Echo lake, Evergreen Colorado | Colorado Photoshoot Locations

Part of creating a luxury experience for my clients is knowing and recommending the best locations to them for their photoshoots. Choosing a location for your portrait session here in Colorado can get complicated. There are hundreds of beautiful spots all with their own rules, perks, and often fees for use. Luckily I navigate this for my clients. Your session fee includes not only your hair and makeup so you can look amazing, but also travel fees and location permit fees for any location listed on my blog. When we sit down for your consultation you can tell me what you envisioned for your session, and I can give you a few suggested locations that match your vision. After that I’ll take care of the rest. Or if you see a location here that you love, mention it when you contact me! Here is another mountain location on my favorites list!

Best time of year for this location: 

This mountain location Is beautiful all year round. Due to the high altitude, the roads may be icy during the snowy months.

Best time of day for this location: 

This location would be beautiful for sunrise or sunset sessions however since my sessions come with hair and makeup I only shoot here in the evening to allow time for hair and makeup to be done.

Drive time: 

This location is one of the further locations on my list, normally I include locations that are around an hour drive from the north Denver area. This location is just over an hour from Denver metro however it is so beautiful I have decided to make it one that I regularly offer.

Parking: 

There is a small parking lot on the same side as the lake however it fills up quickly. More parking can be found across the street.

Family friendliness:

This is a great spot for family sessions with many beautiful spots close to the parking lots. It is also a very safe location if you are looking for mountain views. There are no cliffs or sudden drop-offs near the areas where I shoot.

I'm Jennifer Tavera.

A family photographer and portrait gallery designer in the North Denver Colorado area.

I help moms look and feel their best so we can capture the family moments that matter and turn then into beautiful art to hang in their home.

Learn more about a session with Truth Photography below.

What should I wear for my maternity session? | Denver Colorado maternity photography

If you are looking at having maternity photos done you have probably seen hundreds of shots where mom is wearing a gorgeous gown that makes her look like a goddess, or princess, or just amazing! You may be dreaming of the perfect gown, but in your mind wondering if it is worth spending the money for a dress you will wear once. Many of us photographers have been dreaming of taking your photos in that perfect gown and have, like me, started a collection, or client closet, for their clients to use. As I write this in August 2021 my gown collection consists of 23 gowns size small to XL and I’ll admit, I was looking at a new one today!

I have a range of gowns so I wanted to put together this blog with some tips on finding the right one for you!

Flowy of form-fitting?

Personally, I love both, and both can be beautiful for your session. Form-fitting gowns give me a little more freedom for posing your hands, they don’t have to be on your belly for every shot because that gown is going to show it off! Flowy gowns are popular however because many moms want to feel like a princess at their session and the flowy gowns definitely give that vibe! They are also more forgiving if you are not really sure what size you need, they typically fit a size larger or smaller than the size on their tag.

Do you want to toss?

You probably just thought huh? Unless you are as obsessed with designer maternity gowns as I am, then you may have known exactly what I meant. Many high-end maternity gowns are designed with what is called a tossing train. These trains can be a lot of fun at your session for all kinds of dramatic shots, just be warned I may put the baby’s dad to work tossing if for us!

Even if we choose not to toss the gown it can be perfect for dramatic images with the gown laid on the ground. I have added a variety of images below with my tossing train gowns so you can see both the toss and non-tossed train.

What Color should you wear?

Color can be used to tell a story, like the gender of your baby, or that this baby is your rainbow, the joy after a loss. But choosing color can also just be about choosing the best tones for your skin color.

Cool skin tones

Colors that will compliment your skin tone include; Green/Emerald, purples, light or bright blue, sage green, light pink, very pale yellows, reds, bright white, gray, or navy.

Warm skin tones

Colors that will compliment your skin tone include; Green, brown, mustard yellow, warmer reds, peach, coral, gold, olive or moss green, plum or magenta purple.

Not sure which you are? I found this quiz that helps you find out, don’t worry it doesn’t ask for any contact info! https://www.popsugar.com/beauty/Warm-Cool-Undertones-Quiz-1843402

I am always expanding my collection so while some of these shades aren’t currently included I am hoping they will be very soon!

What do I do if you just can’t choose?

Don’t worry, you don’t have to choose just one! You can choose up to 3 different gowns to wear for your session! I will help you choose up to 3 unique looks for your session. I want this to be a session you will never forget!

What accessories should you wear?

I also provide accessories for your session! I hand make all of my floral crowns so that they match perfectly with my gowns. They are often made with a specific client in mind, for example, a mommy and me set made for a maternity shoot with a 3-year-old big sister participating. Or, the purple and red crown I made for the session where mom was wearing my plum colored gown and dad was wearing a red shirt. The crown tied the colors together perfectly! In addition to the florals, I offer glam accessories like gemstone sashes, jewelry, and crown. I will help you perfectly match your accessories not only to your gown but also to coordinate with anyone else participating in the session!

Throughout this post I have shown many of the gowns I offer currently however I am always adding new ones to my collection! Take a look at my collection here and contact me today to schedule a consultation to select your gown and accessories!

I'm Jennifer Tavera.

A family photographer and portrait gallery designer in the North Denver Colorado area.

I help moms capture the moments and milestones that matter and turn then into beautiful art to hang in their home.

Learn more about me and a session with Truth Photography below.

Outdoor newborn family session | Westminster Colorado

I get excited every year when the weather gets warm because while I can offer beautiful outdoor session all year for families and maternity, newborn sessions can only be done fully outdoors during the warmer months.

This family not only chose me to do one of my favorite types of sessions for them but also allowed me to style them with items from my collection. Initially we were going to have dad in a light blue shirt but he really wanted to wear the maroon shirt. I was glad I had the perfect maroon wrap for baby to tie the look together. Moms gown, jewelry, the girls dresses and the floral crowns/headbands were all from my collection as well. In the end I was glad he decided to wear his maroon shirt as these colors looked beautiful together.

I would love to photograph your family! My sessions include hair and makeup for mom, use of my gowns and kids clothes and help styling your session. Contact me today for a free consultation.

I'm Jennifer Tavera.

A family photographer and portrait gallery designer in the North Denver Colorado area.

I help moms capture the moments and milestones that matter and turn then into beautiful art to hang in their home.

Learn more about me and a session with Truth Photography below.

Betasso Preserve, Boulder {Colorado Photography Locations}

I fell in love with this park immediately with its stunning mountain views, beautiful evergreen trees, and stacked split rail fences. I believe that this will be a new favorite on my locations list!

Best time of year for this location: 

This mountain location Is beautiful all year round and was easy to access even in the winter. In the case of a large amount of snow like the 2 feet we had recently the parking, lots may be closed as was the case the day I first went to scout the location however, they were able to get them back open the week after the storm.

Day of the week restrictions: 

This location is only available for shoots on Wednesday or Saturday evening. It is a big mountain biking spot and on other days of the week, it is often overly crowded however the park does not allow bikes on those two days each week.

Best time of day for this location: 

Sunset, I actually shot earlier in the day the first session I shot there and while there was some shade it was not enough to produce the even lighting that I prefer so I would highly recommend sticking to a sunset session for the best light.

Parking: 

There are a few parking lots up at the preserve. I have my clients meet in the first lot which you will take a left turn into and follow the road, it then splits into a lower lot and upper “picnic area” please park in the lower of those two lots if possible.

Family friendliness:

This is a great spot for family sessions with many beautiful spots close to the parking lots. It is also a very safe location if you are looking for mountain views. There are no cliffs or sudden drop-offs near the areas where I shoot.

I would love to help you plan your session with a free no-obligation consultation. I will answer all of your questions about sessions and wall art and help you plan the session of your dreams. To request more information click the link below and tell me a little about the session you would like to plan. I will get back to you to schedule a consultation.

I'm Jennifer Tavera.

A family photographer and portrait gallery designer in the North Denver Colorado area.

I help moms capture the moments and milestones that matter and turn then into beautiful art to hang in their home.

Learn more about me and a session with Truth Photography below.

Eliana pink and gold first birthday {Denver Cake Smash Photographer}

I get this excited for the cake too! Isn’t little Eliana smile precious here! I had so much fun photographing this precious girl!

Every baby treats the cake smash differently, most take forever to even try the cake. Some babies get excited about the cake right away and then quickly lose interest, either way, I can get adorable portraits.

Eliana took awhile to get excited about the cake and didn’t make as big of a mess as some babies BUT she gave the most precious smiles and beautiful expressions. The photos from her session are absolutely precious, so cure in fact that I had a hard time narrowing down which to show in this blog. So, here are all of my favorites!

Deluxe gallery (Click the image to view my featured gallery options)

Cake by Cherry on Top Bakery Inc

I would love to plan a cake smash session for your baby. Set up a free consultation to discuss your theme and all of the session details.

I'm Jennifer Tavera.

A family photographer and portrait gallery designer in the North Denver Colorado area.

I help moms capture the moments and milestones that matter and turn then into beautiful art to hang in their home.

Learn more about me and my photography style:

Sarah and Bill {Mountain maternity session}

Maternity sessions are about celebrating your baby, but they are also about celebrating the beautiful woman who is growing that baby inside of her. She deserves to feel beautiful for her session. My whole session is designed around that idea. That is why every session comes with hair and makeup for mom, that is why I only carry high-end gowns that I know will look stunning on clients of every shape and size and that is why I provide accessories like necklaces, bracelets, and hairpieces to complete your look.

I really enjoyed helping Sarah bring out her inner supermodel. Her and her husband Bill are so excited for their baby boy to arrive this month and Sarah really did glow with love and joy for her child! We chose 3 gowns for her session and Sarah looked amazing in all of them. All 3 gowns are from my client closet and made by Sew Trendy Accessories and these gowns really do look like they were made to fit every woman I put them on but, Sarah looked especially beautiful because her joy was shining through the whole time!

There were just too many awesome images from their session to narrow them down to just a few to share so here are all of my favorites from the session!

I would love to help you celebrate your baby boy or girl and the beautiful mama carrying them with a maternity session. Contact me below for more information!

I'm Jennifer Tavera.

A family photographer and portrait gallery designer in the North Denver Colorado area.

I help moms capture the moments and milestones that matter and turn then into beautiful art to hang in their home.

Learn more about me and a session with Truth Photography below.

Why newborn portraits are the most important photos {Thornton Newborn Photographer}

I am going to say something controversial here, Newborn portraits are more important than wedding photos. Ok, I know that some of you will disagree but, let me tell you why I believe this.

The day we got married was not the most important day in our lives.

I was a wedding photographer for about 5 years. People spend thousands of dollars on their wedding photos to have gorgeous photos and professional quality prints of “the biggest day of their life” created. I photographed some amazing couples that I really loved. But I have watched many of these couples start families and some of them get divorced.

I love my husband and even after almost 12 years of marriage, I want to stay with him forever. But honestly, the day we got married was not the most important day in our lives, the day each of our children was born was. Our love started as just the two of us and has grown with each child to make us who we are today. Each baby has increased our capacity to love and made our family more complete. No matter what happens in our future the newborn portraits of each of my children will always hang in my home.

Each baby has increased our capacity to love and made our family more complete.

As my children grow I trade out many of the photos on my walls for updated images of them, but my newborn photos never get taken down. These are the first image of my babies and I never get tired of seeing them hanging in my home. I invested in high-quality products for these photos like canvasses and wood prints instead of the less expensive traditional prints I use for photos that I know will be switched out in a year or so. For me, the investment was worth every penny.

I want to create a work of art for every client I work with and for me, that does not stop with a perfectly edited digital file.

I want your printed photo to be a high-quality piece of art that you can pass down to your great-grandchildren. Before for say “but I want the digital file to share online and make more prints to send to my family” don’t worry, all of my printed images come with a matching digital file and most of my clients ordering canvas or wood print sets are eligible to receive a full set of digital files with their order.

I would love to create art for your family! If you have questions I would love to answer them during a video consultation. You can set that up or email me directly at the link below!

I'm Jennifer Tavera.

A family photographer and portrait gallery designer in the North Denver Colorado area.

I help moms capture the moments and milestones that matter and turn then into beautiful art to hang in their home.

Learn more about me and a session with Truth Photography below.

Lair O'the Bear, Morrison {Denver Photography Locations}

Lair O’the Bear is a great spot for sessions for those who want the feel of being in the mountains without traveling up steep winding roads. It is also a great spot for those who would like that mountain feel as well as a river. It is located west of Morrison CO only about a 10 minute drive into the mountains.

Best time of year for this location: 

This mountain location Is beautiful all year round and was easy to access even in the winter. The mountain views and evergreen trees make it a perfect winter location when most trees in the Denver area are dead.

Best time of day for this location: 

I book sessions at this location for 2-3 hours before Denver’s sunset time since the mountains block the sun a little earlier.

Parking: 

There is one large parking lot for this park. It is typically best to park at the far side away from the road since I normally start the session on the path at that end of the parking lot. If however, you need to use the restrooms (outhouse) they are located closer to the start of the parking lot.

Family friendliness:

This is a great spot for family sessions with many beautiful spots close to the parking lots.

I would love to help you plan your session with a free no-obligation consultation. I will answer all of your questions about sessions and wall art and help you plan the session of your dreams. To schedule your consultation click “contact me” below.

I'm Jennifer Tavera.

A family photographer and portrait gallery designer in the North Denver Colorado area.

I help moms capture the moments and milestones that matter and turn then into beautiful art to hang in their home.

Learn more about me and a session with Truth Photography below.

In home newborn portraits {Westminster Newborn Photographer}

Most photographers recommend that you have your newborn portraits taken in the first 14 days of your baby’s life. The reason for this is in the early days babies sleep better for their session, relax into the poses, and don’t get as upset about being posed and moved.

With all the craziness of the last year though, a lot of parents missed that 2 week milestone. Wyatt’s mom contacted me when he was already 2 months old to schedule his portraits in December. If you missed to 2-week “cutoff” as well don’t worry, with a little extra work to settle your baby you can still have beautiful portraits of your baby at this age.

Wyatt was a little cranky at first, but after awhile we were able to get him to settle down and fall asleep for a few minutes. When he woke back up a few minutes later when I moved him to a new pose (another downside of older babies is they are very unlikely to sleep through being moved) he was happy and smiley for me!

In the end, we got some adorable images of him and mom and dad loved them!

I would love to photograph your baby. Ideally, you should contact me before your baby arrives but if your little one is already here I would still love to help you capture their first portraits!

I'm Jennifer Tavera.

A family photographer and portrait gallery designer in the North Denver Colorado area.

I help moms capture the moments and milestones that matter and turn then into beautiful art to hang in their home.

Learn more about me and my photography style:

Why professional photo printing is important {Denver Photographer}

All of my clients receive both printed portraits AND digital files. I often get asked why I don’t just give my clients the digital files and let them print them. There are several reasons why I chose to give a printed product, if you haven’t read my blog post “how one family changed the way I do business” then go read that for one of the biggest reasons, another huge reason is quality. If you had your images printed at a store that also sold food and cosmetics, you did not get a professional quality print. The same applies if you printed at a discount online printer. These printers are only a small step up from printing on your home printer.

So what is the difference between a professional quality print and those done by these discount printers?

1. Color

Professional photographers work on color calibrated computers. If you have never calibrated your personal computer and are unfamiliar with what that means it basically means that we have set our computers to make sure it isn’t too light, dark, green red, warm (yellow), or cool (blue). Then as a professional, I hand edit each photo to make sure that the color balance of that image is perfect. I want to create a work of art, not just another photo. After all that work the last thing I want is for you to get get a cheap print that makes your skin look too grey, green, yellow or blue. Unfortunately, these cheaper printing labs can be hit and miss with color and often are not true in color to the original edit. The person printing your images is often not a professional photographer or printer and does not have a trained eye. They also typically have little control over the machine they are printing from beyond loading it with new paper when it runs out.

Professional photo lab employees are trained to color correct images that do not match the edited image that they receive. And when you order through me you have an extra line of defense from discolored images since I check each image before delivering it to my clients.

2. Images that last

These consumer labs are also not focused on images that last a long time. They print the snapshots from your phone and your 10-year-olds camera and their focus is to do this for you at the lowest cost possible NOT on printing photos that you can hand down for generations. Their images often fade or become discolored after a few short years.

Professional quality print labs such as the ones that I order through for my clients are focused on a product that is high quality and lasts. From matted prints to canvas wraps to wood prints all of the products I offer come from a professional heirloom/museum quality lab that uses only the best products such as professional-grade paper, ink, and printers to create your finished images.

When you invest in images through me I can ensure that you receive a product that will last longer and look better hanging in your home. You will still receive the digital files for sharing online, creating fun photo gifts or cards, and even making additional prints to send out to your family, but, you will also have high-quality images that I know you will love!

If you have more questions about a session with me I would love to chat! Contact me or set up a time to chat about your session.

I'm Jennifer Tavera.

A family photographer and portrait gallery designer in the North Denver Colorado area.

I help moms capture the moments and milestones that matter and turn then into beautiful art to hang in their home.

Learn more about me and a session with Truth Photography below.

3 reasons professional photoshoot makeup is essential {Denver photographer}

All of my photoshoots include hair and makeup if mom is going to be part of the shoot and there is a good reason for this. When planning a photoshoot as a busy mom the last thing on your mind is likely your hair and makeup for the day. As a professional photographer for 13 years, I found that often this was something my clients rushed to do at the last second the day of the shoot, often resulting in them not loving the way they looked in their family photos. Professional photography is an investment of both your time and money and when you look at the end result you should LOVE it! As I considered how I can best serve my clients and deliver a product that they will love, adding hair and makeup to my packages was a no-brainer. Here are my top 3 reasons why I believe that professional hair and makeup are a must for your photoshoot.

Hair and makeup by Mully Beauty

Hair and makeup by Sabrina Deemer Makeup

1. Having your hair and makeup professionally done will help you look and feel your best!

One of the biggest differences I have seen with my clients since I added professional hair and makeup was how relaxed they are when they arrive for their session. I always schedule your artist to arrive with more than enough time to complete your hair and makeup and leave plenty of time for you and your family to get dressed and travel to the session which means instead of moms rushing at the last minute to get themselves ready or worse doing their makeup in the car on the way (I saw this more times than I can count), they are ready with plenty of time to help the rest of the family get dressed, and arrive on time relaxed and looking amazing. Not only are my clients feeling more confident knowing that their hair and makeup look amazing but they are also more relaxed after getting to sit and be pampered before their shoot.

Makeup by Sabrina Deemer makeup

2. Makeup appears different in person than it does on camera

The makeup artists that I work with do makeup specifically for photography on a regular basis. They know the best products to use and how to apply them in a way that will show up best on camera, not look shinny when my flash hits them and flatter your specific coloring. They know what products to use to prep your face for oily or dry skin to reduce shine or flaking and they use high-quality products and know how much to apply to look best on camera.

Hair and Makeup by Mully Beauty

3. Professional hair and makeup last longer

I have shot photo sessions with everything from snow falling around us to 90+ degrees even at 7:30 in the evening, and often when mom did her own makeup it quickly starts to look shiny or dull even without these extreme conditions. In addition, hair gets frizzy quickly at both extremes. Professional makeup is designed to last longer and reduce shine. Professional hair products reduce frizz and help keep your hair in place without making it stiff. Providing my clients with professional hair and makeup has cut down my editing time since I no longer have to edit shinny faces and flyaway hairs. This has allowed me to reduce the time it takes between your shoot date and your selection appointment and in the end, gets you your printed portraits up to 2 weeks quicker than when I had to spend my time hand-editing hair and makeup.

A few tips

• Know what you want. Do you want a more natural look? Do you want something bold? Have an idea of the overall style before your artist arrives to make sure you will love the end look.

• Communicate with your artist. Tell them they look you are going for and any preferences you have for colors. If possible show them what you will be wearing (if you are borrowing gowns from me I will send them pictures prior to the shoot). These ladies are amazing at taking your ideas and making you look amazing!

• If there is anything you don’t love speak up. I have never had a mom not love her makeup but if there is something you do not love please tell your artist. They want you to love the end look as much as I do!

• Moms with little ones, arrange for someone to watch your kids while you have your hair and makeup done.

• Relax and enjoy. This is your time to be pampered!

Book a free no-obligation consultation now to discuss your shoot! I’ll answer all of your questions about a shoot with me and help you plan portraits that you will LOVE!

I'm Jennifer Tavera.

A family photographer and portrait gallery designer in the North Denver Colorado area.

I help moms capture the moments and milestones that matter and turn then into beautiful art to hang in their home.

Learn more about me and my photography style:

Alderfer/Three Sisters Park {Evergreen Colorado Photography}

Alderfer/Three sisters park

Evergreen is an amazing place for portraits, less than an hour from Denver with all the beautiful mountain views it is the perfect place to plan your next photo shoot! Alderfer/Three sisters park offers beautiful mountain views, shady forested areas with evergreen trees for all year color and a beautiful barn!

Best time of year for this location: 

This mountain location Is beautiful all year round and was easy to access even in the winter. The mountain views, evergreen trees, and barn make it a perfect winter location when most trees in the Denver area are dead.

Best time of day for this location: 

I book sessions at this location for 2 hours before Denver’s sunset time since the mountains block the sun a little earlier and this allows time to use both areas of the park. We will start in the shady forested area and then move to the more open views of the mountains and barn.

Parking: 

There are 2 parking lots for this location located a few minutes drive apart. During your consultation, we will discuss the best place to start your shoot and we will likely move from one lot to the other partway through the shoot.

Family friendliness:

This is a great spot for family sessions with many beautiful spots close to the parking lots and no dangerous cliffs in this area.

I would love to help you plan your session with a free no-obligation consultation. I will answer all of your questions about sessions and wall art and help you plan the session of your dreams. To schedule your consultation click “contact me” below.

More images from the location.

I'm Jennifer Tavera.

A family photographer and portrait gallery designer in the North Denver Colorado area.

I help moms capture the moments and milestones that matter and turn then into beautiful art to hang in their home.

Learn more about me and a session with Truth Photography below.

My favorite images of 2020 {Northglenn, CO photographer}

With fewer than usual shoots in 2020, I thought doing a favorite image of 2020 post would be easy. But, as I look back through the images taken this year I realize choosing favorites is like trying to choose a favorite child. But, I have already started this post and so I am committing. Here are some of my favorite images taken in 2020, separated by category.

Favorite Maternity photos

Newborn Images

Family Portraits

Couples

Kids Portraits

Headshots

I wanted to take this moment to say THANK YOU to all of the amazing clients who supported my business in 2020. This year was not at all what we expected, and you trusted me in the middle of all of this to capture portraits of you and your family and that means the world to me! I look forward to many more shoots in 2021 and beyond!

Interested in more information about a session with me? Click the contact me button to book a free consolation call!

My name is Jennifer Tavera, I am one of North Denver's premier high end photographers. In 2020 I celebrated 13 years as a professional portrait photographer. I got my start back in 2007 working at a children's portrait studio, that, combine with 10 years experience raising my own 5 children means I am ready for just about anything when photographing your kids and I know how to make even the most stubborn kids laugh. I am often told by my clients that I am the only one who has ever taken a photo of them that they love. I attribute this to my superpower of knowing how to get you to relax in front of the camera.

I am passionate about capturing motherhood in all of it's stages and helping you celebrate your life through ready to hang heirloom portraits wall art. I want to take your favorite family photo. Contact me to book a free no-obligation consultation to plan your perfect portrait session.

10 tips for your cake smash! {Northglenn Baby Photographer}

Nothing is cuter than a baby covered in food, especially if that food is a Birthday cake! Cake smash sessions have become a huge tradition for first birthdays but they can take a lot of planning. I plan these sessions with my clients at the consultation call to make your session easy and so that everything is planned before you even put down your session fee so you can book in confidence. Even though I walk my clients through every step of these sessions I wanted to take this opportunity to give you a sneak peek into the process and the quality you will get doing your cake smash session with me. So here are 10 tips that I use to plan beautiful cake smash sessions for my clients.

1. Get your cake from a professional baker.

And when I say professional I don’t mean your local grocery store. There are 2 things that are VERY important when it come to the cake. #1 that it is not placed on plastic packaging that cannot be removed. There is nothing uglier than having a plastic bottom below your cake in an otherwise beautifully styled cake smash session. #2 The decorations need to be on the side. I remember early in my career there were several times when my clients provided the cake and it was plain white on the side which is all you see in at least 70% of cake smash images. Unless I shot all the photos from above you never saw the decor. This is why I have partnered with Cherry on top Bakery to provide the cakes for your session included in your session fee. She will custom design a beautiful cake to match the decor we have planned for your session.

2. Choose a theme

No, you don’t have to go all out with Elmo or Moana, but your session needs some kind of theme to give it a cohesive look. Your theme can be as simple as “pink and gold” or “nature-inspired” or more complicated like “unicorns” or “airplanes” but either way have a theme. Most moms will choose the theme of their babies party for the cake smash as well so if you are not sure that might be a great place to start. If you are not sure I will help you choose one during your consultation.

3. Choose a great location

The thing you want to consider is indoor or outdoor. Both have their advantage and disadvantage and in winter one is obviously going to be a better choice. For indoor, I can come to your home or you can come to mine. I will need a well-lit space with plenty of room and hardwood floors are best. For outdoor sessions, while I typically love locations with tall grass but for a cake smash, these locations don’t work well. During your consultation, we will discuss the best locations for a cake smash.

4. Give your baby cake before the session

The babies that really smash into their cake have had cake at least once before. even if it is just a tiny piece the week before I recommend letting them have cake before the smash.

5. Plan a minimum of 90 minutes

On average I spend about 90 minutes for setup, shooting, and clean up for a cake smash session. This includes about 45 minutes of shooting traditional portraits (No cake) 15-20 minutes shooting the cake smash and time to set up and clean up the session. Expect to spend a minimum of 90 minutes getting these images.

6. Don’t shoot your cake smash at their birthday party

I prefer cake smashes to be a separate session so we can just focus on amazing images of your child. Every once in awhile I am asked to come to shoot cake smash images at a child’s birthday party. I am going, to be honest, this is not ideal. There are too many people, too many distractions, rarely enough room for me to move, and get the angles I would like and I have little control over the setting and lighting. It’s best to plan a separate cake smash session and then another cake for the day of their party.

7. Ditch the high chair

Should you decide not to do a separate cake smash session and have them done at your child’s party, please ditch the high chair. Those high chair decoration kits from Etsy really don’t make the high chair less ugly. The best sessions are ones where the baby is sitting on the ground surrounded by the decorations with the cake In front of them. Choose a well-lit area that has plenty of space around it to set up.

8. Don’t rush baby

Cake smash images are deceiving, it always looks like the baby sat down and smashed up a cake in about 2-3 minutes. It normally takes most babies 10 minutes to even start to get messy. Don’t worry that is normal, let them take their time.

9. Come prepared for a mess

Don’t forget to pack a change of clothes, baby wipes, a wet washcloth in a ziplock bag, a towel to dry the baby off. Seriously they are going to get messy, bring all of the things.

10. Have fun with it

These photos aren’t about the perfect posed portrait, your baby is going to sit and eat the cake gingerly, barely look up, maybe cry, hopefully, get messy and eventually try to wander off. Don’t stress it, these are all about capturing something real. Sometimes baby dumps the cake and plays in it and sometimes they eat it gingerly with 2 fingers the whole time like a little prince or princess. Both are adorable and show their personality and either way, the portrait is going to be adorable hanging in your home! Let them be themselves and just enjoy the process along the way.

Sign up to join the birthday club and your child will get a free Monday Milestone session during their birthday month OR $100 off a cake smash session!

My name is Jennifer Tavera, I am one of North Denver's premier high end photographers. In 2020 I celebrated 13 years as a professional portrait photographer. I got my start back in 2007 working at a children's portrait studio, that, combine with 10 years experience raising my own 5 children means I am ready for just about anything when photographing your kids and I know how to make even the most stubborn kids laugh. I am often told by my clients that I am the only one who has ever taken a photo of them that they love. I attribute this to my superpower of knowing how to get you to relax in front of the camera.

I am passionate about capturing motherhood in all of it's stages and helping you celebrate your life through ready to hang heirloom portraits wall art. I want to take your favorite family photo. Contact me to book a free no-obligation consultation to plan your perfect portrait session.

You should do this every year for your child's birthday! {Denver Kids Photography}

Birthday’s in my house are a big deal. As a December baby who never had more than a few good friends at a time birthday parties when I was a kid were rare. It was hard being so close to the holidays and since I didn’t have a million friends to invite my chances of getting more than one kid, typically my best friend, to even show to a party was rare. So when my first born joined this earth the day before my birthday and 6 days before Christmas I swore that he would never go without a party, even if that party was our family and a few really good friends.

There is only one birthday tradition in our family that is more sacred than the birthday party, and that is the birthday portrait. Portraits of me that were not taken at school were more rare than birthday parties and lets face it that assembly line photography done on school portrait day does not typically show your best side. So every year, at very least once a year but typically a few times, my kids get a new portrait. Sometimes they are just traditional portraits, and sometimes they are birthday themed with balloons and decorations, and sometimes I go crazy and plan a shoot around their birthday party theme like this mermaid shoot I did for my 6 year old’s birthday session, it doesn’t matter much the type of portraits so much as documenting their lives as they grow and change.

The Birthday Club!

Monday Milestones

I launched my Monday Milestone sessions because I wanted to make it easy for families to have new images of their child captured every year. Like my children’s birthday sessions I offer traditional portraits, seasonal themes, customized birthday shoots and more to make your session special. Now I want to make it even easier to get those portraits taken for your child’s birthday!

Introducing the birthday club! Every year for your child’s birthday I will send them a birthday gift! In 2021 that gift will be a free Monday Milestone session! You birthday coupon code will trade in your $100 Monday Milestone session fee for a $50 deposit and session retainer that can be used towards your prints, a total of $100 in savings.

Get signed up now!

My name is Jennifer Tavera, I am one of North Denver's premier high end photographers. In 2020 I celebrated 13 years as a professional portrait photographer. I got my start back in 2007 working at a children's portrait studio, that, combine with 10 years experience raising my own 5 children means I am ready for just about anything when photographing your kids and I know how to make even the most stubborn kids laugh. I am often told by my clients that I am the only one who has ever taken a photo of them that they love. I attribute this to my superpower of knowing how to get you to relax in front of the camera.

I am passionate about capturing motherhood in all of it's stages and helping you celebrate your life through ready to hang heirloom portraits wall art. I want to take your favorite family photo. Contact me to book a free no-obligation consultation to plan your perfect portrait session.

Sandstone Ranch {Longmont Family Photographer}

Sandstone Ranch

I am always in search of new locations to use in order to offer my regular clients who book year after year the best variety of locations. Last week I checked out a new location with one of my favorite clients and it did not disappoint!  

Best time of year for this location: 

Most of this location’s best features like the barn, ponds, bridge, old buildings, rock formations, and mountain views will not change much from season to season making this a great location any time of year! I first used this location in the fall so it had the added beauty of the fall leaves however this location has so much going for it it would be beautiful even in the dead of winter.

Best time of day for this location: 

I always recommend sunset to my clients for the best light however this location do have the barn and some trees that would provide shade earlier in the day so it could be used other times if needed.  

Parking: 

There is a small parking lot near the barn where I will meet clients at this location however it can fill up quickly so if needed there is a larger parking lot just up the hill that can be used.

Family friendliness:

This is a great spot for family sessions, with open fields it is a safe fun place for kids to roam. There is also the added benefit of a playground at the other end of the park, easy to get to after the session but out of sight while we are taking photos!

More images of the location!

Get notifications about the latest blog posts, exclusive discounts, tips for live and more in my weekly emails. Subscribe below so you don’t miss a thing!

My name is Jennifer Tavera, I am one of North Denver's premier high end photographers. In 2020 I celebrated 13 years as a professional portrait photographer. I got my start back in 2007 working at a children's portrait studio, that, combine with 10 years experience raising my own 5 children means I am ready for just about anything when photographing your kids and I know how to make even the most stubborn kids laugh. I am often told by my clients that I am the only one who has ever taken a photo of them that they love. I attribute this to my superpower of knowing how to get you to relax in front of the camera.

I am passionate about capturing motherhood in all of it's stages and helping you celebrate your life through ready to hang heirloom portraits wall art. I want to take your favorite family photo. Contact me to book a free no-obligation consultation to plan your perfect portrait session.

Celebrate your child's milestones {Denver mini sessions}

My almost 11 year old son was born yesterday…while I know this statement isn’t true, sometimes it sure seems like it is. How many moms can relate? It seems like just yesterday he was a little toddler stealing our kittens ball to put in his toys or singing along to every word of the song on his toy piano “Is there anything more fun than playin the pianna, howd about, howd about playin with some fwiends!” he hates it when we sing that to him and would probably be mortified that I am telling this story, but the point is, as you have heard a million times and know is true as a parent, it just flies by so quickly and one day not too far in the future you are going to realize that your now infant is closer to moving out that he is to the date he was born.

One thing I will always be thankful for is all of the quality images I have on my children at these young ages. One thing I have always wanted to do in my business is be able to provide this same gift to my clients and so I asked myself how to I create sessions that are affordable enough for clients to book several times a year or even monthly for growing babies while still creating a sustainable business model where I don’t have to overwork myself with editing or take away the weekend session slots that keep me in business. And from the question Monday Milestones was born.

Monday Milestone sessions are designed to preserve the Milestones like first smiling portraits around 3 months, 6 month “sitter” portraits, 9 month standing images, birthday shoots, religious celebrations, school portraits, tween and teen images and more.

I addition to themed or seasonal shoots each month I have create your own days specifically designed for whatever occasion you want to celebrate.

Because these sessions are on a weekday preserving my weekends for full sessions I am able to offer them at a lower cost without needing to take so many each dat that I can’t serve each client well. While these 5 pose sessions typically only take 10-15 minutes I have reserved a 30 minute slot for each client and I am only booking 3 sessions each day to make sure that I am not stressed and exhausted by the final session. I want each client who books one of these sessions with me to get my very best work.

In addition, I am still helping these clients create beautiful custom wall art from their session with a selection and design appointment via zoom video chat 1-2 weeks after their session. This allows me to give the same service that my full session clients receive without the added time commitment for me to travel to your home.

The great thing about these sessions is the session fee is only $100 and prints start and only $30 and include a matching digital file. There is also no minimum purchase so you only purchase the images that you love from the session! Interested in setting up one of these sessions for your child? Visit my Milestone mini session page where you can view all of the details and pricing, this months shoot themes and locations, and reserve your session time.

Want a weekly update email with this months openings and other specials and events? Sign up below.

My name is Jennifer Tavera, I am one of North Denver's premier high end photographers. In 2020 I celebrated 13 years as a professional portrait photographer. I got my start back in 2007 working at a children's portrait studio, that, combine with 10 years experience raising my own 5 children means I am ready for just about anything when photographing your kids and I know how to make even the most stubborn kids laugh. I am often told by my clients that I am the only one who has ever taken a photo of them that they love. I attribute this to my superpower of knowing how to get you to relax in front of the camera.

I am passionate about capturing motherhood in all of it's stages and helping you celebrate your life through ready to hang heirloom portraits wall art. I want to take your favorite family photo. Contact me to book a free no-obligation consultation to plan your perfect portrait session.

The best cakes in town, Cherry on Top Bakery Inc. {Thornton Cake Smash Photographer}

These cakes are fantastic! Seriously, I don’t work with or highlight other businesses very often because I feel like anyone I recommend to you needs to be someone I have worked with at least a few different times and that I know offers an exceptional product or service. The last time I recommended a business to you all was over a year ago when I wrote a blog post about Music With Mar but, I have been working with an amazing local baker to offer cakes for my cake smash sessions and she is so great I have to tell you all about her in case you need goodies for other special occasions!

Cherry on Top Bakery

Tarra, the owner of Cherry on Top Bakery off of Hwy 7 and I-25 in Thornton has been so amazing to work with! I first met her around 2 years ago when I had the pleasure of photographing her son at my baby flower field sessions. Last year I reached out to her to see if she would be interested in providing some treats and coupons for goodie bags for an event I was doing and when she dropped them off at my home she was sweet enough to include a box of cookies for my family!

This spring I needed something special for my husband’s birthday during the lockdown and noticed some Groot (From Marvel’s Guardians of the Galaxy) cookies that she had made for one of her customers. My husband LOVES Groot and I know I had to order him some. They were so perfect and delicious I was hooked!

When Tarra announced that she was opening a bakery location in Thornton and had some room to hang images for local artists on her walls I knew I wanted to partner with her and luckily she was excited about the idea too!

I was so excited to hang one of my cake smash images, featuring one of the beautiful cakes she made me, in her bakery last month! Make sure to drop by and check it out and pick up a ready-made treat (or breakfast on the weekends) while you are there!

Cherry on Top bakery

16607 Washington Street
Thornton, 80023, US

She also has a Halloween event coming up as well as Halloween cookie kits that you can pick up and make at home! Find out more on her website! https://www.cherryontopbakeryco.com/

Check out these images from my son’s cake smash session! she made that duck from fondant for his ducky themed cake!

I am now offering a free 6-inch smash cake for your cake smash session custom designed for you by Tarra to match your theme!

Get notifications about the latest blog posts, exclusive discounts, tips for live and more in my weekly emails. Subscribe below so you don’t miss a thing!

My name is Jennifer Tavera, I am one of North Denver's premier high end photographers. In 2020 I celebrated 13 years as a professional portrait photographer. I got my start back in 2007 working at a children's portrait studio, that, combine with 10 years experience raising my own 5 children means I am ready for just about anything when photographing your kids and I know how to make even the most stubborn kids laugh. I am often told by my clients that I am the only one who has ever taken a photo of them that they love. I attribute this to my superpower of knowing how to get you to relax in front of the camera.

I am passionate about capturing motherhood in all of it's stages and helping you celebrate your life through ready to hang heirloom portraits wall art. I want to take your favorite family photo. Contact me to book a free no-obligation consultation to plan your perfect portrait session.

Mount Falcon West {Colorado Mountain photo shoot locations}

Mount Falcon West

Mount Falcon West has become one of my favorite places for mountain views for your session. This park is in Indian Hills, Colorado which is just South-West of Morrison.

Best time of year for this location: 

While this location is great any time of year because of its mountain views and evergreen trees. If you are not comfortable driving in the mountains on icy roads you may want to avoid it that time of year but if you have good snow tires it is worth the drive.

Best time of day for this location: 

I know I always say this, but absolutely sunset. Check out the gorgeous light streaming behind the couple in the image above, you only get light like this at that spot right before the sunsets!  

Parking: 

There is a good amount of parking here with two lots however they do sometimes fill up quickly. I try to meet clients in the upper lot but it is only a short walk between the two if you need to park in the lower lot.

Family Friendly:

While some spots here are not great with small children most areas are family-friendly and safe for little ones so don’t hesitate to book for this spot even if you have little ones.

Fill out the form below to request more information:

My name is Jennifer Tavera, I am one of North Denver's premier high end photographers. In 2020 I celebrated 10 years in business and 13 years as a professional portrait photographer.

I got my start back in 2007 working at a children's portrait studio, that combine with 10 years experience raising my own 5 children means I am ready for just about anything when photographing your kids and I know how to make even the most stubborn kids laugh. I am often told by my clients that I am the only one who has ever taken a photo of them that they love. I attribute this to my super power of knowing how to get you to relax in front of the camera.

I am passionate about capturing motherhood in all of it's stages and helping you celebrate your life through ready to hang heirloom portraits wall art. I invite you to a full service portrait experience, I promise you are going to love your printed portraits.

Sam's maternity session {Denver Luxury maternity sessions}

One of my favorite parts of working with moms, both pregnant mamas and mamas with their families, is making them feel beautiful. This is why I offer gowns for any of my sessions not just maternity and it's why I am working hard to add hair and makeup to my sessions this fall! 

I want moms to feel amazing when they show up for their session and LOVE the way they look in there finished portraits. I am always working on providing more of a luxury experience. 

I loved creating these beautiful images with Sam. This is the Rachel gown in Jade from my collection and it was stunning on her! She rocked every shot of this session. 

Are you wondering what a portrait session with me looks like? 

It will start with a consultation to pick out your location, clothes and session details as well as discuss what you want to do with the finished portraits. 

Next we will have a beautiful portrait session, I promise to make you look amazing whether it's maternity or family portraits or even if you just had a new baby. 

Then I will schedule a selection appointment with you to view your beautifully edited images and I will help you  custom design a wall portrait gallery for your home. 

Last I will deliver ready to hang portraits to your home.

If you are looking for a luxury experience from start to finish I invite you to experience a photo session and home portrait styling session with me. Contact me below to request more details. 

My name is Jennifer Tavera, owner, photographer and gallery designer for Truth Photography LLC. I have created beautiful custom portraiture for my clients here in the Denver and Boulder Colorado areas for the past 13 years! I specialize in growing families including children, maternity, and newborn. I love what I do and I cannot wait to share my passion with all of you.

As a busy mom myself, I understand that you need a photographer who will go the extra mile to help you with every aspect of creating cherished imagery of your family.

I would love to become YOUR family photographer and can't wait for us to get to know each other better!