My name is Tyrie, and I just turned 16 in October. I started photography completely on a whim when I was 13, almost 14. One day after school, I saw something online for a class that teaches how to shoot in manual mode, called my mom at work and asked her to sign me up, and the rest is history! When I found that class, I had no idea that manual mode even existed. I just knew that it looked like something I would enjoy so I just did it. It was one of the best spontaneous decisions ever. I love photography, with big puffy hearts. Children & family photography is my very favorite, so it is most of the sessions I do. I enjoy doing seniors too.

I forget who said it, the gist of it is to only shoot what you want to shoot. When you no longer enjoy an aspect of photography, you need to drop it. For some, maybe that’s saying no to shooting so many engagement sessions when you really love shooting seniors. For others, that might be a 365 that turns into a chore. When I shoot what I want to shoot (which is 100% of the photography I do right now, since I have learned to say no to some potential photography opportunities that I don’t want to do), it’s the most fun thing e.v.e.r. since I can do what I love without the fear of feeling weighted down.

I just find inspiration from the people I photograph. I don’t do too much extensive planning ahead of time besides choosing locations and outfits. I like to go with the flow in sessions and see what happens. I find inspiration as I’m shooting. I am constantly seeing new places out the car window that would be perfect locations, or making mental notes of cute outfits I see.

I have taken all four of Nancy from Ordinary Miracles Photography’s classes, and even repeated a couple of them since they are just that awesome. Nancy is such a wonderful teacher. She has taught me most of what I know about photography. There is a small (and very talented!) Facebook group for alumnus which I have been a part of for over a year and a half. That group has pushed my photography extensively and is my photography “home base”.

I also went to Click Away a few weeks ago (where I met Courtney!) and it was the best weekend ever. It gave me so much confidence as a photographer and I learned so much invaluable information, along with having inspiration flowing in my ears 24/7!

I’m just not the photography project type. I have started 2 or 3 Project 365’s but forfeited after a few weeks. It’s hard to do a 365 if you don’t have kids.

I love the magic of compression and shooting wide open! The 85 has been my workhorse, and I love to shoot with my 70-200 at 200mm. Naturally, I assumed a wide angle could never be a beloved part of my camera bag – until I tried out the 35mm 1.4 and I instantly fell in love with him. Never say never! I have only done a few sessions with it so far, and I am already obsessively head over heals for Mr. 35mm 1.4. It gives such an intimate, connected perspective that long focal lengths lack. Longer focal lengths can feel very disconnected. My only concern is distortion. I have a feeling that it will be my favorite lens for years to come, and I know I could go a year with that lens only.

Burnout: Why It’s Okay to Take a Break on Click it Up a Notch – This is so freeing! I felt big time photography burnout this past winter, and I’m sure it will happen again in time. It happens to everyone doing creative things. Everyone.

4 Tips for Posing Men – Posing males is nothing short of hard and awkward (for me, at least!). This breaks it down well and provides great visuals.

3 Non-Traditional Portrait Lenses – I just can’t keep from coming back to this post often! The ‘rebellious rule breaking’ of using these lenses makes me so very happy! I adore photos with a 50, 85, and 135 just as much as the next person does, but there’s just something unique variety in portraiture through out of the ordinary lens choice.

I love this photo of these sibling swinging their baby brother last month. I love the connection and love between them that this photo exudes. They are my dad’s coworker’s kids, and they were the first people I ever took pictures of when I was first starting out, back in the day. My absolute favorite family sessions are those with three kids. I don’t know why this is, but it’s one of my photography idiosyncrasies.

I shoot with a full frame Nikon D610. My lenses are the Nikon 35mm 1.4, 85 1.8, and the Sigma 70-200 2.8. The 85 is what stays on my camera most of the time. The bokeh on the 70-200 is buttery and to die for, but photos feel really disconnected to me since you have to be so far away. I love that the 35 gives you more context of the location, and I photos feel intimate and connected since it requires you to be up close and personal.

Clare Irene Photography absolutely blows my mind. Clare is a very good friend of mine and is as wonderful of a person as could be. She is just a couple months older than me. We are constantly pushing each other’s photography forward. Her senior work is phenomenal and will make your jaw drop. You can see her photos on her website, Clare Irene Photography, and Instagram.

Winters where I live are long and miserable. Nobody, myself included, wants to venture outdoors and take photos. On the flip side, out summers are blissful and ideal for photography. I miss all that by being at summer camp for several weeks. I was at camp for four weeks this past summer (read: four weeks without my camera), and will be gone for seven this upcoming summer. With family vacations, that leaves me with almost no time for photography sessions. As a result, I do a lot in the fall, which I love, but the annual summer photography hiatus makes me go insane.

Hangs head in shame. I never take photos of things pertaining to me, since I don’t have kids, so there isn’t anything worth hanging on our walls. But, I have an option for clients to get beautiful albums, canvases, prints, etc. We have professional photos of my brother and I when we were 2 and 6 hanging on our walls, but that’s it.

I went into my camera bag to see if I even had something strange. I found a pack of false eyelashes in a pocket. I have never purchased false eyelashes in my life. I have no idea how they got there!
Glitter! I always have lots of hot pink glitter in my camera bag. It can completely turn a session around.

There are three things lingering at the top of my long list right now. I want to explore turning my photography into art. I want on do a good number of in-home family sessions this winter instead of thinking that it’s too cold to take photos. What I want to do more than anything is engagement sessions, but there isn’t really a big market of that for 16 year old girls. ;)

My photography can be found on my website, Tyrie Mehaffey Photography, and on Instagram!