Behind the Lens
Tiffany Bumgardner
Award-Winning Photographer & Founder of Exposure One Studios
Hi, I’m Tiffany — the founder and lead photographer of Exposure One Studios. At heart, I’m a storyteller. I see the world through light, connection, and the little in-between moments that often say the most.
For 14 years, I’ve photographed everything from quiet portraits and fast-paced equestrian events to editorial stories, cultural preservation projects, and personal milestones. From muddy fairgrounds to magic shows, show-ring chaos to stillness between friends — I’ve learned that the most powerful images aren’t always the polished ones. They’re the honest, unguarded ones. The ones you feel.
A Creative Life in Motion
My creative journey started with fine art — drawing and painting from a young age. But around age eight, my grandfather handed me a slim, boxy film camera. I took it outside and photographed our horses running through the field at sunset. The photo was raw and imperfect, but it had something my drawings never quite captured: life. Movement. Emotion.
That moment changed everything.
I picked up photography again in high school with new intention. What I struggled to express on canvas came naturally through the lens — the emotion of a glance, the shape of light, the story within a frame. It wasn’t just about images. It was about connection.
My background in psychology and sociology has only deepened that connection. I don’t just see people (or animals) as subjects — I see them as layered, feeling beings with stories worth honoring. I bring calm, empathy, and patience to every session, because I want people to feel seen and at ease in front of the camera.
Around the World & Back Again
While studying on Semester at Sea, I traveled through 17 countries, camera in hand. One of those photographs — a portrait of a fellow traveler named Casey, taken just days before she tragically passed — became my first published image in The Washington Post. It was heartbreaking, and it taught me something that’s stuck with me since: sometimes photographs become more than memories. They become legacy.
That moment shaped my path.
My work has since appeared on gallery walls at Ohio University, in Ohio Today magazine, on the digital screens of Louvre, and even on billboards in Times Square. I’ve photographed everything from professional rodeos and equestrian sports to entertainers, brands, and rural families whose stories deserved to be told.
I’ve served as a card-holding photographer with the International Pro Rodeo Association, captured the careers of trick riders, created imagery for Dolly Parton’s Stampede, and delivered the portraits magician Terry Evanswood had “dreamed of in his 30-year career.”
I’ve published photo books and a memoir, spoken at events, and earned international recognition from organizations like the International Photography Awards, ND Awards, and Px3 Paris.
Exposure One Studios: Rooted in Soul & Story
Exposure One Studios began as TB Photography in 2011. It grew into something deeper after that life-changing Semester at Sea trip — a shift that reshaped how I see the world, and how I tell its stories.
Today, I’m based in Ohio but work with individuals, families, brands, and organizations around the world. My passion lies especially in preserving Appalachian and Ohio Valley equestrian heritage, blending fine art and documentary photography to create lasting cultural records. Whether it’s the bond between a woman and her horse, the first steps of a foal, or a 4-H kid in the show ring — I’m here to capture it with soul, truth, and respect.
The most meaningful photographs aren’t always the posed ones. They’re often the ones in between: soft light, quiet pride, dust in the air, wind in the mane, stillness before the next ride. That’s where the magic lives.
After all these years and all these miles, the mission is still the same: to honor real stories, preserve real moments, and never stop chasing the light.
Live in pursuit of what sets your soul on fire. Rely on your heart and instincts to help guide you and smile at those who stand in your way. Trust in yourself always.
~ Tiffany | Exposure One Studios