Time flies when you are fully engaged in your business. I was completely and utterly shocked when I realized it had been nearly TWO YEARS since I last blogged. A collective WTF and sigh is in order.The timing of my blog hiatus is no coincidence. In 2016, I stopped photographing weddings (which was my main reason for blogging-- because wedding clients loved when I featured their photos) and I went FULL TIME as a portrait studio. My dream was always to run a busy full time portrait studio in Santa Barbara. And I knew if I quit weddings I could fully engage in my passions. But man y'all it's such a different business model. These days the majority of my clients hear about me via referral. So while my online presence is important to me I spent a lot of  time being engaged in amazing in-person relationships. I also have been spending a crap ton of time on instagram-- which is kinda like blogging, right-- so I guess that's another reason I let this place be quiet.While rebuilding this blog feels daunting, it's so important to me to have my own platform to share what I am up to with you all.Here's what you can expect going forward:-weekly blogs featuring real client shoots (oh boy do I have a backlog to share)-special events and promotions held at my Santa Barbara studio-The occasional beauty tip or trick-A lot of content on self love and acceptanceThank you for your grace this last year. I know many of you readers headed over to my instagram party. I love connecting with you all in a myriad of ways and always have so much gratitude for anyone who enjoys my business.Love & Empowerment,Ashleigh

'Tis the season to be traveling-- which can be very hard with a little baby! I know since I had one last year! Road trips are never easy, but with a new baby they can be downright nerve wracking, so I wanted to share my favorite holiday travel tips to survive this season with my momma-readers out here!

1. Plan ahead to take lots of breaks and pit stops. One thing that has really helped me, especially when I was exclusively breastfeeding and on longer road trips, was to plan ahead to stop every 2 hours. We picked fun spots along the way (usually spots that involved food and decent restrooms). Yes, this adds time to the over all trip but it's so nice to stretch, get the baby out of the car seat, and be able to feed skin-to-skin.
2. If you can't take that many breaks, use a hand pump and a bottle. I found a nifty manual breast pump that I could use with just my hands. I would sit in the back seat and pump and then feed my son with a bottle. You can use a nursing cover like this one if you are worried about people seeing into your car. I also really like these Honest Company bottles, as well as this pump from Medela.**
3. Pack extra diapers and keep them in an easy to reach spot! This may seem obvious, but I can't tell you how many times I used more diapers than anticipated! It really stinks to have to open up your neatly packed trunk and dig for supplies when you are stopped at a gas station!
4. Take your DSLR with you! With all the stops and breaks you are bound to be taking, make it worth while and capture your memories while you are at it! There are so many sights and so many memories on holiday road trips. You might feel daunted in the moment, but trust me you will cherish the memories and photos of your teeny baby forever!

**You may be wondering if you should pack any formula for a road trip. I made the personal choice to exclusively breastfeed my son, and therefore formula feeding didn't really work for me because if I had fed him with formula on a road trip, I still would have had to empty my breasts or possibly suffer from a reduced supply. So I did make it part of my mission to stop frequently or pump in the car and feed. However, I understand that all moms are in different situations. If you are using formula or a combination of breastmilk and formula, you should definitely pack some (like the kind Honest makes) and mix and feed on the road! However you feed your baby, know you will do just great on your first road trip! Be patient, listen to your baby's cues, and don't be in too much of a rush and all will be merry and bright! Happy Holidays,Ashleigh  

I know I may seem biased being that I am a professional photographer... but having beautiful photos can change your life. And I am not just talking about hiring a professional for family portraits, I am talking about the photos you take every day of your kids and loved ones.If you are a mom like me you know time moves by WAY TOO FAST. That teensy tiny smushy baby is now a toddler. And then that toddler will soon be off to kindergarten. Then you blink and boom-- you are dropping your baby off at college.There are so many big and little milestones over the course of your kids lives. And if I am being real, it’s probably impossible to hire a pro like me for ALL those little moments. For most families even being able to afford one professional portrait sitting a year is a big expense.So what’s a mom to do in those in betweens?Well with digital cameras being everywhere, including in your purse, you are probably documenting your kids yourself.As a mom you are the keeper of memories. But how well are you keeping your memories?If you are tired of missing moments because:-they are blurry-too bright-too dark-getting not so cute expressions-having photos that look a mess (though you don’t quite know why)… then I am here to help! Let me walk you through 5 simple ways you can change your photos for the better (even on an iPhone)-- and more importantly change your life simply by documenting it beautifully. 

1)Let There Be (Good) Light

Photography is literally the art of capturing light. So it makes sense getting your photos to have better light in them would be a game changer for you. Here’s some things that you really need to know to see massive results--Avoid taking photos outside in direct + bright sun. - Professional portrait photographers avoid taking photos outdoors anytime between 10am -2:30pm or so (depending where you live) because this is literally such an unflattering type of light. Plus your kids will look squinty and not relaxed. I know as a mom sometimes this is exactly when we are out at the park with our kids and the moments are happening. One work around is to either find some shade OR take a wider shot-- if your kids are small in the frame the harsh light is less noticeable and so are their expressions.--Turn Off That Flash. A built in camera flash has to be one of the most unflattering types of light ever invented. And yet, if I had a dollar for everytime I saw someone using their flash--when it wasn’t even necessary-- I’d have my son’s college completely paid for! Do yourself a favor and turn your flash off. Your photos will thank you! --Open the Curtains. If you are shooting indoors you want to use all the natural light that is available to you and turn off your indoor lights. So open those curtains and blinds. Make your room bright as can be. Face your kiddo towards the light too so it’s actually hitting her face! It makes such a difference! 

2) Burst Mode is for Movers

It can be so hard to capture fast moving toddlers and kids. Lately it seems like my son can simply not sit still for a photo. And though that annoys me, I still know how to nail the shot because I know how to work my camera. A DSLR has a few settings you can use to keep those wiggly kiddos in focus. But you can also simply use your iphone to do a better job (if you don’t have a DSLR). Do you know about iPhone’s burst mode? It allows you snap many pictures at one time. The thought being if you take 15 pictures at a time at least one will turn out good. ;) It’s so simple to use. Open the iPhone camera app (do not use a third party app). Instead of simply tapping the circle button to take a photo press and HOLD IT DOWN. It will keep shooting for as long as you hold. Soon after, I recommend going through the frames of your burst and choosing 1-3 of the best ones in the set and DELETE the others. That way you won’t be confused by the bad ones or fill up your phone. 

3) Move B, Get Out My Background

One thing that nearly all professional portraits have is a subtle, soft, non distracting background. This allows you to focus on the person-- your kid-- in the photo rather than having your eye jump around the frame and get distracted. A tool photographers employ on DSLRs to do this is opening their lens up really wide to create a blurry background. But even if you don’t have a DSLR, you can still think like a photographer. As you are about to snap a picture, PAY ATTENTION to what’s going on in the background. -Are poles or tree branches “growing” from your kids’ head?-What about other people? Are they pulling focus in the background?-Any other eyesores in the frame? By paying attention to what’s behind your child, you can frame your photo better. Often you can simply move an inch or two to the left or right or up or down and you can eliminate those distractions from the frame. You may also decide to get in closer to eliminate distractions too.  

4) Fill Your Frame

This lesson kind of plays off of the previous tip regarding watching for distractions. In that lesson I just mentioned you can “get closer in” to your subject to also help avoid distractions. And while “zooming in” on your kiddos does help crop eye sores out of the background, that’s not the only reason to do it. In portraiture, professional photographers often fill their frame with just their subjects face. It is such a powerful way to really see someone and is more eye catching than a whole full body shot. You can fill the frame with details too-- like little hands or feet. It’s always very powerful. To do this, especially on a phone camera, I recommend using your legs to help you zoom rather than the “zoom feature” on your camera. You see unless you have a proper zoom lens, which the iphone does NOT, you are actually just cropping into the photo and degrading your photo quality when you use the camera to zoom. How do you zoom with your legs? It’s quite simple. Just walk in closer to your kiddo. Get up in there. Find some cool angles! That is what pros like me do! 

5) Laugh Together, Make Memories Together

The best photographers are the ones that really have FUN behind the camera and make the client forget they are being photographed. I believe a client should always leave a shoot saying “Thank you! That was really a lot of fun!” You are a mom, not photographing a client. But still… Why should photographing your kids be any different. They will want to be photographed if you are having fun and engaging with them while doing so. Photo time should never be a chore. Be super silly. Fake laugh till you real laugh. Go to cool and fun locations. Make a dork of yourself. Involve your kids in the whole process. Act like a pro photographer in this simple way and you will find yourself not only achieving pro results, but you will also be making brand new amazing memories while capturing your kids! I just threw a lot of info at you! And I know it’s good stuff. But sometimes when learning a new skill and art form it’s nice to have someone hold your hand and personally walk you through everything you need to know! 

I’m actually doing exactly that in my FREE  photo class which will have you capturing beautiful memories of your kiddos in just five days!

SIGN UP HERE ---> http://ashleightaylorblog.com/signup

 We start next Monday, so you definitely want to be sure to reserve your spot asap and get in at the beginning so you don’t miss a thing. There will be daily lessons delivered to your inbox, along with a private group for support, and video trainings which will even be recorded for you  busy moms out there. I will personally be holding your hand and sharing my secrets as you learn how to take your photos and memories to the next level with ease, confidence and joy! 

Don’t miss out! Sign Up for the FREE Photo Class Here ----> http://ashleightaylorblog.com/signup

2015 was a year of a lot of soul searching... which given that I had a baby last year, it makes total sense that I wanted to evaluate all aspects of my life. I came to some conclusions about the direction of my business and brand, what I wanted to be doing with my time, and what I did not. I attended another live workshop by my hero Sue Bryce and wrote some major, scary, but exciting decisions on paper... And this year, 2016, has been making them all come to life!!So I am being very cryptic but letting you know that the "Ashleigh Taylor" brand is being updated and the big unveiling is Monday! Yes, like as in 48 hours from now. I can't wait to show you what I am working on and share our new changes to the business with you. As always thanks to everyone who supports me-- I know some of you have been around for 7 years (the very beginning). You are very loved and appreciated and I hope you will go with me on this journey into Ashleigh Taylor 2.0 ...Here's a sneak peek of what's to come:

So for those who don't know... exactly two weeks ago, I had a BABY! Life has been a crazy whirlwind ever since. I am so incredibly thankful though for my healthy baby boy who we named Theodore William John (Theo for short)!Because I love when others share their birth stories, I have decided to share very candidly his detailed birth story below! WARNING-- IT'S LONG! Maybe as long as my 12 hour labor! lol! But enjoy if birth stories are your thing!Also for those wondering, I am still shooting weddings and portraits this year. I return to portraits mid-April and Weddings in mid-May. I am still booking 2015 weddings and replying to emails as timely as I possibly can!............. Theo's Birth StoryTheo was born 13 days early at The Santa Barbara Birth Center with an all natural, drug free labor that was about 12 hours long. My whole pregnancy I was convinced I’d go into labor on the early side because all the petite ladies I know who’ve given birth have been 2-3 weeks early, and I hypothesized that it’s because the babies run out of room in a tiny mom’s body! So around 37 weeks I began wondering if it was go time… On Friday of the MLK Jr weekend, I truly felt I could not get much bigger and he’d arrive soon. My cousin & his girlfriend came to visit that Friday and the entire time I had light contractions… and I thought we might have to cut the night short due to me going into labor. But no such luck. When I got into bed that night the contractions faded. Saturday I felt miserable, almost like I was getting sick… kind of a nauseous and tired feeling. I slept a lot that day. In hind sight I think my body was resting up for the adventure to come. On Sunday I woke up again feeling nauseous but realized it came in waves, and at some point realized they might be contractions. But they were easy enough to ignore so I tried not to get too excited. That morning AJ made me delicious pancakes and I told him what I felt. We both hoped the baby might come that day and tried to do a variety of activities to make labor jump start. Nothing really intensified the contractions though. I decided that we should go out for dinner to Los Agaves that night in case this was our last chance to go out to a restaurant (good call me!) and I made sure to eat the habanero salsa in hopes the spiciness might further induce stronger contractions. Many people at the restaurant asked when I was due and I kept replying “any day now” and I remember thinking, “well it could be any second now, my water could break right here! Wouldn’t that be funny?!”We went home after dinner and decided to watch some Sunday night TV. I really wanted to get labor moving, and noticed that naps or lying on the couch did not help them, so I made sure to sit extremely straight up. First we watched Girls, which I could pay full attention to. Then we watched Grand Budapest Hotel which I enjoyed but remember also being a little focused on the contractions. The movie ended around 11 and we decided to go to bed. I realized labor would probably not be happening that night and decided it’d be wise to rest. We got into bed, and I got comfy. Stella in her usually cuddly mood hopped atop me and did her cuddle blitz where she walks around on my tummy. I remember it was extremely tender and saying “Ow Stella!”… Then she decided to curl up on my belly and she purred which felt so good. The moment I fully let go and relaxed I felt and heard a POP inside me that felt like an explosion. It scared me and at first I had no idea what it was or could be and worried for Theo. It scared Stella too as she jumped in the air when it happened! I screamed “Ah” and told AJ “I think maybe my water broke… but I don’t feel wet”… So I got on my knees and sure enough pink watery liquid began to trickle out. I believe my exact thoughts were “HOLY SHIT” and AJ jumped out of bed in a state of excitement and maybe panic. He threw on his clothes really fast even though I reminded him that just because my water broke did not mean it was time to go to the Birth Center. We had been instructed to call when active labor started (contractions 5 mins apart lasting a minute each) and at that point I’d be pretty far in “labor land” unable to talk or function normal… which was not the case yet. AJ said he still preferred to be dressed! He frantically packed the rest of our birth center bag and I felt my first stronger contraction. I moved through contractions in the closet area of our bedroom, pacing, getting on hands and knees, using the wall to rub my back against... after maybe an hour of that I finally felt the contractions maybe hurt enough it was worth at least calling the midwives.Jenna was on call that night and I was really happy because over the course of the pregnancy I got to know her best because she ran the PreNatal Group Meetings every other Tuesday which I always attended. I love Jenna and she has a calming way about her that reminds me of my beloved yoga coach Melanie… so I was happy to know Jenna would definitely be at our birth! Jenna said it didn’t sound like we were ready to come in yet, but she suggested I shower and see if that helps easy the pain for the time being and gave AJ more detailed info on how to know when to call back. I took the shower and in there things got more intense. But the shower felt good. It was then I began making low sounding noises with an open jaw with each contraction, something I did the whole rest of the labor! Everything felt pretty manageable... Until the water heat pooped out and the shower got cold. I tried laboring in our living room and remember crawling around the floor in pain. So AJ called Jenna again and she said we could go to the birth center.During the drive the contractions stopped and I was really scared Jenna would send me home for stalled labor when we got to the center. She checked me and I was 1cm dilated but totally thinned out and said she could manually open me to 3cm and I could stay and see if labor picked up. Uh, YES. I did not want to go home. After she got me to 3cm, I hopped in the birth center shower (which has continuous heat) and labor started picking up again. The shower felt good and I was relieved and welcoming of the contractions because I really wanted things to progress. Jenna put AJ to bed because it would be a long night and I was coping OK on my own. AJ slept for the next 4.5 hours. I labored a long time in the shower but remember telling Jenna I was really tired and was wondering if there was a way I could rest deeper between the contractions. She told me I could do the contractions while laying on my side on the bed and relaxing. I said OK. This was really hard because laying still and relaxing into a contraction is very challenging as you are face to face with the pain. The rest between was great but I couldn’t do it for long. I think at some point around this time I may have done some hands and knees position on the bed, and also ate some peanut butter & jelly toast which Jenna lovingly made for me… in typical Ashleigh fashion I was starving! A PB+J never tasted quite so good!This is where things get hazy as they get more intense. I think at this point I went into the tub and labored in there for awhile. At some point Jenna checked me but never let me know my exact dilation, only that it was much to my sadness not time to push. I later found out from AJ, I was only 5 cm dilated so thank goodness she hadn’t told me or I would’ve felt really discouraged. I think I labored in the tub for a while and then Jenna suggested I go back to the shower. She also asked if it was OK if she take a break and rest because she needed to rest before I was ready to push. She assured me the midwife assistant, who luckily was Jen who taught our birth class would be there soon. I said yes, and asked if AJ could join me in the shower to rub my back through each contraction as Jenna had done. She said she was thinking the same thing, so AJ was awoken and joined me. Sadly, AJ was not a pro at counter pressure massage for labor like Jenna and I was a little annoyed with him in the shower! My back hurt so bad with each contraction and the counter massage was the only way I could get through it. Thankfully Jen arrived and took over. Jen and Jenna were saints through my labor till the end, lovingly rubbing my back. I know I couldn’t have done it with out them and I can’t imagine how bad their own backs must’ve hurt being hunched over for hours rubbing me! Seriously, bless their hearts.I don’t exactly remember when I got back in the tub but when I did I was shocked to see bright sunlight in the birth room. I realized I had no concept of time. At this point, things were strong and hard and the light really bothered me. I closed my eyes somewhere around here and maybe only opened them a few times in between this moment and the moment Theo was born. So everything at this point is hazy, voices, smells, feelings. I remember having a conversation with Jenna about when she would check me again. I was terrified she’d check me and say I was still not ready to push and then she’d have to wait a few more hours to check me again, so we decided to hold off. She left to rest. Jen & AJ were there. Things were so intense at one point I had Jen rubbing my back and AJ spraying the shower type water handle on me. Then another midwife assistant Malti also arrived to help. At some point I gulped down a smoothie. I was howling with each contracting and dropping long, slow, deep sounding F-bombs. Like a an “OM” in Yoga except replace “om” with “fuck”. Just keeping it real! At one point I opened my eyes and saw Alice, my second midwife, in the hallway smiling. So many hands were on deck to support me. I had my eyes closed and remember grabbing for any one and I must have grabbed AJ’s hand. I didn’t know who’s hand it was till I felt his ring. I remember saying “I can’t” and Jen reminding me that “I was” … I was doing it and each contraction had me one step closer. I remember contemplating drugs & the hospital and reminding myself the many reasons why I didn’t want that. I remember feeling the urge to push kinda sorta.Jen told me I was very close and Jenna was coming back to check me. I asked Jen how she knew I was close and she said it was easy to tell by how I sounded. Jenna checked me and said I was fully dilated, the baby was very low and I’d be meeting him soon, it was time to push and she wanted me to get out of the tub. I really wanted a water birth, or so I thought, so I asked to push in the tub. I totally did not know how to push effectively though and I had apparently been on my hands and knees in the tub for hours. I remember hearing Alice saying they needed to get me off my hands & knees or I’d be bruised up. After some time of non-effective pushing, Jenna explained it was important we switch it up before I tired myself out. Honestly, she was right as I was already tired and had not a clue what I was doing. So I listened.The pushing part of labor was the worst for me.  I can’t exactly tell you the order it all happened but we tried a myriad of pushing positions, each one I resisted because I had to learn to push in a new way. I did side-lying squat, I did on the birth stool, I did hands and knees on the bed, I even labored on the toilet because I had to pee extremely bad for hours but couldn’t get it out. In fact, they had to put a catheter in me because they thought my full bladder was making things not progress. They were right it was excruciating to have to pee so bad and not be able to. I was terrified of the catheter but I didn’t even feel it. I guess my other pains were worse! And the relief of emptying my bladder helped a lot.All through pushing I was in SOOOO much agony. My back hurt so bad, and then pushing was hard and painful too. I kept not going into it they said, which reminds me of how I am during an exercise class. I have a hard time going straight into the physical challenge & pain of it. No back rubs were enough at this point. They suggested I lay on the bed with my legs in a diamond shape in the air and I pull on my feet with each push. Surprisingly this position felt best because the bed supported my back. Jenna used her hands to guide me where to push. They coached me but kept saying I needed to listen to my body for when it was right timing to push to make use of the contraction. I never really fully knew what that meant or if I did it right. I remember being frustrated and feeling defeated. I remember Alice giving me the tough love of “you have to” or “you can and you will”… I remember Jenna and Jen giving me cheers and words of encouragement. And finally I knew I was really close when they brought AJ in. It hurt soooooo badly. I literally felt that “ring of fire” burn of being ripped open and I just freaking pushed because I was almost at the finish line and the only way for the pain to end was for me to meet it face on. I remember being told his head was out. I remember hearing AJ sobbing behind me. The shoulders took a few more strong pushes that I barely had energy for. I felt some tugging and then relief! He was out and then he was on top of me! All blue and slimy. I think AJ said “look at him! look at him!” and I remember saying “Oh my god. Oh my god.”I was really in shock. I was in shock I did it. I think I was a little in shock that there was a baby now and I was no longer pregnant. I was in shock of how my now non pregnant stomach looked and wobbled. I had been so focused on getting through labor pain, I almost forgot the prize at the end was a baby, not just relief from the pain. I remember there was some chaos with them listening to the his lungs and his cry because he still had fluid in his lungs or something. No one was panicked but there was definitely more commotion than I had anticipated. I somehow wasn’t too worried and knew he was okay but I asked because they were so focused on him. Honestly after that is a blur. He was on top of me, I was trying to see him. He had hair that looked kinda brown but I didn’t really see his whole face. I delivered the placenta with him on me. Soaking it all in. I finally saw his face and remember being like “weird he looks exactly like his ultrasound picture” even though at the time of the ultrasound, the picture made no sense to me. AJ was still weeping.The hours after the birth were really crazy. I felt a little out of my body. I was so dang impressed at myself for giving birth but also a little traumatized by all that physically happened and definitely traumatized by how my non pregnant body looked and all the after gore still coming out of it. At some point we tried breastfeeding but he couldn’t latch right away. Then I needed to pee. Then I had to be stitched so AJ got to hold Theo. They were bonding so sweetly and seemed so smitten. It was so cute to watch. I talked to Jen & Jenna a lot through the stitches because I think I was trying to process all that had just happened.When it was time to go home, I was panicked, I felt clueless and like a terrible mother. Who was this little dude I was now supposed to take care of and how would I be able to do it?! What would I do? I barely knew how to feed him. I think I was still in shock of all that happened, processing and I felt like maybe we should have bonded more after the birth because it seemed to me AJ was already a baby whisperer. We made it home. And the first night was confusing. The first whole week was absolutely insane, terrifying, emotional, the hardest of my life. I have to say I thought the birth would be the hardest thing I ever did but as it turns out that was a cake walk compared to raising a tiny human and breastfeeding him 24/7. But with each moment I fall more and more in love with Theo’s sweet face and funny personality. Each day is a little easier and I am excited to figure out my new life with his new life. In a way Theo’s birth story is both my birth and death story. My old life and everything I knew about myself died during giving birth and a new life and new woman was born. AJ says this new person I am is amazing. I am unsure because it’s all so new, and I know it will never be the same, But I am excited to not only know this new little person I birthed but also the new me I birthed on 1/19/15 as well!Another thing I have to say, is despite the difficulty and challenge of giving birth the way I did, I am so thankful for the experience. I was surrounded by such an amazing team of loving women, who even have been at my house almost every other day since he was born. These women cheered me on, believed in me, rubbed my back, call me at every question and freak out, reassure me, and made sure that I figure all this out. I don’t think I would ever get this level of emotional care (and physical care) at a hospital. I don’t yet know for sure if I have a second baby in my heart yet but if I do I would want to use the birth center again. It has truly been a community boosting, spiritual and personal growth experience for which I am truly thankful!Below is the only photo I have from the birth, taken a few minutes after he was born. I wish I had more photos of the experience but am thankful I at least have this one!

We all remember that classic scene from Pretty Woman, right? Where Julia Roberts gets denied and shamed out of a posh Beverly Hills store because they don't think she is the type of woman who can and should be in their store? If you don't remember here is the clip:  Well today I kinda had my own "Pretty Woman" experience... Or shall we say NOT-so-pretty-woman experience.I had heard of a lingerie store in town that I did not knew existed. I am always looking for the BEST lingerie stores to refer my boudoir clients to. In a dream world, there would be a store here in town with great selection and helpful sales people who I could collaborate with, so I know if I refer my clients to them, my clients will have a great shopping experience and leave with just the right items for a shoot. I just wanted to check the store out and see what they had, maybe introduce myself but it was mostly a stop-in-see-what-you-got outing. Was I dressed up? No. I was in the middle of a busy day. This morning I threw on a (what I think is) cute romper from Forever21 and I haven't changed since. Was I in make up? No. The fact is despite having a love of glamour, I am also a no-muss-no-fuss kind of gal, and most days I don't bother with make up. The clerk asked why I was there and looking for and I explained what I do, showed her one of my cards with photos on it, and explained I was just checking out the store's selection. That's when it happened.She told me **I** was actually the  one in need of make over and I should be practicing what I preach. According to her, I was not made up nice enough to be introducing myself to another business  and looked like I was 8 year old the way I was dressed. According to her, I should also have taken the time to wear make up, because it's not polished to introduce yourself to a business without wearing make up. She said I should know better. And maybe I should have.BUT WHEN IS IT OKAY TO TELL A WOMAN SHE IS NOT GLAMOROUS ENOUGH?The whole experience got me thinking about my shoots and why I do what I do. To be clear, I do not shoot glamour and boudoir because I think every woman needs to dress and look her best on a daily basis. No, quite the opposite. I understand that women have a lot on their plate. We are employees, business owners, volunteers, mothers, daughters, sisters, friends, wives, girlfriends, lovers, caretakers and more. There are days we don't put make up  on, eat lunch till three, or ever get  out of the yoga clothes (yoga clothes I should add that we never actually got around to doing yoga in that day). I understand that. For most modern women, every day is not a red carpet experience.And yet, I believe that is what most of us our longing for. For one special day to be made to feel beautiful. To be celebrated. To be dressed up as close to a Hollywood starlet as possible. And to have a magazine worthy photograph taken of us to remember the whole experience by. So when we have that day where we aren't feeling enough, or someone has cut us down, we can look back at that picture and remember that fabulous woman is in there all the time. And that you are beautiful and should never forget that.So that's why I do what I do. Maybe a glamour/boudoir shoot seems superficial on the surface. But it is truly about empowering the inner beauty. It is truly about celebrating who you are. And it is truly about loving yourself-- loving yourself dressed up and loving yourself dressed down.I want to give every woman this experience. I want to give every woman this powerful message. And I never ever ever want to make another woman feel the way the employee at the lingerie store made feel today.Here is a picture of me today after the whole experience. Yup, it's a selfie. Trying to smile through the salty tears I had just shed. Trying to remember that I am beautiful and stylish and sophisticated and mature no matter what anyone else thinks or says. I am showing it to you to keep it real. This is who I am. I am not a glamour girl 24/7 and I am definitely not perfect. Most days I am just Ashleigh, trying to conquer the day, and trying to take the best  care of my clients, friends, family and cats the best I can. That's who I am. And that is beautiful.PS- after this whole thing happened, the friend I was with contacted the actual store owner and told her what went down. The owner was EXTREMELY nice and personally called me to apologize for her employee and affirmed that she owns a lingerie store to also help women feel beautiful and was really upset that this happened in her store. I truly appreciate that kind of customer service and try my very best to give that same care and service to my clients as well.

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Sunday was our official Grand Opening party for our new studio space in Downtown Santa Barbara! Even though I have been doing boudoir and glamour shoots in the space since mid-July, it was so nice to finally be able to open it up and invite our friends, family, clients and colleagues to see and experience it! The reaction was overwhelming and I am so thankful for everyone's support and love! I truly never thought I'd have a space, and it is a huge accomplishment... and also-- not gonna lie-- a little bit daring of an adventure! But I truly believe it's only UP from here! Because I know that this space allows me to serve women better... to help empower them to see themselves as beautiful... and to do that by taking gorgeous, sexy, glamorous photos! YAY!Check out pics from the event below. HUGE thanks to Nicole Chapman of Hint Of Chic for designing and planning ad providing the florals. Thanks to Page of Absolutely Fabulous Hair + Make Up who I share the space with! Thanks to Veronique Coleccion for providing lingerie to display, and Coast 2 Coast for providing our jewelry display! Thanks to Chocolat Calibressan + Kay's Candy Cart for providing some of the goodie bag treats! And thanks to my hubby and in-laws for helping with set up and manning the sign in area! So appreciative of everyone's support!!!Our studio is located in the heart of downtown Santa Barbara-- 1129 State Street-- right by Peet's Coffee, Anthropologie, Paper Source, and CorePower Yoga! The historic building features a gorgeous courtyard and architectural details... head up the stairs to our private, by appoint only, suite!

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So much BIG STUFF has happened since I moved to Santa Barbara in December 2011. But this year has been bigger than my wildest dreams! Amongst a crazy busy/good wedding season, I watched my boudoir and glamour photography just blossom. Truth be told there is no one doing boudoir and glam the way I do boudoir/glam here in Santa Barbara... or Ventura or SLO as a matter of fact! The feedback from clients and the community has been incredible. Pretty much every inquiry I received starts with "I want to do a shoot with you because your work is amazing and the best I've seen"... It's humbling beyond words. And is also a dream come true. Because while I love shooting weddings, I equally love to photograph women. To help them to feel beautiful. confident and amazing in their own skin. To show women just how beautiful they can be.So my make up artist friend Page of Absolutely Fabulous and I secured a fabulous studio space in downtown Santa Barbara. It is a space dedicated to all things feminine-- hair, make up , beauty, boudoir, glam, photography, girl power. We are super excited to be opening this space to better serve the women of Santa Barbara, Ventura and beyond!And THIS SUNDAY. We are having a Grand Opening Party! You are invited to swing by and check out the space. You can meet me (if you haven't yet, and if you have just say hi) and find out what this glamour revolution is all about! And bonus you will even get some treats too!Here are the detailsWHAT: Grand Opening Party for Ashleigh Taylor's new glamour/boudoir studio WHEN: Sunday September 15, 2013. From 2pm-5pm. Stop by anytime within this window!WHERE: 1129 State St #26 Santa Barbara CA 93101PARKING: Public Parking, free for 75 minutes, in the lot behind our building. Enter off Chapala between Figueroa and Anapamu.Bonus for brides!!! Our neighbors across the street, Coast 2 Coast Jewelry, are also having a bridal open house and trunk show that day! Check us out and then pop over to check them out! 2 birds, one stone!Hope to see you there!xoAshleigh

I'm very excited to announce that I've FINALLY started a mailing list for all things Ashleigh Taylor Photography! I'm so lucky to have so many clients, fans, colleagues, friends and even other photographers supporting what I do. But with the many forms of social media that I have (facebook, twitter, pinterest, this blog, etc) it can sometimes be hard to find ALL the info about what Ashleigh Taylor  Photography is up to! So I've decided a neat little monthly email is the best way to keep everyone in the loop, and from there we can connect on social media as well!  The monthly email newsletters will include the following content:

• Latest News, Accolades, Press, Honors, etc
• Latest Eye Candy + Photo Shoots
• The First Place we will announce contests, giveaways, and/or special deals on our products/services
• The First Place we will announce our limited availability photoshoots that we do annually (like holiday mini-sessions, or boudoir mini sessions)
• The First Place we will announce any speaking engagements and/or workshops
• Photo Tips and Tricks (for photographers AND amateurs looking to step up their personal photography a bit... we will mix some easy peasy tricks with some more advance stuff)
• Posing Tips and Tricks (for photographers OR anyone who would like to feel more confident posing for everyday pictures)

Sound Awesome??!!! Well... it IS! And even better is that to get things going we are hosting a little contest! Everyone who subscribes to our newsletter by Feb 5th 2013 will be entered in to a raffle, and lucky subscriber will win a $25 i-Tunes gift card! Score!So what are you waiting for? CLICK HERE to subscribe to our newsletter! 

 Happy New Year, y'all! 2013 is going to be SOOO good for me and for Ashleigh Taylor Photography, I can't help but break into the giddiest Gangnam Style dance when I think of it all! And of course 2013 would be my year... after all you are talking to a lady born on Friday the 13th! 13 is my lucky number!But before we move forward, I'd like to look back a bit! I always enjoy doing Year In Reviews, to appreciate where I've been before I move forward. Well, friends, one of the funniest and most popular posts I do every year is my "Behind The Scenes" photos. These are the images that show me creating images. You know, how the magic happens. And sometimes it ain't pretty (or should I say, I don't FEEL pretty)-- shooting weddings on 100+ degree days (which we had wayyyyy too many of this year) is NO JOKE. But I'll put vanity aside and keep it real. This is behind the scenes of Ashleigh Taylor Photography 2012... no photoshop or nothin'!I always check every bridal party member to make sure they look great and know just how to pose!!I very quietly capture the love!!! So sneaky!Grand Entrance? Yeah, I'm on it!Toasts? I got that covered too ;)From bridals to the ceremony!!Where's Ashleigh during the First Dance? Blending in with the crowd, but capturing every moment!Bouquet shot? Check!I'm pretty sure I was being hilarious and entertaining the crowd here... Clearly!WHAT THE HECK IS GOING ON HERE? I don't know, but I thought everyone could laugh at me and help me try to figure it out!Ceremony-ing! This is me capturing some crowd reactions!Beautiful portraits!More bridal party awesomeness!Sometimes perfect moments just happen before my lens (see the pic on the left) and then sometimes a gown needs to be fluffed to create a perfect moment (see the pic on the right)."I now pronounce you..." hahah j/k-- I don't do that part guys! I am just posing them for a portrait! heheWhoa, that's a lot of photographers! This is what happens when you try to grab a group shot after the ceremony and the guests can see what you're doing... YIKES! Lesson: do a first look or move the guests into a separate cocktail area... otherwise the attack of the guests with point and shoots happens! heheOkay so I'll leave you with this. Every wedding I am ALWAYS asked to dance by at least one groomsmen. Yes, I am a groomsmen magnet. It's bizarre. I always turn them down because there is nothing professional about gettin' down on the dance floor with a groomsman when you are the photographer (and MARRIED)! But usually me refusal makes the guys try to woo me harder. Their flattery may make me blush (see below) but they never get the dance! 

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Since I started my business, every year has been a great year. Really! Being able to do something creative and fulfilling for a living that touches people's lives and allows me to be my own boss? It is truly a blessing, and one that I don't take lightly. I have been and continue to be ridiculously grateful for all I have on a daily basis. But around this time of the year it is nice to take stock of all the things I am extra thankful for. After all, an attitude of gratitude is the key to happiness!This year really takes the cake for me. There is seriously SO MUCH to be thankful for I don't even know where to start but I'll try. I am thankful for:

• MY HUSBAND. What would I do without this amazing man who puts up with my unique brand of crazy? Seriously, he is the best thing that happened to me!
• MY KITTIES. I am thankful for these furry balls of daily love. They warm my heart so much and make me laugh and smile even on the most challenging days. I can't imagine living without them.
• MY FAMILY (parents, grandparents, aunties, uncles, niece, nephew and cousins)... duh! They are a crazy bunch but we all understand each other. No one will ever love me like my family will or do for me what they will. And I super appreciate that!
• MY IN-LAWS. Holy wow! I don't know if I ever fully understood just how darn LUCKY I got in the in-laws department until this year. Now that we live so close to my in-laws, I really have gotten to know them and they are seriously saints. They have done so much to help us get our house together, and just help us with life in general. They are never pushy or nosy or pry or any stereotypes you see on TV about in-laws. They are just loving, generous and all  around fantastic. I truly am blessed!
• OUR CONDO Last December when we became homeowners it was a dream come true. I never thought we'd be able to afford to buy a nice place, especially in Santa Barbara. And when we realized we could get a starter condo, I was sure it'd be the tiniest 2 bedroom place that existed. Somehow we got a beautiful spot, with a view, THREE bedrooms, so much natural light and in an awesome complex with amenities like a pool and jacuzzi. It has been amazing to live here for a year now and I love it SO much. This is our dream, perfect, starter home and I'm so lucky it's ours. There are truly no words!
• My CLIENTS. Seriously, I say this all the time but I have the best, raddest, cutest, most stylish clients EVER. I am so lucky to get to photograph y'all and capture your precious memories. I do not take the fact that you have entrusted me to document your major life milestones, and I pinch myself every day that this is what I get to do for a living. It goes without saying, I couldn't do it if it wasn't for all of you. Thank you all so much.
• My COLLEAGUES. When you run your own at-home business, it can be very lonely. There are many days I never see any people besides my husband and our cats. I don't have the typical office environment with co-workers, so it has taken a lot of effort to meet other colleagues in the wedding industry. But I am so glad I put the effort in and created so many awesome relationships. I really appreciate every peer that has referred a client to me or has worked with me on a styled shoot or even just engaged in some small talk with me at a networking event. I'm lucky to be a part of a fantastic industry with so many great people in it!
• My FRIENDS! I only have a small handful of close friends but when the going gets tough they are always here for me. And what is life without friends to laugh and have fun with?!
• MY HUSBAND'S JOB. The reason we moved to Santa Barbara was because my hubby got his dream job in Santa Barbara. This is THE job he told me he wanted just weeks into our relationship. He put following his dream on hold initially so he could stay with me until I finished college in Boston. Then he put it on hold so I could pursue my original dreams of movie-making in Hollywood. My husband has had some serious struggles since the economy crashed in 2008 and education budgets got slashed. So for him to get ANY job in education was amazing. But for him to get his exact dream job??!! Well that was just a miracle. He's been so happy and fulfilled the past year and half at his new job and I am so thankful for that! I just want him to be happy!!
• YOGA. This year I got way into Yoga and am so thankful. My body and mind are much more relaxed these days! Namaste, yo!
• BEING PUBLISHED. I've seen my work get published in so many more awesome places! This year I had my first multi-page, real-wedding spread in a print magazine! I've gotten to be on Style Me Pretty again and oh so much more! I could never have believed all the places I turned for inspiration when I was planning my wedding would one day publish my own work! It's so amazing!
• LIVING IN SANTA BARBARA. I am very lucky to live in one of the most beautiful and scenic spots in the country! Short of Hawaii, there's not much else like SB. It's so scenic, quiet and stress free here and yet they have great shopping and dining too. It's a great place to be! Can't beat it (welllll.... except for Hawaii)! heh

...Pheeew! What a list! The crazy thing is there is actually much more I am thankful for but my hands are starting to hurt from typing! LOL!Before I go I will leave you with this funny instagram of my Bobby kitty eating some butternut squash on Thanksgiving (his favorite)! I know what he is thankful for!

What about you? What are you most thankful for this year??

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Too many great photos, too little time! I have about 5 shoots I really need to blog soon! And I promise you that I will! But for now, I'll be a little tease and share a picture from a very special engagement session I did last night in Santa Barbara! It was extra special because we had the MOST SPECTACULAR SUNSET EVER during the shoot. We were on the Ellwood Bluffs... the sky above the distant Channel Islands was pink, the mountains were purple and the ocean turned turquoise. It was unreal. I tried my best to capture it. And, you know, my really hot and stylish couple only jazzed up my sunset shot even more! I shared this tease on Facebook last night... and I wanted to take a few quick minutes to share it with the whole wide interwebs today! Enjoy!And I promise more fabulous, full-length blogs are coming very soon!xoAsh

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Holy Smokes! Today AJ + I have been married three whole years and I feel so lucky! It's still a little hard to believe that I met someone who was such a perfect fit for me, and that he really does love me even though he sees ALL of me... you know-- the good, the bad, the ugly. I am truly blessed and not a day passes where I don't feel an overwhelming sense of gratitude to have my husband in my life.

So here's to marriage! To life! To bliss! To love! I love you AJ and I am super excited for all that is yet to come! If it's anything like the past 3 years it will surely be amazing!photo by www.palosstudio.com

Hello all! Oh boy have I been busy! In the 3 weeks I've shot 2 weddings, 2 engagements and 1 stylized/editorial shoot! And! all! the! pics! are! amazing! So many pics and shoots back to back though got me a teensy behind on blogging... and to top it off, I'm actually in the desert for the week to visit my grandparents and my cousins visiting from Hawaii! Kinda wish I was visiting my cousins IN Hawaii but that's another story... ha!Anyways I wanted to let everyone know I will be Out Of The Office from June 25-July 5. I will have limited email access because, believe it or not, my grandma still has dial up! But I will be able to check stuff at a Starbucks every now and then... So please be patient with email reply turn-arounds. It will take me longer than usually to reply. If any of clients need to reach me, please send a text! All emails and business will be dealt with on July 5th. I thank you for your patience!Before I hit the road, I wanted to leave you with two adorable teasers from my shoots this weekend...Alicyn + Jason...Rita + Ryan...Both sessions rocked my world! Can't wait to share more soon!!!!!!! :)xoAsh

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So lately I've been talking about HBO... but it's only because they've been killing it with awesome programming! One of my current HBO obsessions is the new comedy VEEP staring Julia Louis-Dreyfus (who, ps, is such a wonderfully funny and adorable actress)! So Veep is about a Vice President of The United States and in this particular case she isn't totally all together! She isn't exactly an airhead, just someone who puts her foot in her mouth, seems to make a lot of errors, and is very self serving. Hrm. Sounds like a lot of politics today! And really that's all the show is... making fun of what politics and politicians have become. It's incredibly comical, clever and sometimes so realistic it's downright sad. I've really been enjoying it!Do any of you watch Veep? Thoughts?

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I am a food nerd! That is true. And one of my favorite types of food is Mexican Food! YUMMY! Lucky for me, I live in Santa Barbara where Mexican food is plentiful. We have lots of options to choose from in town and some are quite famous. But the truth is, my number one favorite place in SB to grab some south of the border cuisine is at Los Agaves on Milpas Street! Here are my favorite things about Los Agaves:

-Salsa Bar: Chips and Salsa is my fuel. My favorite snack. It's like oxygen to me. And I have high standards. I want crispy chips, fresh from the fryer. And I want flavorful, spicy salsa. Lucky for me, Los Agaves has excellent tortilla chips. But they also have a salsa bar with about 6 salsas to feast upon. They have so many varieties from habanero to chipotle to an avocado salsa to tomatillo and so much more!!! And they are all equally good. I love being able to mix up the salsa flavors and enjoy them. Honestly, sometimes I come here for that salsa bar alone.

-Yummy Seafood: I love seafood!! Some restaurants have the yummiest seafood and others the seafood is slightly sketch or leaves something to be desired. Los Agaves has super fresh and yummy fish and shrimp and they have so many different preparations! I love the Baja Shrimp Taco special and also their chiles stuffed with shrimp and cheese (called Chiles Nortenos). They also have seafood molcajetes and fajitas which look divine, and seafood enchiladas! Yum!

-Tortillas! the tortillas here are fresh and yummy! A must at a good Mexican joint!

-Friendly service: Everyone here is always so happy and nice which makes it that much better!

All in all I adore Los Agaves, and it is always one of my first choices to go to on date night! Yum!!!

What is your fave Mexican food place and why?

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It is no secret at all that I LOVE HBO. Pretty much the only TV I watch is either on Travel Channel, Food Network/Cooking Channel, HGTV, NBC, HBO and Showtime. And of those channels HBO is king! I mean come on people, it's not TV, it's HBO!!!! So HBO has a new comedy out called Girls... and the show has garnered a little backlash... but I still find it hilarious. The best way to describe the show is... it's basically Sex And The City for early twenty-somethings rather than thirty-somethings. Think Carrie Bradshaw before her career clicked, she could afford the Manolos, and was going on bad dates but wasn't as savvy to even acknowledge they were bad yet. It's pretty funny and reminds me a lot of college and the couple years immediately after. There are moments of the show where I clearly see myself as a 22 year (embarrassing as that is to admit)... like when one character tells her parents "Do you know how lucky you are? I could be a drug addict!" (Hi. Yes. Totally guilty of saying that to my parents once or twice). But a lot of it isn't so much that I see myself in it but other girls I went to school with. It speaks to me and is full of good chuckles. The show is only a few episodes in, so it is hard to know if it will continue with the hilarity or have a long run. But for now it is funny and I am slightly kicking myself that I didn't come up with the whole thing myself! hehe!Have you checked out the show GIRLS? Thoughts?

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HBO's Game of Thrones is definitely my favorite TV show on the airwaves right now. And it's probably in my top 10 of favorite TV shows ever. Do you watch it?? You should because it is AMAZING! The sheer production value and scale of it alone is worth a watch. It's seriously like watching a mini-movie every week! To be honest I am not really a fantasy genre person and was highly skeptical of the show before it premiered last year. But since I generally love everything HBO produces I decided to give it a shot! To my surprise I not only adore it... I NERD out on it! What got me hooked on the show was how grounded in reality it is. There is only a little CGI and the characters are very human. It's not just a simplistic good vs evil story. It's more complicated. The way humanity really is. But there is a big plot, tons of characters and locations... it's a lot to keep straight! So I really enjoy nerding out on HBO.com's interactive viewer's guide and reading all the family trees, back-story, and using the interactive maps to delve deeper in the world of the show. YEP, so basically what I'm telling you is the show has made me a complete, total, unapologetic nerd. The only thing I haven't done yet is read the books... because I don't want to spoil the show for myself! hehe!Any other Game of Thrones nerds out there? If so, who's your favorite character?

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This year has been.... strange. Good. Exciting. But strange. Everything has happened so much differently than expected. I've grown and changed and experienced more than I thought I would. I've put a lot of my energy into settling and nesting in Santa Barbara. More so than I anticipated. I guess I've needed it that way. But my regret is that I've let my blogging become sporadic and erratic. I go through spurts of blogging well and then other periods of deafening blog silence. Pretty sad considering my husband recently did a killer power point on what it takes to be a good blogger...I feel like I've failed on all accounts!But that's life. We are human. We can't be perfect all the time. Sometimes life pulls us in other directions. But as I've said before: I'm now back to blogging regularly. Hopefully I mean it this time!Yep, the first quarter of 2012 has gone by in a blur. So much has happened. And in someways I feel so little has happened. But through it all I've had my trusty instagram app with me. So this is my InstaLife from mid February-mid April. I guess we can conclude from these photos that I am a crazy cat lady, a food-junkie, and a sometimes stylish person.  ;)

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I make no secrets about  it... I am a SUSHI FREAK! If I was rich I would probably eat sushi once a day. I really love it that much. Usually when I tell people I love sushi, they think I mean a California Roll or Shrimp Tempura Roll. Honey, please. I barely even mess around with that standard and safe stuff. I like to be daring in my sushi adventures and eat things some people may find kinda odd, such as uni (aka sea urchin), sweet shrimp with the fried shrimp head (yes I eat the whole head and its amazing), orange clam, or little baby squid as pictured above! It's DELISH! My favorite place to try new and wild sushi is Hirozen Gourmet in LA. They always have a unique selection of seafood treats and they have opened my palette to so many new tastes! They even have things I never knew existed such as "white salmon" -- yep salmon whose meat is white not pink. And it's tasty!So yep, I'm pretty much the Andrew Zimmern of sushi eating. ;) What about you? Any "weird" food things you're super into?? I promise I won't judge!

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