OK, I have a few more wedding to post about but I just had to share these with you. My kids having some fall fun…you gotta love them:)! What really cracks me up is my son with gloves on, coat, and hat that obviously doesn’t fit him anymore!!! Oh and ontop of that he was being little mister director…telling his older sister where to stand when he finally saw mommy with the camera:)!!! Too funny!
Melissa with their daughter who was just as cute as a button!
This was just funny.... the bride's maid missed with the lipstick & got her teeth!
This was captured as Melissa and her dad wait to walk down the aisle
I love capturing the groom's expression as he sees his bride walking down the aisle
Just a nice pic from the ceremony
My favorite from the unity sand ceremony.
This is when James got a little emotional...I love it:)!
One of the few times that Melissa wasnt trying to make James laugh while a song played after the sand ceremony.
This is one of my favs from their first dance.
Another from their first dance. I love to capture images like this to use in album design and collages.
I just love this picture of Melissa and her dad during their dance...such a character:)!
But she is still daddy's little girl:)!
Cake time!!
I just love to zoom in close while cutting the cake to capture this image!
Yup....not playing nice:) OK they did play nice just had a little fun with it:)!
This is what the guys were doing while the ladies were rushing around trying to finish getting ready. Big thanks to my husband who took lead on getting formals of the guys done since I was running late with the ladies due to hair and make up:)!
A more "normal" portait. I always like to get some "normal" ones and then more creative ones and my husband did an excellent job doing the same:)...
This was one of the creative pics for the ladies... the light was fading pretty fast when we were able to get some pics of the ladies!
They had all gotten pedicures (well, except for one...) so we had to do a quick one like this....I just love it:)!
This is my favorite of Melissa! The light was pretty much gone at this point and the majority of the light was coming from the spot lights around the fountain which just led to a beautiful dramatic portrait!
This was a portrait that was based on a special request of the bride:)!
I ended up grabbing Melissa and James before we left to capture a few more portraits of them. I love capturing the candid style portraits and these worked out so well thanks to the grooms men who were cracking jokes and such:)!
He was laughing for some reason...not sure why I just love the picture:)!
Well, I’ve been told so many times now by brides & fellow photographers that I’m not charging nearly enough for the quality of work I do. After much thought, and yes prayer, I will be posting new packages/pricing in the near future (next couple weeks). Just finishing up looking at the pricing and packages compared to my business & family’s needs. After a year of offering wedding services at rock bottom pricing, I now need to think more about growing my business & family by generating more revenue which will also benefit my clients. I’m expanding my vendor relationships to offer my clients more choices in wedding albums which will add some things to my packages that I haven’t included before…like for example, proof books:)! It’s an exciting time and nerve wracking time for me.
I started this business with the idea of offering people who can’t afford much the ability to receive high quality services without the high quality price tag but unfortunately this business philosophy doesn’t pay the bills or feed the family that well:):)!! I will still have a package for now that will be suitable to those on a budget. When the time comes that that package goes away, I will hold contests for those with limited income to tell me their story to receive a discounted wedding package about 4 times a year:).
So….if you have talked with me about your wedding or are considering me to do your wedding & want the current prices…..you need to book with me before I put out the new ones. I will be emailing those couples so that you know when that will happen and you all will be the first ones to get a sneak peak at the new packages….heck….some of you may like the new packages better:):)!!!
I am so far behind on posting some images from Melissa & James’s wedding as well as Rick & JoLynn’s wedding. I will be posting those soon. This weekend I will be shooting Brandon & Joette’s wedding at R-Ranch…sunset wedding in the mountains…..it’s going to be beautiful!!!! Until then, I’ll leave you with this collage I put together for my daughter. This past week was her last home game for volleyball (she is a senior) so I printed out the below & framed it! I did photograph a tournament & that game and will be posting images soon for that. Parents will be able to purchase pictures & request collages like the one my daughter had. This will help out the team too but I can’t go into that further…you’ll just have to email me to find out more about that:)!
I can’t believe that it has been 7 years since this terrible tragedy happened. I have a terrible memory for events and the like but I, like many people, can recall exactly what I was doing and where I was…. At the time, I was working from home for a real estate company taking incoming calls & prescreening them for home purchase. I was on the phone with a lady when she said “Holy @!#…do you have the TV on?” and I didn’t so I put it on to see replays of a plane crashing into the first tower. We stayed on the phone with eachother as this horric event unfolded on TV. After the final tower fell, we both became silent. Then we both seemed to make the realization that we needed to get off the phone and get our families and make sure they are all OK. It was a moment that sent chills up my spine and made me grieve for all those who were in the buildings and the families impacted by this senseless tragedy.
Today I ask that we all take a moment to recognize those who put themselves in harms way everyday. They do what they do not specifically for the nobile act of serving their country…. not for fame… not for money…. but simply to help you and you and you…to help us in our greatest time of need. Right now as I write this, some fireman, policeman, first responder, or EMT somewhere is putting their life on the line purely to help another human being! On 9-11, those fireman walked into the Twin towers with one goal… to help save lives only to perish themselves. So today, if you see a fireman, policeman, first responder, or EMT say “Thank you for everything you do. Thank you for being willing to save the life of another even though you maybe putting yourself in danger. Thank you for doing what you do. You are truly the unsung heroes of this country.” And finally, thank God that these people are willing to help total strangers in their time of need.
Well, I haven’t done this in awhile….this morning the sunrise was just beautiful! My son…”Mommy get your camera…quick…hurry mommy”….too funny 
Well, if you missed it, here you go…enjoy!
So I did some studio portraits of my daughter a few weeks ago and we still have yet to do the ones outside but here are my favorites from that
This is my personal favorite so far!
Ashley and Aaron were married back in July at the Dallas Theater Civic Center. It was a beautiful wedding at a very unique location which just led to some beautiful imagery!!!
Ashley's beautiful dress
Aaron is gazing at Ashley during the ceremony, I had snuck backstage
The reception was held at Ashley’s mother’s home in Dallas. It was a casual relaxing reception after a crazy day
The reception location at night.
The cake.
He started it!
The best man bet Aaron $100 to smash the cake in Ashley's face!
Speaking of the best man....here he is!
To wrap it up a just a few more of my favorite images…
I fell in love with this front porch and knew I had to do some portraits!
I loved this shot for the rings! I don't get to very often dictate lighting beyond my own lights but here I was able to do that...how cool is that!!!
I just loved this angle and perspective...so has alot of other people!!
I actually have some more business related things to blog about but today I feel the need to talk about my kids. You see, this is the first year that all my kids are in school and my house is quiet…too quiet! I have one in kindergarten, fourth grade, and finally a senior in high school. I know…what a range . It’s always hard to send a child off to school for the first time but this year seemed more difficult…. one is starting school and one is finishing…wow…talk about a mixture of feelings.
I know my oldest may not understand the emotions that go through your mind when your child reaches her age 
.
My favorite of her senior portraits
My hardest thing is letting go and allowing her to make her mistakes. One thing we’ve been struggling with is her getting a part time job to help fund the things she will want to do. I’ve really been pushing this year for her to find a job because we probably won’t have the funds to give her for things like prom & homecoming. But to my dismay…no job nor does it seem like it really matters to her. I sit hear stressing out while her dad just shrugs it off. He feels she’ll finally get the hint when she can’t go or get what she really desires. I’m stressing out because I don’t want her to miss out on those things!! But that will have to be one of those hard lessons to learn I guess & it just makes me sad for her ! And not to mention that it’s just hard….she’s still my little girl & she’ll understand that one day.
Kira walking away to start her senior year
On the other end of the spectrum I have Charlie who is starting school. Yesterday, he came home all sad because he had to move his clothes pin to yellow. When I asked him why and after looking at the information from his teacher, it turned out he was humming in class. Yes, I said humming. At home Charlie hums & sings very often to be honest. He’ll be sitting on the potty chair just singing away. Many times it’s just things he’s making up. He’s just got that little musical bug in him I guess. It was so hard not to giggle in a way when he told me that because one he was really feeling very sad & two it is important for him to learn to control those things so he isn’t disturbing the class. Oh Charlie…what are we going to do with you? Of course it was hard taking him to school on the first day. He told me not to worry and that he will be fine! You know I see other parents dealing with their child crying because they don’t want to leave mommy and here are my children….”OK mommy it’s time for you to leave…” !!!!!!! Just confident and ready to be on their own. I know they say that’s a good thing…my kids are confident and not afraid but you know it wouldn’t hurt them to at least pretend to be sad….I mean is that too much to ask!!! OK….I’m kidding but then again maybe not !!!
Ooops...need my backpack!
Charlie is off and running
Time for you to go mom!
And then there is Shannon…my poor little girl just kinda stuck in the middle! You know how they talk about the love language of a child…well my little girl is definitely the touchy feely one which is not my style but that’s a whole different story….. Even she didn’t want me walking her to her classroom!!! I mean come on!!!! She’s another one who wants to be all independent (Charlie would’ve liked me not to walk him to class but I told him he didn’t have a choice in the matter) & already talks about opening her own business with horses. My little entrepreneur !
OK...there she goes way done there!
Yeah...Kira's hiding!!!
Yes, I’m trying to get use to being at home without the constant chatter and mom this mom that!! It’ll take some getting use to. In the next couple weeks I should be posting some more stuff on photography.
I did meet with Matt Yung today who is another professional photographer in this area. Some very nice work! It’s always great to meet with other professionals and share ideas/tips. One thing that was mentioned to me today will cause a change here…a scary change but change none the less. Let’s put it this way, if you want my current pricing better book within the next 60 days because things will be changing. This change is also being driven by some of my most recent bookings the brides stated after signing their contracts that my pricing should be higher!! Not to mention I just can’t afford to continue offering my services at my current pricing. I still feel driven to offer services to those who just can’t afford higher end weddings but this may just come in the form of contests…..hmmm…. I’ll be posting on this change soon so until next time…..
Oh and here we go again!! For those who don’t know I met Eve and her family last year when they asked me to build a website for them to help raise funds for her daughter’s liver transplant. Eve has 3 kids, two of which have GSD which is a rare metabolic condition that mainly affects the liver. Last year her youngest, Liberty, had a liver transplant and so far things are great for Liberty!!! Now, Kayla will be going through the same thing! This is very hard on the family for obvious reasons. Please keep this family in your prayers. For more information visit GiveLibertyLife.com
OK, so I’m a little late posting this but….:)! I hope everyone enjoyed their holiday! We spent ours enjoying the fireworks at Taylor Farm Park. Our church was there handing out water, glow sticks and playing cornhole!! A great time was had by all & enjoy some of the fireworks pictures. I actually used a tripod something I don’t do often but when you are doing 45 second exposures…you need to use a tripod ! Enjoy!!!
