Back to school minis have returned for the 2022 school year! The last time I did these was in 2020 when my daughter was preparing to start Kindergarten. They turned out so cute so I thought it was time to bring them back!

These are perfect your Kinder aged kiddo…but can also be used for any aged child! I will have a small desk set up similar to the photos below. Keep reading for more details!

Details: 

• Wednesday August 10th starting at 6:30pm

• $250 plus tax ($50 due at booking, $200 due the day of the session)

• 5 digital images

• 10 min sessions

• Location will be in Friendswood, TX

• Bookings will open HERE on Friday July 22 at Noon

There is no greater compliment than when a family returns to have me photograph their second baby. I was honored to photograph their first born 2 years ago when he was just a newborn…and look at him now! Can we say, ADORABLE! His smile is truly the best and his eyes have that special sparkle!

I love watching families evolve as grow they welcome additional babies into their homes. From the maternity session to their one year session, I get to see them become amazing parents and transform from a couple to a family! It’s part of the job that many don’t talk about but it’s an incredible thing to witness. I adore being a able to capture so many families’ major life milestones.

Here’s a brief look into their baby girl’s studio newborn session in our Pearland studio. Contact me today to book your due date on our calendar!

Working from home in Pearland, TX, can be challenging if you have young children. When you must make phone calls or attend virtual meetings, your children will probably vie for your attention. It can be impossible to balance a baby on your lap while typing a report. When you work at home with young children, planning your day to make the most of quiet time is essential.

Find a Career Path That Enables Working Remotely

If you liked working at home during the pandemic, consider returning to school and getting a degree in a field with options for remote work. A business degree can open doors in consulting, management, or marketing, three areas where you can excel when working at home. An online business degree program provides flexibility, especially if you enroll in asynchronous classes that don’t require you to be online during specific hours.

Schedule Around Your Child's Routines

Consider beginning your workday early while your baby or toddler is asleep. After they wake up, you can feed them and attend to their needs. Set up toys in an area of your office for a toddler to play with, with the security of knowing you're nearby. 

Schedule quality time with your child during the day. Have lunch with your little one. If they typically take an early afternoon nap, use nap time to complete work tasks. If you're caught up on work, try resting while your child naps.

Most babies and toddlers, when awake, require close supervision. Develop a backup plan with trusted people who can care for your child when you have must-do tasks.

Get Help From Family and Friends

When your work involves online meetings where interruptions can cause issues with clients or colleagues, consider arranging with family and friends to help. They can care for your children in your home while you attend your meeting. If your spouse or partner works from home, consider working mini shifts, where one supervises the children while the other works on tasks that require full engagement.

Consider a Part-time Child Care Program

You may need a childcare program. Some daycare centers in Pearland, TX may offer part-time or half-day programs. You can enroll a child in a part-time care setting if you need quiet work time several days a week. Your child will probably enjoy the company of other children while you get your work done. 

Get Organized if You Plan to Freelance

If you do contract work, getting organized is the key to success. It's easy to get so busy working that you have little time for billing. When you don’t invoice your clients, you don’t get paid. Make it easy for yourself by using premadetemplates. The best invoice template is one you can personalize with your information, logo, or brand colors. You'll convey professionalism, get paid, and have more time to address other issues.

Working at Home With Young Children Is Possible

Surveys indicate that most parents who started working from home during the pandemic want to continue. Changing careers can help you find a flexible work-from-home opportunity.

Working remotely can also help you put your family first and spend more time making memories with your children during their formative years.

Taryn Melgoza can capture those memories for lifetime enjoyment.

 In 2020, about 3.6 million babies were born in the United States. While births are joyous occasions, welcoming a child into your life can also be stressful. Overall, around 25 percent of first-time mothers go through a period of low maternal confidence, and approximately 11 percent of new fathers experience some level of anxiety during the perinatal and postpartum periods.

If you’ve recently welcomed a child, you may wonder if there are any tools that can help you maintain your footing. Luckily, there are some outstanding apps for parents out there. If you’re a first-time parent, here are five must-have apps, brought to you by photographer Taryn Melgoza.

5 Amazing Apps for First-Time Parents

1. Cozi Family Organizer

With Cozi, you can have a centralized place to track all of your family’s appointments and activities. You can make sure that everyone’s aware of upcoming doctor’s appointments or other scheduled events, keeping both parents on the same page. Plus, you can make chore and shopping lists, consolidating the information into one location to make everything simpler to monitor.

2. Glow Baby

The Glow Baby app is a tool that helps you celebrate every milestone during your baby’s first year. Along with tracking developmental milestones, it also allows you to keep up with feedings, diapers, and sleep logging. All of the information is presented using a beautiful but data-driven approach. It’s as attractive as it is informative, making it a joy to use.

As a bonus, you’ll also get parenting tips delivered to you daily. The app personalizes what it shows based on your baby’s age, health, and progress, ensuring the insights are as relevant to you as possible.

3. Sleep Baby Sleep

While sleep problems are normal with infants, that doesn’t mean parents don’t want to find solutions. Sleep Baby Sleep allows you to create white noise in a space. You get to select from several different kinds of sounds, giving you a way to find an option that best suits your baby.

Considering that one study found that 80 percent of infants fell asleep within five minutes once they heard white noise, this app could be a metaphorical lifesaver. It’s important to note that there is evidence that white noise is helpful for colic - potentially more so than swinging - making this app a solid choice for that situation, too.

4. The Wonder Weeks

With The Wonder Weeks, you have a robust tool for tracking mental development milestones. Additionally, it includes insights designed to help parents guide their babies through the various steps, ensuring they can progress through each “leap” and remain on the path toward healthy development. The app is comprehensive and user-friendly, making it easy to stay organized during this critical period in your child’s life.

5. Mommy Saver: High Contrast Baby Visual Stimulation

A baby’s vision changes significantly during the first year of life. High contrast images are easier for infants to focus on and can help their vision develop. As a result, high contrast pictures can both be engaging for babies and increase their odds of having better vision.

With Mommy Saver: High Contrast Baby Visual Stimulation, you’ll always have a collection of images available. The pictures involve a lot of black and white, as well as some bright colors. Additionally, many incorporate movements, and the app adjusts the images based on your baby’s age, promoting healthy vision development.

Bonus App: Redfin

If you need to find a larger home to support your growing family, the Redfin app makes it easy. You can use filters to narrow down the options efficiently, ensuring the results list shows only homes that meet your needs. Then, you can take video tours and use virtual walkthroughs to explore the house from the comfort of your home, making finding the right property simpler than ever before.

Becoming a parent for the first time can be totally overwhelming as well as rewarding, so look for ways — and apps! — that can help everything balance. And make sure you work with a family photographer like Taryn Melgoza to capture all of those wonderful moments before they pass!

I hope your year is off to a great start! Today is the first day my kids are all back in school (almost half way through the month), hooray! While it was a wonderful holiday break with my kiddos, I'm ready to get back into a routine and start working on my plans for this year. I used my "kid-free" time today to sit down and complete the mini session calendar for 2022. While some of these are returning from last year, a few are brand new! If you're like me and love to plan ahead, you're welcome. :-) I hope this gives you an idea of what to expect and helps you decide what sessions you're interested in. Release dates and information will always be shared on my newsletter first so make sure you subscribe here!

Announcing the 2022 Mini Sessions:

• Glitter Minis in the studio - Saturday February 5th, releasing on Monday 1/17! (more details are below)

• Motherhood Minis in the studio - Saturday April 2nd

• Beach Family Minis - Saturday May 14th

• Summertime Minis, TBD but considering baseball themed for boys floral swing for girls in June or July

• Pumpkin Patch on Ruby the Vintage Red Truck - Sunday September 25th

• Outdoor Fall Family Minis - TBD, but hoping to book Out Under the Trees in Angleton on either 10/22 or 10/29

• Red Truck Holiday Minis - Saturday November 5th

• Formal Studio Christmas Minis - Sunday November 13th

• Christmas Themed Children Minis in the studio, theme TBD (possibly Baking or Winter Wonderland), Sunday November 27th

*Glitter Mini Sessions* are baaaaaccck for 2022!

Saturday, February 5th

I'm still cleaning up the glitter from last year's event, so I say let's just do it again! These were such a hit with the kiddos last year! But *NEW for this year* I'm inviting moms to join in on the glitter fun! This is totally optional but the feedback last year was that mom clients want to play in the glitter too..! And it makes for a perfect opportunity to capture some precious playful moments with your kids!

The date is set for the afternoon of Saturday, February 5th in my Pearland studio. Sessions will release on my website next Monday January 17th at 8pm.

The total cost is $300 plus tax and includes a 15 minute session and 10 digital images. A deposit of $100 plus tax is due to hold your spot and the remaining balance of $200 plus tax is due the day of your session. These sessions can accommodate up to 4 siblings, and of course boys are welcome too!

Galleries will be delivered before Valentine's Day and wardrobe options are available for both girls and moms.

Launching Your Business While Preparing for a Baby? Discover These 5 Must-Know Tips…

Separately, starting a business and having a baby are massive life events. Combined, these undertakings are a massive achievement that few can handle at the same time. If you are one of the rare individuals who will be welcoming your new addition shortly after starting a business, planning and preparation are an absolute must. Having a plan for everything from childcare, to your baby’s sleep schedule, to your postpartum work hours is crucial for success.   

Taryn Melgoza shares five valuable tips for any soon-to-be parent who is about to launch their new small business.

Handle all important business tasks prior to baby’s arrival

As you prepare for baby with a maternity photo session, baby shower, and nursery decor, you should also start focusing on critical tasks that need to be completed before opening your company. It will be far more challenging to do things such as file for a business license, obtain your sales tax permit, set up a website, and create your product/service menu once your newborn arrives.

Among these core business tasks is applying for an EIN (Employer Identification Number). An EIN is also known as a Tax ID Number. If you’re wondering “what is an EIN number?”, you are not alone. Many new business owners are unaware that — even if they do not employ anyone yet — having an Employer Identification Number is important. The primary reason for obtaining an EIN is to more easily identify your business in various situations. This number also makes it easier to file state and federal taxes. 

Establish dates for maternity leave and for your return

Business owners have the benefit of making their own schedules. Although this is a perk most of the time, it can prove to be difficult when going on maternity leave. Since all time off is unpaid, deciding how much time to allot for maternity leave is not as easy as when you are employed by a company. Complicating this even further is the fact that your business is brand new. 

 Right now, establish dates for your maternity leave, and a set schedule for when you return. What works best for you will depend largely on your individual circumstances. Factor in everything from your budget to your physical needs (and the needs of your baby). There is no right or wrong answer when setting a timeline and schedule that works for you.

 Decide childcare arrangements in advance

Childcare is another area that will look different for every business owner. Depending on what type of business you run, you may be able to care for your baby while running your company from home. Alternatively, you might need to find daycare services (either outside of the home or with a friend//family member) so that you can show up in person.

After setting your maternity leave schedule and your plan to return to work, research childcare options that suit your needs.

Consider outsourcing tasks while away from your business

Don’t want your business to come to a halt for the duration of your maternity leave? Outsource daily duties to a variety of professionals. Find freelancers to take care of customer service, order fulfillment, IT support, and every other need you have. You can also ask friends or family members to step in and run the organization while you are on leave. Keeping the momentum going for a new business is crucial, so outsourcing is vital.

Be kind and gentle with yourself

Remember how few individuals are brave enough to take on parenting a newborn and starting a business at the same time? That’s because juggling both duties is tough. There will be periods that are more challenging than others, and that is ok. At all stages, be kind and gentle with yourself. Praise your efforts and acknowledge how much work you’ve put into being an amazing entrepreneur and parent.

On top of these suggestions, allow time for self-care. Taking care of yourself helps you be the best business owner and parent that you can be.

Taryn Melgoza captures stunning images of pregnancy, newborns, children, and families in the Houston area. Preserve memories that will last a lifetime by scheduling your photo session today.

First birthdays are such a huge milestone in your baby and family’s lives! It’s still unbelievable to me how much babies grow and change during the first year of life. They’ve learned so much, developed into little people with personalities and opinions, and have started to explore the world around them. It’s all so exciting and beautiful to watch! And as parents, you’ve survived birth, the sleepless nights, the mood swings, the growth spurts, all the first moments and milestones of wonder and joy…you deserve an award!

This first birthday milestone deserves to be documented as a big moment in your baby’s life! To help you preserve these memories, we are excited to be offering a new session type in the studio. These sessions will be photographed by my amazing associate photographer, Katie!

A Petite Cake Smash session will take place in our Pearland studio and will generally last 30 minutes. Since this is a shorter session, the focus will be on baby only and will include one set up with an optional cake smash at the end of the session. This Petite session option is $399 and is all-inclusive of the session time and 15 fully edited digital images.

Petite Birthday sessions include our amazing personalized care; access to our carefully curated client wardrobe and accessories; a skilled, trained photographer with over 10 years of experience; use of our adorable studio and props; and heart warming photographs that you will cherish forever.

If you’d like more information or to discuss date options, please contact us today to start the conversations!

We can’t wait to see your sweet babies in the studio soon!

Can we all agree, babies that look like this demand to be snuggled and kissed multiple times a day?! Don’t worry, I didn’t personally kiss him (although sometimes it feels like a natural reaction when I’m holding a newborn and I have to tell myself - THIS IS NOT YOUR BABY, lol)…I know his mommy gives him plenty of love and snuggles because she is head over heels for him! This family was a new Baby Planner client in 2020 (meaning they will be coming back for their baby’s milestone sessions every few months) and I’m so glad I’ve gotten to know them and become friends with them this year! We connected on all sorts of things, like home-building, raising kids, shopping, hair stuff (blonde highlight issues), etc. It’s awesome when you get to call your clients FRIENDS. Just another reason I love my job! I hope you enjoy this peek in little man Decker’s newborn session.

I’ve been trying to catchup on blog posts from 2020, but let’s be honest, it’s going to take me a while with as busy and crazy as this year has been! This sweet girl will be visiting me in the studio soon for her sitting milestone baby portraits, so I thought it was finally time to blog her beautiful newborn session from earlier this year. This family is so special to me as I also photographed big sisters’ first year baby photos. This essentially means I watched her grow up in front of my camera, and now I will get to watch as baby sister grows over her first year! One of my favorite memories from this session was how excited big sister was about her new baby sister. She was so sweet and gentle with her…I know they will have an unbreakable sibling bond as they grow up! Welcome to the world baby Carolina!

Look at this cutie pie birthday boy! I have been photographing his family since he was was just a tiny little peanut in his mommy’s belly. His mommy booked me for the very popular Milestone Baby Collection that includes 4 sessions throughout baby’s first year, so I feel like I’ve watched this sweet little guy grow up in front of my camera! We did his birthday session at one of my favorite park locations in Houston…many people refer to this park as the one with the cute door. This park has so much character and makes the perfect setting to photograph a family and birthday boy. And of course, we ended the session with a delicious and messy cake smash. Happy 1st birthday Wyatt!!

One of my best friends in the world had her first baby last year! I was lucky to get to photograph that precious little guy and his parents in their gorgeous Houston home just a few weeks after his birth. I’ve known Sarah since our high school cheerleading days and then we went on to be college roommates at A&M and lifelong friends (and funny story - I’ve known Jarrett for years from our triathlon days but before they ever started dating!). Sarah and I have so many fun memories together, but nothing is more special or memorable than getting to see her become a mommy! As you can see, she has impeccable taste in home decor and her little family happens to be beautiful and super photogenic, which easily makes this one of my favorite lifestyle newborn sessions EVER. They made my job so easy. Brady the Golden Retriever needs his own shout out because look at him! Such a handsome pup and best big brother! J&S I am so happy for your growing family and was grateful to have the opportunity to document this wonderful and new time in your lives! Welcome to the world baby Reid!

I’ve known this family for many years. I photographed their maternity photos before they had their daughter and was honored to photograph them again for baby #2….a BOY! I’m also lucky enough to call them friends! We photographed this session on their family ranch in Angleton. It was so dreamy with a pond on site, gorgeous trees, and lots of livestock to keep us company. I always love the way Margie styles her sessions from their gorgeous dresses to her boho inspired hair style. The session was just perfection!

I love photographing families and always aim to make them look fun and natural! My goal is to capture both posed (everyone looking at smiling at the camera) and natural+connected, candid+playful images of your family. The natural images are the ones I always seem to choose to hang on my own walls at home..just us being ourselves and loving on each other (but with prettier clothing and nice hair and make-up!). The key to taking genuine and authentic family photos is knowing how to pose clients in a way that makes them look their best while having fun. Part of my job as your photographer is to coach your family into poses that both look beautiful and feel natural.

If you’ve never taken professional family photos before or if you simply want to improve on your last session, here are my my favorite suggestions on how to pose that will leave you with beautiful family portraits.

Get Close

The last thing you want is a family portrait that looks stiff and awkward. The secret to creating a beautiful, intimate family photo is to get close. Snuggle up with the people you love if you want the best photos. If there are people of varying heights in the photo, take a few photos on the same level so that you can get your heads close together too.

Have Fun

Your photos always look more authentic when your family is genuinely having fun and laughing. Spend time talking about your favorite vacation or a memory that makes you all laugh out loud. These candid moments always make for the best photos.

Keep it Natural

When you overthink posing, it takes away from the genuineness of your photos, which is why it helps to shoot your family photos in a setting where you’re all comfortable and where you can go about your lives as naturally as possible. For example, if you’re in an outdoor setting, take your little one for a walk. If you’re shooting at home, bake something together or snuggle up for a story. 

Use Your Surroundings

Very often, standing upright in the middle of a room or garden will make your photos look and feel stiff. Use your surroundings to make yourselves more comfortable. For example, if there’s a wall in the vicinity, lean up against it. If there’s a couch available, pose on that for a few shots.

Make Use of Props

If you would like to change things up a bit or give a younger child something to do, you can also always incorporate a few basic props into your photos to get a few non-standard shots. 

If you still have questions about your upcoming photo shoot with us and how to make the most of it, please contact us and we will be happy to assist you with additional tips. 

Y’all, this family has been with me for years…they were one of my very first clients when I first started my business when their oldest daughter was just 6 months old. I adore them more than words can express. They are always styled so well, EASY, happy, and just a dream to photograph. I look forward to their sessions every year because their sweet girls are so much fun and photogenic. I can’t say enough good things about them, I just love them!

We did their family portrait session at my favorite beach location south of Houston and the evening light was incredible. The sunset creates the most beautiful purple and pink backdrop over the water, which blended perfectly with their outfits. The beach also happened to be mostly empty this evening, so that meant I didn’t have to edit out anyone in the background….a big win for me! I can’t wait to see their family again later this ear!

Meet baby Ari! What a cutie pie he was! We photographed his newborn session around 10 days of age in our new Pearland studio. He was one of the first newborn sessions we photographed in the new studio space and it felt like a dream to be able to use both natural light and studio light for this session. Baby Ari was not only adorable, but also a happy little guy and gave us several little smiles! He happened to wake up mid-session so this gave us the chance to capture some amazing awake photos…while we love a sleeping baby for most of the session, we also adore those open eye photos of our littlest clients. Enjoy a sneak peek of this handsome guy’s perfect newborn session!

If you’ve recently booked a family portrait session with us, we are so excited to meet you soon! But, you may be feeling a bit apprehensive wondering how your children will behave during the session. I also know first hand how stressful it is getting everyone ready and out the door on time! This is why the below tips will definitely come in handy before your upcoming photo session. 

1. Don't make a huge deal out of it. If you're stressed out and cranky, your kids will usually pick up on it and act accordingly. Their behavior will usually be better if you are relaxed and having fun. You may have to make some compromises to keep the peace such as letting your energetic daughter's hair stay straight instead of curling it into because she won't sit still. Focus on the big picture and don't sweat the small stuff. 

2. Make it fun. Let the kids have a couple “fun pictures” where they get to pick their own pose or props. You get to keep the more serious photos while they get to keep their silly photos. This way everyone wins.  If you are struggling to get your kids to sit still, turn the photo session into a game. Simon Says usually works like a charm. 

3. Be prepared.  If you're going to be out for several hours, ensure that your children are well rested and have had their nap. Bringing some snacks and activities along is also a great idea. If you are having your own photos taken too then you might want to bring a babysitter or family member along to watch the kids. If you happen to be shooting in a remote location, you never know when you might need something like bug spray, tissues or a first aid kit so bring that along too.

4. Be patient. Save your sanity by trying not to control the photo session too much. Sometimes the best photos come from kids just doing their own thing. Work with your photographer and your photos will look fantastic. 

5.  Have a chat. Get your children talking to both you and the photographer about topics such as school or their favorite songs. This allows them to feel more comfortable around your photographer and will also give your photographer a chance to capture a few candid and cute expressions.

Photographing newborns is truly a joy for me! I love the creativity of setting up each session with various colors, textures, props…the possibilities are endless, especially with the large prop collection that I have acquired over my years of business. This sweet girl came to visit me in my new studio location in Pearland and gave me a chance to really utilize my new space. I am now able to pose my parents and families on a bed prop, the new shiplap wall, or with studio light.

This family is equally as gorgeous as they are precious. I had the honor of photographing their family with their first baby girl a few years ago (the sweet toddler you see in these photos) and was so thrilled when they asked me to photograph baby girl #2 and her first year of life. There is no greater honor than when clients come back to me year after year for their portraits. We chose my favorite beach locations in Seabrook, TX and the weather was absolutely perfect. This particular location produces the most dreamy sunsets with a watercolor purple and pink sky. Hair and make-up was done by the amazing Sunkissed and Made-up, and they always amaze me with their talents!

We’ve been living in quarantine for what feels like a year, even though it’s only been a little over 5 weeks now. And, while most of the time, we are enjoying the slower days and home school life, we sure do miss seeing our friends, sports, and our daily routines. Since we’ve been spending so much time at home lately, and my last baby (Ledger, 2.5 years) no longer lets me snuggle with him, I started to get the crazy idea to get a new puppy. And believe it or not, my husband was actually on board with the idea! So now we are crazy dog people who have 3 dogs. Let’s do some simple math…. 3 children + 3 dogs, + 1 turtle = a little crazy but lots of FUN around here! We decided on a blue heeler puppy because our first fur-baby is also a heeler and she has been the absolute best dog EVER! She is now 16.5 years old and still trucking along, even if she’s deaf, very arthritic, and losing her sight. We also have a sweet lab mix named Greta who is 7 years old. The big kids and I drove 3 hours one way about two weeks ago to pick up Luna in Dawson, TX, and it was such a fun experience for them! It also got us out of the house for a while, which was nice. She’s super cute (some may think she looks like a raccoon or opossum, but we think she’s precious) and has a FUN personality to go along with her cute face…we just love her so much! She also has her wild puppy moments where she nips at our ankles and talks back when I tell her to stop. Oh, the joys of puppy-life! I took her to the studio 2 days after we brought her home to take her “newborn” photos when she was almost 11 weeks old. I was sweating bullets by the time we finished because she made me WORK. I am so happy with the way they turned out and grateful that she finally went to sleep to allow me to capture some sweet sleeping puppy photos too.

Valentine’s Mini Sessions are coming to the studio!  They will be held Saturday February 1st starting at 10am in my new Pearland studio location. Photos will be edited and delivered within 48 hours.
–$200 plus tax  ($50 is due to book your session, the remaining balance is due the day of your session)
–10 minute sessions
–Includes a minimum of 4 digital images by digital download AND wardrobe for girls.
–Sign ups will open on Monday January 20th at 7pm and the link will be sent out through my newsletter.
–Space is limited!
–These sessions are for children only and I can accommodate up to 3 siblings together in a session. Babies must be sitting independently or able to sit in a prop.

We can’t wait to see your little lovies for this fun mini session event!