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By NOAH WORTHAM | Staff Writer

COLUMBIANA – After her mother passed away in 2014, Tanisha Snell realized that she barely had any family photos to remember her by.

“I only had like five pictures of her but I spent so much time with her, me and my children,” Snell said. “After that, I just started taking pictures of small things like flowers, just everything around me and children.”

After a while, people began to take notice of Snell’s photography and began to request she take their picture too.

“It inspired me to take pictures of the things I love more because one day—I didn’t realize that I wouldn’t have that with her, especially so soon,” Snell said. “I started taking pictures of everything, I wanted to have good pictures and started to go to classes and learn how to do it.”

Now, after years of experience, Snell has opened her own photography studio.

Tanisha Snell Photography is now open in Columbiana and is ready to supply locals with photo shoots and provide local photographers a space to get creative.

“I decided to finally take the step to get my own studio and have a space where creatives, like me, who are in the area and just don’t have that space or don’t feel like that space is available to them—I wanted to create that in the studio,” Snell said.

Tanisha Snell Photography opened in Columbiana on Saturday, Aug. 5 at 275 Columbiana Square Suite 255. A grand opening celebration was held to mark the milestone moment.

“It was a success—it went really great,” she said. “People came out and got to see where the building started and where it’s at now and chat with a couple people.”

The space doubles as an area that creatives can rent to serve as their own photography studio as well as an area for Snell to continue taking photo shoots.

“They’re able to use everything that I have in the studio when they rent it like the lighting and all of my back drops and things like that,” Snell said. “I’ll also have setups throughout the year where people can come and take pictures in front of (them).”

Snell also offers a variety of photo shoots herself, including newborn sessions, family sessions, maternity, headshots, special occasions and boudoir.

“I love photography because I’m such a storyteller,” she said. “I love to express myself with words but also with pictures because pictures are really good memories that you can pause in that moment. You can always remember that.”

Tanisha Snell Photography will offer fall and holiday setups for photo shoots later in the year.

Appointments can be made by reaching out to Snell at 205-955-3151.