boys, legos, dumpers, and dirt • family session at home

Melanie - Everytime I visit your blog and see another session I am so jealous we live on completely different coasts. Your pictures are gorgeous! The families you photograph are so lucky because you really can feel your connection to them through your photos. It is as if you have known them all your life! Keep up the good work!

mary alice - oh, i am in TOTAL agreement - and these are FANTASTIC!!! i am having the hardest time convincing people to let me come over...for the exact same reasons you shared. i am gonna be sharing this post with everyone i know. keep rockin' it, girl - these are AMAZING!!!

Mimi - Tara, I'm so glad you convinced them to shoot the session at their home. It's where they should be remembered -- and look at how much fun they had! There is so much love in these photos.. what fun boys!

Liz - I always love seeing pictures of families in their own surroundings - catching them in their most natural state. Beautiful pictures!

Sharyn - you've been blessed with a make magic gene. I'd be the first to say - NOT MY HOUSE - and now, well, I *might* consider it

Georgia - I wish!!!!!

amy t schubert - GORGEOUS. .. oh, how fun. Those boys are awesome! Tara, you're my hero.

Jen Barnes - OHMY GOSH. WOW. The clone soldier helmet photograph is just too much. :-D

stacymeyers - awesome!!!!!so let me know when ur coming to san antonio,tx...maybe next year ;) that would be heaven for ME!!

Jennifer - I wish we lived on the same coast cos I would totally have you come to my house and photograph me and my family.

Visty - Hmm, I don't have that rockin orange tree...but I'll send you a ticket anytime!

Suzelle - heart melting :)

Wendi Riggens - Couldn't be more perfect!!!

michelle sidles - These are PERFECT! Some of my favorite sessions that you've posted are the ones at people's homes. :) And to calm people's nerves... I never notice the decor or clutter. I notice the family interactions. So great!

Sharon Ee Wen Ting - TALENTED!!! FABULOUS!

haley lamb - so so good :)

nicole - great boy photo ideas! I need them. I have 4 little boys!

Heidi Fazio - you can come over ANYTIME!! the storm trooper helmet made me laugh!!

katie - that is an awesome truck collection. they will love having photos of that stage.

Elaine - if you are ever in chicago, let me know!

Linda - They are lovely Tara. A happy family in a happy home. Love all the boy stuff.

Tara M - when the TO trip is back on you're welcome to come on over lady!

Katrina V - T, such a cute session... ok, so maybe my house wouldn't be such a HORRIBLE idea for our session ;o) still thinking... how do you make sure the light will be sufficient?

tara pollard pakosta - perfect! I so wish you could come to my house! tara pp

Jennifer Mendoza - Your work is so inspiring. I absolutely love how you capture the joy of real family life. I wish you could come over to my house in FL.

hailey - please do come over to our house! (we are in australia!!) when are you coming?!?!!

Brenda - Tara, you are one amazing photographer...you may come over to our home anytime! (and bring your camera!) I'm serious, I think you need a trip to Northwest Oregon and you would LOVE photographing us in our place, we don't have young children but could bring in some grandkids, or you could just take pics of us and the goats! You are totally amazing and you inspire me so much!

Susy - Yes please, it would mean a holiday in Australia though, could you handle that ;-)

Kayla Renckly - Those are so fun! Love the idea of this! As a mom of two boys, these are just precious boy moments!

Shelley Dalebout - I love the picture of those chubby little hands on the sandy dump truck!

Heather Collins - I would love to have to come over and take our photos. These again are great! I love the idea of a photo shoot at home, that is where a family should feel the most comfortable and be more themselves. These are great.

jan - ooh, i love your photos. but i especially adore the bathtub photo!

Holly - These are my god children! Thanks for making memories for me as well as for all of the people who love this family!! Great work! You captured them just as I remember being with them in their home a few months ago.

Shannon D - Tara, the angles are amazing and your eye for seeing things we don't never ceases to blow me away. And I am so ready for you to come over to my house, just jump on a plane to Australia!

Jayne - I think this is probably my most fav blogged shoots of yours - a 'real' family :) Love it!

Kelly - Just perfect... (I mean perfectly imperfect!) I love your work.

Christine - beautiful beautiful beautiful! you could take pics at our crappy home anytime!! :)

Clair - ADORABLE!

Rae - Oh I WISH you could come over to my house with your camera! seriously, any time you are passing by the UK... a girl can dream right?! ;o) quite simply, wherever you shoot, you ROCK Tara! ;o)

Nina Friedman - Until I looked at your photos, I didn't even KNOW Lisa was seeing a stormtrooper! You've so captured the personalities of The Boys. It's a privilege to see the joy. Nina

Deb - I LOVE the bath tub sequence.

denise - The storm trooper picture is killing me - i love it!

melidna Tuttle - These are so fun and full of character. I too love the mask picture. The one in the bath is adorable too!

Aileen - I {heart} you. These photos are incredible.

lisamcg - Love these shots. I could so relate to the legos and the trucks and the boy stuff in the yard. Lovely family - lovely photos.

lisamcg - Also love that clone trooper picture of the parents. Awesome!

Lesley - This looks like way too much fun! :D

Michelle - The first and only time we've had a professional family photographer (other than our wedding), we did it at our house. I think pictures at home like this are SO special. It's your place! How wonderful years from now. My only problem was figuring out how to hang pictures taken in our living room in our living room. lol.

steph anne - Then come over my house! :)

lee kriel - please come to my house. any. day. i love the tonka truck and the dimples in the fingers. the sprinkler feet. and the toes sticking out of the tub. great work, as usual. you tell a beautiful story of family....always.

laura h. - so stinkin' cute. aren't little boys awesome!?

Kal - Tara - your eyes see magic in everything. Pretty, pretty. New fall sweaters are out now! Made me think of you.

Sarah - These are just fantastic!! I think having them done at home seriously makes them extra special!

pocahontas fauss - I sooo wish you could come over to my house, but FL is just far away! I will just have to bring my family to you! Looking forward to meeting you sometime next year!! the hubby is on board-California here we come!

Angela - fabulous as always....:)

Marla - I LOVE the first one in the bath tub with the brother's little feet just peeking over the edge of the tub! So wonderful. You have such a gift for capturing real moments. I love to see your work!

Brandi Ginn - Ohhh, we have the girl version of that puppy. It's a bunny. And appropriately called "bunny friend" it was once attached to a soft blanket with satin trim. It is well loved by my almost 5yo. My 1yo has her own too, she just tries to grab the french knots (made for eyes) with her teeth. She's showing a different kind of love.

pocahontas fauss - I love the Star Wars helmet. I must admit I am a fan.

BethBG - Tara, I would *love* to have you come to my house! Wanna come to Buffalo? :-D XX's

Mel - I love the first one of the kids in the bath, love the little feet peeking over the side of the tub

SandyHelena - A perfect natural enjoyable place to photograph! The Home is where the heart is to capture that priceless smiles :0). Beautiful~

Brown Girl - I would seriously give my right arm to have you come to my house (that I HATE) to take pictures. Ok, make that the left arm since I'm right handed but seriously it's all yours. Beautiful photos, I am a long time blog reader first time commenter. ;) I absolutely adore your work and your beautiful family!

jeramy - wow! excellent. there is a real....uh...."realness" to these shots. i L O V E the bw toy truck shot....LOVE! great job lady.

emily ruth - just proves that you don't have to look like a model to be beautiful & that home is where the love is...

susi (dragonflydreamer) - Your intimate style of photography makes me want to learn how to really take good photos with my Canon Digital Rebel. I know that I need to learn the technical aspects of photography to take good photos and then practice to develope my own style. You are such an amazing artist with your camera. I wish I could afford to have you photograph my family. Thanks for sharing your art on your blog.