We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Tiffany Hobbs. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Tiffany below.
Tiffany , so many exciting things to discuss, we can’t wait. Thanks for joining us and we appreciate you sharing your wisdom with our readers. So, maybe we can start by discussing optimism and where your optimism comes from?
My mother instilled in me the value of believing that “This too shall pass”. Remembering that tough times don’t last always keeps me grounded, in addition to always looking for a silver lining in almost every situation. I know that dwelling on what I can’t control doesn’t serve me in any capacity, but I CAN control how I react to things, so I choose to keep as positive a perspective as possible.
Thanks for sharing that. So, before we get any further into our conversation, can you tell our readers a bit about yourself and what you’re working on?
Wow, Voyage! I appreciate you having me back to share a bit about what I do and who I am. I’m Tiffany Hobbs, and I’ve been very blessed to share my photography with the world since about 2014 professionally. I’ve been in love with photography since childhood and in 2014 I invested in my first DSLR camera, which encouraged me to step up my game. Photography for me is a powerful tool that I and others shouldn’t take for granted. While it can create, edify, and reflect beautiful moments, it can also be destructive and harmful. I never want to be on the wrong side of my camera and I never want my subject(s) and audience to feel anything less than empowered as a result of the images I produce. I look for true representations of the human condition and natural environments. Because I’ve been fortunate to capture really meaningful pictures, publications like Ebony Magazine, WritLarge Press, and VoyageLA, art galleries like The Peace Project, and other mediums, have featured my work. I decided to expand and put my images and other ideas on apparel. That’s how I got into drop-shipping and some lightweight graphic design. My company, Tiffography, produces various types of apparel, accessories, and home goods, featuring some of my favorite captures AND ideas. You can see more at tiffography.threadless.com, and on the bodies, desks, and walls of people who support my work! Shout out to y’all!
If you had to pick three qualities that are most important to develop, which three would you say matter most?
Confidence, an adventurous spirit, and not being afraid to mess up. Those are the main keys that guide me. I choose to be confident in my approach and execution because I know that there’s only one of me, and I’m the only one with my eyes. I’ve made mistakes with comparing myself, beating myself up and down, imposter syndrome, whew! But at the end of the day, if I’M happy with my work (and my loved ones are proud of me), then I’m good. An adventurous spirit helps me take risks. I’m a creature of comfort, so sometimes it’s hard to try something new. But there are sooo many rewards in that, so why deny myself the ability to expand? It’s so important to not be afraid to mess up. Mistakes teach us more than anything. If I did everything right the first time, or expected to be perfect at every turn, I’d never grow. And when we don’t grow, we die.
What is the most challenging thing about what you do?
You know what’s challenging? Everyone has a camera lol. And most cellphone cameras are damn near professional-grade quality, so anyone can be a photographer. Social media is as inspiring as it is frustrating sometimes because it blurs so many aspects of what makes photography a skillset, and not just a casual activity. I love perusing the explorer tab and checking out people’s work, but damnit if some of that work isn’t artificially generated or run through multiple editing filters to make the finished product pleasing to the eye. We’re living in ever-changing times and I have to remember that this is my journey, and I’m competing against myself to be better.
Contact Info:
- Website: tiffography.threadless.com
- Instagram: Instagram.com/TiffHobbsOnHere
- Facebook: facebook.com/spiffytiffyh
