Today we’d like to introduce you to Tyler Middendorf
Hi Tyler, it’s an honor to have you on the platform. Thanks for taking the time to share your story with us – to start maybe you can share some of your backstory with our readers?
I really took a liking to photography during my high school years and this was primarily tied to my love of music and looking to capture memorable moments that I could share with my friends….though at this time social media didn’t exist so I have to rely on printing them out at Walgreens and sharing photos in person. Being so young and without real money, my canon powershot was my main tool to highlight these moments and in all honesty it did a great job! Though as my interest grew I knew I had to elevate my skills to a DSLR camera and thus my Canon 70D came into my life and opened up a whole new world of possibility. It was no longer about simply pointing and shooting an image but I had controls…this was both exciting and very scary. As someone who has been fully self-taught, this was probably a longer journey than it needed to be, but ultimately very fulfilling as I made my reality happen through my own want and passion. I used this camera to really test and hone in my skills as a landscape photographer. I took some really amazing photos of my travels over the years. I was really loving growing this creative muscle and developing an eye for capturing a moment. I was however, like a lot of artists…bashful about my work and never shared these images with anyone but very close friends and family. Fast Forward to the pandemic and like most people I had some extra time on my hands and decided to reengage with these photos from my travels and share them with the world…and this is where Tyler Middendorf Photography was born. I started an Instagram page and posted regularly three times a week and slowly but organically grew this page from nothing to now over 1,000 followers and growing. I was sharing these exciting and meaningful photos from my travels to my delight they were well received and I was engaging with new people as well as old acquaintances who had no idea I had this passion. It was truly an example of just putting yourself out there and you will find your right people. My business has now grown to specialize in live entertainment and event photography as that is where my love of photography started and it is great to be working in the entertainment industry. I now photograph concerts, weddings, special events, comedy shows as well as portrait photography.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
My journey has not been as tough as maybe it has been for others, but it was also not easy street by any means. Working in photography is a grind, there is no other way around it…especially event photography. You are working late nights with tight turnarounds and usually working in places where you are not in control of the environment…so hat can provide some unique challenges. Though I think these challenges are what make a great photographer…being able to produce great images and art in an unfavorable environment only makes us stronger as creatives. A big struggle when trying to break into entertainment photography is just getting an opportunity to get in the venue. If you do not have a portfolio of live event images, why should they trust you to capture this event for them…its a tough conversation and you will hear “no” more than “yes” starting out, but just keep reaching out to places and purely by the numbers someone will give you a shot and that is exactly how my story started. I was constantly pitching and promoting myself and what I think I can bring to the table to make my work standout and through luck a club in Hollywood gave me a shot. Thanks to that club, I was able to photograph and connect with some of the biggest comedians in the game and also meet some amazing photographers in the industry and keep building my creative network.
Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
I specialize in two main areas: Live Entertainment and Boudoir Photography. The reason why I specialize in both of these areas of photography is because I like capturing moments and second I like making people feel good and empowered. Through this skills of photography I can accomplish both and serve a larger audience in both areas of focus. As someone who grew up and currently works in the entertainment industry, I feel I am more Intune and can convey that connection from the artists performing and their fanbase. Its a subtle language of being able to read the beats of a performance as its happening and never missing a beat. In relation to the boudoir side of my business, I have always struggled with my personal views of myself and managing my self confidence so having part of my business solely focused on empowering people and showing them how amazing they naturally are is something I think its a gift and I do not take for granted. When I do my photo reveals with clients, there is no more rewarding feeling. I think what separates my work or experience from others in my field is the personal storytelling connecting I try to embody in my images. I am not trying to capture a “commercial” images, but rather I want to tell the story. That story could be how packed the crowd at the concert was and everyone was sweating and singing in unison to their favorite artist, or it could be creating a storytelling moment during a shoot with a client and telling the story of how they started off self-conscious about a certain part of themselves and now they are feeling joyous because they truly love who they are!
The crisis has affected us all in different ways. How has it affected you and any important lessons or epiphanies you can share with us?
The most important thing I have learned is life is short and do not take time for granted. Take the risk and put yourself out there and the world will match your energy. People want to support those who provide something special and positive to everyone!
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.tylermiddendorfphotography.com
- Instagram: @tmiddendorfphoto @tmphotoafterdark
Image Credits
Tyler Middendorf Photography
