GOOSE BUMPS

So, I really wasn't going to post anything more until after my time away, but while processing these photos I literally had goose bumps so I wanted to share! The lighting, the colors and Kristi's amazing beauty just takes my breath away. I haven't done a lot of shoots with the sun literally blasting right into my camera, but let me tell ya, I will definitely be doing more. I love the effect of the sun, the soft haze. Oh man, I am such a photo nerd :) Don't get me started, I just won't stop talkin' about it. Trust me, ask my poor husband!

Good night everyone, or should I say good morning (it's 12:06 am!)

Jess

WE CAN'T LEAVE THE GIRLS OUT!

... all my posts have been of boys lately, so here are a few of the sweeties that attended the mini sessions. More to come... when I return from my R&R.

Chao :)

THANK YOU...

... to all those who participated in my Spring Mini Sessions! What a fun experience!!! I am done editing ALL of the sessions and it feels sooo good! If you are one of my mini clients, please check your email so you can get the link to see your gallery. I need all Mother's day orders in by TOMORROW NIGHT in order to have them ready for Mother's Day.

Now it's on to editing some bridals, and then I'm taking a mini vaca in Houston for a few days:) With no kids and no work in front of me, I'm not sure what I'm going to do! Hmmm... I think the first thing on my list is... to SLEEP IN !!!! Then if the weather is any good, maybe I'll try and get rid of my perpetually glowing white complexion. Sorry to all the others at the pool... they are going to get blinded!


Everyone have a great day!

ALL BOY

This boy was one of my very first newborn sessions about 3 years ago. How time flies! It was so fun to shoot pictures for this family again, and to meet their new addition. You'll get to see her when I have time to post some more!

Wow... I have two more sessions to edit (mini sessions) and then it's on to finish the full session of Kristi's bridals. Thanks to everyone for keeping me busy busy busy!

LAUGH OUT LOUD!

This kid had so much personality and pulled so many faces during his session. I seriously had a blast playing superheroes with him, I almost forgot that I needed to keep working and not just goof around!

PERFECT LIGHT. PERFECT LOCATION. PERFECTLY BEAUTIFUL BABY.

Another image from the mini sessions. Man, I was a little nervous to do a newborn session in 30 minutes! They usually take me 3 hours! Thank goodness we had a happy baby, beautiful weather and luck on our side :)

Enjoy

EDITING, EDITING, EDITING...

I am just over half way with editing the mini sessions. They have kept me working FULL TIME! I'm sure my children are wondering why the heck I am on my computer so much. My five year old asked me yesterday "Mom, why do you take pictures of people? I told him that I do it because I love it. I told him that my photography is kind of like his art projects at school. I play around with color and shapes and light. Once I compared it to art at school, he lit up and understood exactly what I was saying. So then the rest of the day he was pretending that he was a photographer. Taking an old hand-me down camera that we gave him, he told me that he was going to take pictures of me. "Ok Mom, I need you to stand by the blue stool... Ok Mom, I need you to do something different this time," Then he would bring the camera over and show me the LCD.."See, look, it looks good". This just cracked me up! The real kicker was that he stood in the "photographer stance" that I'm sure he's seen me do a million times :) Ha! And then he asked me "Mom, can I come with you to take pictures? I won't get in the way. I'll just take pictures too." It melted my heart. He really is getting to be a big boy. Right then and there, I realized that I could start bringing him to some of my shoots (the non complicated ones, that is). I love my boy :)

Anyways, back to the mini shoots.... I just wanted to share a favorite image from last weekend. This little girl was seriously SO easy to photograph. She cooperated like I've never seen a two year old cooperate, she was so mild mannered and gave such great natural expressions. I just wanted to take her home with me :)

If you have a moment, please leave a comment... I would love to hear feedback!

Chao!

KRISTI'S VINTAGE BRIDALS

Okay, this was no ordinary bridal session. Kristi's style was to DIE for. Her hair and make up were so amazing and her DRESS!!! Ahhh!!! So beautiful! She is the dream bride for a photographer!

She wanted something unusual, so we went to a vacant old house to shoot her pictures. I love the juxtaposition of her delicate dress against the ruble of the old house. Raquel Acevedo is teaming up with me on this wedding. We had so much fun shooting together.

You're probably wondering why I am so behind on blogging. I just finished up the mini shoots for Mother's Day last weekend. It was a BLAST! SOOO much work, I discovered blisters on my heels and oh my, my legs got a great work out from squatting for 3-4 hours at a time to shoot the pictures :) I met some really amazing people who are so kind. And their kids are so stinkin' cute! So, I am editing like a mad woman to get those pictures done in time for Mother's day.

Come back soon, because you won't want to miss out on the posts from the 9 amazing sessions!

Have a splendid day!

CANNOT WAIT...

for the mini sessions starting tomorrow! So glad that mother nature is FINALLY cooperating! Come back soon to see previews of the 10 sessions I will be doing this weekend.... have a great, SUNNY weekend!

Oh... and I have to post at least one picture... or two :)

This is my sweet little nephew. He was seriously the best baby I have worked with yet! Way to go little guy!

GOING BACK TO MY ROOTS...

So, late last night as I was finishing up some editing, I decided to browse through my old website. Yes, I do have a website. It is extremely OLD. In fact, I would never send my clients there now because it would be too embarrassing to show them my work! Ha ha! I have worked hard to improve my shooting skills and mostly my editing over the past three years. I was laughing so hard at some of my black and white and sepia images! They were pretty sad looking:( Oh well, you've gotta start out somewhere, right?

The thing that surprised me, as I was looking through the galleries at some of my very first kid shoots, I noticed that I used to do a lot more "running around" with the kids, I would following them and pretty much just be an "observer" with a camera. I didn't try and do too much posing. And although my editing did pretty much stink, the actual images that I would capture were, well... pretty gosh darn good! There were a lot of natural expressions, laughter and creative NATURAL posing. I still try and shoot like that, but I think I need to get back to my true photographer's eye. The eye that is candid, photojournalistic.

When you are trying to improve as a photographer, you definitely look at others work and try to learn from their techniques. I think it is such a valuable way to learn, but if you are not careful, you can end up trying too hard to mimic someone else's style and you just become another photo shooter in the mix. If you try and shoot like someone else, you'll never really find your own style. It is only holding you back.

So, I am going to get back to my roots. The photographer that I REALLY am. I am excited about this. I think this might be the pivotal moment in my photography work.

BABY TOES...

I know...I'm mean for just posting ONE image per post lately! But that's just how my days have been lately! I have been one busy woman and I am so grateful for all of my clients who are keeping me employed!

Coming up... images from the fun family session that I posted about earlier. And just wait... oh wait... more newborn stuff from this cute little girl AND my precious nephew who is just three weeks old now! He was sooo good during his session. I could have photographed him all day!

My Mini Sessions are FULL!!! Thank you to everyone who is participating. I had a great response to this offer. Now everyone... PLEASE PRAY FOR GOOD WEATHER ON THE 16th and 17th!!! I would hate to cancel on EIGHT clients in one weekend!!!

Chao

Another sneak peek....

for one who is PATIENTLY waiting for her proofs! Here's a smiley image... we really DID capture some smiles, even though she was in a "neutral" mood most of the time!

Mini Session Spots Still Available

MINI SESSIONS ARE NOW FULL... THANK YOU FOR YOUR INTEREST. I WILL LET YOU ALL KNOW IF A SPOT OPENS UP LAST MINUTE.

Friday the 16th is now available for mini sessions as well. Please let me know if you are interested because I still have a few spots open (on either day!) 16th or 17th.

Refer to a few posts below for details :)

Hope everyone had a good Easter! I enjoyed mine a little too much... now I need to get back on the treadmill!!! (Dang peeps and chocolate bunnies!)

Jess