I started in this business shooting kids and it’s really what I love to do…where my heart is….so I am returning to my roots.   I am excited about the possibilites of refocusing just on the little ones in our lives.  I love to create a scene and let them play.  My philosophy and style are very photojournalistic, provide a fun environment and let them be. 

As a result of  these changes I will be making a few changes to pricing and packages too, so if you are planning on scheduling a shoot, please make sure to check those out.   Pricing and Session Info

Throughout the month of August I will be running a special for children’s shoots…$75 for the sitting fee.  Sitting fee includes 1 8×10.   Spots will go quickly, so email me at tammy@tammymitchellphotography.com if you are interested. 

Along with regular shoots I will be offering a few “themed” mini shoots throughout the year where I will set up a great scene and the kids will be invited to come and play.  I am SUPER excited about these!!!  It will allow me to combine my love of design and party planning with my love of photography!!  Stay tuned for details of the first theme shoot coming in Sept.  It will be a back to school shoot…details and session information/sign-ups coming soon!!

Here’s a little taste of what’s to come.  A “fake birthday” I had the pleasure of creating for a client last week…watch for these shots in your local craft store and even on HSN and QVC!!

have a great day!
-t

You know me, when somebody says party my brain goes into overdrive!!   When planning a party I always think about a theme first.  Whether that theme is a color palette or a style doesn’t matter….just something that makes bringing everything else together easier.  I immediately thought of a vintage baby boy theme since I have some cool vintage glass plates and cups that I have been DYING to have an excuse to use, so this was perfect!   You can find them pretty easily at most antique stores.

I found this cute little shop online, Pretty Little Studio, that makes the most adorable vintage baby flashcards and all kinds of fun stuff.  I had her custom make some invitations for me and I think they turned out SO cute!!

We served simple breakfast foods that were yummy…a parfait bar with yogurt, fresh berries and granola, bite sized cinnamon rolls and other pastries, and a yummy drink.  To go along with the theme I made a little label for each food item

I just made them in photoshop and printed them out on cute scrapbook paper.  I also made one for the gift table:

Now my favorite part…the favors!!   John thinks I’m crazy because I spend hours making things like this, but this is honestly the most fun part for me.   These are very easy and inexpensive to make, but they are time consuming.  If you have the time and love to be crafty then these are perfect for you!

to make the giant cookies find the recipe here

for the bags you will need:

a roll of parchment paper

thread

a sewing machine

ribbon

a hole punch

pinking shears

any deocrations you want for the bags

Cut parchment paper into 6.5×14″ strips.  fold in half and stitch the sides up using a colorful thread and a zig-zag stitch.   trim off the excess on the sides with the pinking shears.  slip a cookie into the pouch.  fold the top of the bag over and punch two holes at the top about an inch apart.  feed the ribbon through the holes and tie into a bow on the front sideof your bag.  decorate as you like.

like I said, pretty easy, just time consuming but I think the result is WELL worth it!

It’s easy to do this for any shower boy or girl, or even if you don’t know what it is just make a mix of boy and girl vintage tags!   It would also be cute for a little girl’s birthday party if you played some vintage games and added a few more decorations and changed the food a bit!

Hopefully that gets your creative juices flowing for your next party!

Have a great day!
-t

I am NOT a huge editor.  I prefer to know my camera and do my best to nail the shot without the aid of photoshop.  That being said, I do adjust ALL of my photos…just minorly.  There is something to be said (in my opinion) for making the image shine just a little bit more with two simple and quick tricks. 

The two most used combinations on my computer are control M and control U.  If you’re a Mac user they would be apple M and apple U for you.  Control M will adjust your curves (or the brighness of your image) and control U controls the hue/saturation of your image.  By nudging these measurements ever so slightly you can make a HUGE difference in your images. 

See what I mean???

The image on the left is my sooc image (straight out of camera) and the on on the right has a teeny bit of tweaking with those two measurements.  Pretty big difference, huh?  Give it a try and let me know what you think!

Have a great weekend!
-t

I originally did it as a twist on an orange bowl party, and since the Orange Bowl is tomorrow…if you’re a football fan and having a little get together (or if you just want to have a party to get rid of the post Christmas winter blues) here’s an idea for you it’s certain to brighten your day…it doesn’t have to be ALL about the football.

You can find all of these goodies pretty cheaply around town.  Orange take out boxes are from Michaels, fill them with clementines that are in season right ow for a fun favor, the orange chargers are from Party City…I believe they were under $2 a piece, white napkins in a 12 count package from Homegoods for under $10, I mixed in some of my silver mercury glass Christmas ornaments and candle holders for fun, white pillar candles from IKEA for like $1 each, you can find the paper lanterns at most party stores for a reasonable price, Izze at Costco, World Market or BevMo, and you’re all set for some last minute fun tomorrow!

Have a great day!

-t

Hope that brings a

(john hates that I gave him a faux hawk for these pics by the way…he keeps asking why he has a fin on his head. I LOVE it!)

Aren’t those the cutest???  You can have them custom made in a milion different fabrics and colors.  FINALLY something fun and different for boys!

But wait!  It gets even better!!  If you have a little girl you can get MATCHING dresses to go with the ties!!  How cute is that??? 

The lucky winner of this giveaway will receive TWO yes, you read that right, 2 ties in any size and style of you choosing.  Just in time for the holidays your little guy can look too cute.   You know the drill…head on over to mellonmonkeys and pick your two favorites.  Let me know here in the comments which ones are your favorites.  Winner will be announced MONDAY.  If you FB, blog, or Tweet about the giveaway let me know for some extra entries. 

Winner must contact me at tammylmitchell@cox.net within 48 hours of announcement otherwise a new winner will be chosen. 

Good luck!
have a great day!
-t

This one caught my eye it’s called the “hoot hat” SO cute!

and how cute is this modern green hat with circles and a cute little brim??

As you can see, they work well for girls or boys.   And can I tell you again how SOFT they are???!!

Guess what?  The modern green hat with circles and adorable brim can be yours!   Simply visit BMOS, leave a comment and let me know which hat is your fave and you’ll be entered to win! Wouldn’t this make a snuggly gift for someone on your list this year??

Have a happy Friday!

-t

more to come soon!

have a great day!

-t

I thought I’d do a regular feature where I share some of my favorite blogs for inspiration.  If you’re looking for a few good ones to add to your blog roll…here’s one to gt you started!

A Creative Mint  I LOVE her color boards for inspiration.  She takes a photo or something and creates these elaborate and amazing inspiration boards. 

Want some homework?  Take a look at what she creates and see if you can create one of your own!  I’d love to see what you come up with!

For a little inspiration…

Aren’t those images stunning??

Have a great weekend!

-t

I’m especially loving this series right now…now that August is here I can feel fall is in the air!!  I can’t wait!!  

Have a great day!
-t