05/23/2025
Letter from the Editor — Twisted Squid Magazine
I’m Taylor Todd, Owner and Lead Photographer at Twisted Squid Studio. A year ago, I was searching for a way to showcase my portfolio to clients in a tangible, yet more creative format. I didn’t want to carry around a stack of traditional photo albums for each type of project—wedding albums, live music shoots, portrait sessions, commercial work. It just didn’t feel efficient or exciting.
Any successful photographer will tell you to specialize—pick one category like weddings or family portraits, and stick with it. But that’s never been me. I’ve never wanted to be confined to one box of creativity. I want to capture real moments and tell real stories—whatever form they take.
So, I decided to create a kind of mock magazine layout, combining photo albums with storytelling. Around the same time, my dear friend Andy Crittenden was looking to expand his writing portfolio. That’s when the lightbulb went off: why not collaborate and see where a full-fledged magazine could take us?
We threw together a few issues, slapped on a name—Tales & Tentacles—and made a loose calendar. At first, we didn’t think it would really go anywhere, so we didn’t overthink the branding. But to our surprise, we accidentally ended up putting together seven different issues in seven months, and the response was incredible.
The only problem? The name required too much explanation. And if there’s one rule in business, it’s KISS: Keep It Simple, Stupid. So over the winter, Andy, India, and I went back to the drawing board. We explored every angle—storytelling themes, photography puns, you name it. But every name we loved was already taken.
So here we are: Twisted Squid Magazine. We’ve rebranded a bit, but we’re still keeping our crazy little kraken (artist credit: India Malherbe). Most importantly, our mission remains the same—to tell real stories from real people. Stories that matter. Stories that need to be told.
We’re reissuing every past issue under the new brand. So if your story was previously featured, don’t worry—we’re still sharing it. And if you’re new to what we do, here’s the least you can expect in every issue of Twisted Squid Magazine:
Small Business or Community Member Spotlight, sitting down with some of our communities most amazing people
Live Music Feature, whether it’s a single artist or a five-day music festival
Travel Piece, highlighting incredible destinations and the coziest stays
Lifestyle & Culture Article, from drag shows to rodeos
Our regular "5 Photography Tips" segment
Andy’s ongoing column, “Stranger at the Bar”, where he shares the most interesting people he meets on the road
And my personal favorite: the Photographer Spotlight
In every issue, we sit down with the most talented photographers we can find. They share their stories and their top 10(ish) favorite photos of all time. I’ve been honored to feature incredible artists like Robert & Cheryl Crook, Daniel & Rebecca Scheil, Christine McDaniel, James Wright, and many more to come.
Creating seven completely unique issues in seven months was an insane—but rewarding—challenge. While we met our goal of publishing monthly, we realized we could serve these stories better by slowing down. Moving forward, Twisted Squid Magazine will release four issues a year. This gives us more time to do these stories justice—and to honor the people who share them with us.
We’re so excited about the road ahead. Follow us on Facebook and Instagram , or visit www.twistedsquidstudio.com to stay in the loop.
– Taylor Todd
