Love, Mom 2014-It's almost Mothers Day and Gift Certificates for Sessions are Still Available! {Delaware and Pennsylvania Lifestyle Newborn, Child, and Family Portrait Photographer}

This weekend, I will be doing my 3rd..or is it my 4th? Love, Mom annual sessions this year!  And with this year, I get a very special treat of photographing my own family. No, not myself, Wesley, and Charlotte. But we are bringing in my parents, grandparents, nieces, and nephews, and just a couple of the grandkids!  We have a really big family that spreads from northern New York, all the way to Florida and pretty much everywhere in between the Eastern seaboard. So trying to get everyone in at the same time would require just a bit of magic, but we will make do!

Even though the time to book your Love, Mom mini sessions are over, and they are happening this weekend. You still have till May 1st to order your Love, Mom gift certificate session.  So it's not over yet!!!

You can still person the Love, Mom gift certificate session, and still have the gift certificate come in time for Mothers Day! This is good for one full session at a location of your choose (within 60 miles of 19713 for travel to be included), and the two best things. 1) It doesn't expire! which is something I rarely offer, and 2-with purchasing this Love, Mom session gift certificate, you will receive a $100 gift credit that you can use towards the purchase of prints are products from your session!  Everybody wins! You give the Mom in your life a gift she will love, use, and have amazing photographs to remember just how wonderful of a gift it was, and you will be remembered as the one with the best and unique gift!

You can purchase your gift certificates here: http://marisataylorphotography.bigcartel.com/product/love-mom-gift-certificate-special

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Your own worst critic {Delaware Lifestyle Photographer}

I know a lot of photographers struggle with being their own worst critic, and just trying to figure out where you are in your style and place in business. Here's my tip:

Whenever I am feeling down, or unsure, I look back at all the emails and comments from my comments. The ones where they say how much they love their images, the ones where they say they have tears in their eyes because I captured such beautiful memories, those types, and those remind me that my journey is not complete and I am giving people something amazing.

Being a photographer is non stop learning and growing. I may not be where I want to be, but I am a heck of a lot further from where I was. And I thank every single person who has been on this journey with me and loved the moments I was able to capture for them.

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Milestone Session: Parker is One! [Delaware and Pennsylvania Lifestyle Family Photographer}

As much as I love Milestone collections, I am always said to see them end. It usually means that the baby I have photographed is turning one, and is now entering toddlerhood. I have had the honor of photographing Parker and his wonderful family since he was in his mommy's tummy, when I did their first maternity session at Longwood Gardens.  Since then I have watched Parker grow into an adorable little guy, and his big sister Natalie grow into a smart and wonderful little girl.

Even though this was Parkers 1 year birthday session, I focused on photographing the entire family just loving each other and having fun.  I was super happy to have Parker and Natalie's grandmother available for a couple of images!  Take a look below:

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Giving up and sticking it out {Delaware Lifestyle Portrait & Fashion Photographer}

Many of you know that I am a night owl, and I get much of my work accomplished at night while everyone is sleeping.  And now thanks to the new scheduling feature on Facebook, I can schedule my posts in advance without it looking like I never sleep.  Any who, before I go on a sleep deprived rant, I just posted this over on my page:

"You'll hear it a thousand times as a photographer, "Don't compare your work to someone else's". But to be honest, it's the hardest thing NOT to do. You question everything about your work, why you aren't famous, why you aren't successful, etc. And the whole time you are trying to define your own style, stay true to your own style, and make waves at the same time."

I'm going to be completely honest, and tell you something, and this is me baring my soul... I want to give this up. Every. Single. Day.  Owning your own business is tough to begin with, but when your job is that of photography, in which you literally put your heart and soul on the line to be judged every time you post an image, as an artist... you must be crazy. Which I suppose why people think most artists are crazy.

This job is not stable.  I work harder than I ever did at a regular job working for someone else.  The finances are up and down. The scheduling, while I am grateful I get to make my own schedule, I have sacrificed a lot of my time. A lot of time with my daughter, with my family, and with my friends.  There were many events that I missed with family and friends because I was photographing weddings, and any other gig that would come my way. I was essentially the starving artist.

Almost every day, I want to give up. I want to sell off the equipment, gear and props that I have acquired, and go back to something stable. Something where I don't have to push for my own creativity. I am told what to do,  how to do it, and get paid for it.

And then I remember. I remember the reason why I started my business in the first place. Another photographer told me I couldn't do it, and being the person I am, I had to prove them wrong.  The drive to prove them wrong kept me going. And then as time went on, many people, including my husband believed in me, more than I believed in myself, and they helped me build myself as an artist and as a business woman. I couldn't just simply give up on them because the struggle is not what I expected.  And then there is my daughter. I have a career, that while it may not stable, I am able to be at home with her, every single day, and I don't miss anything. I get to watch her as she grows, as she learns, and she turns from an amazing baby into the most amazing child I know.  Then of course there is the instant gratification I get knowing that I capture the love between families, the moments I capture, making mothers and women feel like a million bucks with my skills.

Am I where I want to be? Nope! Nowhere near it in my eyes. Am I going to get there? I hope so!  I have worked too hard not to keep going. And I just can't give up now.  I've been invited into too many lives, witnessed and documented too many weddings, too many families going from two to three and more.  Am I successful? Still working on it. Everyone has their own definition of success. I know that I am not where I want to be, and I am continuously working on getting there. The hardest part is not knowing for sure if I am going to accomplish what I set out to.

It's a struggle yes. And every time I find a reason I want to give up, I find 101 reasons why I shouldn't.  It's a constant learning experience. I clap and jump and giggle when I learn how to do something new in Photoshop.  I genuinely get joy out of what I do, no matter how hard it is, and that is why I stick with it. My husband likes to tell me that it took Pixar 12 years to become the powerhouse in animation that they are today, so don't give up. I'm still "new".  

So here's hoping that one day I can have an amazing story like Pixar. Pin It

It's almost Valentines Day! Still looking for a gift! {Delaware Family, Wedding, & Fashion Photographer}

The day of love is right around the corner. That's right, Valentines Day!  This year, I didn't do a special since I was so busy and wanted to take a breather, but I do have some good news. I have gift certificates available! They are big and pretty and nice! And you can purchase them online, and I can hand deliver them to you, or you can stop by and pick them up!

What will you get with the gift certificate, the basic is the session fee, which is valued at $275 and two 8x10" prints included!  Love all around!  You can use this session for a newborn, baby, child, family, Love/Engagement/Couples Session or even a Boudoir/Glam/Fashion session!

I will be available to drop off and pick up gift certificates today, tomorrow, as well as Valentines Day! Although, I will not wear a big heart and do a song and dance if you plan on having it delivered that way.

Happy Valentines Day! I had to use an old image of Charlotte back from when she was about 1 and a half, and when she was cooperative for the camera!

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One month down! {Delaware Lifestyle Portrait-Child and Family Photographer}

Can you believe that the end of January is today!  We hit February, in which we get to celebrate our 2nd wedding anniversary, (refer back to this post if you don't know what I am talking about), Valentines day, and that much closer to spring. I miss spring I really do! I don't really mind snow. I'm just more like, let it snow for two days, let the kids play, and then we are done!  I don't handle the cold too well!  I was considering setting up Valentines Day mini-sessions, since it's all about the season of love. What do you think?

If I do set it up, it will be possibly a 1 or 2 day shoot, with time mini session time slots, and you order images a la carte.  I have to think of some awesome bonus for you to order!

If I do come up with the idea, I will definitely inform all of you.

Have a fantastic day!

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Corset Story v1.2 {Delaware lifestyle portrait & fashion photographer}

Part 1 of the Corset Story series have been released. Let me tell you now it was no easy task picking through the images and deciding which ones would be in their gallery which ones the participants would pick.  I am still editing the first batch of photos from the first session! The second session is March 8th, and I hope it is just as equally amazing as the first one.

But for now, here is a sneak peek!

Be sure to stop by the website to check it out! www.marisataylorphotography.com  and the faceook account. http://www.facebook.com/marisaseasan/corset-story

I will have more series coming out soon! Including stemapunk, body mods, and men dressed up all dapper like. So stay tuned!

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You time {Delaware Lifestyle Portrait Photographer}

24 hours in a day. In that 24 hours, most people have to sleep, eat, work, drive to and from work, run errands, clean if they choose, socialize, go to school, do homework, take care of your kid or kids, and the list goes on.  The saying "Not enough hours in the day" really does ring true. Most days, I absolutely feel like I need a clone so that I can get my to-do list, which is typically a mile long done.  It seems like it never ends.  One of the things that I found that helps immensely is me time.  It may be hard to take some time for yourself, especially when you have 1,001 things going on, but it is important to do so.  Oh, and when you have kids and other people to take care of, caring for yourself usually gets put on the back burner. But you can't take care of others if you aren't well taken care of. So it's super important to make time for yourself, even if it's little things.  Want to know some of the things I do?

1)Take a shower.  Now, this should be part of your routine to begin with. My my shower is my sanctuary. I lock the door, light candles, play music and sing to my hearts content. Those 20-30 minutes (my normal showers are about 5-10 minutes, but when I splurge I spend longer), are just what I need to refresh myself.  I typically feel more refreshed and energized when I take a shower during the day, especially early in the morning. It gets me ready to take on the day. If I take a shower at night, then I want to go straight to bed.  I know for some, especially with kids, getting alone time in the bathroom is hard enough, but try it. Especially then the kids are napping or when they are in school.

2)Driving.  It doesn't matter what time it is, but night time is the best. Get on an empty road and drive. Sing your heart out while you are driving. Have your own dance party in the car while at a red light. Get crazy!  And then drive back home.

3)Dine out.  If you have a s.o., especially if you have kids. It is super, super important to take some time off and enjoy time together. Before you were parents, you were lovers. Don't forget that.  While parenting is a huge job, the two of you need to be happy and maintain that love with each other.

4)Read. Find 10 minutes. Even if you have to lock yourself in the bathroom and read a couple of a pages of a book you live. Allow yourself to escape. Nevermind the little fingers reaching underneath the door to get your attention. Reading is your escape!

So, those are the typical four things that I do when I am feeling stressed and need some me time. Or, I just take a nap if the opportunity presents itself! Pin It

Happy Anniversary...

Today is my wedding anniversary! Well technically we have two wedding anniversaries. We are a bit unconventional, and typically stray off the beaten bath. So when we first got "married", it was in the form of a handfasting.  That was back in 2009.  Then we legally got married, and by legally I mean obtaining a marriage license on February 15, 2013. Funny story about that actually.

On Valentines Day last year, Wes went into work, and while there he was having severe chest pain.  His job called the ambulance, and they rushed him to the hospital. While there, he called me, and the first things out of his mouth were "Don't freak out, I am in the hospital".  Needless to say, I did freak out.  Of course I would freak out!  So we spent Valentines Day in the hospital together, and the next day, we decided to go to the court house to get married. And that is our official wedding story.

It's been close to 10 years that we have been together. We have had our ups and downs, our struggles and amazing moments.  There were people that thought we wouldn't make it, there were people hoping that we wouldn't make it.  From our love, we created an amazing child, and everyday her giggling and shrieks of excitement make everything better.

He makes me a better person, I make him a better person. We push each other, because we know that we can achieve more. We are each others biggest supporters.  He is the reason why Marisa Taylor Photography started. He believed in me so much, even when I thought it was crazy to jump into a business full time, it was he who talked me through.

I still get butterflies when he walks in the room. He still grabs me and swings me around like when we first started dating. We made a vow to each other to always have fun, to always love, to always be happy. And even though we have moments where the happiness seems not to be there, we find our way back to it.

So happy anniversary to my love, my rock, my best friend, my husband. Wesley, I love you more than you will ever know.  10 years together, here's to many, many more awesome years.

Taken by Natasha Esguerra Photography

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Before you were mommy....

Yay more snow! Not really. But since I am snowed in today, since my husband took the car, I decided to get a few business related matters done.  And as I became distracted on Facebook, and scrolling through my newsfeed, I came across this article that a friend posted.  And of course, after reading it, I cried. Like a baby.

Before you were mommy, before you were daddy, you were theirs.

http://www.scissortailsilk.com/2014/01/24/before-you-were-mommy/

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Charlotte the Snow Princess {Delaware Child Photographer}

Are you tired of the snow yet? Because I definitely am! As much as I love the snow for taking some awesome outside pictures, I am tired of the cold. I miss the warmth!  But even still, Charlotte wanted to go outside and play in the snow. While it was too cold to actually play for a long time, I did dress her up, take her out, and snapped some photos.  Even though it was just five minutes, she had her fill.

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Styled Portrait Session : The Campebell Sisters {Delaware Lifestyle Portrait Photographer} - Catch up blog-Day 4 of 7

I've talked  before how I would like to add more studio sessions to my repertoire this year.  I definitely want to do more style sessions with a pre-consultations before your big shooting day, and following through with your products. Let's pick outfits, color schemes, props, and more. Want to tell a story? Let me know what you want, and I will work to make your story come to live through pictures.

Please take a moment to looks at this images from Brooklyn and Jordyns adorable sibling styled session. Enjoy!

And just to have a little fun, aren't these the most adorable little minions that you have ever seen?

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Snow Day-Catch up blog- Day 5 or 7

I tell you, I have never seen so many school days as those that I see in Delaware. I can completely understand closing down the road sand schools and business when the roads are an absolute terror.  But even still, there have been worth days.  In New York, it would take well over 12 inches of snow for school to be closed down. In this state, it seems like 3 inches and the whole state shuts down

Of course everyone runs for milk, eggs, and bread at the grocery store. I guess they are going to make a lot of french toast!


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Resolutions-Catch up Blog-Day 6 of 7

It's been 7 days since I last blogged. What can I say? Life gets hectic sometimes, and I just plain forget. Even though I missed 7 days, I still plan on having 31 blog entries for the month of January!

Did you make New Years resolutions? Are sticking them?

Most people make resolutions to go to the gym more, eat healthier, etc.  My resolution?  Be happier.

I let way too many have power over my happiness. I forget how to be happy sometimes.  But thank goodness I still have the little things to show me what happiness is. My husband and daughter dancing and singing.  Our baby jumping on our bed in the morning urging us to wake up so we can play, and every little moment in between.

My 2014 is set to make me happy! What about you? Pin It

Braided T-Shirt Bracelet Tutorial {Delaware Lifestyle Fashion & Portrait Photographer}

I love all things crafty!  I especially love the look of braided items. Braided head bands, scarves, and more. I found the most amazing braided cuff tutorial and wanted to share it with you!

http://www.oldthingsnewblog.com/2013/04/braided-cuff-tutorial.html

(image from link posted above)

All you need is an old t-shirt, some time, and if you want to get extra fancy, a vintage button for the rosette!  I definitely see using this tutorial to make tie-back headbands in the future.  Have fun!

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Storytelling Sessions {Delaware Lifestyle Family Photographer}

2014 is a new year for me to introduce new and exciting ventures for my business.  From the very beginning, my goal has been to tell stories.  That is why I am a photographer.  My goal is to capture your day, whether it be a wedding or a family session, and tell your amazing story.

Seeing that my focus has been on families and babies, I wanted to offer something a bit different than my normal lifestyle or portrait sessions. So I introduce to you Storytelling Sessions with Marisa.

These sessions are about creating and showcasing your amazing family.  We will discuss the exact theme you want to go with, whether it is photographing your family in the comfort of your home on a Saturday morning, or a more elaborate set up complete with a fun location and props or even both! We will then work together to acquire what is necessary to complete the theme and bring it to life.  There will be no time restraints, no rush, no looking at the clock.  I will be there for your whole story.

Once your session is over, and your images are edited, you we will start designing your unbound album from HH Boogie, to keep those precious memories of that amazing day in.

Storytelling Sessions are priced at a special rate of $1400, and this includes the prep time, your session, your unbound album, and a disc of images from the session.

For more details and to start your story, contact me today.

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Getting your name out there {Delaware Lifestyle Portrait & Fashion Photographer}

I will tell you, one of the most important aspects of business is having people know your name.  People love to talk, especially when they have had good experiences. People also talk when they have bad experiences. Either way, you want to make it your goal that people are talking about you in a good way.

When I was photographing weddings, I paid for a lot of advertising.  And for me, that advertising did not pay off at all. I did not get one single lead from paid advertising.  Which for me is somewhat hard to believe considering that I am centrally located to areas like Philadelphia, Baltimore, and can even travel to New York.  3 years of spending money on advertising gone down the drain that could have been put to amazing thank you gifts for advertising that worked.  Want to know what that was? Word of mouth!

I will readily say that almost all of my business has come from word of mouth. My clients are amazing, and I treat them like such. And I want them to tell their friends and family members about their time with me.

As of late, one of the best tools that photographers have used for advertising and connecting with our clients has not been as valuable as of late. And that is Facebook. Yes, it is free and that is a great thing.  But a lot of photographers are finding that we are reaching less than 5% of our fan base with free ads, and if we want more of our fan base to see that, we have to pay.  Being that Facebook is free in the first place I am not going to complain too much. I have no idea how their algorithms work either. Some days, new people and new pages show up on my newsfeed, other days they don't.  I have a couple of ways to keep my name and business out there and to keep my name fresh.

1) Have your fans interact with your page.  It's not all about posting your photos and your work.  Have conversations on your page.  When people comment or like on your page, it shows up on the ticker, and more often than not, people will want to see what they are up to.  Since I photograph families and babies, I have no problem with bringing up topics on childhood, activities, food, and fun things.  The more people that interact by commenting and liking, the more my post is seen, and more people can come see my work.

2) Don't rely completely on social media.  While that may seem like an odd thing to say, it is true.  We definitely cannot rely completely on social media. While tools like Facebook, Google+, and Twitter are amazing tools for connecting and showing your work, ultimately, connecting with people on a real, personal, face to face matter is what is important.  So make sure that any encounter with your clients is one that they will remember.

3) Offer a reward program.  This is probably one of the biggest things that work for me, rewards!  Whenever a new client books that is referred from a previous client, the client that referred them gets a gift print credit that they can use towards ordering images from their own sessions. It has been a blast!

Hopefully these tips will help get and keep your name out there! Pin It

Lace covered mason jars! {Delaware Lifestyle Portrait & Fashion Photographer}

I love mason jars! I know they are a passing fad now for weddings and such, but I will never stop loving them. I have jars all over my house! I use them for juicing, storage, and I have even painted a couple and have for decoration.  You know another thing I love? Lace!  So guess where I am about to go now....lace covered mason jars!

So recently, I was researching Downton Abbey inspired wedding dresses, because if we ever do our vow renewal, that is what I want it to be like.  And through various clicking, I found this blog entry about lace covered mason jars:

http://www.lovewedbliss.com/wedding-diy/diy-wedding-projects/how-to-make-lace-mason-jars/

Take a look at how pretty they are!

(All images are from the blog linked above)

Aren't they just gorgeous! Obviously you don't have to use them for weddings. They make great home decor.  If I had the clean, organized, well decorated house of my dreams, there would be mason jars in pretty much every room!

Also, if you ever need a project to do on a rainy day, this is it! I'm sure kids will love it.  You can take it an extra step and mod podge the inside, put glitter inside and cover the whole inside, and then put the lace on the outside. So that hint of color can peek through. http://www.lilyshop.com/how-make-glitter-mason-jars

Have fun!

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Postpartum bodies and loving yourself {Delaware Lifestyle Portrait and Family Photographer}

Besides my resolution to blog more in January, another one of my resolutions is to love myself and my body more, and to help women love their bodies also. A lot of women, especially mothers start to dislike their bodies after having a baby. The phrase "having  baby ruined my body" runs rampant most of the time.  But the one thing we must realize is that while having  baby has definitely not ruined our body, it has changed our body.  It grew life inside of it, and birthed an amazing child.

I wanted to share a bit from an article that a friend posted that moved me to tears.  You can find the full article here: http://blackheartsandbliss.com/post/72866172943/on-the-postpartum-body

"When I got pregnant for the first time I was 18, fresh out of cheerleading, doing Yoga daily and in the best shape of my life. Though I gained a mere 15 pounds during my pregnancy, my body stretched and pulled in ways it has never truly recovered from and I struggled a lot with the way it looked and felt after Samara was born.

It was partially my circumstances too, my ex husband regarded me with words of criticism despite walking out of the hospital in the same size 0 jeans I’d walked in wearing. I heard my mother complain my entire life about her body and the ways carrying four full term girls had changed it. In fact - I’d never heard a single positive thing about postpartum bodies that I could readily recall.

My self esteem dipped into the negatives, I was bitter in every sense. I had this beautiful daughter and now my body was fucked up. The trade off was a worthy one, but that didn’t make it suck any less."

Mother or not, love your body. It's the only one that way have.

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Take time and make time {Delaware Lifestyle Portrait & Fashion Photographer}

Hello, my name is Marisa.

I am a wife, mother, business owner, Doctor Who fanatic, craft addict, SCA-dian, belly dancer, and the list goes on.  I have a pretty full life, and with my husband and daughter by my side, it is quite exciting. I wouldn't trade it for the world.

But I have a problem.

My problem is that I have horrible time management.  You see, sometimes, well quite often actually I spend too much time working and not enough time living. Part of the reason for having my own business is so that I can work on my own terms, and have time to spend with my friends and family.  But also as a business owner, I am not just taking pictures. I am editing, doing the accounting, doing the networking, and marketing, designing albums and promo materils, and more.  Sometimes I sit down at the computer with the goal of only working two hours, and then spending time with my family, and before I know it 6 hours have gone by.  I will tell myself "Okay, let me just email these clients, prep these images, and update a couple of things, and I will spend the rest of my time today with Charlotte and Wes".  Then before I know it, Charlotte is getting ready for bed, and Wes is settling down.

Our FIRST professional family photo session with Natasha Esguerra Photography

Admittedly, work is not the only problem.  Managing a household, cleaning, grocery shopping, managing the bills, and other things tend to take time away.  I know that I need to learn better time management. And I know that there are many in my position: Spouses, business owners, etc that need to hear this:

Take time and make time.

Seriously, it's important!  Emails can wait an extra hour or two.  Editing can wait also. Grocery shopping can be put off, as well as cleaning. Unless you are entertaining the Queen of England, I don't think that anybody really cares what your house looks like. Do you know what can't wait?

Your child, your family, your loved ones, your friends.

So I vow to myself and to everybody that I care about, I will take time and make time to spend with them.  Even if I have to set aside a certain about of absolute hours to be with my family, I will. But I do realize that they are more important.  Nothing I accomplish is more important than them.  I know how easy it is to get into the zone, especially when you are trying to make your business work, but take it from me. Sending out those emails on time will never replace those minutes lost laughing with your little one.

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