YOU ARE MY WILD \ WEEK 1

I hardly have any images taken of my kids on an SLR over the last two years. iPhone : blessing and curse. Since earlier this year I have been using my Canon Rebel (and film) to photograph my family instead of the 5d Mk3. Which is cool, and I am loving it….but here’s the thing: I haven’t processed even one roll. I have something like 15 rolls of film in a basket by my front door that I am too weird/possessive/afraid about sending off. Which is completely ridiculous and I am actually going to pinky swear right now that before January is over, I will send those suckers IN.

That feels good. To have said that out loud. Keep me accountable!

My heart’s intention was to focus more on my personal life with a camera this year. And I kind of did that, it was just with my iPhone. (Which I am kind of okay about? KWIM?) I also followed along with two other photographer’s portrait projects with their own children. Leah Zawadzki and Josh Solar both took a portrait of each of their kids, once a week, for a year. (They each have three children, so what an accomplishment.) Both of these projects inspired me so much, and I had this pull to do one of my own. But I know me. A portrait of each of my kids every week just wouldn’t happen, so I dropped it.

Smooth Transition to three weeks ago, when I got an email from Meaghan Curry, inviting me to be a part of You Are My Wild, a group portrait project.

You Are My Wild is “a weekly portrait project that brings together 14 photographers to document how they see their children.”

Participants:

Anje Bridge
Becky Zeller
Brooke Schwab
Dera Frances
Isabel Furie
Jessica Kraus
Kati Dimoff
Kelsey Gerhard
Klodjana Dervishi
Meaghan Curry
Rebecca Conway
Ryan Marshall
Shelby Brakken

In the email, Meaghan told me we would each share one photo per week. It could be a photo of one of our children, or all. We could each define portrait as we wished.

(LIGHTBULB!) I don’t have to do EACH of my children. I can loosely define portrait. I just need to focus on using my other cameras to do it. As I read the list of names, I got more and more excited to be a part of this, and I immediately said yes.

Our very first set of images: Week One

I think this is going to be really special as each week you see a comparison of what is happening in the lives of all of us, in different states and countries, with different kids and ages, and different views of the project. This week, I found similarities with the tutus and the Mickey hats, and man, that just makes me smile.

So, welcome to the first week of this year long project. We will be posting every Tuesday if you’d like to follow along. xo

-Tara

 

CHRISTMAS MORNING SUNRISE (& UPDATE)

Hello there, and welcome to 2013 on my blog!

I always take some time off over December to immerse myself in the kids and the traditions of Christmas….it has been so nice. Over that time, we re-c0nnected with old friends and family, had a lot of rest, took the boys camping, celebrated two birthdays, organized a trip to Disneyland for Mckenna, organized a weekend with cousins for Anna, had everyone at our house for Christmas Eve, and hosted a NYE party turned hilarious tipsy dance party. I was also able to photograph newborn twins on New Years Day, and meet up for a last minute session with a repeat client at the beach. We ALSO cleaned out and re-organized our home office, which was a huge major undertaking.

WHEW!

I spoke here about wanting to make Christmas something …. more …. and less ….. this season. With older kids, we wanted to make something magic out of our time together that didn’t have as much to do with Jolly Ole Saint Nick and the presents he brings. We still wanted to offer them gifts, but we wanted to limit the amount and gift with some meaning and thoughtfulness. It became a puzzle/challenge for us to think of things that were simple, yet would be fun or surprising for them to open. We did a name swap with my family to save money and limit stress for everyone. I wanted to focus on giving with the kids, and we came up with something we could give everyone: homemade succulent planters. I had a plethora of second hand containers and soil, all it took was a trip to Home Depot for a flat of baby plants and some time with the kids choosing which succulents would go to whom, and in what container. They loved creating them and giving them, as did I. I am pretty sure everyone liked receiving them, too.

Another thing that was important for me to address was Christmas day itself – it was going to be the first time in years we would stay home all day, just us, and I wanted to make sure it was special. Jeff and I talked many times about many different ideas. But the one that stuck is pictured above.

These photos are from Christmas morning. We woke them up for a change, while it was still dark outside, at 5:45am. Jeff whispered, “Get dressed in warm clothes, and head quietly downstairs, we have a surprise for you.” As they got ready, I made hot chocolate and coffee in paper to-go cups. We piled into our cold car, listening to Christmas music as we drove. The streets were empty. It was dark. We drove to one of our favorite spots and walked up to the top of a hill that has 365 degree views of Orange County. You can see ocean, mountains, and everything in between. I handed out our warm drinks, laid out a blanket, and we watched the Christmas morning sunrise.

It was really, really special. I was overcome with emotion and joy in a way I haven’t been in a long time. I knew it was right, that it was needed, that they would get it. I had never woken up for a sunrise before in my life, and neither had the kids. We cuddled, drank our coffee and hot cocoa, took photos, and then when the sun had peeked above the mountains and the morning was all lit up, we drove home to see what Santa had left us.

I am enthusiastically looking forward into 2013, which professionally will (finally) bring the change to my brand, new blog formats and features, more travel sessions, and a new collaboration I am really thrilled and excited to be a part of. (It starts tomorrow! Come back in the morning for details.)

Personally, I hope 2013 will include more time with my favorite people, more learning and personal growth, more time outside, and duh – obvi: more good thrift karma.

–Tara

 

HOW I USE A HOUSE DURING A SHOOT

LIGHT FIRST, STUFF SECOND.

Well, PEOPLE FIRST. Obviously. That goes without saying. After we get that straight, then comes the light and the stuff.

That’s how I choose what to use and where to shoot in a clients’ home. I take a walk around and watch where the kids gravitate naturally as they show me. I’m like, “Okay there’s a good window – there’s some gorgeous color – oh! There’s some pretty stuff.”

I ask them what is important to them, what corners of their home are favorite. I ask them what, if any, objects they would like to incorporate.

I like to try for 5-10 different set ups, depending on how many people are involved. A set up is one location or activity in the home.

Sometimes light is most important in a certain set up, sometimes the thing they want to incorporate is in a dark place and that is what is important. I crank my ISO and give it to them anyway if I can’t move it to better light.

For this session I was working in a two bedroom loft apartment. I would say they had low to average natural lighting in their home. It was not the most difficult house I’ve worked in, but it was also not the easiest. Just a sweet, real home filled with mementos and love, so I felt it would be the perfect one to share.

Bedroom set up: I fell in love with the pile of stuffed animals in their shared room, so even though the lighting wasn’t the best on the floor there I asked them to hop into position. The blinds are partially down and closed because there was direct sunlight coming through and I was blocking it. After I shot them like this, I asked them to each sit on the top bunk near the window. I moved to the end of the bunk bed, side-lighting them with the window as I photographed them together. A reflector would have come in handy if I ever used the one I bought in 2003. I usually move too fast for reflectors.

Drum set up: The sliding glass door offered some amazing light in their main living area. I knew I would want to shoot there. The fact that the drum set was placed there was just my luck. After we shot those, I placed a chair in front of the window and faced my clients towards the light for portraits. (Cropped out of the photos is the treadmill next to the daughter and the big screen TV next to the son.)

Play kitchen/Art set up: The blue metal cabinet and wall of artwork caught my eye immediately upon entering their home. I knew I had to use it in some way, just for my own satisfaction. There was a window above the cabinet that was covered. We had to open the drapes and pull up the blinds completely to light that area. I asked the daughter to hang out by her play kitchen, and got that image as she walked over.

The old payphone was something they loved and really wanted to incorporate. I asked to place it in the spot that inspired me so that I could fill two requests at once. Theirs and mine.

To summarize my organized chaos:

There is the light, there is what the client wants, and there is what you see.

I take note of the light and move furniture or stuff to place people where I find it appealing.
I pay attention to the corners of a home that inspire me personally and find a way to use them.
I ask the client what part of their home inspire them and do my best to use it whether good light or bad.
I find out where they spend most time together and what they do, and then we do that.
I ask the client what objects, if any, they would like to incorporate into the session.
I take photos of small details on shelves and nightstands, etc.

If I can shoot in good light, I do.
If I can’t, I make it work.

This is very personal as lighting and decor preferences have a BIG range. Don’t go into someone’s home with the intention of shooting just what is popular right now. Go to a home with the intention of finding what the client loves about it and what you are personally touched or inspired by. If you walk in and the house is dark or small for your taste, drop your light drenched hopes and dreams and focus on the reality in front of you. (MAKE IT WORK – TIM GUNN.) Your clients are trusting you in their most vulnerable place – their home. Earn that trust.

If HOME is chosen as the location for the session, it is most definitely loved. And that is all the inspiration I need. All you have to do is pay attention to what is loved.

-Tara