in the studio, although my wildlife photography and urban work are also well known and collected.
My accomplishments are plenty, I am especially proud of the numerous magazine covers I have photographed and the five billboard campaigns that appeared in Time Square, NYC.
My lighting approach in the studio is quite unique, my adaptability and versatility are well known and my approach to making my shoots organic kieep things very relaxed and fun.

How do you think about happiness?

Simple – I love creating, having my camera in my hands and making people see how good they look in photos!
I love the one-on-one interraction in my studio. I also print a lot of my work and when I see it on paper instead of a computer screen, that makes me very happy.

Pricing:

• I base my session pricin on individual needs and requirements.
• My art photography is priced for the markets it is aimed at.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.neiltandy.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/neil_tandy/

Image Credits

Model: Saame Foxx (photos 5 and 6)