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

Alright, Tawny thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. Looking back, do you think you started your business at the right time? Do you wish you had started sooner or later

My photography business began quietly. The first wedding I photographed was for an old high school friend in 2017. Almost a year later, I photographed my second wedding. What began as a creative outlet slowly became something much bigger. Word spread, couples kept finding me, and before I knew it, my weekends were filled with love stories and long editing nights.

By 2021, I was working full-time in marketing at a university, trying to balance two careers that both needed all of me. My photography work had grown into what was essentially another full-time job, and there came a point where I couldn’t keep doing both well, or keep ignoring the pull toward what I really wanted. In February of that year, I finally made the leap and took Tawny Ballard Photography full-time.

Sometimes I wonder what might’ve happened if I’d done it sooner. I was exhausted back then, running on coffee and adrenaline, and I definitely let some parts of my life fall to the side. But honestly, in hindsight, the timing feels right. By the time the wedding boom of 2022 arrived, I was grounded, prepared, and ready for it.

So while I can romanticize the idea of an earlier start, I think my story unfolded exactly how it needed to: messy, gradual, and full of growth along the way.

As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?

I’m Tawny Ballard, a wedding, elopement, and couple photographer based in Chicago – though I’m always happy to travel wherever my couples’ stories take me. My journey into photography started naturally. I photographed my first wedding for a high school friend back in 2017, and something just clicked. What began as a creative outlet slowly grew into the thing that lit me up most. Over the years, that passion evolved into a full-time career centered around documenting love in an honest, artful way.

My work blends an editorial eye with a documentary approach – a mix of beautifully composed portraits and those raw, in-between moments that tell the real story of the day. I don’t just want my couples to see their photos; I want them to feel their day all over again when they look back at them.

What sets my work apart is the connection I build with my couples. I take time to get to know them so their photos feel like them, not just like “wedding photos.” As someone who identified as queer, I also take a lot of pride in creating an inclusive, welcoming space for all couples, especially those in the LGBTQ+ community, to feel fully seen and celebrated.

More than anything, I’m proud of the stories I’ve had the privilege to tell – a living archive of real, human connection. My work is ultimately about presence: slowing down, noticing the beauty in genuine moments, and turning those fleeting feelings into something lasting.

We’d love to hear about how you keep in touch with clients.

It might not be the first industry that comes to mind when you think of “brand loyalty,” but wedding photography actually lends itself to long-term relationships. Couples continue having milestones once the wedding day is over – anniversaries, maternity, and family photos often follow.

One of my favorite parts of running my business is how personal it is. I only take on a limited number of clients each year, which gives me the space to really get to know them. Throughout the planning process, we build a genuine connection, and I continue nurturing that relationship after the wedding.

I stay connected with my couples on social media, especially Instagram, where I can keep up with their lives and celebrate their milestones. It’s part of maintaining brand loyalty, yes, but it’s also because I truly care about them as people, not just clients.

I also send holiday gifts in the winter as a thoughtful way to say thank you and remind them that I’m still here if they ever need new photos. And for all my past clients, I keep an email list where I share updates, new projects, print sales, and other ways to stay connected.

For me, fostering brand loyalty isn’t about strategy; it’s about relationships. When people feel seen, cared for, and remembered, that connection naturally continues to grow over time.

What’s been the best source of new clients for you?

Most of my clients find me through two main places – Instagram and Google. In the early years, I poured most of my energy into social media. I love sharing my work and connecting with my community there, but it can definitely feel like a hamster wheel sometimes – constant posting for just a few days of visibility.

That’s why I’ve come to really appreciate SEO. It’s quieter, but it has staying power. Once the foundation is built, it keeps working in the background, bringing in clients long after the post-and-pray phase of social media fades.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.tawnyballardphotography.com
• Instagram: @tawnyballardphotography