We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Laura Tannenbaum a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.
Laura, so good to have you with us today. We’ve always been impressed with folks who have a very clear sense of purpose and so maybe we can jump right in and talk about how you found your purpose?
I have loved taking photos since I was in the sixth or seventh grade. I got my first film camera around that age. From then on I always had a camera (usually disposable ones) on me wherever I went. My family traveled a lot so I loved taking photos on our vacations, usually of landscapes and architecture more than of people. My photos were never artfully done or skillful. The purpose was just to document my life, my family, my friends.
It wasn’t until I got my first digital camera that I started leveling up my photography. But the focus remained on documenting my life and taking pretty photos of the places I traveled to.
In the meantime, I got my bachelor’s degree but had no idea how I was going to utilize it. Then I went on to earn my Juris Doctorate. All the while, I had my camera with me. In law school I started taking headshots of my friends for their various professional needs and even some grad portraits.
Photography as a career, however, was never something I imagined was possible for me. I didn’t even know what that would look like. My idea of a Photographer was someone with a studio, someone who photographed fashion, sports or weddings. I couldn’t afford a studio and wasn’t interested in photographing those types of things (especially when you consider the cost of equipment required). Photography remained as a hobby until I found myself in a place where I needed it as a job.
Not long into practicing law, I became depressed. I didn’t want to admit it at the time because I didn’t want to let people down – all the people who supported me throughout law school- or give up the potential salary I would be earning. But I couldn’t keep pretending I was fit for practicing law. I also started to experience anxiety for the first time. So I walked away.
Several months after that someone recommended I take photos for families for their holiday cards. Having someone recognize my abilities and encourage me to turn something I was passionate about into a job meant a lot. I would never have thought I was good enough or able to make it work if someone hadn’t told me it was possible.
As hard as this job can be at times, it’s the first time I felt like I finally know what I want to do with my life and found my purpose – taking photos for other people. I turned documenting my own life’s moments into documenting others’. Seeing the beauty in little moments that others may not be able to see themselves, creating tangible memories that people can hold onto forever, turning everyday life into something a bit magical is the most amazing privilege.
Let’s take a small detour – maybe you can share a bit about yourself before we dive back into some of the other questions we had for you?
I am a lifestyle family photographer capturing all the loving moments from when a couple is expecting their first child to celebrating their kid’s graduation. The lifestyle approach means that I focus more on the interactions between and emotions shared between a family than on creating perfectly posed photos where everyone is smiling at the camera. I encourage my clients to have fun, play, explore, get dirty if necessary in their photo sessions.
Family photos can be stressful in the weeks leading up to the session. Between scheduling, planning outfits, getting everyone in the car and ready to go there’s a lot for families to juggle. So I want the session itself to be as fun as possible. It’s a time when a family is focused solely on spending time together without any distractions. The more relaxed families can be, the more laughs and silly moments they experience, the better I can capture all those little things unique to their family. The way dad makes the kids giggle, the way mom plays with their child’s hair, or how energetic a toddler is are the moments I love to capture for families.
A family’s story can’t be told with just one photo of everyone smiling at a camera. It’s told through multiple images where you forget the camera was even there.
Some of the things I would love to photograph are of families (or couples) doing activities together. Hiking Enchanted Rock, baking cookies, playing putt putt golf, bowling, enjoying the cool water at the lake or beach are all ideas on my list of sessions I’d love to do. But I also have a list of locations I want to explore with couples and families because I think they’d be beautiful or fun. Clients who inquire and ask about these bucket list ideas can potentially get a discounted session, too.
I want to show families the endless possibilities of what Family Photos can be, beyond the pretty portrait or holiday card picture.
If you had to pick three qualities that are most important to develop, which three would you say matter most?
The biggest piece of knowledge that helped my business grow was about all the tools available to photographers to help run the backend of the client experience so that the booking process is easy and doesn’t take up too much of the photographer’s valuable time. The most difficult part was acting on the knowledge because it meant paying money I didn’t necessarily have yet. If I had implemented using CRMs, Gallery sharing platforms, and other similar tools earlier on in my business, I think I would have grown a lot faster. My advice is to invest early in your business (and in yourself).
When I started photographing families I was naturally implementing a lifestyle approach in my sessions, but I had no idea that term existed or that it was a style of photography until I started taking online photography courses by Elena S. Blair, a photographer located in Washington. I learned a lot about how to prompt families to get the emotions I wanted to convey in a way that was natural to them, how to pose families in different flattering ways, and how to communicate this style of photography to clients. Learning about the type of photos you want to take and how to create those images is an ongoing process but it’s an important part of one’s journey.
A skill that every photographer needs to learn is how to edit photos. Whether it’s in Lightroom or Photoshop, editing is a huge part of photography. Your editing style helps you stand out from other photographers. It can take a nice photo to an amazing photo. Applying a preset (a base of edits that can be applied with one click) is not enough. It’s a starting point. All photographers use a preset (either purchased or created by themselves) because it helps keep your editing consistent from one photo to the next, from one gallery to the next. But knowing how to tweak a preset to get the look you want is something you have to learn. As you grow as a photographer, your editing style will likely grow, too.
Tell us what your ideal client would be like?
My favorite sessions, whether it be maternity, newborn, or family, are with clients who go with the flow and let loose a little. When I don’t have to direct parents to play with their toddler because they are already snuggling, kissing, lifting them up into the air before I can even open my mouth, I know that it’s going to be a great session.
I, of course, am fully prepared and love directing my clients on what to do in their session. I have tons of ideas for poses, interactions, and what to do with their hands. But I cannot force someone to have a good time or smile. In fact, I prefer not to force anyone to smile, because it’s not genuine. I’d rather let a kid sit quietly looking peaceful than to force them to fake a smile for me. Because when I let a kid feel how they want to feel, do what they want to in a moment, they are far more likely to trust me and have a good time. The smiles will come naturally. And it’s the natural smiles Moms and Dads see all the time at home. Those are the smiles you want to remember when they are grown.
Over the years I’ve noticed that the clients who come back to me year after year value quality time with their loved ones, being in nature, love animals, are kind hearted, and are up for anything. They’ll take their shoes off to feel the grass between their toes or will get into a river and splash around with their kids. And they’ll not just be okay with my photographing the not-so-perfect moments but encourage it. Because, life isn’t made up of perfect moments. Life is messy. Kids get messy. They laugh, they cry, they throw tantrums, are shy, are wild, are loving and are not-so loving. And they can be all those things within one hour with me. So I love when my clients are along for that ride with their kids.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.ohtannenbaumphotos.com
- Instagram: @ohtannenbaumphotos
- Facebook: www.facebook.com/ohtannenbaumphotography
Image Credits
Photographer’s portrait – By Sarah E Cooper Photography, edited by me All other photos were taken by Oh, Tannenbaum Photography
