Articles
To read Tracey’s articles in their entirety, please click on the titles highlighted in pink.
“As I continue to document the life of my family, I often think about what it’s all for. Photography is a creative outlet and I use it to communicate with a single image what is meaningful to me, but I also know that there’s something probably even more important: I am leaving behind documentation that when pieced together is nearly the entire story of my children’s lives. In that light, I know that every moment I capture is a gift, for me, for them and for generations to follow.” -Tracey Clark, Memories in the Making, DP Mag
“Because I was living, day in and day out, with my own young children, I experienced, witnessed and appreciated each fleeting phase of childhood, from big milestones to small moments. I recognized the importance of all of it, and through the parenthood lens, everything became photo-worthy.” -Tracey Clark, A Parent’s Perspective, DP Mag
“When striving to capture truly expressive portraits, focusing on facial expressions may seem like the most effective approach, and it certainly can be. But there are a number of other ways to shoot evocative, emotional images totally void of any facial expressions. As a matter of fact, you don’t need to reveal the face of your subject at all to capture a telling portrait of them.” -Tracey Clark, Shooting Back, DP Mag
“Although I do cherish the artistic freedom I’m given in much of my work, being on specific assignments or working with new and sometimes unexpected clients can push—or, in a more positive light, encourage—me to stretch past my creative comfort zones and shoot images that not only please the client, but excite me. Expanding my photographic creativity not only helps to redefine my photography career, but it also reignites my passion.” -Tracey Clark, A Creative Push, DP Mag
Bearing Witness (A feature on a creative project from photographer Jason Watts)
“I couldn’t help but think that it was in this kind of photographic ritual that the term “making a portrait” rather than “taking” one was derived. The window of time we spend together was an important piece to Bearing Witness. Being a part of the portrait process from beginning to end only endeared me more to Jason, his vision and the project, not to mention my daughters. They reveled in their roles, not being able to help but feel special, each having their turn being the sole subject of focus.” -Tracey Clark, Bearing Witness, DP Mag
The Great American Camping Trip
“The journey begins the minute we back out of the driveway, and with that simple act, it’s as if the whole world is instantly reframed. Traffic? Big deal. Hours of driving? No complaints. The views? Inspiring and hypnotizing (all depending on which leg of the journey you’re on). All of a sudden, everything is an adventure! And, for me, everything becomes that much more inspiring and photo-worthy. So begins certainly one of my favorite parts of the experience: capturing it all through my lens.” -Tracey Clark, The Great American Camping Trip, DP Mag
“Our job, as photographers, is to use as many ways possible to seek out, discover and distill the emotion our subjects feel. With heightened awareness, creative insights and intuitive anticipation, we can create more telling and communicative expressive portraits, adding rich and meaningful layers to our visual narration.” -Tracey Clark, The Art of Expression, DP Mag
“…I would never, could never encourage you to try to control every single part of the creative process when it comes to (reflective) photography. For as much as you can try to harness all of the elements of every scenario, I urge you to embrace everything that might appear with—or better yet, without—you being aware. Let the unexpected emerge. Be open to accidents. Invite creative coincidence. Allow for magic.” -Tracey Clark, Reflections, DP Mag
Contemplating Black & White (Highlighting 4 black and white photographers)
“The approach and methods to get to the final image of a monochromatic photograph can be as unique as each image itself. The photographer, as the storyteller, is responsible for why and how each photograph is captured and then, in turn, processed. Although there may be a multitude of ways to achieve a desired result of a black-and-white image, there’s a distinct visual and emotional sentiment that’s universally shared. It’s no wonder, then, that photographers rely on the magic of a monochromatic palette to distill a message, evoke an emotion or share a story through their images.” –Tracey Clark, Contemplating Black & White, DP Mag
Changing the World One Frame at a Time (a feature on photographer Tamara Lackey)
“In talking with Lackey about the many facets of her work, one is not only charmed by her warmth and authenticity, but also impressed with the plethora of projects she’s involved in. It’s no wonder that the advice she shares with new photographers is to ‘try to find a way to diversify.'” – Tracey Clark, Changing the World One Frame at a Time, Digital Photo Pro