Tamara Lackey

“…just as dramatic, just as important…”

A s a photographer who shoots both weddings and portraits, I have formed a new appreciation for the shared significance of both photographic events.

When photographing a wedding, I have felt a pressure to make sure I get pretty much everything – at the very least, of course, the major highlights of the day, although the 'major highlights' can be defined differently by each photographer.

Some photographers many follow a shot list, one they have either created or adapted their style to, or one that may have been handed to them by their clients. And some people just seem to know what to hone in on, following their instincts when discovering the key moments…and still others find that they will just respond to the unfolding of that day as naturally as they possibly can and will succeed best with that approach.

But sometimes the very same photographer, who will take great care to recognise the great significance of a wedding, might then go on to treat a portrait session very differently, sometimes relegating it to just another standard shooting experience.

If you look at what exactly is involved in photographing children and families, there is so very much there that is equally significant, just as dramatic, just as important not to miss.

One of the great joys of photographing children is in acknowledging that each child is unique. So, to truly capture them in a very honest way, it stands to reason that you need to know who you are photographing, what they respond to, what opens them up and – especially important – what can shut them down.

How this relates to shooting weddings is that most people will acknowledge that the wedding day can be quite an exciting affair. There are all kinds of emotions running high, so much to focus on – how this day is 'it', how things will either go right or they will go wrong – and throughout all that extreme attention, the entire event can be quite wrought with feeling. Good feelings, bad feelings, nervous feelings, but oh my goodness, so much feeling.

And it’s a very similar thing when you look at what is, and what could be, involved in a portrait session – oh my goodness, so much feeling.

The vast majority of your clients will say that the act of bringing a child into their lives has changed them more than nearly any other experience to date. Whether it is the overall story behind how their pregnancy progressed or the significance of their specific birth story, or how they found their way to adoption…and the actual moment they first saw their child is an incredibly significant experience.

Simply put, the accomplishment of bringing a child into your world is nearly as high drama as it gets.

So if you’re photographing weddings and portraits, it is important to recognise that, in both situations, you’re responsible for capturing this great drama.

At a wedding, it’s just one day, but it’s still all about relationships – about capturing the dynamics between people, the interactions and expressions, and the truly sincere emotion.

At a portrait session, we are also responsible for capturing this irreplaceable little spirit. And, of course, while photographing them, we are still expected to showcase the family in a way that is revealing, and different, and inspiring, and artful, and interesting. We are still responsebility for tapping into who our subjects are and capturing those same complex dynamics between the family that surrounds them.

And it’s a responsibility that, especially when taken to heart, can really propel you to give your very best at every portrait session you shoot.

Tamara is an award-winning photographer whose images have been described as expressive, authentic and moving. She has received national recognition in her industry, appearing repeatedly in Rangefinder Magazine and Professional Photographer Magazine and speaking regularly at seminars and conventions in the US and abroad. Tamara's work has appeared in a variety of publications, including Vogue, O Magazine, Town & Country, Martha Stewart Living, Elle, and Parenting Magazine. Her photography has also been showcased on The Martha Stewart Show and her book, The Art of Children's Portrait Photography, is one of the top-selling books in the field.

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