I have been photographing this little guy ever since he was in his momma's belly. I look forward to his session every year and enjoy seeing how much he has grown. Our sessions are always fun and full of laughter. Whether he is telling me to take a picture of his belly or telling me to take a picture of his butt...lol it's always a great time. He is such a little ham, I mean just look at that smile!!!
I know leading up to the first workshop, I was so excited but I also had the jitters! I mean I had them bad! What if I forgot everything? What if my "organic" Tiptoe way of photography doesn't make any sense to anyone else except me! What if the "students" give me blank stares like I am speaking Latin or something. What if, what if, what if! WELLLLLLLL, I just want to say that it was a smashing SUCCESS!! All that nervousness for nothing! I think we were sooooo blessed to have such a great group of ladies for the first class. They were great listeners and had great questions for us! I keep wondering if they were geniuses or if we really did a good job of explaining what to do because they nailed it when we went outside to practice with our cameras!
I love that we all sat together,breakfast in hand, and we shared so many great laughs (some at my expense, but it's okay, lol). Everyone knew that I was going to get tongue tied at some point, and lets be honest when we are talking about "shooting people", it never comes out right! I love coming out of this feeling like we have made some serious friends. Again, I know we were blessed with these ladies because they gave me the confidence of knowing that I can do it again. I can only hope that the workshops from here on out have equally as perfect friends/students!
I know the Tiptoe gals are now super duper pumped about planning out the next workshop "Let There be Light" where we go into finding the light, posing, and some more in depth camera functions! Be on the lookout for dates and sometime soon we are going to be adding a section with more info on the workshops to the website! I feel like this is a whole new lease on our photography life, it is so refreshing to share our knowledge! I can't be more excited! 
I can't even stand it!! Tomorrow is the big day! Tiptoe's very first workshop! The time is here that we are able to share our passion, our love of photography!! Shhhhhhut up!! We have been working so hard putting it all together and now the day is almost here to share! And if I am being really honest, I am a tad nervous!
We have built our business over the past 6 1/2 years learning new techniques and now have honed in all of our knowledge and broken it down to 3 workshops - The first, which we are teaching tomorrow, is Know Thy Camera, we will be teaching you how to use your camera in manual mode, so you can achieve the image you had in your mind! We are trying to make you do the thinking for your camera not vice versa... Without these first set of skills you will never be able take control of how your image turns out!
We are keeping these workshops small in numbers, as it's not going to be your typical "class" where we stand in front of you and teach! Anyone who knows me personally knows that I can NOT get in front of a group and speak at them. I get sweaty palms, my heart starts pounding, I get tunnel vision and all I can hear is whoomp, whoomp, and I honestly have no idea what is even coming out of my mouth. Nothing in this world probably makes me more nervous than speaking in front of a group! So with this being said, we are making it more of a round table discussion, just like back in the beginning of Tiptoe where it was Tara, Jennifer and I sitting down together working out our photography issues. We want all our "students" to feel comfortable asking questions or telling us their issues. We want to be able to give 100% attention to every person there. We are going to start the day with a Royalicious breakfast and coffee getting to know each other a little and figuring out your goals for the class. Also we thought it wouldn't be a Tiptoe workshop without a photo shoot, so at the end we are going to be practicing together!! And all our 'students' will be leaving with a brand new Tiptoe headshot!
I simply cannot wait! I probably won't even be able to sleep tonight!!! GAHHH! So please everyone wish us luck!
Also on a side note, I think we are going to offer our workbook that follows the teaching of this first class. So for anyone that wasn't able to attend the class and wants an insight on how to use your camera manually! This workbook may be a better option for you! Just send us a message, if you are interested and we will decide if opening up the workbook to non-class-atendees is a good idea???
Okay. So before I write anything, I just want to say- the following photo may or may not be a bit of a spoiler to an upcoming and kinda new special we'll be introducing in the next week or so. Stay tuned.
Anyways! These shoots are always fun because, well, they're just for fun shoots! It's a great way to be silly and creative and just try new things while exploring new areas! Some things don't work out, but other things might turn out fabulous and serve as inspiration for my next 'real' shoot.
For this particular shoot I recruited my boyfriend's cousin, Zoe (for obvious reasons-the camera loves her! Plus, we always have a blast.) We've traveled through thorny brush, muddy fields, and down busy streets all while wearing outrageous clothes and cracking up at the strange looks passer-bys give us. We've done it all, just to get that perfect shot.
Obviously, I can't do those kind of things with clients and that's why I have to have these random 'just for fun' shoots. It gives me a chance to explore new places, play with poses, and experiment with editing. Then, when I get to the real deal photo shoot, I have it all down pat! I know what I want to do, how I want to do it, and where I want it to be at... It's almost like warming up before game. And as warm, spring weather approaches (which is theee perfect time to schedule a shoot) I have to get my game face on and get back into my grove after a long, hard winter.
So bring it on, Spring!!
We were so lucky to get to meet such a handsome little man, Braylon def stole our hearts! We have had the privilege of photographing his mom and dad's engagement session, wedding, maternity and now him, their first child! It makes being a photographer so very special, when all these important life moments were captured by us!
A little story about this shoot! We are always a little timid when first time parents bring their very new, very fresh, very precious babies to us because being first time moms, you know you are super over protective and worried about everything, things you have never even thought of before (like do I need to lock the car when I get out and walk around to the other side to get the baby out... I wouldn't want anyone to jump in and take him, paranoid mommas, like me!!!) and lets be honest the visit to Tiptoe is one of the first outings that you and baby have.
So, in comes Braylon, his mom carrying him in his car seat, she looks so well put together, like this whole mommy thing is a breeze! Then I ask how has her first couple days been? And boy oh boy did I love her answers! I loved, loved, loved listening to them, because seriously everything she was saying reminded me of my first days at home with my new little Olivia! She talked about the struggles of being sleep deprived, changing out baby's clothes at least 3 times a day, nursing, what happened during labor, and how Dad has been adjusting (some of these stories, in general, are my favorites, because we know as moms that 8 times out of 10 Dads never get it right...Thank God for our maternal instincts!!) It was great getting to hear all that had happened in this short few days at home, she literally had me in tears with some of her stories. I also loved that Dad was so involved in bringing sentimental items that he loved, seriously it adds such a personal touch, and will be so special when the baby boy follows his dads footsteps. And lets not forget the ABSOLUTE best part, getting to hold and snuggle a fresh little baby gives all of us Tiptoe girls just enough of a fix so that we aren't too sad that we are done having little ones (well most of us are done...) So here is a Tiptoe teaser for the Shultz family! I hope y'all love this little deer!
Also wanted to shout out to our resident knitter Whitney Jenkins for making this adorable hat for us!! She's fabulous!
At 20 years old, I'm the 'baby' of Tiptoe. Being the baby means I'm the only one who isn't a mommy. So when the girls are all chatting about their kiddies, I'm just smiling, nodding, and silently being thankful I'm not the mother of a child. All the while, one of the little ones is full-on squeezing a Capri-Sun all over the floor and laughing at the sticky mess I'll have to mop up later.
Okay, okaaay! So they aren't total hooligans. They're actually really sweet and well-behaved in between temper tantrums. I'll probably be a mommy one day, but hopefully not for another 10+ years. I'm still having temper tantrums of my own while dealing with college shenanigans so there's no way I could handle another little Ande having a tantrum.
I am currently a mommy of some sort though. I have a couple girls. The thing is...they're ferrets. So it's different. But!! It's also the same on a minor level. They need the basics; food, water, poop duty, and an ocaisonal bath. Julie and Joanna also demand attention ALL the time. It doesn't matter if I've just gotten home from a fourteen hour work day or if I'm dead alsleep in the middle of the night. Play time is a must. Every. Single. Day. And whether it's voluntary or not, I am involved in play time.
Sometimes, I feel like I'm the mother of a set of toddlers. Except these toddlers steal your wallet. And your shoes. And pencils/pens along with everything and anything they can get their little paws on. Then they put it all in a designated pile under your bed. But that's not all though. These 'toddlers' also dig the dirt out of the house plants, chew on your toes, chase the cats, and oh! let's not forget that they take pure pleasure out of pooping in various corners of the house. Keep in mind, this is all part of 'play time'. It's great. We have a lot of fun....
So although I'm still a 'baby' I'm also experiencing a tiiiiny sliver of motherhood with my girls. And although they're trouble beyond belief, I love them both to death and wouldn't trade 'em for the world.
Joanna;
& Julie;
Both my nuggets together;
So we may have picked a windy, windy day to do this session, but she totally rocked it! Wind is sometimes one of our biggest enemies or it can be a beautiful thing when it hits you just right and makes your hair a tad bit fuller than normal! Did we have to stop 100 times to fix her hair, yes! Did we have pauses that we stared at each other for a couple minutes just waiting for the wind to die down, sure! But every shoot has its story!
Just wanted to give a quick Tiptoe teaser of this precious, precious princess! Look at those eyes! Gahhh! She's gorgeous!
WHAT??? Mom's with tattoos?
What were we thinking? Will we regret them as we grow older as our bodies change? What will other Mom's think of them? Will we be judged for them? What will our kids think? Will our tattoos embarrass our kids on family vacations with our grandkids 30 years from now? How will we explain them? When our grandkids as about them... what will we tell them? How will we explain them? I mean, the questions are endless...tattoos are truly conversation pieces.
I guarantee that if you were you to ask Brynnen, my daughter, about my tattoos she would talk to you about them as if they are perfectly normal...because to her they are NORMAL. Mommy has always had tattoos, and well...she always will. 🙂
So, exactly what I was thinking? That's simple...I was thinking," I want a tattoo." Why...you ask? Why not? Each tattoo I have is representative of a specific moment in my life. Each one has its own timeline and story. You only live once. Life is too short to question or second guess every decision you make.
Let's face it, our bodies will grow older and change regardless of what we do to prevent it or what we put on them. It's a part of life, so OWN it. Your tattoos are part of you so own your body, make it your own and most importantly, BE YOU!
Who are you? Are you a Mom with tattoos? Or maybe you just have tattoos, but hope to someday have the privilege of being someone's Mommy...tell me your story. Tell me about your tattoo(s) and what they mean to you.
- Beth Williams - Tiptoe Winchester
Soooooo, a few months ago we put a post on Facebook asking if our fabulous followers would be interested in taking classes if we were to offer them. The OVERWHELMING response was yes! Because we love to make YOU happy, we have prepared a trio of classes that we will be offering over the next few months! Yay! We are planning on starting off small with intimate class sizes (and BREAKFAST!) and then seeing how we grow from there. So, don't miss this opportunity to start learning the Tiptoe way of shooting from the original Tiptoe ladies!
As a little "teaser" here is the first page of our custom Tiptoe Workbook, written by yours truly and chock full of awesome tips and tons of information!
Welcome to our World…
So, you want to be a photographer? Or maybe you just want to know how to take some pretty awesome shots of your family? Or maybe you just bought a fabulous new DSLR and you want to take advantage of all of the various options it affords you? Well, this workbook is your key to navigating the complex but oh-so-fun world of photography from a Tiptoe Studios perspective. We have spent the last six and a half years amassing tons of knowledge and honing our own, signature technique. Now, we are ready to share it with you! So, whether you are learning for fun or you are planning on developing your craft in preparation of opening your own studio, we have what you need for each step of the way!
We have divided this (priceless) workbook into 3 specific categories to closely correspond with our fabulous Tiptoe workshops:
Know Thy Camera- A basic beginner’s course for those of you who are starting from scratch, focusing on how to use basic camera settings such as aperture, shutter speed, ISO and how to choose the right lens.
Let There be Light- A hands-on, intermediate workshop for those who have mastered the basics, focusing on lighting, composition and posing.
All About the Biz-An overview that will guide you on how to set up and run a photography business successfully! No guesswork needed!
Remember, this workbook and the above-mentioned workshops all follow the Tiptoe Technique of shooting. You will hear us mention “The Tiptoe Way’ several times during the workshops and within this book. Keep in mind that no 2 photographers are exactly alike. This is our signature style of shooting which we have perfected over the last 6 years. All of these tips are what we have found works best within OUR business. We offer you these guidelines and welcome you to find YOUR niche in this ever-growing community.
With these tools at your fingertips, you will be shooting like a pro in no time! What are we waiting for? Let’s get started!
