Jillian & Erica - Senior Pictures

I had the pleasure of doing Senior Pictures for these two beautiful girls. Thought I'd share... Have a great senior year Jillian & Erica!

Twin Cities Kids Directory COVER PHOTO!

Cute, huh? :) In coalition with our Model Integrity division, the Twin Cities Kids Directory came on board as an event partner for our April 2008 Open Model Call event, designed to educate and give opportunities to aspiring models! Here's the result of the shoot with our two winning models in the 6-12 age group... Don't forget to check out some of our other child model winners at our Model Integrity blog.

Welcome Summer

Hello All! Summer is here and I think all Minnesotans are VERY glad about that. Lucky me, I got to shoot a beautiful wedding this past Saturday and then was still able to spend the next beautiful day lounging with my family. The sunshine and warmth were much appreciated.

While the lack of blog postings (guilty as usual) :) may imply that nothing is going on, in truth it seems everything is going on!!!!

Such as:
-Studio shopping (a definite possiblity on Grand Ave has emerged - no final decision yet - August may be moving month)
-Wedding season (photographing weddings of course, as well as dress shopping with my lovely sister who just got engaged on a trip to Italy, lucky girl) :)
-Website creating (a wonderfully new modern & luxurious Feather Blue website is in the works!)
-Fashion shooting (lots of shoots with the winners from our April Model Integrity event)
-And of course my fabulous portrait clients: babies, kids, a few families, and yes it's time for hs seniors again.
-Oh, and my two kiddos keep me busy as well (in photos and in life). :) Delia had her official last day of preschool today and I am feeling quite sentimental about it. Could I really have a Kindergartender?? Could I possibly have taken enough pictures of her over the last five years??? :) Hunter is 15 months going on 5 and while he isn't quite walking yet, plays with his sister like a pro. I am SO BLESSED.

Enough with words. Since it's been forever, I am going to post some random images here with no rhyme or reason to who or why or when. A tiny tasting of projects from the last few months. Just people and art and loads of fun...

(NOTE SINCE PUBLISHING: for whatever reason, the colors of some of the images in this particular posting appear to be off; and while computer screens do vary, my apologies to those of you whom see these as faded with a slight greenish-yellowish tint. That is not how they look in real life! And while that might not matter to anyone else, it is crucial as a photographer, so worth noting. :) You'll have to trust me that the colors are rich and vibrant in person, ;) and I'll try to figure out why the blog is converting them that way).

Some recent baby annoucements (with adorable babies of course):



An engagement session with my very own Intern from this past Spring, Autumn, and her fiancee Todd. Congrats Autumn!












A family session with one of my current "elite petite" babies:






And my very own munchkins (these happen to be their modeling comp cards). Hunter at about One Year old (his hair is even bushier in real life) :) and Delia at Five.

New Studio Name!!!

Well, it's final! The new studio name is Feather Blue Studios
{modern photography by Shannon Tacheny}.
Feel free to click on www.featherbluestudios.com to see the very tiny beginning of our new site. The old website, www.stphotoanddesign.com, will remain up for now, and even once we have the new site ready, we'll link the old to the new. Please do forgive that much of the old site (particularly the galleries) are outdated and be patient with us as we get the new site up. We promise it will be worth the wait! ;)

I'm sure this month will come with a bit of transition between the two names, so try not to be too confused as you see both names in different places... :) There are still a lot of updates to be made.

In other news, we've launched our Model Integrity site, and are looking forward to that exciting Open Model Call event coming up Sunday April 27th, in Minneapolis! You can check out all the details at www.modelintegrity.com.

Have a great week all!
Shannon :)

"WHAT'S GOING ON?" you ask?

Has it really been a month since I last blogged? After being sick for about three weeks, it has been a crazy couple of weeks trying to catch up, but I am taking a very quick break to give you a little update on "what's going on" here!

- The STUDIO NAME CHANGE is in the works and the new name could be annouced as early as next week!!! I have a brand new graphic design intern/project assistant, Britta, who is taking on the new logo and website look (with probably more input from me than she would like) :) and once the logo is done and the paperwork is complete, we will make the big annoucement!

-We are busily working on a super exciting brand new event for the Twin Cities, from a new division of the studio, called MODEL INTEGRITY. This OPEN MODEL CALL event will be a chance for models of all ages (kids, teens, adults) to come enter to win a photoshoot or modeling experience and also get a FREE INFO SESSION with upfront HONEST INFO on how to break into the Twin Cities modeling market. The event is set to take place Sunday April 27th at a large Mpls hotel. We are currently looking for event sponsors, so if you know anyone in fashion/beauty/kids/health/etc that might want to jump on board with us, send them my way! We have full sponsorship packets available. The MODEL INTEGRITY WEBSITE should be launching hopefully by the end of next week and will have all the details for attendees. Check out our stylish new logo...


-Finally I wanted to share a pic of me and my first intern, Autumn, who has been handling much of my event planning and public relations responsibilities for the past month or so. She is cheerful and hardworking and has been nothing but a joy to meet with. (Of course she's tenatively on a trip out of the country, but everyone needs a break now and then.) :) Here we are on one of my new fabric backgrounds...

-I am still looking for commercial STUDIO SPACE, preferably on Grand or Selby Ave in one of my favorite St Paul neighborhoods, but will probably hold off until after this Model Integrity event (in order to keep my sanity). Perhaps by mid summer we will be opening a new storefront space, with a "boutiqe studio" - lots of photos and fun with a little bit of art and fashion sprinkled in.

That's about it from here... never any shortage of plans and ideas! Have a great weekend, and look for new news soon!

My new Fabric Backgrounds!

I'm so excited to finally have a chance to post these images of my new fabric backgrounds! Luxurious and chic, these add a great eclectic aspect to any portrait. I'm excited to say I've already had the chance to use them for some clients. (These pix also are a great chance to get some ideas on how to dress your children... a commonly asked question). :) Thanks so much to my little models - you were all wonderful.

And now I will let the images speak for themsleves...

Ideas/Changes/Updates!

Well, it is already the end of the month, and while I have vowed to blog more often (once a week perhaps?) I have not been doing a very good job.

On the one hand, there is nothing much going on right now... this is always the "slow" season for photographer's; post-Christmas no one wants their picture taken for a good long time. :) So I am only doing limited client shoots right now.

On the other hand, there is A TON going on! Photographers use their "slow" season to make changes for the new year, and I am sure I am making more than most! I am at such a point of mixed emotion, and mixed excitement, and mixed changes right now. I can hardly seem to focus with so many new projects on my plate.

I'll try to keep it short and sweet (though I probably won't do a very good job of it)... :)

First of all, as all of my wonderful clients know (per the letter I sent out earlier this month), I am finalizing my price changes. (Oh the glories of accounting for time and expenses). :) At the risk of divulging too much information, but with the desire to remain transparent and human, I confess this indeed makes me sad. The thought of moving into a new price range and potentially losing some of the clients I have grown to love is not a happy thought. But, to move into a more pleasant (& business-friendly) :) thought, the quality, style, service, & experience that you will be getting with my 2008 pricing will truly be an incredible value, well worth the investment, and hopefully an experience/product that is different from anything else you can find - I have so many exciting new things to offer! All of these new things will be made available as time goes on, but hopefully in six months my vision will be complete. (Fyi, while the webpage won't have the final pricing up for another week or so, current clients will be getting an email very shortly with the new price list).

Secondly, the biggest news of all, is that I will probably be making a business name change (which will come with a new website). (Again this makes me a bit sad - the nostalgic loss of Shannon Tacheny Photography & Design). But really I am very excited about this! It's going to commemorate the new image, style, artistic vision, and experience that I want to create for my clients (though don't ask me what that name is exactly yet!). :) In the photography world, I intend on opening what is known as a "boutique studio." It will be a little bit art, a little bit shopping, a lot of pictures, and a whole lot of fun! I have always been drawn to the unique, the boutiquey, the one-of-a-kind, the art fairs - why shouldn't I take my business in that direction too! A unique style & experience in photography, and unique product all around. Modern, shabby chic, memorable, fresh yet vintage... everything that makes the quaint St Paul homes & neighborhoods what I love! In a way, I will be closing down one business and making way for a new one. (But don't worry - it will still be me!) :)

With this name change, comes potential for the new studio I mentioned in my letter. I am hoping to find rental space on or near Grand Ave or Selby Ave - such adorable and unique shopping districts in St Paul. But I am trying not to rush this decision. I really need to find the right space, and will make due with what I have for the time being, though moving in the next 3-6 months would be ideal.

On a different note, I am happy to announce that I now have a couple of interns/assistants working for me - Autumn (my public relations and event planning intern) and Aeysha (my marketing coordinator and spokesmodel). (I will have to make them get their pictures taken and post them). They are primarily helping me launch a BRAND NEW EVENT that will take place in April (if all goes well!) that will be an extension of my model consulting & fashion photography. These "Model Integrity" events will help models of all ages gain honest information on how to pursue the modeling industry and avoid the scams that are so prevalent, while also giving them the opportunity to win modeling jobs with local businesses! Much more on this to follow. We will have a whole model integrity website up in a month or so.

And since I wouldn't want to leave out the HS Seniors in the mix, I will let you know we have lots of new exciting features coming for you as well. Cool graduation announcements, fun shoot themes (think urban outdoors & lush studio looks), and exciting new packages such as coffee table style albums & DVD slideshows (both of which will be made available for my children/family clients as well).

The new galleries should be up on the website in a week or two, and I think you will be amazed at the quality and style of my images since the last update (which was like two years ago). This new gallery system will allow me to update them on my own, thus giving you more glimpses into my new work.

Today I am doing a test shoot on some new fabric backgrounds with some fun furniture pieces (trying to keep things fresh and new!) and I will try to post those in the next week for you all to see.

Well, I didn't succeed on being short :) but I did succeed in giving you a glimpse into the new direction I'm heading. Sometimes I forget that you can't read my mind and actually need me to TELL you what's going on. :)

Cheers all!
Shannon :)

Back from my photography conference!

Well, I'm home again after just spending 5 days in Tampa, FL at the Imaging USA photography conference, put on by PPA (Professional Photogarpher's of America) of which I just became a member. There were... drum roll.... 7,000 photographer's there. Unbelieveable. I totally missed my kids (who my hubbie so kindly watched for 5 whole days), but it was worth it. This was exactly the inspiration I needed after feeling a bit stressed out over my workload the past few months.

Here are some cheesy pix of me, and one of my roommates Barbara (who I just met when I got there!) in front of Tampa Bay, which was right next to the convention center. (Please excuse the photo quality, as I only had a lowely point & shoot with me at the time). :)



The conference (which was mostly educational seminars, as well as a giant trade show) was INCREDIBLE!!! (For those of you that think I sat by the pool, guess again... :) I was up at 6am every day, which is incredible for someone who is "not a morning person" and each day was packed with information; but I LOVED every minute of it!) I have come back with SO MANY new ideas that I am hoping to implement over the next year. I am trying to be realistic and remind myself that I cannot change everything in 3 months, so I think I am going to write out a two year plan to create the business that I have in my head. :) You are all really in for a treat if I ever get to the end point. :)

First of all, my website needs a huge overhaul, as I'm embarresed to admit that the galleries have not been updated in way too long. But that is in the works and at least the galleries should be updated by the end of this month, and then hopefully some other factors will soon follow. My 2008 pricing should be listed shortly as well, and hopefully some new product lines.

I found the coolest framing company that I know all of you guys (my clients) are going to love. I just fell in love with the style - it's shabby chic, which works perfectly with my simple, yet modern style of photography, and I know is a favorite amongst many of the older homes that have been remodeled here in St Paul. The company is called Wild Sorbet, and you can check her out at www.wildsorbet.com to see more samples - they only sell to photographer's though, so look for samples I'll have in the studio soon! I orderd a pack! (This will go along with the standard line of custom framing that I'm offering now as well). Here's a couple pix from Wild Sorbet:






I also bought quite a few "digital" items that are going to really give my images a killer kick to them! While all prints in the coming year will include basic retouching, I am thinking of offering two lines or print pricing to accomodate the more standard print, and the art print, as there are so many unique artistic effects I can now create with some extra time and a creative eye. My goal really is to offer the best and the most different products that are out there, and that's something I'm going to strive to do more and more.

Well, I could go on and on, but I will spare you all. :) I am making it one of my New Year's resolutions to update my blog more often so you all can get a better taste of my work and my business as I continue to create images for you and help them compliement your home and your life. Wish me luck. :)

Happy New Year everyone!!!