Tyler - Photographer in Oregon

photographer in oregon

Hey! My name is Tyler. I am a 29 year old photographer in Oregon - Lincoln City to be exact. I have a dog named Sadie who has a better personality that most humans, and goes on adventures with me all the time (I’ll tell you more about moving to Mexico and making her an Internationally Certified SideKick in a little bit).

I have spent my whole adult life working in 911 as a Paramedic. Fire trucks, ambulances and helicopters have been a part of my life forever

…but you’re here to learn about my life behind the camera…

So here’s the story of Pelirrojo Productions.

One of my favorites from a trip to Shore Acres State Park in Coos Bay, OR

I first picked up a camera as a creative escape, and a way to bring back proof of the cool things I had seen during my adventures. When I dive in to learning something, I go 110%, so just using my iPhone camera wasn’t going to cut it. I went straight to manual mode on a Nikon D3400 that I borrowed from my sister, and never looked back.

Photography became a way for me to get out of the house. Rain or shine, I would go exploring, looking for a cool new viewpoint.

I began selling my landscape prints and decided I should start a business. Just like that, Pelirrojo Productions (redhead in spanish) was born.

photographer in oregon taking a picture of the waves 
From one of the big wave days when I lived in Depoe Bay

As I continued my journey in photography, I started t0 find the need to include more meaning in my photos. I’m one of those people that can get along with just about anyone, but walking up to a stranger, or explaining how to pose to a client TERRIFIED me. However, I had fallen in love with the street photography photos that include some behind the scenes video that tells a story about a person.

For me, when you take a photo of someone, you capture that specific moment in their life. You capture who they are, where they have been, and how they found themselves in front of your lens. That has meaning, and having the ability to freeze that second in time for them is special to me.

Photographer in oregon with his dog on the beach 
Sadie and I on the beaches of Mexico

Life took some crazy turns, and I decided to pack up what I could fit in my car, along with Sadie in the front seat, and headed for Puerto Vallarta, Mexico. It took three days to get to El Paso, TX where I crossed the border, and drove 3 more days through the heart of Mexico to get to the beautiful beaches of PV. I rented an apartment, unpacked my things and started my most fulfilling adventure to date.

Life in Mexico was a massive culture shock. It taught me so much from not only a personal perspective, but from a business one as well. I was suddenly 100% dependent on photography for my income, which means I had no choice but to make myself successful. I went door to door with my laptop and business cards, selling branding photography packages to local businesses… in the best gringo spanish I could speak.

I photographed families, couples, birthday parties, engagements and proposals… anything and everything. I even photographed famous Mexican singers at local rodeos (charreadas) and Mexican wrestling (lucha libre)… didn’t really see that coming.

Sadie is always up for a photoshoot if snacks are involved.

I needed a way to reach more clients, so I decided what better way to do that, than open up a photography studio… in my own apartment! This was another serious hurdle in overcoming the awkwardness of posing people and making small talk in spanish, but it also forced me to improve my lighting and ability to get creative with portraits in small spaces.

The apartment/studio was in a locals area of PV. I could talk way too much about how great it was waking up and walking to the panaderia for fresh bread in the mornings, the INCREDIBlE tacos al pastor just a few minutes down the road, and the most caring neighbors that turned into lifelong friends. It was an amazing time in my life that I will never take for granted.

Photographer in oregon with his dog overlooking the ocean

Eventually, life back in the USA started calling. My time in Vallarta was coming to a close, but I was excited to continue where I had left off in Oregon.

The summer before I left for Mexico, I had shot several weddings both as a lead and a second photographer. I loved the challenge that it came with, and knew that I could make a solid career out of it.

So Sadie and I packed our bags, checked out passports, and hopped on a flight back to the states. 

Getting barreled on a massive wave while escaping sharks and sea lions

Now we are back on the Oregon Coast, living in Lincoln City. I have found a lot of happiness in photographing couples getting engaged and married, so that’s what I focus on the most. I truly enjoy portraiture, so I throw in the occasional creative photoshoot, or senior session now and then.

Who knows what adventure life is going to throw at me next, but for now I’m going to enjoy every second I have here on the Oregon Coast. Thanks for being a part of that, standing in front of my lens, and letting me tell a little bit of your story too.

If you’d like to know more about the adventures of Tyler and Sadie, follow along on social media

… or ya know what…

Book a session and we can talk in person about all the crazy stupid stories I shouldn’t put on the internet.

Tyler