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There’s Something Interesting About a World View | Rochester NY Wedding and Portrait Photographer

January 26, 2010

I realized…when I thought about doing a “year in review” post (that would be 2009 peeps.  I might be a wee bit behind.  lol) that when brides meet with me I show them wedding images…and when families meet with me I show them family images…and when seniors meet with me…I show them senior images…

very rarely do I mix and cross over these groups with each other.  So…since I thought it might be interesting to push everyone into one slideshow (read:  laaazzzyy ::laughing::) — so that there’s a record of 2009 visually all together in one place.  It’s pretty cool.

Some images you’ve seen…some you haven’t.  And no, this isn’t EVERYONE who I worked with this year — that slideshow would be about 4000 hours long (not really — but I wanted to fit it into one song – -so this is my best shot)…so I pulled images that appealed to me TODAY.  If I worked on a slideshow tomorrow — it would be completely different.  So…gather what you want about my mood today — here is 2009 in 4 minutes.  Put your seatbelt on please.


Click on the image.  Ra ra ah ah ah….

193-seniorrepcover1 copy 3


3 Comments

Kerry Cannan
1.26.2010

Amazing.. I am truly in awe of your work! Wow! What life would be like if I could see the world the way you do thru your lens! You rock! –Kerry–

debbie
2.04.2010

Since this was the year I “found” you. It was a great collection of images, most that just made me smile. Fun music too!

hey congrats saw you mentioned in an article a few times in amerian photo

 
 

 

Girl. Horse. Dog. | Rochester NY Pet Photographer

December 4, 2009

I know I’ve shown a couple of these images before…but looking at them in totality made me feel like I wanted to share them as a group.  Cuz they are so cool.  And Mary is so cool.  See — she waited and thought about having pics done with her horse and dog for two years — before she made the decision to hire me.  Our pets are not around forever — and you know — i get this because my beloved dog lulu is nearing 11 — and it’s so hard.  so hard to think that someday she won’t be there to snore at my feet.  So it always touches me to see what strong relationships and bonds people develop with their pet family.  I was so honored to be a part of this.

And the images are SMOKIN’!!!!!!!!!!

girlhorsedog copy

and…what about THIS!!

horsehorizon Girl.  Horse.  Dog.  | Rochester NY Pet Photographer

Oh.  And in case you were wondering?  Here’s what Mary had to say about this.  (hey.  she said I could, right?  so I AM!):


OH MY GOD!! MY LITTLE JOE!!
wow, that is soooo coool!! i’m am just about bawling looking at those!

they DO ROCK, they are just full of emotion!  and look at little joe’s smile. oh my God. wow.  you really did such an awesome job Tammy, thank you so so so much!  you caputred the love for sure, wouldn’t have wanted anyone else to do it!  and that really is not that easy to do, when you have not ever met the person, dog or horse before!!
You’re awesome Tammy!!  Thank you so much for your talent and effort.  That’s why I picked you – because your eye captures the emotion, and the “real” moments.  Thank you for that excellent christmas present you just gave me of a WHOLE blog post, whoa!! You’ve totally made my whole day, week, and winter…I’m going to just be salivating over these images for weeks & months to come!  Thank you for understanding my love for Kill & Patty, and having the heart to capture it.  Your work is just amazing!
I can’t wait to give you a hug in person,

WITH MUCH LOVE,
Mary

(ps…feel free to use any of my comments for testimonials if ever needed!)

1 Comment

Mike Romano
12.04.2009

AWwwwwwwwwwe-Sum stuff as always!!! : )

 
 

 

Who Doesn’t Love Getting Email Like This? | New York City Engagement Photographer

November 18, 2009

I have to tell you that everyone LOVES the photos (as do we)!!  Our friends have said that the pictures are beautiful, sexy and belong in a magazine.  My mother is so excited and she said that she is so happy to have you for our wedding.  (She even said she likes the serious ones, which is surprising.)  I just thought you should hear the compliments that we are hearing.  THANK YOU!!

sab2 Who Doesnt Love Getting Email Like This? | New York City Engagement Photographer

sb1 Who Doesnt Love Getting Email Like This? | New York City Engagement Photographer

0 Comments

 
 
 

Color Me. | Rochester NY Wedding Photographer

September 29, 2009

I admit it.

You are hearing it here first.

I am utterly and completely addicted to color.  Vibrant, muted, pastel, jewel…it doesn’t really matter.  Colors just SING to me.  Every day.

A lot of my clients worry when the weather is bad…and you know what my response it?  It’s perfect.  Cloudy = soft beautiful light and VIBRANT colors.  Fall weather?  Bring it on baby.  LOVE the light and color at this time of year.

I think if you spend enough time looking at what I do (like me… because…yeah.  duh.) you’ll start to see some common things emerging:

First:  I LOVE people.  I love interacting, talking, playing, laughing, goofing around.  I think that shows up in the images.  Typically my clients are very comfortable with me and if they are NOT — they’ll tell you it  doesn’t take long for that to go away.  I’m a button pusher.  If you’re shy I push you to be in front…if you’re loud — I might make you do some quiet beautiful shots…it’s just…fun to play.  That’s the only way I can express it.

Second:  The color thing.  I can’t help but put people in colorful settings and SURROUND them with it.  And the funny thing is?  I can’t tell you how I do it.  I am not consciously looking for it — it’s just so much a part of how I see things that it just happens.  I love that part.  It’s why taking photographs is so magical to me.

Third:  Not soooo traditional.  ::laughing::  I can do traditional.  I have done traditional…but always just a leeetttllle bit of tammyitis sneaks in and they have some strange little twist.  Again.  Can’t explain it better than that.  I want my images to say something.  I want you to look at them and laugh or cry or FEEL something.  Traditional photography — wedding photography — is a little flat for me.  I want emotion darn it!  EMO-SSSHHIIOON.  ::laughing::

So.  There is my soap box for the day.  It’s fun, blogging.  I love thinking about what I want to say and how I am going to say it.  I love choosing images to help me show you how amazing my clients are.  And I LOVE when you COMMENT!  ::wide cheesy grin::

Here’s What’s Happened in Tammy’s World This Week:

A wedding in which the entire wedding party CONVINCED ME ( it’s ALWAYS the other way around) that they could climb into a dry creek bed for photographs.  I was worried.  High heels + Little Stones = Tammy Worry  But it turned out incredibly.  LOVE the light and the viewpoint.  This wedding rocked the house.  Wait until you see the slideshow — details were off the HOOK by Stacy K.  (duh).

A portrait session with the coolest girl who wanted to document her love for her horse and her dog.  They’ve hung together for years and she decided (I think she told me it took her two years?  OMG) that it was time to get photographs — she loves taking pics too — but as with all of us — there are no pics of HER in the ones she takes.  So this was her opportunity to be on the other side of the camera.  And the farm.  And the fields.  And the barn.  I was in HEAVEN.

An impromtu — hey can you photograph a civil ceremony on a Tuesday?  wedding.  This couple cracked me up.  We’d never met.  It was POURING and somehow we rocked out the images.  Nevada was GORGEOUS.  And they were totally into letting me be creative.  So even something so simple — turned out amazing.  I’m so glad they hired me.  I took one of my all time favorite images at their wedding.  Can you tell which one it is?  Seriously — did you KNOW City Hall looked like that on the inside?!  I thought we were in an Italian Villa!

An Engagement session in which I did absolutely nothing but laugh and watch two people have fun with their dog and their boat.  And yep.  I ended up in the water (just mid calf, nbd).  But it was a moment when I was thinking…WHY DID I WEAR A SKIRT?!  WHY TAMMY WHY?  (Answer:  no clean laundry.  oh wells. )  Also…one of the shots (I’ll let you guess which one) made me laugh so hard…omg.

A wedding with a couple who just lit up the day with their happiness.  I LOVED photographing them.  And her father’s backyard?  Seriously?  Crazy.  They were super good sports about all my crazy ideas — and I LOVE what we did that day.  The images rock.

Also – I’m finishing up senior season and maybe, just maybe I’ll do a load of laundry this week.  It could happen!  (stop laughing.  it COULD!  ::grin::)

Here’s this week’s crazy in the VIZ:

week10 Color Me.  | Rochester NY Wedding Photographer

week10.2 Color Me.  | Rochester NY Wedding Photographer

Oh PS:  If you’ve gotten this far then you’ll notice that I also went to a football game.  it was cold.  and my big fancy lense was USELESS from far away.  So I amused myself by photographing the entire game from the tops of the player’s heads.  Cuz you know.  It was fun.  The image above is one of my favs.  Touchdown!!

2 Comments

Tam Week | Rochester NY Wedding Photographer

September 2, 2009

Um.

So.  If I talked to the powers that be — or I guess that would the The Powers That Be — and said…”hey.  so.  I have some cool ideas for senior sessions…what do you think about sending me some amazing senior girls.  yeah.  oh.  and…some sun…and oh…i dunno…a corvette…and a blue dress…some music…and… also the girls should all be sweet and funny and cool”

That would completely cover my sessions with Kate, Holly and Brittany.  Seriously.

week7 Tam Week | Rochester NY Wedding Photographer

And while I’m at it — how about a couple of IN-CREDIBLY BEAUTIFUL brides who absolutely ROCKED out their weddings?  Yeah.  That would be Jessica and Suzanne.  I’m so lucky.

A Tam Week To Remember.

Love You All.

week72 Tam Week | Rochester NY Wedding Photographer

Also — a note to seniors.  I am almost 100% booked.  And by that I mean like…99.99% — so if you’re thinking of working with me?

You know what to do, right?

Yeah.


2 Comments

Cait K.
9.02.2009

I’ve finally broken down…
because these are simply fab-u-lous.

Can I have Abby scheduled in now??

elizabeth
9.09.2009

These are wonderful Tammy

 
 

 

Blog Post. Sunday. Check. (Hey. It’s 11:30 pm. It’s STILL SUNDAY!) | Rochester NY Wedding Photographer

August 23, 2009

I’m proud of myself for putting this together before Monday.  30 minutes is still 30 minutes.  FTW!  ::grin::

I’m bored with talking about me and how busy I am.  I mean…really…who isn’t busy and who DOESN’T have a million things going on?!

Instead…this is about all the cool things I did this week — things and people that made me happy…that made me laugh…and that made me realize just how amazing a week I had…

First of all…I HAVE to share this image I took at Dana and Matt’s wedding on Saturday in the Thousand Islands.  I don’t know if you’ve ever had this experience — but sometimes when my shutter clicks…I just…know.  I know that that particular image is going to be AMAZING.  Dana calls it “You know Tam Tam (yes, she calls me Tam Tam – just like my mom) THE shot.”

So first…here is  THE shot:

dana1 Blog Post.  Sunday.  Check.  (Hey.  Its 11:30 pm.  Its STILL SUNDAY!) | Rochester NY Wedding Photographer

Other cool things?

I met some REALLY funny and amazing seniors this week — I swear — I laugh so hard with these kids — their insights, facial expressions and jumping expertise just gets to me every time.  They are amazing!!

I photographed a family that I saw this winter — and the boys looked about 3 years older!  How does that happen???!!  So adorable this family.  Srsly.

I went to the Thousand Islands and photographed an amazing wedding with a peacock feather theme at a fairy tale chapel.  MMMM…YUMMYLICIOUS (see about for THE shot ::laughing::)

Oh…and…one of my good friends scored a REALLY cool chair and couch for me at a garage sale.  I put the chair in my van and in true Tammy style — forgot it was there.  So…when the sun was setting on the river and I was thinking…man…I WISH I had some cool piece of furniture to put the bride and groom on …

Um yeah.  ::laughing::  You see how I ROLL!

Other good things:  another good friend brought me over a COUCH that I LOVE that she didn’t WANT for my LIVING ROOM (phew.  that was a lot of capital letters!) — and I am soooo happy.  It’s the coolest couch EVAH.  Thanks guys!

I am setting up an appointment with a cool nutritionist — more about that later — but first she wants me to take a metabolism test.  She sent me the guidelines today and I have to be without caffeine for FOUR HOURS.  I don’t know Carol.  That is a LONG TIME!  ::laughing::

Also — did I mention PEACOCK FEATHERS???!!  LOVE!

So…sounds fun right?  Just to enhance my prodigious story-telling capabilities ::snort::  here’s my week — in the PICTORIAL SENSE:

week6 Blog Post.  Sunday.  Check.  (Hey.  Its 11:30 pm.  Its STILL SUNDAY!) | Rochester NY Wedding Photographer

week62 Blog Post.  Sunday.  Check.  (Hey.  Its 11:30 pm.  Its STILL SUNDAY!) | Rochester NY Wedding Photographer

4 Comments

Jason Dufair
8.24.2009

Love the shot. THE shot. God arranged those clouds quite nicely for you, T.

Keep us posted on the nutritionist stuff.

shannon
8.24.2009

awesome!!!!!!!

Gina Meola
8.24.2009

Delish. Mmmm

Dana DECKER!
8.25.2009

Hey TAM TAM you’re so fine… you’re so fine YOU BLOW MY MIND! But really as I was reading above tears were rolling down my face, you couldn’t have captured OUR day more beautifully. PLUS I feel so so SUPER lucky and priviledged to be part of “THE SHOT”! Thank you from the bottom of my heart! LUV LUV LUV U!
Mrs. Decker

 
 

 

Week Peek: A Recap | Rochester NY Photographer

August 19, 2009


Here we are.  The absolute HEART of busy season.  I don’t know if you know this about me — but I follow over 500 blogs daily.  (I know, right?  Srsly.)  I don’t read them every day — but I do know this — that right now is when you find your favorite bloggers — photographers especially — sort of trail off into silence…or a post begging you to understand how busy they are.  ::grin::

So I am blogging to tell you:  I am busy.  I am blogging.  And I am here.  Crazed.  But here.

This week (okay.  last week.  I am a wee bit behind in most things in my life.  ::grin::).

Here’s all the fun stuff I got to do:

Jess and I re-wrote the FAQ section on the blog.  That sounds boring, doesn’t it?  But truly, it was fun to work with Jess on it and fun to see it all come together so awesomely (is that a word?)!

I put together some FUN AND CRAZY WEDDING SLIDESHOWS for Kelly and DanBrooke and Dave, and Bethany and Patrick.  But only check them out if you’re serious.  My slideshows are long and elaborate and I am in love with every single one of them.  Also – let me know what you think — cuz I’m still working on a format…

A 70th birthday party with a PUPPY and BOYS and LAKE and SAND.  Could the day have been more perfect?  I think not.  It was so much fun!

Seniors.  If you are looking at my photographs and thinking – wow.  I love those  – I need Tammy to take MINE ( or my son/daughter or my neighbor who’s a senior or the girl in Ontario) — my answer:  get.on.the.calendar.  My sessions are booking so fast my head is spinning.  But there’s still some.  Grab one.  that’s all I’m saying.

And for the record:  when did seniors get so sophisticated and beautiful?  I know.  a definite fact.  That I NEVER looked so good.  And my senior pictures?  Big ol’ zit right in the middle of my nose.  The Rudolph Series.  Nice.  ::laughing::

An AMAZING WEDDING with two families that were beyond wonderful.  And a couple of silly fun incidents (hello — the priest almost fell on me!) that made taking photographs EXTRA fun!

A guitarist with dreams of making it big and writing his own music.  Rock on!

A family of girls so beautiful that I could NOT take ONE bad picture.  Not one.

Did I mention the PUPPY yet?  OMG.

I love this time of year.  One of my photo buddies said — you know Tam, you use sun flare A LOT — but somehow…I never get tired of it!  Right?!  I NEVER get tired of it!  So stay OUT SUNSHINE!

Here’s my recap in the VIZZUUUAAALLLL:


tamweek52 Week Peek: A Recap | Rochester NY Photographertammyweek5 Week Peek: A Recap | Rochester NY Photographer


4 Comments

Rachel H
8.19.2009

Tammy, I spent the morning organizing business receipts, and you spent the morning doing this??? you’re always amusing and wonderful. your life inspires mine.

Jason Dufair
8.19.2009

Tasty, tasty. The dog is too much! And the dude rocking on the water. You have the coolest job ever, T.

tara leigh
8.19.2009

i was sooooo excited to watch p&b’s slideshow… and it made me smile and giggle just as much as i knew it would. you are such a wonderful friend, photographer, and inspiration. seriously… love you to bits. and bits.

and bits. :)

debbie McGeorge
9.28.2009

I continue to scroll down your blog… I am blown away. I continue to think I have a favorite and then I see more!

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Making Beautiful Images is Amazing to Me | Rochester NY Wedding Photographer

August 7, 2009

So.  This week.

Here’s the cliff note version:

wedding.  fun.  pink.  amazing sunset.  (you’ll have to wait for those however.  they’re still a secret.  ::grin::)

senior Bryanna with the most.amazing.hair.and.blue.eyes.ever.

crazy fam session that included sand eating (8 month old) and falling into the lake (3 year old).  Yep.  I laughed the entire time.  So freaking cute!

a pair of adorable Llapso’s and their moms and a great sunset.  but lots of mosquitos.  You’d be surprised at how many mosquitos I have to photoshop off people’s faces at this time of year.  srsly.

an engagement session that started with a soccer ball being kicked quite dramatically at the poor fiance.  And yep.  My suggestion.  Luckily Victor didn’t actually HIT her with the ball.  But I made a note to self:  bad idea.  ::grin::

Whirlwind week.  New ideas.  New components that I can hardly wait to share with you…but I must.  Self restraint is never good for me — but I am trying to improve as I get older — so you’ll have to stick with me and see when it rolls.  But I mean it — so cool.

Without further ado…I give you:  this week in pictures.  Sort of.  this week in sneak peeks for clients.

photos from tammy swales rochester ny wedding and lifestyle photographer

week421 Making Beautiful Images is Amazing to Me | Rochester NY Wedding Photographer


1 Comment

gwyneth colleen
8.08.2009

um, these are really cool!

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Rock and Roll Tam. | Rochester NY Wedding Photographer

July 31, 2009

Recap.

Busy.

Twins.

Nutritionist.

Dogs.

Weddings.

Seniors.

Maternity.

Engagement. Wait. no. no engagement shoot this week. ::laughing:: I must be delirious!

These are seriously fun to put together. You should see me in front of the computer peering at all of my images from the week. It occurred to me that it might be good for you to understand my workflow (right? cuz you’ve been laying awake at night thinking…I wonder…what Tammy’s workflow is…yeah. I know.)

When I photograph a person…or a wedding…or a dog…I have to immediately go home and look at the images. Sometimes I get so excited about images that I want to leave the shoot and go home and immediately start working on them! Just kidding (sort of). ::laughing:: I always give my clients a sneak peek. Digital has made us all immediate gratification junkies. I see everyone (me too) peering at the images on the back of your cameras — I so get that. So I edit up one or two images and post them. Usually on my facebook first…or email (if it’s boudoir, obviously) if the client prefers that instead…or doesn’t…have…a…facebook…account. Did I just say that outloud?That doesn’t really happen, right?

So. Sneak peek done — my lovely and efficient assistant Jess contacts the client and puts them on the calendar for their proofing appointment. Yep. I do it all in person. Because I like to SEE you react to your images. It means a lot to me — so I make this a priority. So my point being — that I work on images twice — first time is the sneak peek — second time is in preparation for the client seeing the images — so sometimes you’ll recognize a person (or dog or wedding) you saw two weeks ago. Sometimes I pull out old images and work on them just for the fun of it. Those might show up too. I just can’t promise that all my stuff is chronological. It’s more “tammylogical” which makes way less sense but is much more fun. (at least…in MY opinion. ::grin::)


But first…lest you think ALL my work is perfect (because it’s so easy to show only the GOOD stuff) here’s a moment that I LOVE actually, from my session with one year old twins — (happy birthday AJ and Sophie!)…this makes me laugh every time I see it: twinsneak Rock and Roll Tam.  | Rochester NY Wedding Photographer


haha  — funny right?  I love everyone’s mouths in this image.  I should add speech bubbles!

Here’s the pretty stuff:

uptoweek3 Rock and Roll Tam.  | Rochester NY Wedding Photographer

uptoweek3.1 Rock and Roll Tam.  | Rochester NY Wedding Photographer

2 Comments

Beth
7.31.2009

YES add speech bubbles! haha! You are so amusing Tammy! :)

monique
8.07.2009

oh my heck! so funny! Love this post Tammy!

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You Know…I Kind of Like These Snippets… | Rochester NY Wedding Photographer

July 20, 2009

It’s actually super fun to put together little snippets of what I am working on during the week…although I expect that in the winter when things are less busy — my updates will be more boring.  Well…

As boring as I get.  ::grin::

Here’s a little window into what I am shooting/editing/thinking about this week!  An amazing wedding in Skaneateles NY at the incredible Frog Pond Bed and Breakfast…some crazy cool seniors, Jess Best an Opera Singer from Tampa…some amazing flowers by the ever talented Stacy at Stacy K Floral…the coolest group of teenagers ever…phew!  Busy week!  But how much fun is this?!  Way way way fun!

week2inreview You Know...I Kind of Like These Snippets...| Rochester NY Wedding Photographersneakpeekweek2.1 You Know...I Kind of Like These Snippets...| Rochester NY Wedding Photographer


2 Comments

Jason Dufair
7.21.2009

Love all of these. Especially the flowers. You are the portrait master, no question. But the flowers are just very tasty.

elizabeth
7.22.2009

These are great Tammy

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