Meet Tarin Butterfield | Photographer & Storyteller

We had the good fortune of connecting with Tarin Butterfield and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Tarin, can you walk us through the thought-process of starting your business?
Throughout my childhood I always had a camera in my hand and made a lot of videos. At the beginning of high school I discovered my love for still photography, particularly portraiture. I asked my friends to model for me and we’d go on adventures to different locations and try out different unique photo ideas that I saw on Flickr. Word took off in my high school after doing a handful of shoots with my classmates. Soon, I was asked if I did senior photos and family photos. I started my first website shortly after and promoted myself as a photographer. My business took off when I was a sophomore and for the rest of my years in high school, I was open for business and accepting clients. That was just the start of it all…

Can you give our readers an introduction to your business? Maybe you can share a bit about what you do and what sets you apart from others?
I tend to think of my business pre-college and post-college. My photography business was erected during my high school years, which was the first taste of being my own boss, creating work I loved, and bringing in my own income. Once you have a happy client, references and word of mouth can go such a long way. Even though I was at college in Chicago about 40 miles from my hometown, I was still getting inquiries here and there for photo work. During my time in university at Columbia College Chicago, my business was put on the back burner so I could focus on my studies – but I tirelessly networked and collaborated on artsy photo projects with my colleagues.
Fast forward to graduation in 2018: I moved out of the city and back to the area where I grew up. After four years away, I had to rebuild my business. I was a bit daunted by this and the post-college life and decided to apply to different local jobs. I continued doing photography here and there as I re-established myself and business in the area.

Now, today, in 2022, I am self-employed full-time. This is a very recent thing and I am in the infancy of my full time business. It is something that still requires a lot of faith, patience, and time. It took me four years post-college to get to where I am today – and I am still not close to where I’d like to be. A lot of the time between college and now, I was battling my own doubt and fears about being my own boss full-time, building a clientele, and committing to it.

With the photography industry in the Midwest, our slow season starts in November. I am currently marketing and advertising for holiday family photos and selling prints of my personal work from Hawaii to stay busy and bring in income. There is no shame in admitting that I may need to apply for a part time job this season to get by. This is a real thing us self-employed artists face. I think a few years from now as I continue to build this clientele and save money, I won’t have to be in a position where I have to seek supplemental income.

Does this make me a failure? Of course not! Maybe a few years ago I would have thought differently, but today I realize that this is a part of starting and maintaining a business. When I face trials and tribulations, it is an inspiration for me to overcome. Being your own boss means that you have to take risks and be in a constant state of learning and growing. If you find you aren’t making enough money, then you have to get really savvy with your marketing to bring in new clients. This is exactly what I was facing a few months back. Now, I have the skillset and confidence to sell myself in any situation and on social media, via email, and in person.

As much as I love the Chicagoland area, I plan to relocate to Maui, Hawaii in the next 3-5 years and build a photo business there. I already call Maui home and I have created some of my favorite images on the island. I believe it will be a really good fit for me and my business as I can create work year-round! Follow me on socials to follow my journey and see photographs from my coming trip to India this January 2023!

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
I’d like to shoutout to my parents, Kathy and Steve Butterfield for always being a support in my photography pursuits. I’d like to give a big thank you to every person that has ever trusted me to capture their special life moments.

I owe all my success to Sri Krishna!

Website: bio.site/tarin

Instagram: https://instagram.com/takenbytarin/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/takenbytarin

Other: Print site: https://tarinphotography.pixieset.com/hawaiianlandscapes/store/ Etsy shop: https://www.etsy.com/shop/TakenByTarin