Collect memories, not things.

Planning

Documenting

Editing

Meet Teresa

Taking an image, freezing a moment, reveals how rich reality truly is.

Hi. I’m Teresa. While, photography is a part-time job for me, documenting your stories doesn’t ever get treated like it’s not important. My full-time gig is teaching high school English and journalism at an all-boys’ school in Washington, DC. Journalism is my favorite subject to teach because it is as much about writing as it is about the art of observing the world, and I became a photographer because of my experiences in photojournalism. You’ll see in galleries with my families, children, newborns, or weddings, my style definitely is more about documenting connection and trying to create real moments. I love a good portrait, but my heart is happiest when I get real smiles from people loving on and playing with each other.

In my family sessions, my experiences as a mom help me to connect with children. I am a mommy to three miracle children…two with fertility help and one that was a pure miracle. I LOVE to play with the kids I photograph because I know that was essential to getting the images I love with my own kids.

Other fun facts…I have known my husband since just before my 18th birthday, but we didn’t date until almost 10 years later. He flies helicopters…if you’ve never been on a helicopter ride, you should do it once! They are a lot of fun (although I’ve never flown with my husband). The deployment parts of our life…not as much fun. We’ve survived two. I have great respect for military spouses, especially those parents who hold down the fort during deployments.

I love red wines like Cabs, Malbec, and Chianti, and I love dark chocolate. (Kakoa’s sea salt dark chocolate is my absolute favorite.)

I rescued two Australian shepherds, Darcy and Scout. Scout passed away in August of 2020 on my first day of school. (And yes, Darcy is named after Mr. Darcy in Pride and Prejudice, and Scout was named after Scout in To Kill a Mockingbird. They are two of my favorite books. See earlier note about my other job.) Mid pandemic, we added a third puppy Aussie, Kylo, to our home. (Can you tell my kids and husband love Star Wars and chose the name on this one?)

I love decorating my home and making it more and more “home” after moving all over the country with my husband. I love reading and writing, and you’ll find books in just about every room of our house.

I do more than just take pictures. When I have time, I also like to design websites for small businesses, so I get to use some of my tech skills. I also dabble in instructional technology. I am a “techy teacher” at school, and I feel absolutely lucky that I get to do two jobs I love, capturing memories and teaching high schools boys. (See my educational consulting website The Techy Teacher if you want to keep up with my teaching life!)

Whether it’s with my camera or a notebook, I like documenting life. Yours. Mine. The world. I like playing with technology. I am an extroverted introvert or introverted extrovert (not sure which), so I love getting to know families as I capture their images, but I hate being at a big party.

I encourage you to take a look at the galleries of my clients, get a feel for how many images I share in a gallery and my style, and if you are interested in booking, please message me through my contact page!

I am constantly working to better myself and my craft. I have taken a number of Katelyn James courses for lighting and wedding photography. I have also taken numerous Click Photo School courses to continually improve my skills in Off-Camera Flash and macro photography, as well as every aspect of my business. In December of 2020, my work was accepted, and I became a Click Pro Master, which was one of my dreams since I began my business. (Click Pro is a modern women’s network of highly skilled professional photographers and independent artists. Membership to click pro is application-based, and an invitation is extended on the basis of an applicant’s portfolio evaluation.)

Awards and Recognition

December 2020
Accepted as a Click Pro Master

May 2020
Shoot and Share Contest: 3 photos in Top 30%, 1 in top 20%, and 1 in top 10%

April 2019
Shoot and Share Contest: 3 photos in Top 30% and 1 in top 10%

December 2018
Featured on Clickin Moms Blog for a photo that showed “Friendship”

March 2018
Finalist in Shoot and Share contest, 1 image in Top 100, and 1 in Top 30%

2016-present
Collaborated with numerous small businesses and Etsy shops; see collaboration page to view my work and message me if you are interested in working together

“Photography lets me capture important moments in the lives of so many people so that they have that instant frozen forever. It is such a gift for many; after my dad died, those pictures that we had of me with him became my most prized possessions. My hope is that I can give my clients some of those images that will one day turn into family heirlooms.”

"Teresa is amazing! She came to our home for a newborn photo session. Prior to the session, she was very helpful in helping me decide which types of photos we wanted to get. During the session, she was so professional and worked so hard to make sure that the baby was comfortable and that we would have a multitude of awesome shots at the end. We were blown away by the end result--we literally loved every picture. We will absolutely be using TCJ Designs in the future for all of our family photography needs!"

Jen Whetstone

"Teresa is absolutely amazing! She really understands how to work with kids and the pictures are ALWAYS absolutely beautiful! My daughter is definitely a challenge when taking pictures. Teresa takes her time and makes taking pictures a fun game so she enjoys it and laughs the whole time. I also love how all the pictures look genuine and not like we’re forced to make a certain pose and smile."

Jessica Jackson

"Teresa has taken our Christmas card photos the last two years and family photos in the summer when my kids each had a birthday. She is great with kids, very calm, and takes pictures constantly even when you aren't sure you are ready. This had given me many photos that capture my sweet families personality better than any staged photograph could. Every time I leave I feel like we never stood still and am constantly blessed by the galleries I receive from her. Full of pictures that capture my family beautifully and currently hang on the walls of my home. Every time I work with her is a joy and I can't wait for more! If you get the chance to work with her you will not be disappointed!"

Melanie Greendyke

"Having a large family makes any photo session hectic, especially if one or more of those children are special needs. Teresa was so patient and willing to make our session as special as our family . We hadn’t had family photos in years due to feeling we weren’t a “picture perfect “ family. Teresa made us realize we were frame ready. If you’re looking for photogrpaher with skills and heart look no further."

Maria Clarke

"Teresa went above and beyond with understanding. We had two family emergencies, and we were offered many options for rescheduling. We ended up making our time and had a fantastic mini session. We have four kids; it is no small task to have four smiling at the same time, but now I have amazing (smiling!) photos of my crazy herd. Thanks Teresa!"

Lea Cranford

"We hired Teresa for a newborn photo shoot after seeing her previous work in her portfolio. She was professional and kind, and she always managed to provide a relaxing environment. We received our photos in a timely manner, and communication was easy. Teresa delivered on every image! She was able to capture exactly what we were hoping for. We then hired Teresa for the Milestone package. She captured photos of our daughter during her first year that otherwise may have become distant memories. We love looking back at the photos and seeing how much our sweet girl has grown!"