Hey Ya’ll, I’m Tara Lynn
Raleigh photographer, dog lover, mom of three, and former TV news reporter.
You know that feeling…the way your dog looks at you, the little quirks that make them yours, the moments you wish you could hold onto forever?
That’s what I capture.
For 15 years, I told breaking news stories on camera capturing the highs, lows, and everything in between. But these days, I get to tell my favorite kinds of stories…the ones filled with muddy paws, wild giggles, and the kind of love that makes your heart ache in the best way.
I’m here to help dog-loving families and brands celebrate what matters most with vibrant, joy-filled images…
Because life moves fast, and your love deserves to be remembered.
My Story
If I were a secret agent, my missions in life would be titled:
- Operation Dance Party Starter
- Operation Make a Friend
- Operation Pet all the Dogs
- Operation Hold a Stranger’s Baby <true story…did that in a restaurant so the new parents could eat using both their hands)
I love life. I love sunshine. I love loving on people. But I’m still learning to love myself.
There was a time where I would pray each night asking God to take my life so I wouldn’t have to.
I survived because I had a dog with a tiny bladder that forced me out of bed.
I survived because there was always that one client session that hadn’t yet been edited and I couldn’t leave them hanging.
This dark time gave me one obsession: the transformative power of love.
A dog pulled me out of one of the darkest seasons of my life. That kind of love is powerful and it’s why I’m so passionate about honoring the bond we share with our animals.
My battle with depression also taught me that life doesn’t have to be picture-perfect to be beautiful, but it deserved to be documented all the same.
That’s why I love telling real stories of love, laughter, loss, and life – capturing the transformative power of love for dog-loving families and brands.
Let’s capture your story.
Why I photograph dog-loving families and brands
If you’ve ever loved a dog, you know the kind of love that changes everything. You know what it means to laugh harder, love deeper, and show up more fully—because dogs teach us how to live in the moment and love without hesitation.
That’s the heart of my work.
I photograph dog-loving families and brands because these stories deserve to be seen, celebrated, and remembered.
My images honor the bonds that shape us, bringing light and color to the everyday magic that might otherwise slip by unnoticed.
I believe...
- Love is the most powerful force of good on earth.
- We all deserve love.
- Life is better with a dog
- Families – messy, joyful, real – are worth celebrating
- Stories connect us and deserve to be preserved.
- Every day is a chance to do good.
- Beauty lives in authenticity, not perfection.
Meet My Family
I’m a proud mom of two girls and a boy and our rescue dog Boone. My forever dog Baxter inspired me to start this career. He crossed the rainbow bridge in 2023.
Favorite Things
- Shrimp & Grits
- Charleston, SC
- The Tar Heels
- Fresca
- Reading at the beach
- Afternoon naps
- Sour gummy worms
Journalist at Heart
I graduated from UNC-Chapel Hill in 2006, then spent 5 years as a tv news producer, reporter, anchor and show host in Charleston, S.C. I worked 5 years at WRAL (Raleigh) as a reporter and anchor before going full-time as a pet photographer.
