Tyler’s Story
Tyler Nunnally-Duck, Photographer…
Native of a small Kansas town, Tyler relocated to the east coast to pursue a graduate degree. She’s been here ever since, staying mostly for the beaches. When she’s not teaching high school math, she considers herself a “student of life”—constantly exploring, learning, and trying to perfect her craft. It’s easy to take pictures, but it’s nothing short of a hustle to cultivate a company while taking care of a family and an existing career.
The world is relentless; our everyday lives can be battered by stress, discomfort, and anxiety. Tyler aims to bring the peace and tranquility she feels when she captures a stunning photo to you and your home. This way, the chaos of the world stops for just a moment, thanks to T Photos.
Read further for a few stories about Tyler
One of the Scariest Mornings of my Life…
It was the summer of 2019. I decided to go explore an abandoned shipwreck off the coast of Sea Bright, NJ. In order to get there, I would need to hike up the beach over a mile from the nearest public entrance. Also, because I wanted to capture the boat in the light of sunrise, I had to start my journey through the pitch-black beach at 4 a.m. in order to arrive before and set up. The walk took about 40 minutes, and despite my love of the beach and the sea, I found myself in a state of unease that few other times have mirrored. With a flashlight, I navigated through the sand, carrying my gear and listening to the breaking of the waves, constantly doing 360 degree turns to ensure no one was creeping up on me. I was completely alone, yet it felt like I was in a murder mystery novel. As my heart pounded, and I reminded myself to just breathe, I arrived at the site of the wreck as the blue hour began to set in. The next two hours flew by as I was immersed in the beauty in front of me and trying to capture it to bring home forever.
As I was finishing up, life began to emerge. A lady walking her dog. A lone fisherman. I have realized that those stolen moments in between the ultimate darkness and when the beach begins to see human activity are the most peaceful for me.
*The first two photos below were evidence of this trip. The one on the right was taken a few days prior.
After four long days, I successfully hiked up
the southern tip of New Jersey
Read below for the recap…
On Sunday April 14th, 2019 my husband dropped me off in Cape May, with my camera and an 11-pound backpack. I was set to leave at sunrise the next morning with old-school printed map directions in hand. I had meticulously planned out my course for the hike, with varied daily mileages based on the location of my gracious hosts along the way. Each day demanded between 10-15 miles of walking, which might not sound like a lot until you start factoring in 25 mph winds, rain, and average daily temperatures of 40-50 degrees. That ugly blue rain poncho I picked up for a couple bucks was a life-saver on the first day, and my three sets of hoodies worn at the same time, protected my sensitive ears along the windy shore. On Day 3, I stopped at a post office and shipped home 4 pounds of dirty clothes to lighten my load; well worth the cost.
I took almost 1000 photos; as I crossed 12 bridges that spanned two counties and eleven cities. I fully utilized public libraries for their clean bathrooms and cold drinking water; sometimes they were the only place open in a touristy town during the off-season. I didn't listen to music or podcasts while I walked, but chose to embrace the sounds of nature/silence. I would spend miles at a time on isolated beaches simply taking in the crash of the waves, the chirping of the baby birds, the feel of sand under my feet and the sporadic warmth of sun on my face.
Despite the adventure resulting in severe tendinitis in my feet, the meditative moments throughout were life-changing and I was pleased with the photography results as you'll see below. It was definitely an experience I will never forget!
A few of the photos are shown below. I was very excited when National Geographic published “Colorful Condos” in their best photos of the week section.
