Our Story

I never set out to be a real estate photographer. In 2017, I was working in real estate marketing—running ad campaigns, social media, and creating video content for new construction projects in Seattle. Photography wasn’t even on my radar—until I picked up a camera by chance while launching new condominium projects between 2018 and 2020. With no formal training, I turned to YouTube, trial, and error to learn how to shoot real estate photos. The more I shot, the more I fell in love with the process.

That’s when I met Jonny Tat. In 2019, he made a bold move — walking away from medical school to become a real estate agent. We clicked instantly, bonding over the fast-paced world of real estate. As I took on more photography work, I kept running into the same frustrating challenges: editing took forever, file delivery was clunky, and getting paid on time was a constant struggle. I knew there had to be a better way.

I pitched the idea to Jonny — a streamlined platform designed to simplify workflows, save time, and help real estate photographers get paid faster. We had several brainstorming sessions where Jonny brought invaluable insights from his perspective as an agent. We mapped it all out, but soon realized we needed more resources to bring it to life. Without the capital to make it happen, we had no choice but to shelve the idea.

Then 2020 hit. The world shut down, Jonny and I both left our firm, and we were forced to build our businesses from the ground up. Jonny grew into a top-producing real estate agent with his own team, and I went all in on becoming the go-to real estate photographer in the area.

Fast forward to March 2024 — Jonny and I were working together again when I brought up the idea. This time, everything clicked. Jonny was all in. Within months, we assembled the right team, and Realest Studio was born.

Built by photographers, for photographers, Realest Studio is the tool I wish I had when I started. We know the hustle—shooting all day, editing all night, juggling invoices, and trying to scale without burning out. That’s why we built a platform that makes life easier, faster, and more profitable for real estate photographers.