Made by Mom Gift Guide: Shadeleaf Studios specializes in baby, kid, family photos

Shallyse Gastelum, a mom of two, started taking pictures as a high schooler. As an adult, she made it her business.

Posted 1:34 a.m. Nov 21, 2011 — Updated 1:34 a.m. Nov 21, 2011

Sarah Lindenfeld Hall

Shallyse Gastelum is next up in our Made by Mom Gift Guide series of features.

Gastelum, a mom of two in Durham, started taking pictures in high school. When she graduated, she worked at a photo studio and discovered she loved taking pictures of children. And when her first child came along eight years ago, as digital photography became more popular, she decided to make it her business.

Shadeleaf Studios was born. Gastelum, who moved her business from Salt Lake City to the Triangle three years ago, specializes in maternity, newborn, kid and family pictures.

Gastelum describes her work as clean, crisp and contemporary. She often takes her pictures outside, but recently opened a studio at the new Sweetbottoms Baby Boutique in Cary.The space will allow her to continue her work during the winter months and provides an alternative to on location shoots.

Gastelum says she loves holding newborns; meeting the moms and seeing their excitement; and getting to know the people she photographs.

"I love capturing that innocence and just capturing who they really are," she said of taking pictures with kids. "They are so open. It's really fun to interact and play with them."

"We're going to capture them being themselves and natural," she said.

Go to Gastelum's website to learn more about Shadeleaf Studios.

Gastelum is part of our Made by Mom Gift Guide. The guide features a dozen local moms and the products they create. Check back every Monday and Thursday through mid-December to learn more about them.

Suggest A Correction