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Tara Leigh Photography Blog bio picture

behind the curtain...

i am originally from seattle, washington, and have always channeled my creative energy through writing and dance. i was an english literature major in college, and a few years ago decided to move to new york to explore a career in book publishing. the book nerd in me has never been happier.  now i'm back on the west coast, and looking forward to channeling all this new life energy into taking beautiful photographs, and making people feel amazing about themselves.

photography, for me, became a passion that i never expected. several years ago i agreed to model for a photographer friend and spent what should have been two hours of trying to get fabric to billow behind me as i perched precariously on the edge of a high stool, asking a million questions. it was painfully obvious to both of us (i'm sure), that i had more interest in what was going on behind the camera, than i was with keeping my feather laden eyes open. i mean really, there's a fan blowing in your face, and you're supposed to be able to lift twelve pounds of feathers with just your upper eyelid?!

shortly thereafter i purchased my first camera and took every opportunity i could to practice shooting on my friends. there is something that i absolutely adore about being able to capture the essence of someone, and saving it forever. highlighting that certain something, and letting it shine. i think that's part of the reason why i am so hands on when i work with a client.

i am a student of behavior... of joy and sorrow and interaction. i believe in living a life worthy of memories and storytelling. there is nothing so beautiful as a genuine smile, and nothing so powerful as a tender embrace. i so look forward to working with you, and creating the kind of images that epitomize beauty... and ultimately... you.

jarret + jennifer | in love | new york wedding and engagement photographer

Wednesday, July 21, 2010

once upon a time, when i was younger and partying it up in seattle, i sort of knew a boy named jarret. then i moved, and then he moved, and then i moved, and then he moved. fast forward a few years, we’re both living in NYC, and he’s in love and getting married. i can’t even imagine a more perfect match for jarret then jennifer. they are both incredibly charming, and intelligent, and delightful, and i’m so excited to photograph their upcoming wedding.

last weekend, i was back in NYC to shoot their engagement session. it was warm and muggy, and despite starting our shoot earlier in the morning, we were still VERY warm. you’d never know it of course, i was sweating my buttinski off, and they were looking fantabular and cool as delicious little cucumbers.

you are both amazing people… together you are pure magic.
enjoy the awesomeness.
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he may kill me… but i had to do it. it was HOT, yo!
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please show them some love.

Posted in in love | Tags: , , , , , , , ,

by taraleigh

9 comments

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July 21, 2010 - 5:51 pm Megan - Gorgeous couple, gorgeous photos. Awesome work, Tara!

July 21, 2010 - 6:28 pm arija - Tara, I love how the locations you choose to shoot in always become characters in their own right. That one shot with the laundry hanging in the background is GORGEOUS and amazing and so unique - it really feels like you just happened across these two people sharing a moment...

July 21, 2010 - 8:19 pm Jennifer - I love-love-love them!!!!! I cannot believe the work you do -- I have never been so happy with a photo of me in my life!!! You are just AMAZING. I am now so excited for the wedding! ha! and for every other great moment in our life that will need captured -- YOU'RE HIRED! XO

July 21, 2010 - 8:28 pm Grace Kim - Darling.

July 21, 2010 - 8:54 pm erika jessop - This session is great! Wonderful work, Tara!!

July 21, 2010 - 9:09 pm jarret b. - Tara! These are right off the chart. I don't think I've really ever like photos where I'm part of the subject material but you have worked your usual magic... It was a pleasure to do this shoot and I think you captured us with perfect honesty and composition. Talk to you soon! Best to all of you in Portland. - J

July 22, 2010 - 12:32 pm ralph - Tara, these are absolutely wonderful. I met Jennifer & Jarret only briefly at your going away party, but it's easy to tell how genuine and sweet they are together, and you really captured that. I love all the angles and settings and how you make the city your studio - so so good. Gorgeous processing too. Congrats to the beautiful couple, and to you for creating all this magic. Awesome.

July 23, 2010 - 12:36 pm Cass - These two are just gorgeous - and together they are like a little explosion of sunshine. And your pictures are pure magic: not just beautiful portraits but each its own little fairytale (agree with Arija about the locations!).

July 31, 2010 - 2:03 pm Jerome Battisti - Although we are the proud parents of Jarret, and soon the even prouder parents of Jennifer Ann, we are amazed how these photos capture the essence of our kids and their amazing relationship. Just great work, looking forward to meeting you at the Boathouse.

joel + karen… in a new york minute | in love | new york engagement photographer

Thursday, June 10, 2010

meet joel and karen. they live in new york. they met and fell in love while working at mtv together. they know what they like. they’re getting married this july out on long island. i get to be there.

i love getting responses to the ’so, we need to set up some time to take engagement photos’ email with a solid list of questions and location options. it makes the entire experience that much more personal. since they live in and LOVE the west village, that’s where we met to make the magic happen. i also have to say… i love clothes. i love clients that have lots and lots of clothes. and shoes. and if your clothes and shoes are all size zero, and you open up your closet to me and say ‘what do you think i should wear?’… it’s like playing life size dress up doll for me. and i love it. seriously. which is just my blabbering way of saying that karen is adorable, and i want to pinch joel’s cheeks, he’s such a sweetheart.
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since moving away from new york, i feel like i’ve sort of relaxed a little bit. returned to my “west coast laidbackness” (i’m laughing at how ridiculous that notion actually is, even as i type this). but somehow i’d managed to forget how cranky cab drivers can be in manhattan. yowzah. some of you may know that i can get some serious motion sickness. so sitting in the front seat of a cab, while the cabbie drives insanely fast, and starts swearing at my couple in the back seat for daring to ask him to slow down… i do NOT miss that. and i got a little woozy. thank goodness the ride didn’t last long.
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thank you both SO much for such an awesome afternoon… for the stories and the laughter (and epic cab adventure)… and for introducing me to Park! can’t wait to see you again july!

Posted in in love | Tags: , , , , , ,

by taraleigh

8 comments

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June 11, 2010 - 3:18 am Cass - OK, first of all: the pictures are fantastic. Beautiful and romantic and perfect. Second of all: the couple are adorable. Their personalities shine through. They just seem really lovely and friendly and unaware of how gorgeous they are. Third of all: don't you think she has a slight air of SJP about her - the hair, the tiny tiny frame, the fabulous (I had to say fabulous) clothes! So, for this shoot, I choose the title: a New York Love Story. Can't wait for the wedding pics!

June 11, 2010 - 12:15 pm Karen - Stunning, as always. Also....those platforms are FANTASTIC!!!

June 11, 2010 - 3:15 pm jenn - Tara, you rocked this, you are sooo amazing, so creative. i love love love every one of these...xoxo

June 11, 2010 - 3:16 pm jenn - and OMG, i thought "she reminds me of sjp", then i read up and cass said the same thing...yup, sjp

June 15, 2010 - 2:15 pm megmanionsilliker - oh i do love this sesh tara! i love nyc such a great place to shoot. you nailed it!!

June 24, 2010 - 9:10 am Alex Beadon - You are such a great photographer! I LOVE what you captured here, their personalities definitely shine through - you should be so proud! Also, she has a striking resemblance to sarah jessica parker!! Beautiful!

July 6, 2010 - 5:04 pm elizabeth pellette - Ohhh Tara.. you are just too good girl.. love these

July 8, 2010 - 5:16 pm Benji - Beautiful Pics! You guys look great!!! Can't wait for the big day...

a life | updated

Monday, May 24, 2010

i’ve been an irresponsible blogger… and for that i apologize. for those not in the know, but that want to be in “the care” category, the following is for you: i’ve moved. i am now a west coast resident once again, calling portland, oregon home. i’m still settling in, and trying to place furniture in such a way as to encourage ‘better homes and gardens’ to come do a feature.

in the meantime… i’ve been taking some photographs (albeit of the new kitten, serif), and they will be posted soon.

stay tuned. and thank you, reader, for following along.

Posted in personal, updates | Tags:

by taraleigh

2 comments

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May 26, 2010 - 1:40 pm Cass - You are amazing, no matter where you are x

June 6, 2010 - 12:43 pm elizabeth pellette - how exciting a move.. a new start.. very fun.. cant wait to see some new stuff from you.

taryn | faux bridal | new york wedding photographer

Wednesday, March 17, 2010

round two of fun-with-wedding-dress… and basically my last just for me shoot in nyc (details in next blog post). taryn was dogsitting in a gorgeous apartment in gramercy, and this is where we lay our scene.

hair and makeup: the ever-lovely alexandra blatt.
enjoy!! and leave her some love!
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and because we also took some promo shots for her friend’s clothing company ‘the 52′… here are a few snaps that do not include a wedding dress (but do include screaming).
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thank you, ladies, for a beyond perfect day!!

Posted in in character | Tags: , , , , , ,

by taraleigh

5 comments

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March 17, 2010 - 10:24 pm Aaron - Those shots of Taryn are yummy. Great use of that apartment too. Fabulous work!

March 17, 2010 - 10:31 pm erin - these are so romantic... her in the dress.. i think these are my most favourite shots of yours absolutely stunning

March 17, 2010 - 10:32 pm erin - OH MAN why did you not get her walking that big dog, in a dress..through the city... that could have been so divine clashing with everything but so beautiful maybe next time ;-p

March 19, 2010 - 8:29 am Cass - I kinda really really love the trio with her hair down, all curly and a little ruffled - so unexpected and yet so perfect. And the contrast between the pictures where she looks so pure and innocent (la petite ingénue) and the ones where her expression is a little more challenging, a little harder, a little rock n' roll. And the close-up with her sparkling blue eyes behind the veil. And then the one of her screaming in the traffic: a wonderful exclamation mark at the end of the sequence. So, basically, I kinda really really love them all.

March 23, 2010 - 6:24 am Jeanette - Oh wow, those are AWESOME!!

jasmine + bryan | in love | new york wedding and engagement photographer

Friday, March 12, 2010

meet jasmine and bryan: two of the sweetest and most adorable human beings to ever walk the planet. both actors, both wonderfully accented (he from texas, she from kentucky)… and both so very much in love. their wedding will be held in kentucky later this summer, but they wanted some nyc driven engagement photos to start off their new life together in the big city.

it was truly a pleasure to shoot them in the face (with my camera). jasmine got on a boat for the first time in her life, and we all got to enjoy the brooklyn bridge on a sunny day.

enjoy…
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i sat staring at the metal piece for a good thirty seconds before saying “is it bad that i wish one of you could climb up on that?”… and bryan confidently shot his hand into the air and said “I CAN!!”. openminded and playful clients… gotta love em.

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j and b… wishing you a lifetime of happiness and every great adventure that comes your way!!

Posted in in character

by taraleigh

6 comments

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March 12, 2010 - 3:45 pm jess - loooveee these! she is going to be a gorgeous bride. WOW. :)

March 12, 2010 - 3:53 pm megmanionsilliker - what a stunning couple. wowzer! beautiful shots tara - you seemed to have captured their love quite nicely!!

March 14, 2010 - 6:55 pm jenn - oh my god tara...you get more and more amazing every time you shoot, these are STUNNING AND BRILLIANT!!! The BW of them kissing, her hair blowing, the bridge, kills me. These are amazing.

March 15, 2010 - 7:33 am Cass - Such beautiful images of two very beautiful people... The tones are so warm and golden... almost summery even... and your ideas for composition are brilliant: original yet perfectly executed. There's no such thing as "typical" (i.e. boring) shots with you: your pictures feel fresh and alive. I love them. As for the bridge... It's no wonder everyone wants their picture taken on the Brooklyn Bridge, it's just a surprise anyone is happy with anything other than one taken by you.

March 15, 2010 - 4:08 pm jeanetteelise - These are fantastic! It makes me want to do another session with you! Can't wait for the wedding...

March 15, 2010 - 5:14 pm Jeanette - AMAZING set! LOVE the bridge shots, really really love them!