Tari's Photography

Original writings and artwork by Tolkien fans.
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New Soul
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Hello all!

I used to have an art thread way back when I was last on the plaza, probably because I was in college for a K-12 Art Education degree. I graduated the year I resigned from the plaza, the economy was dead, I ended a relationship and it was a weird place. So, naturally, :smiley9: I started a photography business.

I've spent the last 12 years becoming a wedding photographer. I'm based in Colorado, US and have photographed weddings all over the continental US. I shoot about 30 per year. Photography led me to become a blogger online and at one point I owned a photography educational blog that had over 9 million readers during its height. Now I still shoot weddings and families, speak at photography conferences, and sell educational business tools to creatives. So...I guess that's my artist story?

In the last couple of years, I took some steps back from business because I was pregnant and suffered severe PRE-partum depression. It's been a journey to keep going, but now I've got a toddler and have been married for 10 years. I still have a great business (although coronavirus has made me unemployed as far as that goes - nobody is getting married right now). I also ended up going back and using my degree to start teaching again (long story, but basically you can't retire on wedding photography), so I basically work two full-time jobs, but for the most part they don't overlap seasons. I teach third grade and photograph offbeat weddings.

Having a kid taught me a lot about documentary lifestyle photography, so now while I have downtime from weddings due to coronavirus, I'm photographing my kid more. So here we go!


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Last edited by Tari on Mon Jun 01, 2020 8:40 pm, edited 1 time in total.
she/her

Black Númenórean
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@Tari! I was hoping you’d be sharing photos with us when I saw you joined! Thank you for catching us up on your career journey. Teaching, being a mom, and running your own business?? You are a rockstar. I love the lighting of this photo!

A couple random notes: I wish I had known you’re in CO while I was living there! Also am I crazy for thinking you were on the plaza more recently than 2008? I think I remember you and your work from around when I was a Cottage Maia in 2012. *thinking face*
she/her | Esta tierra no es mía, soy de la nocheósfera.

New Soul
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@Tarawen I may have popped in once or twice for maybe a day or something now and then, but I can guarantee that my work in 2012 was not good and the art I was showing was all drawings and paintings prior to that. I resigned from being an admin around this time of the year in 2008 and I am positive other than a random hello here or there that I didn't participate in the plaza at all. haha. Where were you when you were in Colorado?
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Esquire of The Mark
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Oh.. how splendid!
I am somewhere between an amateur and no longer an amateur on the photography scale. Would love to chat more! Love the color and light in that image!!
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Kill-Stealing Skirt Wench
When others ride out to win renown, let me chosen to tend the house.

New Soul
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@Eldrith Ooooh that's awesome! I'd love to chat photography sometime!! About to see if you have a thread around here somewhere!
she/her

Black Númenórean
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@Tari Then I must have been lucky enough to catch you when you did pop into the Plaza. I have definitely seen your wedding photography at some point and was always impressed. :smiley24:

At any rate, I was in Fort Collins for 2 years, then in Denver for 1 before we moved back to Chicago.
she/her | Esta tierra no es mía, soy de la nocheósfera.

Sage of Khazad-dûm
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I LOVE the simple (cheeky) portrait shot. Also it's lovely to see you.
Family Stealtharm | Sil's #1 Property | Knowledge of a woman, pride of a dwarf | Khazâd ai-mênu!

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New Soul
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Another one for a new day!

Thanks @Queen Nerwen lovely to see you too!

@Tarawen I was on the front range for quite some time, but moved way out to the western slope in the very remote mountains four years ago. Seriously, our nearest grocery store is 2 hours away. If you ever visit Colorado let me know!
she/her

Black Númenórean
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Oh my gosh the smile! The towel! (It is a towel right?) So adorable and so clearly running toward you with joy. I love this, and I can imagine it will be a cherished family photo for years to come.

Ahhh wow you truly are out there! I did like the mix of city and mountains from being in the front range but ultimately, Chicago was home. That said, I'll definitely let you know should I wind up visiting CO again!
she/her | Esta tierra no es mía, soy de la nocheósfera.

Elven Enchanter
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Your kid is so cute @Tari! It's clear that he's having a lot of fun.
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Artanis / Éomund / Brandor / Zarâm

New Soul
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@Tari What a journey! That's amazing.

I'm just.. I love this first photo. I don't know how it manages to be serene, contemplative, adorable, hilarious, and silly all at the same time. It brings up so many emotions in me; I think it's a perfect example of the 'picture tells a thousand words' phrase.

And the moment you captured in the second is just utter joy-- ahhh I love it.
they/he/mischief

Healer of Imladris
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Wow, @Tari! Sounds like quite the successful and challenging adventure! These portraits of your kid are so adorable and silly but the lighting lends them a certain weight, too.

It's pretty amazing to see so many CoLP threads all grown-up, so to speak. So many of us started here as artsy (and probably angsty!) teenagers. And now we've got a forum reunion of professional and semi-professional photographers, artists, authors, and more! <3
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Doorwarden of The Mark
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@Tari, your work is lovely! I’m no photographer so I can’t imagine how you’ve done this, but I love how the light creates so many moods at once. It’s like a classic painting. Well done!

New Soul
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@Tarawen It's a random burp cloth. He's taken to them when he's teething, and *must* have them while sleeping for whatever reason.

@Dimcairien Luiniel Thank you!

@Lucifer Thanks for that! There's definitely no better thing to hear about a photo!

@Aerlinn The lighting is definitely the thing I was documenting most here. Haha. Also, it is really interesting to see everyone grown up!

@Bereth Thank you!

Here's an actual client photo. In honor of PRIDE!
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she/her

New Soul
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I love this shot! It's absolutely gorgeous-- such a beautiful amount of clarity. And the honest simplicity of a moment of utter joy captured. It makes me feel so warm and happy. :)
they/he/mischief

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@Tari - as someone who kept her security blanket to an embarrassing age, I empathize with your son's affinity for the cloths. :smiley9:

Love this latest photo so much. Their shirts and the confetti pop so nicely against the brick background, and their joy is of course infectious. LOVE IT. <3!
she/her | Esta tierra no es mía, soy de la nocheósfera.

New Soul
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@L0k1 Thank you!
@Tarawen I also had my blankie for a very long time - still do in fact, but my grandfather had his folded under a pillow until the day he died so I've always figured if he can, then we can too!

Here's another client engagement session.
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she/her

Black Númenórean
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Security blanket fans unite!

Ahh I just love this latest photo. They look so joyful and relaxed in each other's company! Random question: Do you travel far for your photo sessions? Mostly asking because, in my experience, driving in Colorado is just . . . long. :smiley9:
she/her | Esta tierra no es mía, soy de la nocheósfera.

Istari Steward
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Just popping in to say I love getting to see your photos again, since I haven't been on facebook in years I've missed them, they've always been awesome and they're getting better over time too!

New Soul
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I love the perspective on this latest shot. Do you have any 'set' setups for your photos going in, or does it just depend on the people and the energy each time?
they/he/mischief

New Soul
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@Burnt Toast - No specific setups going in. I just try to document people the way they are. Plus I never know what the light is going to be like in the environment or how that will play out.

@KingODuckingham - If you haven't been on Facebook in years then these are probably a vast improvement. The early part of my career was embarrassing to say the least.

@Tarawen - I travel for all sessions because nobody lives where I live. I'm based in Colorado, but have been everywhere from here to New York, Florida (Disney World), South Carolina, California, Nevada, Arizona, Utah, Oregon, Washington, South Dakota, Illinois, Indiana, Missouri....basically anywhere in the continental US that people will take me. I also love driving. Teaching all day every day means that I have other people's kids yelling at me all the time or my toddler when I get home so I find there's nothing better than quiet alone time in my car for an extended period. :grin:

It's been a very busy last few weeks. I went on a socially distant 10-year anniversary trip and I've been painting the exterior of our house by hand. It has to be done that way because we have beehives, so spraying or rolling could expose them. It's a long process, but worthwhile. I also traveled for an elopement. Anyway, things are starting to get back to somewhat normal, so here's a photo of my kid looking cute.

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she/her

Black Númenórean
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@Tari that's amazing that you get to travel so widely for photo sessions! Totally hear you on needing quiet time - and so glad that car trips can provide that space for you <3

This photo is just adorable. I love the hat and the LITTLE SHOES!
she/her | Esta tierra no es mía, soy de la nocheósfera.

Esquire of The Mark
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Oh I love these!!!
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Kill-Stealing Skirt Wench
When others ride out to win renown, let me chosen to tend the house.

New Soul
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Thanks you two!

Yesterday I got to take a road trip and photograph at the salt flats near Salt Lake City Utah. It's one of only a tiny handful of photographing I get to do this year thanks to the pandemic, but we had the best light ever!

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she/her

Esquire of The Mark
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@Tari I absolutely have light envy! Those moments that everything just falls perfectly into place are magical.
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Kill-Stealing Skirt Wench
When others ride out to win renown, let me chosen to tend the house.

Fea
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Tari, just wanted to pop by and say these photos are so very lovely. Your client photos just so wonderfully capture such genuine love and joy, and the lighting in that last shot is dreamy - makes me think of the sorts of photo you'd get in brochures, enticing you away on a couples holiday. Your kid is also super cute and love the lighting in the first two photos especially.

Istari Steward
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We all gotta start somewhere @Tari (and to me they were great then, but I know almost nothing of photography, so my opinion is worth about as much as a three dollar bill). Either way, you've definitely grown professionally and I LOVE THE CUTE CHILD PHOTOS Ahhhh the parent in me is just going crazy with the cute.

Esquire of The Mark
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From a non-photographer's point of view, these are fantastic. Truly.

Healer of Imladris
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Your kid looks like he's about to take off on a race. That is a marvelous hat! Your client photos all look so natural and unscripted, they're lucky to have moments like that captured.
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Balrog
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If I were to comment on each one of these photos I'd end up writing something term paper length so I will simply say this: I love the way you capture the joy on people's faces in your photos. Sometimes it's obvious and bright and beaming, other times it's more unique and understated. Everything is simply beautiful. Love pictures of the little munchkin, he's so wonderfully photographic! Thank you so much for sharing your work with us, I feel honored to get to see it
Strange Fruit got holes in the flesh but it ain't gonn' spoil cause it never was fresh

Thain of The Mark
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Seconding @Frostbite about how you capture joy. It's stunning and raw and draws you right into each moment.

And I *adore* the mischief and curiosity so obvious in your kiddo. He looks like he's going to be even more of a handful as he gets older, LOL! Good luck! :wink:

New Soul
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Thanks to everyone! I was off plaza quite a bit in July due to having all the photography events and sessions all smashed in a short timespan. It involved travel and managing social distancing and I'm sad to say that now my photography season is over having photographed only 2 short weddings and about 4 sessions total. Such a strange year! The joy you all speak of in my photos is always my goal when capturing clients so it makes me feel wonderful you have all noticed it.

Here's a photo from my last wedding of 2020.
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she/her

Thain of The Mark
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Yay for business being busy though! Even if we have missed seeing you around.

This couple is so lovely! I imagine the day was even more special for them because of all the other craziness going on. They're so blessed and you can see that they *know* it.

Black Númenórean
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I'm really glad to hear you had some sessions to keep you busy this summer, Tari!

This latest photo fills me with both joy and envy - they are so clearly in love and the background is making my itch to get back into the mountains worse! :lol: In all seriousness, I love that the mountains are framing the shot but that the focus is so clearly on their happiness.
she/her | Esta tierra no es mía, soy de la nocheósfera.

New Soul
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I would not call the business busy. haha. The business has drastically slumped with COVID, but a few sessions are always helpful. Now I'm not shooting again until next May, which is very strange!

I thought I'd throw in a landscape photo that I took back in 2016 in Ireland. I actually have a giant canvas of this one on my wall as part of my LOTR themed living and dining room next to some of the hobbiton movie set.
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she/her

Black Númenórean
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Yeah, I guess "busy" is a fairly relative term these days, isn't it? :( I'm really sorry to hear how COVID has impacted your business, Tari.

The tone of the colors in this photo is so soothing. I feel like I can hear the breeze passing through the tall grass. And it makes me think there is a hobbit hole just out of sight to the right of the frame!
she/her | Esta tierra no es mía, soy de la nocheósfera.

New Soul
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@Tarawen that's exactly how this photo made me feel. It doesn't need to have a hobbit hole to be one!

It's been a few days so I'm going to throw out another one from the earlier session I did at the Bonneville Salt Flats in Utah.

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she/her

Black Númenórean
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Oh goodness, yet another gorgeous photo! I am in love with the soft lighting here. The bright point really draws the eye to their expressions, and as usual you've captured genuine affection between two people. <3
she/her | Esta tierra no es mía, soy de la nocheósfera.

Ent Ancient
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Wow Tari! These are all so beautiful! I would now very much love for you to shoot at my (non-planned, non-impending, far in the future) wedding someday...

The Salt Flat couple photos are both so beautiful with the soft lighting and the composition. But I think its more than that, too. All of your portraits seem to capture emotions and it doesn't feel as if any of the people have posed for them. They feel very natural and organic, which is very appealing to me and I imagine takes a lot of talent from the photographer.

Thain of The Mark
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Ooooh, I love the picture of the Irish hillside as well, but I'll be honest my eyes are more drawn to the soaring birds in the sky than to the hidden Hobbit hole just out of the frame. ;)

I love this second picture of the Salt Flat couple also! I wish my husband and I had been able to afford a good photographer like you when we got married. I'm very camera shy, but we also just couldn't afford to do pictures for very long.

Khazad Elder
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Hi Tari! Long time no see. *grin* Your photos are gorgeous. I especial like the ones of your little guy. Congratulations! He is adorable!
The world was fair in Durin's Day

New Soul
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Hi all! I haven't been around much. Went back to teach school in-person and it was overwhelming every spare moment of the day. However, I find myself with a new career at the moment (yay) and a little bit of extra time. Here's a Howie photo to update.

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she/her

Black Númenórean
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Tari, this is such a beautiful shot. On top of Howie being absolutely adorable, the light! Is! So! Gorgeous! So glad hear you’ve got more room to breathe with the new job - congrats again on that, by the way!
she/her | Esta tierra no es mía, soy de la nocheósfera.

Thain of The Mark
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He's so precious, and I'm still in awe of your ability to capture these candid moments! Have you ever thought about putting together a book of your photography? At the very least, you should be making and selling calendars.

Arien
Arien
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Glowy Howie is the cutest.
cave anserem
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New Soul
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@Skwovet Thank you!
@Taethowen I do sell albums to the clients I photograph and make albums of my own family's life, but I can't imagine who would want to buy those outside the people who are in them. haha.
@Sil Agreed.
she/her

Thain of The Mark
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You should do a calendar or photo book of your homesteading things, with the gardens and bees and chickens, and of course Howie too! I would totally buy something like that.

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