Today we’d like to introduce you to Pamela Tuckey.
Pamela, can you briefly walk us through your story – how you started and how you got to where you are today.
I have always had an interest in photography as far as I can remember, but got my very first camera as a teenager. I think it was a Kodak 110 with the square flashbulb on top. I was generally taking photos of my daily life, candid images, and family and friends, then sending them off to a lab to be developed and get back a week later. Times have certainly changed!
When I became a mother, I bought a 35mm SLR to be able to document my children’s lives. I took a class to learn how to use my camera and then took another class. It ignited a creative fire in me that has always stayed lit. I am still taking classes to this day and continuing to learn new skills. My interest and passion for photography have never ceased.
Several years ago, I began a path that was a more focused and very serious interest in photography. I took night classes at UNT and online classes as well, and I realized just how passionate I was about creating with my vision to capture an image and the images that resulted from that. I loved it and the entire process, from planning the session to working with clients, shooting, and the creativity of editing. My children are now grown, and 35 and 39. Now there is a new generation to photograph – my grandchildren.
We’re always bombarded by how great it is to pursue your passion, etc – but we’ve spoken with enough people to know that it’s not always easy. Overall, would you say things have been easy for you?
The knowledge that it takes to really know your camera and how to use the settings and functions can be overwhelming at first as a beginner. From F-stops, aperture, exposure, and shutter speeds and how to best utilize them for each session and lighting situation you’re faced with. Shooting in manual mode and choosing all of those variables myself was certainly a learning curve, but I mastered it after much practice and determination.
Posing people, right down to directing facial expressions, and choosing sets, wardrobes, and locations all factor into creating a beautiful image. People carry a lot of tension in their faces and it’s challenging to get them to relax at times. Lighting is everything. The word “photography” literally means “drawing with light”. The Greek words photos, (genitive: phōtós) meaning “light”, and graphê meaning “drawing or writing”.
Photoshop is a powerful and essential tool but was another major learning curve. I love it and use it on every image along with several other editing programs, filters, and actions I’ve acquired over the years to enhance an image. Business, marketing, and SEO have probably been my biggest hurdles thus far, but I’m working towards improving that with online classes.
We’d love to hear more about your work.
My specialty is photographing women of all ages, all ethnicities, and all sizes. I love bringing out the beauty in all of my clients, sometimes showing themselves a side of them they never imaged before and having it in stunning prints. With my prior professionally licensed hair and makeup experience, I know the power of a transformation and I have examples of it on my website on my same day transformations page. Each client gets product recommendations to use at home and mini-lessons on how to use them.
What sets me apart from others that is I feel is an attribute is my 38 years of experience as a licensed hair and makeup artist, knowing how empowering a transformation can be and to be able to have the skills to share that knowledge with my clients to carry forward in their daily lives. Working with people in close contact all those years behind the chair gave me an insight into how women feel about themselves, what they wish to improve upon or change, and how to enhance their natural beauty, how they want to see themselves captured forever in a portrait.
My contemporary glamour and boudoir sessions are so much fun, like a girl’s day out with makeup and hair professionally done, a customized playlist, snacks, beverages, or champagne. Getting pampered, wearing gorgeous gowns, lingerie – or nothing, etc., all day, then going out on the town all dolled-up with their friends or partner after their session for a fun night out. It is empowering to see yourself in a whole new light and have that exist in photos.
Portraits long outlive us and are a record of a moment in time in our lives. We are younger than we will be tomorrow and older than we were yesterday. You can freeze time with a beautiful portrait, and I am honored to be able to capture that as a part of your legacy. In life, as in art, the beautiful moves in curves. – Edward G. Bulwer-Lytton
So, what’s next? Any big plans?
Right now I am focusing on more headshots and personal branding for men and women, as well as a boudoir experience for men. Many of my male clients want to celebrate their fitness goal achievements with a photo session or gift images of themselves to their significant others.
Food and drink photography is another genre I would like to explore more and work with local restaurants and bars to help them market their businesses. Teaching what I have learned over the years is another avenue I would like to utilize in the future to help my fellow photographers reach their goals.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.pamelatuckey.com
- Phone: 214-868-5682
- Email: pamela@pamelatuckey.com
- Instagram: www.instagram.com/pamelatuckey
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pamelatuckeyphotography
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