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Welcome to the New Blogsite

I'm so happy to welcome you to the brand new blog!! If you are a blog follower, take a look around and let me know what you think! If your new- this is where I'll post some of my most recent weddings and sessions, as well as things that are going on in my life. You can also check my website- taraswain.com for pricing and info about what I do, but be sure to check back to the blog regularly and hopefully you'll become a blog stalker! :)
About

AboutTara Swain

Hi, I'm Tara! I'm a wedding and portrait photographer based in Paris, Texas. I love bright colors, a vintage, eclectic feel and whimsical ideas. My passions are weddings and child photography. My favorite color is green, my favorite movie is "The Man in the Moon," I'm NOT a morning person, I've been happily married for 6 years with a beautiful 1 year old little girl and I love to blog!!


Meet Brittany and Jason!! They are very excited about welcoming their baby girl this March.. and I am very excited to be documenting her first year!! :D No question that this little girl is going to be beautiful and super stylish. I had so much fun with Brittany and Jason and a huge thanks to Candace of GirlsandCake for allowing us to use her AMAZING shop for our shoot.. (AND for even making wedding cake cupcakes, Brittany’s favorite flavor of cupcake, just for her!!!) :D

  • Mindy: Wow! I didn't know we had a maternity super model in Paris!! LOVE LOVE LOCVE LOVE THESE PICTURES!!! These are fantastic pictures of a fantastic couple!! Britt- you look AMAZING!!! Your baby bump is the cutest! J did good too! :-). <3 <3 (26.01.12, 11:41PM)
  • Lisa: That is an awesome session and very unique! (26.01.12, 11:42PM)
  • Kasie: Oh my!!! Brittany looks so gorgeous!! Love this session! (27.01.12, 12:05AM)
  • Candice lee: OMG BRITT!!!!:))) These pics are AMAZING!!!! I LOVE THEM!!!! You look so good girl!!:) (27.01.12, 09:51AM)
  • Lauren Woodard: These are absolutely beautiful!! I'm so happy for Brittany and Jason and have always known she'd be the most adorable pregnant chick ever! :) This baby is coming into a wonderful family and I cant wait to see her! (27.01.12, 10:44AM)
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We just celebrated our first year in our new home. So much has changed over the last 2 years.. and God has blessed us with a flourishing and steadily growing business. Shortly after moving in to our new home I realized that in the year it took to get into our home, my business had already outgrown my office and studio! SO, the first exciting announcement I have for 2012 is that in about a week and a half or so, we will be breaking ground on my brand new, natural light studio– a 1250+ sq. foot space, strictly for shooting, that will be built on our property. My 2 enormous prop closets will be cleaned out and everything will be moved to my 1 super huge prop closet in the new studio. No more hauling large, heavy props up and down a spiral staircase, (and no more of my husband dinging up my poor walls.) I’ll still be meeting with clients and working out of my office in my space in our home, but all shooting will be done in the new studio. I’m beyond excited to get back to what I truly love; natural light shooting. My passion will always be on location, (outdoor), concept shooting, so please know that the studio will never replace that. But this natural light studio will allow me so many more options, especially with Texas weather. I’ll also be able to get all of my furniture out of storage and finally have it refinished and upholstered for the boutique area and I can now reclaim my house as, HOME. Although the entire 2nd floor was built for my business, it seems to have taken over the entire downstairs as well. (It will also be a bigger area for hosting my group workshops.) :) More room to display the boutique items, frames, my canvas wraps, coffee table books, custom story book albums, etc. Looking forward to ordering more brand new sample products and LOTS of canvas wraps and frames to decorate my new space. I’ve been working on the layout, design and look of this space since January of last year.. so to see it all come together is going to be beyond exciting for me. As soon as it’s complete I’ll be hosting a big open house celebration that you won’t want to miss… so be sure to look for that announcement. :)

What else does this change? I will now be offering more mini session dates throughout the year, (and for families now as well.) I’ll be opening up some of the next mini session dates within the next couple of weeks. All mini session dates will have a limited number of openings and usually book up extremely quick. If you would like to be put on a wait list to be the first to know, comment below with your email address and I’ll be sure and contact you as soon as I open the next dates up! My already full list of concept ideas is overflowing now and I can’t WAIT to get them started. :)

  • shalonda: WOOOHOOOOO so thrilled for you babe!!!! (23.01.12, 10:53PM)
  • Jordan: how exciting!!!!

    kendallraylansmommy@YAHOO.COM (23.01.12, 10:56PM)
  • Celina: Awesome!!!!! Super excited for you! Congrats Tara:) (23.01.12, 11:00PM)
  • Reagan: Ah! That's beyond exciting! So happy for you! (23.01.12, 11:32PM)
  • Kasie: OMG I'm so excited for you!! (23.01.12, 11:37PM)
  • Connie P: So excited for you Tara and for what 2012 holds for your business. EXCITING!!! (24.01.12, 02:01AM)
  • Ashley Davis: Sooo excited for you Tara! (24.01.12, 03:42AM)
  • Amber Price: amberpricephotography@yahoo.com

    So excited!!!! (24.01.12, 05:38AM)
  • Trecia Nabors: Please let me know!!! (24.01.12, 05:41AM)
  • kellybelly: Awesome!! (24.01.12, 05:53AM)
  • Kelly Fprd: Would love to know about the mini sessions....also the info about them...price, how long of session and so on...Thanks!! (24.01.12, 07:20AM)
  • Misty: That is amazing congrats!!! (24.01.12, 07:29AM)
  • chellsie: Congrats...that's a big step and I kno u are excited...I wanna kno about upcoming shoots please....cd_Sr03@yahoo.com (24.01.12, 07:29AM)
  • Krista Smith: You know I'm very interested in all mini sessions, especially next winter for gracyns bday again, but would like a spring family mini session too!!! So excited for your booming business!! (24.01.12, 07:56AM)
  • Melissa: melissa_m_oneall@yahoo.com (24.01.12, 08:28AM)
  • Melissa O'Neal: melissa_m_oneal@yahoo.com


    I entered the wrong email address the first time. (24.01.12, 08:29AM)
  • connie: You will love it! I started sharing natural light space a year ago and it makes life so much easier! (24.01.12, 08:54AM)
  • Haley: Yay!!! Congrats Tara. This is going to be soo exciting for you and your business. Can't wait for the mini sessions to open up. :) (24.01.12, 09:05AM)
  • MK: Congrats! mbkinabrew@gmail.com (24.01.12, 10:20AM)
  • Tammy: Congrats. That's great news. Can't wait to see the new space. Sounds amazing! (24.01.12, 10:45AM)
  • cheryl: cscott_mba@yahoo.com (24.01.12, 08:33PM)
  • Jessica Vaculik: Yay!! So excited for you. God has truely blessed you and your business!! This was a great decision for you and your family. Can't wait to see it. Congrats! ica_pink@hotmail.com (24.01.12, 08:51PM)
  • Denise Felty: That is great! So excited for you andI can't wait to see it! Congrats ! (24.01.12, 10:56PM)
  • Nikki Bybee: Congrats! So exciting! (25.01.12, 05:54PM)
  • Katie: katiesanders4@msn.com (26.01.12, 05:39PM)
  • Saydi: I would love to know about the family mini sessions for the fall :) (26.01.12, 05:41PM)
  • BRITTANY ECHOLS: Very interested in Fall Family Mini!!!!! (26.01.12, 05:48PM)
  • Heather Bunch: I want to know about the family mini ;) thank u. Can't wait til June (26.01.12, 05:53PM)
  • Misti Koon: I would love to know about the mini sessions. mistimoss@hotmail.com. Thank you! (26.01.12, 05:56PM)
  • Laura: lauralynch_14@hotmail.com (26.01.12, 05:59PM)
  • Sara Kirkpatrick: Can't wait for your family mini sessions!
    sarakirky89@hotmail.com (26.01.12, 05:59PM)
  • Navette: Mini family session please!!! :D (26.01.12, 06:03PM)
  • Jessica A.: I'm so proud for you! You deserve all your sucess! I can't wait to see the new studio. (26.01.12, 06:04PM)
  • Haley Marrs: Tara, Please let me know about the mini sessions. I would love to have current pictures of Billy and I this Fall. Thanks. haley_cates0727@hotmail.com (26.01.12, 06:12PM)
  • Jessica Highful: jessicajanes@hotmail.com love to know more info about your mini sessions and the price! Thanks! (27.01.12, 12:52AM)
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So I am now the parent of a 2 year old. Hard to imagine, I know. I can’t believe we just celebrated Briley’s 2nd birthday!! Well when I say just… I mean over a month ago. Last year I posted her party in February.. I was determined to get it on the blog before then this year. I cut it close but I made it. :) It was as crazy as you can imagine.. 1 week before Christmas Eve, hectic, crazy, wild, but lots of fun. A HUGE thank you to Shani, Aunt Elise and Uncle Carsen, who came early to help set up and of course my best friend Necah (aka aunt Ne-Ne) and Miss Shani again for staying to help with the aftermath. ;) LOVE you all!!! Thank you to everyone who made it out. It means to much to us that you could be a part of her 2nd birthday!!

Last year I didn’t realize until after the storm had calmed that I had not taken.. 1 picture.. during the whole party. It was so chaotic that I hadn’t taken ANY pictures. Luckily Necah took my point and shoot and got some of us opening presents but other than that, all I had really taken was SOME of decor before the guests started arriving. This year I told myself I wasn’t going to forget.. BUT my sweet friend Shani took my DSLR and took pictures during the party. I don’t know what I would have done without her because I only ended up taking 1 or 2 with my point and shoot once the party got started!! THAAANNNKKK you a million times over Shani. :D I did manage to get most of the decor before guests started to arrive.. because I definitely wanted to show of Briley’s amazing Elmo cake and cupcakes from Girls and GirlsandCake!! Candace, your awesome.. as always!!! If you are wondering, that Elmo head… is pure cake. Yup. It’s all cake. Nothing fake on that bad boy. The head itself weighed as much, if not more, than a human head! haha. Sadly… B didn’t make it home without any accidents. With the drive home, and I’m sure there were plenty of bumps, Elmo’s head “slid” a little sideways. So if you notice any tilting on the cake, OR smudging on the icing.. please know that that was all me (trying to slide Elmo’s head back over. ;) Can’t believe how beautiful it turned out!!

Elmo Ribbon Piñata: Amazon
Balloons: Amazon
Cupcake toppers, Briley’s Party hat, Elmo Banner, Elmo Decor: I made
Briley (Seasame) Street Sign: Etsy
Cake, Cupcakes and Cake Push-pops: GirlsandCake
Red/Orange Elmo Tutu: Little Dreamers Inc.
Applique 2/B Tee: Paris Baby

  • Melody: aHHH...so sad that I had to miss it. Looks like it was big success. She's getting so big! Next time I'm in town I need to drive out... (22.01.12, 09:40PM)
  • Connie: What a beautiful party-decor and all. Looks like she had a great 2nd birthday. :) (22.01.12, 09:48PM)
  • Shani Baird: We had SOO much fun helping, attending, and playing with Briley at her birthday party!!! It was the CUTEST party EVER, you did such an awesome job!!! You are supermom!!! Thank you for inviting us, and I was happy to help, wouldn't have had it any other way!!! Love you!!! xo's (22.01.12, 09:51PM)
  • Elise Ellexson: Uncle Carsen and Aunt Elise LOVED b's party :) You are amazing with details and we can't wait to have you help us plan our kid's birthdays some day :) (22.01.12, 09:54PM)
  • Kasie: Omg soooo cute!! Love everything about the decorations! I was wondering if I had missed the birthday blog post! Haha (22.01.12, 10:03PM)
  • Natalie: Great party! Love the book signing idea! (22.01.12, 10:04PM)
  • Miranda: I was looking forward to this from your Pinterest! It was BEYOND amazing! Get ready to be pinned yourself. ;) (22.01.12, 10:10PM)
  • Haleen Parrish: AWWW! Looks like yall had an amazing time. I love all the decor! TOO CUTE!! I love the black and white shot of Briley. She is such a beautiful baby! I can't believe she is 2 already!! :) (23.01.12, 08:17AM)
  • Carla Michael: omg! Tara amazing job. You're definitely supermom. Special day and pictures for a sweet little lady! (23.01.12, 04:35PM)
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    Pricing + Info
    Wedding + portrait session pricing and information.