Meet Trailblazer Yasmin Tajik

Today we’d like to introduce you to Yasmin Tajik.

So, before we jump into specific questions about what you do, why don’t you give us some details about you and your story.
Photography was a long-time hobby of mine, but it wasn’t until after I completed my MBA that my passion for it developed more deeply. When I was starting out, I worked for a local photographer in Las Vegas while I was still learning and refining my skill-set. Eventually, I started my own business where I photographed portraits, weddings, and events, catering to the local South Asian community in Las Vegas. In the past few years, I’ve expanded and moved to the Scottsdale area, and have ventured more into documentary storytelling.

Although I still photograph the traditional portraits, weddings, and events, my primary focus is on my documentary work, focusing on humanitarian and cause-related issues affecting women, children, and animals in developing countries. Some of my most recent projects include stories on equal pay in Iceland, the Muslim population in Cuba, and asylum seekers being released into the Phoenix area.

Great, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
Life and owning a business is never an easy and smooth road. There will always be ups and downs. It’s how we face those challenges and work through them that will make a significant difference between success and failure.

Some of the struggles I faced were learning time management, financial management, and marketing. It can feel awfully lonely and overwhelming to be a one-woman-show doing everything. So, having the knowledge of how to manage all of that prior to embarking on any endeavor, will save you a lot of time and money. You want to be as fully prepared as possible so that you can hit the ground running.

My best advice is to always go into any venture or business the best prepared. Be educated and an expert in your field. That can mean getting a degree or certificate in your chosen field, but also keeping yourself knowledgeable and on the forefront. Know the key players in your industry, stay abreast new innovations and what is propelling your industry forward, know who your target client is and how to market to them, and offer something no one else is.

I also can not stress enough the importance of finding mentors who you can bounce ideas off of, give you constructive criticism, and help guide you in the right direction in the big and little moments. Surround yourself with those that are better than you, and you will always be motived to grow, learn and excel. These people will be your biggest cheerleaders but also not hesitate to keep you in check.

Please tell us about Yasmin Tajik Photography – what should we know?
I’m motivated and inspired by those who come from marginalized communities, how they endure, navigate societies and systems that present challenges and repress them, as well as the extent they go to for their families. This is most often seen through the female portion of society, how they work and provide for their families with less pay, are restricted by which careers or education specialty they go into, and how religion can play a role in dictating their everyday life.

Most of my work focuses on issues with girls and women; how they endure for others, how they are fighting for equality, showcasing their unique perspective and outlook on life, and their unsurpassed resilience. By photographing and sharing women’s and girls’ stories, I hope that we can all see a little part of ourselves in them. Whether they are from a different country, religion, or skin color, we all want the same things in life: a roof over our head, food on the table, good health, to love and be loved.

I’m also an FAA licensed drone pilot and brand ambassador for Women Who Drone. I’m inspired by the international female drone pilot community and am very proud to be a part of this group. The ability to utilize my drone to tell stories in a unique perspective really excites me and I’m happy to be able to add aerial photography and cinematography into my storytelling arsenal of products and services I offer to my clients

Do you recommend any apps, books or podcasts that have been helpful to you?
I am a hopeless addict to Instagram. Being an image-driven platform, I find myself getting lost in the stories other photographers post and share. It inspires me to find unique stories, photograph them in thought-provoking ways, and foster dialogue and change. Looking at other photographers’ work inspires me to refine my storytelling skills and be a voice for those who do not have one.

Other apps I use frequently are Twitter, Facebook, a few different ones for home management (Nest, ADT, etc.), news apps (I’m a news junkie!), Amazon for ease and convenience of ordering products, photography related apps such as Snapseed, Hyperlapse, Lightroom, Hipstamatic, and the DJI app for running my drone.

Additionally, I am an admitted bibliophile and love getting lost in a good book. I am mostly drawn to self-help and motivational books which help keep me on track along with expanding my horizons to think differently. A few of the all-time favorites that I recommend to others are Conversation with God, The Four Agreements, and How to Win Friends and Influence People.

I don’t listen to many podcasts, but of the ones I have listened to, I enjoy true crime such as Into the Dark and Serial.

Other than that, I can not do life without the support and guidance from my parents. It is their thoughts and opinions that matter to me most.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.yasmintajik.com/
• Phone: (702) 592-8769
• Email: [email protected]
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ytajik/
• Twitter: https://twitter.com/yasmintajik

Image Credit:
Yasmin Tajik

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