Photographic Memories

HP Photo Books are perfect for sharing memories. In these interviews, mom bloggers share their thoughts on photography and the photos that captured the special moments of their lives.

To read an interview, select the woman's blog:

Tracey Clark, Picture This

Professional photographer Tracey Clark shares her knowledge and photos every day with the readers of Picture This. She also "mommyblogs" at Mother May I and is the author of two motherhood memory books. She lives in Southern California with her husband and two daughters.

Tracey was an art major in college but had no idea what creative direction she would follow until she took Photo 101. She recalls that her step-dad gave her his old manual SLR to use for the class and "That was all it took! I had found the creative medium I was looking for. I began shooting anything and everything for class and for fun and was having a blast."

Her family had a 110 camera when she was little, and in high school she had a "disk" cameras. But her true love was that first SLR for photo class. Now she uses a high-end digital SLR and an HP Photosmart R937 point and shoot. She says:
"when it comes to shooting with an SLR, the key for me is the right lens. My favorite lens to shoot with right now is a 50mm compact macro. It rarely comes off my camera."

Tracey's favorite moments on "film" are not a moment as much as they are a record of her life. She has a collection of photo booth strips, started by her parents when she was a baby and continued by Tracey and her husband. "There's something about photo booth pictures that captures something fun and spontaneous in such an endearingly nostalgic kind of way. And in my case, the set as a whole is really special because, although it has some missing years, it is a true documentation of my life."

Tracey told me that choosing a single photo as a favorite was impossible, but confessed "Oddly enough, I like self-portraits. I have taken self-portraits in one form or another since that first photo class and they really stand out to me as defining moments in my life. Some of them have included my husband or other family members but since I've had my children they tend to dominate them! I know they are called SELF portraits but so much of myself is about being a mother that it just seems to make sense to have them in my portraits."

Tracey says that what makes these photos special is that they will be memories that her girls will always have of her, and of all of them together. "Often moms won't put themselves in photos because they are the ones shooting the photos or they are waiting to drop that baby weight or some other excuse. Knowing that trap, I have made an effort to include myself, no matter how I look or what I'm wearing. And since I love taking the photos, why not shoot and be in them at the same time?"

Her favorite photos of her daughters are ones that feel natural, whether they are posed or unposed. Typically pictures of them in the middle of their everyday lives:
"I love shooting morning photos of them in their jammies. I'm a sucker for bed-head and bare feet."

She always shoots a larger series to get lots of variety; candids, laughing, playing, reading, eating, smiling, frowning, looking in the camera, looking away, etc.. "I love them all. I like that they are real moments. The days go too fast and our memories fade too quickly. You'll never regret having too many photos of your kids so shoot like mad."

Not surprisingly, Tracey's daughters love taking pictures, and have experimented with her equipment since they could first hold a camera. Now, it's as commonplace as painting or playdoh. "It's interesting to get an insight into how they view the world and it's really inspiring to me to see their images. I think children in general have a natural knack for capturing things in a unique way. They don't over think. They just feel it and shoot. They can teach us a lot that way."

Tracey has more energy than just about anyone I've ever met. She's always working on something. Right now, the project is Shutter Sisters, a visual blog that celebrates women photographers, no matter their level of skill:
"I want it to be, above all else, a celebration of creativity, of passion and expression. Photography is a part of almost everyone's life now, with the digital age, and I'd like to embrace that at Shutter Sisters."

While you are waiting for Shutter Sisters to launch, if you are interested in honing your own photography skills, I urge you to check out Picture This. Tracey's community there shares pictures and comments with each other, and a little feedback makes it all that much more fun.

Tracey has used one of her HP Photo Books to make an album of photos from a Mother's Day picnic at which she and her mother-in-law were the mothers of honor. She says she will use the other one for a memory book for her grandmother. "We just celebrated her 80th birthday and got a lot of family photos. My sister recently had a new baby so it makes it even sweeter. The photos of my Grandma and her new great-granddaughter are true treasures. I know a book of the celebrations is something she will look at and enjoy every day."

Tracey told me that she was particularly impressed by how easy the Photo Books are to use and plans to keep some on hand for last minute gifts:
"The fact that you can design them on your computer in minutes and then print and bind them at home is such a convenient feature. Giving books of photos is the best gift you can give. Everyone loves them!"

Do you print your photos on a regular basis or just share them digitally?
"I try to make an effort to print my favorites out when I can just so I can put them in an album. I do share a lot on line too but I still love having prints in my hand. I think by only having them on your computer, you're missing part of the experience somehow. For me, nothing beats a tangible photo."

Photos by Tracey Clark
Interview by Susan Getgood