We recently connected with Tracy Tucholski and have shared our conversation below.

Tracy , appreciate you joining us today. Looking back at internships and apprenticeships can be interesting, because there is so much variety in people’s experiences – and often those experiences inform our own leadership style. Do you have an interesting story from that stage of your career that you can share with us?

The fall of my last year of college, I landed an internship at Madison Magazine – Madison, Wisconsin’s lifestyle and business publication highlighting local people, restaurants, and events – 515 miles from my college pad, and where I wouldn’t know anyone. I was excited and I was anxious, but I made the leap, and packed what fit into my plum colored ’98 Saturn. At this point in my photography career, I only had experience covering stories for my college’s newspaper. I would be sent a topic to shoot on campus, and I would document, edit, and send it in. There was team of staffers that would all access the newsroom at various points of the day, never to feel truly alone.

I arrived in Madison in late August, and I was immediately drawn to its beauty, its bike-friendly community, and the fact that it is surrounded by 2 lakes – I knew I’d fit right in. I eagerly set up an appointment with my editor at Madison Magazine – located about 30 minutes west of where I was staying, and entered the industrial building which shared its space with a local news station. I met with my editor, who I had only briefly corresponded with by email and on the phone and was ready to jump start my internship!

My editor gave me a history of the magazine, a quick tour of the space, and he went over how the fall internship would work. Basically, he would email me my list of assignments with deadlines. That was it. I would schedule, shoot, and send my proof sheets in for criticism and approval. No big full staff meetings, or group assignments. Just me working on my own to cover local stories. It was a bit of change from how I was used to work at the student-run newspaper – where there were always a lot of people to collaborate with.

My topics spanned from covering things like signature cocktails at local bars, a profile of a notable volunteer at the art museum, and a local soccer team’s playoff game. I’d be lying if I didn’t mention there were definitely some hiccups along the way, but overall it was great learning experience as a photographer, and a person. I quickly realized true photojournalism is a lone craft. You need the confidence to talk to strangers. You need the motivation and organization to adhere to deadlines. And if you make mistakes along the way, you’re the only one to take the credit for falling short. My editor was blunt with criticism, and suggested helpful editing techniques, that I still stand by today. Overall, it was a pivotal experience in my photography career, learning how to make my way in the world as an adult and a freelance photographer.

Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.

Is there mission driving your creative journey?

I always say I stand by putting people in their best light. Whether it’s capturing a portrait of a friend or a paying client, I strive for the same work ethic. I love finding the perfect light for my subjects – I see life in frames and try to document often to keep my creativity and portfolio at its peak. I believe if you treat creating and editing every photograph as if it’s going to be featured in a top publication, you’re constantly building a top tier portfolio.

How did you build your audience on social media?

Social media is such a integral part of any business nowadays. I have worked hard to create a solid, organic social media following. There is certainly a few key aspects to keep in mind with social media. Regular posting is crucial. Staying current with your posts is probably the most important, so your presence and portfolio stay most up to date. Engaging content is another important aspect in maintaining a social presence. Asking your audience questions, bringing them along for behind the scenes and sharing intimate stories are all great ways of letting your followers in. Technically, appropriately tagging keywords and understanding SEO can help keep your platforms relevant. Finally, my favorite piece of advice is to be real with your followers. Use a language that is true to you, and share real stories – the good and the unfortunate. People enjoy finding a connection with internet voices, and this will help you create a platform that is a exciting place for your followers, while sharing your content, and creating fans and clients.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://tracylinphotography.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tracylinphotography/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/photographybytracylin
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tracy-tucholski/

Image Credits
fleurdetroit