THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc. DATE: Wednesday, September 6, 1995 TAG: 9509020158 SECTION: VIRGINIA BEACH BEACON PAGE: 12 EDITION: FINAL COLUMN: EARNING A LIVING IN VIRGINIA BEACH SOURCE: BY LORI A. DENNEY, STAFF WRITER LENGTH: Medium: 91 lines
THERE'S ONE WORD you don't hear much in the photography studio of Martin and Martha Tickner.
Smile.
The couple - she's a former professional pantomime artist and he's a former professional medical photographer - don't believe the word is conducive to good photographs. They like words like play and fun and tea party.
They own Martin Tickner Photography and together have come up with a way to combine their individual talents to begin a new concept in children's photography - the tea party portrait.
The tea party portrait is actually an hour-long play time for a child, usually girls 3 or older. The child hosts a pretend tea party.
``They're involved,'' said Martha Tickner, a 59-year-old Chesapeake native. ``It's a working arrangement. It helps them to unwind and play.''
Martha Tickner oversees the party and the preparations. Guests can wear a special outfit or pick one from one of Tickner's sewn creations. She has four sizes available, most of them made of white linen and lace.
Once the participants are dressed, the guests are invited back to a small room in the couple's North Lynnhaven home. The ``studio'' is bathed in white - floors, walls and ceiling. There are white curtains and a little white wicker table and chairs. This is where the action begins.
Martha Tickner coaxes the child into play by asking her to set the table. The child can pick what goes on the table and who sits where.
The child then follows a story board, or a script, produced and directed by Martha Tickner, who creates the scene before the child arrives. Of course, there are always deviations from Tickner's script, like feeding a favorite doll. The Tickners want the children in their natural states, albeit a bit dressier.
That's where Martin Tickner, a native of Philadelphia, comes in. He quietly waits for the action to start before he begins snapping the pictures. Martha Tickner cajoles the child into sitting and standing while keeping her busy pouring tea, trying on hats or primping in the mirror.
Parents are invited to the tea parties, either as guests for a picture or for behind-the-scenes playing.
The couple charges a $35 sitting fee and have several picture packages available, including a storybook that records the tea time action frame by frame and includes a poem Martha Tickner penned.
Portrait packages start at $158 and there is an $80 minimum order required.
The tea party book is $65 with a $200 or more order. Two weeks after the sitting, customers are invited back to the Tickner home to view the slides and make their selections. The slides are projected onto the wall and the ``star'' is always invited to the preview.
If there's one thing the couple is adamant about it's that the picture must be hung on a wall.
``We build this portrait to be seen on a wall,'' said Martha Tickner. ``A photo on a shelf usually ends up in a drawer. To have our work seen is our applause. That's why the photo should be on the wall.''
Martha Tickner has been a professional pantomime artist, a model, in the cast of a ``couple'' of off-Broadway shows and has owned her own dance troupe.
Martin Tickner, 61, is former medical photographer for the Eastern Virginia Medical School and has been a professional photographer since he was in his teens and his father bought him his first camera.
They also do family photography, including special sets such as a pond and fishing pole for a young boy. In addition, they're the photographers for four local dance schools.
They don't do weddings, and that's because Martin Tickner prefers to work in a studio.
The goal for the tea party portrait is ``to maybe do one or two a day, but no more,'' he said. ``Some people play football. Some people play basketball. Some people write. I must take pictures.''
Added Martha Tickner: ``And there is no other medium that allows me to perform, write scripts and teach at the same time.''. MEMO: The tea party portraits are done by appointment only. For information,
call 340-0940.
ILLUSTRATION: Staff photos by CHARLIE MEADS
Martha and Martin Tickner join the set of the ``tea party,'' an
hour-long play time and portrait session for children.
In addition to the tea party and other special sets, the Tickners do
family photos and are the photographers for four local dance
schools. All of their work is in-studio.
by CNB