The Inside Story

Tonya graduated with a BA in Art and Design from Alma College and went on to teach art in the public schools. During her career as an educator, she enrolled in some photography classes at the Cleveland Institute of Art where she further developed her artistic vision and passion for fine art portraiture.

This passion developed seamlessly into Tonya Marie Photography. Tonya takes a simple yet fresh approach to portraits. She connects with people in order to capture genuine expressions and natural poses. Tonya’s relaxed and light hearted personality allows you to enjoy your session.

Outside of photography, Tonya enjoys dark chocolate, a glass of red wine, and nap time. Her favorite season is fall. Her favorite color is green…or blue, or red depending on the day. Tonya would like to learn how to knit and hopes to get back into horse riding one day.

Tonya has worked on an assembly line making car parts for Ford during college. She drove a 1950 Super C Farmall tractor while she worked as an environmental educator at the Kalamazoo Nature Center. And as a big fan of the furry critters, she enjoyed some time as Veterinary Assistant and Receptionist at the Poland Veterinary Centre in Ohio. She’s been a Wolverine, a Buckeye, and now a Hoosier.

Just a big kid at heart, Tonya enjoys meeting new people and making new friends.