THE FAMILY PHOTOGRAPH

New Education Store

Mon, 11 Oct 2021 21:10:54 GMT

My new education store is finally up and running!!

I have had so many amazing friends and clients ask me over the years to teach them photography. It was always something I wanted to do, because when you love something so much, you want to share it with everyone. But trying to work in photo education while still shooting consistently proved to be a lot harder than I first imagined.

As the world keeps changing drastically and without notice, I thought it would be the perfect time to not only take a break from shooting and create the course, but also a perfect time for people to take the time to really learn photography. Not only because we are finding ourselves home more, but because we are getting crash course on what is really important in life. We have learned to prioritize our time with our loved ones a lot more. Because you don't know when your time together will end. Relationships are so important and there are not enough photographers in the world to capture every moment of everyone's life. But the amazing thing is that a majority of people now carry a camera with them wherever they go. Although most of the photos we take with that camera are not for framing or display, I think we all have an opportunity to really capture great moments if only we knew how.

I created my education store so for the people who just want to learn specific things and for people that want to learn it all and are just beginning. There is so much to learn about in the photography world, and my way isn't the only way. I do encourage you to continue to research, practice, apply, and dive deeper into what it is you don't know. It is the only way to get better.

So if you are like me and appreciate the emotion a great photo carries, if only for the subject in the photo, then let's learn some photography together.

If there is something you would like to learn but don't see it on the site, please let me know. I will make sure you get the help you need.

AND to kick off the launch of my new education store, I am giving away my Camera Gear Guide for free until October 16, 2021. So download it before then to take advantage of free information!

See ya'll in there.

Alisa Thayne

Tennessee, Tennessee.

Wed, 01 Sep 2021 14:30:02 GMT

We've moved! To the beautiful state of Tennessee!

We are Northern California residents no more. After many years of feeling that California is not the right place for us, for many reasons, we have finally found a place to call home. It took a lot of research, planning, preparing, and convincing, for our family to move all the way across the country. And when I say "our family" I mean, one of my sisters and my parents came with us. Sometimes you've just got to move away and see if people will follow. ; ) We'll see if any more family heads out this way now that we have made a home base here in middle Tennessee.

We are so in love with this state already. We've discussed how we just feel pure joy driving down the street to the store. We live in a rural area so we get to "go into town" to go shopping, and it is truly the way want things to be. We are close to an airport, a temple (we are LDS), and all the stores and events we could possibly want, all within an hour of us. The abundance of foliage and green grasses take our breath away. Coming from California when everything is dry, dead, and yellow in the summer, this is a welcome change. And can we please talk about how magical lightning bugs are...?!! Seriously, we are in love.

All this to say, I will be going back to the Chico, CA area twice a year for photography purposes. So my clients in NorCal, don't you worry. I'll take care of you in the Spring and the Fall. As for the rest of the time, middle Tennessee... I got you. I'm so excited to be serving this new area, meeting new friends, exploring new photography locations, and capture some incredible memories for people. If you are in the Tennessee and surrounding areas, drop me a note. I can't wait to meet you!

REBRANDING PHOTOGRAPHY

Thu, 11 Feb 2021 07:46:00 GMT

So much is happening over here that I wanted you to be the first to know.

First off, it's 2021! It's time for reevaluation of priorities and goals to truly live our best life, and one that is true to what we believe and what we feel we are here to share with others. I have been thinking about that a lot lately. What photography means to me in my life and what it has meant to others that I have shared it with. I believe that we are all here to learn and grow, then learn again. But it doesn't end there. We are then supposed to share what we have learned, with others. In sharing, we continue to learn and grow. It's a beautiful process that is never ending.

So here I am, continuing to learn and grow and share something that I hold in high regard in my life. Photographs. The art of photography. The physical memory of a time long past. In the age of "everyone is a photographer" just because they have a phone in their pocket, I think there is a responsibility and an opportunity that we aren't taking advantage of. Photography is the documentation of a moment, a feeling. It is the historical moment of a person or event. It is our family and world history. And I think we quite often take the capture of something so significant for granted.

I have studied, and practiced, and adjusted, and learned so much about the art of photography, what it means, and my responsibility of what I produce. What it means to families who are loosing, or who have lost a loved one. Or families that have lost all their photographic memories due to fires, or other tragedies.

The family photograph in many forms is taken for granted. It is not until you have lost it, or never had it to begin with, that you realize its importance. Its significance in your life.

To share something very personal... I have not seen my two older children for 3 years. They live with their Dad, and as teenagers have chosen not to be a part of our lives. I continue to reach out, to write letters, to send photos of us, with no response. To say it is heartbreaking is an understatement. As a mother who is deeply in love with her children, it feels criminal to not have a relationship with them at this time. And honestly the only thing that gets me through the hard moments without them are my photos and videos that I have from when we were together. I would be lost without those. Those moments that are frozen in time remind me of happier times. They give me hope for healing in the future. And they remind me that they will always be mine and I will always be theirs.

The family photograph has a meaning that goes beyond commercial, that goes beyond superficial. It is a portrayal of love, of hope, of forgiveness, of time passed, of lives lived, of adventures shared. Those moments change us and define who we are. And to have the ability to capture it in a beautiful, artful, meaningful way, is everything.

In all this reflection of what photography means to me, I have decided to take what I have learned and create a photography course that not only teaches you how to use your camera, how to know how to compose an image, and how to edit in Lightroom. But it teaches you how to find those moments that are desperately waiting to be captured. How to pull feeling into your images, and how to preserve, display, and store your memories properly so that your memories will be cherished forever by family and friends who value those moments as much as you do.

This course will be ready the end of March of 2021 and will be widely advertised when it will be available. I want everyone, especially parents of children, to be able to better capture, edit, and preserve the memories of their own personal family. It is imperative for us to capture our family history and it would be that much more beneficial if we did it with the knowledge and tools necessary to do it right and with meaning.

I am so looking forward to this rebranding of my business, for being able to share what I know with you, and to play a small role in ensuring your family memories are cherished forever. Here's to learning, growing, and prioritizing what we value most, in 2021.

Alisa

LIVE YOUR BEST LIFE – DOCUMENT THE JOURNEY

Tue, 23 Jul 2019 06:46:00 GMT

LIVE YOUR BEST LIFE – DOCUMENT THE JOURNEY

Does anyone else here follow Rachel Hollis? Read her books? Listen to her Podcasts? This amazing women says everything I am thinking and feeling. If you haven’t read her books or heard her speak, don’t waste another day without her. If you enjoy what she has to say, know that you’ll get some of that same passion, humor, and honesty here. Mrs. Hollis is my inner voice encouraging me when I think I can’t do something. One of my goals in this blog is to encourage, uplift, and empower those who read it. I think we all have something to share and learn from each other.

Does the title to this weeks post resonate with anyone else? It sure does with me. This is the motto I have adopted over the last couple of years. After going through a lot of trials in the past, I have felt an urgency to really embrace the good that life has to offer. Not only by grabbing it and holding on when it comes my way, but also by actively seeking it out. What does it mean to you to “Live your best live”? It looks different for everyone. What brings you joy? What warms your soul? What does success or gratification look like to you?

I spent some time over the New Year contemplating these questions. I know I want to take advantage of the amazing things that life has to offer, but what does that look like to me? It only took seconds for a flood of answers to come, and none of those things were aligned with what my life looked like now. I decided in that moment to cast out fear and doubt and anything else that was holding me back from living the life I wanted to live.

I am at the very beginning of this journey, but I am so excited for the footsteps along the way. It started with some quiet soul searching, then a passion for change, and then a plan for change. I am executing that plan as we speak. Writing this blog was one of the action items on my list. I’m not going to lie, putting myself out there for the world to see does not sound appealing to me. It makes me want to hide under the very soft, comforting covers of my bed. But on the flip side, I feel that I have so much to share with my fellow sisters of this world, and we can all benefit from the lessons taught by each of our voices. I love that we are all different and yet all the same.

So I want to ask you, my dear sisters, this question… What does it mean to you, to live your BEST life? What does that look like to you? What habits do you want to change? What relationships do you want to work on? What memories do you want to make? How do you want to spend your free time? What sets your soul on fire?

As you know, I am a photographer. There are many types of photographers, and even more photography styles. If you haven’t noticed, my style is deeply rooted in families. In the interaction and tender moments that happen when you think no one is looking. Sometimes those moments are hard to catch on camera, you have to be ever vigilant. But those fleeting moments are the culmination of so much hard work and sacrifice. That tender kiss that you share with your spouse, the child that lovingly plays with his mom’s hair. These moments are life. They fill your soul with everything that is good, so why should these moments pass without being cherished? Without being immortalized? With out being shown proper gratitude? I don’t know about you, but those moments are the hope and foundation that get me through every day.

I cannot tell you how many times I have sat down to do something on my phone or my computer and get lost in the moments of photos and videos that are accumulating there. They are rejuvenating to your spirit, and personally my favorite time suck on my electronics. I will literally do it for hours. But then if I sit down to write in a journal, and I feel like I have nothing to say. I am a visual learner 100%, and that’s the way I document as well. Some people scrapbook, some people can’t put down their selfie stick. However you document this journey that you are on, do it. The only way to remember special moments or to see progress in a goal that you are working towards, is to document it. You will never regret a documented moment. You will only regret not documenting it.

So don’t feel stupid for taking a picture of what you ate today, or for taking that selfie with your kids even though you don’t think you look your best. This is your journey to be remembered. And trust me, those loved ones around you will be forever grateful for it.

So here we are, my friends. Going about our everyday, getting tangled up in the “to do’s” of life. If you will do anything for yourself today, mull over the questions I asked. Find an answer. Make a plan. Commit to the plan. And execute it with passion. Because life is too short not too. You know it. And I know it. Let’s support each other in living our best lives. And don’t forget to document your journey.

Love to you.

Alisa

FIRST BLOG POST AND INTRODUCTION TO ALISA THAYNE

Sat, 20 Jul 2019 06:46:00 GMT

FIRST BLOG POST AND INTRODUCTION TO ALISA THAYNE

Hello! Hello!

I feel like it took me forever to get to the point of actually sitting down and blogging, but so is life.

In case you don’t follow me on Facebook or Instagram, my name is Alisa and I am the photographer behind The Family Photograph. I am a single mother to 4 boys, and I live in Chico, CA. I’ve been photographing families, and weddings professionally since 2012. The more I photograph people, the more I want the viewer to feel something when they look at the image. I try to stay away from posing and everyone looking at the camera, because that doesn’t make you feel anything. It’s static. It could be anyone. But if I can bring out your personality, your truest smile, the way you touch and hold your children, then I have done my job. I have truly created a personal connection between you and your posterity. This is the opportunity to capture the true essence of you within the confines of 4 edges.

I have high expectations for this blog, because there is so much I have to say on the topic of photography, family, and life in general. Photography is a true love of mine and it has been for many years now. Without going into too much detail on this first post, I have been photographing people since I got a disposable camera at the age of 12 or so. It wasn’t anything artistic at first, I just loved the idea of freezing a moment in time, forever. Evidence of a life lived. That I, and all those that I love, existed.

My knowledge and style have changed dramatically over the years, and I am still passionate about learning more in this field. It has become a personal mission for me to document families in sweet, intimate moments. I will go into my “why” in another post. But for now, know that I am finally here and I have so much to share with you all. My blog posts will not be lengthy, but they will have purpose. So thank you for following along with me on this journey. Especially since I am just getting started.

Love to you.

P.S. If you want to find me on social media to follow along with more regular posts, click the links below.

Facebook: The Family Photograph

Instagram: @thefamilyphotograph

YouTube: The Family Photograph