Today we’d like to introduce you to Treva Wygle.
So, before we jump into specific questions about the business, why don’t you give us some details about you and your story.
I started Pan-it ink Photography full time in March of 2011. I started out in journalistic photography about 25 years ago. I’ve excelled in marketing, graphic design, web design, publishing, promotions and event planning through the years. I’ve always had an entrepreneurial heart and drive to me! I’ve always lived my life with an open mind and an excitement for doing new things and striving for what my heart desires. Once I set my mind to something there is no going back! LOL, I think the main things that have lead to my success is having a positive attitude, being very passionate of the task at hand, caring about my work and loving people. I feel I have a joyful spirit and a love for life.
Over the past 25 years, I have owned and operated my own publishing business and newspaper and offered my freelance services of writer, graphic art designer, website designer, photographer, marketing specialist and event planner to numerous businesses and organizations. In 2011 is when I started Plan-it ink. Originally I offered all my skills through my business with photography not even being the main focus. It didn’t take long to figure out that my true passion and success lied in my photography. I slowly started chiseling away at the services I offered due to my photography growing so fast that I didn’t have time for the rest.
I quickly discovered that photography was where my focus needed to be and my passion for creating beautiful images set sail! I loved every aspect of photography; feeding my creative side, the ability to make people feel beautiful and special, creating works of art, and most of all seeing how happy it made my clients! Win win! I wanted it all! There was nothing I didn’t try in the world of photography! I wanted to experience it all to see where my true passion lied. I started shooting everything, and was self-taught and read books and watched videos and took classes to perfect my new formed love!
My photography has given me lots of great opportunities and leads to meeting some fascinating people. I have always loved fashion and all the beauty and hype that goes along with it! So I made a conscience decision that I wanted to give fashion photography a swing! When I told my friends I wanted to go to New York to shoot fashion, they thought I was crazy! I didn’t know how I was going to do it but I knew I must!!! A month later, I was on a plane to New York to shoot a fashion show!!! It was an amazing experience and lead to other fashion opportunities in Dallas and Houston! In the mix I must mention my absolute love for travel and lifestyle photography. I love seeing new places, meeting new people and capturing real life through my lens. One of my most prized photography collections is that of China! I have traveled to China three times and am fascinated with the culture, architecture and people. That’s a whole story in itself!!!
Fast forward to 2017… I have always loved Galveston. The sea calls my name and satisfies my soul! I have always had such amazing memories in Galveston as a child coming here over the years on family vacations! This has always been a place I longed to be and hoped one day to live. In 2016 I had a strong urge and was being romanced to move to Galveston! I couldn’t shake it, the urge was overwhelming and emotional! I put forth the goal to move to Galveston and started immediately working towards it! I created a website for Plan-it ink Galveston, started advertising in the area and began accepting weddings in the area where I would travel to shoot weddings to help build my local portfolio. I remember every time I would cross the causeway leading into Galveston I would be overcome with joy to the extent of tears! I just knew I had to be here!!! Then when the job was done and it was time to head back home to De Leon, Texas I would call my husband crying because I didn’t want to leave.
Needless to say in 2017, I moved to Galveston!!! It was the best choice I have made in my life!!! I feel like I am truly living my best life here! There’s something special about the ocean, it’s so tranquil and captivating to me. I breathe a little deeper, see a little clearer and dream a little bigger when I’m in Galveston on the beach. Yes, I uprooted my successful business and started over. Within one year of being in Galveston, working my butt off, marketing my business, building my portfolio and passionately capturing the love for the island I now call home, my business tripled! I’m pretty definite I made the right choice!!!
Great, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
I have to say it has been a pretty smooth transition! Since Galveston is a destination location it has opened up more opportunities from clients traveling to Galveston for family vacation! The tourism aspect has been wonderful for my business. The biggest struggle was forming local relationships for business. But once I got more involved in the community through non-profit entities and organizations it has helped build relationships and a sense of belonging.
Please tell us about Plan-it ink Photography.
Yes, I am in the photography business but I am also in the tourism industry and the people business! I get the distinct privilege of meeting lots and lots of people from all over the world coming to Galveston on vacation and have the opportunity to share my love of the Island with them. Not only do I specialize in lifestyle and fine art photography but I get to spread love to people by making their special family memories come to life and captured forever! I’m a hugger, so I give lots of hugs to people! I think that maybe one of the best parts of my job! It just warms my heart to see families having fun on the beach together and to even capture a child’s first experience feeling their toes in the sand or at awe of the ocean!
Another specialty I now offer since moving to the Island is real estate photography! Again being in a tourist and destination location has opened doors and a demand for real estate photography. I love seeing all of the beautiful and versatile homes on the island and stepping inside to capture their beauty! I am proud to be the photographer for my very talented clients Michael and Ashley Cordray of Save 1900 Realty. They flip homes in Galveston and have a show on the DIY network called “Big Texas Flip”. The majority of my job consists of being barefoot on the beach, making new friends, and experiencing amazing sunsets as the sky turns brilliant colors! I really care about my work and my clients!
Do you look back particularly fondly on any memories from childhood?
As a child, my favorite memories are mostly from being at the beach with my family! I have three photos on my wall at home, one is my Dad when he was a little boy on Galveston beach, me and my siblings on Galveston beach, and then me and my kids when they were young on Galveston beach! I consider myself to be a third-generation Galveston vacationer! LOL Now a true Islander!
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.planitinkphotographygalveston.com/
- Phone: 254-979-5025
- Email: planitink@gmail.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/trevawygle/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/planitink/
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/TrevaWygle
- Other: https://www.planitinkphotographygalveston.com/fineart.html
Image Credit:
Treva Wygle, Plan-it ink Photography; Paula Deaton, Weslan Photography
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