Some people are just happy. Tamara Lohan is one of those people.
My brief from Proximity London for Lloyds Bank was to create "business portraits" of the Mr and Mrs Smith founder in her work environment - I assumed that this meant thoughtful and calm images, you know, the classic shots of those serious people who are in charge. So after scouting their offices and moving a substantial amount of furniture around I sat down with Tamara for the first of our three sessions. Chatting away she was beaming and positive. So I calmly asked her not to smile. She did, but looked rather awkward at the idea. A few seconds later she cracked a joke and was back laughing again. We chatted, and again I politely asked her not to smile. After doing this a couple of times I knew my approach had to change. It just didn’t seem right, this lady just can’t help but be happy, positive and outgoing.
I soon realised that looking serious and being business-like are not one and the same. I should not follow my assumptions, I should photograph the reality in front of me. Tarama has been given an MBE for her services to the travel industry and runs one of the most renowned travel companies in the UK. She is obviously rather good at what she does and has succeeded greatly in a highly competitive market. What makes her particularly special is that she does what she does in such a positive and fun way. So I embraced it.
I went full steam ahead capturing shots of Tamara being herself: laughing, smiling, sharing her travel tips with those around her. She can’t help but entice you to want to visit places. And the images we made show exactly that, a fantastic lady full of passion and drive.
I left the photoshoot feeling great, full of wanderlust and a passion for travel. After arriving home I found myself surfing around the Mr and Mrs Smith website looking at exciting hotels and stunning destinations. I realised what makes Tamara a great business leader. Positivity is a powerful force and should be embraced.
Find out more about Tamara on the Lloyds mini-site: http://wealth.lloydsbank.com/focus/
Labels: advertising, lloyds, london, mr and mrs smith, portrait, proximity, tamara lohan
