2012 Holiday Mini Sessions {Allen, Plano, Frisco and McKinney Portrait and Family Photographer}

It's that time of year...time for football games, fall leaves, the state fair and crock pot meals...the return of sweaters (sort of), hot chocolate and all thinks pumpkin flavored!  I love fall, although it always seems so very short here in Texas...as if we go from [blazing hot] summer to two weeks of cooler, gorgeous gold and red foliage...and than one strong storm comes along and blows all the leaves from the trees--launching us straight into winter.

Along with this beautiful time of year comes our Annual Holiday Mini Sessions.  This is always my busiest time, but I find that the majority of my clients who participate in the Holiday Mini Sessions have made it a tradition for their families...and I have LOVED watching each of them grow and change--it's truly such a blessing.  I end up feeling it's a bit like a homecoming for me and I cannot wait to see everyone!

Our dates are later in the months of October and November this year to accommodate the fall sports schedules that should be wrapping up soon!

I know it's difficult to think about Holiday cards while out partaking in all the fun fall activities, but it will be here before you know it, so remember that not only is our Mini Session space limited, our availability for full sessions will be as well! We currently have space in our Weekend Mini Sessions, but there are no FULL weekend session appointments left until the third week in November!

Thank you to everyone who still reads this blog--I promise a facelift and more regular updates are in the plans...it's just less important than photographing all your smiling faces at the moment!  See you soon!

 

I'm Back! And a New Beginning [Dallas Newborn and Baby Photographer]

As many of you know, my step father passed away last week after a long, hard battle with brain cancer. It was obviously a difficult time for my family and I feel so very blessed to have been able to spend time helping my mother to grieve her loss and begin to make plans for her future. Thank you so very much to all my clients who have offered their condolences, messages of support, and have so generously gave me the time I needed to focus purely on my family without worrying about any editing or deliverable deadlines. My time means more to me than anything in the world, and both my family and I will be forever grateful!

Now that I am back and things are settling down, I thought I should get myself back into gear with my blog posting. I've let it slide quite a bit since the busy holiday season! I'll go back through some of the fall sessions to post them here, but I thought today would be nice to start with a new beginning.

Meet the newest addition to the Love family (they have such a great last name!). This darling little girl is already breaking hearts and wrapping her big brother around her delicious little finger! I had a great time catching up with the family and seeing their beautiful portrait wall constructed with prints from several of our previous sessions--hopefully they'll have an easier time deciding which images to add to the wall from this session than I because there are lots of cute ones!

Giving everyone the 'thumbs-up' (top middle)



With her big brother--Mr. Personality. This kiddo always makes me giggle in person and I think it translates into film!


Grandma is an avid and skilled quilt maker--the family had at least 10 quilts in various places around the house, so I couldn't resist our own take on 'The Princess and the Pea."


Our last photo of the day--some conceptual fun. Doesn't she look like a sweet little hatchling?

The Glazar Family [Allen Baby and Child Photograher]

Meet the adorable Glazar kiddos! We had the best time playing around and exploring everything that moves...including about 6 other photographers! Mom was such a great sport, and the little ones...well, with faces this cute they're pretty hard to resist!

The Eckerman Family [Allen Family and Child Photographer]

It's been FOREVER since I've blogged anything! With the holidays and the busy season upon us, I've been focused on completing the work rather than talking about it. But, I am resolving now to 'get back on the wagon' so to speak, even if the postings have to be shorter, I can post more often through the holidays...I think I can...I think I can...I think I can...
I cannot think of a better way to get caught up with sharing than by posting the sneak peeks for the Eckerman family! I loved how fun and laid back and relaxed this family was--I think you can really see it in their images! We had a great time playing with all kinds of toys and enjoying this beautiful weather! Enjoy the sneak peek--more to come soon!

The Measels Family [Plano Baby and Child Photographer]

It's sneak peek time! I've been absolutely SWAMPED this week and am desperately trying to catch up! Of course, when this happens I always focus on all my client work prior to blogging and updating my website, etc. so there is much to share!

I'll start with the Measels. I recently photographed baby William at the hospital when he was born in May and the family invited me out to their home for another shoot with some of the family. We had a super-hot day and brilliantly sunny day, but these kids were troupers (not to mention adorable), and we were able to get some family portraits for Mom and Grandma! Enjoy your sneak peek guys!

Sydney and Sophie {Allen/ McKinney Child Photographer}

Happy Father's Day! I am scrambling to post this for Nikie so that daddy can see his beautiful girls for Father's Day! I have many blog postings to catch up on, but I hope you won't mind that we're out of order!

I photographed these darling sisters earlier this week and I just love how their mom truly customized their session. We were able to take both traditional-style portraits as well as document things that have recently impacted their lives. This was both fun and educational for me--and such a breath of fresh air to try something different!

Here are the girls--they are both just so sweet!


Sophie is wearing a traditional Korean Hanbok from her first birthday. Her mom described the celebration and it sounds really cool. I love how these images turned out--the wind and look on her face seems to fit with a sweet girl looking into her future! Here is a description of the tradition from Wikipedia:

Dol or doljanchi is a Korean tradition that celebrates the birthday of a one-year-old baby. This ceremony blesses the child with a prosperous future and has taken on great significance in Korea. The birthday babies wear a hanbok and a traditional hat; jobawi or gulle for baby girls and bokgeon or hogeon (호건) for baby boys.

The highlight of the dol is a ritual where the child is placed in front of a table of foods and objects such as string, books, brushes, ink and money. The child is then urged to pick up an object from the table, where it is believed the one selected will foretell the child's future. For example, if the child picks up a brush or book, he is destined to be a scholar. If he picks up money or rice, he will be wealthy; cakes or other food, a government official; a sword or bow, a military commander. If the child picks up the thread, it is believed he will live a long life. This is followed by feasting, singing and playing with the toddler. Most often, guests will present gifts of money, clothes, or gold rings to the parents for the child at this time.

And Sydney loves to dance, so to document this time in her life, she wore the costume from her most recent dance recital and showed me some of her moves!

The Hawkins Family [Dallas Child and Family Photographer]

This posting is a long-time coming! I've been sending sneak peeks and posting on Facebook and neglecting my blog!
I photographed the Hawkins family recently and really had a blast! The kids were so much fun--cracking me up constantly and wowing me with their adorable charm. I couldn't resist including their comic images in their gallery--they were just so reflective of their sunny personalities...thank you for sharing them with me!

The Packer Girls! [Dallas Child Photographer]

They're back! I have had the incredible honor of photographing these beautiful girls several times over the past year, and they get more and more adorable every time! I love all the great color for their holiday cards this year!

Talia [Allen Child Photographer]

Talia's session was so much fun--mix a creative mommy, adorable girl and a little whimsy and see what happens! We had such a great time watching Talia spin and play on her own stage...she's bound to be famous one day...just think, I'll be able to say that I remember when she played the adorable role of Christmas Fairy :)

Wilson Family [Plano Child and Family Photographer]

The Wilson Family! I photographed this family when they were a foursome last year, and now there are five little Wilson children to love! I think that's fabulous because...just look at them--they're adorable! You should have more babies, Heather :)

Alcorn Family [Allen Child and Family Photographer]

Michelle contacted me and wanted some cute studio-style portraits of her two girls. I was so excited when these darling little princesses showed up at my door--what fun! We had a blast workin' it for the camera. I hope you guys love the results as much as I do!

Barnett Family [McKinney Child and Family Photographer}

I have been doing a ton of color lately, and so I thought I'd mix it up a bit! Black and white photography was my passion for so long...I still find myself gravitating toward the black and white conversions for photographs of my own children. There's just something about it that just draws your eyes right to the subject!

Meredith--thanks for sharing your sweet kiddos once again--we need to work on that playdate soon! Enjoy!

The Wilson Families [McKinney and Allen Family Photographer]

Here are two more sneak peeks from the mini sessions--the Wilson Families...but they're not related! Sorry to be so short on words today--I've got too many sessions to edit! Enjoy!

More Mini Session Sneak Peeks! [Dallas Baby and Child Photographer]

Okay, I promise I'm not slacking, but I'm soooo tired! I'm going to try to head to bed before midnight so that I'll have the energy to edit more sessions tomorrow! In the meantime, here's a couple more sneak peeks!
The Jackson's



And Sweet Ella!


More to come soon!

The Copeland Family [McKinney Family Photographer]

I recently had one of those--'oh my goodness, I just turned into my parents' moments. You see, I had the pleasure of photographing the Copeland Family for the second time this year, having photographed both children last fall. I have not seen them since last year, so in my mind the kids were much smaller...a whole year younger...a bit more baby-faced, a couple inches shorter...you get the picture. So anyway, I was completely blown away by how they have matured and changed since last year--no joke. I was seriously flustered! I used to cringe when my mom or dad would talk about how much my friends had grown and/or changed...and yet, that was all I could say to these sweet kiddos...I was a blubbering idiot. Sorry guys.

Seeing their transformation motivated me to go home and just stare at my son for about 15 minutes. Watching him play his little video game--while he battled it out with some strange aliens from another planet, I realized with amazement that time is truly flying before my eyes! My own baby is far from a baby any more--much closer to a grown boy than that sweet gushy toddler I like to think of in my head.

Amy and family, thank you so very much for allowing me to photograph your family--it is truly an honor! And thank you for reminding me how quickly our lives are flying by. Your children are absolutely adorable, and without a doubt, the hint of those same sweet faces I met last year is there...it's just wrapped up in a more sophisticated package. I can't wait to see how they change next year!

The Johnson Girls [On-Location Child Photographer]

Oh my poor blog--how I have neglected you! I'm so sorry that I have not posted in such a long time! I have been soooo busy with fulfilling orders and editing, that you have just taken a back seat to everything else! I am trying to get some blog posts up before I leave for Napa tomorrow (super-cool destination wedding!!!), so stay tuned!

First up, a destination portrait session! Nicole and Brian heard I was going to be in Kansas City for a day and asked if I could photograph their girls. I had no idea what a delight it would be to spend a couple hours with them listening to music and rolling in the grass. What sweet souls! Check 'em out!









And because I'm such a sucker for a fish face...

Burke Trio [Dallas Family and Child Photographer]

I love referrals--they are my primary source of clients, and there is nothing like it when a client I adore refers another client...whom I adore! Pam--thank you so much for introducing Angela to me! I knew the moment I saw these kiddos that I was going to be smitten--just look at them!
One of my all-time favorite sibling shots--I would totally hang this up HUGE in my living room if it were my kids! Oh well, maybe I will anyway :)





Angela--enjoy your sneak peek--it's all I could do this evening NOT to continue to edit your images--they are just to die for!
Unfortunately, I suffered 2nd degree burns (a.k.a. blistering and tissue damage) to my right palm, wrist and forearm today! It was a Father's Day Surprise gone wrong! I will likely be a bit delayed on my editing as I attempt to limit the amount of pressure I am putting on this intensely sensitive area over the next few days. I am using cold compresses 24-7, so I am hoping to minimize the swelling and inflammation as quickly as I can!