Today we’d like to introduce you to Tyler Correll.
Tyler, please share your story with us. How did you get to where you are today?
If you’re expecting me to tell you that I loved photography longer than I can remember and that a family member or mentor taught me everything I know… then you’ve come to the wrong story!
My introduction to photography started with a smartphone! I know… crazy right? When I started my YouTube channel in 2016, l would take pictures and use them for my thumbnails and my social media pages. I didn’t have anyone to take pictures of me, so I would set up my softbox lights, put my iPhone 6s on a tripod and use the self-timer to take pictures in my room!
2017 was the year that I got engaged to my husband, so of course, we booked a photographer for our engagement photos. When the day came for us to do our shoot, it ended up getting canceled. When we found this out, we were already out doing some other wedding stuff, and we randomly decided that we would find a park in the area to take some pictures. A few days later, it snowed, and it created the perfect backdrop for photos, so I absolutely made us go outside to get some quick flicks! I played around with the editing and I color corrected using some different apps and was really satisfied with how the photos came out! I got so many compliments about the pictures and people were so shocked that I took them myself, let alone with my iPhone! This really lit a fire under me and this was the moment that I started to consider being a photographer!
In the summer of 2019, I read a ton of articles & blogs and I watched a bunch of YouTube videos on photography, cameras, lenses, editing software, marketing, etc. The more I learned, the more I grew to love photography! In September of 2019, I purchased my first DSLR camera, by October I had my first photo session and Tyler Symone Photography was underway!
Has it been a smooth road?
Smooth road? I don’t know if smooth roads come with entrepreneurship but if they do, I sure didn’t get one! There’s a lot of hard work that comes along with starting a business and for most small business owners a lot of the work is done alone. Most people only get to see me as a photographer, but behind the scenes I am a graphic designer, a marketer, a social media manager, an administrative assistant, and an accountant.
Aside from the business aspect, a major obstacle I had to overcome was ME. If you are an artist of any kind (painter, musician, dancer, etc.), then you probably understand how intimidating it can be to put your work and talents out there for others to judge. There have been times when I was not confident in my abilities. I would sometimes compare my work to other photographers and question if I was adequate enough to be in this space. I was afraid to try new things because I didn’t know what the outcome would be, but eventually I had to get out of my own way.
With every photoshoot, not only am I becoming a better photographer, but I am becoming a better person. I’m learning more about my God-given talents and I’m understanding that I am more capable than what I give myself credit for.
We’d love to hear more about your business.
I’m the owner of Tyler Symone Photography. I’m a photographer based out of Kennesaw but I’m willing to travel to pretty much anywhere in the Metro Atlanta area. One question I always get is, “who is Symone?”… well she’s me! Symone is my middle name!
I don’t think I’m known for anything just yet. I’ve only been at this for a year and I’m still trying to find my “thing”. Currently, my focus is portrait photography, but I’ve branched out into product photography as well, and I’m really loving it!
A lot of my clients know exactly what they want when it comes to their photos. I think what sets me apart from others is that I try to go all out to make my client’s visions become a reality. I’ve set up picnics, bought balloons, and I’ve even gotten on a boat … all for my clients! I’d say my specialty is initiating fun photoshoots so that my clients have genuine memories to think of when they view their beautiful photos!
Is our city a good place to do what you do?
I absolutely do! The entertainment industry in Atlanta is growing, which is perfect for photographers! With all the talent here, there’s plenty of opportunity for people who are just starting out to build a portfolio.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.tsymonephotography.com
- Email: info@tsymonephotography.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tsymonephotography/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/tylersymonephotography
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/tsymonephotos
Image Credit:
Tyler Symone Photography
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