It's time for another Feature Friday!!  Today, we are featuring photographer Tasha York from Shawnee Oklahoma!

Thanks so much for sharing Tasha!  And I'm glad you like the music!  ;)



Aside from photography, I am a huge animal lover (-ahem- ....cows). I'm also a psychology major, which I enjoy very much! Aside from that, the rest of myself consists of photography. It is much easier to describe myself in photos. After all, a picture is worth a thousand words!

I have always been interested in nature photography, but it wasn't until May 2010 that I began to develop an interest in human photography. I bought a Nikon D5000 in May and began to snap photos of family and friends; soon afterward, I began to offer free photo sessions to those who could not afford professional photos. By August, I began to start booking paying customers who enjoyed my editing style! It has been an addiction ever since.

Both and both - I love having a little bit of money in my pocket after a long day's work of taking and editing photos, but photography will always be more of a hobby to me. I don't make a lot of money with my photography because I am learning how to help others with my talent. I am planning several themed photography sessions and taking all profits and donating them to a charity. For example, I am planning an April session for Alcohol Awareness, and an October session fr breast cancer awareness.

I love photographing couples. I love the intimacy! Besides, it's always fun to pose more than one person at a time.

It isn't who my inspiration is, but what my inspiration is. Ideas, settings, and items that I tend to run into are what inspire me. I try not to let other photographers inspire my creation too much. ;)

Don't feel like you have to follow all of the other photographers in order to be a great photographer. Oh... and if photography is a hobby for you, don't let it overwork you! Step back and take a breath if you begin to feel overwhelmed. It helps me to realize photography is fun, not serious.

I have to sit down and edit a full session in one sitting or I will go crazy!

I am a Registered Nurse in the Emergency Room at Children's Hospital of Wisconsin and a mother of 4 gorgeous children!

I have always had a passion for children, which is the reason I became a nurse and always loved photography. I started taking pictures when I was pregnant with my 4th child and just wanted to try and take their pictures myself and it blossomed from there. Pretty soon I started taking pictures of all of my friends in the ER's families!

Right now I am doing photography as a hobby but would to do it full time someday!

I love taking pictures of babies 3-12months....they are full of smiles and love pretty much anyone! and they usually have a lot of the baby chub, which I can not get enough of!

There are many photographers that i adore....AM Photography :) Blue Dandelion Photography, Keri Meyers Photography are just to name a few

Its a lot of hard work but if you love it.....its soo worth it! I don't have many tips about running a business since I have only been doing it for about 1.5 years

I love to bake....my favorite things to make are desserts....especially cake pops!!!!

Thanks so much Krystal!  Your work is beautiful!  Krystal also has a boutique where she sells the CUTEST headbands!  Check out her boutique page also!



I am a late twenty-something photographer based out of Fargo, North Dakota. I started out shooting primarily fashion and model portfolios, however I was inspired to branch out into children's and family portraiture once I learned I was having a child of my own. Today I will photograph almost any kind of portraiture, but my main passion is still conceptual fashion work.

I started out as a model and was inspired by the photographers who took my photos. I still do some modeling work, but I prefer being behind the camera most of the time.

I have been in business as Stevie Rae Photography since 2006.

FASHION. I am in love with the entire process--conceptualizing, shopping for props, hair and makeup, the wears, the shooting, the processing. The entire industry is highly addictive and inspiring to me.

David La Chapelle, number one, hands down. I also love the works of Annie Leibovitz, Herb Ritts, Helmut Newton, Steven Meisel... I could go on and on. I am also very much inspired by music; the idea of directing a music video has always appealed to me--someday I wouldn't mind trying my hand at it.

Skill and experience are number one. Yes, you can have a passion for the field, but I still feel it is 100% necessary to invest in yourself. Attend workshops, second shoot for an established photographer, learn, learn, LEARN. Practice makes perfect, and in order to have a successful business, you must be able to consistently deliver exceptional photos to each and every client. You MUST have the technical skills to work in all different situations. It's also very important to have a business plan, and to realize that 90% of the work is business related. A very small part of it is actually taking the photos. The rest is all about paperwork, invoicing, processing, ordering prints, communicating with clients, bookkeeping, marketing, advertising, backing up data, designing new materials, etc..It can get very overwhelming at times and it's important to maintain a certain balance. I often struggle with finding the time both for my family and my career. It's a lot of late nights and it's definitely not always fun.

I have never broken a single bone in my body [unless you include the time I was hit in the mouth by a flying domino and chipped my tooth]. Also, I cannot do handstands, whistle, roll my tongue, play badminton, or cook [although I swear it's my oven, not me]. ;)

I am from Brazil and I have had a passion for photography since I can remember. I adore to capture moments that made someone else happy because that makes me happy. I studied child development in Brazil and I am now in College studying Photography. I started to take pictures in 2008 and it's been a cool journey since then. I married my best friend and we are a military family with no kids yet. I love scary movies, to dance and being around family and friends. I am LDS and I am happy!

When I was a kid I was always taking pictures and when the cameras got better my desires got bigger. In 2008 when I was living in Virginia and I got a Canon Rebel and I loved the way pictures looked so I decided to give a shot and start my photography business. I started taking pictures of friends and family. Took some classes. Learned a lot about being in the business.I am just starting so I know I still have a long way to go but the journey is better if it is appreciated.

Both. Being a military family is good but we moved a lot which means when I am starting to get my business going on we have to move again. So if I had friends in need of pictures, I took their pictures but I was blessed with some pretty amazing customers too. So I am just trying to build my business here in Seaside CA again :-)

Kids. They are authentic not that the others aren't but you can expect really cool poses, smiles from them and the pictures capture way more than just colors.

I don't have a specific photographer but I am always looking at some photographers website and I am filling my brain with ideas. There are really AMAZING ( like you) photographers out there and each one has their own style and it's so cool that so many people can be united for just one thing : Passion!

Don't be shy and don't be afraid to talk about your business. Use everything you can to promote your work. Study photography, we don't need expensive classes but read books, watch tutorials, get really involved. Never feel bad if you can't find 10 customers in one week, never compare your work with someone else to feel bad. Love what you do and you 'll love what you'll become.

I am extremely shy and working with photography is helping so much.

Erica Visser

ELV Shots

El Paso, Texas

www.wix.com/elvshots/home or www.facebook.com/elvshots



1.  Tell us a little bit about YOU.

Hi! I am a wife to a wonderful, charming, amazing, and perfect for me DoD Fire Fighter and a mother of 2- a daughter and a son. We home school both of our children-4th grade and Kindergarden. I am VERY out going, and very talktive! ;) I am shorter then I want to be- I honestly just need a couple more inches- Honest! 5'5" would be great- I'm only 5'2" and I need a steep stool for everything! I LOVE LOVE LOVE pin-up! I am an avid horseback rider, that is where I grew up- in the saddle and I loved every moment of it. While in that saddle growing up I was living in the desert in California { I know A DESERT in California! Shocking lol ;) } I love to scrapbook and always looking for others to crop with { you want to come over and crop with me?}I can't wait for the day when I have lots and lots and lots of land and living in the country again! With my own barn, pond, and well way to many other things to list!.... I am a night owl, in fact I should be sleepin now!





 
2.  How did you get into photography?
 
It started out when I would go trail riding on my mare, I would love to take those little 'throw away' cameras and take pictures of what ever I saw- from wild animals to the brush. My love for photography grew from there- and then I had my first child and well the rest is history!


 
3.  Are you doing photography as a business or a hobby?
 
For the longest time it was just hobby but I have now 'stepped out' and now I am doing it as a business




 
4.  What is your favorite subject to photograph?  Why?
 
Do I have to pick just one? ... thats kinda hard! I love so many different things about so many different things! Kids is one of my favorite things - not so much the posed studio shots {which are still very cute and awesome!} but the shots of them just being kids. Running around, little red runny noses, laughing and giggling at who knows what, those pictures you take and get when they have no clue you are even taking their picture. Those are the ones that I love.


 
5.  Who is your inspiration?  Do you have any favorite photographers?
 
So may different things and people inspire me it's hard to narrow it down!


There are many photographers that I look up to. Some famous some not so famous, Katelyn James Photography:

A-M-A-Z-I-N-G! I honestly don't think that there is one single thing that I have seen of hers that hasn't inspired me in some way! Dawn Simons, she is a local photograher here in El Paso, Texas and I just love her work- so pure and simple.

 


 
6. What tips/advice do you have about photography and/or running your own business?
 
Do your homework before hand! Talk to other photographers see what has been the hardest hurdles for them and learn from them!



 
7.  Tell us a strange or interesting fact about you.
 
I don't like to be touched by feet- the only feet I will touch {with out wanting to hurl} are baby and little kid feet.

I am a Mother, Daughter, Sister, Aunt, Photographer. I am a member of a crazy household including a Mom, a Dad, a Brother (Derik, 4) and a Sister (Madalynn, 2.5). We also have our three 'fur-babies': crabby cats Bella & Mavis, and our newest member, 12 week old german shepard mix Winston.

I have been interested in the 'arts' since way back when. Photography, drawing, painting, writing, architecture, cooking, etc. Finally found the passion for photography after I had my first baby, and found that there was no truer statement than 'It goes by so fast...' I really began down the path of doing it for others after I had my Daughter, short of two years later.

I had a customer, when I was working at the Penney's portrait studio, who had come in for a session with her family, including her new baby boy. The next time I saw her, when she came in to pick up the photos from her session, her baby had since passed away from SIDS. There are no feelings really to know that I may have taken those last photos of her sweet baby boy.

I sure hope I'm doing it for business! =) There are other parts I do see as more of hobby though, like landscaping and macros and whatnot. I would like to put more time in the 'hobby' part of my 'business'. And I actually see photographing my kids as more of a 'hobby' as well.

No question: NEWBORNS. Seriously, your baby will never, ever, ever, EVER be this little again. Ever! I love capturing the moments, as they literally change every single day. In fact, I would love to photograph them every day for a week or two. And let's get to the point, having babies who aren't really 'babies' any more gives me some serious baby fever, so I'm thankful to spend a couple hours with these sweet little things, but then give them back to the parents.

I do have plenty of photographers who are an inspiration to me. I find inspiration from photographers who have a style similar to mine, as well as those who have a totally different style than me. Some of my faves: Kerianne Brown http://www.keriannebrown.com/blog/, Laura Brett (love her newborn work) http://www.laurabrettphotography.com/blog/, Shannon Dodd http://www.shannondodd.com/blog/, and Rachel Vanoven http://www.rachelvanoven.com/blog/. And really, I could go on and on. Thank goodness for Flickr :)

Photography: learn your gear. I am still learning to use my big strobe light, so I try not to use it unless it's unavoidable.

Business: network. There are so many great photographers out there who know what it's like to be where you're at, whether you're just starting out or you've been in business for awhile. If you need help, there are those out there who love to help! Make friends with those people!

Ehhh, I can probably still put my feet behind my head. Weirdo, I know. Maybe that's why I can curl up those newborns so well....... ;o)



I am first a mother and wife, been married for 6 years to my wonderful husband and we have a very active and beautiful 3 year old named Olivia. I also work full time and I am a senior at Liberty University in the Bachelor's program for Psychology :) I've been called superwoman!

I have always loved photography, since I was only 14 and my mom and dad bought me a Nikon N40 film camera. I let it go for awhile and just got back into the digital photography world about 8 months ago.

I do photography as a side business and hobby.

My favorite subject would have to be children, from newborn to toddler. I love to photograph their innocent personalities and beauty.

All other photographers inspire me as I love to see the uniqueness that we each show in our photographs. Talking Bird Photography, ForbiddenHeart Photography, and AM photography are some of my favorites!!! (you guys are awesome!)

The main tip that I would offer would be to learn you camera before you learn anything else. And always remember that there is ALWAYS something new to learn with photography so never stop opening doors and using your imagination!!!

I photograph others constantly, and I also model as well. It's wonderful being able to enjoy both sides of the camera :D