We recently connected with Tasha Gorel and have shared our conversation below.
Tasha, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. It’s always helpful to hear about times when someone’s had to take a risk – how did they think through the decision, why did they take the risk, and what ended up happening. We’d love to hear about a risk you’ve taken.
Floating in the middle of an aquamarine lake, surrounded by Mother Earth’s jagged masterpieces, I read John Muir’s meditations to my sister riding alongside me in our inflatable kayak. Somehow, we were the only humans boating Tenaya Lake on that iconic September morning. I let my foot droop over the side of the plastic platoon, my body instantly relaxing from the freezing dip. The water’s subtle splashes lulled us into a zen, only experienced in nature. So. Can you explain to me why the next words out of my mouth were, “I can’t stop thinking about work, and I hate it, but I can’t fight it anymore. My body knows I need time off, but my mind (MY GOD MY MIND) thinks it’s a big mistake.”
The biggest risk I take as a creative is Time Off. Have you heard of her? She is a saucy little thing who always invites you to cool bars, weird art nights, girls-only weekend trips, whom you can’t wait to see, but always cancel on last minute. You know you should see her, carve a few moments out for that creative spirit, but…who has the TIME, am I right?
Let’s be real: Time Off can be a risky bitch, especially for creatives. Over the last ten years, I have consistently prioritized Work Tasha over Life Tasha, and I have built my business on her back. So many 12-hour days, and French-pressed coffees, and editing until one of my eyes shrunk; working to the point of an allergic reaction on my lips and not seeing my parents for weeks at a time and running from shoot to shoot to shoot to what am I doing again? As creative professionals, we are lured by Hustle Culture. Which I totally get, but I am also kind of disgusted by it? By definition, Hustle Culture rewards those of us who are always on the prowl for the next project, often at the expense of our own mental health. “Being Busy” is code for “Thriving,” “Booked Nonstop” means “You’re Doing Something Right!” This last week alone, I had four three-shoot days, and then wondered why by Friday, I looked like I had just spent the last week sleeping on the forest floor. It is not difficult to understand why so many creatives are the hardest working people you know: we have to be, just to keep up, to stay relevant, to make a living. It often feels like taking Time Off is a diabolical privilege. The guilt we feel from not working for consecutive days in a row can be debilitating. However, the toll of not taking Time Off can literally leave us physically, emotionally, and spiritually depleted. Which honestly feels riskier than losing a gig.
And that is just not a risk I am willing to take anymore.
Three years ago when I decided to invest in my business full time (how has it only been three years?!), I was obsessed with booking as many shoots as possible, literally working 30-40 days without a single moment to myself. The summer after my first full year, I broke down on a weekly basis, I developed an allergic reaction to stress called Angioedema which made my lips look like I received botched Botox, and I was quite literally afraid to take any time for myself. So. I did the scariest thing I could think of and blacked out two and a half weeks in my calendar for a Sister Trip in Washington. I didn’t check my email. I didn’t respond to work texts. No one got any headshots. And GASP! Guess what? People still wanted to work with me when I got back to Houston. I wasn’t punished for this incredible risk I took, for allowing my body to reconnect with Mother Nature’s creative spirit. On the contrary, as a creative, I felt a new pulse of energy BECAUSE I took some days to be a human, not just a hustler.
So, I am not great at taking this risk. (I will probably reread this interview every time I am feeling guilty for prioritizing mental health and replenishment over my work.) But as creatives, we have to do things that terrify us, even if the fear stems comes from within.
Tasha, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?
I remember the first time that I looked through the viewfinder of a DSLR. Seeing the world through a specific scope was somehow so comforting for this little theatre major at the University of Texas, Austin, who, honestly, was having a hard time adjusting to being away from home. By narrowing down and zooming in on what was, quite literally, right in front of me, I began to notice beauty and light. I pared down the world and put a blockade between me and reality. Only then was I able to find peace.
Okay, that sounds mellow dramatic, but what do you expect from a recovering actress? By my second semester, I was in a photography class, and by my sophomore year, I had my first paying customer.
So, that was 15 years ago (WHEN DID I GET SO OLD?!), and in college, my photography was just a way for me to navigate my anxiety and make a little extra money. I truly believe that if it weren’t for my first roommate back in Houston, I would not be where I am today. This girl INSISTED that I take her headshots (something I had never done), and I’m gonna be honest, they were fire. After that first session, everything just snowballed.
It has been such a snowstorm, in fact, that this April, I celebrated my tenth anniversary as a Houston Headshot Photographer! My primary focus since day one has been on theatre makers. I’ve had the privilege of doing headshots for artists across the city, from the Alley Theatre’s Resident Acting Company to your best friend’s mom who wants to get back on stage, but needs an updated headshot for her first audition. Because we live in the fourth-largest city in the nation, my headshot work naturally expanded to corporate clients who want a little extra pizzazz in their headshots. However, I feel like my headshot work resonates with people who really want their authentic self to shine through their photos. And let’s be real, corporate America is not really the ideal backdrop for “authentic self” these days. I am so grateful artists have trusted me with their faces for the last ten years as I grew my business.
If headshots are my bread and butter, event and promotional work is the charcuterie spread. I LOVE the intrinsic challenges in both these fields. Every time I show up to shoot an event, I feel like a Light Shaper, sculpting a room with my flashes to create the most flattering scene possible. There is something exciting about not knowing what tragically lit room you’re walking into, but trusting that you have the skills to make it beautiful. The non-profits I do event work for are also just some of the coolest organizations, and I love being a part of the team that spreads awareness about Houston arts. From the Contemporary Arts Museum Houston, to the Hermann Park Conservancy, to Theatre Under the Stars, to Houston Cinema Arts Society, connecting with the individuals who support the Houston Arts Community is a literal dream.
Collaborating with marketing teams to create unique and exciting promotional imagery for plays is the newest work I’ve undertaken. I have a long-time relationship with Rec Room Arts, and their promos have been a playground for me, pushing my limits as a photographer. Promotional work is so different from anything else I do because we are telling a specific story with a particular aesthetic…the possibilities are endless. I am obsessed with curating Pinterest boards for each project and executing our vision with a decade of experience on my side. This summer, one of the images I made for The Mirror Crack’d at the Alley was featured on a Billboard, and I think I peaked. Life Goal UNLOCKED! I am just incredibly grateful that I make a living by being surrounded by people who are much cooler and smarter than I am. Honestly, my clients make me look so good! I truly believe I am a photographer whose passion for my craft stems from my passion for people.
Two weeks ago, about 30 minutes into shooting a gala for a local non-profit, the Board President came up to me and exclaimed, “You make everyone feel so comfortable. You just have the perfect personality for this job!” I didn’t get into photography because I fell in love when I picked up my first DSLR camera at 18 (though true). I didn’t start doing headshots because I treasure being a part of the actor’s path to success (also, very true). I started doing photography because when I talk to people, a spark is ignited in me that nothing else can replicate. And I think my clients feel it too.
This is what I believe sets me apart from other photographers…maybe? I love people, and more than that, I love connecting and laughing with community, because the world can often be such a complicated place. From headshots to events to promos, every one of my shoots feels like a moment where we can escape the heaviness of…well…you know. Most of the time during a session, I find myself engaging in deeply personal conversations with my clients. One second, we are talking about the types of roles you’re cast in, the next, we are going into the devastating details of losing a loved one, the next, we’re remembering the first moment you knew your partner was the one. When I hold a camera in front of me and capture these authentic moments, something unique and beautiful happens.
I love light, and shadows and the relationship between these two things. I love zooming in and finding details in beautiful things and humans that often go overlooked. I love how Mother Nature persists in entrancing us with her beauty, even when we don’t deserve it. I wish I could say that these things are my “signatures”, but in reality, I think it’s just that my clients like hanging out with me. And I like hanging out with them. And I happen to know how to use a camera.
Excuse me while I step up on my soapbox for a moment. Eh-hem. In an age of Tilly Norwood and social media videos that trick Boomers into thinking AI is real, and ChatGPT replacing writers and actors at an alarming rate, all artists are under attack. While an ingenious tool, AI eats away at human creative thinking -plain and simple. Our growing dependency on artificial intelligence is slowly and steadily dulling society. ChatGPT supersedes independent thought, and worse than that, otherwise intelligent and artistic people prefer using AI over their own damn ideas. In the absence of unique thought, creativity dies. How are the arts supposed to survive when the core ideals of artistry are being threatened? Why would anyone hire a production team when they can ask ChatGPT to storyboard their next commercial? Why hire a photographer when you can pop a few photos of yourself in the machine and get 30 headshots in under a minute?
Even if you are not using AI for “creative projects,” the more information we feed the machine over the years, the less we need humans. The active use of AI is killing our environment and killing our brains, and honestly, I am not sure which is destroying the planet quicker. We have to go out in the world and CREATE and EXPERIENCE with others for the arts to survive. A huge part of being an artist (honestly, of being a person) is belonging to a community that is plugged into something bigger than yourself. We are losing humanity in reality, which is honestly terrifying. Employ artists! Stop using AI to replace human creativity! Artistic cultures need a human touch to thrive.
What do you find most rewarding about being a creative?
My entire interview crescendos to this question. My biggest reward for being an artist is the community I get to create with. The people I photograph inspire me and fill my daily life with so much love and kindness. They connect me to their story, which enriches my journey, and what is the point of life if not learning and growing from each other’s experiences? I love my community, and the brilliant humans who keep Houston Arts thriving. And I am so grateful to be a tiny part of this group of resilient and brilliant humans.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.natashanivanproductions.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tashagorel/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/natashanivanphotography
