Photography Unfiltered with Catherine Hall

This was shot at F/4.5 @ 1/125 sec. using Canon 5D @ 47mm.

Every once in a while you come across a book that changes the way you think, shoot, and experience life through your lens.  I was recently planning for a family session and needed some inspiration – I picked up Tamara Lackey’s book “Envisioning Family“ and got so much more.  I will be sharing some tips inspired through her over the next few months starting with today.

GET PAST THE SMALL TALK:  Let’s face it, avoiding awkward small talk can be a daunting task for many photographers. There can often be a sense of unease with the subject you’re photographing simply because they are not used to being the center of attention of your camera. However, there are many ways to get past the small talk and capture genuine and authentic photographs. As Tamara states:

“I would suggest that meaningfully interacting with others – whether you photographing them or not!- often comes down to simply getting past the superficial bubble we all place around ourselves and finding a meeting place where you can connect  in an honest and engaging manner” pg 104.

One way that I practice this is simply playing with my subjects and having fun! I strive to engage with them in a comfortable way that allows me to interact with them while capturing an authentic and telling image. Another suggestion via Tamara Lackey: One shortcut? Discover something in each other that moves each of you past what you can do for each other and mercifully transports you to a place where you can simply accept and appreciate each other.

For more tips on capturing meaningful family portraits check out Tamara Lackey’s book, “Envisioning Family”.