Tamera Mcpherson

I attribute my success to determination and my love of making people happy. When I first started, I had so many doubts about myself, but I just got so determined that I was going to succeed. And then I just kept going. Once I made a few accomplishments, I thought, you know what, you can do this. It's really about that determination to push through, even when things are tough. I had a really rough childhood where I had a mother that just berated me constantly, so I had a lot to overcome. But I didn't let that stop me. I kept pushing forward, and that determination is what has driven my success over these 28 years.

The best career advice I ever received was that you need to do something you love. Whatever you decide to do with your career, you need to do something you're really passionate about, something you really enjoy. If you have so much passion for something that you really enjoy, it needs to feel like it's not a job, that it's more of your number one passion in life. A lot of people will say that if you enjoy what you're doing, you never work a day in your life, and it's so true. That's what has guided me throughout my career - making sure that what I do doesn't feel like work because I'm so passionate about it.

My advice to young women entering photography would be to have faith in yourself and believe in yourself. Be very determined. There's nothing you can't accomplish if you put your mind to it. I had a really rough childhood where I had a mother that just berated me constantly, so I had a lot to overcome. It's really tough to deal with that kind of negativity. But once I made a few accomplishments, I thought, you know what, you can do this. And then I just kept going. So don't let anything hold you back - believe in yourself and stay determined, and you can achieve whatever you set out to do.

The biggest challenge in photography right now is that there are a lot of photographers out there, so you really have to try to make yourself stand out from the rest of the crowd. Photography is a constant learning curve - the technology is always evolving, so you've got to stay up on all the technology. It's never dull. You're constantly trying to figure out how to do it better than the next guy or gal. That's both a challenge and an opportunity, because if you can stay ahead of the curve and keep learning, you can really differentiate yourself in a crowded field.

The values most important to me are honesty and integrity. If I give my word and say I'm going to do something, I try to keep it. It's important for me to keep my clients happy - that's the most enjoyable part of my job. I am capturing their day, whether it's a wedding or engagement or having a baby or any important event. I'm there to be a journalist in a way, to capture the day, to capture their joy, how happy they were, how joyous they felt. I'm there to capture it so they can remember how they felt at those moments. That responsibility to honor their trust and deliver on my promises is what drives me every day.