Tasneem was born in Tucson, Arizona, but completed the majority of early schooling in the U.K. She then returned to Saudi Arabia at the age of 16, earning her undergraduate degree at King Abdul Aziz University in Jeddah. She also holds a master's degree in social linguistics and anthropology from Portland State University.[3] After graduating, she taught English courses at colleges in both the U.S. and Saudi Arabia until taking up documentary photography full-time.