Studio Tour Thursday: Shirin Tinati of Shirin Tinati Photography

Q: How long have you been a professional photographer? 
A: I have been a professional photographer for 17 years. My survival job during graduate school was as a make-up artist. An actress hired me to do her make up for her headshot session.

Being an experienced makeup artist, my fee was on the higher side. She figured she would spend her money on me. Her thought was that if she looked good, the photography didn’t really matter. She hired a student who was shooting her in a small little studio that was attached to a print shop with a basic strobe setup and a camera.

They didn’t get along too well so he walked out. There was 1/2 a roll of film in the camera so since I was being paid to be there, I picked up the camera and started shooting.

Out of the three rolls, she picked her shots from the 1/2 that I had taken. A few other friends asked me to take their shots. People loved their shots and they started giving out my number. Three months later, I was getting paid to take headshots. I haven’t stopped since—it’s been my only job!

Q: What’s your favorite genre?
A: I have been doing actors headshots primarily since day one.  About 7 years ago I began photographing dance. In the last few years, I began doing personal branding and corporate shots. In March, I realized I needed more.
Throughout the years, the most fulfilling thing for me is making people feel wonderful about themselves. I had done a few glamour style portraits for real women and really loved it but they were really few and far between. It hit me that this is the “more than I was looking for”.  One thing led to another and I stumbled across Sue Bryce and I haven’t looked back.

Q: Do you see yourself doing this in five years?
A: I can’t imagine not being a photographer. The connection I experience with my clients is what I love the most. I feel that my work makes a real difference for actors and their careers. As I branch out into other genres of portraiture, I can see now how powerful a good portrait can be for everyone.

There is a portrait of my father above my desk that I just put it up. During Sue’s studio tour with Kristina Houser, Kristina’s story about her father’s portrait really affected me. I took the photo of my father the last day I saw him before he died. I had avoided looking at it because it was such a source of pain, but after listening to Kristina, I dug into old hard drives, found it and had it printed immediately. I’m really grateful for this realization. Thank You, Kristina!

Q: Are you comfortable with selling and marketing?
A: Historically I have not been comfortable with selling and marketing. I have been “word of mouth” since day one and I always hold on to the fear of having that well dry up. However, I put my “Big Girl Pants” on and googled networking events and went to a skincare party within 3 weeks of starting this whole thing.

It was terrifying but once I got there and started talking, it got easier and I booked 3 gift voucher shoots! I’m still uncomfortable but excited for the future because for the first time, I think, or rather—I know, I can do it.