Female Founder - Tori Time
A writer, director, and photographer who sees people, moments, and the bigger picture in a cinematic way.
I have never felt comfortable in front of the camera. What I see in the mirror somehow doesn’t seem to show up the same way in a picture. At events and gatherings, the minute the conversations turn to taking pictures, I slowly moonwalk away to avoid the confrontation of why I don’t want to be in pictures. Objectively, I don’t think of myself as photogenic. I am conscious of my smile and sometimes worry that my caterpillar brows are third cousins twice removed rather than sisters. Once, during a screen share moment, I saw myself on someone else’s screen but my face was reversed, and my mouth fell to the floor when I saw how weird that looked. Have you ever seen your face reversed on camera? It’s a bizarre feeling. It’s almost like looking at someone you kinda know but not sure why you know them.
Anyways…
Even as a kid, before I recognized my critical tone, I didn’t like being in pictures. I just never understood why I had to be in a picture to prove that we visited a place. What am I going to add to this scenic point? And these days, I prefer to be behind the camera, whether I'm snapping pics of my dog or my toddler. The most-used app on my phone is the camera. I'm also very useful to bring along on vacation- I have a handful of cool editing apps that I like to whip out when the mood strikes. I will take 100 pictures of you and make sure you get all the glorious backdrop so your IG is snatched (did I use the phrase right? probably not…).
So, can you imagine my horror when my colleague suggested that we take some professional pictures for our site refresh? This isn’t something I could say no to, but I so badly wanted to say ‘thanks, but I’ll pass’. We were going to LA to for a conference and planned to find a photographer who could take some pictures of us for the site, some headshots, etc. During a planning call for the trip, my colleague mentioned that she found a great photographer, Tori Time, whose portfolio included celebrities. Wait, what? {Seriously - check them out here.}
I tried to ignore the anxiety of it all by doing what I do best - moodboarding the aesthetic and outfits I wanted to emulate for this photoshoot. But even that didn’t really help with the nerves.
The whole trip, I tried to think about anything but being in front of a camera and posing. And while Tori was on top of it all when we chatted prior to the photoshoot, I was still so uncomfortable as we got ready to start, but that feeling truly didn’t last long. Because Tori is AMAZING.
When I first met Tori in person, I breathed a sigh of relief because she was so down-to-earth and calm, even though I had navigated us to the wrong location and lost an hour of our studio time. Tori got us to the right location, met us at the parking lot, and helped us lose the nerves before we started the shoot. She and her partner cracked jokes, lightened the mood, and made the entire half-day feel like a fun hangout with friends rather than the sterile environment I had imagined in my head.
She guided us with posing and smiling, finding our light and angles - mainly helped me forget all my insecurities in those moments. We had laughed so much and enjoyed the experience that when the day wrapped, I was actually sad, not relieved like I had expected. While I didn’t know how every picture was going to turn out, I just knew there would be ones that even I could feel good about. Because throughout the day, the painstaking effort Tori took to direct and shoot had to lead to great images. She is unbelievably skilled and she takes the time and care to understand and deliver what you are looking for.
The camera may add 10 lbs, but coming out of this experience, I realized the right photographer can make you feel like you are 20 lbs lighter. If you live in the LA area and need professional portraits taken, you truly cannot go wrong by working with Tori. She was able to make a severely camera-phobic person come out of her shell and even share a couple of pictures. Topping off her photography skills, Tori is also a writer and director. Keep reading to hear from Tori, her incredible background, and learn about her spring promo (in the LA area for the month of April!!!) and what’s coming next for her feature film WIZARD (which was selected as a semi finalist for the 2023 Academy Nicholl Fellowship).
Can you share a little bit about your background?
I grew up in Dallas, Texas and moved out to Los Angeles in 2012 to receive my Bachelor of Fine Arts in Acting. I was obsessed with movies, and at the time, thought I wanted to be an actress. In high school, I took a 35mm photography class where I was developing prints in the dark room. I really enjoyed the whole process but it was nothing more than a hobby at that point. Once I got to LA, I was given a digital DSLR camera and started taking that big camera out to parties. I didn’t think anything of it except that I really liked to photograph my friends. Once I graduated from college, I took a photography class at the Art Center College of Design and soon after, I began working for an incredible fine art photographer and filmmaker, Sam Taylor-Johnson. At this point, I was still trying to be an actress and was doing photography on the side. In 2014, I took a writing class with a brilliant teacher, Jack Grapes. From that point on, I was hooked on writing. I spent several years writing poetry and prose, and then later moved into screenwriting. After years of writing and doing photography, I realized that I really loved to be an observer and that my gift was in seeing people, moments, and the bigger picture in a cinematic way. This is when I realized that my love for film wasn’t just about acting — it was about the full scope of the project. I realized that directing a still image and a moving image is what I wanted to do. I went on to write and direct my first short film and then I started working for another amazing photographer and filmmaker Gia Coppola. I learned a great day from her and then the pandemic hit. I spent pretty much all of 2020 writing and then at the start of 2021 is when I got my first photo gig shooting Hailey Bieber. And by that summer, I went full on freelance and have been self employed as a photographer, writer, and director ever since.
What made you want to launch Tori Time?
It was a natural progression to go all in on my creativity and turn it into a business. After gaining so much knowledge and experience working for two esteemed photographers and filmmakers, it was only a matter of time until I would be able to step out and do that for myself. I remember in 2020, I doubled down on creating a new website that had all of my work in one place. I broke it up into still, motion, and words. It was the first time I understood that all of the creative avenues I had become proficient in were connected. By the time 2021 rolled around, I was prepared when a big opportunity showed up. I really believe if you keep your head down and do the work with a lot of devotion, eventually opportunity will knock on the door. The key is to have everything ready when the knock comes.
What do you feel makes Tori Time unique?
I think what makes the work that I do unique is that I am interested in seeing and connecting with people in an intimate way and also that I am a storyteller. I see the full scope of someone and a project. This comes through in my photography, filmmaking, and writing. When I am doing a photoshoot, my whole intention is to see the person or brand in the most authentic and real way. While I love to take a beautiful photograph, the experience behind the camera is just as important to me. I believe that if two people meet in the space between us, something magical can happen. And then, the photographs reflect that connection and pierce through to to the people looking at them.
We are entering into the age of AI and other advancements in technology. We still don’t know how that will impact our creative industry. But the way I see it, AI might be able to make a photo of you, but it will never be able to recreate the experience of human connection and magic that we create together.
What is something you wish other entrepreneurs in your field knew or understood about the industry?
I wish other artists knew that it’s okay to take whatever time you need to hone your craft. For a while, I thought I was hiding my work. I now see I was honing it. We are living in the digital age where so many people are sharing their process or quick videos and while I think that is amazing for some people, it can also be very limiting for others. Working on big projects like a movie, those can take years to get them in the right place. And I don’t think there is enough emphasis on taking your time to hone a craft as there is on getting likes on Instagram. I think the way the algorithm works can be really damaging to a lot of artists. And I think what I would want other artists to understand about the creative industry is that we are artists for a reason. We don’t fit into a box. So if your work doesn’t make sense in a minute video, an instagram square, or maybe it’s not fitting into what the industry deems “marketable” right now — that’s okay! There is always going to be a new trend. Keep stretching the bounds of your creativity and find the avenue where your work can really shine. And remember, nobody really knows anything. So instead of trying to make what you think people want, make what you want. And eventually, someone else will want it too.
What is something you wish your consumers knew or understood about your industry?
I wish consumers knew how much work, time, and care goes into everything we do. With photography for example, I’m not sure if people realize that the day of shooting is just one part of the job. From there you have to import photos, make selects, and then edit the photos. Some photographers have a set filter they put on everything, but I never approach my work as a one size fits all. I always create an edit that goes with the essence of the person or brand. And that takes hours and sometimes days to do the editing work properly. And that is what enhances the images from being good to great. And the same thing goes for writing or directing. So, the next time a consume is looking at a photo, watching a movie, or reading something, there were hours of work that went into making this one piece of art great for you. And I think when people understand that, they will have more appreciation for the process, the price tag, and the art they are intaking.
Can you share a little about any exciting launches coming up for Tori Time?
I have two exciting projects happening right now.
One is the launch of my Spring Photography Promotion. I’m offering a limited amount of 1 hour portrait packages for the month of April only (Los Angeles Area). I typically have a two hour minimum package to book portraits so this is a great way to shoot with me at a lower price. Last year I had my first pop up where I did mini shoots for people and I really liked the idea of creating an offering that made this type of shoot accessible for those who have been wanting to work with me. You can learn more about the offering at
https://toritimephotography.pixieset.com/booking/SpringPromotion
And the second exciting project I am working on is bringing my feature film WIZARD to life. The film was selected as a semi finalist for the Academy Nicholl Fellowship this year. I’ve attached an amazing producer and we are beginning the process of taking this out to attach collaborators and financing. I’m very excited to keep you posted as this process develops!
Where can consumers learn more about you/Tori Time?
You can learn more about me at my website www.toritime.com or follow along on instagram at @tori.time
Thanks for highlighting Tori! The photos were awesome - clearly everyone is a celebrity in front of Tori’s lens.
Those new photos of you are absolutely stunning!