Meet the Photographer

A Little Look Behind the Scenes & A Peek Into My Life

Hello, My name is Tanniya,

I am a self-taught, primarily True to Life / Natural Light Photographer. Photography has been a passion of mine for over 20 years now. I picked up my first Camera at 10 years old, a Hot Pink Polaroid Film Camera gifted to me by my Grandfather. That was it, I was hooked! Capturing the special moments in life has become something that gives me the greatest joy. Being able to share that feeling with others is just an amazing blessing! Photography, for me, is a way to suspend a single moment in time, whether it be happiness, love, sadness, a new beginning, or a new life. I'm ready to capture those moments for you for forever. I feel such fulfilment in stepping up and getting behind the lens. For many photographers, photography is an outlet and a way for us to express ourselves, a way to show people the way we see the world and communicate without the need for words. I have been captivated by the magic of photography for over half my life, and for a majority of it I only shared my passion with those closest to me... but that all changed when I met my Husband. He encouraged me to pursue it as something more, and made me take the leap from film to digital. He bought me my first Professional Grade Camera as a wedding gift. Since we have been together, he has been right behind me in supporting me. Pushing me to reach my full potential as a wife, a mother, a photographer, and as a person. He has helped me realize I can pursue my dreams without fear. He is my greatest support, my anchor, and without him I don't honestly know if I ever would have made the leap to share my view of the world. But I am grateful to him and for everything he's helped me achieve. I've had more time to spend at home with my children because of his unwavering support and faith in me.

Choosing to pursue Photography full time has allowed me to be present in my children's lives more than I would have been able to before. I am able to work my business around their needs and schedules, to be home each evening to help them with homework, cook dinner, take them to the park, or even just have a quiet evening playing board games. I've been able to take them on Adventures and to show them a world just outside their doors. To be able to show them the Beauty of the world we live in in a way most people don't see, to teach them to appreciate it and not take it for granted. Learning what I have from being a photographer, and being addicted to nature, has enabled me to teach my children things that they couldn't learn in a classroom: to teach them ways to express themselves without the need for words, their creativity, their artistic side, to show emotion in a more constructive way. It has helped me grow as an individual and it has helped me as a parent to deal with my children's growing and evolving emotions that come with childhood. It has allowed me to provide experiences they would not otherwise have, and to teach them skills not taught in traditional schooling.

My oldest, Andromeda, shares my passion for photography in all forms, and often accompanies me during sessions. Sharing that passion and those interests has given us a bond that is indescribable. Knowing that that bond is not automatic, from my own childhood experiences, has made me even more determined to foster and encourage her passion to uplift her and support her drive to pursue her dreams. The first time that my daughter started playing around with my camera when she was eight, I did not know then how much closer it would bring us. Over the past few years, I can honestly say that I have become a better parent because of my determination to teach her a craft that she could pursue into her adulthood... seeing the excitement on her face when she learns something new is a reward of its own. I am so insanely proud of how far she has come and how much she has learned. That feeling of joy when she joins me on the little adventures with my clients, teaching her how to suspend a moment in time, to share her view of the world, is a blessing I hope my younger two will also learn. I hope with all my heart that my children will grow up to follow their dreams without fear - full of passion and determination. That they never give up, and that they know it's ok to stumble, as I'll always be there to catch them and support them, no matter what they choose to do in life... that they know that they can do anything they set their minds to and that they head out into the world full of courage and endless hope.

Since my first time picking up a camera, all those years ago, my view of the world has changed many, many times. My skill as a photographer, and how I capture my view of the world around me, has changed with it. My style, however, has not changed as much. I still prefer to capture the moment as it is, as true to life as possible. For me, photography is not only a way to express the feeling and emotion of a moment, in a way that will be preserved forever, but also a way to capture the simplest moments in life. Whether it be a raw, vulnerable moment of hope or sadness, or a moment of intense excitement or happiness... moments as fleeting as fireworks, preserved in a tangible way for future generations, long past memories that fade. Photographs allow a peek into the past in a way that you can share and relive, that fleeting moment almost forgotten by time. When I work with my clients, I like to get to know them as individuals, who they are, their likes and dislikes, where they see themselves now, and where they see themselves in the future. So I know better how to capture their memories in a way that will always bring a smile to their faces... so they can look back on those special moments, and always be able to feel the joy that they had, just as fresh as it was at the moment it was captured. "Photography captures a moment in time, a single moment otherwise forgotten. It captures the Human element of that single moment, and preserves it for eternity. Whether it be a Child's laughter, a Mother's love, Love itself, Photography is the key to capturing those very Human moments and Emotions forever." -T.L.R.M

At this point, I should probably jump back to telling you a little about myself. I am a wife to an amazing, hardworking, insanely supportive man named Justin (My Husbeast) . A mother to three wonderful, energetic, (and at times, exhausting) children. Andromeda, aka Andi, my oldest, and my only girl, who shares my passion for photography, reading, sewing and the colors purple and black. She loves fiercely and is an Amazing big sister. Nathaniel, who has a has a huge heart, and an infectious laugh - he loves his siblings, animals, nature and drawing, and as all boys, is slightly addicted to video games. Michael, is such a happy and energetic little man - he shares his brothers addiction to video games, loves to read, draw, and write short stories and loves to help me cook. We have a cozy home in Belen, NM, filled with love, laughter, and lots of animals. That's not an exaggeration. We have a small zoo. We Purchased a small 5 Acre Farm and it was the best decision we could have ever made for our Family. My compassion? Obsession? Weakness?? for anything fuzzy, furry, or feathered, has definitely been inherited by my children. We have six dogs - Marlin (who I swear is part fish, and will immediately locate the nearest body of water and jump in), Tiller (who loves to dig and will no joke play fetch with rocks). Molly (who has recently become a pirate dog due to the loss of an eye - don't worry she's just as energetic as she ever was), Giselle (who is a very fluffy little princess and loves to ride around in a purse and wear dresses), and last year, we adopted Thor (who loves to cuddle and playfight and who is fiercely protective of Michael), and Dobby (who loves to burrow under the blankets and will whine if you don't pet him, and still thinks he's a lapdog). A senior cat Cassiopeia (aka Cassie, who immediately bonded with Andi, and will yell at her when she's late with dinner or is not giving her attention). Tangerine and Button (a pair playful little Kittens who love cuddles), and Princess Patches and Sugar (a pair of slightly Feral Barn Cats who are slowly warming up to us). Our two bunny rabbits named Cinnamon (who you can't convince me isn't a little crazy - no joke, she will chase me and play tag with the chickens and dogs) and Rose (who rules the house and loves her apple treats). We have 10 Horses and a Donkey, 7 Goats and And last but not least, we have Chickens, Ducks, Geese, Turkeys and Guineas. They have brought a lot of laughter and excitement to our children and are making our lives so much more fulfilling and bring so much joy to our Family.

Other than being a full-time mom and teacher to my children (both human and animal - LOL), I love cooking, writing short stories and poetry, painting, sewing, gardening, and crafting new props for my sessions. Convincing my husband to dance with me when no one is home, cuddling up with a good book and a glass of wine in front of the fire. My favorite colors are purple and black, which makes up about 90 percent of my wardrobe. I believe that putting a little color in your hair will absolutely make you feel younger. That you're never too old to jump in feet first, climb a tree or play on a playground (having kids is always a good excuse too). I have a moderate (major) addiction to caffeine, in the form of coffee. I love learning new dishes to cook from all over the world. I love the feeling of growing veggies in our own backyard (fresh veggies are unbeatable). I enjoy spending as much time as I can with my family, whether it be simply sitting next to my husband while reading, breaking out a craft project to work on with the children, embarking on a weekend hike or other adventures, or simply taking a walk around the neighborhood or a jog down to the park. I find as I grow older that I have become more of a homebody, and being surrounded by my family, cooking for them, watching a movie together, or reading a book to the kids before bed, is literally all I need to be happy. My family is my motivation for everything I do, every step I take to become a better person, day by day, is driven by my need to provide a stable, warm and loving home for my husband and my children. Because just by being, they have given me more than I can ever repay. I try to take life day by day and celebrate every single moment that I'm blessed with, with my family. Time is fleeting and often taken for granted, so stop and take a deep breath, remember to live life to the fullest, surround yourself with those you love and never forget to enjoy the simple things we tend to take for granted or overlook.

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