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

Meg , thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. So let’s jump to your mission – what’s the backstory behind how you developed the mission that drives your brand?

I started Sweet Home Photography in 2019 with the goal of bringing photography services to older adults and their families. We photograph babies, kids, pets, brides, grooms, and graduates all the time, but how often do we stop to capture the oldest members of our families and the legacies they have created?

The true roots of my mission began to take hold when my own family was in the process of selling my grandparents’ home after my grandfather passed. That house was so important to our family’s legacy and it was heartbreaking to think that we would not see it again. By taking photographs of not only the spaces as a whole but the small details that were meaningful to us, I felt some peace in knowing we could carry those memories with us in a tangible way.

My husband’s grandparents built their own home at the start of their marriage, and ultimately had to move in their 90’s due to mobility and safety concerns. Seeing how this beautiful space that they literally created from the ground up became a source of struggle for the whole family added another layer to my purpose–taking time to photograph their space helped us to bring attention back to the beauty of the space during this challenging time.

Throughout my social work career I have seen so many other families struggle like mine did, and it became clear to me that photographs can be a useful tool to slow down and appreciate the beauty in the midst of sadness and struggle. Whether I meet you as your photographer or your therapist, my job is to honor and recognize your story.

Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers

When I was in high school I fell in love with photography–the ability to freeze a moment in time to tell a story felt like magic. I started college working towards a degree in studio art and photography. During that time my grandfather really started to struggle with the impact of aging, and seeing my family go through the process of caring for him made me realize that photography was not my only passion. I added minors in psychology and gerontology to my college coursework with the goal of someday being able to work with families like mine. After graduation I completed my MSW and started working as a social worker in 2012, spending years in emergency medicine, critical care, and oncology before landing in my current roles of mental health therapist and geriatric research interventionist.

I finally picked my camera back up after years of focusing only on the social work side of my career because the stories of the patients and families I was working with felt so important. Approaching a photo shoot with my social work values at the heart of what I do is something that makes Sweet Home Photography different. For me, my camera is a therapeutic tool that can be used just like the techniques I use in counseling sessions to help people process change and challenge while identifying strengths and success. Whether I am photographing a happy occasion (like the surprise 90th birthday I shot last month–so fun!) or taking photos of a home after its inhabitants have passed, to be able to create a moment of pause to appreciate and sit with the emotions at hand is so important. Utilizing social work skills to bring attention to this during a shoot is something that I am proud to be able to do.

What’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative in your experience?

The most rewarding part of being an artist for me is the feeling when I am able to accurately capture a story. Being in the right place at the right time and getting that perfect shot or focusing in on a detail that is meaningful to the viewer is what made me fall in love with photography at the beginning, and that hasn’t changed. Seeing clients and families have an emotional connection to the images I create is really what makes it worth it.

Have you ever had to pivot?

I had just started to really network with the geriatric care community in my area when COVID hit. It became essentially impossible during quarantine to make new connections with older-adult referral sources. During that time I shifted my focus to outdoor shoots with families and younger adults—while this felt discouraging at first it was actually a good reminder that people have stories to tell at any age. It also helped me to build my client base.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.sweethomephotoroc.com
• Instagram: @sweethomephotoroc (instagram.com/sweethomephotoroc/)
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/sweethomephotorochester