Photographer Tracy Turpen's images are unmistakable, whether she's photographing a wedding at home in The Carolinas or off documenting an exotic wedding across the globe every image reads the same way showcasing the vibrant and joyous moments of a couples wedding day. The brilliant color, lighting, texture and movement of her images have a way of telling not only the story of the day as it unfolds, but also the emotions felt in each of those fleeting moments. Her photographs are full of life and truly reflect the unique character and personalities of her clients, resulting in timeless and heartfelt imagery. Her work has been featured on Completely Unveiled as well as gracing the pages of Weddings Unveiled. Read on to learn more about Tracy Turpen and what inspires her photography.
Tracy Turpen is based in The Carolinas, but is available for assignments worldwide. To contact Tracy Turpen, visit her website or call 843.830.6998.
Weddings Unveiled: How did you become a wedding photographer?
Tracy Turpen: I went to school at Appalachian State University and had the opportunity to study abroad a semester in New Zealand. I was surprised to find that I was enrolled in an actual wedding photography class as part of the curriculum. We used our peers as models and I had great fun photographing “mock” weddings in the New Zealand countryside. I excelled at it and used the photos to build my first portfolio. When I returned to Boone I had an internship that allowed me to photograph my first wedding on my own.
WU: Digital or film or both? Why?
TT: Digital. It allows for so much experimentation and a wealth of documentation. A wedding day is so fleeting and film is too slow for my shooting style.
WU: Describe your wedding photography style.
TT: My style is emotional, vibrant, and joyous. I love incorporating movement and texture into my images.
WU: Show us your favorite wedding image and tell us why it represents who you are as wedding photographer.
TT: As a wedding photographer my job is to capture how my client is feeling on their day. I feel this image does exactly that.
WU: What inspires you?
TT: My son, friends, and family.
WU: What inspires your photography?
TT: The people I am photographing inspire me as well as the lighting conditions.
WU: How do you keep your wedding photography fresh?
TT: I like to go into a shoot with no pre-conceived notions and react off the relationship. I also like to sketch my visions out on scrap paper.
WU: Do you do non-wedding photography work? If so, how does it influence your wedding photography?
TT: I do photograph family sessions and the occasional commercial shoot. I also love to document my son Evander. Focusing in on him makes me realize how fleeting moments are, and I believe that translates into my wedding photography.
WU: What makes you different from other wedding photographers?
TT: I feel it is the same thing that makes every photographer different. My upbringing and life experiences directly influence the way I view and interact with the world. Ultimately it is a direct collaboration with my clients and what is unique about them.
WU: What would be your ideal wedding assignment?
TT: It would be something quirky, unexpected, and adventurous. A motorcycle wedding in a jungle would be pretty cool.
WU: Tell us three things you can't live without.
TT: Love. Laughter. Fruit.
WU: What is the best advice anyone has ever given you?
TT: “Don’t worry so much. Because most of the stuff you worry about never even happens anyway”- Joyce Hams. She was an elderly woman at a Senior Center in Boone NC.
WU: What is the best advice you can give to an engaged couple?
TT: Do not worry so much about the details but rather on having a lovely day with your closest friends and family. It goes quick, focus on the relationships.
Tracy Turpen is based in The Carolinas, but is available for assignments worldwide. To contact Tracy Turpen, visit her website or call 843.830.6998.
Weddings Unveiled: How did you become a wedding photographer?
Tracy Turpen: I went to school at Appalachian State University and had the opportunity to study abroad a semester in New Zealand. I was surprised to find that I was enrolled in an actual wedding photography class as part of the curriculum. We used our peers as models and I had great fun photographing “mock” weddings in the New Zealand countryside. I excelled at it and used the photos to build my first portfolio. When I returned to Boone I had an internship that allowed me to photograph my first wedding on my own.
WU: Digital or film or both? Why?
TT: Digital. It allows for so much experimentation and a wealth of documentation. A wedding day is so fleeting and film is too slow for my shooting style.
WU: Describe your wedding photography style.
TT: My style is emotional, vibrant, and joyous. I love incorporating movement and texture into my images.
WU: Show us your favorite wedding image and tell us why it represents who you are as wedding photographer.
TT: As a wedding photographer my job is to capture how my client is feeling on their day. I feel this image does exactly that.
WU: What inspires you?
TT: My son, friends, and family.
WU: What inspires your photography?
TT: The people I am photographing inspire me as well as the lighting conditions.
WU: How do you keep your wedding photography fresh?
TT: I like to go into a shoot with no pre-conceived notions and react off the relationship. I also like to sketch my visions out on scrap paper.
WU: Do you do non-wedding photography work? If so, how does it influence your wedding photography?
TT: I do photograph family sessions and the occasional commercial shoot. I also love to document my son Evander. Focusing in on him makes me realize how fleeting moments are, and I believe that translates into my wedding photography.
WU: What makes you different from other wedding photographers?
TT: I feel it is the same thing that makes every photographer different. My upbringing and life experiences directly influence the way I view and interact with the world. Ultimately it is a direct collaboration with my clients and what is unique about them.
WU: What would be your ideal wedding assignment?
TT: It would be something quirky, unexpected, and adventurous. A motorcycle wedding in a jungle would be pretty cool.
WU: Tell us three things you can't live without.
TT: Love. Laughter. Fruit.
WU: What is the best advice anyone has ever given you?
TT: “Don’t worry so much. Because most of the stuff you worry about never even happens anyway”- Joyce Hams. She was an elderly woman at a Senior Center in Boone NC.
WU: What is the best advice you can give to an engaged couple?
TT: Do not worry so much about the details but rather on having a lovely day with your closest friends and family. It goes quick, focus on the relationships.
