Some Christmas cheer on New Year Eve

As I have promised, here are some of my favourite outtakes from my Christmas card shot. I will share my whole process with you, so a little warning, this post has a lot of photos! .

I really wanted to shoot outside, unfortunately it was quite cold so we had to shoot twice, that's why there are two different outfits. Both times were very short, literally 15 minutes each.

Carly, who won the comtetition, sent me this most amazing e-mail packed with ideas and even images to show what she meant. I loved her idea for my girls to hold a blackboard with a chalk writing on it. I have tried practicing and soon realised there is no chance they will hold it together. So I needed two! Well, Lucy being an angel, tried her best to help me, but Klara had other plans. Very cute though J!

 

 

Another idea which I was doing at the same time was to try and shoot as they decorate the tree. Since we went there twice, it has became "our big Christmas tree". We had a very small one this year so if certain someone tries to pull a decoration off it, no damage would happen.

And I really wanted to get a shot of both of them walking and holding hands:

I found two quotes about Christmas that I really liked and they helped me to choose the final image. Well, it was a tie between two images:

"The best of all gifts around any Christmas tree: the presence of a happy family all wrapped up in each other." - Burton Hillis

And here is my chosen "official" image:

"My idea of Christmas, whether old-fashioned or modern, is very simple: loving others. Come to think of it, why do we have to wait for Christmas to do that?" - Bob Hope

I'm glad I found time to do it even though December was so busy. I shoot almost every day and A few of those images will definately be framed and we had a great time decorating "our" big Christmas tree.

I hope you all had a nice Christmas and I wish you a great New Year! I am looking forward to it and everything it will bring all of us!

Merry Christmas 2011!!!

My idea of Christmas, whether old-fashioned or modern, is very simple: loving others. Come to think of it, why do we have to wait for Christmas to do that? - Bob Hope

Merry Christmas, everyone! Have a wonderful time with your families this Christmas and all year around! Thank you all for your support, it means a lot to me.

And a special thank you to all those who sent me Christmas card ideas, especially Carly :) I will be posting lots of my favourite outtakes next week.

A wee bit of heaven...

A wee bit of heaven
drifted down from above-
A handful of happiness,
a heart full of love.

The mystery of life,
so sacred and sweet-
The giver of joy
so deep and complete.

Precious and priceless,
so lovable, too-
The world’s sweetest miracle,
baby, is you.
~ Helen Steiner Rice

My favourite part of the session was watching the little tiny 10 days old baby fall asleep in her mum's arms... The way she looked a her - so much trust in her eyes.. Newborn babies are so amazing, so fragile but so strong at the same time. So dependant on their mum and dad, they find comfort in being next to those whose voices they have been listening to for many months..

 

 

 

 

A little competition - need your help!

Well, my dear blog readers, I need your help! So here is our little pre-Christmas competition, and the winner will be able to receive a free photosession with me plus 8x10 print.
For the last 3 years I have ordered my own Christmas cards and it's quite a big deal for me. A tradition I would like to keep up... Usually I have quite a few ideas that I try and then choose the image that "clicks". I love the challenge and it's my big creative project. I love the "outtakes" as well.. Even more, I know everyone who normally gets the card will be very disapponted if they will receive a "normal" card this year.

But here is my problem! My inspiration has gone somewhere! I find it very hard to really get into Christmas mood when it's raining outside and the leaves are still falling... I have even put our fairy lights up already and even watched "It's a worderful life" one or (two) times, but no solid ideas that would even be worth trying.

So I need your help, I need your ideas! Anything... a great quote about Christmas, a good location, links to some outfits, as elaborate or as basic as you want. The only big requirement - both of my girls should be together in it. Inside/outside, doesn't matter. Some kind of a set up where they will be able to just be themselves and I will be able to catch that one moment.

Here are the previous Chrismas cards:

2008

2009

 

2010

Of course your ideas are welcome whereever you are, but the session should be within 10 miles radius of BS32, Bristol. So, if you are interested, please send me an e-mail to tamara@tphotography.co.uk with "Christmas Card" in the subject!

Can't wait to read your ideas! And please, share this with your family and friends.

One october afternoon!

We went for a walk to Ashton court to find some pretty leaves and take photos, of course! But there was hardly any colourful leaves other than green, autumn was a bit late this year. We still had a great time though!

 

Posing was all his! No direction was given from me at all, but I thought it suited the gorgeous view!

 

And my favourite with yummy light:

Have a nice Friday! 

Autumn availability

I am the first one to complain about the Christmas reminders in October, but lets admit it, Christmas is just around the corner. And as much as I don't like how Christmas has become all about presents, we all want to make our loved ones happy. Are you struggling with ideas? Same old socks, tie, box of chocolates, perfume, scarves and hats? Well, here is one for you - why not to book a session with me and then order some gorgeous images of your family or your children for you family members? Beautiful framed prints, canvases that grangparents can proudly show off on their walls or some desk frames to take to work, or beautiful coffee table books to keep precious memories that will be cherished in the years to come? What can be more personal?
Autumn with its fantastic colours is the perfect time for it as well. And I have just a few Saturdays left available:
15th of October
5th of November
19th of November
3rd of December (you will need to decide very quickly in order to have everything ready as Christmas gifts if you book this date).
To book or ask any questions either use contact form on my website http://www.tamaratoveyphotography.co.uk/ or write me tamara@tphotography.co.uk
And while we are waiting for the leaves to turn yellow and red, please have a look at my favourite previous years autumn sessions:
Colours
Four now
Warning! Cuteness overload!
2009
How do you hold a moonbeam in your hand
Of course, a post is not complete without a photo. No bright colours yet, but it's not a summer anymore either:

 

The reason I love children!

Last week has been very busy! Now that Lucy is in preschool most of my days I feel like I'm running back and forth all day long! But I love how in the middle of this my children make me slow down and just enjoy live and laugh. We went to visit Lucy's friend and she wanted to take a magic wand we made. So I remembered we had those tutus I made ages ago but she didn't like wearing them. Of course the little one wanted to copy her big sister and I had a little tutu for her. All I had to do was to grab my camera :)

 

 

 

 

None of this was planned, totally spontaneous. It was such a miserable grey day and they completely changed the mood of it. For me, and for the strangers we met on our way. Hope this brightens up your day! Have a nice weekend!

Alannah

I love love love photographing new babies! Very risky though as it's impossible to hold a newborn baby and not get broody. Newborn cuddles are just heavenly. Especially if you can just hand them back to their parents and don't have to deal with the luck of sleep and tiredness :)

I love watching parents with their first baby. It's such a special time in their life. I remember how hard it was for me. I was so sleep deprived, exhausted after a very long labour, with uncomfortable and painful stitches, not forgetting to mention the initial agony of breastfeeding! The hardest thing the realisation that now I am responsible for this little fragile baby and I just got myself a new job where I work 24 hours 7 days a week with not much sleep, no lunch breaks, very occasional time off, no holidays and no pay :)  And when we were driving home from the hospital, I kept wondering why on earth women put themselves through it again and again and again? I was so overwhealmed and kept thinking why none of my friends with kids told me that it would be so hard?
Of course after a few weeks I started to see why, but those first few weeks are so so hard. So hold on, Alex and Ruth, you will get most of your sleep back and it will get easier :) Thank you for inviting me to photograph your perfect beautiful girl. I hope you will be able to look back on those images and remember this special time in your lives.
Alannah is absolutely gorgeous and you would think she is tiny but you can belive that she was 9lb when her mummy holds her! Here are some of my favourites and really there are a lot more coming in the gallery for you to choose from:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

And to keep up with the previous blog post,  I am posting some with apples :) 

 

 

Birthing shirt

I'm very much behind on blogging so I will start with the most recent sessions. Last weekend I had a session for Lindsey from the Birthing shirt company . All I can say I wish I have found out about it a year earlier! I won't be showing you my after birth photos that's for sure! I ended up buying a cheap nightie from Primark but it was too short to walk around without anything else, looked ugly and I wish had poppers instead of buttons and more of them for better access for breasteeding. Lindsey has really thought everything out and her attention to every detail is amazing. She is an Architect after all! Very good access for breastfeeding, a lot longer than a regular t-shirt (did I mention I wish I've known about the birthing shirt a year ago?!), lovely soft bamboo fabric. And looks nice!
But I will let you see for yourselves:

 

And a matching headband:

It was nice to work with Lindsey, to try and get the images she wanted so those who buy it can see what it looks like on a pregnant model. And if you are expecting or know somebody who is, it would make a fantastic gift. And even though it's called a birthing shirt, it can be used during pregnancy and after birth as well so totally worth the investment.