Manningtree engineer turns photography passion into job

Taz Brotherton, from Manningtree, left his job at AGM Colchester just before Christmas to fulfil his dream of being a full-time photographer. 

His passion for taking pictures was nurtured by his mother, with whom he spent hours in a dark room as a kid developing photos together. 

He said: “I loved the magic of seeing the image appear on paper before your eyes.

"This obsession of my mums came from my Grandad Michael Cornell who was a professional photographer himself.” 

Taz started sharing his work on social media six years ago and got a lot of feedback, encouraging him to stick to his passion. 

His perseverance paid off, as he gained more experience and started taking job offers for occasional shoots under the brand of TazzyBro Photographer. 

“Before that, I had never done weddings or commercial shoots," he said.  

"And I never thought I would do weddings, but now I already have 15 bookings for the year.

“The most incredible job I’ve done was probably for Abellio London. It was a two-day job in London at the bus depot, shooting the busses going around London and Big Ben, as well as night shoots.

“I used to have a nine-to-five job since I was 16 and have never been out of a job at the same firm. I never thought I would leave it.” 

While others were telling him, he would regret not taking the step earlier, Taz has never felt ready, until now. 

He said: “Even if I do not make it and it falls through in a couple of years, I won’t see it as a failure in my eyes because I tried.” 

As he never went to college to learn about how to run a business, Taz is very proud of having been able to be his own boss. 

“I never thought in a million years it is possible to be doing something like this," he said. 

"I never thought it was possible to make images into income. 

“If you really want something enough you can do it.”