LOVE, ME.

NEW BLOG!!!!!

2008-10-22T01:28:00.004-05:00

We MOVED!!

Come check out our new BLOG ...

A Quick Teaser

2008-10-05T22:25:00.004-05:00

I just LOVE this family! I'm off to bed, but thought I'd post just a few from tonight as a major teaser. I love candid moments and black and white ... so here ya go! No worries though, I promise I will blog a few more for you guys as I edit. Talk about a gorgeous family ...

Hello!? I really hope I look like this when Mia Grace is 15 ... Better start praying now I guess :)

I already told him tonight he was one lucky guy!

Ok, off to sleep. I will try to post some more tomorrow as I tear through my never ending to do list. It was so nice to meet all of you. Thanks for a super fun and relaxed evening. I can't tell you how nice it was to come home NOT filthy from rolling around on the ground and chasing kiddos. Although I still love to photograph little ones, its always nice to have a change of pace.

Introducing ... Holiday Mini Sessions!

2008-09-26T10:08:00.008-05:00

We are VERY excited to announce Love, Me Photographic Art's FIRST annual

HOLIDAY MINI SESSIONS ...

We wanted to offer those of you in need of a few holiday photos and Christmas cards an opportunity to get beautiful custom photographs without a full session. We have exclusive items offered only with the Holiday Mini Session such as the customized photo ornament below (scroll way down) as well as gorgeous custom designed holiday cards (see below) and many more we have yet to announce! This location is just beautiful ... open fields, vintage red barn ... etc. (a photographer's dream for sure!) I will have my grandmother's vintage mantle decorated beautifully along with a few other props, such as a handmade amish rocking chair and church pew as seen below. Of course, just the location itself is perfect for that fall family portrait. Stay tuned for more fun examples of how to make your mini session truly unique! I will be taking Miss Mia Grace's pictures here VERY soon.

There are only 16 slots available and at this discounted rate they wont last long!!

If you are still in need of full session complete with 1-2 hours of shooting, multiple locations, and 35 hand detailed proofs, I still have a handful of appointments available. Can you tell I am excited about the holiday season? The possibilities are truly endless. Call 817.905.3523 to book your save your slot!

{click on the images to view larger}

Argyle Cheerleaders

2008-09-26T09:27:00.006-05:00

I had the awesome pleasure of photographing the Argyle Cheerleaders this year. Some of you may remember the handsome senior I had last year (Cowboy Chris) ... well, his mom is the sponsor/coach of the Varsity and JV squads so we thought it would be fun to do something a little different this year as far as pictures. Thanks to Tina (and her mom!) we had an awesome location to play with. I am finally making the last delivery today. We had such a great response! I think Rachel custom designed over 20 storyboards and no telling how many 411 cards. (maybe I can convince her to share with you :) ) Anyway, I wish I had time and space to blog them all, but I really had to narrow it down! Here are the varsity girls ... hello? Are they not gorgeous?!! You may recognize a few faces in coming weeks as now I am photographing a few of their families too!

And what would any cheer squad do without an awesome Mascot!! (out of her Eagle persona of course)

And here are some of my favorite of the girls in their hats and boots. I thought they may think I was super lame (I HAVE been out of hs now for 8 years YIKES!) when I asked Sherrie to tell them all to bring cowboy gear. They made me feel way less lame than I am sure I am bc I LOVED these pics. Here are a few from the girls who chose to take some individuals with their hats and boots. Further down you can see the Varsity Team photo on the hay.

Here's the JV Girls.

And the Varsity ...

This is my favorite! (below)

Thanks girls! It was such a pleasure meeting all of you and you make my job look easy. Good luck this year ... Go Eagles!

Christmas Cards

2008-09-25T22:19:00.009-05:00

I love Christmas time! These are just a few samples of our Vintage and Simply Red and Green Christmas Card Collections. Crystal is now booking for the holidays and has some awesome ideas.

Get in while you can. I can't wait to make the Christmas Cards.

Non-Traditional Christmas

2008-09-25T13:56:00.005-05:00

Think outside the "traditional" box this year for Christmas and let your inner funkiness shine through! Here are two of my favorite girls showing how fun Christmas photos can be ... whether its crazy pettis, Christmas pjs, or just your favorite fall getup, stay tuned on how you can get a Mini Session too at this top secret location!!!

Holidays are around the corner!!

2008-09-25T12:00:00.004-05:00

Can you believe it? Christmas time is my absolute FAVORITE time of year and it always sneaks up on me SO fast. I used to get mad when I'd see all the Christmas stuff on display and the radio stations would start playing holiday music before Thanksgiving ... Now its starts even before Halloween! I just felt like by the time Christmas was actually here, everyone was sick of the holidays. Well, now I am contributing to this madness!! In the photography world the fall is SO busy that Holiday deadlines have to be set in order to receive custom orders, etc. in time to share with your loved ones on Christmas. So, this year, my last session date for GUARANTEED Holiday Delivery is SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 16th. So, if you were planning on booking for the holidays, make sure to call to reserve your spot ASAP. If you are pregnant and are expecting, my schedule is always flexible for Newborns, so call and I can pencil in your due date.

With the holidays approaching, there are lots of exciting things taking place here with Love, Me. Including fun limited edition holiday items, awesome custom framing EXCLUSIVELY offered through us in DFW that I CAN'T wait to show you, and two full days of mini sessions are in the works! Stay tuned for more details on our mini sessions, holiday collections and more! There will only be a limited number of slots for the minis, so check back.

Because a post is super boring without a picture, I thought I'd share one the limited edition Holiday items that will be available to you! These custom made photo ornaments are SO stinkin' cute and can be in just about any color you choose with TWO pictures from your session. I'm already thinking about cute gifts for the grandparents (and myself :) )

What Beautiful Stories!

2008-09-22T20:47:00.019-05:00

I love telling beautiful stories through photos. I had the special pleasure of making Crystal's brother-n-law's wedding album. David and Tanya got married in Colorado and had their dream wedding surrounded by a wonderful group of close friends and family. Crystal did not take these photos, so this is a great example of what we can do with other people's photos.

I also had the privilege of creating a storybook, guest book, and multiple slideshows for an 80 year old woman's birthday party from a small town in Tennessee. She has lived a long, fulfilling life and her book was covered with many memories and good times. Her daughters wanted to surprise her with a book telling the mother's story. Below are a few sample pages from the storybook. This book is filled with personal letters from the daughters, poetry,

and a lot of personal touch.

She recently let me know that is was a "HUGE" hit at the party.

New Location!

2008-09-22T13:15:00.005-05:00

I love finding new spots and while I pride myself on being a big dork because I drive around all the time hunting for new locations to shoot, I can't take any of the credit for this one. My mom actually found this top secret location and I love it so much I plan on doing my Holiday Mini Sessions here! Stay tuned for more details.

We played around a lot last night and I had some of my favorite people out to test out various concepts for the minis. I love these two like my own and was just giddy when viewing the pictures. Cora had a bad wrap bc she wanted nothing to do with having her picture made on our last attempt, but it was like night and day this time. We only had about 10 minutes to play and this is what I got. Are they not the cutest??

Its driving me batty that the color looks so blah on here. On my screen it is so vibrant! Oh well, you will have to use your imagination.

The only time you'll ever see me in a String Bikini!

2008-09-08T13:09:00.003-05:00

This picture is famous ... or should I say infamous in my family. It adorns the walls of everyone in my family's house nearly 25 years after it was taken. I just had to duplicate with Mia Grace last night. We are about the same age, I have the exact bikini Aunt Sheri brought home for me from Hawaii, and well we "sorta" look alike too ;)

Enjoy!

Closer to the original image, in all its antiqued glory!

Fall Sessions going fast!

2008-09-05T16:10:00.003-05:00

I thought I would post a friendly reminder to all who are interested in booking a session this fall. Spots are filing extremely fast so you may want to give me a call asap to get your date! I have an inbox full of inquiries and have spoken with many of you about setting a date, but didn't expect to book up as quickly as I have. So, if you for sure want a session between now and the end of the year, make sure to call so I can take your session fee retainer to hold your spot. (just mentioning dates in emails/conversations doesn't ensure you have a session booked) As of today I have only 3 weekend appointments available until the end of the year!

A continued thank you to all my amazing clients and your big mouths :)!!!! Remember, for every client you refer you receive a $50 print credit and after 4 you receive a complimentary session ($100 value) and $200 print credit! There is absolutely NO maximum to this offer. It is because of your kind words and loyalty I get to do what I love!

I am SO excited about all the upcoming sessions I have, so make sure to keep checking the blog as I have lots more sneak peeks to post. Also, Seniors ... do NOT wait until next May to reserve your date! Make sure to call and get your name on my books to ensure you get awesome senior photos. This year will be gone before you know it!

Two time National Champ?!

2008-09-03T19:57:00.006-05:00

I know, you all probably think I am out of business or something with the lack of blogging lately. But, its actually the exact opposite. I have never been busier and keeping up with the blog gets pushed further down the to do list. Recently I had the pleasure of photographing the cheerleaders at Argyle High School (I will post my favs later). While event type photography is not something I typically do, I had a great time getting creative with all the girls and meeting lots of wonderful families in the process. The morning of the shoot I was a little (okay a lot) panicky because I just couldn't find a great location to take the girls pictures. Location scouting is definitely a forte, but when it has to be a large enough space for 30 girls, it gets a little tricky. I couldn't image taking "my style" of photos in front of the school or something. Well, as always God had my back when Tina called. Tina's daughter is a JV cheerleader and she saw my website and wanted to schedule a shoot with her daughter to show off her National Equestrian trophies (how cool is that?). Long story short (I know, its already long) Tina told me about her parents property. So on my way to the shoot I turned off to scout it out for Logan and I was like "holy moly, this is perfect!" Fearless me calls Tina who I just met and asked if I could bring 30 teenagers to her parents property, lol ... and the rest they say, is history! I am so grateful to say the least.

Ok, now meet Logan. This was such a fun session. Logan is so photogenic, a competitive cheerleader and oh, yea a two time "National Champion"!! We had fun doing the "normal" girly poses, but I got to get creative and WAY out of my comfort zone with animals ... large, gorgeous champion arabian horses. I did learn a few things. Like first of all, a horses head does NOT crop the same way as a human. Anyway, I could talk all night, but I need to get this posted for Tina and "grandma". I know they are dying!

Aren't her green eyes just gorgeous?

She's laughing here because I almost broke my ankle standing on all these bails of hay.

Proof ... in case you needed it! :)

The real star of the shoot

Trying something totally new. What do you think?

So glad mom's trust me enough to leave their children with me ... even if I have them lay on railroad tracks!

These last two are completely different than what I normally do. (I got to really get out of the box a lot with Miss Logan!) The sun was already gone and we were shooting in the dark (close to anyway). Tina was gone to get gas and usually I would have ended the session a half hour before, but I couldn't resist. So, these pics are full of grain, textured, and well, I kinda like 'em.

So moody and modelish (is that a word?)

I know you are dying Tina ... hope you enjoy!

My baby

2008-08-28T16:17:00.003-05:00

OK, I know I am biased, but isn't my baby girl just adorable! Yes, these are from the 4th of JULY!! That is how far behind I am with posting and even looking at pictures of her. Thankfully, I still take lots of photos, I just never have time to look at them. All photos of Mia Grace are listed under inspiration on my website, and she is just that! I hope that all you moms out there feel the same way as I do when I see precious photos of my little girl. That is why I LOVE my job! Enjoy her.

This next one is my absolute fav. Maybe I can convince Mike that we NEED a canvas of this in our house. I so need more wall space! This photo is so anthropologie to me ... oh, so my style~

The Blonde Extraordinaire

2008-08-17T19:51:00.004-05:00

Meet Jaime! Jaime is one of my oldest and dearest friends. We've known each other since 2nd grade and I probably have more memories with her than all my other friends combined. We both always say we are probably more alike each other than anyone else we know, yet appear so different sometimes on the outside. We can look at each other and see how decisions (both good and bad) and just life in general can send two common people along very different roads. The best part is that it seems we always meet in the middle at some point. She is someone I consider a "soul" friend. Someone I am just connected to and no matter how far apart we drift from each other, having a conversation is just easy. I'd say I only have a handful of people like this in my life and I am honored to call Jaime one of my best friends.

Jaime just started her own event planning business. "Jaime Lee Event Planning" is in the works, so stay tuned for a link to her awesome new site. If you or anyone you know needs some help planning an event, let me know and I'll get you in contact with her ASAP. Anyway, this was the reason for the mini "headshot" shoot. Here are my favs!

Powers Family

2008-08-04T16:24:00.005-05:00

Meet the Powers ... and what a fitting name! I am in love with the unique and fun families I have had lately. The Powers were no different. They drove a little way earrrrly in the morning to meet me at a few of my new spots. Despite being hungry and a little sleepy, we had a great time and it was such a pleasure photographing them. Dawson, Abby, and Gracie were sooo good and each had their own very unique personalities. Hopefully they each came through on camera.

There is a means to my madness, and when you hear me say "snuggle in" for the 100th time, there is good reason :) Photos look so much better when people touch AND when you have 3 busy kiddos, its a way to hold them in place! This photo makes me laugh because mom and dad have a vice grip on their cuties. Hey, whatever works, right?!

This one makes me laugh out loud. Even though I don't know the Powers very well, I just have a "feeling" this really captures their life at the moment. Look at sweet Amy's face. I love that her eyes are closed and it looks like she's holding her breath. Oh, and need I make a comment about Dawson just laying on the ground. Too funny!!!

I think this is my new "top secret" favorite location! There bright colored clothes just went perfectly.

A big thanks to the Powers family for braving the Texas heat and being troopers! I hope you love your sneak peek.

Hello Cute Family?!

2008-08-04T00:24:00.005-05:00

I'm just lucky I get to hang out with them and even call Rachel my BFF! For those of you who have never met Rachel, here she is with her cute/beautiful family. While I'm out shooting, Rachel is busy making sweet albums and slideshows and too many other things to mention. We are partners and I can't imagine doing this business with anyone else.

Anyway, while some of you may think its a perk to call me a best friend as far as pictures are concerned, this is so NOT the case. We took these photos FOREVER ago (seriously a few months) and I am just now showing them to her. Miss cutie pie Cora was not in the mood for pics, but we did get a few keepers. These kids could stick their tongue out at me and it would be cute. Seriously, if you meet this family you would see why I adore them. Caleb and Cora are some of the sweetest and coolest kids you could meet. They are studs! Mia Grace is one lucky chick to get to hang out with these two. In fact, Rachel and I think we are going to have to keep a close eye on Mia Grace and Caleb! I don't know whether to be worried or excited :) Love you guys!

If only you knew what it took to even get Cora to be IN this photo!!

As Promised!

2008-08-03T15:59:00.003-05:00

I promised Kari I'd post the rest of my favorites, so here they are! I have never had a tougher time deciding what the final products of my images would be. Honestly, I usually just do crazy stuff with pics of Mia Grace when I have time (never) to play. Most of the time that is the easy part for me. The picture either screams black and white, or vibrant color (sometimes both :) ) and then every once in a while the session will have a very vintage feel (such as the recent Huffman session) and I will add some grain or a texture or two. Besides that, the tough part is narrowing down my favorites. With Kari and Bay so many of their images were just special and needed very different processing! So ... I have been at my computer for HOURS playing and it really has been a refreshing change of pace. I think I could really get into this Engagement (E-session) stuff! Side note: for those that don't know me, I love a good story and that is why I can't just blog photos. To me, life is really just a long epic adventure, so I MUST tell you the story behind the session, the image, etc. My husband calls me (and Rachel I might add) "Over communicators". Enough said.

Alrighty then ... onto the images. This first one is my favorite favorite, and honestly, it is my very very favorite picture I have ever taken (so far). As a mom, all the pictures of Mia Grace are my favorite, but I usually don't include her photos in this category because it is impossible for me to look at them objectively. As an artist, this image makes me proud. I'm not trying to toot my own horn or anything, its because it represents how far I have come. Usually during sessions, I rarely really know what I got until I get home and load my cards. With this photo, I truly had a vision as I was taking it (sun flare and all) and just felt like I got it right after my shutter clicked. When I loaded all the photos, this one stood out because it was exactly as I pictured it my head and I loved it straight out of the camera. So, here it is!

I processed it three different ways to show you how a picture can feel differently depending on the vision for the final product.

This one is my favorite. Very vintage washed look. What about you?

Color ...

BW ...

Isn't Kari gorgeous?!

If only you all knew how embarrassed we all were (yes, those that know me, know I was probably as red as an apple!) shhh ... don't tell Kari & Bay. I held it together just like a pro :)

Kari + Bay {E-Session}

2008-08-02T17:08:00.004-05:00

No, I am not just a family photographer despite what you may think after viewing my blog! It has just turned out that I have had tons of really fun, unique and cute families lately. I also do engagements and I LOVE them! Meet Kari and Bay. They are getting married on August 16th, so very very soon. I was so honored when Kari asked if I'd do her engagements AND her bridals (stay tuned). We really had fun at our session despite how hot it was! Kari and Bay were up for anything. It was really fun for me to get to be creative and put my vision on each photo. I am so used to running around chasing little ones acting like a loon to get them to look at me. Man, it sure was nice to have someone sit still AND look at me :) Seriously, each session brings its own uniqueness and that is why I LOVE my job. Ok, so here are a few teasers for you Kari (I know you are dying!). I have more from this session to blog, but we are off to a birthday party and I had to at least get a few up.

I told you, you guys would like this one. Thanks for letting me set it up :)

While I love all the artsy creative stuff, my true style and motivation is capturing these real moments. I'm sure Bay was saying something really funny! (Can't you just tell that Kari "oozes" sweetness!)

I love fun new locations! And, yes, I drive around like a dork scouting them out all the time! I can't do the same place very often or I get WAY bored. So, you can count on your session being unique!

Check back Kari as there are about 5 more I want to show you. One being my favorite photo of ALL time (i think)! Really, its my new favorite. I just cannot figure out how I want the final product to look :) Are you super curious now?

4 J's

2008-07-28T14:19:00.002-05:00

Meet the 4 J's. This family is SO much fun ... Jacob (9), Jacie and Jayden (8,5) and cutie pie Jack, 2. Marla, I have kept you waiting WAY WAY too long and I appreciate your patience more than you know. I loved this session and the uniqueness in this family. The all matched so well ... not too matchy matchy but all the same colors (my favorite!) They were all so very well behaved and such a delight. The girls (if you can't tell) loved having their picture taken and were perfect little models. Little Jack, who apparently is usually a little ham gave me his best pouty face most of the time (which I love just as much as the big smile if not more!). He was just like someone else I know (um, Mia Grace!!!) I think it shows his personality even more.

Ok, enough rambling. Here are the older three. I love the realness of this photo.

Talk about a mom of 4's dream ... is this a photo with everyone looking and smiling!! Sorry, Jack, despite your best efforts I got that cute grin on camera :)

Here's the infamous pouty face. Isn't it SO cute?!

Thank you Westbrook Family! It was such a pleasure meeting you all.

Cutest Kids Alive!

2008-07-25T18:58:00.002-05:00

Seriously ... have you seen cuter kids?? If so, I must photograph them NOW. Meet these beautiful siblings. They have cool names too: Julia, Garyson, and Wyatt. Yup! They are destined for great things with their great looks and rad names. These sweethearts battled the HEAT in the full sun with bad allergies! I only had a brief moment to grab a few snaps of all three of them together (mom's with more than two you know how this is!).

I just love this one of little man Wyatt. I chose close-ups of his brother and sis so I went with this one of him for something different. But MAN, you gotta see a close up of his darling face! He was eating all those rocks (which was quite scary, so again a few quick snaps and he was done!)

Doesn't Garyson's little face just say, "ALL BOY". I love his little overalls with no shirt. It just fit him so well and the location. Oh, and need I say anything about those eyes? This one looks fabulous in BW as well, but I couldn't resist the color of his eyes.

Yes, another close up indeed. I could take face shots of these beauties all day. By the way, that is why I am a prime lens shooter. I like to move around and I especially love to be really close with kiddos. I love my 50mm lense. No need to kill my arms and wrists lugging a huge lens around when I can get cute expressions like this! Little Julia is at the "cheese" face age. A few little jokes though and her beautiful natural smile came right out!

OK, I am disappointed at the way this one is showing up on blogger. hmm... it looks a little wonky (made up word I'm sure)! The color in real life is SO rich and I am just a sucker for a bright blue sky with fluffy clouds. This is probably the one and ONLY pro to shooting in full sun! Oh, and this looks cool in BW too. I love locations where you can go either way on every photo. Good luck choosing Momma Ashley!!

Sorry for the Delay!

2008-07-25T14:05:00.002-05:00

I just wanted to let everyone know that, yes, I am still alive, and yes, I am working really hard to get caught up on editing and posting sessions. I had a brief catastrophe with my computer so that put me way behind!! No worries, though, our new 24" IMAC is up and going and she is ready to perform like nobody's business. Your photos will be better than ever and with this new addition to the team, your wait time will decrease! Sessions are taking about half the time to edit now! Thanks for your patience :)

Yeah for Session Albums!!!

2008-07-21T17:59:00.007-05:00

The Talley Book is in and it is stunning. Loree bought a session album filled with photos of her beautiful daughters, Ashtyn and Emilee, taken by our very own Crystal. Crystal's photographs can make any book look unbelievable. I was so thrilled to hear Loree loved it. Here are a few spreads I made. Hope you enjoy them. Be looking for more book galleries.

Session Collage

2008-07-18T09:28:00.002-05:00

I just had to share another "fun product" from Love, Me Photographic Art! This family had so many wonderful images to work with that looked great in a square crop, so I made a sample for everyone to see! (It ended up working out perfectly because Johnna LOVES square crop) Seriously, I have never had a client order all square (5x5, 8x8, etc.) I typically only list standard sizes, but square crops are always available and happen to be my very favorite!

Anyway, this is our Session Collage (a super fantastic way to showcase several images from your session). There are of course, other custom designs as well. This one would look asolutely GORGEOUS in a 30x30 Canvas Gallery Wrap! Talk about a serious coversation piece in your home! And, for those of you who haven't seen the gallery wraps, they are truly stunning. I recently got one in for a client that I love (hmmm... maybe I'll take a picture to show you :) ) Back to work ...

It's About Time!

2008-07-16T22:15:00.006-05:00

Ok, Ok, Ok... This is my first time to post on our Love, Me blog. Sorry Crystal for taking my sweet time. For those of you that don't know, I'm the slideshow/book makin' fool. I've been working behind the scenes making slideshows and some great books for over a year now. I look forward to getting better and better and taking more time to share it with you. I just finished a 1st Year Birthday slideshow for baby Marlo. She is a cutie! Crystal and I were just talking about how fast that first year goes by. We sometimes wish our little ones were babies again, but only sometimes. Click HERE to check out Marlo's show.

Just for FUN.

2008-07-16T01:44:00.002-05:00

OK, so NO, I am not bored. I have SO much work to do, but my computer will not let me!! Just to keep my sanity I thought I'd post for fun and then I am headed to bed. This is a little sneak peek of Mia Grace's 18 month photos. She is nearly 19 months now ... well, you know how that is. Here is a little preview a month late ;). I love this photo of her and just could not decide what I wanted to final product to be, so I gave myself options! So now I need to hear what your favorite is. I'm leaning towards one, but I'll never tell (at least not during this post). Oh, and these are all sorts of creative options available to you, so if you booked an appointment and you love something, just let me know. Of course, not every photo is suited for this much processing.

This one I call "modern pop"

"Classic Twist"
"Soft Rust"
"1920"
"1970"
OK, so now I am dying to know your favorite. I just might post mine tomorrow, or the next day, or the next ... hmm, you'll never know ;)

Heartbreaker?!

2008-07-16T01:38:00.003-05:00

Check out this cutie!! Meet Caleb. Caleb is Rachel's little boy and is already a little heart breaker. Believe me, Mia Grace is already in love with him ... as well as every other little girl under the age of 5 that meets him. I have had these pics of Rachel's family for WAY too long so I thought I'd give her a tiny tiny little taste while I'm having some computer issues. Surprise!!

The Kampschroeder Family

2008-07-14T18:10:00.003-05:00

Meet the Kampschroeders. This family is so fun! When they pulled up to meet for their session, they had a giant kayak attached to the top of their van. After our session they headed to Oklahoma for camping, kayaking and fun. Yes, the little ones kayak too. Isn't that so great?! Kaleigh and Keslyn are some of most beautiful little girls I have photographed. Just scroll down to see. Michelle and Kerry ... thanks for a fun session and I hope you enjoy your sneak peek ... thanks for patiently waiting!

Kaleigh is such a sweet mix of a girly girl and a tomboy. She loves to dress up but also loves to hike and jump off rocks and play. I told Michelle I hope this is how Mia Grace will be ...
Nothing like a candid sibling shot
I was told Kaleigh is a little bit of a Daddy's girl :)
How adorable is this little cutie! She smiled to whole time. I'm not sure I have seen a happier baby.
Michelle really wanted a mother and daughters shot and I don't blame her. They are so tough to get especially when mom is usually the one behond the camera. I just love this picture of them. Kerry, I must say you are one lucky guy to have these three beautiful girls in your life ... but I am sure you already knew that.

Little LuvBug

2008-07-10T22:04:00.004-05:00

Meet precious Gabby! Johnna, sorry I've kept you waiting ... hopefully it was worth it! (Those of you still waiting for your preview, they're coming soon). Ok, back to the little LuvBug (that's her nickname). Gabby is 20 months and such a tiny little thing. She just melted my heart. She was a little sleepy so we had to work extra hard to get those big smiles I know her proud parents adore. I have spent so much time poring over these images because it was nearly impossible to narrow it down!! This was actually a family session and Johnna, I promise there are cute ones of you guys, but little Gabby is the start of this post!!

Mike found a new spot or me (thanks honey) and I am in LOVE with the way it photographed. I am so glad you guys were up for a second (and third) location. Those of you who don't know, when I say I have no time limit, I really mean it ... just ask any of my clients. I could shoot for hours, but I usually where everyone out in 2 to 2.5. So ... can you guess which ones are from my new spot?? Oh, and that's not the only new thing in this post. Because these images were so special, I played around with a slightly different black and white conversion than I normally do and I must say that I really love the suddle coffee brown tint coming through. Let me know what you think.

Because sometimes you just CANNOT decide between color and bw.

Need I say more ... I LOVE Daddy/Daughter moments.
Standing up like a Big Girl!
Don't you just want to squeeze her?

Mid-Summer Special

2008-07-08T20:10:00.002-05:00

Thanks to the HUGE response to our Grand Opening and because I LOVE filing up my calendar ... Book a session by JULY 31st (session can be anytime before SEPT. 1st) and receive a complimentary $150 print credit with the purchase of ANY portrait collection!! Portrait collections start at $550, offer a significant savings over a la carte pricing, and as always include a complimentary session fee ($100 value) if pre-purchased! Please inquire for details about portrait collections.

So hurry and give me a call. My calendar is quickly filing up. Stay tuned for LOTS of sessions yet to be blogged. If you are waiting on your sneak peek, they are coming any day now. Also, stay tuned for exciting news from Love, Me Storybooks!

Vintage Girls

2008-06-28T15:26:00.002-05:00

I just loved this sweet moment between Emma and Ava. Just thought I'd share a fun vintage effect on this one. I typically only proof sessions in bw and color, and play with these effects on my blog. If you booked or are thinking about booking a session and you love this look, make sure to let me know. Kathy, your images will be completed very soon :)

The Earharts

2008-06-26T02:26:00.003-05:00

Meet the Earharts. This was such a fun session with the most adorable and fun family. There is no way I could duplicate this night if I tried. From 4 and 2 year olds Emma and Ava who were actually "still", a D Magazine photographer asking to borrow them for a ad, to the largest FREE bowl of ice cream I have ever seen ... nope, there is NO way this session can be duplicated. Kathy, I know you are dying and I have kept you waiting long enough. Here are a few of my favorites so far.

Just look at the joy from this family! Are they adorable or what? Told you!
A little Ring a Round the Rosey!
I just LOVE this picture of sweet Emma.
Hope you enjoy!

Thanks to the HUGE response, stay tuned for a NEW end of summer booking promotion coming soon ...

The Riley Kids

2008-06-11T08:16:00.002-05:00

Meet the Riley clan. This was a fun session with three beautiful siblings. I've already posted Lisa's gallery, but thought I'd share with all of you. Make sure to scroll down to view our Grand Opening Special. You must book by this Sunday to qualify, so hurry up and call :)

Holy Storyboard Batman!

2008-06-07T22:51:00.006-05:00

So, I know I haven't posted in a while, but that doesn't mean I haven't been busy! I have been filling orders like crazy. I thought I'd share the massive amount of custom storyboards I've made this last week. I love doing these and I think they will continue to be a HUGE hit. You will probably recognize the faces as recent sessions I've posted. Enjoy! Oh, and don't forget to scroll down to view our crazy grand opening promotion in case you missed it. It's only good if you book your session on or before NEXT FRIDAY, so you better hurry!!

15x30 Large Storyboard

This is a new size. 11x14 Storyboard so it can be framed easily.

This is a 16x20 Session Collage for the cute Hill Family. This is currently not on my list of boutique items, but I think I may add it because it turned out so cute.

10x20 Medium Storyboard
20x20 Large Storysquare
15x30 Large Storyboard
15x30 Large Storyboard
Mini 5x10 Storyboard with Easel
Large 15x30 Storyboard

WEBSITE LAUNCH & GRAND OPENING

2008-06-01T00:06:00.001-05:00

We said we would do it and we HAVE! Our brand spankin' new website is "offically" LAUNCHED as of MIDNIGHT JUNE 1st as promised! Head on over to www.lovemephotography.com (notice the link to the right over there too) and check it out. Then, you gotta let us know what you think.
In lieu of the GRAND OPENING excitement we are offering the Promotion of a Lifetime! It is SO big, it won't last long.

GRAND OPENING PROMO
Book your session BY NOON JUNE 15th & receive ... drum roll please ...
A COMPLIMENTARY SESSION AND $200 PRINT CREDIT
That's a total $300 VALUE!!!
*Session must be set for anytime BEFORE September 1st. Remaining $100 Print Credit for Classic Custom Session is still due upon booking to hold your date and Minimum $150 Order is still required. Print Credit cannot be used for Boutique items, but can be used on all a la carte prints. If you choose to pre-purchase a Portrait Collection (an excellent value!), your $100 session fee will be added to your print credit (that would be a total of $300 in COMPLIMENTARY PRINTS!!)

Add our website to your favorites as we have lots of fun new things in the works that you dont want to miss ... Including our fantastic Senior Rep program. If you are senior or you know anyone in the senior class of 2009 that would be interested in our exclusive Rep position (including complimentary rockin' Senior Sessions & sweet incentives such as print credits, 411 cards and even cash money$$$) tune then into Love, Me Photographic Art. We are currently looking for seniors at the following schools. (All Keller Schools, Argyle, Northwest, Southlake, Birdville, Decatur, Grapevine and Colleyville) Stayed tuned for more details!

Alyssa

2008-05-28T22:09:00.003-05:00

Alyssa is Ashley's little sister (in case you couldn't tell), and let me just tell you, she is a little model in the making. She is SO full of personality and cuteness! You will totally see what I mean in the pictures of her. I still have to blog my favorites of ALL the grandkids together, so you will see more of what I'm talking about. I already have plans to get a bunch of outfits and props together and get her to model for me. I might have to tone her down just a tad though. She had me laughing, that is for sure. She LOVED the camera, and well, I dont have to tell you that the camera LOVED her too!

The girls with their mom.
At the very end, after 2 hours of shooting, I let her do whatever she wanted for my last 5 pictures. All 5 turned out so cute. Here are my favorite two. This is so old school senior pic, but it works because she's so cute and little (warning: do not pose this way if 15 or older!)
Look at those blue blue eyes. Doesn't her bubbly personality just shine through!
Thanks for being such a cute little model Alyssa.

The Jones kiddos

2008-05-28T21:47:00.003-05:00

Meet Logan and Megan. I won't make a fool out of myself by mentioning how they are related to me (see blog below). Their Momma is my cousin, Carrie. Anyway, I love how the colors they wore went so well together. Both of their eyes look like glass. So pretty! These two are a little quiet and shy and I love how their sweetness just shines in these favs.
I had to get one with Mom while she was there. I think this is too cute. Doesn't Logan look identical to his Momma. I love it. Oh, and Miss Megan was NOT too happy about the wardrobe change. Apparently she is one little fashionista who has been deciding her OWN outfits since the age of four. I love a girl that knows what she wants!

Ashley

2008-05-28T20:39:00.002-05:00

Ashley is my first cousin once removed! All my friends and family reading this are cracking up because they know how big of a dork I am. Who knows that?? What can I say? I have no idea how I know technical family relations, but I do. Anyway, that means she is my Aunt Peggy's granddaughter. I had so much fun taking pictures of her. She's only a freshman?! I know, she looks so much older. Here ya go Ash! These are my favorite from your session. Even though you were a little nervous, it doesn't show AT ALL. You look so natural and you are SO photogenic. Well, I know my family about died when I spotted this burned wall and wanted to take their pictures in front of it. I'm glad they trusted me! I love the outcome of these. I love the artsy feel of this one. Doesn't she have the most beautiful profile?! (I really appreciate a pretty profile ... I loathe mine!) Magazine spread?

Just look at those BLUE eyes! Gorgeous.
OK, now for my little vent. What is up with all these teens with long legs looking like they are 20 something models? I still look like a 12 year old! LOL. I am so lucky to get to photograph such beautiful young women.

Steve, Jamie, and Jake

2008-05-28T15:50:00.004-05:00

Meet my Uncle Steve and his gang, Jamie and Jake. My mom and I drove to Mabank to do a massive photo shoot and it was so much fun. Even though I already posted their gallery, I still love posting my favorites. It's fun to see how different my favs are from everyone else. Stay tuned for some more of my favorites of my Aunt Peggy's grandkids.

Jake really is a natural in front of the camera. I love his sweet little boyish grin.

This is my favorite favorite and will be going up on my website for sure.

This is my fav of the whole family.
Of course we had to do some Mom and son pics. This one just needed a little vintage touch.

Hope you guys like them!

Chris #2

2008-05-23T23:57:00.006-05:00

Here is Chris' "real" post. I've had his images edited for a few days, but my laptop decided it could no longer run CS3, Bridge, Explorer, Outlook, etc. at the same time so I had to make a trip out to Fry's to get some more RAM. I'm not complaining though. I am thankful it was a $50 fix (for now) vs. a new computer. (well, maybe I'm not that thankful :) ). I just love his pics and I played with a lot of these. The more "normal" ones are in his proofs, but I had to post the "fun" ones. It ended up that most of these are black and white and texturized. I promise there are some great full color, but I guess the bws were my fav!

Talk about some "baby blues!" I think this is the most wild I have gotten and I love the outcome!

I'm in love with this one too. (not to toot my own horn by any means). It helps that I had a good looking guy in a cowboy hat to photograph :) Aunt Loree will die for this one.
I'm sure she'll love this one too. I am so glad we had the hat!
This one's for you, Momma! As much as I obviously love to play, this is the shot I would want if I had a son that was graduating. Clean shaven and all, lol.

Did I mention he has a sweet car?

New Logo

2008-05-20T22:35:00.005-05:00

Here is the first "unveiling" of our new logo! Rachel and I are beside ourselves. Christa Soltis (a fantastic designer) created it for us. She was so patient and just incredible to work with through the whole process. She seriously came up with probably 20 different and unique concepts and as I narrowed them down I had her change fonts (mix fonts :) ), colors, move this here, move that there. I'm telling you ... I was a real pain in the you know what! Needless to say, I highly recommend her. So, if you have design needs, head on over to her design site and hire her!! http://www.portraitsbychrista.typepad.com/designs/ Thanks Christa! Ok, here it is ... let us know what you think.Here is the generic logo for both sides of the business. We are still debating on what to call the book site. Maybe we will have a vote or something to get your opinion.

Chris: Senior '08

2008-05-19T00:06:00.002-05:00

Meet Chris. Chris is a senior this year and will soon be headed to Baylor. I have known Chris since he was born and its just crazy to think he is graduating from High School! I guess that means I am getting old. He was such a trooper today. Our shoot lasted over 2 hours with numerous wardrobe changes and lots of cool locations. It was really fun to drive around with his mom and cousin. I'm so honored to get to take your senior pics. So, here's to Chris ... my very first of many seniors I'm sure.

I love the textures in this first one.

Go Bears!
We had to climb a fence (a tall chain link one!) to get this shot. Yes, my bootie climbed over the fence, camera and all (and it wasn't easy)! Things just aren't quite the same now that I'm a mommy. My fence climbing days are numbered for sure. lol. Chris is quite the athlete too. Go Eagles!
I promise to post more, but I have got to go to bed as usual. It's after midnight so I will edit some more tomorrow. Here's your sneak peek Sherrie. I hope you like them!

I love piggies!

2008-05-13T17:55:00.001-05:00

She let me put her hair in pig tails today, so I had to share. I am so lucky to be her mommy!

I just can't get enough of him!

2008-05-11T23:53:00.005-05:00

Here are a few more from Luca's session. This first one is a practice birth announcement just to show what I can do for newborn pics. Thanks for stopping by ... now I MUST get to bed! Despite what the other pics look like, he was really awake mostly! He is SO alert for only 8 days. (But, he was 5 days late!)

My new basket ...

Can you see his grin? Love it!
I had to get a little daddy action. Rashid is so proud ... but who wouldn't be? He is just precious.

Precious LUCA PB#7

2008-05-11T17:49:00.002-05:00

Meet sweet Luca. He is my very first newborn to photograph (besides Mia Grace of course) and I am so pleased with these images. I just had to hurry and process a few because I was dying to see them and I know his family is too. I have to admit I was quite nervous using window light and messing with a sleeping baby. Luca's mom, Mary, is a great friend and I am so glad she allowed me to play with him today. Rachel (Mary's twin!) came along as my assistant and snuggled and rocked little Luca to sleep as well as cleaned up poopy diapers and spit up! I dont know what I would have done without her. Anyway, now on to the real star ... Isn't he the most precious thing you have ever laid eyes on? He is only 8 days old and I feel honored to have been able to photograph such a beautiful baby! Enjoy! Happy Mother's Day Mary!

Promotion and Pricing!

2008-05-10T14:52:00.004-05:00

This is a very exciting time for Love, Me thanks to all of you have supported this journey! We are set to launch our website June 1st and Rachel and I couldn't be more ecstatic. I have filled and nearly completed all 10 Portfolio Building Sessions. Thanks again to all my families and models who let me try all sorts of crazy things to get the shots I wanted. Until we are offically open for business, we are having a promotion. Starting immediately, I will waive the entire session fee ($100 value) for anyone who books a session with me before June 1st! Wow. It doesn't get much better than a FREE session.

Below you will find our ala carte pricing. We are still working out the details and will be offering lots of fun things very soon. But for now, here you go! This is for all of you who have been patiently awaiting our print prices. So, hurry, give me a call (817) 905-3523 or shoot me an email at lovemememories@gmail.com or crystaldelahoz@gmail.com as I am sure the slots will fill very quickly. Hope to hear from you soon. Stay tuned for some more sessions I need to proof.

2008 PRINT PRICES A LA CARTE

Gift Portraits

set of 8 wallets - $10

5x7 and smaller - $10

8x10 - $20

11x14 - $35

Wall Portraits

(All wall portraits are coated and mounted for longevity)

16x20 - $80

20x24 - $110

24x30 - $160

The Trojacek Family PB#6

2008-05-10T12:52:00.004-05:00

OK. Now for their "real" post. This family session was so fun! Mica and Jason are good friends of ours and Janae is about 6 months older than Mia Grace. She will be two the end of June. Mica and I and the girls have been getting together every week for a while for "play dates" so I have gotten to know Miss Janae Grace pretty well. She is so full of personality and is always smiling. Here are the rest of my favs from their session. (Their session got cut a little short and you'll see why in the end!)

Mica found these random hay bails on the side of the road. It was perfect for their little "funky cowboy/girl" theme. Too cute. The sun was a little weird here, but there are some cute ones.

We moved to the shade in the downtown area and the lighting was WAY better.

Her face is so funny here! She was watching a train go by.

Now, onto the trendy casual pics. This family can do it all :) She's waving too me. LOL.

Here are a few more of my favs from the laundry mat. I just love these! They are so moody/trendy/cool ... love it.

This one is similar to the last one I posted, but you can see her full reflection. This is my favorite favorite! (I think ;) )
Janae is a climber and did NOT want her momma in the cart with her.
Here's our final location. This was my first attempt here and I tried again just the other day with Mia Grace and it didn't go over too well. I love the purple wall but I think I am doomed.
Yes, this is why the session ended early! She fell/jumped into the water by the purple wall, then she found this fountain and climbed right in!!! Needless to say, she did NOT want out even though she was chattering and her lips were turning blue! So when her daddy came back with dry clothes she was not a happy camper. We decided to call it a day.
As always, tell me your favorites ... or just tell me your favorite locations!

The Trojacek Family

2008-05-09T19:10:00.004-05:00

OK. This is a SUPER sneak peek! Sorry, its taken so long guys. I will have the rest posted tomorrow and ready for you to order. For now, I better hurry or my husband will starve to death. I LOVE this session! Thanks for the fun ideas Mica.
(P.S. I know this peek is mostly for Jason, but I wont tell :) ) Hope this will hold you over.

OK. Meet this SUPER cute family. Jason, Mica and little Janae. Check back for more tomorrow. Here are 3 of my favs!

I love this one! Janae is always smiling like this. Mica knew I wanted to take pics in a laundry mat and even though we didn't plan it, there was one right next to where we parked ... Perfect. I love her reflection.

Cuttie Pie Emilou

2008-05-02T12:36:00.006-05:00

There are just so many good pictures from Ashtyn and Emilee's session, so I had to post some more. Here are my favorites of Emilee by herself. She is SO animated and I think I captured that pretty well. (She is a perfect example of why you don't teach your child to say CHEESE) Luckily, once she was being herself and forgot I was taking her picture, her expressions really started to shine!

This is her surprised face.

She was looking for rain.

I love these next several at the junk yard. She had a ball in this old truck.

She's "dying" laughing ... but just wait.
This is just hysterical! She is showing me what "cracking up" is, lol.

I love this sweet grin.
A favorite for sure. Just look at those blue eyes!

Emilee is a little tomboy and princess all wrapped up in one little 3 year old. She dances and loves to play dress up, but also loves to pick up bugs and worms and play in the mud. (hopefully I will get to do a lifestyle shoot with her doing all these things soon) Anyway, she found a rolly polly while we were shooting. So cute!

Doesn't this shot make you hold your breath :)
... and exhale!

This might be my favorite one of Em. Isn't she just so adorable!

Oh, the places a photograph can go ...

2008-05-01T20:57:00.002-05:00

What do you think? Would seniors and teens dig this, or is it too much?

Missed one ...

2008-05-01T14:35:00.002-05:00

Sorry, I know ya'll are on Ashtyn overload, but I accidentally deleted one and its my favorite! I love her natural smile ... Yes, I am that funny!

America's Next Top Model

2008-05-01T13:40:00.008-05:00

... at thirteen? We (well I know I did) had SO much fun during this session. This makes me excited for senior sessions, although I know there is no way I will always luck out with such a beautiful subject! Ashtyn got her braces off just three days before our session so she was ready to show off that beautiful smile! While editing these I just couldn't believe how grown up she is getting. I was 13 when she was born!!!! It feels like just yesterday I was toting her around on my hip showing her off to all my middle school friends. Some of them actually still ask about Ashtyn (the beautiful baby that looked like a Cabbage Patch Doll!) Just typing this makes me a little sad. Ok, enough from me. The pics speak for themselves ... and there are plenty bc I couldn't decide! I love you Ashtyn!No teeth here, but I just love this sweet look.

Rockstarish ... and she very well could be. This girl's got a great voice!
Faith Hill shot a music video here!

There's that "money" smile Mark wanted me to get!

Yes, she is only 13, I promise

Because I am really indecisive today, the next two are the same photo in color and bw, which is your favorite?

We played on the railroad tracks and Ashtyn was so scared, it was hilarious! Everytime a car came by she would jump up. She was also a ballerina ... can you tell?

One of my favorites!
Aunt Loree just pulled over one day and asked this guy if we could take pictures in his junkyard. I'm glad I have her because I would be way to embarrassed to ask!

I teased Ashtyn that there might be a mouse in the truck and this was her reaction ... so funny!

Ashtyn probably wont like this next one, but I LOVE it. The next two remind me that she is only 13.

Sorry Ash, had to post at least ONE of you in a dress. She HATES dresses, lol.
OK, tell me your favorites!

Talley Girls Continued ...

2008-04-30T17:17:00.002-05:00

Here are the rest of my favorite images of Ashtyn and Emilee together. There are SO many great ones of Ash and Em by themselves, so stay tuned for yet, another post from my best session yet! I love you girlies!

Vintage Look. Again, playing with my style.

This was the very LAST photo I took after 2 hours of shooting. I think it turned out pretty cute of the whole Talley clan. We will have to schedule another "family" shoot once everyone recuperates. I love me some Talleys!
I know Ash and Loree are dying for the rest, but just be patient. Hopefully this will hold you over!

Talley Girls PB#5

2008-04-29T18:21:00.003-05:00

Meet Ashtyn, 13, and Emilee, 3 1/2 ... Those of you who know me know this family is basically family (no need to get technical ;) ) I never know whether to call Ash and Em my nieces or cousins. Again, no need to get technical. OK. I know my Aunt Loree is dying to see these and since I have teased her a couple of times already, I had to get a few up today. So, here is a sneak peek. I will complete their "real" blog as soon as I get a chance. I could seriously blog their whole session, but here are a "few" favs of them together. I love that the "Big Sis, Little sis" relationship really shines through in these.

Another favorite. I had to use some fun techniques on this one. Very "Rockstarish".

Because people like to know (and its always different from the family I'm photographing), this is my absolute favorite! Very Candid and natural.
I said it was only a small peek. Stay tuned for lots more! Oh, and leave comments ;)

The Hill Family PB#4

2008-04-27T23:07:00.005-05:00

Holly Hill and I used to do Arbonne together and when she took me up on the freebie offer, I was so excited. I knew she had two cute little boys. Little boys are way fun to photograph. Holly warned me that they did not enjoy sitting still and boy was she right! Hayden, 3 and Hudson, 1 1/2, were all about running around and they wanted NO part in sitting still for even a minute. I think that is what makes their pictures that much more fun! They are literally candid moments I snapped really quickly (if I didn't, they were gone). I can't wait to get to photograph them again, as the few I did get are really cute, but mostly of them by themselves. Here are the favs.

Hayden, catching a glimpse of a turtle.

If you think he's cute on camera, you should see this little guy in person!

A mommy and me pic. love it.
We FINALLY got Hayden to stand still (with mom's death grip) for a minute and I could NOT get Hudson to look at me for the life of me ...
He's pointing at me. Doesn't his face just say "Here's your chance, you better click fast!"
This is a fav for sure. I love brother pics.
A second attempt at a family shot, but the lighting was really harsh here.
Both boys were soaked by the end!

This is one of my favorite pictures I've taken so far. If helps that he just melts my heart. He really makes me want a boy so bad! Maybe I can just steal him ;)
Here Hayden's waiting "patiently" lol for his shoe that fell into the creek!
OK, now for a little behind the scenes. Sorry, Holly, I had to! These are way too fun.
Hudson just dropped his pants. I think he was sick of Hayden getting all the attention and this was his way of saying, "Hey, look at me!"
I would have insisted that we give the family shot another go, but this was the note we ended on. Both boys hit a wall! Maybe next time. Sorry, Hayden, I hope you will forgive me!

Fowler Family PB#3

2008-04-25T17:53:00.003-05:00

Meet the Fowler Family ... my Uncle Robert, Aunt Christine, and cousins, John, Christopher, and Talon. We decided we didn't need to venture anywhere to get some great shots because the back of their property was perfect! Trees, a creek, even tractors and dump trucks ... a photographer's dream. The boys were SO good. Keep in mind, the majority of pics with John and Chris usually have bunny ears and silly faces. Here are my favs from the quick session. At the end the boys rode their motorcycles, so stop back by as I will post those later. I know Christine is dying for a peek so here they are.

We were trying to get a few of Rob and Christine alone and the boys kept hiding behind the tree. This is truly a candid moment.

This is Christopher's favorite place to climb, so we had to get a few of him on his daddy's tractor.
The prefect old dump truck ... for pictures that is!
This is definitely one of my very favorites.
Talon is such a snuggler and he wanted his daddy. A little bw vintage.

Another fav too. Look at that grin!

Here ya go Christine ... is EVERYONE looking at the camera? I think they are!

What beautiful boys. Can you not tell they are related?

Thanks for letting me catch some great shots! Hope you like them. I will post motorcycle pics later. John and Christopher deserve something for being SO good!

Madison PB#2

2008-04-22T20:41:00.005-05:00

Meet sweet Madi! Her mom, Jennifer, and I are good friends and I couldn't wait to get my camera out to shoot little Miss Madison ... you can see why! She is 2 1/2 and such a beautiful little girl. I seriously could have blogged all the photos from this shoot (I narrowed it down to the best 100!) I think I need to learn not to be so trigger happy. OK, enough from me ... Madi wasn't too into the photo shoot to begin with, but I still got some great shots and I hope her little personality shines through in these.

These are from our second stop (a huge field of wildflowers I've been scoping out for a while now). Full sun + White Dress = HUGE learning experience for me!

She is twirling in this one!

Jenn didn't want her pic taken, but I couldn't resist this moment.
Meet my NEW Chair I got for $25, thanks to Aunt Loree, at the Decatur city garage sale. We found it at our second stop and later saw the same one in an Antique store for $135. I'm so excited about it you will see why!

Madi was pretty much "done" with pics after the flower field, but I was just dying to get a few with my new chair so we took a few more before the mosquitos completely devoured us! All my favs are with the chair, hence all the vintage effects.

This is my favorite favorite. She totally did this on her own. What a little model!

These next few are actually from the beginning from our first location when Madi was really not into me taking her pics AT ALL. They all are basically candid (me following her around while she did her thing :) After a while, Jen went to the car and I told her to take her time. Once Mommy was gone, Madi was a superstar!
This one is the very first pic I snapped. I love it.

Playing Peek-a-Boo
Doesn't she have the sweetest little face?!

A fav!

She's showing me her painted toenails!

I love the expression in this one!
More Peek-a-boo
Make sure to leave me a comment telling me which ones are your favs! It will help me figure out what other people like so I can keep doing more of that.

Playing with Texture

2008-04-17T19:09:00.001-05:00

I am playing with some techniques, really trying to define my style. Tell me your thoughts.

Another sweet "vintage" photo of Hannah

Hannah's Baptism. Portfolio Building #1

2008-04-13T20:52:00.007-05:00

Here is the first of my freebie pb shoots! I am so thrilled with how these turned out. Stayed tuned as my goal is to complete 10 portfolio building sessions total, so 9 more by May 1st! I already have 5 more scheduled. Once I complete all 10 I hope to have my website up and running with all my new portfolio pics and officially be open for business! Ok, back to real reason for this post ... pecious Hannah Catherine.

OK, I was super nervous about this session because it was for Hannah's Baptism. I knew I had to get there early to take some photos outside in the natural light. Babies and lots of clothes dont typically photograph well, so I was worried about her gown, but these turned out beautifully. They ended up being a little different than I had originally envisioned because of the lack of space around the church, but I still really love them. Her grandparents were my little assistants and she was SO perfect. She was wide awake and even held her rattle for me. Too cute. It also helps that she is the most beautiful 2 month old baby with the bluest eyes you've ever seen! Here is a sneak peak, Aunt Monique. Thanks for letting me use these to build my portfolio and to promote my business.
The first five are from outside as they are by far my fav.

This one is so vintage looking with her little bonnet. There are so many cool techniques I could do, but I just love her eyes and couldn't resist just going color.

I love grandparent/grandbaby shots.

Dark church + funky yellow color casts = thank God for black and white photos :)

This shot is so great bc it captures a hilarious moment. Hannah jerked and the holy water nearly drowned her!

It wouldn't be an event if Aunt Monique didn't cry. She's such a pro she doesn't even go into the ugly face.
Isn't she just beautiful!

Proud big sister Hallee and big brother Hayden

Manual Practice Shoot

2008-04-03T21:18:00.004-05:00

This was my first practice round shooting in Manual Mode. Man, I have so much respect for real pros. It was tough, but here are my favs. They all looked best converted to Black and White, which I love! Is it possible to love rich vibrant colors and black and white, lol? I already have 5 takers on the free sessions. 5 more to go!

Easter

2008-03-30T21:21:00.004-05:00

We had a great 2nd Easter with Mia Grace. She knew exactly what to do! It was too cute! I also took the opportunity to play with some different subjects other than Mia, so you all know I can take pics of other kids too:) I love the pics of the boys! Here are a few of my favs.

picking a dandilion to blow!
Examining the "loot"
My favorite from this bunch! Not one silly face and so natural looking.

Oklahoma (Life)

2008-03-30T11:43:00.010-05:00

Mike and I got to get away on our first trip away from Mia Grace (We survived!). We had planned to go to Arkansas with Matt and Kelsie and do a little backpacking, but we had several little mishaps before leaving. First, Kelsie's flight from California was cancelled, then I found out my grandmother and favorite person in the world (http://loveaffairwithanangel.blogspot.com) was not doing well, and to top it off, the Arkansas got over a foot of rain! So, needless to say, we changed plans and headed to Oklahoma instead, which cut our drive time in half. We camped out in luxury, took a few short little day hikes, ate awesome meals over the stove, and had amazing conversation over a smokey :) fire. It was a total blast and Mike and I can't wait to go on plenty more trips with Matt and Kels. Love you guys! Here are the favs from the trip. As you can tell, Matt and Kels were my little practice models.

The gang. On our way down the "mountain". taken by a random guy, not too bad except we have no feet! Processed Crystal D. style of course.

Relaxing by the lake (secret shots)

Our second day hike

By far my favorite pic of the trip. Look at those colors I pulled out of that rock!
Mike actually took this one. Good job, I love it!
On our way up Mount Baldy (a gigantic mountain :) )

My second fav of the trip (close race with the feet pic). I love catching candid shots and I love this old school texture look.

Model Matt ... He and Mike kept us girls laughing the whole time
Gimmicky I know, but we couldn't resist.

the Zoo.

2008-03-18T15:56:00.005-05:00

Aunt Loree and I took the girls to the zoo for the first time. We had such a great time and couldn't have dreamed of better weather. It was overcast with a slight breeze. Ashtyn and her friend Peyton came with us and braved the two little ones. We really had so much fun! Here are a "few" of my favorites from the day. It was hard to choose because I took so many.

This is my favorite picture of the day BY a mile ... it could be one of my all time favs. Look at Emilee Ann's face. It is hysterical. I am putting an 8x10 of this on my bathroom mirror, so I will wake up with a smile every day! Sorry I made you take so many pictures Emilou. Click on top of the picture and it will enlarge for your FULL enjoyment.

This is Emilee's classic smile. I'm glad I caught this candid moment, instead of another CHEESE face!

A fav for sure.

Aunt Loree let Mia Grace sit on TOP of the stroller.
Emilee touching a bird!

Ashtyn's making her smile!

Look at those raised eyebrows

New Lens!

2008-03-16T22:46:00.006-05:00

I am SO excited! I got my first professional lense (50mm f1.8) right before we left for Houston this weekend. It is amazing and completely helps me get the desired effect I've been trying to get forever. I am now completely obsessed ... as if it could get any worse. I will never get tired of taking photos of Mia Grace. While I love doing mini-shoots with her, my real joy comes from following her around and capturing her life as she lives it. I know she will really appreciate all the pictures one day (and if she doesn't, I certainly will!)
Here are the photos from our trip to Houston (totally out of order, whoops) for a friend's wedding. We stayed with Mike's friend from college and his wife. They were so hospitable and BRAVE to have us for the weekend. As you can see, they are expecting a little girl in May!

Tara, Will, Mike and Mia Grace at the park

A few photos I snapped at the wedding. I LOVE this photo of Mia Grace and Tommy (the bride's nephew). Tommy is only 5 weeks older than Mia Grace. His mom, Adrienne, and I have become great long distance friend's through email, believe it or not!

She's checking him out, I love the head tilt ... how cute!

A quick attempt at a family shot.

Mike and I guided at Wilderness Ranch with David and Adrienne (brother and sister-in-law of the bride).

This could quite possibly be one of favorite photos of all time ... and I can't believe I was the photographer! I am not bragging. You will see what I mean. Try clicking on the image to enlarge it for your complete viewing pleasure!

Just look at his face! He looks completely stunned ... complete with drool and all! I can't help but think of Adam when I see this photo. This must be what he looked like after God created Eve and he layed eyes on her for the first time. Priceless. I have been trying to come up with a title/caption for it. So, leave me a comment with what you think I should title it. The winner might just be in for a little treat!

Adrienne took this photo for me (with a little love, me style processing of course). Thanks A for taking this photo! Great Job by the way, I love it!

These last few are from the way to Houston on Friday. We stopped half way to let Mia Grace play for a bit. I have never seen her be so wild on the playground. I guess that's what 3 hours in a car seat will do to ya! This was my very first go with my new lense (in full sun, yikes!). What do you think?

New Blog

2008-03-14T04:35:00.005-05:00

Welcome to my new blog! Those of you who know me well, know how much I love photography. Having Mia Grace 15 months ago (can you beleive it) has only exacerbated that love into a full blown passion. I have been known to stay up all night (literally 5AM 3 times now!) sorting, deleting, editing my photos. (bad I know!) But, at least I can honestly say that I am super organized in ONE area of my life, lol! The purpose behind the creation of this blog is to share my passion with those that care (you that will read and follow), to have a visual of my progress, or lack thereof, and ultimately I hope that my work will be recieved and I can one day live out my dream of being a professional photographer. The great thing is that even if non of the above come to fruition, I will have my very own personal journey recorded for my enjoyment. That's when you know you have a real passion for something ... it doesn't matter how its received, as long as you find joy in it! I'm honored that you would even stop by to visit.
Many Blessings.
Below you will find some of my favorite images over the last few months. Enjoy!

Meet Janae. Her parents were young life leaders with us at Northwest and are now our good friends. Mica (Janae's mom) and I get together with our girls for play dates on Wednesdays. We've decided that while we love playing, we really want the dad's to watch the girl's so we can go out one night!

I grabbed this shot at the park one day. Janae will be two in June. Isn't she a doll?

These last two were taken in Colorado while we were there for Dave's (Mike's brother) wedding. Welcome to the family Tanya!