Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Tiffany Ferrari. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.
Tiffany, appreciate you joining us today. So, let’s start with a hypothetical – what would you change about the educational system?
Our country’s higher education system is flawed and, in my opinion, affects both our immediate and future economical status as a nation. Higher learning advocates have long promoted the need for students graduating from high school to pursue a 4 year college degree, and placed zero resources into helping individuals determine what career path works best for them. Instead, young adults who are just graduating from high school and seeking to find where they fit in this world professionally, are advised to just enroll in college, get started and they will figure out what they want to do in the process. This advice is based on erroneous thinking, and in reality should equate to some form of legal liability considering the amount of students who have and continue to take this advice. As a result of this culture which has been promoted over the past 2 decades, students are spending an average of 6 years in college, instead of the projected 4 years to earn a degree. This means that a large majority of students who decide on a major after 2 years of college, have to take out additional student loans to fund the additional 2 years that they end up having to incur due to the different criteria for each major and most classes not being recognized and accepted in the new curriculum.
The worst part is that most students aren’t able to immediately start working post college graduation, because they have no work experience to match their educational experience. They soon realize that they either need to go back to school to get a master’s degree or doctorate, while they simultaneously have to start working to gain employment experience. The kicker is that most professions that students enter into don’t pay enough to support the individual in addition to that individual repaying for their education. When I entered college, I knew that I wanted to do something relating to human anatomy & physiology, so I was advised to start with a Biology major considering that most classes would be transferred to the new curriculum. Well, after 2 years of undergrad, I decided to major in Sports Medicine. I thought it was a perfect fit because I grew up playing sports and loved human fitness and performance. After spending 6 years in college I received a Bachelor of Science degree in sports medicine and was super excited to start a career as an Athletic Trainer or Physical Therapy Assistant. However, when I went to register for final testing for the credentials needed to begin employment, I was told that the sports medicine program at my university was not yet accredited, therefore, if I wanted to be able to sit for the certification exams, I would either have to go to Graduate School or complete 300 hours interning under either profession. Neither internship was a paid internship, so if I wanted to be able to work in my profession, I would have to intern a few hours a day, then go work an actual job to be able to support myself and to start paying back student loans. The university isn’t liable for offering a major that was useless professionally and not relaying that information to students in that program.
It also implies a total disregard for occupations requiring only a 2 year degree or occupations offered by trade schools which guarantees that students will be able to immediately work in their profession post graduation. The benefit of taking this route is not only the obvious reality of starting life without owing thousands of dollars before students can build a life. There are more individuals working in their fields and being able to function economically without moving back in with their parents, as is the case with a large portion of college graduates. I mean look at my experience. I have a bachelor of science degree in sports medicine, but my passion is and has always been photography. However, that has never been considered a realistic choice based on the opinions of antiquated thinkers who were employed in an entirely different era than the one we are currently living in. One where most college majors have already been eliminated by time and technology. These people still have to pay for something that serves them no purpose.
It is my opinion that high school curriculums offer students courses in career counseling each of the 4 years that they are enrolled. This will give students the tools to make the best decision post graduation and will ultimately put those individuals in a better position financially as they begin their new lives.
Tiffany, 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?
My name is Tiffany Ferrari, and I’m the owner, visionary, and lead photographer for Exposure Best Photography est. August 2011. My photography career began around 1995, as a hobbyist when I was in high school. Over a short period of time I grew increasingly obsessed with capturing, would be, future memories of my experiences as the young adult who I was becoming. I would purchase disposable cameras and get them developed at a local drugstore nearby. My true spark came when I purchased my first Polaroid camera my senior year of high school in 1997.
Throughout my years in college, I focused a little less on photography in order to focus on my curriculum and trying to keep my head above water. I went to college on an academic scholarship, but fully supported myself since the age of 18, so I also worked as a server at a few restaurants to support myself while I attended school. Fast forward to my last year in college and I attended one of those large wholesale events where electronics and other home goods were sold for a steep discount and were tax-free. It was there that I purchased my first “Real” camera and started transitioning from hobby to professional hobbyist. My husband was also interested in photography and videography, so he and I started slowly investing in more expensive equipment. Our initial purpose was to have the ability to take nice pictures of our kids, holiday, and the places that we traveled to, etc. Please keep in mind that I’m referring to as early as the year 2004, so there was no such thing as taking pictures on cell phones. The only option was to purchase a point and shoot digital camera if I wanted nice photographs.
As my desire and creativity flourished, I began to invest in professional editing software so that I can create images versus just capturing scenery and being limited by passerby’s, the weather, power lines, and all the things that exist to distract from the main idea, which is the subject being photographed. Then, as technology would have it, large companies such as Nikon, Canon, and Sony started developing more affordable DSLR for consumers seeking a more professional experience. This prompted me to take the plunge and step into the photography industry professionally, which was super scary considering the fact that I had been self taught and lacked validation from professionals who were more experienced than I was. And, although that validation is not required for me to successfully pursue a career in photography, it does boost confidence which is necessary for such a huge undertaking. Nonetheless, I was determined to pursue this path. So in August of 2011, I registered my business with the Louisiana SOS and started studying lighting, composition, & all things photography so that I could learn to successfully transfer my creative vision to the camera in order to produce the desired result. The rest is still being written.
Personality speaking, I enjoy meeting new people and I can swear to the fact that I’ve literally never met a stranger. I’m an instant friend to all and enjoy creating authentic and memorable moments that are impossible to forget. I offer portrait, branding, wedding and event photography. My approach to photography is simple: Everything I do is partnership. It’s about our vision coming to life. Because without you – expressing yourself, sharing your love, telling your story – there wouldn’t be anything worth documenting. I want to help capture your real moments. Moments that move you and the people lucky enough to be in your circle. So whether it’s an elopement with close family, a portrait session just for you or sharing your business magic, my goal is to provide a space where you can be wildly free and completely you.
My goal is to “Expose Your” absolute best through tact sharp lenses, skillful and guided posing techniques, and finished with creative editing. I offer a service called “The Exposure Best Experience!” This is my signature service that I provide all of my portrait & wedding clients. The Exposure Best Experience consists of luxe brand treatment, at all stages of the client journey. I partner with our clients throughout the entire experience to deliver a superior experience at an affordable price point that doesn’t break the bank, & doesn’t compromise on quality. We start with an in person consultation to get to know each other and discover how we can make your experience effortless and exciting.
I believe that my natural authenticity of self and my genuine love for people is what sets me apart from my competitors. I genuinely love meeting new people and find that I am able to build instant connections with anyone, which makes their session shine because of their level of comfortability and subtle familiarity. I often have clients ask, “Haven’t I met you somewhere before?” Turns out, I have one of those familiar faces, or so I always assumed. Most clients conclude that the reason that I seem so familiar is because I naturally make them comfortable, the same way that only close family and friends are able to do. My wedding couples and their family and friends, consistently compliment me on my ability to work under pressure and, on occasion, I even have a few wedding clients who credit me for keeping their day together by having a solution for every problem. I have photographed over 100 weddings over 10 years, so I am consistently ahead of events that are occurring, so I always have a plan. This puts me in the best position to help my wedding couples manage their wedding day with a good attitude, no matter what goes wrong. I enjoy what I do, and I truly take personal responsibility for the outcome of my clients wedding day, because the images will reflect the mood of the person being photographed. I make sure to keep it lighthearted and fun!
I am super proud of my career with Exposure Best Photography! When I started my company in August 2011, I had no idea of how small or large my company would grow. I just knew that developing my craft and consistently pursuing knowledge about how I can create sharper images with a touch of vibrant flare because I believe that life should be lived in color. The most exciting places that I’ve ever been, my favorite being the Bahamas and Haiti, the thing I most remember is how beautiful all the colors were. So, I celebrate color in all of my imagery. In the beginning, it was a true struggle because I am self taught, and I only had about $1000 to start my business. But, I learned to never despise small beginnings! Today, I have my own portrait studio and am blessed to be able to offer photography mentorships for both beginner and advanced professional photographers to help accelerate their photography career by avoiding the costly mistakes that I made along the way and by giving them all the resources need to begin successfully.
Can you share a story from your journey that illustrates your resilience?
My business slowly progressed from 2011 until about mid 2015, when I saw a steady increase in both job acquisition and the quality of the jobs I began to book. As circumstance would have it, I was suddenly hit with several personal issues concerning my immediate household, while simultaneously trying to support my father who relocated to Ohio a few years earlier and was suddenly diagnosed with cancer. So, in December of 2016, I closed my photography business in Louisiana, my husband and I sold our house, and we moved the family to Ohio to help him get back on his feet. I took a management position at a medical health club until we were able to catch up financially and find a place to settle in. I was afraid that I would never be able to re-establish my business being that I knew no one in the area. So for 2 years I put it on the back burner while I worked a full time job. In January of 2019 my father passed away and I spent a lot trying to figure out how to live my life to the fullest contentment that God would allow. I knew how much I’d missed being a photographer and that I wouldn’t be able to live with myself if I didn’t give myself one more shot. So in 2020 I restarted my business by registering with the Ohio Secretary of State and getting my website, branding and marketing re-established.
Everything was going great until March of 2020 when the pandemic caused the entire country to shut down before I could even hit the ground running. To say I was a little discouraged would obviously be an understatement. However, I pressed on and prayed for new ways that I could get my name out there, despite the quarantine and pandemic! In business, my instinct is always to give back, first and the rest will come. So my first idea was to create a Facebook group dedicated to helping the high school senior class of 2022, since they were losing so much of an important milestone in their life due to the pandemic. The focus of the group was to “Adopt a Senior.” I invited a ton of my friend to join the group and asked them to invite their followers to the group as well. Anyone in the group was able to nominate a senior that they knew personally and write a short bio on that person and their likes and dislikes. The people in the group would then select a senior of their choice to “adopt” and would send them a care package with the favorite things that they listed. From there, I chose 10 seniors to gift an outdoor senior session. Considering the fact that outdoors was the only place open and the fact that I have long lenses, it was the perfect way to step into the market, get some well needed practice to shake the dust off, and be able to be a blessing to many.
It was a win/win. I started booking more outdoor sessions and even a few outdoor elopements. From there my marketing starting generating more leads and I resumed offering my services full time. In October 2021, I opened my very first studio, which was previously merely a dream to me! Every time I walk in, all I can do is thank God for restoring everything that I thought I lost by leaving my hometown and by doing it beyond what I could even ask or think! One of the best quotes that I read during this time was, “Don’t be afraid to start over, this time you are not starting from scratch, you’re starting from experience.” That really resonated with me and helped to catapult my faith to get started once again, despite the pandemic and despite my discouragement. And I’m so glad that I did!
Has your business ever had a near-death moment? Would you mind sharing the story?
As a professional photographer, I understand the enormous responsibility that comes with agreeing to capture someone’s portrait session, wedding or special event. When most professionals first start out, all we can think about is how fun it will be to capture someone’s special milestone. We buy our nice camera and are ready to shoot sessions, and for some, without even learning how to fully operate their equipment. But then the day of the session comes, and the realization that people spent precious time and money to have their portraits taken or wedding captured. All of a sudden, an unshakeable fear sets in & the professional liability becomes a clear and relevant threat.
The reality is that this fear never really leaves no matter how many years of experience we collect. I’ve had so many nightmares where I showed up to weddings and forgot all of my batteries or something absolutely necessary fails. On session days, I literally have to look in my backseat at least 3 times to make sure that I didn’t leave my camera at home. It’s literally one of the only things I fear in life, and that’s why I know ;that this profession is for me. Because I take it that personal. With that being said, life is life and it makes us a spectacle at its leisure despite our efforts to prevent it. I was in business for about 3 years at the time, and I was hired to photograph team portraits for a softball organization. At the time, I was a mother with 3 kids, ages 11, 9, & 5, so I had to pack my humans and my gear leaving no man left behind, literally. My oldest daughter was headed to the car and I told her to grab my camera bag and bring it to the car. It was easy for her to carry because it’s a Think Tank bag and rolls upright, on 4 wheels.
Once we arrived to the field, I immediately unloaded and starting setting up lighting, backdrops etc. All the kids were there with their parents and the coaches filling out picture forms and what not. When it came to testing the lights and I went to grab my camera, it was nowhere to be found. My daughter left it at the house, which was 40 minutes away from the session location. I literally wanted to die! It was the worst feeling ever to have to disclose that I left my camera at home! Everyone just stared at me and asked what we were going to do. Fortunately, I work well under pressure so I went to work by praying and trying to think of a solution. I decided to post an SOS in a local photography group to see if someone lived in the area, had a Nikon camera specifically, and was willing to let me borrow their camera and 70-200 lens, which is about $4500 in itself. Thank God for my love of networking. One of the photographers who I met at a weekly meetup lived nearby and agreed to allow me to use his gear. The whole ordeal felt like 5 hours, but in reality I was able to find a solution and travel to pick up the gear and return, in about 30 minutes.
This event wouldn’t be my last close call, but it is definitely my more frightening close call! Now I don’t trust anyone with my gear. I need to keep my eyes on the prize at all times!
Contact Info:
- Website: www.exposurebest.com
- Instagram: https://instagram.com/exposure_best_photography
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/exposurebest/
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/exposurebest/
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@ExposureBestPhotographySlidell/videos
- Other: Most Recent Portfolio: https://exposurebest.pic-time.com/client
Image Credits
Image by Tiffany Ferrari with Exposure Best Photography. www.exposurebest.com