I’m Trish Tunney, a photographer by vocation. I shoot events both corporate and social, do studio work, and I sell my fine art in local galleries. Originally from New York, I’ve lived in San Francisco for the past 15 years. Thanks so much for the opportunity to speak about my photography.

I took a black and white darkroom class in High School and a Polaroid Transfer class at a community college last year. I think it would have been a lot of fun to study photography, but I ended up studying engineering. My first career as an engineer lasted 15 years. There were many things I enjoyed about engineering. But it always felt like a practical place to stay until I gathered the courage to go off and do something creative and uncertain for a living.

I’ve been making pictures for almost 30 years now. I got my Minolta SRT SC-II in 1978. I brought it everywhere with me. My dad built me a darkroom in our basement. I would get lost for hours down there. I still miss the smell of the fixer.

This is the stuff I most often pack:

• Nikon D2x
• Nikon D2xs
• Nikon SB800’s
• 80-200 f2.8VR
• 17-55 f2.8
• 18-200 VR
• 50mm 1.4
• lensbaby 2.0
• 80-400 VR
• Quantum Q-flash’s
• Quantum Turbo 2X2’s
• Custom Bracket – CB Junior
• Bogen 055MF3 legs
• Acratech Ultimate Ballhead
• RRS quick release L brackets

My studio is filled with White Lightning and Alien Bees moonlights.

I’ve already pre-ordered the Nikon D3. So that will be my next big purchase next month.

I love my neighborhood, the Mission District, San Francisco. I love to shoot old weathered manmade things in bright, directional sunlight. Like cars or buildings or doorways or signs or anything made out of metal really. I love raggedy bits and faded cheerful colors and sharp shadow lines. Anything that seems like it’s from another time and is filled with character especially intrigues me. Some have described my work as having a nostalgic storytelling quality. When I hang in galleries, I usually print them large (24”x36” and up) and on canvas.

I also love to shoot people in the studio. Especially folks who are uncomfortable getting their photo taken and feel they take awful pictures. There’s nothing better than getting someone to relax in front of a camera and the big lights. Having them go from rigid and awkward to having fun with the experience. And then to present them with a beautiful image of themselves when they thought it was not possible. Now THAT is rewarding.

I am embarrassed to tell you I am not interested in the work of other photographers enough to formally study them. I am certain I could learn SO much by doing so, but it feels like history class to me where I glaze over wishing it was recess so I could go outside and play!

I am a voracious learner of the technical aspects of photography. The technical aspects of anything, really: math, science, physics, optics, computers…. It is no accident I ended up an engineer.

Often the thing that most informs my photography is to express myself in other mediums. I find if I am only doing photography, my work can get stale. So I mix it up a bit. Sometimes I play guitar or drums, pick up painting, a creative writing assignment, enroll in a hip hop class, go to the beach and collect shells… Being creative in more than one direction and keeping a sense of play in my life helps me to be creative on demand (when there is a paycheck and a deadline involved).

That being said, I saw a William Eggleston exhibit and thought his photography was fantastic. And I also like the way Wayne Thiebaud makes his shadows seem like objects not entirely secondary to the subjects that cast them.

I’ve had my account since 2003. I like that I can customize the site to make it look however I want. Their navigation is great. Even my least computer savvy clients can figure out how to view their images. I like that I can have private galleries and that I don’t have to worry about how much space I’m taking up on their servers.

Also, the support is excellent. It’s not always the answer I want to hear, but I always get a prompt answer from a friendly helpful person who really seems interested in my happiness. I wish they would start a phone company.

So many of my opportunities have come from my site. SmugMug has been my solution for a versatile website. As I move around in the photography industry I can edit my website myself and keep the story of my work true and current.

If you want to pursue photography as a profession I would say this: Work hard, don’t whine when the conditions are not ideal, and make sure there’s love in your heart. If people can see how much you love what you do, they will want you around. It may sound funny, but when it comes to getting the jobs, the client’s experience of the photographer seems to be equally as important as the resulting pictures. If you are a joy to work with and you deliver good pictures, you will get called back and your name will get passed around.