This post is a long time coming. Eight years, in fact. When I first started Tesora Photography in 2014, I didn’t know what I wanted to photograph, so I photographed literally everything. It’s important for new photographers to understand what they love, and this can evolve overtime. Beyond that, it is also imperative to understand the inspiration you feel from looking at other images. Do they evoke emotion? What is it about them that you’re drawn to? For me, one of my biggest inspirations since the second I became a photographer was the work of Tiffany Farley. At the time, Tiffany was a fellow CT photographer, specializing in connection portraits. We rolled in the same Shoot & Share group (if you know, you know). To me, she founded the art of motherhood photography in a way that I could really connect to, and she expanded on this when she bravely started The Fount Collective. Fount is a blog, a resource, and a platform that focuses on the art of motherhood. When Tiffany started doing workshops a few years ago, it was a dream of mine to one day attend. Crazed with work, imposter syndrome, and simply not being ready, I waited. Until 2021, that is. On a crisp October morning in New York, I boarded a plane to Santa Rosa Beach, FL, and attended the Fount Collective Workshop for motherhood photographers. Those four days changed my life forever. The things I learned, the people I met, the fire that ignited within me was what I had been praying for since the day I started Tesora. I can honestly say that I grew as a person, but also as an artist. If I could attend Fount every year I would, and will likely be back in 2023 for more growth. Photographing Santa Rosa Beach motherhood portraits – what could be better?
While at the workshop, I was so lucky to meet and photograph Kelsey, mom of three (and at the time, soon to be four) boys! Kelsey had never had maternity portraits done with any of her prior pregnancies, so this was such a special opportunity for her and her family. The images below will be some of my favorite Santa Rosa Beach motherhood portraits forever.
I would be remiss if I didn’t thank Tiffany Farley, Val Glidden, Alex Smith of Daphne Mae, and Rylee Hitchner for spending time pouring their heart and soul into Fount. I will never forget this experience; it has truly changed me for the better. To all the women who attended the workshop with me: we are forever bonded and I will always treasure the time we had with one another, learning and growing in our craft. Cheers to what we are now creating because of this experience.
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Carolyn of Tesora Photography is a New York City, CT, Westchester and Hudson Valley fine art motherhood and micro wedding photographer.
Available for local and destination motherhood portraits.
