Confession: I actually tried it on over the weekend at J.Crew (Crew Cuts Size 14!), but sadly it was a tiny bit tight up top, if you know what I mean.

I met the Hilliard family at Chestnut Ridge in Orchard Park, NY, where we ran around, blew bubbles, and did cartwheels. It was pretty much a perfect way to spend a Saturday afternoon.

Pictures of daddy and his girls always get me… I was definitely a daddy’s girl growing up.

Leila and Ilysa are no strangers to the camera. They often model new products and accessories for Girly Things, Lourdes’ company celebrating “the gift of being feminine”.

Such a beautiful mama.

Beso!

Towards the end of the session, I pulled out my Fujifilm Instax Mini to snap a few polaroids for the girls as a fun little take-home. I asked Leila (age 7) if she knew what a Polaroid camera was. She said no, so I quickly explained that I was going to take a picture that would come out of my camera… and she would have to wait patiently for it to develop.

I took the shot and handed her the film. She waited. Her face slowly started to appear and she got SO excited that she ran to Ilysa (age 4) and told her “YOU HAVE TO TAKE ONE TOO!”

It’s crazy to think that I’m at that age where I am now saying, “Oh, we used to have CDs” and other random things like Polaroid film — and these kids have no clue what I’m talking about. It’s equally fun to blow their minds and be the super awesome person that showed them magic. Or something pretty close to it ;)

Thank you Lourdes, Ike, Leila, Ilysa & Juju for spending your afternoon with me. I had the most delightful time with you! Welcome to Buffalo, we hope you love it here.

PS, extra special thanks to my lovely assistant Erina who helped me make funny faces, blow bubbles, and carry lots of heavy stuff.

The post Orchard Park, NY: The Hilliard Family appeared first on Tiff Photography.

But what I love even more about spending a few hours taking photos of tiny hands, tiny feet, and plump baby lips, is taking photos of the beaming, proud parents. I don’t have to give much direction, if any, because they just love and adore their new son or daughter to no end.

You might remember seeing the Brauns on the blog before. I photographed Jake, Theresa, and Hailey when they were a family of three last summer at their Orchard Park home. We did the same thing for this shoot, only now they’re a family of four.

Welcome to the world Baby Travis!

Interested in booking a newborn or family lifestyle session of your own? Contact me for details and availability!

The post Orchard Park, NY: Braun Family Lifestyle Session appeared first on Tiff Photography.

This is my first time being published in a print magazine publication and I’m thrilled that they selected one of my favorite images from this shoot. I look forward to submitting more editorial content features soon!

The post My Images in WellWed New York Magazine appeared first on Tiff Photography.

Happy Anniversary, Brandon. Three years. All smiles. I love you.

The post Nice Work. appeared first on Tiff Photography.

I’ve always loved neutral color palettes and have always been drawn to kraft packaging. I love simple and clean design and using texture to bring everything all together. Last year I used custom printed kraft boxes for proofs, but this year I decided to make the switch to linen bags. I’m a big fan of how you can see the top photo through the fabric, making the anticipation of seeing your photos for the first time that much more fun!

I stuck with using a rubber stamp for the logo because it’s so versatile — plus, every stamp is unique and it has that raw, yet handmade feel — a personal touch. I’ll be making a few other custom rubber stamps soon to use on things like wrapping paper, gift tags, etc.

I started learning calligraphy (crossing another 2013 goal off my list!), which takes a lot of practice, but it’s something I really enjoy. I can’t wait to actually be decent at it and develop a unique style of writing.

And now, the part you’ve all been waiting for… a list of resources for every piece of the packaging design.

1. Kraft DVD sleeves, Amazon
2. Gold striped washi tape, Etsy
3. Labels (DVD label, wraparound label, and address label), Office supply store/Amazon. I printed all pieces on a normal DVD label, the wraparound label is the label used for the spine of the DVD case!
4. Muslin cotton bags, size 5×7, Amazon
5. Kraft blank notecards and envelopes, Michaels
6. Blank white tags w/ calligraphy writing (my own), Michaels
7. Custom logo rubber stamp, Simon Stamp
8. Paper heart punch, Michaels

Not pictured: white crinkle cut paper for the box that is used as filler to mail.

Getting mail/packages is always exciting. I hope these little details make opening packages from me that much more enjoyable!

The post Product Packaging for Photographers appeared first on Tiff Photography.

I looked at her with this “wait, is that for real?” look, then turned my head to Sean for confirmation. He didn’t counter. He grinned and admitted that he avoided ring shopping because he didn’t know what kind of ring to buy. But that didn’t mean he loved Melissa any less. He knew that he wanted to spend the rest of his days with her.

I know this because — instead of watching the Pittsburgh Penguins game, his absolute favorite hockey team/sport — he chose to freeze his buns off in 16 degree weather in non-ideal winter clothing (that looked great, for the record) to be with the love of his life. Because she wanted to have winter engagement photos taken in the snow. And that’s what guys in love do for their soon-to-be wives. Whatever makes them happy.

I’m pretty sure Sean agrees that it was worth it.

In our initial planning convos, Melissa told me she hoped for snow in her pictures, but in the weeks leading up to our shoot, the weather didn’t look promising. But then Nemo happened and dropped a fresh layer of beautiful snow on the ground and trees, providing a chilly but gorgeous backdrop at Delaware Park.

Next, we headed over to some warehouse buildings for a more city feel.

And Melissa and Sean continue to be adorable.

Sean, you are so lucky.

If I had to choose favorites, I think these would be it. I love how laid back and comfortable they are together, enjoying each other’s company, and laughing! My favorite thing to do.

I just love how much they adore each other.

Melissa and Sean are having a destination wedding next January in Vermont. It’s pretty much going to be an awesome party with her closest family and friends. Sounds perfect to me.

P.S. Sean, the Penguins told me to tell you that it wasn’t your fault they lost ;)

Want to book a session with me? Let’s talk. You can also find me on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

The post Delaware Park Engagement: Melissa & Sean appeared first on Tiff Photography.

I miss my mom’s Chinese New Year meal.

The post Happy Chinese New Year appeared first on Tiff Photography.

Well, Groundhog Punxsutawney Phil didn’t see his shadow this year, so that means that spring is just around the corner! That makes me a happy girl, as I’ve been missing the Arizona sunshine so much lately.

It also means that brides are planning their spring/summer weddings right now, so I was thrilled to see photos from our concept shoot with PEAR shared on The Lovewell Post last week. Thanks so much for the feature, Kate! To get a dose of inspiration from many talented local WNY vendors, head over to The Lovewell Post.

By the way, Buffalo brides: have you gotten your ticket to the Boutique Bridal Party yet? I plan to pop in and join the fun — hope to see you there!

The post Featured: Buffalo Styled Shoot on The Lovewell Post appeared first on Tiff Photography.

I had planned on posting my top images from 2012, but you get sick, nothing gets done, and life goes on. Part of me believes this illness came about because I spent Christmas here in Buffalo instead of with family for the first time ever in my life. I’ll be honest; it was slightly depressing. Yes, Brandon and I enjoyed a nice, quiet evening together, but I missed all of the hub-bub that comes along with multiple, large family gatherings. The plus side was that there was a lot of FaceTime involved, so we got to “be” there in spirit.

Now that I’m back on the upswing, I decided that I needed to do some reflecting on the past year in preparation for 2013 and all the goodness of the future. They say if you write your goals down, in some way, shape, or form, you are more likely to be successful in accomplishing them than those who do not. So we’re going to give it a shot this year. I’m blogging them in a public space so I can be held accountable. That means by you! Oh, the pressure.

Highlights of 2012:

• Started a medical software company that focuses on improving patient handoffs and continuity of care.
• Shot two small, intimate weddings on my own.
• Shot my first styled concept shoot in collaboration with local Buffalo-based wedding vendors.
• Celebrated the engagement of two of our dearest friends, Mike & Natalie.
• First blog feature.
• My sister graduated from ASU with a biology degree and got accepted into nursing school.
• Celebrated two years of marriage to my husband.
• First travel engagement session in Austin, TX.
• Vacationed in Portland with family.
• Shot my first newborn session (!)
• Tried my first (and probably last) trash plate in Rochester.
• Survived the first full year of living in Buffalo.
• Went to Chicago with my cousins for a weekend.
• Discovered my favorite salad from Cafe 59 (house salad with turkey and miso dressing). I eat this at least once a week usually.
• Watched my Phoenix Coyotes become the 2011-2012 Pacific Division Champions!
• Ate at a Brazilian Steakhouse for the first time.
• Received approximately 20,500 pageviews to my blog.

The above image pretty much summarizes our outlook on life, so to be a bit more specific, here are my intents for the upcoming year.

Intents for 2013:

• Learn calligraphy & lettering. Because it makes life prettier to look at.
• Say “no” more often and don’t feel bad about it.
• Be extremely selective in the work I put out on the web for others to see. I want to be proud of every single image I post and I want to make sure each image is a true representation of me and my work.
• Develop my brand. Invest the time and resources into truly defining and creating the client experience I want to provide.
• Workflows. Establish and follow.
• Be genuine. Be personal. Be me. People will either like me or repel me, and either of those is OK!
• Increase the number of portrait/lifestyle sessions I book by 25%.
• Give. Give. Give.
• Write more. Don’t be afraid to publish if it isn’t perfect. I give me permission to publish.
• Simplify.
• Stay positive.

What are your goals/intents/resolutions for 2013?

The post 2012 Highlights & 2013 Intents appeared first on Tiff Photography.

There wasn’t a Plan B, so I suggested to shoot a few photos in front of the house — after all, they just moved in over the summer, and it would be their first Christmas there. They happily agreed, and we did our thing (with neighbors watching and all).

And here is their photo card :)

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