PHOTOGRAPHER | Tess Gearhart

Tess Gearhart captures weddings using both film and digital formats with a photojournalistic style. As a hybrid photographer, she strives to have half of her galleries shot on film. Tess Gearhart believes the best photographs are those that reflect both her and her subjects' personalities in a single frame. Based in Northern Arizona, she frequently travels out of state for weddings. She works best with clients who appreciate art, trust the process, and genuinely enjoy having fun.

Tell us about your business!

I work with couples who couldn’t care less about doing things the “right” way. I’m a film and digital wedding photographer with a photojournalist eye and a soft spot for seeing the art in the chaos. I’m based in Prescott, Arizona, but I travel wherever the good stories are. I’m for the ones who want refined messiness. The ones who want life documented exactly as it is, through the intentional eyes of an artist. This is structured authenticity. My work is emotional, artistic, and raw. I care way more about presence than perfection, and I’m always chasing the in-betweens. The weird, the tender, the stuff that would’ve been forgotten if someone wasn’t paying close attention.

What would you like couples to know about you?

I’m not here to make your wedding look like something it wasn’t. I care about making something out of what it was. I care deeply, I pay attention, and I love photographing weddings because I know how fast it all goes. I want you to have something that feels like a representation of what your day really was.

Where are you based?

I am based in Prescott, Arizona

Do you travel for weddings?

I travel for most of my weddings!

How would you describe your style?

My style is a mix of photojournalism and editorial funk. I am constantly looking for bits and pieces of art among real life. While I love documenting natural moments, I also love taking a more structured, editorial approach to portraits. This is when I love to get creative with posing. 

What is your most memorable career moment?

One of my favorite moments as a photographer was going to Alaska to surprise one of my friends for her engagement. Her fiancé and I secretly planned everything. When I got there, he flew me in his Cessna and dropped me off in the middle of nowhere with a mini survival kit and a satellite phone, just in case. I waited alone on a dried riverbed for about an hour until they landed again. She had no idea I was there. They got out to take photos of the sky, and after a couple minutes he got down on one knee. She said yes, of course! She was so shocked to see me, and it felt really fulfilling to be part of something that personal for someone I love. It was chaotic, possibly dangerous, yet absolutely worth it. It will always be one of my favorite stories I’ve ever gotten to be part of.

What inspires you?

I’m really drawn to people and their body language. You can tell so much about someone in a photograph just by how they carry themselves.  I also pull ideas from music, painting, and coffee table books. I think one of the best ways to keep growing as an artist is to look to other mediums for inspiration.

How would you describe your working style?

I like to be fairly laid back when I’m working, and go with the flow of the day. I don’t like to hover or over-direct. I love to watch, wait, and step in when it feels natural. Basically, I like to give things room to unfold. I’m clear, intentional, and fully present. I want your photos to feel like they were taken by someone who really knows you.

Do you shoot digitally, on film or both?

I shoot both! I shoot a minimum of 10 rolls a wedding.

Do you have custom packages according to individual needs?

Absolutely. I’m always happy to build a package that fits what my clients actually need.

What is a favourite product or service that you offer and why?

My favorite thing I offer is film. It’s included in all my packages because I don’t think a gallery feels complete without it. To me, film is the closest match to how things actually looked in the moment, and it feels like a memory.

Where would you love to travel to for work?

I’ve gotten to photograph so many incredible places over the past few years that I’m honestly just excited about anything that feels fun, meaningful, or different. I find myself really drawn to the energy of the day lately than the location itself!

Who is your dream client?

My dream client wants the truth told well, not a performance. They value film, collect photo books, notice body language. They’re queer or straight, fashion-forward or quietly minimal, but always intentional. They trust me to document their day in a way that feels like them. I love couples who are open to experimenting, and trusting the process. Mostly, my ideal client wants to see their day through the eyes of someone who cares about art just as much as emotion.

What is your advice to couples getting married?

Nobody notices when something goes wrong. I promise!! We do everything we can to keep things running smoothly, but if there’s a bump in the road, most people won’t have a clue. You might notice it in the moment, but it never matters as much as you think it will!

Tess Gearhart Website: tgphotofilm.com

Instagram: @tessgearhart.photofilm