Tanja Pleis Photography

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SHE IS HERSELF by Tanja Pleis Photography
Empowering women through glamour, bo***ir and branding photography
Are you ready to join me and other women in this international movement?

06/08/2026

People often focus on finding the perfect location for their photos and videos, but it’s almost always light over location.

A beautiful space with bad light will never look as good as a simple space with great light.

When you’re creating DIY branding photos or videos, pay attention to where the light is coming from.

❌ Window behind you = dark face
❌ Side window light = more shadows, lines, and texture

Instead, turn toward the window and let soft natural light fall onto your face.

Instantly:
✔️ Softer skin
✔️ Fewer shadows
✔️ More flattering photos
✔️ Better DIY branding content

Before you spend hours editing, find yourself a good window.

It’s one of the easiest ways to create professional-looking content, elevate your personal brand, and look your best on camera.

Save this for your next content creation day.

Don’t let anyone tell you to dress “your age.”Whatever that means anyway.We probably would have missed out on those legs...
06/03/2026

Don’t let anyone tell you to dress “your age.”

Whatever that means anyway.

We probably would have missed out on those legs. 💃

They belong to Nancy, who joined the Fiercely 50 Portrait Experience because she wanted to capture some big milestones in images.

She celebrated her 70th birthday earlier this year, started ballroom dancing five years ago, and is retiring in October.

I’d say that’s a pretty good year.

At 70, she’s still growing, competing, and having a whole lot of fun along the way.

What I love most about the Fiercely 50 campaign is that we can tell a woman’s story in images.

Not just what she looks like, but who she is, what she loves, and the life she’s built.

And Nancy’s story is a pretty good one. 💃

P.S. Round 2 of Fiercely 50 in Chicago is now open for booking. Link in bio.

06/01/2026

I’ve been seeing a trend on Instagram that goes something like this:

✨ The average age for a female career pivot is 39.

✨ The average female entrepreneur starts her business at 42.

✨ The average female millionaire reaches that milestone at 49.

✨ Women’s creative peak is often said to be between 45 and 55.

Whether the exact numbers are right or not, the message is.

You’re not too old, you’re not behind!

Given these numbers, I seem to be right on track… well, still working on the millionaire part. 😆

✨ I became a mom three days shy of my 40th birthday.

✨ Started my photography business at 43.

✨ Became a certified female empowerment coach at 50.

Turns out some of the best things in my life started later.

What’s something you started in your 40s, 50s, 60s… or beyond?

05/30/2026

…we all seem to know the rules.

Age gracefully but also buy every anti-aging product on the market.

Accept yourself but please look perfect.

Express yourself but not in that skirt. Or worse, a bikini.

Share your wisdom but don’t take up too much space.

Speak up but don’t be difficult.

Accept that your body is changing but don’t talk about perimenopause.

Be a role model but don’t draw too much attention to yourself.

Take care of yourself but don’t be selfish.

The list goes on and on. We can’t win.

The funny thing is…

Most of these rules were never ours to begin with.

Society wrote them and somehow we’re supposed to accept them as truth.

But what I see in my clients is a „midlife awakening“ rather than a midlife crisis.

They’re questioning old roles.
Building businesses.
Starting new jobs.
Writing books.
Finding their voice and finally asking themselves what they really want.

They stop living by rules they never agreed to.

Nobody ever handed us those rules and yet so many of us still live by them.

I’m curious, which one are you ready to let go?

And start creating lives that feel true to them.

Nobody ever handed us these rules.

And yet so many of us still live by them.

Which one are you ready to ignore?

What you say:„It’s not really a priority right now.“What you really mean:„Everyone else’s needs come first.“And somewher...
05/29/2026

What you say:

„It’s not really a priority right now.“

What you really mean:

„Everyone else’s needs come first.“

And somewhere along the way, you became the last item on your own list.

You’re the one people count on.
The one who gets things done.
The one who carries more than anyone realizes.

And you do it so well that one day you wake up and realize you’ve spent years taking care of everyone else.

But when was the last time you asked yourself:

What do I really want?

What excites me?

Who am I and who do I want to be?

I’ve noticed something about the women who have joined the first round of my Fiercely 50 campaign in Chicago.

Whether they’re entrepreneurs, executives, creatives, mothers, or women navigating a new chapter after 50, they don’t necessarily have more time.

They stop waiting for the perfect moment.

Because we all know the perfect moment has a habit of never showing up.

And maybe that’s the real question we should all ask ourselves:

What do you want your legacy to be?

She disappeared

Or

She refused to fade and become invisible.

Keep growing.

Keep becoming.

Take up space.

Because the world has enough invisible women.

Chicago, I’m coming for you 🤍Every time I come back here it feels personal.This is the city where I built (and still run...
05/13/2026

Chicago, I’m coming for you 🤍

Every time I come back here it feels personal.

This is the city where I built (and still run) my business, launched my first campaigns, and really discovered what it means to empower women through photography.

So much of my own becoming happened here.

And honestly, that’s also why I’m very intentional about how I work when I’m in Chicago.

I don’t stack my days with endless shoots and operate on autopilot.

I want my full energy with every woman I photograph.

And I want time to actually enjoy the city, reconnect with friends, and spend time with clients who have become friends over the years.

This trip is fully booked, but I do have one headshot spot left on May 19th.

Chicago friends — if you want to catch up while I’m in town, DM me 🤍

Great shot by the amazing who knows how to capture the soul of the city.

05/07/2026

You are not just one version of yourself.

Some days, you feel clear.
Certain of who you are.
How you want to show up.
What level you want to operate at.

And then there are the other days.

The days where everything feels heavy.
Where you want to hide.
Where that clarity disappears.

That’s why I believe in North Star images.

Images that remind you who you are and who you are becoming.

Not every day feels powerful.

But your standard still exists, even on the days you forget it.

The question is:

Do you have a visible reminder of that version of yourself?

Address

Chicago, IL

Telephone

+17737919054

Website

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