Meet Tristan Presley | Freelance Photographer and Videographer

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

Hi Tristan, why did you decide to pursue a creative path?
Being completely honest, it wasn’t based in a resentment towards working for other, nor was it a drive to work for myself. Simply, it was almost a form of rush I would get when at the end of the day, I could look back and see the things I had created, compare them to y past creations, and see my growth as an artist and as a person. Also being able to provide people with a service they couldn’t obtain anywhere else, drove me to truly take this on full time!

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
As a Photographer and Videographer, the competition is fierce. The only way to get ahead is to stand out, and after years of working on finding my own place, it clicked with me that the best way to stand out, and offer something no one else could: was to simply be myself. The experience you offer clients is something only you can do. To be blunt; anyone can pick up a camera and use it, some may be cheaper, better, or more prestigious than you, but none of them can give the same experience as you. so by being kind, relatable, and truly going the extra mile for people, is how i built strong relationships within my business which led me to more opportunities in the future. It certainly was not easy, but at the same time was not difficult. more than anything, it required patience and commitment. As much as we love to hear about overnight success, it truly takes time above all. Any form of business will certainly be met with their fair share of challenges, some big and some small, but the important thing to remember is to push through them and do not let these obstacles ruin your chances at a fulfilling career. If there was only 1 thing for people to take away from me and my story is to do things because it is what you want to do. Dont take on jobs, clients, or anything else if they make you miserable or destroy the things that made you enjoy your art. Find community and make friendships, this way, even if financial success doesn’t come, you will still stand to gain so much from the people you meet!

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
Anytime people come to visit, the top three places to eat i take them are as follows: Foodies- An amazing locally owned Greek restaurant owned by amazing people who serve amazing food Smacking Wings- As a wing fanatic, I can not help but take people to the best wing spot in town! (bonus points if they try the signature peanut butter and jelly wings) Geedunk- Ignore the strange name, this place has some of the best ice cream I have ever had! all kinds of flavors with a super nice staff makes every trip there a treat in more ways than one! Unfortunately, there is not much to do for fun here other than hiking trails and the bowling alley, but both are great forms of entertainment!

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
Although there are countless others to thank, I would simply have to narrow it down to two people; Shay Arnold and Sam Files. Both of them have always been there to present me with new challenges and opportunities, as well as being a friend to confide in and answer any questions i have. without the combined efforts of the two, not only would I have not reached where I am now, I most likely would not even be in a creative field. I would want to thank them both for helping me get here, and helping me to stay on the right track.

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ihatetristanpresley/