St. C. Author To Release First Children’s Book In Six-Part Series
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ST. CLAIRSVILLE - Local author Tiffany Bumgardner is gearing up to release a the first part of a six-part children’s book series.
The St. Clairsville resident will be releasing “The Littlest Photographer” on Tuesday.
She describes the series as a heartwarming six-book children’s series designed to teach children ages 4-8 about visual literacy, creativity, and finding wonder in the world around them. The series draws directly from Bumgardner's own real-life experiences, including working as a photographer’s assistant aboard the global study program Semester at Sea and her work with adaptive technology.
"With children spending more time behind screens, this series is designed to inspire them to look closer at their own communities and tell their own unique stories through art," Bumgardner said.
The series follows the main character, whose name is Lila, as she discovers her aunt’s camera and learns how to take photos.
Across the six books Lila learns that photography is more than taking pictures. It is a way to capture feelings, connect with others, preserve memories, express creativity, and embrace new ideas. From her first steps learning to see, to traveling the world, visiting an art gallery, and discovering the future of photography, Lila grows in confidence while finding her own creative voice.
Bumgardner said that she first had the idea for the series in 2021.
"I wrote it down in my notes app on my phone and kind of walked away from it. I wasn’t ready to sit down and figure it out. I wasn’t ready to figure out the technology to create the images. I just didn’t have the time," she said. "In December of last year, I decided to take the winter off and really just slow down, and I decided to revisit my notes. Saw it and went, 'let’s go ahead and play with this a little bit, I’ve got some time on my hands.' And then, a series of health issues made me take half of this year off. So I had a lot of time on my hands. So it just kind of snowballed. It was going to be one book, and turned into six. But basically I get ideas in my head and they just gnaw at me until I do it."
Aside from writing, Bumgardner is an international award-winning photographer and founder of Exposure One Studios.
"For 15 years, I've photographed everything from quiet portraits and fast-paced equestrian events to editorial stories, cultural preservation projects, and personal milestones. From muddy fairgrounds to magic shows, show-ring chaos to stillness between friends -- I've learned that the most powerful images aren't always the polished ones. They're the honest, unguarded ones. The ones you feel," Bumgardner said on her website. "My work explores the quiet forces of labor, service, inheritance, and resilience--the people, animals, and traditions that continue to shape communities without expectation of recognition."
She added that the book series doesn’t have to be right in order and all function as standalone books although she recommends starting with book one.
The book is published through a joint partnership between Exposure One Studios and Ingram Sparks publishing.
Bumgardner said that for readers who are older, she also has a memoir that was released in 2022 called, “Glass Eyes: A Photographer’s Journey” that follows her first decade as a photographer, and gives the ins and outs of how she got into the career and how she's been able to be self employed for the past 10 years.
All six of “The Littlest Photographer” books and “Glass Eyes: A Photographer’s Journey” are available wherever books are sold online.
"’The Littlest Photographer’ series celebrates curiosity, imagination, and the power of seeing the world with wonder -- one moment, one story, and one click at a time," Bumgardner said.