I can't say enough good things about Leathem Photography and its talented proprietor and namesake, Tammy. But in the interest of space and time, I'll narrow her virtues down to five. Here goes. 1. Vision. In planning both our engagement and wedding shots, Tammy worked with us to establish an aesthetic that fit us as a couple--then execute her vision flawlessly. She got to know us quickly and created just the right combinations of setting and expression. The results of both sessions are individually distinct yet perfectly complementary. Every final shot feels indelibly like us. That's incredibly difficult to do, and she made it look effortless. 2. Ease. Being photographed is an inherently stressful activity for most, and the added tensions of a wedding day can make for some high-pressure situations. But Tammy showed a true gift for making people comfortable, from my wife and I to the family members around us. Her enthusiasm and energy are tremendous. She promised us that we'd have fun being photographed, and truly delivered. 3. Command. Our family wedding featured a fairly complex cast of characters, from parents and step-parents to a range of full, half and step-siblings. Tammy fluidly handled the complexity of the situation with just the right amount of authority, capturing the combinations we needed while keeping the mood high. Even among amateur photographers giving their own input, she took control without stepping on any toes--and did it all with steely efficiency, on a day where every minute counts. Again, no small feat. 4. Creativity. Throughout both shoots, Tammy continually invented new ideas for distinctive shots, from poses and backgrounds to angles and lighting. Her masterpiece from our wedding was a photo of me dipping my bride on a city street, her long train blowing elegantly in the breeze. It says Chicago, winter and love, all in one striking image. I can't decide what's more impressive--that she executed it so well or the fact that she made it up on the spot, in the moment. Stunning. 5. Results. While all matters of process and temperament are critical, they ultimately pale in importance to the task at hand: documenting important moments with authenticity and technical mastery. The images Tammy delivered are wondrous to behold, capturing the spirit and personality of everyone she shot. We'll be smiling at them for the rest of our lives. While I'm sure Chicago offers plenty of talented photographers, I can't imagine anyone coming close to Tammy Leathem. She is a brilliant artist, a true professional, and worth every penny. Do yourself a favor--hell, do your marriage a favor--and don't bother with anyone else. read more

Tammy is amazing both on the day of your event and afterwards. She captures the emotions of the day. I have wonderful shots of my Mom, Dad, brothers and entire family laughing, crying, and exuberant. She caught so many people's reactions to the priest, who was funny and poignant, and the speeches, which were classic. The photos turned out amazing, even of me, and I am the world's most un-photogenic person. Additionally, she is a warm and caring person who you love to be around, but at the same time don't even know is there on the day of. How did she capture these great shots? Her photos vividly retell the story of our wedding, and I'm very grateful to her for that. She also shot my friend's wedding in Mexico, and she took pictures at the rehearsal dinner and throughout the event at no extra charge, because she said she was there anyway. She again captured all of the magic of the wedding, and there are stunning photos of the bride and groom, and also lots of fun pictures of the guests. She even got in the pool with her camera as the entire wedding party jumped in. You can't get much better then that! Tammy was very reasonably priced, and I know didn't up her prices for the destination wedding like most of the other photogs in Chicago. I also found out later that she saved our cake from disaster. The reception room was hot causing our cake to melt and the top to start sliding off. Tammy was shooting detail pictures and noticed the near catastrophe, and rescued the cake. She goes above and beyond every time. Thanks, Tammy! read more

Tammy did both our engagement and wedding pictures, and we couldn't have been happier. She "got" us right away, and tailored our pictures to our style and the kinds of shots that we wanted. Unlike other photographers we talked to who kept trying to force us into their particular styles, Tammy took the time to ask about what we wanted and to find out what kind of pictures we liked. Our wedding pictures were amazing, and we've framed several as artwork in addition to everything else we framed of family. At our reception, she and her assistant photographer took fantastic shots and captured some amazing moments. Tammy has an amazing ability to know what shots will work and to get them taken quickly--not an easy matter when you're trying to wrangle wedding guests! She got our pictures to us when she said she would both times. We didn't have to hassle her to follow up. Contrary to another reviewer's claims here, we found her prices were MUCH more reasonable than some of the "big guys" in Chicago that we found through other wedding sites. She didn't nickel and dime us, and was very generous with her time. She spent far more time at our reception than her contract required. She definitely went above and beyond, and my wife and I wouldn't hesitate to recommend her to anyone and everyone. read more

I can not even begin to express how happy we were with Tammy as our wedding photographer. She is amazingly talented and a wonderful person. Tammy has an innate ability to capture people and the moment. She is extremely creative and has a great eye for original shots. Her photos embodied us as a couple and represented the wedding day perfectly! Virtually every shot was unique and special. And there were countless shots we absolutely LOVED. Tammy was not only an amazing photographer, but due to her extensive experience with weddings- she basically served as my wedding coordinator. She knew exactly how long everything would take, who should be where when, and kept things on schedule. With her help, the day came together beautifully! Not only were we extremely happy with Tammy and her photos, but our entire family and all the guests at the wedding commented on her fun, bubbly personality and the fabulous way she handled everyone during shots. Tammy's best trait as a wedding photographer is that she is just as excited about your big day as you are. And she is absolutely thrilled to document the day with incredible photos. She was simply a pleasure to have around. I could not have asked for a better wedding photographer. I would recommend Tammy for any occasion. read more

Couldn't be happier with Leathem Photography!!! During the planning of my wedding- I thought the photography was the most important part. Tammy Leathem shot a friend's wedding the summer before mine. After viewing their photos I knew without a doubt I wanted her to shoot my wedding as well. I did meet with other photographers for both price and style comparison. Pricing is pretty middle of the road- but for the quality of photography they could be charging more! I met with a lot of photographers that were priced a lot higher! Tammy stands out among her competition- which I think is really hard to find, especially in such an eclectic city as Chicago. Tammy was BEYOND accommodating for both our engagement shoot AND our wedding day- both we ran into a few bumps and glitches- including running SERIOUSLY behind time-wise and an unexpected hail storm!! Tammy and her assistant Dean sailed through all obstacles in our day seamlessly and professionally. All of our pictures were perfect! Absolutely perfect! You couldn't even tell there was terrible weather and was raining in quite a few shots. I HIGHLY recommend Leathem Photography. You will be so happy to walk away with such beautiful memories!!- I still get the chills looking through our photos! Thanks Tammy!! : ) read more

Where do I begin? Tammy's talent leaves me speechless. We brought Tammy to Philly to shoot our wedding knowing that she has the ability to adapt to anywhere that she is shooting. She came out a few days before our wedding and she and I sat down and discussed all of the formal moments that my husband and I wanted to be captured. We spent the next day mapping out a plan of attack and on the day of the wedding, she was lights out! She produced a preview of 200 photos just days after the wedding that we enjoyed while on our honeymoon. When I look at our photos, I truly see how she captured the best moments and the beauty of the day. If you've ever worried about something silly like your fake double chin, these things do not exist in her photos. She captures the most stunning version of you, your husband, your family and guests. Every shot Tammy took belongs in a magazine. Our parents were brought to tears when they saw the photos and we are forever grateful for the memories that we have because of Tammy's talent. read more

Tammy did my engagment photos and can I just say that they are GORGEOUS & BEAUTIFUL! I could'nt ask for anything better. The pictures were EXACTLY what I hoped and could ever have dreamed for. I was so happy with my photos and anyone who saw my photos was in aw and amazed at every single photo. Tammy will also be doing my wedding this September & my fiance and I are extremly excited and can not wait! She is exceptionally talanted and has a true gift for photography. Not only are her pictures flawless, she captures timeless moments that I will have forever, She makes the experirence fun and exciting with her bubbly personality that i just love! I could totally be myself. Being around her felt so right and natural. I will be using Leathem Photography for lots of special events throughout my lifetime. Best photos I have ever seen in my life! read more

Tammy is a great photographer and I've used her for a variety of corporate events since 2006 (holiday parties for 1200+ people, group photos for 30-75/ppl, Sales Meetings and other corporate events). I also hired Leathem Photography to take our Wedding photos (Jan 2012), Belly pics (pregnancy), newborn, 6 & 12 month photos for our daughter too! Tammy has always gone above and beyond for any of our events/photo shoots. She's taken AMAZING photos and we've had nothing but positive comments and rave reviews from corporate and personal friends who have seen her work. I've also referred her to co-workers and they had nothing but glowing reviews for Leathem Photography as well. You'd be silly not to hire Leathem Photog for your next event or family photo session!! read more

My husband and I couldn't have been happier with Tammy and Leathem Photography! Tammy is so easy to work with and extremely accommodating. I cannot say enough about Tammy's talent, kindness and work ethic! Every time we get pictures back from her I am in complete amazement at how gorgeous they are! After our engagement session I just couldn't wait until the wedding to see how those would come out! Her pictures are not cheesy and cliché, if you want innovative, creative and unique pictures Leathem Photography is perfect! The pictures are such an important part of a wedding day and it was such a relief to know that Tammy had everything under control. I wouldn't trust an important event to anyone else! We love Tammy and I highly recommend Leathem Photography! read more

I can't say enough good about Tammy and her talented abilities as a photographer!! I have referred her to tons of friends and they all love her as well. I mostly use Tammy to photograph my children. That is not an easy task!!! Tammy is awesome. Her energy and enthusiasm captivates my family. My three year old loves having her come and get his pictures taken. Her photos are literally all over my house :) Tammy also photographed my sisters wedding and the pictures are amazing!!! She was so much fun to work with on the big day and getting the pictures back helped us relive every incredible moment. I wouldn't hesitate to hire Tammy. She will exceed your expectations and you will be given a wonderful gift of beautiful photos! read more

Tammy did a SPECTACULAR job with our engagement and wedding photos. My husband does not smile well for pictures and somehow she got him to take great pictures both for the engagement pictures and the wedding. Our photos are fun and unique and really capture us well. She's great to work with the day of the wedding as well and has a lot of energy. She does the typical wedding family pictures, but she also does unique other pictures that really captured the day. We did city shots, outdoor garden shots, reception shots and she got everything that we wanted and more. We could not have asked for a better photographer. She was so much fun to work with and we love our pictures. read more

I have had the pleasure of working with Leathem Photography many times. Tammy is extremely professional and the quality of her work is to be admired. Her wedding photography is amazing but the independent work she has done for sporting events, political events and high profile clients seems to be a hidden secret. Her work in this space is some of the best I have ever seen. Tammy is rising star in the industry and I would highly suggest working with her if you get the chance. Keep up the impressive work. I and more importantly my wife, love the amazing photographs hanging on the walls in my house! Brian P. Sr. Executive - fortune 100 company Homer Glen, IL read more

Tammy is not only extremely talented, she's a true professional. I'm not comfortable at all in front of a camera and was conviced I'd look unnatural and posed but she made me feel 100% comfortable and beautiful and guided me so specifically that I looked better than I even knew possible! She uses her experience to make each session better than the last. Her enthusiasm is also infectious. She is so passionate that its impossible not to be excited and feel great while she's working with you. This is evident in the wonderful quality of her work. I plan on using her for any photography needs I have in the future and would recommend her wholeheartedly! read more

Tammy is an amazing photographer and SO fun to work with! We constantly receive compliments on our engagement and wedding photographs. She's worth every penny! She has a great eye. Not only did she well work with my husband, who HATES having his photo taken, she also worked with my dad LOVES to take photos. I was worried that the combination of those two at our wedding would result in a catastrophe but she managed both situations with a high level of professionalism and fun. All resulting in beautiful photos that truly will last our lifetime. I can't wait to use her for our new baby's first photographs in a few months! read more

Tammy is an amazing photographer and person! She is friendly, professional and very talented. We started working with her to do maternity shots when I was pregnant with my twins and are still using her twice a year to photograph them and our new baby. Tammy always has creative ideas for poses and they are never the same. Our third daughter's newborn photos are completely different than the twins. We constantly get compliments on them and people asking who takes our family pictures. Several of our friends have used her for family photos and my brother used her for his wedding. Everyone has been thrilled with the results! read more

I cannot say enough wonderful things about Leathem Photography. My fiance and I are definitely not photogenic. Tammy had quite the challenge. Our session was quick and fun and Tammy knew just where to go for the best pictures but I was still incredibly nervous that none of them would turn out.....until she sent them over (in probably record time!) and they were AMAZING. I couldn't believe how great they were. And there were hundreds to choose from. I continue to get tons and tons of compliments on them and couldn't be more thrilled with them. Leathem Photography is for sure the way to go! read more

Tammy and her partner photographed my wedding and I was stunned at how beautiful the photos turned out. The venue where our wedding was held even asked for rights to use the photos in their advertisements in wedding magazines. Price was VERY fair and Leathem gave me the rights to reproduce any photo and she supplied the dvd disc so I may do so. They were very professional, most of the time I didn't even realize someone was taking photos unless they were posed or candid. I would highly recommend Leathem Photography to anyone looking for photos that are timeless and beautiful. read more

We hired Tammy recently to do some work for us at our new restaurant, Bridge House Tavern. She was incredibly professional. Always on time, and her prices are ridiculously inexpensive for what you get. She helped us edit the photos, and gave us a really nice CD that we could use for our marketing material...not to mention spreading the word about our new business. I would use Tammy for just about anything. As you can tell by here web site, she's not a one-trick pony. From weddings, to restaurants and anything in between...she can do it all! Thanks Tammy! read more

Leathem Photography is great. The quality of the pictures is truly breath taking. The most convenient feature is you get digital copies of all your pictures. There are no hidden fees. Over the last year, we have scheduled 3 shoots of our baby. Tammy has a knack for figuring out how to get the best snapshots in natural settings regardless of the baby's mood (once almost falling asleep, hyperactive another time ...) Tammy adds a personal touch and really cares to make sure every shoot is a memorable experience. read more