Meet Tana Ruud | Photographer & Business Owner

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

Hi Tana, is there something that you feel is most responsible for your success?
The most important factor behind my being able to do what I love for a living, is my being a bit of a catalyst and a networker. I thrive on bringing people together to create something, and a perfect day at work is collaborating with others on a photoshoot.

When I began photographing weddings, I made a point of sharing images of specific work with the vendors. That sharing wasn’t as common as it is now, and I think that was key to building relationships with people I wanted to work with again and keep a conversation going. Plus, when they showed photos of their work, it helped bring clients my way.

That connecting and networking still benefits me after years of photographing. I feel like that Six Degrees of Separation theory for me, is like a one or two-degree separation from everyone in my city!

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
Starting a photography business right before digital cameras took over film and right before the debut of Instagram was, no doubt, easier than it would be today. There weren’t as many photographers around me to compete with, who were comfortable enough with film and manual mode to photograph a wedding day (there was no “preview” option like digital cameras offer!)

I’d studied photography and art in college and was attracted to the higher-end, editorial style, of wedding photography that I saw in Martha Steward Weddings and Grace Ormonde Wedding Style magazines. I wanted to create images that looked like the magazine features and ads: unposed, emotional, styled, and beautiful.

The first wedding I photographed (on film) was for my good friends. I was able to print out a few previews for her that very day and she literally cried and hugged me tight, she was so happy.
That day I knew I’d found my niche.

I connected with a local wedding planner, Craig Edwards, who had a similar vision (which was key to my business growth) and we paired up for years. I made a point of networking with the wedding vendors I met, getting to know them, and making sure they had photos that showcased their work. That networking and collaborating were, for sure, key to keeping me in business and being able to continually work without having to do much advertising.

I think it’s also key to be a team player at an event like a wedding. The photographer is just one part of a successful day, but being amiable, flexible, and communicative with the other vendors is SO important.

I’m a bit of an introvert, but when I’m about to photograph something on a larger scale, I like taking the lead in my section of the day and I embrace the creative pressure. Working well under that pressure has helped me continually shift, expand, and take on new types of clients.
Weddings are still a big chunk of my work, but I’ve loved branching out to creating content for women-owned businesses, headshots for people who have a unique style, and photographing for many of the popular restaurants in Boise.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
I’m fortunate to live in one of the fastest-growing cities in the US, Boise, Idaho. If you love being out in nature, dining at sidewalk cafes, living in a “college town” that’s actually a city, and having a ski resort that’s only 16 miles to the top from downtown, then you’d love Boise!

How would we spend a week here?

Day 1- A great way to start a week in Boise would be to a short hike up to the hilltop at Camel Back Park where you can see the city’s layout. From there you can also see how thick the city’s trees are and why Boise was first nicknamed Les Bois, City of Trees!
We’d follow that with a drive around to see the trendy neighborhood sections like The Historic North End, Hyde Park, and The Boise Bench. We’d head to the 8th Street area, which’s lined with restaurants, street-side patios, and live music. It’s a great place to see friends and people-watch over cocktails.

Day 2- If it’s summertime, we’d be floating on the Boise River in small rafts with a group of friends, followed by dinner at one of the many Idaho breweries near the river.

Day 3- We’d go shopping at the Boise Farmers Market for local produce, handmade items, and some of the best pastries and kombucha. We’d then walk towards downtown, to visit the many small coffee shops, boutiques, gift shops, and Made in Idaho stores. Supporting locals is popular here, so we’d finish the day at a locally-owned, seasonal restaurant like Richard’s, which creates different menus every season to support local growers and producers.

Day 4- In three of the seasons, we could take a scenic day hike up into the Boise Foothills or the Boise National Forest. Hiking is also popular here and the Ridge to Rivers Trail System is extensive with both hike and bike paths offering views of the beautiful valley. We could take the dogs with us!

Day 5- If it’s winter, we could spend the day (and evening) skiing and dining up at Bogus Basin Ski Resort, only 16 miles from downtown Boise! In the Summer season, we could take a chair lift to the top of Bogus Basin and bike down on one of the many trails.

Day 6- Visiting the many Idaho wineries can take an entire day, especially if you join a winery tour bus, or we would sit out on patios next to the Boise River at one of the many wine bars, and listen to live music.

And Day 7- Depending on what month it is, we’d finish the week attending The Boise Balloon Classic, The Twilight Criterium with top, pro cyclists, the Treefort Music Fest which lasts around five days, or one of the many art and food festivals in the downtown parks!

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
I’m fortunate to be surrounded by supportive friends and family, and an extended network of creative people, but as far back as I can remember, my father supported anything I showed interest in, even talking me through the process or projection of what I could do with or where I could take that particular idea. He especially made sure we were introduced to different formats of art.

Before first grade, my sister and I were painting on a large scale (large to a 5 yr) on butcher paper rolled out across the length of our unfinished basement, doing paper mache in the kitchen sink, and taking clocks and radios apart to put them back together. My father even built a backyard stage with wooden sides, a cement floor, and cut logs where the audience could sit while the neighborhood kids and we performed.

He was an amateur photographer and had darkrooms at his work and built into the garage. As a grade-schooler, I was there practicing making photo prints. He helped me by buying my first tripod, first camera bag, and countless rolls of film, and would walk around the camera store with me, visiting with all the salespeople.

So, while I know the choice to make art and be creative can be learned, I’ve always assumed that whatever artistic traits I possessed, were inherited.

Website: https://www.tanaphotography.com

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

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