Today we’d like to introduce you to Anelise Tubinis.
Anelise, please share your story with us. How did you get to where you are today?
I’ve always loved taking pictures and the storytelling element of photography. I have a Masters in Counseling Psychology so I spent 15 years engaged in people’s personal stories in a very different capacity but a lot of what I learned as a clinician carried over into photography. Observing people’s subtle expressions, paying attention to the details and looking at things from different perspectives all make good sense in both worlds.
Ten years ago, I was shooting (with film!) mostly for my own pleasure. I really loved shooting strangers in Cambridge and Boston at festivals or in busy downtown areas and as a woman, I was fortunate enough to be able to do so without people feeling threatened. But gradually, I found myself wanting to move in closer to my subjects, both literally and figuratively—I wanted to engage with them, rather than just shoot from afar. I wanted to photograph people more intentionally and to tell their story in some way. Eventually, I hired a friend to create my first website and began photographing more babies/kids, families and small events. My business has grown each year over the last 9 years and I love meeting new families but I also really appreciate that I’ve had the pleasure of working with many of the same families who I started photographing all those years ago.
I photograph all kinds of people who lead all kinds of lives and in the time I spend with families, I am always reminded of how much more alike than different we all are. It’s really grounding to get a glimpse into the lives of others and see that despite different career tracks, different life choices, or different politics, most of us are all reading the same books to our kids at bedtime.
Overall, has it been relatively smooth? If not, what were some of the struggles along the way?
I think any small business owner can attest to the fact that there is always more to learn, not just with your area of specialty but also with marketing, customer service, taxes, insurance and of course, managing your time and prioritizing what needs to happen day to day and over the course of each season and the year. When I first started shooting professionally, it was because of my love of being behind the camera and the creative aspects of the job. However, you learn quickly that this is a heavily saturated market and if you are going to make a successful career out of it, having a handle on the business side is just as important (though admittedly not as romantic) as seeking out dreamy light and capturing authentic connections between people.
It can be hard to say no when exciting projects and opportunities come my way but as a mom to two young children, it’s really important that I am efficient and that I am realistic about how many clients I can take on without sacrificing some element of quality in the client’s experience. It’s a learning process and something that I am always working on but over time, I have definitely learned how to work smarter and streamline my process with each task.
Please tell us about Anelise Paduch Tubinis Photography.
I document love and the everyday beautiful and sometimes messy moments that make up our lives. What that looks like varies widely– Sometimes it’s a family playing together at the beach, other times it’s a 6 day old’s newborn session at home or in a hospital and sometimes it’s a wedding, What I am always looking for is connection and authenticity. Even though I’m photographing people who have their own unique story, there are bits and pieces of moments between people that are universally understood and I look for those kinds of moments too. I love that we can look at photos of people who we don’t even know and have a sense of what they are feeling because we can see it in their faces and in their bodies and we’ve been there too.
I love picking up on moments when people let their guard down and let themselves be exposed and vulnerable for a second. My experience has been than when I can truly connect with people in some way, they in turn are more able and willing to genuinely share themselves with me and that’s when the best shots tend to happen. I do a lot of my work outdoors, especially at this time of year but I really enjoy in home sessions with more a lifestyle feeling to them and I think that clients who book sessions with me know that I am always looking for the real moments whether we are shooting in their home or at a beach or a farm.
I’m also inspired a lot by light and the way it frames a scene or a person at any given moment. I love the challenge trying to express a feeling or mood using the available light and colors and it’s such a treat getting to see all of the different ways that people can demonstrate adoration. I hope that my photos convey joy and raw emotion and honest depictions of childhood and of love.
I worked with children for years as a mental health counselor providing services in schools, hospital and clinic settings and in families’ homes so I am very comfortable with kids and it’s easy for me to connect with them which helps tremendously as I am photographing them. I’m a people watcher by nature and someone who loves documentaries, memoirs and yes, even some reality television because I am endlessly fascinated by what makes people tick and what moves them. Being tuned in to who people are and to how I can capture that in the time that I am with them is what leads to the images that I am most proud of.
When families trust me enough to let me into their homes and into their lives, it means the world to me and when they have me back year after year to document their family’s evolving story, it’s an honor and it’s something that I am proud of. I feel grateful to be trusted with the responsibility of capturing people’s stories and love thinking about how these photos will live on with children and grandchildren.
If you had to go back in time and start over, would you have done anything differently?
I think that even the bumps and missteps along the way are worthwhile in the long run because they all contribute to figuring out what you want your business to be. For every photo that I took that underwhelmed me, there was a lesson learned about why I didn’t connect with it and what I needed to do differently the next time. For every time that I tried doing things in a way that didn’t feel true to my goals, I ended up learning through that failure and then feeling even more sure of the direction in which I wanted to go. In the last few years, I’ve felt completely confident letting prospective clients know if I’m not the right fit for what they are looking for rather than trying to make myself be something that I am not and while I could say that I should have done that from the very start, that certainty about who you are and who you are not can really only come with time and experience.
Contact Info:
- Address: 73 Pearl Street
- Website: http://www.aptubinisphotography.com
- Phone: 617-275-3606
- Email: anelise@aptubinisphotography.com
- Instagram: aptubinisphotography
- Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/aptubinisphotography
- Twitter: @aptubinis
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