What Marmalade Families Value
I think the most defining factor in those that have commissioned Marmalade value the legacy they are building and leaving for the next generation. They look for emotion – not necessarily perfection.
They want art of their families that is somewhere between posed and reality – that quiet space in between ( call them “threshold moments”). I do plenty of photo sessions at people’s homes just capturing the everyday but time and time again the work that seems to resonate most is the in between quiet moments – I call them threshold moments. Not quite posing, nearly fully relaxed (but not in an unflattering way).
The people I work with value their family life. From me they seek work that reflects who they are…what they are building or have built, and what they want remembered. Art created with care, heart and meant to be seen.
After more than 20 years this is what I return to. Someone ready to create. Someone ready to remember.
Photography for life. Photography – FOR life.
So who exactly does Marmalade Photography serve?
Marmalade families are movers, shakers, nurturers, taste makers and families large and small – I bet you’re already one of us!
So who are some of my Marmalade families?
Over the years I’ve been asked by publications, by other photographers and even by people calling to inquire about my services who does Marmalade Photography serve? This is often something I think about – it never fails to blow me away at the variety of people I’ve been exposed to and have gotten to know through my life’s work creating heirloom quality imagery for families throughout Chicago and surrounding suburbs.
My typical client values their time and guards their families’ well-being. They don’t want to waste their time. They value art and style. They value the quality of their connections vs. quantity of their connections.
Some of my clients trust me and my willingness to be discreet, they may be protective of their families’ standing or a family members’ high profile or standing in the community or maybe they just want to lock down their families privacy. I honor these requests as they come up with an implicit understanding that I serve my clients and their needs.
Years and years ago a new client asked me to not make her family’s images public – the kids were little and she felt her family deserved the privacy – especially for her husband’s work – and I’ve honored every request for discretion over the years. Maybe this just makes sense, after all I am a former nurse familiar with privacy or maybe because I believe trust is the cornerstone of every relationship worth having. I may be onto something because we still work together creating images for her family to this very day.
Marmalade Photography creates photographic art for a variety of people:
…I’ve been commissioned to create art for curators of galleries and museums – let me tell you what a humbling experience that is
…I’ve worked with working moms that seek to capture their Little(s) in a beautiful way – maybe one of the hugest honors to create memories for the ones that love their Littles most
…I’ve been hired by heads of marketing departments for major retail outlets – this is still kind of crazy to me and truly an honor
…I’ve worked with stay at home moms who know that the days might be long but the time is going by all too fast – again, maybe one of the hugest honors to create memories for the ones that love their Littles most
…I’ve been hired by a large number of adoptive parents – for whatever reason their parenting path led them to adoption and I am the lucky photographer they’ve selected to create memories for them and for that I am thankful – this is one of my favorite kind of clients because they understand the preciousness and gift to nurture a child into adulthood
…I’ve been hired by attorneys, physicians and many many fellow nurses. For awhile I think every other client was one of these! – I feel like this deserves a note because of my former status as an ICU nurse – these are people who understand the precious nature of life
…I’ve been hired by taste makers – people in the know of the up and coming and with their finger on the pulse of what is around the bend – and I’ve been told that my photographic art and our collaboration stands the test of time
…I’ve been hired by busy moms that don’t have a for-pay-job, per se, but they have vibrant and large social lives that support the well-being of their family’s enterprise – people who value the quality of their time and of their connections deserve this category all to themselves
…I’ve been hired by professional athletes – I’ve found most in the spotlight to be amazingly down to earth!
…I’ve photographed numerous families coming to Chicago for a visit and wanting to capture some of their adventures in town – it makes for a good time to dress up and see the sights that may not be already on your list but are worth a look! – how fun to be allowed to experience the city time and time again by people visiting or returning back to the great city of Chicago
…I’ve worked with professors at large well known universities and farmers that work the land…and by everyday folks – working with a range of people has been an absolute gift of perspective and of honoring their individual contributions to society as a whole
…I’ve photographed a number of other photographers families – again – let me tell you what a humbling experience that is! An honor to create memories for memory makers.
…I’ve worked with new transplants to Chicago – a gift to be part of the fabric of their early Chicago days (and often visiting with them time and time again)
…I’ve worked with a number of Chicago families of CEO’s, CFO’s and CMO’s – people who value TIME and their OWN time
…I’ve worked with longtime Chicago area residents – people who value photography and have put a high level of importance on getting quality photography work that doesn’t waste their most precious of resources: time
Actually I think listing the job roles that clients don’t have would be far easier!
Whatever professional role or career my clients play in society – one thing is clear – these people value time. Their own and their children’s and families. They seek to honor the memory of who their family was and invest for the future. It is a gift to be able to call this my life’s calling.