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(on) the other side of the lens

One of the major advantages of being at an international convention, surrounded by a multitude of talented photographers from all over the world, is that you have this terrific opportunity to line up a shoot, update the headshots, and get some real experience on the other side of the lens. Which, as any good shooter knows, goes a long way towards bettering you as an overall photographer.

I had a terrific opportunity to do just that when I met up with Sue Bryce, an Australian-based shooter (originally from New Zealand) who I’d met socially. I saw some of her work and loved the way she worked with light. She has a strong eye for shooting and a strong eye for editing – it means something when a subject has been touched up but you can still see pores, scars, laugh lines – well, you know, the real person. I got to see a few of her images out of camera while we were shooting, and I have to say that I’m a big fan of doing such fantastic things with hair, makeup, lighting & style of shooting that editing is a lovely, soft enhancement.

She works efficiently, too – I think we did all prep and shooting in under 45 minutes. Sue tells me that she has to work her clients to their car – they just keep wanting to stay there with her and feel beautiful. Yeah, I can understand.

I promised I’d show the rest of the shoot when I posted my new avatar on facebook and twitter, and several (quite) determined friends have followed up accordingly to ask where the heck the photos were already šŸ˜‰

The truth is that I was a shy to show a couple of these, not because I don’t think they are seriously quality photography (I know they’re seriously quality photography) but mostly because I’m used to seeing myself racing after children and couples most of the time – and when I’m coaxing women to show more facets of their personality, I’m safely behind the lens: the easy part.

In the end, though, I realized that I couldn’t quite ask my clients to open up and show me more side of themselves if I’m too chicken to do so.
Plus, now I have a great response when I show women lovely photographs of themselves, and they say … I don’t know, I love it, but … would you want a photograph of just you?

Thanks, Sue, for making the shoot so easy for me, at least, and so much fun.

I’m excited to take back some of what I learned from you to my own clients – and I’m already getting prepared for our next shoot when I get back to Australia in early 2011!

87 responses to “(on) the other side of the lens”

  1. Anonymous says:

    Those are great images (beautifully done, Sue!) and brave of you, Tamara – very fun to see!

  2. Anonymous says:

    Those are great images (beautifully done, Sue!) and brave of you, Tamara – very fun to see!

  3. Sue Bryce says:

    WOW what an honour to meet you and photograph you. You are so right we forget as ‘Photographers’ how hard it is to be in FRONT of the camera and to see yourself.
    Your talk BLEW me away and has literally changed my course.

  4. Sue Bryce says:

    WOW what an honour to meet you and photograph you. You are so right we forget as ‘Photographers’ how hard it is to be in FRONT of the camera and to see yourself.
    Your talk BLEW me away and has literally changed my course.

  5. melissa says:

    my friend, reading your post and seeing these images brought tears to my eyes. Thank you for being brave and beautiful, inside and out.

  6. melissa says:

    my friend, reading your post and seeing these images brought tears to my eyes. Thank you for being brave and beautiful, inside and out.

  7. hidavis says:

    WOW! Stunning pictures! Exactly what I would imagine you could capture of yourself if you were capable of taking your own photograph! šŸ™‚ So glad you posted these!!

  8. hidavis says:

    WOW! Stunning pictures! Exactly what I would imagine you could capture of yourself if you were capable of taking your own photograph! šŸ™‚ So glad you posted these!!

  9. Sara Wise says:

    The images are wonderful; everything about them. The light, the hair and make-up, the subject.

    Thank you for being brave and sharing!! I attended your session at WPPI – you were hands-down my favorite speaker!

  10. Sara Wise says:

    The images are wonderful; everything about them. The light, the hair and make-up, the subject.

    Thank you for being brave and sharing!! I attended your session at WPPI – you were hands-down my favorite speaker!

  11. Tina R. says:

    These portraits are beautiful. They are simple yet stunning.

  12. Tina R. says:

    These portraits are beautiful. They are simple yet stunning.

  13. Tamara you are stunning. The lighting is beautiful. I love, love, love these!

  14. Tamara you are stunning. The lighting is beautiful. I love, love, love these!

  15. You’re insanely beautiful, Tamera! Sue- those shots are to die for!

  16. You’re insanely beautiful, Tamera! Sue- those shots are to die for!

  17. Tamara says:

    thank you, seriously kind friends. no mystery why we all love photography šŸ™‚

  18. Tamara says:

    thank you, seriously kind friends. no mystery why we all love photography šŸ™‚

  19. Janet McK says:

    you’re GORGEOUS!! Thanks for sharing!

  20. Janet McK says:

    you’re GORGEOUS!! Thanks for sharing!

  21. elaine gates says:

    wow, you are seriously beautiful!

  22. elaine gates says:

    wow, you are seriously beautiful!

  23. liz says:

    ow ow! beautiful… it’s amazing how being in front of the camera and being led through the process can transform our own ability to draw our subjects out. glad you had this experience!

  24. liz says:

    ow ow! beautiful… it’s amazing how being in front of the camera and being led through the process can transform our own ability to draw our subjects out. glad you had this experience!

  25. The 2nd to last one is absolutely STUNNING although they’re all gorgeous! Fun to see another ‘tog on the "wrong" side of the lens, lol!

  26. The 2nd to last one is absolutely STUNNING although they’re all gorgeous! Fun to see another ‘tog on the "wrong" side of the lens, lol!

  27. Alex says:

    Absolutely amazing photos. I’m going to go look up Sue… like right now. =0)

  28. Alex says:

    Absolutely amazing photos. I’m going to go look up Sue… like right now. =0)

  29. Lisa Thomas says:

    Love these, Tamara! Especially the B&Ws! You so hawt, lady! šŸ˜‰

  30. Lisa Thomas says:

    Love these, Tamara! Especially the B&Ws! You so hawt, lady! šŸ˜‰

  31. Melody Steigerwald says:

    I love these images of you Tamara, such depth, amazing, your simply beautiful!

  32. Melody Steigerwald says:

    I love these images of you Tamara, such depth, amazing, your simply beautiful!

  33. Jen MacNiven says:

    LOVELY! I love the soft colors and you look stunning…as always. I got to meet Sue as she was about to run and board her plane to LA…such a sweet person. Glad I got to be introduced and it’s an honor to see her amazing work!
    Great to see you too my dear! Keep up the awesome work you’re doing! And yeah for pretty profile pics! šŸ˜‰

  34. Jen MacNiven says:

    LOVELY! I love the soft colors and you look stunning…as always. I got to meet Sue as she was about to run and board her plane to LA…such a sweet person. Glad I got to be introduced and it’s an honor to see her amazing work!
    Great to see you too my dear! Keep up the awesome work you’re doing! And yeah for pretty profile pics! šŸ˜‰

  35. i love these tamara! you look great!

  36. i love these tamara! you look great!

  37. carrie says:

    you look like a super model!!!! STUNNING!

  38. carrie says:

    you look like a super model!!!! STUNNING!

  39. Kelli Taylor says:

    You are one hot mama! šŸ™‚

  40. Kelli Taylor says:

    You are one hot mama! šŸ™‚

  41. ColorMeJill says:

    Lovely! Thanks for sharing. A fellow photog I met at your workshop (Ashley) and I are going to swap headshot sessions soon – this will be my inspiration to relax and go for it!

  42. ColorMeJill says:

    Lovely! Thanks for sharing. A fellow photog I met at your workshop (Ashley) and I are going to swap headshot sessions soon – this will be my inspiration to relax and go for it!

  43. Sophia says:

    I love the sass in a few of these. Gorgeous, darling. Gorgeous.

  44. Sophia says:

    I love the sass in a few of these. Gorgeous, darling. Gorgeous.

  45. Wiff says:

    Woohooo! Hey hot mama, looking good!

  46. Wiff says:

    Woohooo! Hey hot mama, looking good!

  47. You are a beautiful woman, stay gorgeous and keep the heart alive with love, passion, tenderness, and kindness towards every person you have an opportunity to embrace. Its in the embracement of our connections that life is made beautiful

  48. You are a beautiful woman, stay gorgeous and keep the heart alive with love, passion, tenderness, and kindness towards every person you have an opportunity to embrace. Its in the embracement of our connections that life is made beautiful

  49. Bridie says:

    Looking good…and so relaxed!

  50. Bridie says:

    Looking good…and so relaxed!

  51. Meredith Daniels says:

    Watch out America’s Next Top Model….here comes Tamara!

  52. Meredith Daniels says:

    Watch out America’s Next Top Model….here comes Tamara!

  53. Jenny Solar says:

    Beautiful images, I hope they make you feel beautiful!

  54. Jenny Solar says:

    Beautiful images, I hope they make you feel beautiful!

  55. Tamara says:

    well, goodness, you people are lovely šŸ™‚ šŸ™‚ šŸ™‚

  56. Tamara says:

    well, goodness, you people are lovely šŸ™‚ šŸ™‚ šŸ™‚

  57. Trish Goodall says:

    I am loving these. You are AWESOME on the other side of the lens!!!!!

  58. Trish Goodall says:

    I am loving these. You are AWESOME on the other side of the lens!!!!!

  59. Nicole Paulk says:

    Stunning images of a stunning lady – beautiful inside & out! Loving the light in these and the b&w’s are just ridiculous!!

  60. Nicole Paulk says:

    Stunning images of a stunning lady – beautiful inside & out! Loving the light in these and the b&w’s are just ridiculous!!

  61. Kim Shaw says:

    Vogue called. They want their covermodel back…Vavavavoom! Lookin’ fabulous, Tamara!

  62. Kim Shaw says:

    Vogue called. They want their covermodel back…Vavavavoom! Lookin’ fabulous, Tamara!

  63. Shuva Rahim says:

    Thanks for sharing and the inspiration! I’m getting my own photos from a fellow photographer, in a couple weeks, here and I’m eager to see the results.

  64. Shuva Rahim says:

    Thanks for sharing and the inspiration! I’m getting my own photos from a fellow photographer, in a couple weeks, here and I’m eager to see the results.

  65. Lisa says:

    FABULOUS photos!!!

  66. Lisa says:

    FABULOUS photos!!!

  67. oksana j says:

    Beautiful work! And you are gorgeous Tamara!

  68. oksana j says:

    Beautiful work! And you are gorgeous Tamara!

  69. Emily Ceravolo says:

    Wow, Tamara. These are breathtaking!!

  70. Emily Ceravolo says:

    Wow, Tamara. These are breathtaking!!

  71. Look at YOU! Miss Model!

  72. Look at YOU! Miss Model!

  73. Kate Smethurst says:

    Hi Tamara and crew! Just checking in from Australia, hope all is well! I am at school full time now for photography and looked up Sue’s work (amazing stuff Sue) when I saw she was based in Australia. Tamara, will you be stopping in Melbourne when you visit next year? If so it would be great to catch up!

  74. Kate Smethurst says:

    Hi Tamara and crew! Just checking in from Australia, hope all is well! I am at school full time now for photography and looked up Sue’s work (amazing stuff Sue) when I saw she was based in Australia. Tamara, will you be stopping in Melbourne when you visit next year? If so it would be great to catch up!

  75. amy free says:

    GORGEOUS! In every sense of the word!!!!!!

  76. amy free says:

    GORGEOUS! In every sense of the word!!!!!!

  77. Absolutely beautiful Tamara! And Sue beautiful shots!! So much life and personality in them!

    Simply Stunning Ladies!

  78. Absolutely beautiful Tamara! And Sue beautiful shots!! So much life and personality in them!

    Simply Stunning Ladies!

  79. Well, you are a beautiful person so I am sure it is super easy to photograph you. Sue did a wonderful job!

  80. Well, you are a beautiful person so I am sure it is super easy to photograph you. Sue did a wonderful job!

  81. [ b ] says:

    i want to shoot you some time!

  82. [ b ] says:

    i want to shoot you some time!

  83. tamara says:

    sounds fun, becker šŸ™‚ !

  84. tamara says:

    sounds fun, becker šŸ™‚ !

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