Tranquility. A state of relaxation, peace of mind, and intention. That’s how photographer Tatia Patapearu-Ariki starts her mornings prior to a photo session. She listens to music, does some chores, walks her dog, and reviews the vision boards. “There’s no stress or feelings of any anxiety before I go into a shoot. I like to be very intentional about my mornings beforehand,” said Tatia. “That way I give my client the best, and I get the best pictures for myself as well.”
Location is important, and Tatia will arrive early, especially if it’s a new spot. This allows her to check lighting and colors, and to find settings for certain poses. Tatia will get her bearings, and see how she can utilize the space. Depending on the day, she might start editing afterward or perhaps let the photos sit for a moment as she thinks through them.
Her Pacific Islander culture is her foundation in life, and she credits her morals and a lot of herself to it. “Showcasing my culture is just as important as showcasing my art,” she said. It is her goal to do more to encompass Pacific Islanders, but she hasn’t had the opportunity. “I think it’s also really important to be a part of the Kansas City community, it brought me to where I am,” Tatia said. “I feel very privileged that I get to capture our community and be so involved. I feel lucky to be in a place that is not only tight-knit, but also very supportive.”
Tatia started her photography business in 2020, and her evenings and weekends are reserved for all things Sony a7 III, which is the camera she received at age 16 and still uses today at age 25. By day, Tatia works as an administrative assistant for the North Kansas City School District, and as much as she loves it, she hopes to someday work full time in photography. Prior to starting her business, she worked at JCPenney Portrait Studios and a wedding company. She credits them for her baseline knowledge of photography, and for the epiphany that taking pictures was her calling.
Her passion for photography was ignited between the ages of 10 and 13, after she received her first phone and took thousands of photos. It took a photography class for preteens and the strict camera settings from JCPenney and the wedding company, to turn her passion into a career. “I felt very restricted within the settings,” said Tatia. “I realized I could branch out and do more with colors, scenery, people, and features.” She realized she could do this despite having more to learn. Tatia began charging people what she thought she was worth, and her business was born.
Two years after starting her business, Tatia did a creative shoot that defined her voice as a photographer. It was her very first team production, and everyone collaborated on the creative boards, editing style, and colors. It was a three outfit shoot at a lake that reaffirmed she was on the right track. Recently, she did one of her biggest projects with her friend, Ashley Duffy, who is a stylist. The project, On My High Horse, embraces Mexican culture. Tatia had the idea to include Mexican American women dressed in traditional clothes with horses. Ashley had the contacts and helped bring the idea to life. She credits that first project with helping her in the production world and leading her to capture something that will now be in her first gallery. On My High Horse will be on display at Café Corazón in July on First Fridays.
Tatia prides herself on giving her clients a comfortable space to shoot. “I don’t like being in front of the camera, and yet I am in control of the camera 90 percent of the time. A person is very vulnerable when they model, and I like to be a calming and reassuring presence for them,” she said. “I think that’s where the trust is built, where they can tell me, ‘I want this or I don’t want this,’ and I can execute that.” Tatia has a family who she has been taking photos of for years. What started as an engagement shoot, led to maternity, newborn, updated baby photos, and upcoming wedding pictures. “One of my favorite things to talk about is having clients who trusts me enough to capture so many different moments in their life,” said Tatia.
Moving forward, she wants to do more curated conceptual shoots, get more into the fashion industry, and capture her culture. She loves the collaboration behind big productions and sees herself getting closer to that one day. She is also waiting patiently to do a photo shoot at Jerusalem Rocks in Kansas, and to one day take photos in the Sahara Desert. “I love taking photos of people. I love their uniqueness, their beauty, and playing with it and working with it in a concept,” said Tatia.
Featured in the May 30, 2026 issue of The Independent.
By Olivia Mahl
