We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Alyssa Tranbarger. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Alyssa below.

Alyssa, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. How did you learn to do what you do? Knowing what you know now, what could you have done to speed up your learning process? What skills do you think were most essential? What obstacles stood in the way of learning more?

For me, learning photography has been about trial and error and figuring out what works and what doesn’t. I don’t necessarily think there’s one “right” way to be a photographer or one “right” way to learn; as long as you’re having fun and you enjoy the artistic practice, that’s what matters most. I’ve had many cameras in my life since I was a kid, and everything I learned behind the camera came from experimenting and practice. Up until this year, I bounced around in many different niches trying to figure out my style and what lit my soul on fire creatively. I got really serious about photography in 2018 when I took photos for UNT’s marching band, and then toured the country doing media for a Texas drum corps. I stuck with marching arts action shots for a while, then jumped into portraits, graduations, families, weddings, events, literally any opportunity I could get my hands on to work with my camera.
It wasn’t until 2022 that I decided to focus exclusively on creative portraits, but it’s definitely where I’m happiest. I love the entire creative process – it truly feels like I’ve birthed something from the depths of my soul and seeing everything come to life is incredibly rewarding. I’ve really enjoyed diving in to conceptualizing shoots, putting together mood boards, and putting intention into every step.
In terms of editing, I learned most of that in my high school years. I was lucky enough to go to a magnet school, where one of my classes focused entirely on the Adobe suite. That’s where I learned the majority of my editing techniques, and those skills became absolutely essential when I decided to do photography full time. There’s lots of things that have changed in Lightroom and Photoshop over the last 10 years, but it definitely would have been more difficult had I tried to teach myself all of that from scratch. In recent years, I’ve picked up a lot of inspiration and technical tips from other creatives because of social media, but the goal has never been to do what someone else has already done.
Truly, my biggest obstacle has been myself. As a creative, it’s so easy to slip into comparing yourself to other people or feeling like you’ll never be good enough. I feel like sometimes I’ve held myself back for fear of not being able to accomplish what I’m envisioning. My biggest motivators are my models and my support system at home. They always remind me of my purpose and help me focus on what’s most important – having fun making art. They’re the reason why I do what I do and help lift me up when I’m doubting myself.

As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?

I’m a creative portrait photographer based in Dallas, Texas, and my work is inspired by music, art, and the runways of New York and Paris. Working on a shoot with me is a full-on production – I bring to life each unique concept with the help of models, stylists, hair and makeup artists, lighting, and creative direction. I’m most proud of and thankful for the community I’ve made with other phenomenal artists because of my photography. My mission is to inspire other creatives through my art and foster self-love for my clients. I aim to create vibrant, bold, and eccentric photos that could have been ripped right out of a high fashion magazine.

What do you think is the goal or mission that drives your creative journey?

My long-term goal is to open my own studio so I can create out of one space permanently! I’d also love to start working more diligently in the fashion industry and shoot fashion shows and campaigns for local brands.

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

The most rewarding thing about being a creative is becoming integrated into a community of other artists. I’ve made some of my best friends because of this industry, and getting to create with people who think the same way you do is an electrifying experience.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.alyssatranbargerphotography.com
• Instagram: @alyssatranbargerphoto
• Facebook: @alyssatranbargerphoto

Image Credits
Personal photo: Lexi Sanchez @lexoreno