Designs By Tonya {Photography}

{New Blog!}

2011-08-09T09:20:00.000-07:00

This is a bitter sweet post for me as I say goodbye to my old blogsite. It has served it's purpose for me for the past 3 years but as my business is growing and my work changing, I felt it was a necessary to highlight my work in a more professional format. With that said, I proudly introduce my new blog site. There will be a link to bring you back here so I won't entirely shut this site down. My new site still needs some tweaking so bare with me as I iron out all the wrinkles. Thank you dear blog followers for making the switch.

I appreciate all your support.

xo,

{A Little Socal in Norcal}

2011-08-04T11:48:00.000-07:00

This session had to go down as one of my favorite beach sessions to date. This very sweet mom contacted me a few weeks ago wanting to capture some family photos down at the beach for a special father's day gift for her husband while they were in town from Southern California. They must have brought Socal weather with them as the weather was unusually warm especially in August when beach sessions here are always dicey due to the crazy marine layer we get. Lucky them and lucky me! I could not have asked for a better day or a better family. Not only were they beautiful people but they were fun to work with and game for some of my silly ideas. Here is just a snippet of our time together.

Thank you S Family!

Enjoy your sneak peek!

Xo, T

{Email Down}

2011-08-03T10:55:00.000-07:00

Hello! Just returned from vacation to my email being down so bare with me as it should be up after today. If you need to contact me regarding an appointment or want more info about a session, please call me at 831.251.8832.

Otherwise, it may be a day or two before I can get back to you.

On another note...I have so much to share with you. I just returned from an incredible newborn workshop. I will be sending out a newsletter soon with some new details about my newborn sessions as well as some info on early booking your Fall family sessions for the holidays. All those details will be mailed out to my existing clients first and then I will open up my books for Sept-November for the general public.

Also, if you know of anyone due in September or October please have them contact me as soon as possible to hold the dates surrounding baby's due date. I only book 3 newborn sessions a month and they are filling up very fast these days.

Stay tuned for my new blog which should be up and running in a week or two. There, I will have more fabulous images like this one from my workshop. Enjoy!

Xo, T

{Sleepy Time Baby}

2011-07-14T13:47:00.001-07:00

Meet Mr. C. Just 9 days old today and born the day after the 4th of July. It took just a little bit to get him to sleep but once we got him a little drunk on mama's milk and all warm and cozy, he was a goner. He slept for our 2 hour session and was a real trooper and a sweet poser for me. Just loved his little sleepy time expressions and noises so I thought I would post a few of them today as a sneaky peek. Thanks for coming to see me with big brother today. More to see soon in your private gallery. Enjoy!

Xo,

{Born To Ride}

2011-07-08T17:18:00.000-07:00

Isn't he a cute peanut? His mommy and especially daddy, have been planning this session for 9 months now! No lie! LOL! I've always wanted the opportunity to do something like this on a motorcycle with a newborn and lucky me, Baby J's daddy happens to be a motorcycle man! To our sweet delight, not only did this little guy fully cooperate sitting on daddy's ride, he actually smiled for us. Not just one smile but about a half a dozen of the cutest tongue out smiles I think I've ever seen! I guess you could say that he was just born to ride! Chris & Amy, thank you for sharing you cute little peanut with me today. More yummy images to share in your gallery real soon. Until then, enjoy the peeky peek of your little guy! He rocked the camera today and I can see why you are so smitten with him ;)

XoXo,

{Papafloppa & Company}

2011-07-05T13:58:00.000-07:00

On a very warm and beautiful July afternoon, I set out for Capitola to capture some wonderful memories for a dear client and friend of mine. She wanted to capture some pictures of her father and mother with all of their grandchildren. So I came prepared for what may happen for a group that ages span from 9 years old to 10 months. Quite the task but a complete joy for me in so many ways. Before shooting, I had a chance to chat with the oldest grandkids to get some dirt about why they think these grandparents are so great. They shared with me that Papa's nickname was "Papafloppa" for his couch flopping antics and that he likes to hide candy in strange places inside their cute cottage home. The children each told me with delight how fun it was to discover candy in a sock drawer and how they looked forward to discovering a new hiding place with each visit. Grandma was funny because she likes to say cute and colorful phrases ;) and that they all loved her laugh and funny stories. It's easy to see and feel the love they have for their children, grandchildren and anyone else who they welcome into their home. I love everything about them from their hands on grandparenting, how they laugh at themselves and to the sweet pet names they call each other. They make me want to be like them when I grow up and I know that is exactly how their children and grandchildren must feel about them too. Thank you for the wonderful afternoon M & M! I just adore you both! Enjoy the sneak peek and more to come real soon I promise! Keep living, loving and laughing!

XoXo,

{Design Wednesday}

2011-06-29T12:54:00.000-07:00

Just wanted to share a few photos of yet another tasteful display of my images from a wonderful client. The images in the nursery brought tears to my eyes as they turned out so great and I'm very honored that my work was displayed so beautifully. I believe all 4 images are wrap around canvases ordered through Bay Photo. They are my number one recommended lab and truly are helpful when it comes to making the most of your CD images. Happy Wednesday Everyone!

{Ocean and Sun Newborn}

2011-06-23T16:05:00.000-07:00

Let me start by saying how wonderful it is to capture tender moments for new clients and how lucky am I to meet such beautiful families. Today, I met the sweetest newborn who surprised me with her 4 week old sleepiness! She slept through most of our 2 hour session and I have never had an older newborn do that for me....simply amazing! At one month, this little Miss had some of the most yummy, squishy rolls and her hair so pretty that I just wanted to keep stroking it when I met her. Her parents were just so easy to work with and in complete ease with their new baby girl. I love her middle name, which means ocean and sun, and was thought of by her creative daddy who spends some of his free time abalone diving. The blanket in the last picture was made my grandma and the colors were a fantastic sentimental touch that I love to incorporate to these types of sessions. Thank you guys for bringing Miss I to me today. She was a peach and you two were just so awesome to work with.

Enjoy your sneak peek and way more to come

in your private gallery next week.

XoXo,

{A Country Thing}

2011-06-20T12:11:00.000-07:00

Isn't my niece purrrdy? Not only is she so pretty but she is quite the budding actress who is finishing up a kids production of Mulan this summer. She has her sights set on doing more acting and perhaps modeling in the near future. Her bright and considerate demeanor will take her far in life. Really, the skies the limit for her at whatever she chooses to pursue.

Now, I will have to admit, her eye lashes make me a wee bit jealous. She will never have to wear a stitch of eye makeup as long as she lives! They are simply that stunning! Don't even get me started on her adorable freckles! I loved how this session turned out. I wanted to capture her personality in the setting in which she is growing up in. In her free time, she helps take care of dogs, cats, sheep and horses on her parents and grandparents ranch. The light was sweet and perfect for what I had in my head. Just the soft country feel I was hoping for.

Miss E., thanks for being such a great sport and doing all the silly things I asked of you. I love you and wish you luck with all your endeavors always.

Mucho love and xoxo too!

Aunt Tee Tee

{A Happy Father's Day}

2011-06-19T11:44:00.001-07:00

Happy Father's Day everyone!

May you enjoy or remember the father in your life.

xo,

{Life Is Sweet Mini Part II}

2011-06-10T11:36:00.001-07:00

Life is sweet and even sweeter and crazier with 4 children!

I'm always in awe and completely amazed at how cool and calm and collected my friend is with her munchkins. Today was no exception. She managed to juggle our photo shoot amongst the ins and outs and the likes of electricians, gardeners (a.k.a Grandpa) and workers. Some how amongst this very busy day, we were able to pull off some very sweet and fun photos of her children and I am quite delighted at how they turned out. Love the hats and garden backdrop it all worked well with what we both had in mind for some shots that really showed off their super personalities. Thank you sweet K for giving me yet another opportunity to photograph your family. Looking forward to showing you the rest real soon. Enjoy!!!

Mucho xoxo,

{Life Is Sweet Mini Part I}

2011-06-09T18:24:00.000-07:00

Sometimes great sessions deserve 2 posts. This is the 1st of 2 peeks for my dear friend and loyal client. Every year I get the pleasure of documenting her yummy kiddos. I was so honored today to walk through her home and see all my work displayed so beautifully. Today was all about updating the walls as her youngest has grown up so much since our last time together. Now one, he is able to join in the sweet fun! Here is just a big tease and part I of our time together today. More fun with hats and mucho personality to come in my next blog post so stay tuned for that and what has to be one of the craziest mini sessions I have ever done!!!!!

XoXo, T

{Sweet Baby Girl}

2011-06-04T07:44:00.000-07:00

Newborns are amazing to me! They come to me usually within a small window of time after birth when they should be sleepy and still bendy from the womb. I love seeing these innocent souls curl up and sleep and every once in a while they present a challenge to me getting them in those sleepy curled up positions I love to capture but not this little Miss. She was perfect and slept and slept while mommy and I played with her. Maybe it's because she is a Gemini like myself and her mommy.

Creative, pleasing, and loyal ;)

Introducing Miss S. Just 12 days old and perfect in every way. Loved her and loved this session. Mommy came with the most adorable hats. The owl hat is from Etsy. Such a great find and I hear that it's her nursery theme. So cute!!!! Can't wait to show her family the rest of the images because there are SOOOO many! I even have some fun birth announcements planned to present to them which is one of my favorite things to do for my clients.

For now though, just a peeky peek of what's to come.

Enjoy C Family!

XoXo,

{Little Miss S}

2011-05-26T21:21:00.000-07:00

Little Miss S came to see me today on her real due date. She came a wee bit earlier than planned but a beautiful and perfect little package all the same. Because of this, she came in very sleepy and allowed us to play with her for quite some time. By the end of 3 hours, she finally let us know that enough was enough! I wonder if she got bored of all our mommy talk of careers, babies and (of all things) Fresno. Turns out mommy and I had quite a few things in common. I really enjoyed the chat time ;) and it was so neat meeting a new friend. One of the many perks of what I do.

W Family, thank you for the pleasure of meeting your sweet princess today. Way more images to share but just a tease as to what's to come in your gallery! Enjoy!

XoXo,

{The F Family}

2011-05-22T13:14:00.000-07:00

Family sessions are so much fun and especially if they include a grandparent or two! I've always wanted to try this local location with my clients and I think I found another favorite spot for portraits, folks!

I love to capture moments like these for families.

Joy, giggles and smiles.

Connection, love and fun.

A pinch of sugar too!

All the ingredients to a fabulous photo session.

Thank you F Family for trusting me with this special session. More fun images to share in your private gallery but here is a peeky peeky of what's to come.

XoXo,

{A Spring Mini With Miss M}

2011-05-20T09:37:00.000-07:00

Spent some mini session time with adorable Miss M at my favorite park yesterday. With this unpredictable spring weather we have been having, these types of sessions can be tough to do. For various reasons, we had to postpone this one but luckily, this happened on decent day and beautiful subject to work with. Cute dress and a darling age to have fun with. You never know how things will go because toddlers just have a mind of their own. Thank goodness I brought lots of fun options for this little lady. She had me giggling with her negotiable spirit and earned every jelly bean she bargained for! LOL!

Thanks R Family for giving me yet another opportunity to capture a little sunshine for you. Enjoy your sneak peek!

XoXo,

{Love Is A Gift}

2011-05-14T16:49:00.000-07:00

Love is a gift.

People express it in many different ways.

A very special lady was gifted this session by someone who obviously cares deeply for her and her children. I could see how these two sweet sisters just adored him during our session and they were so much fun for me to work with. They went along with all my silly ideas and magic smiling words and we even made up a few along the way. I loved the outfits which were pulled together by a good friend of mine and client who has a wonderful sense of style and fashion sense. She did an amazing job of picking out the colors that really highlighted their features and were perfect for spring. She even helped get the girls ready for the shoot and I know how much effort went into all of it so thank you , A, for doing that for your friend. It was a wonderful gesture. You are such a sweetheart!

T, thanks for asking me to photograph the girls for you.

I hope S, enjoys her gift and sneak peek.

She is a lucky girl to have found such a sweet and thoughtful guy like you.

With many more to come, here are a few of my favs from yesterday.

Enjoy!

{Miss L Turns ONE!}

2011-05-13T16:03:00.000-07:00

Bittersweet are these sessions for me. It's sweet to see my little clients grow but a little bitter because I won't see them as often from here on out. I've had the delighted pleasure to watch Miss L grow from a beautiful newborn, to a happy age ONE! This little beauty always keeps me smiling and giggling with her deep chuckled laugh, her dimpled grins and Oh! I can't forget that crazy tongue smile too! Her mommy swears she only does that for me. Loved all the her outfits mommy picked out for her. The tutu and he bathing suit were two of my absolute favorites! And though she was not a cupcake fan, I managed to snap some really darling expressions of her pushing it ever so politely away! I am saving those images for her private gallery but here a number of my favs that I think captures her sweet spirit.

Thank you M family for trusting in me to document your little girl's 1st year. It's been a pure delight watching her grow.

Enjoy your sneaky peek!

xoxo,

{Out Of The Office}

2011-05-03T09:37:00.000-07:00

{MY THREE SONS}

"Days of naps, hand holding and wiping noses have been replaced by whirlwind days of sports, school activities and friends. My boys are growing up and I'm so very proud of the young men they are turning out to be. I'm so very proud to be their mother."

Wishing all my mommy friends out there a very

Happy Mother's Day!

May your hearts be happy and your day blessed with all that you love.

XoXo,

A little business message to everyone....There will be a slight delay on returning phone calls and emails from me as I will be out of the office May 4 thru May 9th. I promise to get back to you as soon as I return.

{The B Family}

2011-05-01T19:22:00.003-07:00

I spent the most lovely morning with the B Family today! The weather could not have been better and the B Family's vineyard was the perfect backdrop for some great family photos. From what I learned today, this family has been at this location for 30 years. The entire property is just beautiful and perfect for entertaining. The setting has special meaning to all of their 3 daughters and 7 grandchildren. The love and connection with one another was so obvious to me and I feel honored to have been asked to capture some of that for them today. Enjoy your sneak peek B Family. It was a pleasure meeting all of you. You are so blessed to have one another.

XoXo,

Tonya

[A Gift For All Moms}

2011-04-27T19:23:00.000-07:00

Mother's Day is right around the corner! Wouldn't you love to gift your wife, daughter or mom with a special Mother's Day shoot with her lil munchkins? DBT offers beautiful personalized gift certificates which are wrapped and packaged with DBT's yummy chocolate and pink signature colors. Deadline is Monday May 2nd to ensure Mother's Day delivery so contact Tonya today for a one of a kind gift for that special woman in your life.

tonya@designsbytonyar.com

{Sisters)

2011-04-18T10:51:00.001-07:00

These beautiful Fraternal Twin sisters, belong to a really good friend of mine. I was having a little fun with them the other evening at my youngest son's ball game. The lighting was oh sosweet and so were the smiles. I can't believe the whole series only took me 5 minutes to snap off which just goes to show you that the best photos aren't always the ones you spend hours planning. Something about them makes me want to scream "SPRING!"

On another note....

I have one more studio session for a newborn, baby milestone or toddler left for May 12th. It's a 10:30 a.m. session so please email me or call to reserve that date for you. Plenty of studio and location session openings for June but please inquire soon as I am booking a month out in most cases.

Happy Monday!

xoxo,

{A Mini Spring Fling}

2011-04-10T21:02:00.000-07:00

I'm a very lucky girl to have such sweet friends who have trusted me to take photos of their kiddos over the past few years. This time, a very dear friend of mine, wanted to do some recent photos of her 3 beautiful children down at the beach. She chose some beach inspired shades of blue that were absolutely perfect for this beach backdrop.

C, thank you so much for asking me to do this for you. I hope you enjoy this lil sneak peek. More super cute ones to come!

Love ya, girlfriend!

XoXo,

{A Beautiful Miss M}

2011-04-08T16:50:00.000-07:00

Introducing...

A Beautiful Miss M.

I know how long mommy waited for her girl and what fun we had dressing her up with girly things today! Mommy has a lot of Etsy finds from hats to bows! Loved them all but we decided on a few favorite pieces for this session. What fun mommy will have dressing up her beautiful baby girl for years to come! Enjoy her, Kimberly, and thank you for sharing your latest addition with me today. I know we went over our time but I hope this sneak peek helps and lets you know that it was all worth while.

More to come very soon!

XoXo,

Tonya

{Sweet lil Miss S}

2011-04-01T15:48:00.000-07:00

Introducing.....

Sweet Miss S.

This sweet sprite turned 8 days old today. Such a calm spirit. She loved having her hands by her face and I have to wonder if that was her comfort pose in the womb. I loved that mom was a real trooper for me and was game for some artistic poses that I've been wanting to try out. Thank you, K! You made my week :) We also have some beautiful cards picked out to design that I'm so thrilled to create for her. They are going to be awesome!!!!! But for now, here is just a few of my favorites to share and many more to come real soon! Thanks, C Family! Enjoy this precious time with your sweet baby girl!

XoXo,

Tonya

{A Little Nemo for Miss S}

2011-03-31T12:36:00.000-07:00

2 is a tricky age. Toddlers are either on or off and it's a pretty short window of time to shoot when they do decide to cooperate. I never really know what works until we are in the moment. All my toys, props etc. today, were not working until we found our secret weapons.... Little Nemo crackers(a.k.a. fish crackers) and a little gorilla mommy monkey acts. Who knew these were the key to finally cracking some smiles with little Miss S. I'm happy that I was able to grab some expressions that are authentically her. I think mommy and daddy will agree. Here are a few of my favorites from today. Thank you Miss S and Family for spending some time with me this morning.

Enjoy them and more to come real soon!

XOXO,

Tonya

{Purple Fairy}

2011-03-27T20:14:00.001-07:00

Miss Purple Fairy met up at the park with me today on a cloudy, windy, March afternoon. Mommy contacted me for some special 2 year birthday pictures. I had to brush off my fairy God Mother wings and try to remember some magic words to encourage the Purple Fairy to flash me her baby blues. A little abracadabra and viola! The results were just magical! Happy Birthday, Miss Y! Always a delight and treat to meet up with you, sweetie. There are many more magical images to share with your daddy, mommy, grandpa and grandma too so stay tuned!

XOXO,

Tonya

{Client One Year Book Sneak}

2011-03-26T15:21:00.000-07:00

This just arrived today! I had to snap off a few pics of it before hand delivering it to one of my lovely clients this week. They have been with me for a year now and during that time, I have had the awesome privilege to document their adorable baby boy's 1st year. I only offer these books as part of my Watch Me Grow Package that includes 3 discounted photo sessions for months 3, 6 , 9 or 12 months. If you would wish to learn more about these sessions, please go here on my main website or call or email me with questions about booking the series. It is an awesome investment and the best part aside from getting a discount on milestone sessions, is you get to have a baby book just like this one that includes your favorite images from all our sessions which is just priceless.

Happy Saturday Everyone!

{Inquisitive Mr. B}

2011-03-24T13:32:00.000-07:00

Inquisitive- Definition; showing curiosity.

This sums up my latest photo guest. It also describes most 15 month olds at this age. They are discovering new things about their world each day and eager to try them out. However, I do think some babies have that extra drive to determination to practice what they have learned. His mommy shared that he knows how to turn her iphone slider on button which I thought was hysterical! I can't even open up my iphone half the time.

The other way this age explores things are through their mouth. They are also in a constant state of teething so everything literally goes into the mouth. I had to post a series of shots today of that happening. No matter what we gave him to hold, it went into his mouth...even my cell phone! LOL!

Just loved the colors this wise mommy used as she followed some of my suggestions. I really am digging all the turquoise background shots. It really made his eyes and hair pop with color. As it rained outside this afternoon while I edited, these images made me long for spring to come even more.

Enjoy your sneak peek, C Family.

Thanks for sharing some sunshine with me today.

I loved meeting Mr. B. :)

More to come in your private gallery.

xoxo,

Tonya

{Spring Fling Just For Kids}

2011-03-23T10:34:00.000-07:00

{Save The Date}

2011-03-21T16:25:00.001-07:00

{A Saint Patrick's Day Newborn Session}

2011-03-17T14:51:00.000-07:00

Happy Saint Patrick's Day!

This sweet piece of sunshine came to see me today on his one week birthday. Once lulled to sleep he was such a perfect peach to photograph. Though I love how all these images turned out, my favorite images happens to be the tie photos. He appears to be flexing his muscles. They made me giggle! I also love the one with his daddy. His cute puckered up smile is so precious!

What a very lucky lil man to have such love and affection of a great mom and dad who waited with great anticipation for his arrival.

Thank you L Family for sharing a bit of your sunshine with me today. Can't wait for you to see the rest in your private gallery.

XOXO,

Tonya

{Design Friday Part III}

2011-03-11T09:43:00.000-08:00

Welcome to Design Friday Part III. Todays post is a peek into my home gallery. These 16 x 20 Canvas prints are hung in a portion of my hallway that doesn't get any direct sunlight. I think it's important to preserve your images the best way you can. I love these photos of my boys. They were taken several years ago but for me, it marks a time of innocence that I don't want to give up just yet. In fact, the are positioned so they are the 1st thing I see when I walk out of my bedroom so I get the delight of seeing them every day. If I was to do them all over again, I think I would invest in the Giclee Canvas Gallery Wraps where the images wrap around all the way on the canvas.

One of the things I am trying to do this year is to encourage my clients to find a purpose for their images. As much as I want my clients to have all their images, I think when it's all said and done, there are usually 3-5 images that end up being their favorites. It's so super easy to just throw the CD in a pile or leave it on your desktop. I get that, however, you are more likely to do something with your images right away than to tell yourself you will do something with them later on down the road, trust me. That's why during our ordering session time, I try to get a feel of which images they love and why. I offer helpful suggestions on how to arrange them in their home no matter how big or small of a space they may have. This is one of the many added benefits of hiring me as your custom portrait photographer. Above all, I want my clients to experience what I experience when I look at my favorite photos...joy...love...and happiness.

Happy Friday!

Tonya

{Self Portraits}

2011-03-06T13:14:00.000-08:00

When I turned 40 a few years ago, I became super self conscious about how I looked on film. The camera tells no lies when it comes to laugh lines and wrinkles and believe me, I have plenty! So the idea of taking close ups were pretty scary for me. It's probably one of the reasons I have so few closeups of myself. It's been on my mind that I need to step in front of the camera and just get over all that. When I woke up today, I had no intention of taking photos of myself but the yummy diffused light in my studio was beyond great so I was actually kind of excited to seize the moment and just do it. I enlisted the help of my youngest son to see what we could capture. He actually took all of the pictures but I helped set up the exposure settings. He also had to practice on finding the right focus points but other than that his natural eye for composition is what made these as great as they are. At 9 years old, I think he's just a phenom! Hmmm...I wonder who he got that from? Now don't get me wrong, there were plenty of bad ones and yes, I did soften some wrinkles in photoshop but they are still there (just zoom in!) but at the same time, it's still me. I think every professional photographer should get on the other side of the lens from time to time. It's a humbling experience. After all, if you can't see the beauty in yourself, how can you see the beauty in your subjects?

Are you are interested in a mini portrait session?

Call or email me for details

tonya@designsbytonayr.com

{April Bundle}

2011-03-04T14:34:00.000-08:00

I think we must be having a baby boom in Santa Cruz County. At least it seems that way for me. 5 newborns in less than 2 months time is kind of an unusual thing for me. I'm so thrilled and humbled by these little spirits each time I get the opportunity to photograph them. No complaints, just pure joy for me. I will say it again and probably thousand times over....

I love what I do!

Let's get to today though, shall we? One of the other things I love is meeting fabulous people on this journey. This new mommy is expecting her baby girl sometime in April and spent a little time with me capturing some sweet quiet moments. I don't think she really realized how great she looked for only having a few more weeks to go. K, you were just so stunning today and I do wish you all the best next month with your April Bundle. Looking forward to capturing her newborn pics for you. We will have a blast!

Can't wait! Here's a little Sneaky Peek of your maternity images. More to come real soon. I promise.

XOXO,

{Sweet Miss Z}

2011-02-26T20:10:00.000-08:00

This sweet newborn came a little earlier than planned. She had her own agenda and decided to be this mums Valentine's gift (a day early.) She was by the far one of the best newborns I have worked with and was quite comfortable with her clothes off. In fact, she stayed unclothed for the better part of 2 hours for us. Since our session took place at her home, she remained nice and cozy even though it was quite chilly outside. Though mom has shared with me that she is known to have quite the cry, she showed none of that with me. In fact, she seemed quite content hanging out in my prop set ups. It was a wonderful end to a crazy week for me. I truly needed the break and change of scenery. Thank you for trusting me with you precious baby girl, S Family. There are many more wonderful images to share with you in your private gallery but for now, here's a little sneaky peek!

{Hello Baby K!}

2011-02-17T17:37:00.000-08:00

Sweet Mr. K, came to see me today on his 2 week birthday. Though it was stormy outside, this lil man made it all warm and cozy in my studio. At 14 days, he was quite alert and ready to party and take it all in. We had the hardest time getting him drunk on mommy milk and sleepy. Just when we thought he would never sleep, he fell into a sweet slumber on my new bed prop. Nothing is sweeter than a naked newborn baby. I tell you, I can do this every day of my life and never tire of it as the images are always the reward. Thank you, M family for sharing your sweet new baby boy with me today. There are more wonderful images for your private gallery but here is just a sneaky sneak until then!

Enjoy!

XoXo,

Tonya

{Mr. N is ONE!}

2011-02-11T12:51:00.000-08:00

Had a little birthday fun with Mr. N today! I get a huge kick out of watching some of my clients grow and change over a years time. How quickly it all happens for me but more so for the parents I think. Here's a little sneak peek at our time together today. A little cupcake time! HAPPY 1st Birthday, Mr. N!!! Glad you had some practice eating cake for tomorrow! Enjoy!

XOXO,

Tonya

{Pink Bundle Maternity}

2011-02-10T15:02:00.001-08:00

This mom to be is expecting a little pink bundle in March. She joined me today for a mini maternity session at my home studio. Some very close friends of hers and treasured clients of mine, gifted her a maternity/newborn package. What a wonderful gift idea and one they will appreciate for years to come.

Those who know me, know that I love it when a piece of family history is incorporated into a photo. The gold bracelet in photo #2 belonged to her beloved grandmother. Loved the sentiment behind that. The last image of Mr. Pooh was a gift from her nephew in England. He was just too cute not to post but there is a fun series with him that I can't wait for her to see in her private gallery.

S Family- Thanks for coming by today. I'm really excited about meeting Little Miss Pink Bundle come March!

Can't wait for the big name reveal either!

XOXO,

Tonya

{Inspiration Monday}

2011-02-07T13:35:00.000-08:00

With so many crazy things happening in the world today, it's easy to let the seeds of uncertainty plant themselves. For me, self doubt and other life worries have been getting in the way of how I'm living my life. By no accident, did I come across one of my favorite photo blogs posts today which I will call Inspirational Monday Part I.

A series of Monday posts which will run throughout 2011.

With Kara Layne's permission,

here is a quote from her post today

“Sometimes I’ve believed in as many as six impossible things before breakfast.”

Lewis Carroll

"There are many of us, most of us, that hold dreams, hopes and determination within ourselves. And within those deepest parts, want to fight for what we want, leave behind what we don’t and truly develop into who and what we are meant to be in this lifetime. We are all meant to be great. In our own, unique ways."

Kara Layne

For the entire post go to her journal site.

Kara is a lifestyle/wedding photographer from Arizona. Her blog features many wonderful tips from design to home organization. Take a moment to check out what she is doing and leave a comment. Tell her, I sent you :)

Because a post is no fun without a picture, I leave you with an image from one of my new marketing campaigns. More on that one in another post.

Happy Monday!

xoxo,

Tonya

[Design Friday Part II}

2011-02-04T08:40:00.000-08:00

Today's Design Friday post, is a peek into another client's great home gallery. What's great about the way she displayed her wall photos, was her use of reclaimed frames. Actually, if I'm telling this right, the frames were her grandmothers. I think she repainted them and distressed them. How wonderful to not only be able to recycle something of the past but to blend the past with the present. They can now look at those cherished photos yet think of the amazing legacy of a special woman with each frame. I'm digging the distressed, beachy feel of them, don't you?

The white iron easel is something that adds a nice decorative touch to any mantel. I'm not sure where she picked these up. They are darling! I think it's nice to think out of the box when using easels with mounted prints. I personally like to use black wooden plate easels from Pier 1. If you wanted one like this white one, I think you could get close with an iron cookbook stand.

This 20 x 20 collage you see here is from one of my most requested sessions. It's from her son's 1st birthday cake session. This is a fun session since there are so many darling expressions babies make while they are experiencing the messy yumminess and fun of eating a birthday cupcake. The collage is a fun way to display and group them. It also makes a great wall decoration to a nursery or room when mounted on a gallery wrap. Her choice of a natural wood is lovely and carries through with the feel of her other framed portraits.

Thanks again, Quinn, for sharing your design ideas!

Have a wonderful Friday!

XOXO,

Tonya

{Spread The Love Campaign}

2011-02-02T10:46:00.000-08:00

Spread The Love Campaign
It's February and it's time for some love!

Yes! It's another giveaway! Here's my goal....I would love to raise my Facebook Fans and promote my business there but I need your help because you are all fantastic at spreading the love for me! What's the reward? I'm giving away a free studio session fee to one of my lucky returning clients and 1/2 off any session fee to one lucky new client.

So here' s how it works...

FB message all your close friends my Facebook link. Tell them about my promotion and to like my business page. Tell them they must leave a comment on my Facebook page and mention your name. Out of town friends are okay, they just have to be able to make it to Santa Cruz county before 2012 to use their gift certificates.
All new Facebook friends must then email me tonya@designsbytonyar.com and tell me they left a comment on my Facebook and liked my page as well as leave me their contact info. I will then enter their name and yours into the 2 drawings but you have to do step 1 & 2 first!
Here's the fun part....If you are a new client, you may only enter your name once. If you are a returning client, you can get multiple chances to win depending on how many new friends you add to my Facebook page. Don't have a Facebook account? Join FB and I will enter your name twice just for doing so but you have to do step 1 & 2 first.
All entries will be given numbers. Winners will be determined by random.org
Winners for both giveaways will be announced on Facebook and my blog on February 14th. All winners will receive a gift certificate via mail which will be good from March 2011-December 2011.
(Spread The Love certificates can not be combined with any other offer or special DBT promotion.)
Have fun and remember......Spread the love!
XOXO,
Tonya

{Design Friday}

2011-01-14T16:42:00.000-08:00

Welcome to DESIGNS BY TONYA FRIDAY! This is the 1st of a 3 part series. Many of my clients have wonderful ideas and my hopes is that by sharing with you, you might be inspired too.

Some of my clients have a true sense of design and color and so I was super excited to take a peek at what this sweet stylish family had done with their recent session. The large white distressed frames and matted borders are just perfect touches to this rooms soft color palette. Grouping photos or objects in 3s are a key design tip. Nothing wrong with popping some current photos in a beautiful silver frame either. Well done!

Of course, I couldn't get out the door with out snapping a few images of my favorite subjects. Move over Mr. Woods! There's a new tiger in the world :)

Happy Friday!

XOXO,

{Mr. A Turns 3 Yippee!}

2011-01-13T15:41:00.001-08:00

Here's a little man who is no stranger to this blog. Mr. A and his choo choo spent a little time with me for his 3 year mini session. I don't know why I am always amazed at all of his adorable expressions but every year it happens. Those dimples and curls always seem to make me smile and make him oh so irresistible. This year he is still excited about trains and apparently the expression "achoo!" brings out the grins. How super cute is that! Happy 3rd Birthday, Mr. A!!! I can't wait to see what antics you will be up to next year! Keep growing healthy and strong, my little friend.:)

xoxo,

Mrs. Riggs

{Valentines Just For Baby Promotion}

2011-01-12T10:45:00.001-08:00

My monthly newsletter just went out today. I'm so excited about this promotion because everyone who knows me knows I'm extremely passionate about baby photography. I have some super sweet poses in mind and have been working my creative juices on overtime to make the most out of these mini mini sessions. This promotion is too good to pass up so I hope you will all consider or even pass on the email or the blog post to someone who has a baby under 2 years of age. It's THAT COOL, peeps! The only problem is that there are limited session days and times. If you think you might be interested, contact me as soon as possible.

{Happy 1st Birthday, Fergalicious!}

2010-12-31T17:37:00.000-08:00

We love our little" Fergalicious." Though her real birthday was sometime this month, I couldn't let it go by with out capturing her 1st birthday portraits. With the potty training days behind us and her chewing on every moving object has come to a somewhat stop, we are truly enjoying the joys of owning a Jack Russell Terrier. We continue to be amazed at how quick and smart these dogs are. When she was just a few months old, we had her sitting, rolling over, begging and crawling on the floor as they are naturally eager to learn and play. The only thing she hasn't learned all to well is to come but we are working on that one. Fergie also seems to have boundless energy and what seems like tiny springs attached to her feet! Amazingly, there are many quiet moments with her as well where she cuddles and is the perfect little companion for everyone. The boys are extremely fond and attached to her and shower her with affection and kisses all the time, especially my middle son,Trevor. He asks her daily...

"Fergie, aren't you the cutest little doggie in the whole world?"

I'm biased but I guess I have to agree with him. She is pretty darn cute!

To celebrate, I thought it was only appropriate to head on over to Bark Place in Aptos where we picked up a cute birthday bandana and one of their famous doggie cookies. Not only did the cookie look like a real cookie, they taste like one too! I was told by our friends at the Bark Place that all of their cookies can be consumed by dogs and humans. They are all made from natural ingredients even the yogurt frosting. They are almost too pretty to eat and we had a huge selection to chose from like pizza slices, sprinkled donuts and cupcake shapes. We finally settled on the largest doggie cookie they had. After posing for pics and working for her birthday treat, we finally let Fergie have her cookie. We thought it was kind of funny how she pranced around with it for a few minutes, unsure of what to do with it and then finally bit it in half. Luckily, we made sure she didn't eat it all at once. We didn't want a sick puppy on New Years Eve.

Happy 1st Birthday, Fergie!

{Merry Christmas!}

2010-12-16T08:00:00.001-08:00

May your season be bright with many fun delights!

A Very Merry Christmas To Everyone!

From Designs By Tonya {Photography}

I will be taking a much needed vacation from now until January 10th. I will, however, be responding to emails periodically during that time and will officially open my books after January 10th, 2011.

Oh yes! Miss Fergie says...

Happy New Year too!

Woof! Woof!

xoxo,

Tonya

{One More For 2010}

2010-12-12T10:27:00.000-08:00

My final session of 2010 took place last night. What a perfect ending to a wonderful year of business for me. I was just so happy that the weather finally cooperated for this family. They were so patient as this was our 3rd attempt to get some family photos. Every weekend for the past 3 weeks have been horrible rainy days. I think they will find that the results were worth the wait.

G Family,

such a pleasure getting to know your family a little more last night. Enjoy your sneak peek and I will be in touch real soon with more of your gallery.

{Spectacular}

2010-11-30T20:28:00.000-08:00

When this family contacted me, they wanted a beach setting for some casual posed and unposed shots. We couldn't have picked a more spectacular evening for this session. We may have been just lucky but we all were in awe of it. It was all we could do but stop and just take it all in as it changed every few minutes due to the cloud coverage. If that wasn't timing, we were also treated to watching dolphins swim in the surf. I mean, how cool is that? It's moments like these that makes me so happy to live here.

P Family, you all were spectacular too! So nice to meet you and hoping we can make this an event every year for your family :) Enjoy your sneak!

MANY MORE to come in your gallery. I can't wait for you to see the rest!

xoxo,

Tonya

{Jackson & Family}

2010-11-28T19:48:00.000-08:00

This new family joined me tonight to get some holiday shots with their sweet pooch, Mr. Jackson. Newly married, these folks wanted to capture some casual shots for Christmas cards this year and ones that show how happy they are as a blended family. Mr. Jackson was all to happy to make his appearance with a few scooby snacks as bribes as well as a few kisses here and there. I am tickled how they all turned out and refrained from posting more as I want to surprise them with their gallery pictures.

For now...here is just a tease.

Enjoy!

[The C Family}

2010-11-27T12:29:00.000-08:00

Love this little family so much. Mom and Dad have been friends of ours for many years. One of the many faces we miss from our home town. When my friend contacted me to do some more candid style portraits of them while we were in town for Thanksgiving, I was all too thrilled to do so. The visit left me longing for more time with them and we all are looking forward to our time in the snow this winter. Thanks C Family for the fun and the wonderful glass of wine afterwards. I wish every session would end like this one. Enjoy your sneak peek!

P.S.

Miss S, thank you for the beautiful coffee cup. I am having tea in it right now and it is so lovely. You are a total sweetheart my dear God child.

I love you mucho!

XOXO,

Aunt TEE TEE

{Thanksgiving & Other Gift Giving}

2010-11-23T08:59:00.000-08:00

Looking forward to Turkey Day with family and friends this year.

I will be away from the keyboard for a few days. New posts and lots' of great family sessions coming up on the blog so stay tuned for that.

Though I am booked for family sessions until 2011, I do offer great gift certificates that are custom printed. A sure way to please your loved one to have one of these tucked into their stockings.

Please contact me for details and pricing.

tonya@designsbytonyar.com

{Curls & Tears}

2010-11-13T13:52:00.000-08:00

Curls and Tears. That's what we ended up with today. Oh we did get the smiles but I must say, the crying from Miss S was pretty funny after it was all said and done. She did the same thing at her 10 month appointment as mom reminded me. Mom agreed that it was capturing who they are. What a great attitude to have. Sometimes we get so hung up on the perfect smiles and grins, that we forget, life isn't all that rosy when you are 2 and everything is just NOT going your way! Mr. M with his gorgeous curls and grins was happy to have fun and play and be free. That is who he is too, according to mom. I think we accomplished what we set out to do and that always makes for a happy day for everyone.

M & S & Family, enjoy your sneak peek!

Hope to see you soon for your 2 year appointment.

Please bring your curls and tears and we'll have some cake to celebrate!

XoXo,

{Sweet Brothers}

2010-11-12T19:14:00.000-08:00

Had the best time today being silly with these two sweet brothers. They were absolutely charming and made my job so easy. I could do a million of these kinds of sessions and never bore of them. It's what I love to do and am so blessed to have the trust of great clients. I think I speak for all my clients on this.... if your child likes your photographer, taking pictures can be a fun event for you and them! Taking pictures should never be a chore but I know all to well how hard it is to get little ones dressed and ready to go anywhere let alone drag them to some strange studio at a department store where you have exactly 10 minutes to get that perfect shot for Christmas or milestones...NOT! Been there...done that...NO FUN..and not very realistic. Custom photography sessions are the way to go with little ones. Whether I photograph your child at your home or at my home studio, I have a plan for each session and it usually is based around what each client wants out of our time together. Our time is never rushed but I know when to stop, when to play and when to take a snack break inbetween my photos. That all comes from knowing children. Long before having 3 of my own, I was a preschool teacher and a 1st grade teacher. All of that experience helps me be a better photographer. I want my clients to have beautiful images and memories of their children as they grow. Beautiful images like the ones below. Enjoy your Peek Peek, S Family.

XOXO,

Tonya

{Three Times The Charm}

2010-11-11T07:13:00.000-08:00

Three times the charm. That's what it took to get these great pictures. Between rainy weather and sick kids, we had to reschedule this shoot three times. The afternoon we ended up with was just gorgeous and well worth the wait. Lot's of charm and personality with this bunch. Not to mention great style. I love how mom coordinated the outfits. Lot's of layers and pops of color. Well done, J! We took some really cute and fun Christmas pictures which I will post in their private gallery. I think the hardest part for them will be to pick out how many photos they will use for their cards and gifts. Here is just a sampling of our session. Thanks, S Family!

Enjoy your sneak!

XOXO, T

{6 Month Sweet Cheeks}

2010-11-07T06:15:00.000-08:00

Nothing could be any sweeter than this 6 month old. She was a super model today! I think we may have worn her out with all the wardrobe changes and posing we did with her. I loved everything about her from her dimpled cheeks to all her beautiful baby rolls. My favorite age to photograph and the one I highly recommend documenting to all my clients. The 1st image is one of my signature shots but this one has a little history to it. It belonged to this families great great grandmother. I loved how it turned out. All my clients are special to me and one of the nice things about my job is that I make the nicest friends along the way. This sweet family has allowed me to document their growing family before this little ones birth. I could not be happier with these images and how the whole session turned out. M Family, thank you. Thank you for trusting me with and having fun with me today.

I can't wait for you to see the rest of them.

You are in for a real treat!

XOXO,

Tonya

{New Beginnings}

2010-11-04T08:47:00.001-07:00

"It's been a great day! Tomorrow will be even better!"

These were the last words of my youngest last night just before he drifted off to sleep. A perfect beginning for this blog post. You see, this family were the recipients of my deserving family giveaway this year. I had a longer than usual session with them but it was a nice chance to get to know them and ask them to share with me a little bit more about their journey. They shared that although it's been a difficult 2 years for them with the economy and loss of income, they feel blessed to have two beautiful, healthy, children in the midst of all of it. Both feel a promise of a brighter future on the horizon. I think good things happen to good people and I felt totally honored to capture some well deserved milestone moments for their family.

Here's to New Beginnings, G Family.

It was a pleasure to meet you and I hope you enjoy your sneak peek.

More images to come on your CD.

XOXO,

{Cousins}

2010-10-25T21:05:00.000-07:00

I have the fondest memories of my cousins. They made me giggle and laugh and were the holder of some pretty funny secrets. So it was with great pleasure that I was asked to capture some sweet smiles and moments for these cousins and siblings. Here are some snapshots of our time together. More to come with your gallery. Enjoy your sneak peek, M Family.

Meet the youngest...

MR. C.

At just 3 months, his deep blue eyes made me swoon!

Meet MISS L.

LOVE her sweet tongue smile! It was beyond cute! Lucky me! I get to photograph more of her at her 6 month milestone next week!

Meet Mr. C.

Cute as can be with a charming little grin. He told me he liked cheese on his cheeseburgers but not pickles or onions or mustard. For some reason that made me giggle.

Meet Mr. B.

Warm brown eyes and Big Brother to Miss L. He also has the power to read minds and rock the camera with his GORGEOUS smile.

{Because quote}

2010-10-21T08:41:00.000-07:00

I came across this last night on one of my mentoring sites. Worth thinking about if you are on the fence about investing in child or family portraiture...

Because …

Baby lips and noses and toeses are the sweetest.

Because …

Little moments make life big.

Because …

Life is too short to forget.

Because …

Tomorrow is too long to wait.

Because …

There are no do-overs.

There are a million reasons to invest in beautiful images of your family. But maybe the best one is …

“just because.”

Get on the internet. Pick up the phone. Save your pennies.

Do what it takes TODAY to ensure that your family memories are captured for a lifetime.

The first thing most people would take out of their house in a fire?

Their photo albums and pictures.

Not … cars or clothes or couches or counter-tops.

Pictures.

Today.

(as quoted from www.napcp.com)

{Eye Candy}

2010-10-13T17:25:00.000-07:00

These two blue eyed brothers are some of my favorite subjects to photograph. Those eyes! They get me every time!!!

They are like eye candy to me! Yum! Yum!

Grandma requested to do a special session to capture these two at some really adorable ages. It made me think back to the photos I took of my 1st two boys when they were 4 and 1. Seems like such a long time ago now that they are 14, 11 and 8 but in some ways,

it's seems like yesterday looking back at those photos of them.

Though these two brothers are at a challenging spread, talk of Batman costumes and Halloween candy, helped to capture some of these sweet grins. I'm really thrilled at how they turned out

and can't wait for their family to see the rest.

Just a sneak for now.

Enjoy!

{Bring On the Fun & A Little Beatles Please}

2010-10-09T21:18:00.000-07:00

I had one of the best times photographing this talented family tonight. I'm always excited when families go along and trust me with my photo ideas. I already knew that music played a big part in their lives, so when the idea came up, they were happy to bring along some of their instruments. I even got a little Beatles played for me. I was a lucky girl tonight!

Thank you, A family, for sharing some fun moments with me. You have a wonderful family. It was so nice to see you all have fun and an even greater pleasure witnessing the love and affection you have for one another.

You are so blessed.

Enjoy your sneak peek!

More to come real soon!

XOXO,

{John Deere Baby Turns 1}

2010-10-02T15:49:00.001-07:00

I have had the honor of documenting this cherubs 1st year. You can see his pictures here and here. I can remember his 1st session as a newborn because his daddy could not wait to get him on his John Deere tractor. Dad had it completely restored prior to this little man's entrance into this world. You see, this tractor belonged to his daddy so it's special appearance in this session had great sentimental meaning to mommy and daddy and I'm pretty sure, grandma and grandpa too! With so many darn cute ones to share, I narrowed the peek to these. My favorite shot of the day is this first one. It just cracks me up and I don't know about you, but I could look all day into those deep blue eyes. Once again, AB&C, thank you! I feel blessed to have such wonderful friends who trust me with capturing these special milestones for them. Enjoy your glimpse!

XOXO,

{2 Great Kiddos}

2010-10-01T22:23:00.000-07:00

I love these two kiddos. This is my second year photographing them and they are two of the nicest and well behaved kids I've ever been around. (I think I said that before but I truly mean it!) They are a photographers dream! I mean, who wouldn't want to photograph them? Take a look at these GORGEOUS and FUN kids! Enjoy your sneak peek, H Family. Like Q said, I can't wait to do it again next year!

Thanks so much for sharing your children with me.

XoXo, T

{Best Friend}

2010-09-28T08:18:00.000-07:00

"How do you say goodbye to your best friend?"

This is something we had to do this year with our sweet Mickey and so my heart goes out this sweet family as they grieve the loss of their Miss Maddie. They knew that her time was limited and they made the difficult decision to help her go out with the dignity she deserved. I was given the honor to photograph her last few minutes for them and I was deeply humbled that the photographs gave this family the closure they needed.

Rest in peace sweet Maddie.

You will be missed but never forgotten.

{Pretty Little Lady}

2010-09-23T16:01:00.000-07:00

Meet Miss C

Isn't she just a pretty little thing? During her 3 month session, mommy and I chatted about a variety of things. I could have chatted all day with her. She was just a really nice person and it doesn't hurt that she is the sister of a good friend of mine. Among topics, were where she found her darling outfits. The crocheted sweater was from an antique store. Some of her hair pieces were from none other than Hopscotch (my favorite baby clothing boutique btw). The vintage white and blue dress was a gift passed down from a very dear friend. The little white shoes were a precious hand-me-down from older cousin. Everything from the beautiful bracelet she wore had such wonderful sentimental meaning. They worked beautiful for the timeless images I am so found of taking. Well done! I totally fell in love with how these turned out. I hope you enjoy your sneak peek, D. Thanks for coming today. I really enjoyed every minute of our time together ;)

Take a peek...

{Pearfect}

2010-09-18T21:41:00.000-07:00

This little lady, now 18 months, always manages to captivate me. Her blue eyes are just beautiful and I LOVE to photograph her. We had a little fun with some pears during this session and she kept us all hopping and laughing the entire time. I tell ya, she is one lucky little girl because not only does she have the most loving and adoring parents raising her, she has some really wonderful grandparents helping out. I was honored to be asked again to capture some special pictures for them for this holiday season. I hope you enjoy your sneak peek and thank you for sharing sweet Miss Y with me again. I just adore her to pieces!

XOXO,

Tonya

{New Holiday Press Printed Card Designs}

2010-09-12T13:20:00.000-07:00

New!

Custom Press Printed Card Designs

The Following 3 designs are for a

5 x 7 double sided press printed card.

They come in a set of 25 cards with white envelopes.

Each card is fully customized to showcase your session pictures.

Little Birdie

$65

Surfs Up!

$65

Blue Dot

$65

DBT Signature Dot

5 x 7 Folded

Set of 25 with white envelopes

$80

(front and inside left panel)

(Inside right and back card panel)