Your Work Lives On

Intro by Skip Cohen

Taking a stroll through cyberspace I stumbled over this post from Tamara Lackey’s archives. It truly defines the power a photographer has to create impact.

For years I’ve talked about the power of imaging. In fact, my usual comment is something like this,

With the exception of modern medicine, no career field has given the world more than professional photography. Think about the world without photography and what a magazine, newspaper or the Internet would look like without photographs. A wedding album would be a collection of words and stick-figure drawings…

The note Tamara’s client sent her represents one of the highest compliments a photographer can receive. It’s also a great example of why you should never compromise on the quality of any image. Your clients trust you to capture their memories and turn them into tangible photographs they can cherish forever.

And there it is – your responsibility as an artist and storyteller. Work to build relationships with every client. Give them the time they deserve and images they can be proud of. And never say, “That’s good enough!” unless you really have done your very best.

Scott Bourne once commented in a presentation,

“Shoot as if this is the last image you’re ever going to take and the last piece of your work people will ever see!”

As Tamara’s client wrote, “Your work lives on!”

I got a note from a client, now friend, today – saying that her daughter brought in a photograph I took of her (when she was six months old) for her “Write, Show, Read” day at school. She signed the note, “Your work lives on!” Here’s their snapshot of the photo:

And, adorably, her 7-year-old’s take on the photograph, showcasing just how some things change … and some things stay the same:

I brought a picture of me. It was taken on June 2006. I was 6 months old. I can still do the pose. I have my thumb in my mouth. I had my picture taken by Tamara Lackey. I was basically bald. I don’t remember it.