Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Tien Nguyen. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Tien, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today Everyone has crazy stuff happen to them, but often small business owners and creatives, artists and others who are doing something off the beaten path are often hit with things (positive or negative) that are so out there, so unpredictable and unexpected. Can you share a crazy story from your journey?

One terrible client changed everything. About a year into being a professional photographer, I was hired to do headshots for a male model. At the time my main focus was on headshots. He didn’t like the way I edited his photos and the feedback he gave was delivered in a very rude and insulting way.
It hit me so hard that I was convinced I was a horrible photographer and deeply questioned it as a career choice. After thinking about it for a couple weeks, I decided to quit photography and go back into the fashion design industry. I actually updated my resume and applied for jobs. As I was ready to transition back into the corporate world, Covid hit and everything came to a screeching halt.
Out of the blue, Candy Tong, a professional ballerina, reached out to me to do a collaboration shoot. I agreed to it, even though I was pretty resigned from photography after that last client. My mindset going into this shoot was “F*ck it, I’m going to do a shoot that I actually like because what do I have to lose?”
And that shoot made me realize what I was missing. I was so inspired by Candy, the movement, the color, and the fashion. I realized that THIS is what I should be doing. My style became laser focused from that moment on and I have never looked back. The momentum I caught from that one shoot just propelled me back into photography with a new energy. I started getting hired by local brands who loved my colorful aesthetics. I was getting contacted by models who were excited to work with me. And ever since then, Ive worked with so many dancers, models and brands that I absolutely love.
From these two combined experiences, I found out that the saying is true – if you are doing what you love, the clients will come to you.

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 think something that sets me apart from other photographers is that I was a fashion designer for 10 years before I switched into photography. As a designer, I travelled the world and was on a plane almost every month. This is when I started taking interest in photography as a hobby. I loved photographing people and culture when I was in foreign countries, but I could never get the shot I had in my head. It was very frustrating. After leaving the industry and having kids, I picked up the camera more and more. I thought I could do family photography as a small side gig. It turned out I hated doing family sessions and really couldn’t connect with it, despite having my own kids that I loved to photograph. A friend asked me to do her headshots, and from there, a couple of her friends wanted the same. It kept spreading and at some point I thought, ok I guess I’m a headshot photographer now. As I explained earlier, that also didn’t quite scratch the itch I had. I think what I’m most proud of is that I kept going, I kept finding new reasons to push that button, over and over again until I figured out what I’m really good at. Working with clothing brands is probably the best culmination of my unique skillset as a previous designer and now photographer. I know clothing and fashion, and I know how to make it look good in a photo.

Any stories or insights that might help us understand how you’ve built such a strong reputation?

I am an over communicator. I make sure to communicate well before a session to make sure the client knows what to expect from me, and also what I expect from them! This usually involves phone calls, zooms, multiple emails, Pinterest boards, exchanging inspiration and wardrobe ideas through late night texts. I essentially become besties with a client during the pre-shoot planning stage. And then there’s the communication during the shoot – so many people have told me they love how much clear direction I am able to give, and how well I can communicate what I want, as well as directing them on how to achieve it.

Any resources you can share with us that might be helpful to other creatives?

YES. You need a community! In the beginning, I think I was so overwhelmed with imposter syndrome that I had a hard time befriending any other photographers. Now that I have several photographer friends, I wish I had sought them out when I first started out. It’s so important and helpful to have other creatives that understand you. And most importantly, people who root for you, and help each other out

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.lumaxphoto.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lumaxphotog/

Image Credits
Natalie Jane