and I want to help tell yours..
My name is Taryn Dudley and I am a freelance photographer located on the beautiful Central Coast of California..
but with a love of travel.. I'll go ANYWHERE.
In a nut shell, my life is nothing short of creative....
STORY TELLING is what i do best
My story goes something like this...
Raised by teachers and artists on the central coast of California, creating was always designed to be apart of my life. I graduated as a music major, but I found my heart and soul working in the fashion industry of LA, and then grew to eventually make photography my career choice & one true love.
Memories and photos are EVERYTHING to me. Photos, to me, signify who we are and who we want to be.
So let's break away from memories of those awkward yearbook catastrophes and Instagram selfies and turn them into something your mama is proud to hang on her precious wall shrines.
Before you dive in, remember that I always try to keep a carefree environment, with the dorkiest of smiles, some awful dad jokes and an all around comfort zone when you’re in front of my lens.
Let’s have an adventure together, shall we?
I'M Taryn
I'M OBSESSED WITH:
Anything colorful!
MY FAVORITE PERSON IS:
My mom, hands down
I STARTED THIS BUSINESS:
At the ripe age of 23
MY PERFECT HOBBY:
Shopping.. dang it
What I am currently into
I COULDN'T LIVE WITHOUT:
Music. easy.
BEST VACATION SPOT:
Thailand 10/10
MOST IMPORTANT LESSON:
Worry less, we live on a floating rock :)
FAVORITE ICE CREAM:
Strawberry Cheesecake.. I'm salivating
City Life
COFFEE
SUNSETS
Hanging out
Going out
Staying in
Outdoors
TEA
SUNRISES
Dancing
THIS or THAT
"Taryn just gets it. We are super awkward in front of the camera and from the get-go, Taryn made us feel so at ease..
She's great at giving you direction while still allowing the images to feel natural and less "posed". And the jokes just roll outta her which totally helps to offer up authentic smiles and lighten the mood. The complimentary engagement photos serve as a great warmup and the images turned out better than we could have ever imagined. We weren't looking for stuffy, cookie-cutter wedding photos and wanted something a little more edge-y, moody and organic and Taryn hit the nail on the head from start to finish. She is insanely creative with her shots, can gracefully command a crowd (aka our crazy family), and was super timely with editing. Need I say more? You won't be disappointed with choosing her to document your special day!"
Danielle & Kevin
01
"Taryn was amazing to work with (which is a huge understatement)..
We found Taryn via Instagram through her fashion photography and selected her based on her work. We had a few conversations leading up to the big day giving her our vision of photos, and she NAILED IT! She has a ton of experience and is naturally talented, which shows big time. From the moment she showed up on the day of, she had already spotted and selected the perfect lighting, and found great on-site props to enhance the photos. You can expect to see her running around to get the perfect shot! She is also very good at directing and communicating what she needed in for her shot (i.e chin slightly down, toe point outward, etc.), which was very much needed and appreciated! This also goes with large groups! I have a huge family (12+ siblings) and she made that shoot seem seamless!
One big thing no one tells you about selecting a photographer is that you are going to spend ALL day with that person (more than your coordinator or anyone else other than your partner). For us, Taryn was the perfect person to spend all that time with! She has the type of personality that makes you feel like you’re hangin’ with an old friend; and she took away a ton of nervousness/stress for the day. She went over and beyond (even ensuring we had snacks/drinks at cocktail hour). Again, we didn’t know until the day of, but PERSONALITY IS EVERYTHING.
All in all, Taryn is incredibly creative, talented, fun, easy-going, professional, and most importantly reliable. 100/10 experience, even our friends and family are still raving and talking about booking her for their weddings!"
Kristen + Chiara
02
"Taryn is about as cool as they come as a photographer..
She took both our engagement photos and our wedding photos and they were nothing short of spectacular. She knows exactly what she is doing in both settings and was a total pro in wrangling and organizing our large groups of people to make the early parts of the day happen quickly and efficiently as well as must making us as a couple feel totally comfortable no matter what type of photo we were taking. You'd be missing out on something amazing if you didn't hire her for your special day."
Brooke + Zach
03
"Taryn makes photo shoots fabulous!!..
We’ve worked with Taryn for several years and she is always professional, creative and easy to work with. Our online winery brand requires a level of creative illustration and cohesive imagery that only Taryn could deliver shoot after shoot. She is open to the artistic directions we have pursued, masterful at creating unique imagery, and a pleasure to have on set time and time again. Her attention to detail, eye for out of the ordinary angles, and knowledgeable guidance is top notch. When photography matters most, this girl knows how to make it count, illustrating our winery’s products and property in ways that captivate and command the eye!"
Thibido Winery
04
"Working with her was one of the best parts of our wedding day!..
Taryn is fantastic at what she does and really takes the time to get to know you as a couple and how you want your photos to be authentic to you as a couple. I've done multiple shoots with Taryn - engagement, family portraits and wedding - and all of them have turned out phenomenal!
On what was easily one of the most nerve wracking days of my life she brought such a sense of calm and control. There were moments where she was taking my solo shots and really helped me to calm down and feel in my element for the photos. She makes you feel extremely comfortable bringing her laid back personality and her dad jokes punch a serious punch! My husband hates getting his pictures taken but it's always a fun experience with Taryn - an hour shoot feels like it was only ten minutes! She also was extremely prepared ahead of time and made sure to get all of the shots that were important to my husband and I.
I'm so thankful to have had Taryn on our special day. I will forever cherish the amazing photos that she gave us!"
Kaylie & Brad
05
"The second she picked up her camera and gave us direction, she instantly made him feel relaxed..
I’ve known Taryn for a few years and have always been in love with her work, so when I got pregnant (and somehow convinced my husband to do a photo shoot with me)
she was the only photographer to come to mind!
Before the shoot, she was incredible at helping me pick out my outfits (I was pregnant during COVID and lived exclusively in pjs so wearing something that photographed nice with a huge belly was new for me). My husband also did not want to do the shoot at all, but the second Taryn picked up her camera and gave us some direction, she instantly made him feel so relaxed and comfortable throughout the entire shoot that he said he wouldn’t mind doing that again (which is big for him).
She’s got such a great spirit and it made it so fun for the both of us! The pictures came out so much better than I ever could have imagined - the only issue I now have is choosing which ones to frame because they are all amazing! I can’t wait for her to take pictures of my baby girl and for all future photos for my growing family!"
The Komadina Family
06
"Our wedding photos from Taryn are absolutely MAGICAL..
Not only are they beautiful, but the creativity and effort that she put into us on our wedding day is incredible. She always had us laughing, smiling, and feeling even more love for each other, which she was able to get us to show in our photos. She constantly had so many ideas and tools to add that special element to our photos, and now we have the most amazing pictures to cherish for the rest of our lives."
Angela & Toby
07
"She will go above and beyond to ensure you get the pictures of your dreams..
Shooting with Taryn was such a joy - this lady is incredibly creative and talented, and will go above and beyond to ensure you get the pictures of your dreams. Her portfolio speaks for itself, but she's also an easy going person who will make you feel comfortable and at ease in front of the camera. Such a plus!
We couldn't be happier with how our engagement photos turned out and the experience as a whole.
Thank you, Taryn!"
Malinia & Max
08
Not only do I live behind the camera, I live in front of it too! The other side of my job is social media influencing. This means I spend tons of time getting my photo taken and feeling awkward.. so I know how you feel!! BUT I've found this to be super beneficial as it makes easier to give you direction, because I've been there :)
Something that sets me apart..
Check it out
You're all signed up! Keep your eyes on your inbox for your guide.
