Hello from Las Vegas. As many of you know.. I am currently in LV attending an AWESOME photography workshop. This time.. I am coming home SOOO inspired by an incredible photographer out of Sweden. I initially wasn’t going to attend any of his classes, because I did not shoot like him at ALL. Im known for my contemporary, poppy color look.. he is super duper traditional.

YOU GUYS.. im loving his work. So.. here is what I am proposing…. I need a few models to work with when I return back to Deer Park to put this new look into action as an option. It will be a new baby plan.. and very well may replace the current one.. I may offer 2 different ones.. or I may see no interest and drop it.. but.. I want to try it. So.. I am going to be very specific about what I need: This new baby plan will reach milestones 4 months, 8 months and 12 months. The entire series will be shot on white.. with a lot of white clothing and with some skin showing. SEE.. NOT my regular look. Traditional white on white?? WHAT???? Guys.. it is gorgeous. So clean.. and modern looking in the way that he approaches it. I want to see if I can put my own style into it and implement it. So… here is what I need.

I need a 4 month old baby. Boy or girl. Either will work. mom and dad will need to bring a variety of white tops, men will need a button up, an undershirt tank.. commonly known as a wife beater (isnt that lame?), and a regular hanes undershirt fitted, not loose and with no pocket. Mom will need a fitted white top, a pretty, flattering white shirt with no buttons or color.. can have stitching adornment and then a white ribbed tank or a white camisole tank. For this session, dad will need to be comfortable shirtless for a few images that will be posted on my site/blog. So please.. only those with husbands comfortable with this apply. Mom will be either topless with NOTHING showing, baby will cover any parts.. or possible a tube tops white piece of fabric around the chest if I can not find a mom willing to not wear any top. Again.. nothing will show.. and once you see it.. you will love it. It is so intimate and beautiful.. bonding with your baby.

For the 8 month baby. Again. Dress code remains the same all throughout the series. White tops with denim pants. There will be skin on skin again.. but it is not required for mom to be completely topless in this series. I want to show intimacy with the family in this series as well. For this session.. the child must be sitting unassisted and we are asking you to bring any blankies/lovies that the child carries, their favorite toy and a thumbsucker would totally be the cherry on top for this session. So, please let me know if you have a thumb sucker when you email for the 8 month session. For girls, we also will will do a tutu image of them sitting, and for boys.. we will start incorporating a hat or two into some images. If you have favorites.. please bring them

12 months session. Mom and dad will again bring the same attire. White tops as described in the 4 month session and denim pants.. but.. mom and dad will need to be comfortable topless again. Yes.. this sounds CRAZY. But when I show you how beautiful it is done.. the intimate setting of love it creates within the family… you will love it. At the 12 month session…. It will end in a cake smash.. just as all 12 month sessions currently do. If your child (boy or girl) wears a lot of hats.. BRING THEM. Wear a lot of bows/flowers? BRING THEM. We will incorporate this into a collage so that you can easily get an image of all their favorite hats/bows and put them on 1 collage.. and you have an instant memory of all the cute headpieces your child wore their first year.

For the 12 month sesssion.. I want the family to bring their favorite book that gets read.. whether baby reads it or mommy reads it. Don’t worry about shape of the book.. or condition of it.. it is meant to be a memory of them at this time. If it has elmo on it.. that is okay. It doesn’t have to be that traditional mother goose nursery rhyme book, or the children’s bible story book. Go with what is real. We will also do a tutu image of baby standing if it is a girl.. and for boys.. and oversized 2T white button up shirt will need to be brought for him.. I will supply a tie and a hat for some images.

At the 12 month session, I am encouraging you to bring grandparents for a few shots as well so that grandparents can get in the picture.. especially if this is their first grandchild. This will become a special image.. and hopefullly create a tradition of them having their picture taken with their grandchildren so that as the child becomes an adult… they will always have a special heirloom image of their grandparents.. even after they pass. At the 12 month session.. bring a couple of outfits that you want pictures in as well.. we will do fully clothed images in this session as well. Siblings are welcome at all sessions. We will be doing family sessions through out this baby plan as well as well as just the baby. We are going to see where this leads.. like I said.. I may not see the same interest in this plan.. it will be a little more expensive.. and we may scrap the entire idea.. but I am super duper excited to see.

HOW DO YOU APPLY? Just email me at info@homeshadephotography.com Put BABY PLAN with the age/month of your child in the title bar. They must currently be either 4 months and able to hold their head up for a few seconds, 8 months and able to sit and 12 months, able to stand against a chair or walking. Please send me a picture of you guys and the baby.. needs not be a professional picture.. just a snapshot. I am not choosing the prettiest baby.. or the best looking parents.. I promise.. I just don’t want the babies to look exactly alike.. I want variety in the images. I would love at least one family to be darker skinned. I don’t care what nationality.. just darker skin. One blonde family and one dark haired family.. again.. just for variety.

The session fee will be free.. images will be discounted to 40% off, images only. This does not apply on canvas or press printed cards, or any specialty items. This does apply to the sale of ditital negatives. Only those who can supply all of the clothing suggested and willing to bare a little back/arm skin apply. I really want to show what I want to shoot… you do not have to have a perfect body. I will prefer real moms without that perfect look for these images.. to be able to show that it will be flattering despite showing skin. SO. If you relate to any of the above.. or know someone who would be PERFECT for this session.. please forward this blog post to them. I will want to shoot this within the next 2 weeks.. so please contact me soon.

I look forward to hearing from each of you.

Tasha

So, I am doing a series on fairy images.  I haven’t explained it in depth yet.. so I wanted to take a moment to explain how the fairy/season of growth series are going to work.

i have wanted to do a fairy day for the last 2 years.  im a little obsessed with anything winged.  before michael and i were married.. my entire room was done in butterflies.  then, when chloye was little.. for years.. her room was done in butterflies and anne geddes fairy series.  i used to have a built in shelving unit devoted to fairies in my living room.  now.. i have birds.. and we are about to redo chloye’s room with owls.  so.. the winged obsession continues…

anyway… fairies.  i have thought about it for the last 2 years, wondered how i would do it.. what i would do.. and then.. it hit me.  lets do SEASONAL fairies.  a winter fairy.  a spring fairy.  a summer fairy and a fall fairy.  how stinkin’ cute would that be??????

so, i have 4 backgrounds, each seasonal.  the winter fairy is coming up.. it is a snowy scene with bare trees.  i am thinking a snow covered ground.. and i ordered 3 large mushrooms.  one is large enough to be a seat.  i am super excited about this.  fairy wings will be added digitally in photoshop.  i have ordered a few fairy costumes.. or we will just use tulle tutus that i already have.

the spring session will be the blue/flowery background i already have.. it will be heavily dominated by pink/purple blooms.. really spring.

summer is a very green forest scene and we will accent with sunflowers.. and it will be a green/yellow dominated theme.

fall will have a leaf dominated theme and will be strong in autumn colors.

so, there will be 4 sessions.  each session will be per child.  this is not for siblings.
you will pay 50.00 per session and you will receive an 8×10 from each of the 4 sessions, and at the end of the 4 sessions.. you will receive a 12×12 collage showcasing an image from all 4 seasons and we will call it a season of growth.. documenting your child’s growth through out the year.

what if you dont want a fairy session, but want season of growth???

well.. i will have another option for those not interested in fairies.

on the other side of the studio.. at each of these sessions.. i will have a seasonal set up, really clean.. really fun.  for winter, winter clothes are encouraged.  fun, oversized layered clothing.. hats, scarves, gloves, etc.

at the spring session.. beautiful spring wear.. bright colors.  or even your favorite rain boots and rain jacket/umbrella.  something that signifies spring.

in the summer… i am thinking a fun summer wear.. or bathing suit/beach coverup and sunglasses.. something fun.  we will have a beach ball.. it will be a beachy theme.

fall will obviously be a fall theme.. fall colors.. your favorite fall outfit.  at the end.. you will receive a 12×12 collage with 1 image from each session.. showcasing the season of growth of your child.

i am super duper excited about this.  cant wait to see the kids that register for this grow up through out the year.

these sessions will begin booking on Monday.  are you ready???

i have sooo many unblogged sessions.. i got so far behind last year.. and decided i would never catch up.  so, i decided to start fresh and stay on top of it this time.  that is slowly failing.. i just counted 10 edited sessions that still need to be blogged.  10.  yikes. 

so.. im going to combine this post into 4 of them.  children/family.  yeah.. so i cheat.. that is okay.. right???  at least you get to see some yummy photos!!!

this little girl was STUNNING.  simply put.   STUNNING.  when she stepped out of the vehicle.. with big beautiful eyes, porcelin skin and curly hair.. i knew we would get some FABULOUS images. 

ummm. cute much?  seriously!

i loved this image.

i was so sad that they cut the trees down all around this little cottage..   it lost so much of its charm when the trees left.  this is my last image there before the trees were removed. 

i was hired by a local photographer based out of League City to capture some images of her sweet family.

it was only like 115 degrees that day.. and even with the fogging.. the mosquitos were still intense. 
but.. they were SUCH troopers.  we got some super fun images. 

all 3 of the girls in this family have the most amazing eyes.  mom and both daughters.  i am jealous..

and.. how awesome is it when they show up wearing MY VINTAGE BABY?  …speaking of.. if you have not seen the new line.. you should RUN to your MVB rep to see the new FABULOUS catalog.  there is so much in there i want for chloye and the studio. 
you can view my rep’s website at www.myvintagebaby.net/ambergoree

ahh.. another scorching day.  i think we were out there about 15 minutes before we were all drenched in sweat.   however.. this had to be the most PATIENT dad i have ever worked with.  he just went with the flow.. sweated his rear end off.. helped wherever we needed.. and never got irritated.  not once.  at least.. not in my presence.  Jen and i were so impressed with him.

doesnt mom have great style in dressing her family? 
their outfits were FABULOUS.

but, this is my favorite image of the day.   little guy sticking his tongue out.. newborn crying.. both OVER the 115 degree temps.. and dad.. just going with the flow.. love it.

and lastly.. some long term clients.  this family was actually my very first paying client i had years ago when Homeshade first started.  cuh-razy.  they are now +1 more, and all grown up.  this guy was barely crawling when i first started photographing them.

this little guy was the biggest ham way back then.. not much has changed.

and this sweet girl just turned 2.  i have been fortunate to do her newborn, 1 year AND 2 year pictures.  soo fun! 

we ended with a big red sucker.  she is a very kind 2 year old.  she shares!!!!

so.. there you have it.  some yummy eye candy to look through. 

hope you all have a FABULOUS weekend.. and check back often.  there is so much more yumminess to blog.

to say i am stuck in a photographic rut would be an understatement.  i often wonder where my MOJO has gone.. and desperately seek to find it again….
when i first started shooting again back in 2005.. i photographed my kids.. it was fun.  i photographed a few friends kids.  it was fun.  but, definitely not something i would do as a profession.  i decided back in 2002 when i quit working for the wedding photographer that owning my own photography business was NOT for me.  then.. something happened. 

besides the fact that i was bored MINDLESS at my desk job at NASA.. and i was allergic to haircolor.. so my hair career was pretty much over.. i was in my 3 year itch of bored.. what will i do next?  Michael thought it should be photography.. i thought it should be something that should pay the bills..

all at this time.. my little man Ashton is going through some crazy things.  he is now 3 and still impossible to understand for anyone but michael, myself and my best friend Amy who speaks unintelligble speech fluently.  its a gift, i tell you!

he has some other quirks that i deem Ashton.. but the speech is the most glaring one.  so, i take him in to be evaluated and walked out with them trying to label my son on the autistic spectrum.  i know a LOT of mom’s go into denial at first when their child is labeled.. and that was my first thought… oh no.. am i one of those mom’s who wont accept my son?? but the more thought i put into it.. i refused to believe that my son was autistic.  he was just different. 

so.. after a few months of me needing direction.. my husband insisted i quit my job.. and just ‘try’ photography.  i kicked in my heels and refused.  then.. my previous women’s minister took me to lunch and flat out told me i was in direct disobedience to my husband.  if he felt commanded to tell me to quit my job.. then i was to follow his leading for my family.  OUCH.  talk about conviction.  i walked into my office from lunch.. and put in my 2 weeks notice.. scared to death.

well.. my business was blanketed in prayer.. and my now employee karen kept sending paying clients my way left and right.. and i was having a BLAST.  trying to find my style.. where i fit in to this photography realm. 

now.. 4 years later.. i look back and think.. WHERE HAVE THE LAST 4 YEARS GONE????  it has been a whirlwind.  a blur.  i think i have a case of whiplash from it going by so fast..

okay.. maybe not whiplash.. but a serious case of shoulder pain from extensive editing.. that we will just pretend is whiplash for the sake of my little story.  HA!

this summer has been a hard one.  i realized that i work TOO much.. and i am in my 3 year itch of i am bored.. what’s next?  i have looked back at all that i have done and realized that i have lost who I am along the way.. something i didnt think would happen.. but apparently did. 

so.. i decided to put a call out on FB for a fun family that will let me shoot how I wanted to.. a free shoot with no worries about which images would sell and which images would not.  unfortunately.. it is no longer about just having fun.. this is my job.. this is how i help support my family.. and supplement my husband’s income. 

i received a LOT of response for the free session.  but..this mom totally won me over by sending me a picture of the family running away from a tyrannosaurus rex.. probably taken at the museum.. or a theme park.. and it cracked me up.  then she sent me a pic of her husband carryingher.. both wearing totally 80′s getup gear.. and then one of her husband being the ‘thinker’… i was laughing at the pictures.. and knew that i would be laughing througha  session with them. 

so.. let me introduce the snow family. 

this session has been floating in my head for about a year now.  i didnt know what form it would take.. i just knew everyone would be soaking wet by the time it was over.  i thought that perhaps it would be my own family in the pictures.. but that has never happened.  so.. i am glad it was this family that it happened to.  the day of the session, i realized on facebook that the dad is the brother of an old friend that i truly miss. 

mom asked me what to wear.
she took EXACTLY what was in my head.. and spun it into fruition.  when they stepped out of the car.. i was SO happy.  i asked for layers.. some collars under tees, some on top of a tee.. oranges/greens in theme.. and then dad busts out with a tie over an orange crush shirt and a vest.. and i did a little internal happy dance.  that was all her.. i didnt/wouldn’t ask dad to dress a certain way.. because it would take a certain man to pull this look off.  he was that certain man. for sure. 

jen and i were looking through this folder earlier.. and we both commented about how much we love this image.. even though it the exact same picture i ALWAYS take.  we decided it was the clothing.. all the bright colors that make me LOVE this image so much.

when she told me she had a baby.. and i realized the baby couldnt get completely involved in the water balloon aspect.. i immediately envisioned him in a tub of water out in the field.. to tie in the water theme for him too.  to say he loved it is an understatement. 

isnt he simply adorable?

my asst. jen second shot with me and got some super fun images from a completely different angle.  i think all fun sessions should pay for an additional shooter..

this is one of my favorite images from the entire day.  Jen asked for his mad face.. if he gets silly when he is  mad.. then i am all for a tantrum.. LOL

this is what happens when you do a shoot with water balloons.. you create mud puddles all around you.  then.. when one of the children come and jump in a mud puddle just beside you.. you get the splatter.  dont i look lovely???

i didnt let it stop me from shooting though.. LOL

i hope everyone enjoyed this session as much as i did.  i am all for shooting more fun ‘concept’ sessions.. around a theme.  so.. if you have a full session booked.. and want to do something a little differently.. lets brainstorm.

speaking of sessions.. my calendar is COMPLETELY booked for family sessions for Christmas.

the only thing left on my calendar are senior sessions, newborn sessions and baby plan sessions. 

so, for those who booked early.. THANK you.

these kiddos were referred to me by one of my AWESOME clients.  i LOVE referrals.  and i love when the referred clients shows up with PETTISKIRTS.  we clearly have the same taste.   

her kiddos were absolutely gorgeous. 

they had just added Cameaux to the family..
im NOT an animal photographer by any means.. but he was small enough.. non intimidating enough.. so i was glad to photograph him. 

we were at Discovery Green park in Houston, TX and it is this really neat park if you havent been.  it is all about green living, recycling when you can.  they have a vegetarian restaurant in the park.  they have these globes in the background on display right now.  each globe represents different alternatives to a greener living.  they have some great tips..

..and they make fun backgrounds. 

also.. Discovery Green park has outdoor ice skating from Thanksgiving to New Years.  my kids had a BLAST.  you should check it out.