UCP by Tara

Tara Garner is the founder and creative eye behind Under Construction Photography, social media and marketing development in the construction industry. Tara knows the blue collar industry needs updated imagery and to bolster morale, she brings this to the workforce with her photographs. Tara's work is a way to connect the men and women in the blue collar industry with their communities and the rest of the world. As a social media and branding expert, Tara works with the best in the field to strengthen their brands. Tara is OSHA 10 certified and is up to date on job safety. She is also an award winning photographer and travels all over the country bringing awareness to the blue collar communities.    

 I was raised in a blue collar home, and I will always remember my father's hard work and dedication as a Union Ironworker. As a family we were all involved when he became politically active for the union. We fully participated and supported him as his career evolved from working to better our family life, to becoming a representative of all the workers as well. This upbringing has taught me the value of perseverance and hard work. It has made me tough. It has shown me that the big jobs start from the ground up. They start with heads, hands, and hearts. They start with the humans of construction. 

     It had been about a year after my father passed when I started taking construction pictures. I was working in the office at IBEW local 45 in Hollywood and found myself looking at the ongoing work around me differently. I felt a connection to my dad as I watched these buildings come together. There was one huge job adjacent to the building I worked in, that became the subject of my first photos. I found myself taking snapshots from afar with my phone, and before I knew it I was walking onto the jobsite to get a closer look. It turns out I knew some of the Ironworkers on this job. They had worked with my father. The stories they shared were inspiring, and encouraged me to continue. I started sharing my photos and they were garnering a lot of attention. The images I take demonstrate a rare view of blue collar work and workers. At the time no one else in Southern California was doing this. I kept at it and when I entered one of my shots in a photography contest, I won. This displayed one of my images on a t-shirt that was used for a huge construction convention in Michigan. I decided to make the trip to be at the event, personally representing my art and newly founded company: Under Construction Photography.

    It has been these heart inspired leaps of faith that have become the major catalysts for my growth. I am able to meet face to face with those who support me as I support them. That is what I feel makes my business unique. As the daughter of a third generation Ironworker, it's in my blood. I am a part of this community and have a sense of camaraderie with the men and women in the industry. Because of my personal approach, I've been invited to photograph job sites all over the country, and I create marketing content for several companies who make work gear. I've taken a lot of risks to get great shots and I've made so many connections along the way. My art has grown to portray the humanity of the construction industry and that is what UCP strives to represent. I am so excited about the future of construction because it is always changing. These fluctuations allow for growth and endless opportunity. The future is wide open. 

What makes Tara passionate about photographing the people of this profession stems from her family's history in the trade. Spanning over five generations, the Garner family has been involved in the Ironworkers trade. Not only was Tara born into the blue collar world, she inherited the work ethic that it takes to make it in this industry.