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

Hi Tyler, what’s the most difficult decision you’ve ever had to make?
This is easy . . . leaving the comfort of a steady job to take the leap of faith into my own business. My father passed away in July 2021 and I was broken. He was my rock, and I knew I had to find something that gave me true joy and happiness. I had been doing real estate photography after school, I was a teacher, weekends, and holidays, and I would always call my dad after a shoot to tell him about the shoot. That’s when I knew what truly brought me joy – and I just dove right into it all, full force.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
This path has not been easy . . . it’s filled with “Well, I can just use my phone to take a few pictures to show enough of the house.” Which is true, but what does that show about your branding? What does that show about the level of expertise that you’re offering your clients? Ultimately, what does it show about your quality of work?

These are all things I have to face every single day, and I’ve been able to provide value to my clients in multiple ways.

One of the biggest lessons I’ve learned throughout all of this is simply to never give up. I could have ran away screaming years ago when I was overwhelmed with working a full-time job as a teacher and trying to start up a business, but I didn’t. I had the love and support of my family, which is all I needed. They’ve been behind me – holding me up – every single step of the way throughout this journey.

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.
We’re definitely heading over to coast and enjoying some amazing fried Georgia shrimp in Darien, Ga!

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?
I want to give a shoutout to Tonya Jones of Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices.

Because of her, I’ve been able to start all this. When my wife and I bought our house back in 2018, I asked her at the closing table, “Is real estate photography even a thing?” After that, she sent me to two addresses, and I spent probably 6 hours at the shoot and 12 hours on editing . . . I had no clue what I was doing then . . . but she stuck with me and gave me a shot. Because of her, I’ve been able to pursue a career that I absolutely love and expand every year since I started.

Website: www.TylerWillisPhotography.com

Instagram: www.instagram.com/TylerWillisPhotography

Facebook: www.facebook.com/TylerWillisPhotography

Youtube: www.youtube.com/TylerWillisPhotography

Image Credits
Montego Pools

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