PPMAG.COMIf you ask Tash Haynes how the photography
studio she owns with her husband, Ike, stays
relevant in the ever-changing senior portrait
market, her answer is succinct: relationships.
A lot of photographers say that. “Relation-
ships” is a marketing buzzword, and every-
one with a camera likes to talk about how
they build connections with clients. But at
the Haynes’ Tacoma, Washington, studio, Ike
& Tash, the relationship building happens at
a deep level.
“We are really invested in our young people,”
says Haynes, who worked in youth develop-
ment before becoming a professional pho-
tographer. “The actual photography is sec-
ondary to what we offer our seniors and our
community. We spend a lot of time giving
back to our seniors. For young people, there’s
a lot of value in that. These days, there aren’t
a lot of relationships that young people have
with adults outside of things like youth groups,
so having that opportunity with us is special
and different for them.”A coming-of-age community
The Hayneses look at the senior portrait
experience as a coming-of-age turning point
in a young person’s life. Recognizing the im-
portance of that turning point, they endeavor94
Tash and Ike HaynesMore by Ike & Tash
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