TJ Tindale founded Toronto-based K Push Studios two and a half years ago along with his second shooter Eliot and two videographers, positioning the company as a bundle service for its clients. Over the past couple years, TJ’s focus for K Push Studios has changed from being a convenience company to being the best at photography it can be. The company has seen a pattern of brides willing to experiment with their photos, even getting a little down and dirty if needed. Growing faster than expected, the company is now rebranding and shifting to photography only with TJ and his colleague, Eliot, as the principal photographers. Be on the lookout for a new website this summer.
How did you get started?
Growing up I skateboarded a lot, and through high school I gained quite the interest in photography. I blew the dust off my mom’s Canon AE-1 and just started snapping my buddies when we were skateboarding. I would make tons of mistakes and just learn from them. Once I gained a solid understanding of using flash and how a camera works, I started buying more gear and shooting more and more. I then got published, and from there shooting skateboarding took off. I took about two years to make the transition from skateboarding to shooting weddings full time. I fell in love with how stoked clients got from seeing their wedding day in photos. It still hasn’t gotten old.
What has contributed to your success?
I think knowing that you can’t be lazy to succeed. I am also not afraid of making mistakes. That is how I learned photography…trial and error. Being OK with screwing up has allowed us to try things on wedding days and get some really cool results. Also the people we have been lucky enough to work with. Most start off as clients and quickly become friends.
What is the most important thing for your continued success?
To never feel content with what we are doing. The minute you are content you start to fail. I also think staying humble and knowing that there is always someone better than you to learn from. It’s hard to measure success but I think if we are still having fun in 10 years then we are doing something right!
What is the best business advice you have received?
It actually came recently from a friend and fellow photographer: “Use your brain…not mine.” You see so much work out there on the Internet, it is so easy to just look and copy. Doing your own work is much more satisfying anyways!
What is the most important in your photography?
I want my photos to make sense. Photos are always going up on social media either from the client or myself. I want people to look at the couple’s photos and recognize what they are doing instead of just liking it because it’s a “pretty” photo. Purpose is important. If it’s not there, what’s the point?
For more information on K Push Studios, you can visit their website, or follow them on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram.
