Clients often ask me what I enjoy doing more, Massage Therapy or Photography. The answer? They both energize me in different ways and have more in common than you’d think. In both spaces I’m working with people and quite often, their insecurities. There’s a lot of ‘space holding’ involved. Ensuring that no matter what type of work we’re doing the person feels safe, respected and witnessed. In both professions I get to meet fun, interesting people and always have the goal of having them leave me feeling better [about them selves] then before we met.
Last week I got to do a head shot for a gentleman who is training for an Iron Man competition [wow]!
Yesterday I had just enough time between massage clients to play with some photography techniques for a photo group I recently joined. Our prompt for this week was that the image had to be “artistic and red”. I played around with studio lighting, no lighting at all, long exposure, having a fan blow on the flower petals, etc … and choose this as the image to share with the group.
Then I had a massage client who had a major shift in her body during our session. No matter what’s going on in the studio it’s always about creativity, growth and supporting people in living their best life and I’m so grateful for each connection, no matter how it’s made.
A head shot is a simple thing. A shot of you – usually from the shoulders up.
It’s a complicated thing when you understand that your face – the way you connect with the viewer – is your personal branding. It’s a terrifying thing for most people. It’s the rare experience when someone walks into my studio and says “I LOVE being the center of attention and am in my glory in front of the camera.” What usually happens is folks come in and are fairly animated during the casual chit-chat time – and then as soon as the camera comes out – deer in head lights. This is so normal. I’d do it too. In fact, maybe – as a photographer – I’d do it even more than you. I like my position behind the camera.
It is my job to help you relax so the real, beautiful, fierce you can shine through. If you’ve been thinking it’s time to re-brand your website or social media picture I can walk you through the process. It’s a privilege and honor to do what I do.
TESTIMONY FROM A PAST CLIENT:
“You can find more than one portrait photographer in the field with a good eye for light and composition, but I discovered that Tania Palermo’s gifts and talents far exceed mere technical skills. She was able to explore with me what it was I wanted the photography to accomplish, and managed to bring to light what it is that fuels my passion for what I do. She captured the essence of what I want to convey to my clients in such a way that the photographs BECAME MY BRANDING. My website grew easily and naturally from the photographs themselves. I have received incredibly positive and superlative feedback from my friends and colleagues and clients about Tania’s portraits of me. If you want to boost your productivity or just to capture in photographs the essence of who you are and what is important in your life, I highly recommend that you treat yourself to a visit to Tania’s studio!” ~Karen Chadbourne