Tamara Torres provides a buffet of beautiful imagery
“I often just feel lucky life sends these kinds of settings my way,” says the photographer Tamara Torres. She has a wonderful appreciation for the world around her, clearly never taking it for granted. It’s that admiration that fuels her attention to detail, which results in an ever-growing, beautiful body of work.
Color tends to be the first thing that attracts me to an image. Then it’s the feeling I get from observing the frame in greater detail. Torres’ photographs tick all my boxes. They’re vibrant, soothing and consistently satisfying to look at.
It’s hard for me to categorize her work; it’s not quite street photography or landscape, nor is it architectural. Instead, it’s a little dash of everything, coming together to create a wonderful ecosystem that can be defined as the Torres style.
Aside from her visual storytelling, she’s a great speaker too. The interview you’re about to read really does add more depth to who Torres is as an artist. She shares her adventures, how she made the switch to film photography and leaves herself vulnerable as we explore her self portraiture.
It’s time for less of me, and more her. Enjoy…
Them Frames: Please tell us about your early life and how you first got connected with photography…
Tamara Torres: My interest in photography started fairly early. Growing up in the 90’s, one of my field trip must-haves was a disposable camera to take pictures of my friends. Once I got to middle school, I confiscated my family’s point and shoot digital camera to photograph anything and everything. While that work was terrible by anyone’s standards, my family noticed my obsession and enrolled me in a film photography class in Old San Juan where I learned to develop and print in a darkroom.
I mention the location because this is home; a place that will always inspire me and feed my creativity and desire to observe, to feel and to be seen. Being Puerto Rican is a huge part of my identity – we’ve experienced a lot of hardship, but I am proud of my mixed heritage, vibrant culture, and resilient character and hope this is reflected in everything I do.
ThemFrames: You recently visited Japan. How was it for you in terms of making photographs?
Tamara Torres: I enjoyed my Japan experience so much, I ended up not using half of the film rolls I traveled with. But I got all the pictures I felt were right, and it also encouraged me to take an exciting detour into street photography – with people.
As an introvert, I shy away from photographing people in my street work for fear of confrontation or because I feel like they’re just not an important part of my frames. But in a city with a population of almost 14 million, I had no choice but to go for it.
I quickly learned that, despite the fact I almost always get caught, people really enjoyed being part of a photograph. I got smiles from everyone after every shot. It was refreshing to try something new, and it be a seemingly positive interaction for my subjects too. And making them part of the frame only came with patience. I learned to stop and wait for the right subject vs. what I usually do which is wait until the scene is empty - I would still be waiting.
Them Frames: I think it’s fair to say you are obsessed with film photography. Why do you love the medium so much?
Tamara Torres: Coming from strictly digital for 12 years, I fell into a pattern of overthinking everything from a technical standpoint. I got so lost in that mode, that I was no longer shooting as a form of self-expression.
After I lost my grandfather last year, I began thinking about our shared passion for photography, and noticed I had lost my spark. So I went to my local camera store, bought a Nikon film camera, his preferred brand, and started shooting.
I’m now just creating from the heart, making the pictures and seeing them later. Trying out different film stocks and enjoying their unique characteristics; that alone has been an incredibly exciting journey.
Film also gave me a new process to live and enjoy a moment, trust my instinct, whether I’m out on a walk or executing an idea, capture it, and not worry about the end result too much.
And of course, I think a lot of us are fascinated by vintage cameras and lenses, some older than us, and with proper care, still producing beautiful images. It’s just easy to fall in love with this medium.
Them Frames: You develop your film at home. How long have you been self developing and what is the experience like for you?
Tamara Torres: After I shot my first roll in February 2023, I realized the development cost was going to add up rapidly, but I had already fallen in love and had to figure something out. I immediately started reading and watching tutorials, bought everything I needed to get started and got to work. It was a bit intimidating at first, but there are many resources and kits available that make it simple and enjoyable.
It’s fun and therapeutic for me – enjoying every step of this process, having (timed) dance sessions with my developing tank, and being the first one to see the film reveal my images. And of course, I’ve had some accidents and learned some hard lessons, but they just make me more excited to learn and improve my process every day.
Them Frames: Your photographs are very peaceful; calming I would say. Two questions: how do you feel when making your photographs and how do you feel once you see them in print?
Tamara Torres: Thank you for that description, I’m so glad this translates into the final product. The process is very calming for me as I’m just focusing on observing and appreciating the world around me.
I don’t look at my phone or think about the 30 other things I need to do – my mind is quiet, and I enjoy it more when I’m alone. I love the reveal part too; most of the time I’m excited I was able to capture that feeling, and when I don’t, I use it as a learning experience. But I feel such a rush when I see certain images, and I'm grateful I got to experience that moment, that light and that beautiful (or quirky) subject.
Them Frames: You can shoot with only one type of film roll for the rest of your life: which and why?
Tamara Torres: I am not a Portra fan and it’s not my favorite, but if I had to choose one and I’m being honest, it would be Portra 400. It’s not a very exciting film stock for me, but it is extremely consistent, versatile, and forgiving. I can shoot it in bright daylight or at night, and I know I’ll get the shot.
Them Frames: You’ve experimented with self portraits. How do you feel in front of the camera compared to behind it?
Tamara Torres: I’m as painfully awkward in front of a camera as I am in real life, but I find self-portraits are important. For me, it’s a way to present yourself in the same way in which you borrow scenes from the physical world. Will I do it often? Probably not, but it’s a good exercise I believe every photographer should try.
It’s not about vanity, but about self-awareness and vulnerability, showing your energy and character and how it may impact your experience as a photographer. It is a very challenging process for most of us, but every time I see someone’s self portrait, I feel like I know them a little better and I just love that.
Them Frames: If you had to pick one soundtrack to accompany your photography portfolio, which would be?
Tamara Torres: I’m not 100% sure what that would sound like, but I hope it includes a lot of St. Vincent, The Strokes, Magnetic Fields, and Beck.
Them Frames: Please finish this sentence: I need photography in my life because…
Tamara Torres: The world is just too beautiful to experience it alone. I love showing others what I see as much as I love experiencing new places or sights through other people’s photographs and unique points of view.
