Today we’d like to introduce you to Tracey Washington
Hi Tracey, thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, maybe you can tell our readers some of your backstory.
Photography has always been a passion. It’s a bit cliché, but I have had a camera in hand for as long as I can remember. When I was eight, my mom gifted me my first camera, and I spent endless rolls of film capturing everything—my friends, my family, even the simple beauty of an ordinary day. That passion stayed with me through college and my travels—I never went anywhere without my camera. But it was when my daughter was born that my love for photography deepened. I became obsessed with capturing her every moment. That naturally evolved into taking portraits of her and her friends, and before I knew it, I was photographing families, milestones, and special events.
When we moved to Texas, I made the leap to turn my passion into a business. I dedicated myself to learning everything I could—lighting, studio setups, and themed shoots—because I loved the idea of creating images that people could cherish for a lifetime. Over the years, I’ve photographed it all: newborns, cake smashes, families, weddings, and events. But in the last few years, I’ve truly found my niche in photographing teens and seniors, helping them capture such a special time in their lives. Photography has been my lifelong passion, and as a creative, I feel so fortunate I get to do what I love.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
I’ve been incredibly fortunate to learn from great mentors and have had the time to develop my craft. Photography is an ever-evolving industry – constantly changing, constantly competitive. It’s easy to look at the success of others and compare, but at the end of the day, what matters most is defining what makes your art yours. There are so many talented photographers, each with their own unique style, and that’s what makes this industry so inspiring. I see it as motivation – and opportunity to keep learning, growing, and pushing myself creatively.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
I’ve been running my photography business for almost 15 years, capturing just about everything along the way. But COVID changed that for me—it shifted my focus away from events, weddings, and second-shooting, and in doing so, it gave me the clarity to concentrate on what I love most: photographing teens and seniors.
More recently, I’ve ventured into creating and designing athlete sports banners, giving students a way to showcase their achievements. It’s become one of my favorite projects because it allows me to combine my love for photography with my passion for design. Finding new ways to highlight young athletes and their hard work has been so rewarding, and I love that I can create something truly personal for them.
We all have a different way of looking at and defining success. How do you define success?
Simply, it’s doing what I love and sharing that joy with clients, many of whom invest with me year after year, milestone after milestone. I have friends who are clients and many clients who have become friends, they keep me engaged and constantly learning. It’s not easy work, and the hours can be long, but being creative and capturing life through a camera is rewarding and I’m grateful I get to explore that on a daily basis.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.inspireme-photography.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/inspiremephotos
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/InspireMePhotos
