Today we’d like to introduce you to Tanner Yeager.
Hi Tanner, 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 backstories with our readers?
I grew up in a small town called Globe in eastern Arizona with a population of 10,000 people. Around 8 years, old my best friend invited me to go to the new BMX track with him and I had to beg my parents to allow me to go. They finally agreed and I was hooked. That pretty much changed the trajectory of my life.
The next couple of years and by the time I was 10, it was my entire life. We were traveling every weekend for races until I was about 16 when I finally got out of it and transitioned into dirtbikes. During my BMX chapter, I met a couple of photographers who ended up becoming mentors of mine when I got into photography. I knew that I wanted to pursue action sports while in high school but didn’t have the resources to take racing to the next level.
While doing video and photos in high school, I learned a lot of the fundamentals and realized I enjoyed it and was pretty good at it. Post high school the real world hit and I ended up working in a copper mine and on ranches in my hometown. Although I was getting into the hang of the ranch life I knew I needed to get out of town. When I decided to go all-in with photography I was about 22. I wasn’t sure how to get into professional photography or where to begin but I just started shooting and networking (pre-Instagram) so a lot of Facebook groups usually. I went to motocross races and rodeos and shot pretty much every weekend.
Eventually, I was getting paid gigs around Arizona and my hometown. I was shooting everything from family photos to school dances and action sports. I guess you could say the persistence I learned as an athlete growing up went a long way and no matter how many times I got knocked down I’d get back up and try it again and just learn to do better. I am now about 7 years into being a full-time photographer, a lot has changed but one thing remains and that is the uncertainty that comes with being a freelancer.
If you aren’t putting your heart into it and giving it a hundred percent it will get the best of you.
I’m sure you wouldn’t say it’s been obstacle-free, but so far would you say the journey has been a fairly smooth road?
No road worth traveling is ever smooth. There have been times when I thought to myself “oh wow that was a big gig, I did great and it’s smooth sailing now” you realize it’s just the start to a new journey with different obstacles you will have to recalibrate for.
As an artist, my dream is to create and provide a creative space for the people I am working with. I am pretty comfortable shooting anything now and know that if I do my best the results will show but when it comes to the business side of things and traveling and maintaining a balanced and healthy life that’s where most of the struggles and learning have come in. I’ve had dream jobs, I’ve lost dream jobs, I’ve accepted gigs that were over 12 hours away and no money to my name but still had to get there.
There have been many times when I’ve reconsidered being an artist because sometimes it feels like you can’t catch a break and the times will test you of that. At the end of the day, the struggles will always be there but having a healthy mind and body is the most important and helps with persistence and longevity in any career.
When the light starts to dim, I try to refocus on why I am doing what I am doing. I will usually go to the gym, meditate or go grab a camera and skate around the city and take street shots. Those have been huge tools for me!
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
For the last 6 years, I have been focused heavily on documenting the lifestyle culture of action sports and as of 2019, I made my way to Nashville to pursue a creative route in the music world.
I believe that there are a lot of similarities between being a photographer/filmmaker, athlete, and musician so the transition hasn’t been too crazy. My job is to tell a story and that’s what I aim to do everywhere I go.
Any big plans?
There is always uncertainty with being a freelance creative. I’ve learned to take it day by day. Right now I am really looking forward to getting back into the groove of traveling and creating in a world that’s not in quarantine.
I’d like to continue working with artists here in Nashville and hopefully direct some music videos this coming year and possibly hit the road with some artists.
Contact Info:
- Email: [email protected]
- Website: www.tanneryeager.com
- Instagram: www.instagram.com/tanneryeagerphoto
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC_SdTf3CU5qtMz5dQct-JHQ
- Other: https://vimeo.com/tanneryeager
