We were lucky to catch up with Peniel Tavarez recently and have shared our conversation below.

Peniel, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today How do you feel about asking friends and family to support your business? What’s appropriate, what’s not? Where do you draw the line?

On one hand, I deeply appreciate any support from friends and family. A share, a like, a kind word they mean a lot. But I’ve learned not to expect it. My photography is about human connection and capturing people as they really are, and ironically, building a business around that has taught me to let go of expectations even with the people closest to me.

I think it’s appropriate to let people know what I do and to share it with pride. I’ve posted on my personal socials, talked about it in conversation, and invited friends and family to shoots when it made sense. What’s not appropriate? Guilt tripping. Or putting people in a weird spot where it feels like if they don’t support you, they’re failing you. That never aligns with the energy I want around my work.

I draw the line at begging. My art, my photography it’s personal. It carries weight. And I want the people who support it to do so because they see that. If they don’t, that’s okay. I’m building this for the people who do. I’d rather have five strangers who genuinely vibe with my work than 20 friends sharing it out of obligation.

Every time I shoot, I try to make the person feel comfortable. We talk nothing heavy, just human. And to my surprise, they open up.
They tell me what they’re working on, what drives them, their hopes, their dreams.

And when that happens, I realize
It’s not support for myself that I’m really looking for. With my camera I’m trying to support others. To reflect their light back to them.

To remind them that who they are is enough because honestly, it never felt like that for me.

Peniel, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?

My name is Peniel, I’m the photographer behind Crow’s Eye View a name that came from always looking up, always observing, and wanting to capture the world from a perspective most people overlook. I’m someone who’s always been drawn to human connection.

it started because I didn’t always feel seen myself. I knew what it felt like to feel invisible in a world full of noise. So when I picked up a camera, it wasn’t to create images—it was to create space. A space where people could be themselves. Where they didn’t have to perform or shrink or perfect anything.
I got into photography because I wanted to remind people that they matter.

So many people feel uncomfortable in front of the camera. They don’t recognize themselves in photos. Or they’ve been told they’re not “photogenic.” I help change that. I don’t photograph perfection I photograph presence.

I don’t show up to pose you and leave. I show up to see you. I talk with you. I learn your story. And what we create together becomes something that reflects not just what you look like, but who you are. It’s connection first, camera second.

What I’m most proud of:
When people tell me, “I’ve never liked a photo of myself until now.”
Or when they say, “That shoot helped me feel like me again.”
That’s it. That’s the whole point

Crow’s Eye View isn’t about me. It’s about you.
Your story. Your softness. Your strength.
Whether you’re building something, healing something, or just trying to exist more fully this space is for that.

Alright – let’s talk about marketing or sales – do you have any fun stories about a risk you’ve taken or something else exciting on the sales and marketing side?

It wasn’t about ads or algorithms it was about trusting my gut and showing up real.

One week, I had a shoot scheduled at a cemetery. The person canceled, but I was already there, so I decided to walk around. I grabbed my camera just to shoot for the love of it.

I ended up by a koi pond peaceful, quiet. That’s when I saw a woman placing flowers on a grave. I offered to take her photo. She agreed, and I sent it straight to her phone.

She asked how much.
I said, “Nothing. I just wanted you to have that memory.”

She smiled and I never forgot that moment. It reminded me:

The strongest marketing strategy is your why.
And for me, my why was never about the money.

Since then, I’ve just kept showing up for people.
And in the process, opportunities keep showing up too.

My Marketing strategy is building community.

Where do you think you get most of your clients from?

The best source of new clients has been people.

Word of mouth

When I focus on showing up fully for the person in front of me, for their story, for the experience it creates something people want to share. They tell their friends. They post about it. They remember how it felt to be seen.

Sometimes it’s someone reposting a photo I took.
Sometimes it’s someone saying, “You should work with them—they really listen.”
Sometimes it’s someone I offered a free shoot to, just because I believed in their story.

I’ve learned that when your why is solid and your work is honest, your people will find you and bring others with them.

So yeah, no fancy funnel. Just intention, presence, and community.
It grows slow, but it grows deep. And that’s what I want.

Contact Info:

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/crowseye_view