We recently connected with Tara Fjetland and have shared our conversation below.

Tara, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. Can you talk to us about how you learned to do what you do?

I started my journey like many other photographers-I wanted to take decent photos of my own kids. I had a lighting fast 11 month old and my old point and shoot camera just wasn’t cutting it, so I purchased my first DSLR and the rest is history. I learned my craft by LOTS of trial and error, reading books, talking to other photographers, LOADS of googling and You Tube, and mentoring.

If I knew back then what I know now, it would have been to do what I love regardless of what I felt clients expected of me. I find that the burn out is real when you are not doing what you love, even if you are getting paid to do it. Your dream job becomes a chore if you aren’t shooting things that bring your passion.

I think learning how to shoot in manual mode and learning your lighting s the most important thing. Editing styles evolve, props and other things change frequently but having a good straight of the camera photo is KEY to being a great photographer that will stand the test of time.

I found that working a full time job in addition to photos and raising a family plus running a business got in the way of learning things quicker than I had hoped. There is always something to learn in this field, you will never get bored!

Tara, 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?

Hi, I’m Tara! I am a mom to 5 kiddos and am married to my soulmate. I have found my calling in connection which really has opened my eyes to what I want to my business to become as a whole. I started this as a fun little hobby about 12 years ago when my son was a baby and he moved so fast that my little point and shoot camera just wasn’t cutting it anymore. I bought my first DSLR camera on Black Friday, started taking photos of my kids, friends kids, and then friends of friends until it turned into a business.

I love to help my clients with styling their session, I help them with posing and trying to be their natural selves in front of the camera (so many people are worried about this part!) and just help them to relax and know that my sessions are NOT meant to have everyone smiling and looking at the camera, but rather just focus on each other, connect, bond and soak each other in for the hour or so that we are together. I think that my love of connecting people sets me apart from others and I have worked really hard to stand out against the traditional style of photographs. I have a huge love for children, babies and motherhood and love to capture those little in between moments. I thrive on chaos and enjoy meeting other big happy crazy families!!!

I am super proud of the growth that I’ve had over the years and just am continuing to grow. I love to learn and teach and hope to someday teach others in my field, giving back to people that are just starting out. There are so many hurdles and pain I have gone through in my journey that I want to help others learn and not have to go through the same mistakes that I’ve made.

Do you think there is something that non-creatives might struggle to understand about your journey as a creative? Maybe you can shed some light?

I honestly think that being a creative can be really really hard. There is so much comparison going on in our brains, and many people don’t realize that this job isn’t just point the camera and shoot. It’s so much more. It’s a huge learning curve, lots of skill and not just something you can learn overnight. I think creatives often times can be misunderstood and sometimes other people just don’t get it. Expectations can be really high for photographers when people want certain poses, groupings, etc and I’d love non creatives to know that our brain just isn’t thinking that way-we are looking at where the sun hits, the light on your face, the colors that are surrounding you, what we can shoot through for a creative photo, a leading line, the look you give your partner, the baby holding your finger. The cuddles and snuggles and kisses are so much more important than people know.

How about pivoting – can you share the story of a time you’ve had to pivot?

During COVID-19 I had to pivot my career entirely. I was pregnant at the time with my 4th baby and was already considered high risk. At the time I was doing a lot of posed studio newborn sessions, and I ended up having to change that completely. I didn’t stop taking newborns, but instead I took them outside, didn’t touch or pose them and started a much more relaxed lifestyle approach to photography.

We also moved from the town I was born and raised to a bigger area an hour away, which meant not only changing my approach but was a whole new area, essentially starting all over. It’s been a whirlwind and we added our 5th and last baby during this time, so it’s been a balancing act. I love the way I am shooting and what I am shooting now and am so happy to provide my clients with photographs that they will cherish for years to come.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.ivybellaphotography.con
• Instagram: ivybellaphotography
• Facebook: ivybellaphotography

Image Credits
Ivybella Photography