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Award Winning Family Photographer | From Maternity & Babies to Seniors & Underwater Space Coast - Brevard County FL Baby's First Year Milestones - In-Home Newborn Session with Extended Family | St Marys GAI LOVE when grandparents join in photo sessions. How many of us wish we had more photos of us with our grandparents? I know I do. By the time I graduated high school, all of my grandparents had passed; one of my grandmas passed when I was just shy of 2. I have very few photos of them with me but I cherish the ones I have. I am always trying to make sure I get photos of my son with his grandparents when we can, especially with none of them living close by. One day (hopefully not any time soon), they'll be gone and their memories will be kept alive by the photographs we have of them. This photo session not only included Grandma and Grandpa, it included cousins too! But this isn't your typical extended family session, it's actually a newborn session to welcome Baby C into the world. But when you have everyone in town together, why not take advantage of it while you can and capture this time together. By now, I have a pretty good idea how older siblings might be around a new baby, but I wasn't sure how different it might be since these older kiddos were cousins. They were super sweet with their new baby cousin, and as expected, when you have a 2 year old involved, they'll pretty much do their own thing. And since I love to capture everyone's true personality and not just cheesy smiles at the camera, I don't mind this at all! We captured the grandparents with all three granddaughters, cousins together, and a couple outside with the big girls's family and grandparents in addition to those that I normally capture for a newborn session. I'm looking forward to capturing Baby C throughout her first year! She is surrounded by so much love and I'm honored to be able to capture that for her family.
I also installed two beautiful custom framed museum art prints at Grandma and Grandpa's house. I love to provide the full service from photo capture to having the framed print on the wall. I want to make this process as easy as I can for my families and help beautifully preserve their memories. <3 Kim Owner/Artist-Photographer Kimberly Tank Art & Photography I only take on a limited number of Baby Plan Memberships for each calendar year to ensure the highest quality of service to all of my clients and priority booking for plan members. If you're interested in becoming a plan member, I'd love to chat with you! Contact me here.
Baby's First Year Milestones - Sitting Session Milk BathI love when clients come up with fun ways to celebrate their baby's (or child's) milestones. For the middle year/sitting milestone for this adorable baby plan member, Mom wanted to do an outdoor milk bath. What a great idea! I gathered the supplies, including some beautiful flowers from Lavender and Grace Studio to float in the milk bath and we chose our outdoor location. We did a few outside the tub first, capturing those adorable baby rolls and attempts to crawl, as well as kisses from Mom. Sometimes babies this age are teething and are much happier being held, so I always encourage moms to be ready to be in the photos too.
Then it was time to load up the tub! I brought warm water so it wouldn't be cold and upset Baby E and added evaporated milk and the flowers...
Well, she still wasn't happy about it! She normally loves baths, but sometimes babies just have an off day and that's ok, so we made the best of it and didn't make her stay in there too long.
Back in another adorable outfit, she was much happier.
<3 Kim Owner/Artist-Photographer Kimberly Tank Art & Photography I only take on a limited number of Baby Plan Memberships for each calendar year to ensure the highest quality of service to all of my clients and priority booking for plan members. If you're interested in becoming a plan member, I'd love to chat with you! Contact me here.
Wildflower Field Family Photos | Jacksonville FL Family Photographer
I've been wanting to travel to the flower field, near Jacksonville, for years. And this year, I finally went! I'm so glad I did. It was so beautiful and magical, especially as the sun was setting. I brought my own family with to grab some fun shots and then photographed one of my favorite families there as well. And if you know them, you know the wildflowers are a perfect backdrop for them! We captured a quick portrait and then moved to the fun stuff: running, giving big squishy hugs, and blowing the dandelion seeds! Real life isn't perfect and the moments in our children's childhoods and our connections with them are what we always want to remember and cherish, so that's what I love to capture. Be sure to scroll all the way down to check out the ones I took of my family too!
Sadly, I no longer live near this flower field and have not found anything like it here on Florida's Space Coast. I'm glad I at least go to go there this once! <3 Kim Owner/Photographer-Artist Kimberly Tank Art & Photography Looking to capture your family as they are right now? Do you want to capture the connections you have with your loved ones? Contact me today for more information on scheduling a family session!
Underwater Photography | Family, Child & Maternity Photographer | Central FLLast month, I attended the first Underwater Kids Workshop Retreat, and it was AWESOME. Back in 2017, I bought my first underwater housing to try underwater photography and see if it was even something I would enjoy doing. I loved seeing other's work, but would I want to do it myself? I had a couple of friends offer for me to photograph their kiddos for practice. I discovered that underwater photography is like a whole new world with challenges galore... and I LOVED it. I played in the waves at the beach and under the water in pools. I even won first place in the NAPCP (National Association of Professional Child Photographers) Inspired Gallery Print Competition with one of the images I shot at the beach, splashing in the waves with my son. So last year, I took 2 classes at Click Away with the wonderful Elizabeth Blank on underwater photography and editing, which was super helpful and confirmed with me that this was definitely something I wanted to do. I invested in a better underwater housing from SPL Water Housings and started booking underwater and in the waves sessions. There's always more to learn so I was super excited when Underwater Kids announced that they were having a workshop retreat AND that it was being held only 2 hours from me and that we'd be going to the springs for a day. I'm so glad I jumped at the opportunity and signed up. The women behind Underwater Kids, Jennifer Kapala, Christi Allen-Curtis, and Amy Vecchio, are all talented, lovely women and share so much of their knowledge with us. We had a full day of pool sessions with a variety of models (the real people kind not the professional kind). I was able to see how the light differed from morning to afternoon as well as experiment with a black backdrop underwater and lights at night in a black bottom pool. I learned how to better direct clients while in the pool (it's harder than you think to keep your face natural underwater for photos!). Then we went to Ginnie Springs and spent the day there photographing more models. It was even more magical than I expected. It also brought new challenges, the biggest one being sediment kicked up from the bottom that would make the bottom murky. We had so much fun and then on top of all of the shooting, we talked marketing and editing too. I'm definitely planning to head back to explore the springs more this summer with my husband and son. And who knows, maybe offer a day of sessions there?! I learned a ton and came home and told my husband that now I want a pool! I've said for years how I don't want one because I don't want to have to clean it all the time, even though we have a great yard for it, but if I can photograph in it for half the year it'll be worth it! (If you're local and have put in a pool recently and have recommendations, I'd love to hear who to keep in mind! Earliest we'd get one would probably be 2021... here's hoping!) And now for the part you really came here for... some of my favorite images that I took during the workshop!
My word of the year this year is play and this workshop really helped me play more with things I wouldn't normally have tried on my own with my photography. I'm excited to play more underwater with clients and create fun and unique photos for them! (You can also check out the beautiful work of my fellow attendees: Willy Wilson of Life Unstill Photography, Mary Okner of Mary Bea Photography, Renee Stengel of Renee Stengel Photography, and Samantha Baltz of Samantha Ann Photography) <3 Kim Owner/Photographer-Artist Kimberly Tank Art & Photography Looking for a fun and unique way to capture your family, kids, or pregnancy? Do you want to beat the heat of summer and have your session where the heat won't bother you? Contact me today for more information on scheduling an underwater session!
Companion: A Boy and His Dog | Award Winning Photographer | St Marys GA - Amelia Island FLThe second half of my 100 day project last year took longer to finish than I had planned. Typically when I set out to do a 100 day project, the goal is to do it every day for 100 consecutive days. That didn't happen with this one, though. I had gotten to a point where I didn't want to take what felt like the same picture over and over again (my son playing while his dog laid nearby). I tried getting this situation in a variety of ways obviously but I also have a bigger vision for my project that I didn't want to leave out of the process. Then Jack (the dog) started having heat issues which turned out to be his kidneys and we juggled that and managing his health so daily photos weren't happening then either. Add in that they both were sort of over my project at one point and were not super cooperative with some of the ideas I had that I wanted to capture. I'm glad it worked out the way it did because it allowed me to capture more variety as the year went on and the seasons changed. Plus, I was able to pull off a pretty great finale for the final image which we made right at Halloween (be sure to scroll all the way down for that one, especially if you're a Harry Potter fan!). If you missed the first half of my project and what inspired me to start it, go check out this blog post.
These two love to dig. We gave them a bare spot in the yard where they were allowed to dig and watching them dig together is often funny. Here it's as if Jack is thinking, "Hey, can I help with that?"
We ended up at the vet a lot last year between regular checkups, getting neutered, and then when Jack's health declined and we discovered his kidneys do not work properly. He's on a prescription kibble that we mix with a homemade diet and thankfully he's gotten better, though whatever the underlying kidney issue is, it's still there. Being that he was only about 18 months when this happened and no reason could be found, it's likely something he was born with.
These two and their nighttime shenanigans... ok, it's not just at night but they can be super silly.
If Connor is outside playing without Jack, Jack will often lose his mind, barking and whining to get outside with him. I wanted to capture this somehow and since it was bright outside, I chose a silhouette of Jack while seeing Connor through the window.
And then there are the times when they are both puppies (and need to be contained, haha).
Rain won't usually keep these two inside, but sometimes they opt to hang out under an umbrella.
Can you spot where Connor is in this photo?
More rainy day play, but this time I stayed inside and capture the view through the blinds/window.
We love the wildflowers that grow along the roadways and Connor loves to pick them. Jack has no opinion on this but does love his walks!
Where's the ball? There it is!
Puppies...
They're like littermates sometimes...
Occasionally, I'll have an idea of something I want to try to capture, though typically I can only get one to cooperate at a time.
And then we reached the point where they were both pretty much over my project, haha!
We had company in town so these two had a campout/sleepover in my office.
Always by his side... even in the most mundane of things.
What better way to celebrate summer than with an ice-cream cone for you and your dog. (We make our ice-cream out of frozen bananas and only Connor has chocolate).
This was one of those visions I had that I wanted to capture, which gave me some funny outtakes. I've seen this done with siblings but Connor is an only child so I wanted to capture him with Jack instead. It isn't perfect but I'm pretty happy with how it turned out.
We took Jack to the beach when he was a young pup and he was terrified of the ocean. We tried taking him back to see if being bigger helped his fear any... he loved running on the beach but still wanted nothing to do with the water.
Double Exposure... this one was tricky as getting them somehow at the same height wasn't working and I needed the sky behind them both so I had to use different angles.
And for the finale.... over the summer we started reading the illustrated Harry Potter books 1 & 2 and Connor became obsessed. After reading the second in the fall, he decided he wanted to be a Ravenclaw Hogwarts student for Halloween. Jack is so much his protector and I thought it would be perfect to turn him into a patronus for Connor. I normally don't do extensive photoshop work, simply because my focus is on capturing life and people as it is, so this was fun for me to really play around and create an image like this. (If you're interested in how I created this, let me know and I'll do a separate post explaining it!) Presenting Connor and his patronus, Jack...
<3 Kim Does your child (any age up to 18) have a special bond with their pet (any type of pet)? Want to participate in my kids and pets project and live within an hour of St Marys, GA? I need models for my kids & pets project. Send me an email and I'll send you more info on participating in this project. Participants will receive images in exchange for signing a commercial model release.
Family Session on the Beach at Sunset | Jacksonville Beach - Amelia Island Photographer
If you know me, you know that I LOVE the beach. Not only do I love to go to the beach with my family, it is my favorite place for photo sessions as well. It's not just the beauty of the beach (and the sunsets!), which of course are a big plus, but there's something more about the beach that just makes it better. The calming nature of the ocean helps everyone relax more and be themselves and the beach naturally invites everyone to just play! And when everyone is relaxed and playful, we get the best photos that capture who they are and everyone having fun together. This session was one of those sessions where everyone really had fun (yes, even Dad!) and I was able to capture beautiful and fun photos of this sweet family. The littlest had just turned one so we not only updated family photos, we also focused a bit on Miss A to celebrate her turning one. The sunset was perfect and complemented the colors mom choose for their outfits (which were so well put together as always!). Check out the video fusion I put together before scrolling through some of my favorite photos from the session!
Thank you R Family for continuing to trust me with your family photos over the years. I love watching your family grow and capturing these special moments for you! <3 Kim Owner/Photographer-Artist Kimberly Tank Art & Photography Looking to capture your family as they are right now? Do you want to capture the connections you have with your loved ones? Contact me today for more information on scheduling a family session! 10 Things I Love About St Marys GA | Camden County Photography
I have lived in St Marys for almost 14 years now and am happy to call it my home. From my first visit here, I knew this was a place I would want to call home. From the friendly people and slower pace of a small town to some of my favorite local spots, I love so many things about living in St Marys. Here's a list of my top 10.
1) Howard Gilman Waterfront Park The waterfront park has always been at the top of my list. It's the perfect place to take an evening walk or sit on a swing facing the St Marys River and just enjoy the view. The playground is a favorite for my son and being shaded is a huge plus in the summer heat. Speaking of summer, the monthly music concerts in the park are a great way to spend a Saturday evening. We've had picnics in the park, gone to various festivals and events held at the park, taken a walk, met up with friends, played on the playground, and even attended two weddings there. This park will always hold a special place in my heart.
2) Crooked River State Park There are endless ways to explore Crooked River State Park. Explore the many trails, stop in at the nature center, play a game of miniature golf, camp, bring your boat and go fishing, or check out some of their events like the sunset cruise. We've had a park pass since shortly after moving here. When I used to train search and rescue dogs, we often used areas of the park to train. Now that my dog has retired and I no longer run a local k9 search and rescue team, it's a favorite place for us to go explore and experience nature. I lead a local group of homeschoolers on nature explorations every week and Crooked River is one of our regular spots to visit. After we explore, the kids all love playing on one of the two playgrounds as well!
3) Scarecrow Stroll Fall is probably my favorite season and I love how St Marys celebrates with the Scarecrow Stroll. Each year, local businesses fill the median downtown with scarecrows for the month of October and on a Tuesday night mid-October, many of them, including myself, sit by their scarecrow displays while children walk up and down the street collecting goodies and seeing all the fun displays. Last year, I added a fall scene (pictured here) where anyone could stop and take a photo with some fall leaves (since we don't get much color here in southeast Georgia!). We always have a blast and my son loves to help me pass out non-food goodies after he finishes seeing all the other scarecrows himself.
4) Local Festivals St Marys hosts three big festivals each year: Mardi Gras Festival, Independence Day Festival, and Rock Shrimp Festival. Our favorite is the Mardi Gras Festival and it's mostly because we love the parade! My son loves to collect Mardi Gras beads and it's fun to see the themed floats each year. (Back when I ran the k9 search and rescue team, we were in the parade every year!) It's also nice that it isn't too hot, which is one reason we often skip the Independence Day Festival, though it is a good one. (Our anniversary is also the 4th so there's another reason we do other things!)
5) The People It's true, people in the south tend to be warmer and friendlier. It's one of the things that drew me in when we first came to St Marys. I have met so many wonderful and interesting people here in this little town; from the time I was a teacher at one of the local elementary schools, to my work with the Osprey Living Magazine. After being in a small town for a while, you can almost guarantee you'll run into someone you know whenever you're out and about!
6) St Marys Public Library It may be small, but we love our little library in St Marys. Whatever books we need that they don't have, we can always request through the Georgia Pines Library System. We are pretty much in there weekly swapping out books for our homeschool studies and love saying hi to the lovely people who work there. We also enjoy the summer reading program events in the summertime. One can never have too many books!
7) Nearby Organic U-Pick Farms We have two farms nearby that are organic or use organic methods to grow u-pick crops. Merck Farms in Kingsland is our favorite place to go in the spring and pick some of the best strawberries you've ever tasted! The berries have just started ripening for this season so keep your eye out on their Facebook page for updates on days they're open! Just up I-95 off Harriet's Bluff Rd is Morning Belle Farms, a certified organic blueberry farm (they have blackberries too!). We frequented them often when my son was littler but we haven't been in a couple of years because our own backyard blueberry bushes have gotten so big, we get about 10 pounds of blueberries a year from just our biggest bush alone! I do want to make it back up there for the blackberries though, it's just a smaller window and I've missed it the last couple of years. 8) Less Traffic Being a smaller town also means less traffic. Every time I get stuck in traffic in Jacksonville, or even Yulee, I'm thankful that I don't have to drive in it every day (though I do travel down there quite a bit!).
9) Close to the Beach When we first moved here, it only took 30 minutes to get to the beach in Fernandina. Even now that traffic is heavier (plus construction on A1A), 45 minutes is still not a bad drive to get to the beach. Though I do wish I had taken more advantage of the shorter drive year ago! We are a family that loves the beach so we are there often anyway. It's our happy place (and my favorite place to do sessions!).
10) Easy Access to I-95/Jacksonville Jacksonville is so spread out that it could take an hour to get from the beaches to the other side of Jacksonville. From St Marys, I can also get to most places in Jacksonville in an hour or less (beaches are an hour but most other places I frequent are 30-45 minute drives). After being here for so many years and making the drive, it doesn't bother me all that much. Though now with my son in gymnastics two days a week at TNT Gymnastics, it would be easier if we were a little bit closer. Plus we do most of our grocery shopping in Jacksonville at our favorite locally owned natural grocery store, Native Sun. We're also just about in the middle between Savannah and St Augustine, both great day trips to go explore.
Do any of these make your list of favorite things about St Marys? Anything I didn't include that you love and want to share? I'd love to hear about it in the comments! <3 Kim Owner/Artist-Photographer Kimberly Tank Art & Photography, LLC Stay up to date on blog posts like these and other happenings by signing up for my monthly newsletter. P.S. Ever wish you had someone to tag along with you on a family adventure to capture the fun you all have together? Contact me for more information on a family adventure session!
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Kimberly Tank is an award-winning professional photographer in Rockledge, FL, servicing Brevard County on the Space Coast in Central Florida (including Melbourne, Cocoa Beach, Satellite Beach, Merritt Island, Viera and surrounding areas). Using natural light and custom on location sessions, Kimberly Tank specializes in photographing families from babies to seniors and commercial clients, both on land and underwater; providing an exceptional customer experience and helping save you time and preserve this chapter in your life's story. Kimberly Tank is a proud member and ambassador of National Association of Professional Child Photographers. Signup for my monthly newsletter and receive a FREE PDF on taking better photos of your kids! Click HERE Contact Me for more info and/or to book a session
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Kimberly Tank is an award winning professional lifestyle photographer in Rockledge, FL, servicing Brevard County in Central Florida (including Melbourne, Cocoa Beach, Merritt Island, Viera and surrounding areas). Using natural light and custom on location sessions, Kimberly Tank specializes in photographing families from babies to seniors and underwater photography; providing an exceptional customer experience and helping you capture your story and turn your memories into works of art.