Tara Gimmer Photography

Tara Gimmer is an exceptionally talented and versatile photographer and an all-around star as a person. I have had the joy of retouching images for Tara’s commercial photography business since 2013. Not only are Tara’s photographs masterful on a technical level, but also her business operation, client management, and professionalism are of the highest caliber. Although mostly I work remotely for Tara, I have been on-site with Tara several times; these experiences have enriched my perspective of her business and character. Tara works efficiently, maintaining very tight schedules without making her clients feel rushed. Tara is sensitive to the variables and nuances of life that a client might be navigating internally while having their photo taken, and her kindness, sense of humor, and reassuring direction throughout each photo session always guide her clients through the experience in a supportive and affirming manner. This is true of her Headshot Specials where she schedules individual clients at her studio as well as for her corporate photoshoots when she travels to a company's location and sets up her remote studio on-site. Tara has a unique blend of characteristics that embrace each of her clients on an individual level. She photographs people of all ages, disciplines, and levels of comfort in front of the camera, yet every image feels personal and authentic. In addition to drawing out the personality of each client, Tara lights and photographs each client with care and intention to accurately capture and celebrate skin tones and hues. She discreetly and respectfully notes client wishes for how they will be represented and communicates this information to me via bespoke retouching instructions. I am continuously impressed by Tara’s adaptive and innovative approaches to her work over time as our physical and digital spaces change. For example, Tara composes her portraits in consideration of contemporary digital needs; she guides clients in selecting portraits that they love as a whole, but that will also fit the square crops and circular formatting of platforms like LinkedIn and Zoom. On a more critical note, Tara effectively and safely planned a particular series of Headshot Specials during the COVID-19 pandemic where she communicated the structure of each session to her clients in advance, addressing studio flow procedures and cleaning protocols. As a retoucher, I noticed no change in how comfortable, natural, and confident her clients appeared. This is very telling of Tara’s ability to put people at ease and bring out their natural character, especially during a time of stress and uncertainty. Tara Gimmer is an incredibly gracious employer, a thoughtful mentor, a resilient business owner, and an outstanding photographer. In my career, Tara is the standard of excellence.
Apr 18th, 2020

Nov 29th, 2019

Oct 8th, 2017