Today we’d like to introduce you to Annie Tao.
Annie, we appreciate you taking the time to share your story with us today. Where does your story begin?
Loving all forms of Art since I was young, I somehow considered it only as a hobby until I was 30 years old. It was the mindset of an older generation, but I thought a career was something you should be good at and something that provided financial security, but not necessarily something you needed to be passionate about. “That’s what weekends are for”, I convinced myself. That was my mentality for a good decade of my adulthood.
Then a life-defining event happened. My dad – someone who only stepped into my life in my 20s and became the important call I made every day after work — died suddenly and unexpectedly. My world seemed to stop spinning, and I forced myself to look inward to figure out how to move forward that would make sense. “Climbing the corporate ladder” no longer seemed meaningful. I dabbled in teaching for a few years because I’ve always loved kids, and then started my Photography business, which combined my corporate background with my passion for Art.
It has been 15 years of building Annie Tao Photography to where it is now, and I still love every aspect of it.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
Only in the beginning. Getting started in my Photography business went surprisingly smoothly because I had always loved Photography and brought my camera everywhere, so it wasn’t something I needed to be trained on or go back to school for. I already owned equipment, and people around me were familiar with my work, so friends were commissioning me to take photos of their families and businesses.
I understood Marketing since that was my corporate background, so I focused on building an online presence and found ways to develop my brand. I continued to photograph things I love, so my portfolio grew effortlessly.
Then the struggles came. I encountered naysayers and judgmental readers for some articles I had written. I’ve also had several photographers and even an attorney steal my work, from using my images to taking written content from my website and complete articles to use as their own.
I sometimes shoot in areas that are not the safest, so I’ve been robbed before. I’ve had my car broken into as well. I had to drive an hour and a half home with no windows and all my contents stolen. When you carry expensive gear, there are always people watching.
I’ve also had many injuries from doing what I love. I’ve slipped and fallen on wet marble when running after a toddler and sustained a concussion. I also have “trigger finger” that affects my ability to bend certain fingers after holding my heavy cameras over the years.
Despite these struggles, I am grateful that I get to do what I love.
As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about what you do?
Ooh, I’d be happy to share!
I am a Lifestyle and Commercial Photographer. Basically, it means I photograph all kinds of people and businesses, but in a lifestyle way. I’m the opposite of a look-at-me-and-smile kind of photographer. On my shoots, people are doing activities or connecting with each other, and I move around them.
I find it so exciting to get to think and move quickly: I assess a situation and shoot it in the perspective and angle that I think best describes the scene. I see myself as a visual storyteller.
What I’m most proud of and what sets me apart from other photographers is one in the same. I am very easy to get along with and love kids, animals, and down-to-earth people. I appreciate a good joke, a drooly baby, and the sounds of leaves rustling when the wind blows. I keep it real. I’m usually laughing and playing with the kids or chatting it up with my clients during a shoot while simultaneously observing my subjects and the environment. When the shoot is over, my clients often tell me that it felt like they were just hanging out with a friend rather than a professional photoshoot. I love that!
It’s their reaction after seeing their photos that makes me the proudest. It’s when a client tells me they were so emotional that they cried. It’s when they tell me I captured that small detail they didn’t think anyone else ever noticed: the way their child smiles at them or the way their spouse holds their hand.
I love that I put my clients at ease during their shoot so that they can be themselves and have fun, be silly, or anything they feel at that time. They also trust me, so they can be vulnerable. This is when the magic happens.
Through my photos, my clients see that the realness of their lives — though it may feel imperfect at times — is beautiful.
How do you define success?
Growing up around ambitious people for most of my life resulted in complacency in how I defined success. I adopted the definition of those around me, which consisted of graduating from a top university, working my way to a high-paying job, having a large office with a fancy title, hefty bonuses, and a company car. Until I turned 30, I never actively thought about what success meant to me. I just knew I wasn’t happy, even after reaching all of those ‘successful’ milestones.
I realize that success can look different with each person, and the definition can change within each person’s life.
Fast-forward to today, I see success as finding peace and strength, even when things are rough.
It also means collecting experiences rather than objects. For example, for Christmas, I give my kids activities or tickets to an event instead of buying toys and electronics.
And it’s always, no matter what, about being grateful for the little things, not just the big things in life. Sipping a delicious cup of coffee on a cold morning, feeling the sun on my face, hearing “I love you, Mommy” from my little one after a long day.
That is success to me.
Pricing:
- Lifestyle Photography starts at $1375
Contact Info:
- Email: [email protected]
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/annietao
Image Credits
Annie Tao Photography
