At the end of December, I had the pleasure of photographing this beautiful baby girl. Fast forward a couple of months later, and I was able to have her and her mommy at Park Studios for a less posey/lifestyle shoot. It was perfect! I love the idea of waiting a month or so to do the lifestyle shoot SO much that I am now offering Fresh 48 (hospital sessions) for a special rate when booked with a lifestyle shoot that will take place a month or two into your baby’s life. I understand that you want your baby documented in all of their newness, and I also understand that you maaay not want a camera in your face a week or two after giving birth. With me doing Sage’s pictures a little later, she actually slept peacefully (clothed in her little white onesie), mom had enough time with her to know exactly what she needed to be soothed, and mom had time to find clothing that she felt comfortable and beautiful in, and she was able to have a hair and makeup appointment scheduled for her shoot. It just made for a great experience! We were missing Sage’s dad in this shoot due to scheduling conflict, but even with just mommy and baby – it was totally manageable and a great shoot! Enjoy the photos below!
Sage at her 2 week old session – She preferred not to sleep or be naked back then

What a beautiful pair!Thank you for looking! Please share and/or like!

*blows dust off of blog*

Hello there, friends! Guess what one of my 2018 goals is?! YEP, you guessed it – blog more!

If you’re expecting and wondering if we’d be a good fit for your newborn shoot – please read below. If you’re just here to see the beautiful family photos below – scroll pass my words to jump right to the good stuff!

I’ve been thinking A TON about my business – things that I want to remain the same and things that I want to change. I’ve spent a lot of time looking at my work over the years. There are photos that I REALLY connect with and some that honestly no longer match the direction that I want to move toward. I started this business wanting to document very special moments for people – in a beautiful and authentic way. I have always wanted to help people savor the moments that truly ZOOM by. I’ve called myself a lifestyle photographer, but I don’t think I’ve REALLY been consistent with it when it comes to some of my shoots. You see, lifestyle shoots (excluding mini sessions) aren’t supposed to be so posed that they’re stressful. I think they’re supposed to show connections and what your real life looks like! Sure, I definitely percent think you should get a little more dolled up than your everyday look, and I think I should give you some direction during your shoot, BUT I don’t think you should be throwing me out of your house after a shoot. LOL! This has literally happened with a few of my newborn shoots. I mean, none of my clients have been cold enough to aggressively toss me (and ALL of the TONS of props that I’d bring) out, but they’ve called it a wrap with sheer exhaustion written all over their faces. I guess that’s life with a newborn, however, I don’t want the shoot to be another exhausting thing. I no longer want to have my families waiting hours for a baby to settle into an unnatural position.

I’ve decided that in 2018 and beyond – I’m going to create the work that I LOVE! If you’re looking for a particular style that isn’t mine, I have several photographers to recommend you to. There are SO many photographers and people looking for different things out there. There is someone for everyone in terms of photography…and with that said, I will only be offering lifestyle newborn sessions. I’m no longer dragging a bean bag and a TON of props. I’ll bring hats, headbands, bow, and wraps for swaddling – THAT’S IT. I’ll give your family soft direction and capture you in the most flattering angles, but I won’t wait 4 hours to get one position of your baby naked. In fact, the shoot will not last longer than 2-3 hours. Gone are the 4-5 hour exhausting shoots. I’ll get all of the little detail shots of those tiny little lips and baby toes. I’ll get you snuggling with your precious little one. I’ll ask you to hold your baby in a way that is comfortable and how YOU usually hold them. I’ll take shots to help you remember how tiny your baby once was in your arms. If you choose to do a shoot in your home, I’ll get shots of that nursery that you spent SO MUCH TIME prepping. We’ll welcome siblings (and pets) because they honestly are PERFECT for lifestyle shoots!

Please take a look at an example of a lifestyle shoot that took place in Park Studios – a natural light studio located in Buckhead. This is another new option for my newborn shoots. If you don’t think there’s enough natural light in your home, Park Studios may be an option. If you just don’t want to do the shoot in your home for various reasons, Park Studios may be an option! Another change is that the shoot doesn’t have to take place within the first 14 days. Instead, the shoot can take place within the baby’s first 2-4 weeks. This will give your family a little time to settle into your new life while still capturing it early on. Take a look at the beautiful family below to get an idea of the direction I’ve gone in. & SWOOOOOON!

Such a sweet big brother! “Kiss your sister” – Haha! Some day they’ll both laugh SO hard at this!

Big brother in all of his two year old glory!

When babies are a little older than 2 weeks, they have better control over their eyes AND sometimes you may actually get great expression -like a sweet smile!

Smirks and Baby Yawns 🙂Awake baby? NO PROBLEM! I love them!

 

If you’re ever in need of a lifestyle photographer – I hope to work with you! Thanks for looking!

If you’re reading this – I AM THIRTY! I don’t know what it is about decade birthdays that make birthdays feel BIG! I mean, they make you more reflective than usual. At times, they can even bring you down a wee bit because they can be a reminder of what you always THOUGHT you’d accomplish by said decade year – you know what I mean? Needless to say, saying “goodbye” to my 20’s is surely bittersweet.

Instead of feeling down about hitting 30, I am sitting on the beach laughing with my husband and reflecting on how flipping awesome my 20’s were. I mean, I graduated from college twice, started a photography business that’s still trucking along, met my husband (age 22), cheered my mom on as she graduated from college, welcomed 2 of my God babies into the world, maintained friendships, finally started viewing my “baby brother bear” as a young man, met and became close friends with some amazing ppl, showed 100+ students unconditional love, did a little bit of traveling (Mexico, Charleston, Chicago, Los Angeles + surrounding cities, Miami, Blue Ridge Mtns, Houston, Jamaica, 30A), took premarital counseling, and married my Artyyy in front of about 200 people that we love so much! Whew!

With 30, I want to boldly walk in my truth. I want to be transparent about my journey – my 20’s came with some tough times, too. I welcomed my 20’s with a DUI – yes, ME. I did my community service and spent a lot of my own little savings to get it reduced. I suffered two major depressions out of no where. They left me in uncontrollable puddles of tears 24/7 for what felt like the longest weeks of my life. I’ll never forget being afraid of my own thoughts and calling several random ministers hoping they’d help. I went through this dark time questioning EVERYTHING (including God). More recently, my 20’s brought an appointment where my doctor looked at me and for the first time I heard a doctor tell me “Farrahn, you’re pregnant!” Before we even had the chance to celebrate and take everything in – I had a miscarriage. I went through the motions of feeling less than. I asked myself “What if it never happens for us because of MY body?!” I eventually checked myself because I know THAT’s the kind of crazy talk + thoughts that the devil would looove for me to harp on. NOPE! Talk about needing FAITH!!!

Today, I asked Art “If you could sit here today with 24 year old Farrahn – would you want to?!” Of course, he said “No, I love 30 year old Farrahn!” Just as I was about to give him an A+ for passing my pop quiz, we talked about WHY. THAT Farrahn was a total sweetheart, but she was full of fear. She was a “runner”, and she played it safe. Heck, she wouldn’t have ever disclosed some of the stuff above!!! A private person that was concerned with only herself. She’d protect herself at any cost. She lived a privileged life & really didn’t have a testimony. Truth be told, she was pretty “judgey”. Faith and God didn’t really drive her. I’m not THAT young girl anymore, and I’m happy about that. Some of those qualities that I used to be… actually make me uncomfortable when I see them in other people now. I am a work in progress, but I have truly grown.  I am walking into my 30’s knowing that God is the captain of my ship, BUT sometimes he’ll sit back and let me (the co-captain) maneuver that thang! I’ve gotta have faith, be prayerful, and I’ve absolutely gotta put in the work for the things that I am hopeful for! That’s the way this journey works. When I achieve or receive the things that I asked and worked for – I have to help the next person. I owe it to God to continue helping wherever I can. I have learned to check my thoughts often & even other people’s, if they’re bringing US down…because I know that “God is always in the boat/ship” with me/us. I refuse to allow anyone to make me think otherwise. I want to share the good and the bad – only in hopes of helping people.  I want to be a light in this dark world. When I read of people that took their lives, I don’t judge them. I am saddened because I wish someone had reassured them that God was right there in the boat with them all along. I wish they could have seen how I too had the same exact thoughts, but through faith and work – things got better. Even now, I have to remind myself on dark days that it’s temporary, and God will get me through each dark day. I am a survivor, and I walk by faith. I don’t know what’s ahead, but this life is a journey. Everything that I have and will go through is a part of MY journey. Above it all – I want to live a life that will make GOD proud. I’m unashamed to say that I don’t have it all figured out, but if I can do anything to help YOU be a light, I got cha baby!

Let’s do this 30’s!!! In honor of it being my “BIG 30th” – I came up with a Bucket List. I asked some friends + fam to join me in celebration by creating one of their own. It’d be a way to ensure that we’re all being INTENTIONAL about living and celebrating together. I asked them to add 2 things from my list to their own. If it’s on this list -& God keeps me as healthy as I am now,  it’s happening within the next 3 years!!! I will cross things off as I do them. It was hard to not put things that were more like goals. I mean, in being transparent (again) – I don’t want to live above my financial means for the next 3 years so I couldn’t include 15 trips across the world. I will do a new bucket list in 3 years.

In no particular order:

1. Learn to swim (this has been put off for about 25 years)

2. Take my mom on a vacation

3. Update my brand (complete with a brand photo shoot)

4. Plan a couples’ trip

5. Host an Ugly Sweater Holiday Party (I won’t make our guests watch Home Alone although that’d be AH-MAZING)

6. Take a calligraphy class (preferably with Erica of yesmaampapergoods.com)

7. Do a weekly blog series ( current ideas: date nights, restaurant reviews, married life)

8. Watch the sunset over the Grand Canyon (helicopter tour)

9. Kiss in the rain (i can admit that i’ve watched too many romantic comedies)

10. Complete a scrapbook

11. Get real estate license (I can help Art out with his business)

12. Reach my ultimate goal of 110 lbs (don’t debate me on this)

13. Get a wrist tattoo (something about being a light…not another butterfly)

14. Attend a concert in a different state

15. Rent a Jeep Wrangler & go on a girls’ trip with friends

16. 1 on 1 makeup classes

17. Ride a horse on the beach (again) with Art

18. Take a cooking class with Art

19. Be completely debt free (other than a mortgage) and call Dave Ramsey to do the “Debt Free Scream)”

20. Travel to Greece with Kara (summer trip that we put off for a whole year)

21. Go to one or two wine tastings (or ten because….YES!)

22. Purchase first home with Art

23. Go to Vegas to see B. Spears or J Lo perform (I clearly started this list before the shooting…)

24. Travel to Lake Louise

25. Create a brand video for a creative and/or a family video that I’m proud of  (take documentation to the next level)

26. Attend a photography workshop

27. Beautiful beach trip (a beach that would be new for us)

28. Half Tough Mudder (October 2o, 2018)

29. Try and Review 100 new restaurants

30. Have a lil baby that’s gon’ listen (prayerfully) – I realize this one isn’t really a bucket list type of thing, BUT whatyagonnado?!

I really regret not doing a better job of documenting my personal life and trips with my beloved Canon. My camera will be with me as I take on this Bucket List.

Let’s cheer each other on and hold each other accountable!!!I’m excited to see what my friends & family come up with! If you didn’t make one, but you’d like to do this  – create one! Lemme see what’s on YOUR bucket list!

THANK YOU FOR READING & CELEBRATING LIFE WITH ME!

With Love & Light,

Farrahn T.

 

Tomorrow is THE big day so what better way to celebrate that than a wedding blog?! We decided to go this route instead of a wedding website because…why not?! Although I neglect my blog, it’s my labor of love and my own little corner of the World Wide Web. Though this is typed in first person by yours truly, Art is sitting right next to me – laughing and giving his input…as per usual.

OUR STORY

We met on New Year’s Eve of 2010. Art lived in Jacksonville, Florida at the time, and I lived in Atlanta, Georgia. We were both in Augusta, GA to spend time with family and friends for the holidays. We went to rival high schools and the same college for 3 years, but we never really spoke or hung out…until that NYE. Our friends suggested that we keep in touch since Art would be moving to Atlanta for grad school.

Those same friends traveled to Atlanta later in January, and we all met up and hung out again. This became the routine until Art & I started meeting up without said friends – insert grin. For almost a year, we hung out as JUST friends. In fact, when anyone would suggest something more we’d write it off in fear of ruining such a solid friendship. We talked about everything, met each other during winter storms for breakfast, took me to my first NBA game, celebrated birthdays, etc. -ALLLL AS FRIENDS. As time went on, it became blatantly obvious that there was waaaaay more there.  In the past 7 years, we’ve been through SO many highs and lows together. We’ve both grown in all areas of our lives, and we’ve been able to do this as best friends. Common theme here? FRIENDSHIP & LOVE! Here we are 7 years later, ready to commit and celebrate the “beginning” of what we think is the greatest love story!

THE PROPOSAL

Me being the control freak   planner that likes to be in the know, I’d been trying to map out the perfect proposal for a couple of years, but one day I casually told Art that I wanted to be surprised. I wanted it to be just the two of us on a regular day because anything more would be a dead give away. Art having the photographic memory   being as attentive as he is, he decided to do just what was suggested. He planned out a romantic staycation in downtown Atlanta to celebrate my 29th birthday. We had dinner at my favorite place, Ruth’s Chris Steakhouse, went on a horse and carriage ride through the city, and went out dancing (no, we literally sang & DANCED all night). I just KNEW at any moment our families would pop out at every single place. I even Facetimed with my mom in hopes to see where she was..but NOPE. On the last day (October 10th, 2016) of our staycation, we walked the BeltLine around Ponce City Market.

Once the staycation was over and we were sweaty and exhausted – Art came in the room I’d passed out in and said “Man. This was a REALLLLLY good weekend! Do you know what would make this weekend even better?!” My response “Hmmm…ICE CREAM?!” We laughed and out of what felt like no where….. Art got down on one knee and asked me to marry him. The proposal might have came as a shock, but I always knew that we’d be together forever. As much of a hopeless romantic as I am, I never genuinely believed in soulmates until I met Art.  Two people couldn’t be more of a match than the two of us – we’ve never been able to deny that.

DEETS

We will be getting married in the heart of downtown Atlanta at The Piedmont Room at Park Tavern at 6:30pm on Friday, June 9, 2017.

This is an adults only affair.

Semi-formal attire is suggested.

Our preference is a cash gift, but we are registered at Bed Bath & Beyond (Farrahn and Arthur)

Dinner and drinks will be served at the reception. We are suggesting that everyone Uber! 🙂

As stated above, this wedding has been anticipated by quite a few people for a while now – we are thrilled to finally “turn up” with everyone.

More than anything we want our wedding day to be one funnnn celebration! We really appreciate all of the things that SO many people have done to attend and celebrate our union. The day isn’t even here yet, and we’re already so overwhelmed with gratitude! We have SO much love for everyone that will be in attendance!!!!

 

THE NIGHT ART PROPOSED

WE MADE PROPOSAL BOXES FOR OUR GROOMSMEN AND BEST MAN – ARTHUR THOMAS SR.

WINTER ENGAGEMENT PHOTOS WERE TAKEN BY KATIE YORK OF DASH PHOTOGRAPHY. THE WEATHER WAS AWFUL, BUT WE WEREN’T GOING TO LET THAT GET IN THE WAY OF HAVING OUR LOVE DOCUMENTED. MISSION WAS ACCOMPLISHED.

MY BACHELORETTE PARTY WAS OVER SPRING BREAK IN MIAMI, FLORIDA. MY FRIENDS TOOK REALLY GREAT CARE OF ME AND WERE ENTERTAINING AND ATTENTIVE DESPITE WHATEVER PERSONAL THINGS THEY WERE DEALING WITH AT THE TIME- THEY SHOWERED ME WITH SO MUCH LOVE THAT I CRIED ALMOST THE ENTIRE FLIGHT HOME. THIS TRIP REALLY SHOWED ME THAT IT DOESN’T MATTER WHERE WE ARE OR WHAT WE’RE GOING THROUGH – WE’RE GOING TO HAVE A GOOD TIME AND COME TOGETHER LIKE WE’VE ALWAYS DONE! THAT’S LOVE.

SPRING PHOTOS WERE TAKEN BY MECCA GAMBLE (OUR WEDDING PHOTOGRAPHER)

THESE ARE OUR PEOPLE. THEY HAVE LOVED AND CARED FOR US ENDLESSLY. THANKS FOR EVERYTHING! WE LOVE YOU!

THESE ARE OUR PEOPLE. THEY HAVE LOVED AND CARED FOR US ENDLESSLY. THANKS FOR EVERYTHING! WE LOVE YOU!