I believe that every moment of life holds magic. A child's fascination with the way a bird flies across the sky....toes touching the sand for the first time... silly things that tickle a kid's funny bone and the loving moments between mommies, daddies and their children.

It is this love for life and the precious fleeting moments as children grow that inspire me.

With this in mind, my approach to photographing children is more natural. I don't use props or special lighting. I don't make them pose, smile or sit still. I want to capture them naturally, with a whimsical laugh, goofy face, austere look and warm smile. Children are beautiful because of their transparency and this allows me to capture their true spirit.

All of my photo sessions are held either on-location (in your favorite park or beach) or in your home. I do this because I believe children will open up and be themselves when they are in a fun familiar environment. Although my goal is to have a fun, playful photo session, they don't all go as planned. Kids can be cooperative one minute and loose interest the next, so it is essential to be flexible and allow them to be photographed at their own pace. Patience is crucial to allow kids to open up and show you what they want to show you. I like to allow one to two hours for each photo session for this reason.

As for my background... I grew up in the Midwest and started my photography business 14 years ago. In that time, I did fashion photography for a world-renowned modeling agency, photojournalism for the Associated Press and later delved into the whimsical world of wedding photography (see www.tinaphotography.com). My photography has taken me all over the world and it has blessed me in many ways. I attribute a greater love and appreciation for humanity and a realization of how quickly the world and those around us change. It is through photography that those moments are immortalized and revisited again and again.

Feel free to peruse my online portfolio and pause as you view each image. I hope they move you as much as they move me.

Tina

Tina's work has been featured on HGTV and Wedding-Club.com. Her work has been published in the Best of Photography Annual, Wedding Pages, Colorado Bride, Wedding Bells, Studio Photography & Design and Redbook. As a photojournalist she has had the opportunity to photograph many notables such as former Russian President Mihail Gorbechev, French Oceanographer Jacques Cousteau and the late Princess Diana of Wales. She has also done work for the entertainment industry which includes former survivor and now co-host of "The View" Elizabeth Filarski Hasselbeck. She has been commissioned to photograph the nuptials of NHL hockey star Jamal Mayers as well as Jochen Hecht in Manheim, Germany, NFL linebacker London Fletcher and that of the former Guiding Light Star Christa Tesreau. She holds many professional memberships and is highly regarded among the photographic community.