Today we’d like to introduce you to Tyler Smiley

Hi Tyler, we’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.

So, I’d say my photography story began back when I was between 12 and 16 years old. Back then, my family had a boat that we’d go out on fishing in the Delaware Bay. At the time, I would leave my cell phone in the car to ensure I didn’t accidentally drop it in the water (because, of course, as a teenager I couldn’t live without my phone). When we’d be out, I would then use my parents’ phones to snap some photos. The one that really sort of kickstarted my interest in photography is one I took on a rougher day. We were coming back in to the dock when I saw an opportunity to take some photos of water splashing all over the place from the boat hitting the water. In one moment, I was able to snap one that had a jetty marker in it behind the splash, which I recall my parents saying was a really cool photo and would make a cool print.

Fast forward a few years, and despite still taking some phone photos, my interest cooled a little bit but I decided to get a camera and try getting into photography again. This time, I laid claim to my family’s (at the time) 10+ year old Kodak point and shoot. This camera had the look and feel of a DSLR, but was just a fancier point and shoot. I wanted to see how much I used this camera before investing a couple hundred dollars into a new DSLR, so it went to college with me for the Fall 2016 and Spring 2017 semesters. It went to the zoo near the college I went to a time or two, and a couple other places, leading to some really cool and fun photos.

The following summer, summer of 2017, I decided I used that Kodak enough to justify spending the money on an entry level DSLR – the Canon EOS Rebel T6. From there, the rest is pretty much history. Photography has become more and more a part of my daily life, and I’m thankful to say it has been my full-time career since November 2022. Today, I work primarily as a real estate photographer since the income is more consistent and reliable, but absolutely love adventuring around the Delaware Coast taking beachscapes and capturing our native wildlife on camera.

I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?

The road has been full of ups and downs, but I am very appreciative that has been the case, as it has helped me grow as a photographer and person.

One of the biggest struggles was getting myself established – which, to be honest, I would go so far as to say is still a work in progress as well. Even though I’d been sharing my work online since 2018, I don’t think I would say I was actually an established photographer until about 2021, as that was when I really started to get some solid local recognition. That said, as I have grown this into a business and career, I’ve continued to work on establishing myself locally as our area continues to grow. Additionally, I’ve started to branch out into some other areas along the coast and have had to establish my name and presence in those markets as well. As you work to get your name out there as a photographer and establish your name/brand, you will go through a lot of rejection. You just have to push through it all – I’m living and breathing proof of this.

For example, last year in the real estate photography branch of my business, I photographed about 125 homes in total for ALL of 2023. So far this year, in 2024, I am almost at 200 and we still have about a quarter of the year to go – it is because I pushed through the rejection and continued to work on establishing myself.

Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?

I divide my work into two main segments – real estate photography and landscape/wildlife photography.

Real estate photography consists of me taking photos of properties going up for sale or that are listed as vacation rentals (this is really common for me, being in a resort area).

The landscape and wildlife photography is pretty self-explanatory. This is just me going out, exploring, and capturing landscapes or native wildlife.

With my focus being on these two completely different types of photography, I would say I am most proud of just how far I’ve come as a photographer since I first got started. When I look back at some of my earlier images with that Canon EOS T6 versus what I am putting out now, I can hardly believe they were taken by the same person. It truly is incredible.

As far as what sets me apart from others, I would say it is my willingness to try capturing my own angles and perspectives. In my area, there are countless talented photographers, but one thing I’ve noticed over the years is that most of them (myself included, to be fair) capture a lot of the same scenes and scapes from the same perspectives. Over the last year or two, I’ve tried to challenge myself and change the narrative so to speak. I’m now trying to find my own way of portraying our local landmarks and the beaches along the Delaware Coast, rather than continuing to share the same thing in different lighting or weather conditions. It adds an aspect of challenge to the work, and also a sense of excitement to showcase the world through new and unique perspectives.

Do you have recommendations for books, apps, blogs, etc?

As a photographer, I’d have to go with the old standbys here – Photoshop and Lightroom.

That said, social media platforms like Facebook, TikTok, and Instagram go a long way as well because I can find other photographers to use as inspiration in my work – be this by seeing things in their editing style to try or new locations to venture out to.

The same can be said of YouTube, as I find myself regularly watching some tutorials or recommendations of different techniques that can be used in the work I do.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.tylersmileyphotography.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tylersmileyphotography
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/tylersmileyphotography
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@tylersmileyphotography
• Other: https://www.tiktok.com/@tylersmileyphotography

Image Credits
My personal photo/portrait was taken by Kevin Lynam