Hey, Beautiful! My name is Tabetha, and this is my story!
I’m the owner and photographer behind Tabetha Rae Photography. My story isn’t perfectly polished or linear. It’s a little unconventional, a little long, but it’s mine, and it shaped everything I do today.
I grew up with my mom and two older brothers, and we moved… a lot. Around 24 times before I was 14. Most of those years were spent in Montana. We weren’t a military family. My mom was navigating failed marriages and hard seasons the only way she knew how, by leaving and starting over. So that’s what we did.
Money was always tight. Food stamps were normal. So was figuring things out on your own. I got my first job at 14 as a waitress so I could save for my first car. College was never optional in my mind. I knew if I didn’t go right away, I probably never would. There wasn’t financial support waiting for me, so I worked hard, applied for every scholarship I could, and made it happen.
College wasn’t easy, and I didn’t really feel like I fit in. But I knew I needed a degree that would support me long-term, something practical, something solid. I landed on Computer Science because I loved the idea of creating something from nothing. It was intimidating. I didn’t grow up around computers or coding, and suddenly I was learning SQL, arrays, recursion, all of it completely foreign. With a lot of late nights and help from classmates, I made it through. I was one of only two women to graduate with a Computer Science degree that semester, and the first in my family to graduate college. I was incredibly proud of myself.
After college, my biggest fear was ending up stuck in a cubicle, coding all day with zero human interaction. Anyone who knows me knows that would have crushed my soul. I thrive on connection. So when I found a job as an Implementation Consultant, where I could program and work directly with people, I jumped on it.
It was my first “big kid” job, and I was thrilled. The company relocated employees every couple of years and had projects all over the world. The idea of traveling, building a career, and seeing new places on someone else’s dime felt unreal. So I said yes.
At the time, I had no idea how much this path, every move, every challenge, every reinvention, would eventually lead me here. To a place where connection, creativity, and helping women see themselves differently could all exist in the same space.
And honestly, I wouldn’t change a thing.
I was making real money, living in a new state, and finally doing work that let me connect with people. My first project landed me in North Dakota. Close enough to family to feel grounded, but far enough that I could spread my wings and really figure out who I was. I stayed there for about a year and a half before the company asked me to relocate again, this time to Arkansas. I genuinely thought I’d be closer to the ocean. I was very wrong.
Arkansas ended up giving me more than I ever expected. It’s where I met my now-husband, Kevin, and where we built a life together. When relocating came up again, I knew I was done moving. Kevin has a daughter, and leaving wasn’t an option for either of us, so Arkansas became home. Thankfully, not many developers were eager to stay, so it all worked out.
Then COVID hit, and like most of the world, my job went fully remote. For many people, that sounded like a dream. For me, it felt like my worst nightmare coming true. I was a programmer working alone at home. Sure, there were perks. Extra dog cuddles, knocking out chores between meetings. But the human connection I thrive on was gone.
When we slowly returned to the office, it still wasn’t the same. The layout had changed, client interaction had shifted to emails, and that spark I loved was missing.
Around that time, TikTok was taking off, and I stumbled across a luxury boudoir photographer in Dallas. I was instantly drawn in, not just by her images, but by how she empowered women to see themselves differently. On a leap of faith, I booked a session. I wanted something to remember my 20s by. It wasn’t for my husband. It was for me. A way to give myself the same love and support he had always shown me.
Leading up to my shoot, I felt everything. Nerves. Doubt. Excitement. The “what if I can’t do the sexy face?” spiral. I questioned if it was worth it.
IT WAS ALL WORTH IT.
The hardest part of the entire experience was not buying every single photo. I walked out of my reveal and ordering appointment thinking, “DAAAAAANG GIRL… now I see what my husband sees.” It was empowering, eye-opening, and a massive confidence boost.
And that moment changed everything.
Photo Credit: Heather Nixon
A few months passed, and work was… well, work. Nothing spectacular. Less interaction with clients, more screen time, and a growing sense that something was missing. I wanted more. Something I could feel proud of. Something that lit me up. Something that made me want to get out of bed every morning.
So I finally said it out loud. I told my husband my slightly wild idea of starting boudoir photography. Instead of talking me out of it, he supported me fully. I reached out to the incredible photographer who had done my own shoot, and just like that, the seed was planted.
I’d always had an eye for photos, but I gravitated toward emotion, mood, and individual stories rather than big group shots. Scenic moments. One-on-one connection. So in January of 2023, I took the leap. I bought a computer, a camera, and a handful of educational guides recommended by my photographer, who quickly became my mentor.
Here’s the funny part. I had never owned a camera before. Ever. I had only ever used my phone. ISO? F-stop? Shutter speed? No clue. So I did what I do best and dove headfirst into learning. I researched. I practiced. I obsessed a little.
After a few months, I asked a couple of friends if I could photograph them, and that’s when things really got real.
Truthfully, during my very first session, I think I was more nervous than my friend was. I was trying not to stare while also scrambling to think of poses. I’d get her into one, immediately panic, think “oh no, that’s not it,” and then confidently say, “Yes. That’s perfect,” while silently freaking out.
Editing was a whole different adventure. I spent hours on those images because I had never used Lightroom or Photoshop in my life. I didn’t really know what I was doing. I just knew I wanted my photos to feel dark and moody. And they definitely were dark and moody… maybe just a little too dark and moody at first.
But even then, I knew. This was it.
When we sat down for her reveal and ordering appointment, something clicked for me. Watching her fall in love with her images, seeing the joy, pride, and confidence on her face, filled me up in a way no job ever had before. The appreciation I felt in that moment outweighed everything I had experienced in my nine-plus years as a computer programmer. I remember thinking, this is what fulfillment feels like.
For the next several months, I continued practicing with close friends, refining every part of the process. Posing, lighting, editing, communication. Every session made me better and more confident in what I was building.
In July of that year, I traveled to Dallas for a full two-day mentoring session with my mentor, and it completely leveled me up. I dove deeper into camera settings, angles, lighting, and shooting with intention. We even had a client come in, and I was able to watch my mentor photograph her from start to finish, then walk me through the editing process afterward. I soaked up every second of it. From that point on, I took everything I learned and ran with it, booking and shooting every single weekend I possibly could.
That fall, my mentor attended another educator’s boudoir retreat in Aruba. Watching from afar was torture in the best way. The images were unreal. Sunrise shoots. Sunset beaches. Pure magic. I wanted to be there so badly, but at the time, I couldn’t take off work. So I watched, dreamed, and quietly promised myself that next time, I would make it happen.
When that same educator announced her next retreat for May 2024, I didn’t hesitate. I saved every extra dollar, scheduled the time off, and committed fully. And when I say that trip was life-changing, I mean it in every possible way.
I was easily the newest photographer there. Most of the women had three or more years of experience, while I was just under a year and a half in. I didn’t try to hide it. I showed up open, curious, and ready to learn. With over fifteen years of experience, the educator poured so much knowledge into us. Lighting, posing, editing, storytelling, confidence. I absorbed every bit of it.
But the biggest lesson I learned wasn’t technical at all.
I learned something about myself.
I knew going into the retreat that I’d be photographed nude at some point. What I didn’t know was that I’d find myself completely naked on a catamaran in the middle of the ocean, camera in hand, laughing, creating, and photographing other beautiful women who were just as free and unfiltered as I was. It was raw. It was empowering. It was unforgettable. We were truly living our best lives.
That week, I connected deeply with two incredible women who will forever hold a special place in my heart. It felt like finding people I’d been searching for without even realizing it. The kind of connection that shifts something inside you.
That retreat didn’t just make me a better photographer. It changed my perspective, strengthened my confidence, and deepened my understanding of what it truly means to see and be seen.
My coworkers with computer science backgrounds never quite felt like my people. They were friendly, kind, and genuinely good humans, but our worlds didn’t overlap much. Most of them bonded over video games and Dungeons and Dragons. I don’t even own a gaming console, nor do I have any desire to. It wasn’t bad, it just wasn’t where I felt connected or fulfilled. I was craving something different. Something deeper.
So I came back to reality and had to ask myself the hard question. When was I actually going to walk away from my full-time job and turn this passion into my full-time life?
I went back and forth constantly. One day it was going to be the first day back from Aruba. The next day it was September. I couldn’t land on a date. I couldn’t commit to the jump.
Until one day, an email hit my inbox.
My boss had scheduled a “Quarterly Development Checkpoint” meeting for early July 2024. And the second I read it, I knew. That was it. That meeting was going to be the moment I put in my two weeks.
Was I scared? Oh, shit yeah. Terrified. But deep down, I knew I was ready.
My last day landed on a Thursday.
That Sunday, one of the close friends I’d made in Aruba reached out and asked when I was coming to visit her. And when I read that message, my brain short-circuited a little. Me? You want ME to come visit YOU?
This woman runs a multi-million-dollar company with over fifteen years of success in this industry. Not only creating powerful, beautiful images of women, but also teaching others how to build sustainable, successful businesses. And she was asking me to come spend time with her.
Uhhh… yes, please.
I booked a flight for the very next morning and spent a week with her. She was navigating some heavy personal stuff, and I loved being able to show up and support her during that time. In return, she poured into me in ways I didn’t even realize I needed. She pointed me toward educational guides she had created, helped me prioritize what actually mattered, and together we mapped out a clear plan of action to get my business running smoothly and sustainably.
For the first time, everything felt real. Grounded. Possible.
And I finally felt like I was exactly where I was meant to be.
Now here I am, running a multi–six figure, full-service luxury boudoir studio right out of my home. Every session includes a professional hair and makeup artist, because ya girl absolutely cannot do makeup to save her life. Together, we’re here to help you see yourself the way you deserve to be seen and to embrace your body for everything it is and everything it has carried you through.
If there’s one thing I want you to take away from your experience with me, it’s this: I want you to walk out of my studio knowing, deep in your bones, that you are strong, beautiful, and worthy, no matter what anyone else has ever made you believe. Self-love isn’t always easy, but it is powerful, transformative, and so incredibly worth it.
And if you’ve made it this far, welcome, my friend. You’re exactly where you’re meant to be.
Now… let’s make some magic together. ✨
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