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

Tawny, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. Let’s start big picture – what are some of biggest trends you are seeing in your industry?

Smaller weddings – ever since COVID, people were downsizing their weddings. I think couples are going for smaller guest counts so they can spend time with those closest to them on their wedding day. This also allows couples to prioritize quality over quantity.

Guest experiences – whether that be a photo booth, portrait artist, live music, live painters

Outfit changes between the ceremony and reception

Paparazzi-style direct flash photography

Editorial inspired posing

All black attire for guests/more specific attire requirements for guests (usually revolving around a theme)

Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.

My name is Tawny Ballard. I am a traveling elopement, wedding, couple, and engagement photographer based in Chicago, IL. I also have an associate in St. Louis, MO. My work is intentional, timeless, editorial, and documentary in nature.

My love for photography started in 5th grade. I did a photography summer camp with those disposable cameras we all knew and loved in 2003. I still remember how 5th-grade me felt as I looked through that lens. I was fascinated by how objects and people appeared in photographs depending on how you framed it — the curve of a bench when you get the angle just right, the smile of a friend when you catch them mid-laugh, or the sky when the light was just peeking through the clouds.

When I was in middle school, all of my besties joined together and bought me a point-and-shoot digital camera. To this day, that is by far the best gift I ever received. I cried grateful tears — it was something I wanted more than anything. I used that little digital camera to document anything and everything, using my friends as models any moment they were willing. In high school, that point-and-shoot got upgraded to a professional-level camera and my love for documenting people grew. I kept photographing throughout high school and into my adult life. I shot my first wedding for a friend in 2017 and was immediately hooked. I remember thinking that night, “I want to do this for the rest of my life.” The rest is history.

I entered the wedding photography industry because I never wanted any couple to feel like their love isn’t worth celebrating. I know firsthand what it feels like to be discriminated against because of your sexuality. Couples deserve to be unconditionally loved and celebrated on their wedding day and I’m here to do just that. Whether they have the most supportive family in the world or not one of them is planning to come to their wedding, whether their wedding budget is $10k or $100k, whether they’re queer or straight, they deserve to be unconditionally loved, accepted, and celebrated on their wedding day.

I am most proud of two features — one in British Vogue, and another in Brides. Both were dream publications for me, so to be featured is a huge honor.

Can you talk to us about how your funded your business?

I worked as if I had two full-time jobs for an entire year before leaving my 9-5. I worked a steady, 40-hour-per-week job doing marketing at a university. I put in the work before leaving my primary position. 90% of the profit from my photography business during that year either went to savings or to reinvesting in my business.

How did you build your audience on social media?

I have a somewhat humble social media presence compared to many soloprenuers – I have about 5k followers on TikTok and just shy of 4k on Instagram. However, social media is definitely the #1 way I bring in business. There are two pieces of advice I would give to those trying to build an audience:

1. Stay consistent. It may feel like you’re screaming into the void, but people are watching and listening. Showing up consistently builds trust with your audience. A few hundred people may not feel like many followers, but you wouldn’t say the same if you were standing on a stage in front of 300 or 400 people. You have power and influence. Use it.

2. Don’t be afraid to lean into your own brand voice and be polarizing. You want to build a loyal audience that believes in you and wants to invest in your product or service. Your goal is not to get everyone to like you, it’s to get the right people to like you. Show up and use your voice. It only takes a few pieces of semi-viral content to really grow.

Contact Info:

• Website: tawnyballardphotography.com
• Instagram: instagram.com/chicagoweddingphoto
• Facebook: facebook.com/tawnyballardphotography

Image Credits
Tawny Ballard Photography