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From Start To Finish: The Portrait Shoot Playbook

Love portrait photography, but don’t know where to start when it comes to shooting a portrait session? 

Or have you already been shooting photography sessions but feel like you could use some clear guidelines to follow, so you don’t miss a thing?

Want to improve your exposure, focus, lighting, posing, interaction style and the authenticity of expression in your portraits – while also spending less time editing, so you can spend more time shooting? 

If so, this fully downloadable book is your comprehensive Start To Finish guide!

Buy your copy now!
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By purchasing the book you will receive gifts!

= money in your pocket! (Amount varies based on your Westcott order total but with a $300 order you’d get $76 back, with a $1000 order, $146 back, etc.)

In addition, Triple Scoop Music is holding a monthly drawing between now and March for a total of four $600 music licensing packages!

Tamara steps you through every aspect of a portrait photography session in this 250+ page book, packed with information, examples and illustrative photography! Topics include:

  • An overview on gear and accessory choices
  • What to do to prepare for the shoot
  • Exposure
  • Focusing & Metering
  • Lighting & Lighting Tools
  • Expression & Interaction
  • Detailed walkthrough of a photography shoot
  • Posing groups & individuals
  • Composition & Details
  • Art & Activism
  • Digital Workflow
  • Post-Processing & Retouching
  • Consultative Sales
  • Best practices for delivering your final shoot to your client
Get your copy
"This new book is a welcome resource that offers a clear signal in a noisy marketplace. I wholly recommend it for all portrait photographers!"
"Every single person who enjoys photography should read this book. I LOVE IT!"
"I could have used this book about 5 years ago, and yet, it's still packed with a ton more that I can use today, tomorrow, and another 5 years from now."
"Everything you wanted to know about being a portrait photographer in one book."
"...Photographers with this level of experience that can also teach you what worked... are incredibly hard to find."
Shooting A Portrait Session, How To Shoot A Photography Session, Tamara Lackey, Nikon Ambassador

The Reviews Are In!

Portrait Shoot Playbook Reviews, Matt Kloskowski, How To Shoot A Photography Session, Tamara Lackey

It's rare that you get to go on a journey with someone who has seen and done it all - and get to learn so much from their experiences. But that's exactly what this book is. Not only has Tamara photographed thousands of portraits and created a thriving photography business but, along the way, she has developed an amazing talent for sharing that experience so others could grow, as well.

Photographers with a story are all around us, but photographers with this level of experience that can also teach you what worked (and, just as importantly, what didn't) are incredibly hard to find.

Matt Kloskowski

Tricia McCormick, reviews, The Portrait Shoot Playbook , Tamara Lackey, how to do a photo shoot

I am in awe of this book!
It touches upon every part of a portrait photographer's responsibilities, as well as things I hadn't thought of before. Tamara is the real deal. She's genuine in her photography, and as a person, and so this book's authentic lessons have given me a full list of things I'll use immediately to improve my photography services. Everything about this book is amazing.

Tricia McCormack

Seshu TiffinBox Tamara Lackey Portrait Shoot Playbook Review, How To Do A Photo Shoot

I'm usually skeptical of books by photographers because they are invariably stuffed with photographs with very little explanation beyond the f/stop, shutter speed and ISO used.

But Tamara's books are different. They stand out because the advice she imparts in them is immediately actionable. So when I was asked to check out her new book, "From Start To Finish: The Portrait Shoot Playbook", I had to first collect myself at the sheer breadth and depth of this tome of a book. At over 250 pages, it's not an overnight read but one I will be accessing whenever I have a question about running my own portrait photography business. This new book is a welcome resource that offers a clear signal in a noisy marketplace. I wholly recommend it for all portrait photographers whether you are just beginning or you are a seasoned pro. Everyone will learn something useful and important. I say buy it now.

Seshu, Tiffinbox

scott wyden kivowitz

It is such a treat to be able to read a photo education book so detailed from start to finish. Tamara’s portrait playbook covers everything you wanted to know about being a portrait photographer, in one book. She talks about her gear, how she keeps it organized and why she uses specific pieces and for what situations. She also talks about preparing yourself as the photographer and preparing your subjects for the session. I’m not great at remembering names when photographing families, so it’s nice to see I’m not alone. Even Tamara has trouble with it. I like that she broke things down to it purest form, which includes when to photograph the session, and why she prefers two times of the day.

Tamara’s book is so thorough that by the end, any photographer will have walked away learning something new or have a plan of action to make their photography sessions more incredible, and enjoyable for all. So whether you’re an experienced photographer or just starting out, you can learn some powerful stuff from Tamara’s book.

Scott Wyden Kivowitz

After reading your book cover to cover in practically one sitting, I think that every single person who enjoys photography should read this book. I LOVE IT! You break down all the practical things every photographer, amateur or pro, should know to achieve high-quality images. But, most importantly, you emphasize the quality of developing a connection with each and every subject. I realized another important thing while reading your book, and that was accepting imperfection as an opportunity. It can be overwhelming to me as an emerging professional photographer to know how to create my own style, my own business, my own workflow. I really appreciate how honest you are in sharing your stumbles and hard-earned lessons.

My favorite part of the book, though, was where you encourage readers to share their photography through philanthropy. I felt such an upwelling of emotion, reading about how to contribute in positive and creative ways. As a recent cancer survivor, I will check out the organizations you listed, so I can follow your example. Thank you for taking the time to gather your experiences and know-how in this book!

Rhesa Versola

Portrait Shoot Playbook Reviews, How To Shoot A Photography Session, Tamara Lackey

I'm loving the new book!!! Thanks for putting this together. I know I'll be referring to it for a long time.

I could have used this book about five years ago, and yet it's still packed with a ton more that I can use today, tomorrow, and another five years from now.

Emily Calkins

The Playbook

This 250+ page, extremely comprehensive digital manual is rich with information, examples, inspiration, and illustrative photography. There are a lot of little things that can make a big difference in how well a photography shoot can go, how much impact the images can have on your subjects, and how effectively your portraits can be delivered. 

Photography is amazing, but there is also quite a bit to it. This Start To Finish Portrait Shoot Playbook is designed to lay everything out as clearly, and as effectively, as possible.

btogether-logo3

And, as always, 10% of all sales of The Portrait Shoot Playbook will also go towards Beautiful Together, our non-profit 501(c) organization in support of children waiting for families and those living in extreme poverty. Our current focus is on continuing to build out our Orphan Prevention Care Center. Only months into this new project, we are seeing some heartening results from this program already. Thank you for helping us to support it through this purchase!

Book Ordering Options

The downloadable book is available on its own or as a digital bundle.

The Book

$99
$ 89
00 with $95+ of gifts!
  • Launch Only Sale Price
  • Start To Finish: The Portrait Shoot Playbook
  • Gifts include $95+ in credit towards photo printing, software, lighting, music and more!
Get the book

The Playbooks Bundle

$237
$ 199
00 with $95+ of gifts!
  • This bundle contains all three of Tamara Lackey's Playbooks, which together will comprehensively walk you through, from start to finish, any children's or family portrait session. Learn what to prepare for, what not to forget, before & after posing ideas for all children and family types - and what to do after the shoot is over.   
  •  
  • Start To Finish: The Portrait Shoot Playbook
  • The Posing Playbook for Kids
  • The Family Posing Playbook
  • Gifts include $95+ in credit towards photo printing, software, lighting, music and more!
Get the bundle!
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By purchasing the book you will receive gifts!

= money in your pocket! (Amount varies based on your Westcott order total but with a $300 order you’d get $76 back, with a $1000 order, $146 back, etc.)

In addition, Triple Scoop Music is holding a monthly drawing between now and March for a total of four $600 music licensing packages!

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