A New Chapter
There is something about finding your way back to something you love.
Not because you stopped loving it. Not because you forgot how to do it. But because somewhere along the way, life happened. Responsibilities piled up. Disappointments came. Dreams got a little quieter. And the very thing that once brought you so much joy slowly became something you had to figure out how to make work.
For me, that thing is photography.
I’ve been a photographer for over 14 years. And if there is one thing I know for sure, it’s that no matter how many times I’ve felt discouraged, frustrated, overlooked, or even considered walking away from it all, my heart always finds its way back to my camera.
Always.
Photography has been a part of my life for so long that I cannot imagine a version of myself without it. It has given me some of my most beautiful experiences, introduced me to incredible people, challenged my creativity, and allowed me to see the world in a way that is uniquely my own.
But I would be lying if I said the journey has always been beautiful.
There have been seasons when I questioned everything. Seasons when I wondered if all the years of hard work would ever amount to what I had envisioned. Seasons when the business side of photography became so overwhelming that I almost forgot how much I loved the art itself.
And then there is life outside of photography.
Like many of us, I am navigating my own season of rebuilding. Working a full-time job, managing responsibilities, figuring out my next chapter, and trying to create a life that feels good to me.
Somewhere in the middle of all of that, I realized something.
I missed simply being creative.
I missed picking up my camera just because I wanted to.
I missed getting excited about a beautiful location, an interesting face, a cool outfit, or the way the afternoon sunlight falls across a city backdrop.
I missed creating without immediately wondering how the work would perform on social media, whether it would attract new clients, or if it would lead to my next booking.
I missed the part of photography that made me fall in love with it in the first place.
And I want that part back.
A Different Kind of Photography Reset
I am not walking away from my photography business. I still love photographing people. I still love creating beautiful portraits, directing my clients, putting together creative concepts, and capturing those little in-between moments that make a photograph feel alive.
That part of me isn’t going anywhere.
But I am learning that not everything I create has to serve a business purpose.
Sometimes, I want to take photographs simply because I see something beautiful.
Sometimes, I want to experiment with a new idea, try something completely different, or create a body of work that may never become anything more than something I enjoyed making.
And sometimes, I just want to write about it.
No strategy. No expectations. No pressure to turn every creative moment into an opportunity.
Just me, my camera, my thoughts, and the freedom to enjoy what I love.
That is the spirit behind this new chapter of my photography journey.
I am giving myself permission to be an artist again. Not just a business owner. Not just a content creator. Not just someone constantly thinking about what comes next.
An artist who is still curious, still inspired, still learning, and still very much in love with her craft.
So, What Is The TRP Journal?
The TRP Journal is my little corner of the internet where photography and writing come together.
Two things I have always loved.
I have wanted a space like this for quite some time. Somewhere I could share more than the finished photographs. Somewhere I could tell the stories behind the images, document my creative experiences, and share the thoughts that don’t always fit neatly into an Instagram caption.
And somewhere I could simply write.
Here, you will find my portrait work, personal photography projects, photo essays, behind-the-scenes moments, creative experiments, and reflections on life as a photographer.
You may find me sharing photographs from an afternoon spent wandering around with my camera. Or writing about a portrait session that reminded me why I love what I do.
There may be stories about creativity, inspiration, style, finding beauty in ordinary places, and what it means to continue pursuing something you love while navigating the realities of everyday life.
And because I am a woman with many interests, you may occasionally get a glimpse into the other things that inspire my creative life.
I don’t want this journal to feel like a traditional photography website where every post is designed to sell you something.
I want it to feel like you have stepped into my creative world, pulled up a chair, and decided to stay awhile.
A place where you can enjoy the photographs, read the stories, get to know the woman behind the camera, and maybe even find a little inspiration for your own creative journey.
Think of it as a visual diary of a photographer who is finding her way back to the joy of creating.
And you are welcome to come along.
Creating Without the Pressure to Perform
One of the most important things I want to protect in this new chapter is the joy.
I have spent enough time putting pressure on myself to do more, achieve more, post more, create more, and somehow turn every passion into something successful.
And while I still have dreams for my photography, I don’t want those dreams to rob me of the very thing that made me fall in love with it.
So, I am approaching The TRP Journal differently.
There will be no rigid posting schedule. No promises to publish every Tuesday. No elaborate content calendar that turns something I love into another obligation on my already full to-do list.
I will share when I have something I want to share.
I will write when I have something to say.
I will create when I feel inspired to create.
And when life gets busy, I will allow myself the space to live it without feeling like I have fallen behind.
That doesn’t mean I am any less committed to my craft.
It simply means I am learning to make room for creativity in a way that feels sustainable, peaceful, and enjoyable.
I want to be able to pick up my camera on a Saturday afternoon, head out into the world, photograph whatever catches my eye, and come home feeling happy about the experience.
Whether those photographs end up in a gallery, on this blog, or simply tucked away in my personal collection, the experience itself will have been enough.
I want to remember what it feels like to create something without needing it to become something else.
And I want to enjoy writing again, too. Not because I need to publish another post, but because there is something deeply satisfying about sitting down with my thoughts and finding the words to express them.
That is what I want this space to be.
A place where both of those loves can exist together, without the weight of expectation.
Finding My Way Back Doesn’t Mean Starting Over
One thing I have come to understand is that finding your way back to something doesn’t mean you have to start from scratch.
I am not a new photographer. I have years of experience, lessons, memories, and beautiful work behind me.
I know what I love about photography. I know the kind of images that make me excited. I know the feeling I want people to have when they step in front of my camera.
But I am also giving myself permission to evolve.
To try new things. To explore different ideas. To be inspired by things that may have nothing to do with the work I have created in the past.
I don’t have to keep doing something simply because it is what I have always done.
And I don’t have to have every detail of this next chapter figured out before I begin.
Maybe that is one of the beautiful things about being a creative person. You never really arrive at a place where there is nothing left to discover.
There is always another story to tell.
Another face to photograph.
Another beautiful moment waiting to be noticed.
And another version of yourself waiting to be expressed through your work.
I am excited to discover what that looks like for me now.
Not the photographer I was five or ten years ago.
The photographer I am today.
Welcome to My Creative World
If you have made it this far, thank you for being here.
Whether you are someone who has followed my photography journey for years or you are discovering my work for the very first time, I hope you find something here that makes you want to return.
Maybe it will be a photograph that makes you feel something.
Maybe it will be a story that reminds you of your own experiences.
Maybe it will be a little glimpse behind the scenes that makes you see photography in a different way.
Or maybe you will simply enjoy following along as I continue finding my way through this beautiful, sometimes frustrating, always interesting creative life.
I don’t know exactly what The TRP Journal will become.
And for once, I am perfectly okay with that.
I don’t need to have the entire journey mapped out. I don’t need to know how many people will read this or where it will lead.
I just know that I love photography. I love writing. And I want to make more room in my life for both.
So, here I am.
Still creating. Still curious. Still dreaming. And still finding beauty in the world around me.
Not starting from scratch, but finding my way back to the parts of myself that have always been here.
Welcome to The TRP Journal.
I’m glad you’re here.
— Tangie
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