Envisioning Family: A photographer's guide to making meaningful portraits of the modern family (Voices That Matter)

A top portrait photographer and sought-after speaker, Tamara Lackey reveals her techniques for getting each member of the family to feel at home in front of the camera whether they're in the studio, at home, or on destination. FAMILY – A small word with powerful meaning. Most of us trace the roots of our own personal identity back to our experience of being part of a family. The definition of what a family is can vary widely, but most family photography is anything but varied. We are used to the basic posing of a group, assembled and smiling like they never do in real life. This doesn't offer much visual or emotional impact. Create an image that captures the spirit of a family – as well as the individualism of the members – and you start at a magical place. That family now feels something when they view the photograph. In Tamara Lackey's Envisioning Family: A photographer's guide to making meaningful portraits of the modern family, Lackey reinvents the family photo for photographers. A top portrait photographer and sought-after speaker, Lackey reveals her techniques for getting each member of the family to feel at home in front of the camera – whether they're in her studio, at home, or on location. With this book you'll learn how to use backgrounds that complement your subjects, set up and shoot in-studio, light your images anywhere with straightforward lighting setups and diagrams, pose your subjects in a beautiful but natural way, nail your exposure, and create meaningful family portraits that leave everyone feeling and looking their honest best. For professional portrait photographers looking to inject some new vitality into their work or aspiring family photographers who would like to take more authentic images, this guide will help capture the modern family. Contents Introduction SECTION I: The Meaning of Family...Photography 1 Exploring Family The Intriguing History of Family How Family Shapes You Breaking from the Mold What Makes a Family Today? 2 Waiting on a Family The Baby Room Adopting in Ecuador To Have and To Have Lost SECTION II: Gearing Up 3 The Overall Kit: What’s in the Bag Preparing for the Shoot What’s in My (Camera) Bag and Why 4 Setting Up a Working Studio Shooting Spaces Lighting Kits Backdrops and Options The Look and Feel Additional Considerations The Bottom Line 5 Technically Speaking Know Your Camera Settings and Features Setting Aperture, Shutter Speed, ISO, and White Balance Mastering the Technical to Achieve Your Vision SECTION III: It’s All About Connection 6 Interacting with Your Subjects Going into Battle Interacting with Individual Family Members Focusing on the “One” 7 A Session in the Family’s Home Know Before You Go Arriving at the Home The Actual Shoot 8 A Session in the Studio Studio Portraits Backgrounds and Settings Ambience What Happens While the Shoot Happens? The Studio Shoot Wrap-Up 9 A Session on the Move The Urban Shoot Ignore the Location Outdoors and Au Natural The Beach Destination What Matters SECTION IV: The Aesthetics 10 Designing the Frame: Posing and Composition Posing a Family Composition 11 Lighting the Frame Lighting 101 What Is Good Lighting? Lighting in the Studio Lighting in a Client’s Home Lighting on Location Seeing the Light Conclusion Index A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W Z Family. A small word with powerful meaning. Most of us trace the roots of our own personal identity back, in large part, to our experience as part of a family. The actual definition of what a family is can vary widely. Yet, interestingly, most family photography is anything but varied. We are used to the basic posing of a group brought together and smiling like they never do in real life. We all know that staid family image. It doesn't offer much impact, and most professional photographers aren't terribly interested in shooting it.

Create an image that captures the spirit of a family–as well as the individualism of the members who make it one–and you start at a magical place: your clients now feel something when they view that photograph. In Tamara Lackey's Envisioning Family: A photographer's guide to making meaningful portraits of the modern family, Lackey reinvents the family photo for photographers. A top portrait photographer and sought-after speaker, Lackey reveals her techniques for getting each member of the family to feel at home in front of the camera whether they're in the studio, at home, or on destination.

With this book, you'll also learn to light your images well, use fill light in a more effortless fashion, pose your subjects in a beautiful but natural way, nail your exposure, and create family photos that leave every member of the family feeling and looking their honest best. "Tamara Lackey reinvents the family portrait with new, fresh ideas on how to take successful family portraits in and out of the studio. Tamara Lackey is a popular portrait photographer who speaks at professional photo conferences around the world."--Publisher description