Today we’d like to introduce you to Andy and Tamara Kunz.
Andy and Tamara, we appreciate you taking the time to share your story with us today. Where does your story begin?
Photography was really something that just kind of fell into our lap while we were living in Omaha, Nebraska. We started with GoPro attached to a stick just to see what kinds of interesting angles and photos we could create. Eventually, we traded the GoPro in for a basic Canon DSLR camera with a 50mm lens and we both began taking photos. Well – one camera and one lens turned into multiple cameras and multiple lenses. Eventually, we were asked to take photos for a concert venue in Council Bluffs, Iowa called Stir Cove. We both absolutely love going to concerts and seeing live music – so this was a pretty ideal gig for us. We ended up becoming the house photographers for Stir Cove for a number of years. This really helped us grow as photographers and really dial in to our own styles. As our knowledge of cameras & lenses continued to grow, so did our passion for photography. We would spend a lot of our time in Nebraska photographing sunsets, chasing the milky way, and of course – the Sandhill Crane Migration. After 8 years of living in Omaha, we eventually made the decision to move back home to where we both grew up – Minnesota. We decided that the North Shore would be the perfect area to move to, especially with our passion for photography. Now, we find ourselves overwhelmed with excitement due to how much there is to photograph.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
All in all – it has been a pretty smooth road (knocks on wood). Covid threw us for a bit of a loop with not being able to travel as much as we had planned and concerts not happening for some time, but that just forced us to look at photography a little different and enjoy what was available.
Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
We tend to focus on landscapes. The Minnesota north shore is both amazing and challenging from a photography standpoint. This area offers so many iconic views to take photos of that it is rather difficult to take a “bad” photo. However, there are so many amazing photographers that live here and visit the area, that it can be quite difficult to find a new angle or a new photo of common landmarks. Our editing style has evolved into a more “fine art” approach. We want people that see our images to be able to picture themselves in that spot almost as if they are part of the photo. We want people to feel something when they look at our images.
Where do you see things going in the next 5-10 years?
The industry has advanced so fast the last few years that it is really difficult to tell where it may end up. Everyone has a very usable camera in their pockets these days with cell phones advancing each year. Software is making it easier and easier to “create” images as opposed to simply photographing what is in front of you. But on the other hand, that’s art. It’s all in how you use the tools that you have and what you make of it. We’re excited to see where the industry continues to go. It’s hard to imagine cameras advancing even more than they already are – but I can definitely tell you that I already look forward to buying them, haha.
Pricing:
- 2022 Calendar – $17.50
- Photography Sessions starting at $199
Contact Info:
- Email: andyandtamaraphoto@gmail.com
- Website: www.andyandtamaraphotography.com
- Instagram: andyandtamaraphoto
- Facebook: @AndyandTamaraPhoto
- Other: https://www.lulu.com/en/us/shop/tamara-kunz-and-andy-kunz/andy-tamara-photography-2022-calendar/paperback/product-g5rnnm.html?page=1&pageSize=4 (2022 Calendar)
Image Credits
Andy & Tamara Photography
