Today we’d like to introduce you to Tanner Garza.
Tanner, please share your story with us. How did you get to where you are today?
I started photography in college at Texas A&M University in College Station, working my way up in the college newspaper, The Battalion. I started as a general photographer and eventually became the Editor of Photography, a position I held for nearly two years. After graduation, I spent some time working in North Dallas for People Newspapers covering Highland Park, Park Cities, and Preston Hollow. After that, I branched out taking contracts from various clients around the metroplex. My work encompasses many different genres of photography from professional portraits for larger companies looking to update their headshots to architecture and real estate photography where I travel to different homes in neighborhoods all over North Texas to create content for various architecture and real estate teams. I have also done quite a bit of photography in the sports and fitness communities surrounding North Oak Cliff including photos of events that gyms put on and professional athletic portraits of world champion athletes. When I am not working I am traveling, I love taking photos while I travel which is why my Instagram is so full of photos from other places. Most recently I have started a new company to tackle a more complicated form of storytelling, New Element Media, where my partner and I have started to produce promotional and documentary style videos for companies and brands wanting to tell their stories. We even have drones for the stories that need a bird’s eye view.
Great, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
Working as an artist is never a perfectly smooth road I don’t think. The thing most people don’t understand is that to be successful in this line of work it takes a lot of time, dedication and the ability to network and even then sometimes it doesn’t all work out. One of the biggest struggles for me personally has been the fluctuation of heavy workloads followed by weeks of nothing. It is difficult to go from having a big client and a busy week to watching the phone not ring for several weeks afterward. The quiet moments for an artist can be filled with a lot of self-doubts and it can be hard to find the inspiration or motivation to just get out and create regardless of whether someone is paying you or you are just doing it to do it. Ultimately, you have to just keep moving, my family has always told me the only way to fail is to stop trying, so I don’t stop trying.
Alright – so let’s talk business. Tell us about Tanner Garza Photography – what should we know?
I think above all I specialize in storytelling. It is a habit I picked up from working with passionate journalists, I want my photos and videos to tell the story of the person or the home or the brand I am representing. I want the content I create for other business to resonate emotionally not only with the clients I am making it for but with the audience, they are trying to connect to. I think I am most proud of my professionalism and my ability to work with clients. I am always where I say I will be when I say I will be there and if a client asks something of me I can guarantee it will get done. I think what sets me apart from others is my willingness to try new things and the creativity I bring to the table, not only do I want my projects to be technically sound I am always watching what other people are producing and trying new techniques to give my clients the most creatively told story possible.
Is there a characteristic or quality that you feel is essential to success?
Persistence. I know things will not always go my way all the time, but as long as I keep trying and keep working, I know I will be successful.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.tannergarza.com
- Phone: 972-697-7884
- Email: tannergphoto@gmail.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tannergarzaphoto/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Tanner-Garza-Photography-194533813897568/?ref=bookmarks
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