when amanda contacted me and we started talking about locations, the library came up. i have a SUPER cool library near my house, so we decided to go for it! and can i just tell you excited i was to get outside the box and not be at the beach on a sunny wednesday morning? thank you amanda, ben, and mallory for the great idea.
we met up at the park first and then headed over to read some books. this little girl was so delicate and precious, and her parents are OVER THE MOON in love with her.
and now for the library. we got stopped several times – by librarians asking me if i had permission to photograph these people. um yes, thank you. we were quiet as mice (mostly) and did our best not to disturb.
absolutely love the color outside-it matches moms eye make up too…
dont forget to return your books!
we found letters and spent a few hilarious minutes trying to find a word we could spell, until finally, LIGHTBULB MOMENT!
one more snuggle outside and we were finished.
note from tara about questions: i do my best to answer in the comments if youve asked a question there that i think others might want to know as well. if not, i try to email. so check back on comments if you’ve asked something and i havent emailed you!
L O V E the library idea and the MV Library is one of the best around. Great shots love! :-)
What are your tips for such great indoor photos? Your coulors looks great!
I think that last expression is what people mean when they say “feel the love.”
beautiful shots… as always…
sara
http://gitzengirl.blogspot.com
What a great idea! So original and creative!
i looove the peeking through the shelf at their kiss shot!
awesome shots! You really can shoot anywhere :)
I love libraries. The kids get so lost in looking at books and playing. Wonderful job!
oooooooh! love the READ one!
I love these pictures, what an awesome idea to shoot in the library.
and I totally loved that mom’s makeup matched the flowers :)
I wonder, do you do all your stuff handheld? or do you use a mono or tripod sometimes?
The library! BRILLIANT! What a fabulous idea for a location!
As always these are amazing photos.
What a fun setting for photos! The close up of the little girl looking at the book is adorable. And, those purple flowers….wow! Very beautiful family and great pictures.
What a fabulous idea!!!! Now, of course, I wish we had a cool library in our town ;)
What a great idea to photograph in a library. So, did you really get permission or did you just wing it? :)
Great location idea!! Lovin the purple flowers. :)
tara these are super sweet!
i could just see my family of 4 readers that we are
wanting a shoot at the library!!! how FUN!!!!!!
tara
Love these Tara!! gosh you can tell the parents are crazy about her she is adorable. Love the location!
These pictures ROCK! I especially love the one of them reading and the hand shot is perfect! I always love your beach shots but this was a great idea~
You rock SO damn hard it KILLS me.
FABULOUS as usual!
Wow! I love these! what a FUN session! Did you use flash for inside the library?
Thanks for the info on the square glass clip frames today. I read your blog everyday… mostly because I love your work… but also because I’m originally from So. Cal (Laguna Hills)… (now living in Toledo, OH)… and seeing your images with familiar locations help when I get homesick.
LOVE, LOVE, LOVE THE LIBRARY PICTURES… my old library… beautiful…
me encantan tus fotos!!!!!!! y tu familia es hermosa……saludos de argentina….
sara-thats totally what i thought, and what i almost wrote! “feel the love.”
joscie-all handheld.
todd-i didnt get permission. i would rather sweetly ask forgiveness then get shut down when asking for permission. i wouldnt ever do anything terribly illegal…not terribly…;)
kendra-no flash, just window light and high ISO at times.
hey…I recognize the Mankins! Such a fabulous shoot…and so fun to use the library. Gorgeous family and gorgeous pics :)
Tara, I love them–gorgeous, gorgeous, gorgeous photos (as always). Do you have a tip to share for taking photos from a floor-eye view. When I try it, it doesn’t seem to work for me—do you hold the camera, or place it on the floor? I love that angle, but I haven’t had much success in shooting it myself (I have a Canon Rebel XSi).
Wow, I would have never thought of the library! Great idea…
Delightful!!!
Rats! I have a heaping bag of books I was going to return to that very library today. Then people would be asking you about the permission to shoot and the freak lady who was hovering over your shoulder hoping to catch some of your magic.
I have been peeking at your blog for a while, and you are so talented. These are great pictures.
love this family shoot tara! awesome idea, and your library is gorgeous (those flowers!). but, let’s just be honest. you could photograph a family anywhere and it would be fabulous. you’re just amazing!
wow!!! What an idea!!!! I’ll have to put the “library” in my pocket!! Hey, the family that reads together stays together! :)
I love love LOVE, that’s L.O.V.E the last snuggle one….I’d have that one HUGE in my house.
Beautiful job Tara.
oh….come to Florida and teach me all that you know about cameras!! I just adore your pictures and though I realize it is silly to want to be someone else…but when it relates to taking pictures I just wish to be you. Florida is nice in the winter too.
One of my favorite shoots you’ve ever done!!! Totally original and totally AWESOME!!!
These are incredible, Tara! I adore the kiss in the swing–what a sweet moment!
the librarian in me is totally drooling over these photos!
And I love how her eyeshadow matches the flowering vines on the arbors!
Ok – I have been a huge fan or yours for-eva, but this has just cemented it..if I don’t get you to take pictures of my family I will just die. I know it. I think you could be the one person that could take a picture of me that I love.
These shots are just gorgeous.
As usual, your pictures are stunning. I totally love the word “read”,
that would be a great promo. poster for the American Library Association.
You are fabulous!
Jane
Adorable family!! Libraries are so magical for little ones and you created magic for this family! Which lens did you use for these, you’re 24-70? That’s the one I am eyeballing right now and wondered if that was sufficient enough to get the between the books/one aisle over kiss from mom and dad. Or did that require the 17-40? which editing program do you use? Those flowers are to die for as a frame!
You are just endless creativity! Love the library, amazed at the lighting in that first shot and wondering how you metered for that so quickly (well, I assume quickly).
Ohhhh, I love them! you rock.
I LOVE the location and the letters and the lovin in the bookshelves! Ingenius! Ingeneous? Igneous? LOL
Such a fan of your work and your imagination! You are one clever chick!
these shots are awesome! i love libraries…did you have to get permission to photograph inside the library?
fantastic idea for location & (of course) great execution! Every time I see one of your sessions, I get a little jealous of all those Californians. Let me know if ever come east to Boston :)
These are possibly my favorite photos of yours yet! Amazing. Amazing.
I read Mission Viejo and get a little verklempt. That’s where I lived as a little girl. (Now I’m an E. Coaster.) I miss the bougainvillea!
Great photos, as usual!
Unbelievable. Library on Marguarite and La Paz? I’ve never been there. It was new when I was in HS and I then I was outta there. I had no idea you live in MV, not that I know you. Ha. My only connection to you is that I have a friend in LA who knows Em. Oh and I’m a photog too. that’s it.
LOL, I think the public library system should hire you for PR instead of wondering if you should be doing what you’re doing!
OK Tara, only you could make a library look like fun!
~kelle
Tara – Your pics are always so beautiful and full of love. I have one question as an aspiring photographer…..how do you get people to relax in front of the camera? Do you give them things to do and direct them most of the time? My own family gets stilted and stiff when I pull out the camera for any “casual portrait” shooting. ??????? Thanks a million.