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

Alright, Tangie thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. We love asking folks what they would do differently if they were starting today – how they would speed up the process, etc. We’d love to hear how you would set everything up if you were to start from step 1 today.

If I were starting over, I would believe in myself a lot sooner. I spent way too much time doubting myself and my photography talent. I was afraid to step out and start growing my business because I felt like I was not as good as other photographers out there. I did not believe that my work measured up. If I were starting over, I would start with believing that I have talent, I am good enough, and I deserve to be in the photography space.

I could get to where I am today, faster and with less capital by starting with what I had at the time. When you are starting out in photography, you need a camera and lens. There is no need to worry about having the absolute best camera at start-up. There is no need to worry about having a ton of money to purchase all of the top equipment. All of this can come later and it will be better used once you have the knowledge and experience of how to use the equipment. Do not get into a mountain of business debt when just starting out – use what you have at that time and build from there!

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

I am a professional photographer in Atlanta, GA. In my photography portfolio you will find: portraits for families, maternity, headshots, branding, model portfolios and fashion photography. I love photographing my amazing clients and portrait work will always be near and dear to me but fashion photography is my dream niche. I am a fashion girl so photographing models and fashion is my jam.

I started falling in love with photography because of fashion! I used to buy all the fashion magazines and I not only loved looking at all the latest fashions but I also loved the photography and paid close attention to how the fashion was shot. I STUDIED those fashion photos. I would even cut them out of the magazine and save them in a binder. I had no idea that I would actually become a photographer one day.

Fast forward to 2006 and I bought my first digital DSLR camera. I let that camera sit around for a long time because I was afraid to get started. I would pick it up here and there but that was it. Right at the end of 2011 is when I really went for it. I started getting clients and then I started my business. There was no turning back and I just kept on pushing.

When I am working with my clients, I want them to not just “purchase a photo session” but I want them to have an entire Tangie Renee Photography “experience.” I want them to leave their photo session feeling amazing and confident that they will have amazing photos. For me, it is not just about the money with photography. It is truly a passion for me and I want to use my talent to help my clients feel their best. From start to finish, I want my clients to have a wonderful experience with lovely photos.

I am most proud of the fact that I never quit. This photography journey was really hard at times and I felt so discouraged and defeated. I wanted to throw in the towel and give up. But I did not. I kept pushing. So if there is someone reading this interview right now and you are trying to start or grow your business and it is getting difficult – do not quit. Please do not quit. This too shall pass. The tough times do not last forever and once you push through and learn from the challenges, you will be so glad that you never gave up. Try your best to focus on the passion and everything else will fall into place. You got this!

Can you tell us about a time you’ve had to pivot?

A time I had to pivot is when I thought I wanted to do photography full-time but it just was not a good time to quit the 9-5 job. Since I love photography so much, I just had this goal of going full-time ASAP and dumping the 9-5. That seemed to be what everyone else was doing so I felt pressured to do the same. I thought maybe that should be my story, too. But no…I first realized that it is smart to work a 9-5 while you are building a business because that 9-5 is going to FUND that business until you really start making money to put back into the business. Secondly, I soon realized that I really like having my corporate career right now. I have always been career-oriented and wanted a good, stable career in the corporate world AND THAT IS OKAY! (LOL.) There is nothing wrong with that and it is working for me. Just because I love photography so much does not mean that I have to make it my full-time job. As a matter of fact, I want to keep it a side-hustle so that I can continue to love it like I do. Sometimes turning a passion into a “job” can really cause stress and then you start to hate it. I would never want that for photography. So I had to pivot when it came to quitting the 9-5 and start a new mindset of “I am not going to pressure myself to quit my 9-5 if that is not what I want to do right now. It is perfectly fine to do both.”

Are there any resources you wish you knew about earlier in your creative journey?

I wish early on that I would have invested in myself and my business more with education. Now this does not necessarily mean a college degree but even photography conferences and different workshops where I could have gained a wealth of information for my business and my skillset. If there is anyone reading this and you are questioning if you should spend that $500 on that conference or workshop related to your brand or what you are trying to build – DO IT! It is an investment in yourself. Just make sure you do research to ensure that the “coach” or professional is reputable but other than that – go for it.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.tangiereneephotography.com
• Instagram: @tangiereneephotography

Image Credits
All Tangie Renee Photography photos by me.