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Marcie Reif seems to be a person destined to have kids and families in her professional life. The Atlanta-based photographer started out as an elementary-school teacher but eventually surrendered to the allure of her second passion—people photography. In particular, she specializes in photographing kids and their families. As with most career choices, it wasn’t necessarily an easy move.

“I loved being a teacher and knew that was what I was born to do,” says Reif. “I really questioned leaving the teaching profession for the fear that I might feel unsettled, since it suited me so well. However, I was juggling a lot. I had a photography business that was reaching the five-year mark and I was beginning to teach photography and started speaking at conferences. I also had two kids that were starting to get a little bit of a busier life with one in elementary school and one in preschool and a husband who is a pilot and gone three or four nights a week. Something had to change, so we decided that I would step out of the classroom and continue to grow my photography business.”

Since she was teaching photography and still working with children, going full-bore into the photo world seemed to really be “the perfect balance."  The transition to full-time photographer happened in 2017.

Today the busy Reif spends her days photographing kids and families almost exclusively. She took time from her work to speak with writer Jeff Wignall  about her love of photography, family, and Tamron lenses.

PPD: Did you know right away that photographing families would be the central theme of your business? Do you shoot other subjects?

MR:  Early on I also dabbled in weddings a bit but realized that it was too much time away from my family. I realized that I wanted to pursue jobs that I could do while my kids were at school. I put a lot of effort into the newborn photography side of my business as that could happen at 11am on a weekday and that was perfect for my schedule. Another perfect addition to my business has been fine-art preschool portraits. I am the school photographer, but my portraits are done with a timeless, simple style. I try to make each portrait a perfect reflection of each student’s personality. Parents go wild over the images.

PPD: As a mom, is having live-in models a good learning environment?

MR: Yes! My daughter has been my best model. My son is not into it as much and it’s not as enjoyable to photograph him because he does not want to do it. I enjoy taking pictures of him playing baseball and other sports, or activities we do on vacations, but other than that it’s mostly just my daughter and me. She was my first model and still my favorite person to photograph. She is very creative and free spirited herself and almost all the images I have created of her were all her idea. We really have a great time doing this together. I have learned so much photographing her and it’s truly a gift that she gives me by allowing me to do work with her.

PPD: Typically, portrait subjects are strangers, people that you don’t know intimately. Do you have some methods you use for getting to know them quickly so you can capture their real personalities?

MR: Yes, I love to read their personalities and work with them based on that. I think being a teacher and a mom helps with this. For the shy kids I let them watch me talk to their siblings and parents and don’t put any pressure at all on them. Once they have observed me a little, I get down on their level and talk very quietly to them so only the two of us can hear. I give them several compliments and try to build up their confidence. I think the parents also appreciate that I am giving their children individual attention and it’s apparent that I realize their personalities are unique. This also builds their trust in me as their photographer.  

PPD:  You work a lot with families, taking group shots. How do you get them to behave and interact naturally in front of the camera?

MR: I talk to them a lot. I just keep saying different things until I start to get the emotions I’m looking for. Sometimes it’s a little game, reverse psychology, a special “job” for them, and just anything I can think of that may be specific to them!

PPD: In all portrait sessions, are you more of a director or an observer?

MR: I would say a little of both. I definitely give them a lot of direction at first when I’m getting them set up in a pose and then I kind of watch it unfold. I like to get a mix of traditional pictures where they are looking at me smiling and then some playful “unposed” shots. That is where I’m more of the observer. As long as no one is flying out of the frame I let it go. Some kids can take those “fun” moments too far and I need to reel them back in.

PPD: One of the things you shoot are the dreaded school portraits that most kids hate. Your subjects all seem to be having a great time and relaxing, how do you manage to win them over?

MR: I bring a team with me that helps me to be silly and talk to them. We just do anything we can to get them so smile. We sing a lot, use silly voices, jump up and down, backflips, you know anything!! LOL - just kidding we don’t do backflips but if we knew how we certainly would! We try everything we can think of to know what words or songs will bring out certain emotions. My one assistant is so much like me that we often say the exact same things at the same time.

PPD: What Tamron lenses do you own, and which are your favorites?

MR: I own so many! For my Canon 5d Mark iv DSLR camera I love my Tamron SP 24-70mm F/2.8 Di VC, and then Tamron SP 35mm F/1.4 Di. 

For my Sony a9ii (main body) I love the Tamron 70-180mm f/2.8 Di III VXD , 35-150mm f/2-2.8 Di III VXD, Tamron 28-75mm f/2.8 Di III RXD G2, and Tamron 70-300mm F/4.5-6.3 Di III RXD for my kids action sports pictures.

PPD: Do you have a particular go-to lens for individual portraits? For group shots?

MR: Yes, I would say that I use the Tamron 35-150mm f/2-2.8 Di III VXD or the Tamron 70-180mm f/2.8 Di III VXD.

PPD: What is it about Tamron lenses in general that gives you confidence in using them?

MR: Tamron lenses are incredibly sharp and versatile. I love the focal ranges and that I just need a couple of lenses with me, and I can get just about any job done!

PPD: Your site has a wonderful gallery of newborn photos. Is that a particularly challenging time to photograph?

MR: Yes, newborn photography is very challenging. I have wanted to quit it several times. But going back to my family life this was one thing that was very profitable and honestly even more profitable than weddings when you looked at how much you were making hourly vs. a wedding. So, I was pretty determined to make it work. Once I started using the timeless all white backdrop and white props it started to really fall into place for me. Not only did I love the way it looked it was so much easier for me to manage.

I always have an assistant with me, and we have a pretty solid routine now that really works well. It takes a lot of practice and finding a style that works for you. I love other styles of newborn photography that use more props and colors, but I couldn’t seem to manage it and keep the baby asleep through all of the transitions.

PPD: You work both in natural light and in the studio, do you have a preference?

MR: I love them both for their different reasons. I do not take any artificial light outside though. I only use natural light when I’m outdoors. Inside I love my studio light.

PPD: You host a retreat for women photographers called the The Roadtripper's Retreat, can you talk about that and how it began? Is it an annual event?

MR: This is an annual event and it’s one of my favorite things to do. Here is the core message: Roadtrippers is designed for Women looking to build community, connect with other like-minded women who also love photography while also gaining confidence to achieve their goals, improve their business, and spark their creativity.

This retreat is another passion of mine that allows me to use my love of teaching and empowering other women.
 

PPD: Do you have a tip for those photographers that feel somewhat intimated in photographing people? A way to feel more confident during a session?

MR: My best tip for photographing people is to make your subjects feel great in front of your camera. Talk to them, compliment them, and build them up. People will always remember how you made them feel and I believe that when a referral is made, they are much more likely to talk about their experience with you than how perfect your photography skills were. Not everyone has a trained eye like a photographer that would be judging your work but they certainly are going to remember how easy you were to work with and how well the session went on a personal level.