The images captured by professional photographer Tracy Fultz reflect the heart and soul of the artist behind the lens as much as the people in front of it.
“Photography is a vessel to share happiness,” said Fultz, owner of Blushing Cactus Photography in Prescott. “It’s about building relationships and being a part of meaningful moments in the lives of others. I love capturing human emotion and telling stories through my photos.”
Fearing for her life in an abusive relationship in Tennessee five years ago, Fultz had packed up her car and relocated to Prescott. Trauma therapy included evenings taking photos on the Courthouse Plaza and other venues, where she developed a special bond with musicians.
“I respect their art and they share a similar appreciation for mine,” she explained. “I love the passion of a musician belting out a note and the crowd singing along. I’m always anticipating the big moments and I’m patient enough to capture them.”
Self-taught in photography, she invests hours studying and practicing her craft, perfecting her style and experimenting with new techniques. She carved out a career with concerts and weddings among her favorite gigs.
“Any event I photograph, whether it’s a wedding, concert or portrait session, is a story made up of hundreds of moments just waiting to be captured,” Fultz said. “I’m always looking for candid and spontaneous emotions to create the most authentic images. It’s about feeling the emotions of a particular moment, such as a father looking at his daughter as he walks her down the aisle with a tear streaming down his cheek. I want to tell the story that my clients are going to appreciate and cherish for generations.”
Photography “kept me looking forward, saved my life, helped me smile through the pain and became an integral part of my healing process,” she said. “I knew it was something I was strongly led to do. I began seeing angles, lighting, faces and compositions in my sleep. For the first time in my life, I knew what I wanted to be when I grew up.”
Formerly a compliance coordinator for hospitals, Fultz acknowledged that work was important but not satisfying. Another tragedy struck in 2017, when a virus spun her into heart failure. After recovering, she vowed to make photography her full-time career and “really start living my life to its fullest potential. We only have a limited number of days on this earth, so it’s important that we don’t live on auto-pilot, but rather, consciously and with purpose. It’s important to keep a positive self-dialogue and encourage others. I am taking the challenges that life has thrown my way and using them to make my life more fulfilling than I ever dreamed possible.”
Blushing Cactus Photography was named one of “New Times Instagram Accounts to Follow in 2020.” The firm gives back locally to the Boys and Girls Clubs of Central Arizona, Boys-to-Men Mentoring, Coalition for Compassion and Justice, Make-A-Wish Foundation and US Vets.
Fultz shares her professional and personal life with fellow photographer Jeremiah Sheffer, whom she met while covering a concert. Quickly recognizing their mutual interests, the pair teamed up.
“We now document life and love together, photographing weddings across the country and countless concerts and events,” Fultz said. “We bring our own strengths and ideas to each photoshoot, so our clients receive the perfect blend of creative, detailed images. We make it fun and feel so fortunate to have developed true friendships through photography.”
The pair looks forward to “an amazing personal year. We are getting married in May; my two sons are graduating college together; and my oldest is getting married as well.” FBN
By Sue Marceau, FBN
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