Today we’d like to introduce you to Teressa Sorensen
Hi Teressa, we’re thrilled to have a chance to learn your story today. So, before we get into specifics, maybe you can briefly walk us through how you got to where you are today?
In the summer of 2015, at the age of 28, I made the difficult decision to leave an unhealthy ten year marriage, move across the country back to my hometown of St. George, and be near family for support. Having been a stay at home mom to four children for almost a decade, I didn’t know what I was going to do for work or how I would make ends meet. I had nothing but my four young children and what fit in a suitcase. I just knew we needed a life that would allow us to grow and be safe and happy.
In September 2015, a friend put a camera in my hand and suggest I start my own business doing real estate photography. I laughed. I couldn’t turn the camera on. I didn’t know how to create a folder on the computer let alone use Light Room or Photoshop. For the next few months, I carried that camera around like a baby, terrified I’d break it. I took photos of everything and fell in love with the art of photography. It turned out I had a key for it.
I spent hours watching how-to videos on YouTube, and by November I was shooting vacant houses for a rental company, using trial and error to get my camera settings correct. These were long days, consisting of getting kids to school, managing to shoot a couple townhomes at 2.5 hours apiece, then picking kids up from school, running all over town for extracurricular activities, dinner, jobs, and bedtime. By about 8 PM every night I was on the computer to spend the next several hours editing the few houses from the day. On days I didn’t have shoots, I was learning complex editing techniques for windows, large rooms, and more. In between shoots I made cold calls and dropped off pamphlets at real estate offices to grow my business.
As my efficiency grew, so did my clientele, and by the summer of 2018 I was able to purchase my home. I couldn’t believe how far I’d come. My kids were thriving. My business was growing. I was able to make it to every school event, extracurricular practice or game, and even be there at 3:30 to pick the kids up from school. My nights and weekends, however, were spent editing photos. There was no time left for friends or dating. With all this work, my business continued to grow based on word of mouth.
In April 2020, while the whole world thought everything was ending, I thought I had met The One. We welcomed my fifth child, a precious baby girl. A few weeks after she was born, it turned out that her father was not the Prince Charming I had thought, and he was permanently out of the picture. I was now back to single motherhood, but with five children, including one that needed constant care.
It was all I could do to put one foot in front of another and keep going, balancing my business and motherhood. While I continued to thrive, I also had many mishaps and what felt like total fails. One day I shot six houses in St. George and Mesquite and then took the kids to the city pool. By the time I got home and put the kids to bed, I realized my SD card with all six of those houses was lost. I had to call all of my clients and reshoot all of those houses. It felt like I was in the lowest possible point, but everyone was very gracious and understanding.
It took five long years, but by 2021 I finally streamlined shooting and editing. This allowed for more quality time with my kids and even a personal life. Despite that, it was not all rainbows and sunshine. I continued to work hard and overcome new challenges both in work and my personal life.
When I think back to all the incredible work I’ve done, I can’t help but be proud of that young woman who only ever wanted to be a stay at home mom, but bravely set out to create a better life for her and her children. Being brave doesn’t mean being fearless, and I have put blood sweat and tears into creating a business and life I love and am proud of. It is important to add that I never could have done it without the love and support of my family and close friends.
Over the past nine years in my photography journey I have had the honor of capturing precious moments for family and friends, photographing several Parade of Homes listings, creating stunning magazine and billboard advertisements, and shooting countless gorgeous multi-million dollar properties at sunset. My father always told me the best way to make money in life is to find something you love doing that people will pay you for. I love photography, and after all, how many people can say they get paid to watch the sun set?
I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
Improved technology brought a flood of new photographers/competition. High interest rates significantly slowed home sales and purchases. I earned a drone license and invested in a drone to offer drone photography. I learned and added video and digital walk throughs to meet client wishes and stay competitive. For the first time in my career, I had to market myself.
Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
I specialize in both commercial and residential real estate photography, offering an extensive range of services to meet diverse client needs. My expertise includes drone photography, videography, interior and exterior shots, interior view shots, Matterport 3D tours, virtual staging, item removal, and captivating virtual twilight photography. Among these, my personal favorite is sunset photography, which beautifully captures the essence of a property.
I photograph a wide array of residential homes, from charming park models and fixer-uppers to luxurious multimillion-dollar estates. My commercial portfolio encompasses various properties, including medical buildings, warehouses, and undeveloped land. Additionally, I provide professional photography services for vacation rentals listed on platforms like VRBO and Airbnb. I take great pride in delivering high-quality images that tell a story and showcase the unique character of each property, as well as the families, businesses, and clients behind them. Beyond real estate, I am passionate about capturing family moments, professional headshots, and creative portraiture, which allow me to explore my artistic side.
Every day I get new artistic challenges which is why I absolutely love my profession!
How do you think about luck?
I definitely lucked out having a good eye and hidden passion for photography, and started at a time when Southern Utah had a need for more photographers. There are moments when the sun signs perfectly through a window, or in the midst of a storm the heavens open and the sky looks amazing. Had I relied just on these rare moments I would not be where I am today.
Pricing:
- Standard $155
- Drone $125
- Sunset Shoot $395
- Video $160
Contact Info:
- Website: https://tphotography.photo
- Instagram: tphotography.photo
- Facebook: tphotography.photo
- Youtube: Teressa Sorensen @tphotography.photos
Image Credits
All photos were taken by Teressa Sorensen
