Hi, I’m Tamara!

I Was Supposed to Be Flying Airplanes…

True story.

I studied aviation and was a student pilot, which makes becoming a newborn and maternity photographer a pretty significant plot twist. I didn’t grow up knowing I wanted to be a photographer. I did graduate from a school for art-gifted students. My mom is a fashion designer, and my grandma was a very talented baker, so art is in my blood for sure.

Photography found me later. When I decided to stay home with my kids and I needed something to do other than changing diapers, I built a business creating and selling newborn photography props. With the help of customers that turn photography friends, I learned how to shoot with my Canon Rebel camera and fell in love with newborn photography. One of those good friends was the photographer who did my twins’ newborn photos.

I started my business in August 2016 and, somewhere along the way, what started as something I loved became my career. A decade later, I still find it a little funny that I went from learning how to fly airplanes to spending my days posing six-pound tiny humans.

Life has range.

I’m a Mom Too…

I’m a mom to boy-girl twins, which means motherhood came at me two babies at a time. They’re teenagers now, which is an entirely different adventure, but being their mom has shaped so much of who I am (and certainly built the patience for it! haha). It has also given me a very realistic view of families.

I know kids can be hilarious one minute and completely unreasonable the next. I know moms are usually the ones taking the pictures and are therefore mysteriously missing from half of their family’s memories (I did too). And I know how ridiculously fast children change, even though people warn you about it approximately 4,000 times. Unfortunately, they’re right. One minute they’re babies and the next they’re almost as tall as you and questioning every decision you make.

In my defense, I’m only five feet tall, so the height part wasn’t exactly difficult.

I’m Very Much a People Person…

This is probably the biggest thing to know about me. I genuinely like people. I like hearing their stories. I ask questions. A lot of them sometimes. I remember random details people tell me, I love watching families grow, and I’m probably going to know what you do for work, where you grew up and what your kids are into before we’re done talking.

I want people around me to feel comfortable enough to just be themselves because that’s how I am too. And this is how the most genuine memories are captured.

My background…

I didn’t go through a traditional photography school, but my education in photography has been very intentional from the beginning.

I started with one-on-one mentoring from Angie Knutson, and over the years I’ve continued investing in education through workshops and training with photographers including The Newborn Nerds, Jade Gao, Kelly Brown, Jessica Elbar and Natasha Ince.

Some of Kelly Brown’s newborn posing videos were actually among the first educational resources I ever used when I was learning, so getting to attend her Baby Summit years later felt a little full-circle. I don’t really believe you ever reach the point where you’re “done” learning something you care about.

There is always another idea, another technique or another way to get better.

Outside of Photography...

I love working out and strength training, even though I will complain about cardio every single time. I’m happiest around people I love, good food, a good movie or show, and conversations where everyone somehow ends up talking over each other.

Very proud Latina. I speak English and Spanish, although there is a decent chance both will appear in the same sentence.

I like things that feel real.

I like laughing.

I like people who don’t take themselves too seriously.

And I will choose personality over perfection almost every time.