happy 11th birthday moriah!

Today is my littlest sister's birthday. She's 11. I can't believe it. Every time I see her I tell her she's growing up way too fast and that she needs to slow down...so far she hasn't really taken my advice.

Happy Birthday, Moriah! I am so happy that God blessed me with you as my littlest sister. It's such a joy to see how you're growing up into such a beautiful (inside and out) girl of God. Your smiles, laughter, and quirky fun personality can brighten up a room. I'm so proud of you! You are so loved!

we've lived in Nashville for one year!

Today marks the 1 year anniversary of our big move to Nashville. Wow...this year sure has flown by fast! In many ways, I still feel so new to the area. There are so many places we have yet to explore and discover, we have rooms in our house that we have yet to paint, I have yet to really fall in love with country music, and I still rely on my GPS way too much to know how to get around the city (although I am learning! I'm making progress!) But at the same time, this place feels like home. Whenever I see a photograph of the Nashville skyline  I can't help but sigh and say "Aw, that's our city. That's our home."

I'm so thankful for the year we've had here. For the wonderful people we've met who have become our dear friends. A year ago, I never would've guessed that I'd grow to love this place and these people as much as I do.

Thanks for being so welcoming to us, Nashville! We're so happy to call you our home. :)

-Tiffany

and we're off like a herd of turtles!

And...we're off! Like a herd of turtles! (Have you ever heard that expression? One of my childhood best friend's mom used to say that all the time...and it makes me smile!)

We are officially on vacation! Jonathan and I are going to be completely unplugging from technology for several days, and I must say...I'm pretty excited about it! You might see a couple of Twitter updates leading up to our departure. But other than that...nothing, zilch, nada.

I'm really looking forward to completely unplugging, relaxing, and getting refreshed with my best friend. It's very much needed and couldn't come at a more perfect time.

I've scheduled a couple blog posts so that it won't be completely quiet around here. I don't want you to get to lornsome while I'm away. :)

I'll see you when we return!

-Tiffany

let your gentleness be evident.

Do you ever have one of those mornings when you just wake up in a bad mood? On the wrong side of the bed, per se. If you are shaking your head "No" then you are in denial, my friend. Worse than Cleopatra, who apparently is the queen of it.

Well, this morning was one of those mornings for me. I don't know if it was because of bad dreams I had while I was sleeping, something I ate last night, grinding my teeth, or what. But I just woke up this morning feeling down, discouraged, doubtful, and all around not-so-good. Let's just say, my gentleness wasn't being very evident.

When I have moments like this, often the last thing I want to do is run to God with it. I think to myself, "Ick, I don't want him to see me like this. Let me pull myself together and then I'll pray about it." Haha, who am I kidding? It makes me laugh that sometimes I still think that I can hide things from God. HILARIOUS.

photo credit

Finally, I got over my selfish pride and went to God in prayer. And when I did, he put Philippians 4:4-7 on my heart. When I read it, my discouragement and doubt evaporated and was replaced with complete encouragement and joy. And then I felt led to share it with you. So here goes...

Philippians 4:4-7 [words in brackets are my own thoughts]

Rejoice [to be joyful + glad] in the Lord always. [even when you wake up on the wrong side of the bed] I will say it again: Rejoice! [this must be very important if he had to say it again]


Let your gentleness be evident to all. [to all = even the people who are hard to be gentle to, or who are not gentle in return] The Lord is near. [near enough to reach out and touch, even when we're in a bad mood or think he's not looking, he's there.]


Do not be anxious [concerned, disturbed, apprehensive, fearful, uneasy, worried] about anything, but in everything [EVERYTHING], by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving [the complete opposite of complaining], present your requests to God. 


And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding [is more excellent than we could ever imagine], will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

beth andrews // headshot session nashville, tn

Yesterday my good friend Beth came over for a quick headshot session. Beth is the type of person who is so uplifting to be around and after our session together I was left feeling so encouraged. She has the type of beauty that shines from the inside out, and it's always my goal to capture that.

Beth is a Life Stewardship Coach and an Arbonne Independent Consultant. She is such a hard worker, and it really shows in everything she does. I'm so blessed to call her a friend!

Here are a couple of Beth's images from yesterday in color and b&w:

If you're in need of a new headshot...now's the time to do it! In case you missed it last week, I'll let you know again that I'm currently running a headshot special. You can find more information here. Email me at tiffany@tiffanyzajas.com to schedule your session!

Lots of smiles,

Tiffany

favorite things: moleskine notebooks + sharpie pens.

From a very young age I have had a love for stationery, paper goods, and writing utensils. As much as I love my Google Calendar, Gmail, and the many technologies we have today...there's nothing like writing something down with a good ole pen and paper.

When I was in high school, I would sometimes take notes in class and then copy them over by hand in a nice notebook when I got home. Yes, maybe I was a little OCD...or, perhaps it was just a unique method of retaining information. We may never know. 

Over the years I have tried many different journals, notebooks, and a variety of pens. And after some time I have come to discover my absolute favorites that I now cannot live without.

And I'm now going to share them with you.

Moleskine Notebooks - Husband introduced me to these notebooks when we first got married, and I've never looked back since! I love everything about these notebooks. The paper, the simple black cover, the bookmark, the accordion folder in the back to stash receipts, post-its, and ticket stubs. My favorites are the Large Ruled Notebook and the Large Squared Notebook. I also have the 12-month Weekly Planner that I'm quite fond of as well. It doesn't matter what size or type you get...you really can't go wrong with Moleskine. Trust me. You'll love them!

Sharpie Pens - I have been a fan of Sharpie markers for quite some time now. I'm pretty sure I own one in every color! But it wasn't until last year that I discovered the amazingness that is Sharpie Pens. They are advertised to not bleed through paper...and by george, it's true! I really love the fine point felt tip and the consistent flow of ink. Love them. 

Combined, Moleskine Notebooks and Sharpie Pens are quite the dynamic duo. 

What about you? Do you have a favorite type of notebook, stationery, or writing utensil? Or do you prefer to go digital all the way? Please do share in the comments below! I love hearing your thoughts. :)

Happy writing,

Tiffany 

for photographers: photovision = a great resource!

No matter how experienced (or inexperienced) you are at something...it's always important to have a mindset of continual learning. As a photographer, this is very important! I never ever want to get to the point where I say "Eh, I know all that I need to know I can just sit back and relax now." Haha...nope. Not gonna happen. 

About a month ago I subscribed to Photovision, which is an amazing resource for photographers who never want to stop learning. Every other month Photovision sends you a 2-hour DVD that is full of interviews, behind-the-scenes, and tutorial videos of some of the top portrait and wedding photographers in the nation.

For me, it's been really neat to see how other photographers do things. It makes me reevaluate my own systems and methods and see how I can better improve in photography and in serving my clients.

Right now Photovision is running a special where you can receive all of this years videos (including the ones that were already sent out this year) for only $39 (it's usually $149!) if you use the code PVFAN

This is such a great deal that I just couldn't let it pass without letting you all know about it!

In addition to the great photographers listed in the image above, starting this month our good friends Zach and Jody Gray of Gray Photography are also being featured in Photovision. You definitely won't want to miss out on seeing their awesome faces! (On one of the upcoming DVDs Photovision even shadowed them during an entire wedding!)

So, to take advantage of this amazing deal:
1. Go to Photovision
2. Use the code PVFAN to get it for $39
and
3. Never stop learning!

Lots of smiles,
Tiffany

family visits + the county fair.

Two weekends ago my wonderful family came in town to visit us here in Nashville. It's always so great to see them! It's like a big slumber party...air mattresses and sleeping bags everywhere. We stay up playing games, eating snacks, watching silly videos on YouTube, and just spending quality time together. I love family!

During this visit we spent a day at the Wilson County Fair. Even though it was HOT outside, we had a blast! We've been to a few fairs in the area including the Tennessee State Fair and the Williamson County Fair...and this one was our favorite so far. 

I didn't want to lug around my big dSLR camera all day, so the following pictures are courtesy of my Canon Powershot (which is a great point-and-shoot if you're looking for one! I love it!)

We had fun in the petting zoo. Look at us holding those chickens. We look like farmers, right?

This cow was so precious and kept rubbing her nose up on our hands. I wanted to take her home with me.

Just a few moments before we arrived, this baby chick hatched from its egg! We saw him standing up for the first time and all. It was adorable. I wanted to take it home.

The pigs were adorable, but kinda stinky. So I didn't really want to bring them home with me. But the fluffy bunny on the right was a completely different story. Jonathan had to pry me away from the bunny cages. It was dangerous.

Hahaha...the chicken on the bottom right was cracking me up. He looked like he was wearing pajamas. 

Family portrait in front of the giant rooster!

There was a live bluegrass band there, which helped set a fun atmosphere for the fair. I loved it! 

Why is it that almost every food they serve at the fair is on a stick? It boggles my mind.

The ferris wheel is my absolute favorite fair ride! They're nostalgic and romantic. 

American Gothic. Somehow I think the proportions of the heads and bodies are somewhat off...hahaha. 

This was Moriah's first funnel cake experience. It was definitely a moment worth capturing. 

This horse was making ice cream!  

We had such an amazing day!

All in all, it was kind of a bittersweet visit. This past week my family moved from Tennessee back up to Maine to go back to pastor the church I grew up in. I am so excited for them and this new chapter in their life...but it is definitely sad to see them go.

But this just means we'll be vacationing up in Maine more often, and that is definitely a huge plus! :)

extreme makeover: blog edition

In case you haven't noticed already, the blog has received a lil' makeover...and I'm pretty excited about it! We've changed the title from "jonathan & tiffany" to "tiffany zajas photography", because, well, let's face it...Jonathan never posted on here. (He has started his own tumblr blog that he occasionally posts to if you want to check it out!)

The blog is now fresher, cleaner, brighter...and a much better environment for a plethora of photographs. Yippee! All of the content will stay the same. I'll be posting a mixture of personal and photography posts...and any other fun things I feel like sharing with you all. Just like the header says, it's all about...life, love, photography, and lots of smiling along the way. :)

And now...because everyone loves a good before + after...

BEFORE

AFTER

I hope you love the new look of the blog as much as I do. I have to admit, it's making me pretty giddy right now.

Thank you, husband, for giving my blog a makeover! :) You rock!

Lots of smiles,

-Tiffany

headshot session special!

Whether you're a real estate agent, a professor, an actor, model, musician, a pastor, or a number of other professions...it's always a great idea to have a good professional headshot of yourself. The photo that you use to represent yourself says a lot about you and your professionalism--so make sure you do it right!

Even as a photographer it's important for me to have an image that accurately represents me and my business. I've had clients tell me that they knew they wanted to book me after seeing how happy I looked in the picture on my website. That's the kind of response you want!

When you schedule a headshot session with me, I'll make you feel at ease and relaxed so your true personality is reflected in your photo. If you have a large group or office where several people need new headshots, I can even come directly to your workplace to take them. (If it's in the Nashville area)

I edit the best 2-3 images from your headshot session to make sure they look the best that they can be. You will then receive the high and low resolution image files (for print and for web!) of those headshots. And, voila! You're good to go!

To schedule your session (or if you have any questions) just email me at tiffany@tiffanyzajas.com

Also, ask about a business card design special that this qualifies you for!

Lots of smiles,

Tiffany

autumn // bridal session nashville, tn

A few weeks ago I had the chance to take Autumn's bridal portraits before she moved to Texas to marry the love of her life. Autumn is just one of those people who has a stunningly beautiful presence about her. It was such a joy to get to photograph these for her!

tiffany zajas photography

Congratulations, Autumn + David! I'm so happy for you both, and I wish you all the joy in the world.

-Tiffany

Rusty Phillips // senior portraits

Last month during my visit to Maine I got to photograph my cousin Rusty's senior portraits. This was really weird for me, because I used to babysit Rusty every week when we lived in Maine. Now, he's a senior in high school, can drive a car, and towers over me. Time flies so fast!

It was a real blessing getting to do this session. Rusty's dad, my Uncle Rick, was a photographer and he shot my senior portraits back in the day. It was really neat getting to return the favor in memory of him.

We had so much fun during this session! I miss my cousins (and rest of the fam) already.

Here are a few of my favorites...

tiffany zajas photography

sneak peek: justin & mary's walk through a wedding workshop

Yesterday Jonathan and I had the chance to be the bride and groom for Justin & Mary's Walk Through a Wedding workshop here in Nashville. When Mary first contacted me about doing this, I was so excited! There's nothing like having the chance to dress up and pretend like you're getting married to the love of your life all over again. :)

We had such an amazing time yesterday getting to know so many wonderful photographers and vendors from all over. The wedding turned out absolutely beautiful! Justin, Mary, and their super talented assistant Julia did such a great job pulling everything together.

I'm so excited to see all of the images that everyone took from the day! Until then, here's a little sneak peek that Justin & Mary posted this morning.

images by Justin & Mary Marantz

If you ever have the chance to go to one of Justin & Mary's workshops...DO IT! This is the second workshop I attended by them, and I have learned so much. They are both such inspiring and encouraging people and are definitely a joy to be around!