SuzOjo

Jillian is TWO!

2011-10-23T23:12:00.002-05:00

Remember Jillian Kate's newborn post two years ago? Well here she is two years later and cute as a button! Deb and I met at a pumpkin patch to snap a few shots of Jillian. I think we walked away with a bunch of good ones!

Baby Jay - 6 Months

2011-08-12T12:59:00.002-05:00

Baby Jay is six-months and he couldn't be cuter! He has the best chunky rolls and his badonkadonk takes after his mother. :) I couldn't get over how happy he was the whole time. Easiest baby to photograph, hands down! I also realized I never posted photos from his newborn shots, so here's the one from his baby announcement:

And here's the little man six months later!

Davis & Hudson

2011-08-03T22:19:00.004-05:00

I just realized I never posted these back in April...whew, I've been busy! Here are some cute brothers on a windy day!

Invading the Kimbell's Easter

2011-05-10T18:45:00.004-05:00

Jay and I spent a lovely Easter in Wichita Falls with his parents this year. While I missed my very large family, I also enjoyed the perks of being with a small one. We started the weekend off with a crawfish boil (the #1 way to my heart) at a dear neighbor's house. Then continued to eat delicious meals all weekend. You see, my mother-in-law is a wonderful cook and we never go without a good meal while we're visiting!!

Sunday after church and lunch, I went to the Kimbell's, another close neighbor, to photograph the kids and their egg hunting mayhem only to find the kids couldn't wait and it had already happened! A few eggs were returned to the yard in order to get a few good photos, but the most special photos were the ones of the families interacting. AND, the kids were so excited about their eggs...who am I kidding, they were excited about the CANDY, and I was able to capture them in their sugar frenzy.

I love Easter. Not just because of the egg dying, hunting and candy eating, but because of the way it brings families together. AND, most importantly, because it is the day to celebrate our Lord Jesus rising from the grave, giving us all the possibility of new life in Him! Think about that, it's incredible and undeserved. Thank you, LORD!

FTR Fishing Tournament 2011

2011-04-11T09:10:00.002-05:00

To view photos from the Flat Top Invitational Fishing Tournament 2011, click on the link below.

http://srubottom.dphoto.com/#/album/2e3a6u

Photos de iPhone 4

2011-03-31T08:21:00.010-05:00

Sorry I have been absent for a LOOOONNNNGGGG time. I have three jobs now and they keep me pretty busy. Because I haven't been shooting much due to above reason, I have resorted to my new iPhone 4 camera to keep me current. I like the photos I have been taking so much I'm thinking about opening an Etsy store and selling them. I'm thinking about keeping them in a small square format, possibly a 3x3. An accent photo for a little nook. What do you think? Do you like any of them enough to buy one, possibly two?

Schneider Wedding

2011-01-23T13:28:00.003-06:00

I just realized I never posted photos from the Schneider Wedding!! Ahhhhh! Here are some pre-ceremony and wedding photos. I'll do a second post with reception photos soon!

Baby Teddy UPDATED

2011-01-05T12:36:00.005-06:00

A few more photos before Teddy arrives:

Ok, the baby's name isn't really Teddy. He got the nickname because he looks just like a teddy bear in one of his sonograms. I think it's a cute "in utero" nickname and I tend to overuse it, sorry Meghan and Bryan. We went on a little neighborly photo shoot right before sunset, right before Christmas (hence my delay in posting). I could tell Meghan (not really) and Bryan (definitely) were worried about the possible dorkiness of these photos, but I think they turned out great. Meghan's baby belly was captured and Bryan's manhood wasn't bruised, so we were successful!

A Very Merry Christmas!

2010-12-19T22:43:00.001-06:00

Rob & Meaghan

2010-12-16T10:17:00.002-06:00

'Tis Christmas Card season! One fun photo was an early morning, pre-work shoot at Tietze Park. I love early morning light, it's so great. R&M met me with their very excited dog who was the perfect model as long as Jay was holding her frisbee... Tietze happened to be the perfect place to meet because it also happens to be where Rob proposed to Meaghan. Of course we had to take some photos of them on "the bench" where it went down.

Emily's Bridal Portraits - Gorgeous!

2010-11-15T08:02:00.002-06:00

Four weeks ago I drove to Boerne for Emily's bridals three weeks before her wedding. I spent Sunday afternoon out at the Prassel, driving around with a beautiful bride and her entourage. I can't describe how easy this bridal shoot was. A mixture of God's beautiful creation and a confident, stunning bride made picture taking quite easy. I love the Hill Country in the fall, the way the sun hits the green grass with its rust colored tips. A winter transition about to happen. Even though it doesn't compare to the fall experienced in other states, it has its own beauty and fills me with awe. So, to witness fall mixed with a very lovely Emily was thrilling! I love how these photos turned out and I hope you do too, Emily! Next blog entry...the wedding!

Every bride must have an entourage!

The Bustling Beecherls

2010-10-15T22:45:00.004-05:00

Hi cousins, I love you! This is the largest group of cousins in one family that we have on the Beecherl side. I know, I know, there are a lot of them. It's usually total chaos (see photo 3), but we got some good ones out of this shoot. I can't show you the best two since they will be featured in the Crystal Charity Ball Children's Book and on a "We've Moved" card. But, I can share some photos I thought were pretty cute!

They're all looking and smiling at the camera, it's amazing!

I think Anna is giving PBoy some smile coaching in this photo. Irregardless (that's for you, Robert), this is my most favorite kind of photo to take, one where the kids don't even know I'm watching.

Behind the scenes of this shoot. Aren't these kids so "Leave it to Beaver" perfect in this photo!

Cute little Cate, she's a major daddy's girl.

Randall and James and Elizabeth, Oh My!

2010-10-06T13:04:00.003-05:00

This is my third year to photograph these cute kids, is that right Sally? And boy have they grown up. James behaved like an angel which was new...not to be doggin' on James, but he was the hardest one to control. One year makes a big difference!

Randall and I had no problem, as usual. He only requires an occasional, "give me a smile," because he is so serious! His nickname around the house is 'the professor,' which I understood after listening to his vast knowledge of black holes in between photo takes. I would definitely lose against him in any kind of knowledge quiz (Are You Smarter Than a Fifth Grader, for instance).

And Elizabeth, Oh Elizabeth! How cute is she in her glasses? First of all, she has the biggest eyes ever and now wears the cutest little bifocals I have ever seen. She babbled the whole time and it sounded like Japanese, it's hilarious. I think we have some really smart kids on our hands here!

Thanks for another great year of cute little kids!

We be here

2010-10-06T11:49:00.002-05:00

Did you think I had disappeared? Me too. Since buying this house, I have had no life other than discussing tile, paint colors and toilets. I've been working...just not posting. I'll have a cute post of Randall, James and Elizabeth later today!

Impromptu swimming

2010-09-22T08:52:00.004-05:00

Had a few people over last Sunday to swim in our new pool! Took this really cute photo of Emma, who I have previously photographed and featured, here and here!

Grandparents

2010-09-14T13:18:00.005-05:00

Among the admirable things my grandparents have done in their lifetime, providing an amazing gathering place for our large family is one of the most meaningful to me. The ranch has always been a place where we can come and go, build relationships with each other, get into trouble, learn about life and be TEXANS! I love spending as much time as I can with my dear old grandparents and have learned a lot from them because of it! Just last week, Grandpa drove me by his childhood home which happens to be a few blocks from where I live now. Crazy! I never knew that! They are so dear to me and I hope to instill the same values in my family as they have in ours.

Love his hat!

Taking Back My Homestead

2010-09-09T13:59:00.004-05:00

So, a few weeks ago we had a little wasp problem. Let me start by saying I don't have a problem with wasps as long as they stay far away from me. I don't enjoy being attacked and know they feel the same way. However, when wasps decide to build a nest over my doorway and hang out on the sliding door all day, they can prepare for war. I think because it has been so hot they were camping out on the glass to cool down. I understand their sorrow, but they could have picked a window, not the door I walk through.

While they were out doing whatever it is they do during the day, I knocked down the nest they had started, thinking they would move on. The next day, when the next had reappeared I decided maybe they hadn't gotten the hint. So I removed it again. The third day, it was back. Strike three! I bought some wasp spray and as I was shooting at their next and watching them die, I realized I was yelling to myself in the backyard, "taking back my homestead, taking back my homestead!!" Crazy, but necessary. Suckers.

p.s. Don't judge the incredibly dirty doors...

The duo that would not leave!

Mama wasp cooling herself

The G Family

2010-09-02T14:56:00.003-05:00

I got a call from a family in College Station who wanted to schedule a shoot for their family while they were in Dallas. This family happened to have purchased one of the portrait packages I donated to the silent auction for Dinner Under the Cedars, benefiting Historic Mesquite, Inc. We settled on a hot July day at White Rock Lake. It turns out, dad was one of my brother's ID professors at A&M. We had a great time comparing stories about my brother and his crazy friends (Tank, this includes you). Thanks to you guys for supporting Historic Mesquite and for getting all dressed up knowing how hot it would be. I also appreciate your patience during the whole 'forgotten camera in the car incident' (that's a whole different story that raised my blood pressure).

Isabella Rose

2010-08-04T12:33:00.003-05:00

Isabella has arrived and she's early! She was due to make her entrance into the world yesterday, but decided she wanted to surprise her parents and arrived July 22. There are so many people who have been waiting for this baby and were thrilled to learn of her early, but healthy birth! She was TINY, I mean a tiny 4 lbs. 11 oz., 18 inches tiny. And she has a TON of hair. In the hospital she was referred to as either, "the tiny baby" or "the baby with all the hair."

I couldn't wait to get my hands on her and take her newborn photos. I didn't get a chance to photograph her until she was already 8 days old and 5 pounds. But that was okay, she was still tiny!!! Can you see a theme here, tiny? Anyway, she did great during her first photo shoot and loved my strobes, as most babies do. I think they keep them nice and toasty like a hamburger under a warming lamp at McDonalds. This works in my favor since I tend to strip off their clothes and throw their blankets aside. Not something a tiny baby (or their nervous mother) normally enjoys.

We got some cute photos and I'm going to start designing Isabella's baby announcements pretty soon. I guess I should post some of the past baby announcements I have created. I love that part of my 'job'!

The Best Puppy There Ever Was

2010-08-04T12:05:00.004-05:00

His name is Simba. He belongs to my cousin. He stayed with us for 24 hours. The best 24 hours ever with a puppy. He only peed inside once, right when he arrived. I think he was marking his new territory. No poop inside, thank goodness. He has a lot of dog toys. His favorites are the squeaky squirrel, the rope and the mini tennis ball. He left his squeaky squirrel. Whoops. Don't worry, I returned it. While he was here I set up my lights and did a mini shoot. It's a surprise for Mary. And because he's cute. Really cute. I miss him. He doesn't like background paper. I think it freaks him out. We tricked him into standing on it. And used a bathmat. And a chair. It was worth it. See below.

Simba's checking out his portrait shoot set up - notice, he's sniffing one of his favorite toys, the squeaky squirrel!

He escaped from the shoot

I love his mini tennis ball!

Look at that face, awwwww

He's had it and this time, I let him go :)

Sage's Model Experience

2010-08-02T16:46:00.006-05:00

I met nine-year-old Sage last week while she was staying at her Aunt Jennifer's house. You see, Sage is blessed with a really fun aunt who loves her like crazy. I learned that Sage gets to stay with her aunt for one week every summer. While she's here, Jennifer spends the week entertaining Sage with fun activities, swimming, movies, shopping, etc. What more could a girl ask for?

This is where I get to be included in the fun! Jennifer called a few weeks ago to set up a session for her niece who would be visiting. I thought that was interesting, but came to realize what an awesome idea it was! After arriving, Jennifer told me she had done one previous photo shoot for Sage when she was younger. Now Sage is at an age where she's thinking she may want to be a singer or model so this was a sort of 'test shoot' to see if she could narrow it down. Sage had really thought through her photo shoot and was really excited about it. She had three wardrobe changes and we photographed in a few different locations. I had so much fun making Sage feel glamorous and I got tons of cute photos of her even though it was HOT HOT HOT outside!

Thanks to Sage and Jennifer for a fun shoot and for enduring the heat and the bright, bright sky!

Davis + Hudson

2010-06-17T16:28:00.003-05:00

My cousin, Julia, was in town a couple of weeks ago and asked for a new round of photos for her boys. Hudson is brand new and needed to be documented and Davis is just cute. We took photos all around GaGa's house and got some pretty cute ones!!

Baby Hudson - 9 weeks

Davis has left his ball obsession behind and has replaced it with trucks

Davis had had it at this point, he was begging to go to the pool.

Photoshop Magic Update

2010-06-03T09:00:00.003-05:00

I can't believe I pulled this off. I still don't know how I ended up with such a successful "take grandma out of the wedding photo" photoshop experience, considering the background. When there's a will there's a way. And boy did I have a will.

*Update* The reason grandma was removed from the photo was because the mother of the bride wanted to use this photo for a Christmas card. Her parents were not able to attend the wedding or be in the photo so she felt it fair to have no grandparents at all for the Christmas card. Makes sense. We forgot to take a photo of my parents and Jay's parents with us on our wedding day. I might make that my next project...morphing families.

Cy Reed

2010-06-01T13:46:00.003-05:00

Cody and Melissa have the sweetest little boy. Seriously. All you other babies, look out. Cy was so good during his first photo shoot that he made the rest of you look really, really high maintenance. I'm sorry, but it's true. :)

I loved meeting Cy and spending time with Melissa and Aunt Barb during this hour of fun. You guys are blessed with such a sweet, healthy boy. Thanks for allowing me to photograph Cyrus in his first month of life!

I miss this furry favorite of mine!

2010-05-25T18:39:00.003-05:00

This is Ellie, she's a cuddler.

Robert, again

2010-05-25T17:47:00.008-05:00

Carrie had me do a little something special to her favorite photo of baby Robert. Remember the cool chair I had to incorporate into the shoot? Well, she asked if I could put the chair/background into black and white and leave Robert in color. Of course I can! I really liked the outcome as did Carrie. I thought I would post a full color photo, Carrie's request and a black and white. Which do you like best?

CTF Auction Portrait Purchaser!

2010-05-12T12:19:00.006-05:00

Last week I got a phone call from Michelle who had purchased a portrait sitting I donated last fall in an auction benefiting Denver Wakin and The Childrens Tumor Foundation. I have known the Wakins since before they were the Wakins! I knew Jason first and then met Katy after she had set her sights on Jason. They are a great pair and Denver is the coolest little kid. I was happy to help them meet their donation goal for CTF.

Anyway, Michelle and her family were the lucky subjects of last Saturday's family photo shoot. I went to their lovely home in Burleson to photograph them in their beautiful backyard with the last wave of wildflowers still in bloom. They were all entertaining and I felt right at home with their shenanigans. I love the candid shots I got of them, if you'll notice, the two I posted are both centered around the baby, Landon. In the third photo the chaos going on is a result of his shoe falling off and in the last photo Landon had just let out the biggest baby burp. Mom has her hand ready for any residual spit up. Pretty funny!

Thanks for such a great Saturday afternoon and for your contribution to CTF and Denver!

Baby Robert

2010-04-30T10:28:00.003-05:00

Isn't he adorable!!! I have been talking to Robert on the computer screen as I've been going through his photos because he's just so cute in all of them! I love his bald buddha head the most. I promise he has hair, it's just invisible because it is sooo blond! Also, please take note of his chubby knees, I got sidetracked pinching them.

I had big plans for this baby shoot and of course had to scale it back a little. Every baby shoot is different, it totally depends on the baby and how long they can handle being poked and prodded. So, with Carrie and Robert, we started with a field trip to Versailles Park to capture the last of the blooming azaleas and after that Robert had had it. So Carrie and I went back to her house and ate some girl scout cookies while we waited for Robert to decide if he was going to actually drift off into a deep sleep or not. He decided to go for it, so we planned to do round two photos a few days later. This is no big deal because when photographing babies, they determine the plan.

Last Monday, we finished up at their home. I loved the chair with the red leaf patter so we had to use that. Then we did the rest of the photos in Robert's room. The best ones were the impromptu prop on the couch. I love it when things just work out! Thanks Carrie and Robert, lets walk soon!

Mike George @ Lone Star Tea Party

2010-04-28T16:35:00.008-05:00

You know what I did tax day? No, I didn't wait in line at the post office. I was at The Lone Star Tea Party at QuickTrip Park in Grand Prairie where Mike George of Strong American Now was schedule to speak to the crowd. And boy, what a crowd it was. This event drew the largest group QuickTrip Park has ever had. There were quite a few angry republicans, lots of patriotic paraphernalia and of course, Mike George. He once again asked me to be his photographer before, during and after his speaking engagement; which I happily accepted. His message was well received and he was approached by a lot of interested people as he made his way back to the suite. It was fun being part of his entourage and I look forward to the next time!

Cousins!

2010-04-19T18:53:00.005-05:00

Easter I photographed four of my many cousins. I think my aunt hired me because she knew it would be painless for me to get a good photo of them simply because I'm not their mother. And she was right. Remember how when it was time to take a family photo, you and your siblings would act as terrible as possible to express your disdain for having to fake smile and listen to your mother? Yeah, I do too. And I take that into consideration when photographing families. I always fear the kids will view me as the torture devise inflicted on them by their mom who can't take another year of their shenanigans. Most of the time that doesn't happen to me, but I've experienced everything in my years of photographing! Back to the cousins. They totally cooperated, but they're also old enough to know I would torture them if they didn't. I'm just saying....
Love you guys!

Deanna is Two!

2010-04-05T17:56:00.007-05:00

Remember the baby with the Mickey ears? I have a couple posts featuring her here and here. Well, my loyal clients returned for Deanna's two-year-old session. It was good to see her and I couldn't believe how much she has grown! The whole family revolves around her, but I can't blame them, she can draw you in and then wrap you around her little finger with her smile. She's easy to love because she doesn't stop laughing and you can't help but laugh with her.

We took pictures at SMU where her parents met and her Unk now attends business school. I love photographing in places that have meaning to the photographees. It makes the photos special and puts everyone in a good mood! We had a beautiful, sunny day which was lucky because it was during a week of wind and rain. Whew! Thanks to you guys, it was a very entertaining experience. Hope to see you again soon!

Time for Recruitment Photos!

2010-04-01T08:34:00.006-05:00

Recruitment is right around the corner! Your paperwork is due by May 1! Have you taken your photos yet? Call ASAP and I'll get them to you within three days!

Michelle & Houston

2010-03-19T09:51:00.011-05:00

Two weeks ago I photographed Michelle and Houston's wedding in Fort Worth. I've known Michelle for a few years, but haven't seen her in about two so photographing her wedding was extremely special for me. It was fun seeing her and meeting her family for the first time. The ceremony was in Robert Carr Chapel on TCU's campus and the reception was at the Ball-Eddleman-McFarland House. I had never been to the McFarland House and was impressed with the architecture and preservation of such a neat, historic house. The staff was great and very helpful. I would highly recommend it for a wedding reception!

P.S. I loved Michelle's dress!

New New Prices for 2010

2010-03-05T20:51:00.003-06:00

Ok, upon review of my previous 2010 price list I felt it was the right thing to do, given the times, to reduce my price. Due to the recession and everyone cutting back, I'm slashing my prices, just like Walmart! One thing I want you to know, dear photographees, is you are my priority. If you feel like my prices are still higher than what you can invest at this time, please contact me so we can make a deal that works for both of us. Being a lover of picture taking, not number counting, I've had to adapt to the fact that photography is not only my passion, it's also my livelihood. I only ask that you keep that in mind as well. Thank you to all of you who have believed in me and encouraged my photography. Love you!

Emma is 10 Months!

2010-02-22T11:07:00.007-06:00

Last week I finally got together with Jenny to photograph Emma for her 10 month photos. Due to scheduling conflicts, we totally missed her 9 month update. I think that was a blessing in disguise because she was absolutely hilarious and soooo cute during her 10 month session. Some of the photos I took are blurry because I'm laughing at her and her hundreds of rapid fire facial expressions! We opened the shutters in her room and used her super cute dresser (that Jenny had repainted before she arrived) as the backdrop. It worked perfectly because the sun was out, Emma was happy and Jenny was jumping around making her laugh. Midway through the shoot, we took a snack break for Emma because she had worn herself and us out. When we returned we put her in her "Emma" chair and kept snapping away! I think I ended up with 180ish photos because they're all so cute!! She has come a long way from her first shoot last May, I can't believe how much she has grown. Thanks Jenny, for your friendship and for being such a clown to get those smiles out of Emma!

Mike George

2010-01-24T20:40:00.006-06:00

I have had the great opportunity to photograph Mike George at his last three speaking engagements, one of which was in Tyler, TX speaking to the Grassroots America We The People group. He has a great message about the economy and the pickle that we're in right now. Here is an excerpt from his website, "The Strong America Now organization has unique economic insights which provide many of the solutions the country needs. In particular, Mike George, Director of Strong America Now, is the only politically active person who has actually reduced the cost of government by billions of dollars." To read more about Mr. George's mission go to http://strongamericanow.com/.

Caroline & Leo

2010-01-24T18:46:00.017-06:00

Last Friday I drove to Glen Rose to photograph my cousin, Caroline with her horse, Leo. She is a high school senior this year and her parents wanted a nice portrait to freeze her in time with her horse who she has spent so much time with over the years.

Friday was an exceptionally windy day, but I wasn't worried because Caroline is absolutely beautiful with the cutest dimples and I knew she would look great no matter what the weather did. Paired with her big, muscular horse she looked even smaller and more petite than she normally does. They truly are a beautiful pair. Caroline was completely comfortable with her horse and made it easy to get him into position for some great photos.

Proof of how windy it was!

A Gaggle of Freemans

2010-01-07T13:34:00.007-06:00

On the last day of 2009 I drove to Comfort for the Freeman family photo shoot. It was a clear, beautiful day, the only thing working against us was the wind. We drove all over the property to take photos in different areas. My favorite was the creek bed, it was beautiful down there. There's something about the Texas Hill Country that has a sweet spot in my heart, I think it has such a certain beauty. I loved working with the Freemans, I've never had their undivided attention because my brother is usually around. You guys were incredibly patient and cooperative, thanks for the fun last day of 2009!

New Prices for 2010!

2009-12-30T18:39:00.002-06:00

Get ready for a new price list for 2010, I'll be revealing the new outline next week!

Elizabeth

2009-11-09T15:46:00.003-06:00

Elizabeth is the little sister to two older brothers, one of which messes with her constantly (James). You would think with that kind of introduction Elizabeth would always be on the defense, watching her back. It isn't so. She is the sweetest, most patient, happy little one-year-old! Her blue eyes and long, dark lashes make it that much easier to get amazing photos of her. I can't wait to watch this little girl grow up, she is more beautiful than I can describe in mere words in my blog. Her sweet spirit, blue eyes and her big toothy smile will one day be making to boys go crazy! Good luck keeping them away, mom and dad!

The Ernst Family

2009-11-04T14:10:00.003-06:00

Stephanie and I have been talking about doing a family portrait for months. Well, it finally went down last Sunday afternoon. As you can see from the photos, Jon and Stephanie have a very hairy daughter, Georgia. The trick to get Georgia to look, I was told, is to ask her, "you want a treat?" I'm pretty sure she will never be my friend because I asked her the magic question about 10 times and never delivered. Oh well, at least she looks good in the family photos!

We did all of these photos in front of Jon and Stephanie's house because their house is super cute and their landscaping looks amazing. They were a piece of cake to photograph because they're such a cute couple! I think Stephanie and I talked after the shoot for longer than it actually took me to photograph them...Jon had taken off on his bike at that point. I promised I wouldn't post photos of him in his spandex, but I'm really, really, really tempted. Woooo woooooooo!

Calvin!

2009-11-02T14:59:00.006-06:00

As many of you faithful blog readers know, I went to Wisconsin a couple of weekends ago to visit Julie and Steve. They have two new additions to the family since the last time I visited, Sparky and Calvin. Which is which you ask? Calvin is the sweet little boy with the bright blue eyes and Sparky is the mischievous, attention deprived, year old yellow lab. I had the privilege of having a bed buddy the first night, it was Sparky, not Calvin. I can tell you one thing, no, two. Sparky is a huge bed hog and he smacks all night long. He reminded me of Clipper, our sweet old golden retriever who would smack all night long. I had forgotten about that until my night with Sparky. Needless to say, he only got to spend one night with me. I love you Sparky!

Julie and I met on my first medical mission in Peru in 2005 and we have kept up ever since. I have been waiting for years for her to have a baby and finally she has! She was crazy enough to think she might be able to make it to the wedding with a three month old, but quickly changed her mind once Calvin came along. Alas, I had to travel to beautiful Wisconsin to meet Calvin, now 9 months and Sparky. The bonus to this fun visit were the amazing fall colors! I looked like a tourist taking photos of all the yellow leaves; that's what I get for living in Texas where fall does not exist. Thanks Julie and Steve for a fun weekend, good cheese and lots of laughs!

I just realized I didn't mention Sidney, I guess it's because he was old news. I would like to apologize to Sid for constantly calling him a her while I was there. To me all cats are girls...I don't know why!

Peyton Nicole

2009-10-14T21:46:00.005-05:00

A bunch of us have been waiting anxiously to meet Chris and Emily's little mini-me. She finally arrived nice and late and perfectly cooked. She was totally alert for most of the 3 hours I was there which surprised her parents. I hope she passed out for hours after that, did she? She did pretty well, except she didn't appreciate being stripped down for her naked photos. She got us back by projectile pooping toward Chris (see last photo). Don't worry, it didn't get on his nice white shirt or the carpet. It was just a warning. Thanks Chris and Emily for letting me photograph your sweet baby girl. I hope you like the photos!

William & Colleen

2009-10-06T12:28:00.005-05:00

William and Colleen met Jay and me at the ranch for their 'official' engagement photo session last weekend. Of course it was a beautiful Saturday morning as we drove toward the ranch and about 10 minutes before we got there the heavens let loose. It rained for the rest of the time we were there, but we managed to squeeze in these photos Sunday morning between rain storms.

I can't believe I just photographed my little brother with his fiance, it's weird to think how much we've shared as siblings. Sometimes I forget which funny little things happened to him and which happened to me. I love this little brother more than I can tell you.

Jillian Kate

2009-10-06T10:02:00.012-05:00

Here is the much awaited Jillian Kate in her first week of life. She was precious on day one and is holding strong to her preciousness. She was so sleepy when I photographed her on day six and was pretty happy to do anything I asked of her. Debra was a little disappointed she didn't open her eyes more, but can you blame her? She's tired. Thanks Deb for saying yes to the photo shoot and for sharing your sweet new life with me and your friends. We all love her and will be by her side as well as yours as she grows and grows!

ACCA Training Institute 2009

2009-09-15T20:35:00.013-05:00

The ACCA (American Contract Compliance Association) Training Institute was a great success! I met so many diverse, interesting people in all kinds of businesses throughout the country. The conference focused an all possible questions or problems pertaining to M/WBE - minority and/or women owned businesses. It was perfect for me to be there popping in and out of the breakout sessions. I learned so much and need to get the ball rolling in becoming my very own certified women owned business! Thanks to everyone who made the long days interesting and educational!!

Get 'Em, Frogs!

2009-09-14T12:24:00.003-05:00

After the great TCU game last weekend, I had to post some school spirit. I've decided that this is the cheerleading squad for the football games this year, Go Frogs Go!

Will and Colleen: Engaged on High

2009-09-08T11:55:00.011-05:00

Over Labor Day my family, minus my sisters, went to Colorado to enjoy the cool weather. Jay and I decided to go last minute which is always fun. This was my third time to be there this summer, kind of ridiculous, I know. But, if it had worked out for you you would have done it too. In addition to the family, William and Colleen had invited Lane and Amber, friends from A&M. My cousin Johnny and two of his friends were also there. It was a good group!

Anyway, the plan was to fish, hike, four wheel, play Mexican Train (a really fun domino game) and conquer Pagosa Peak Sunday. There were eight of us that had hiked it before and three, Jay, Lane and Amber, who had never done this hike/climb before. We set off at 8:45 am up the trail. I neglected to tell Jay what an uphill climb it was for fear he wouldn't want to go. It really is a pretty challenging hike if you don't know what to expect. William and Colleen reached the top in 1.5 hours along with Johnny and Adam. The rest of us made it right at two hours. We took the obligatory photos at the top and each told our stories of getting there. The clouds had started to roll in and we were all basically standing in a cloud at that point.

Dad started rambling about taking Christmas card photos which I thought was random because we all looked pretty 'earthy'. He took a photo of Jay and me and then got Colleen and William together. I had that sneaking sisterly intuition that something big was about to go down and I asked Colleen for her camera so I could get photos of them with hers too. William seemed pretty nervous and wouldn't cooperate in taking a good photo of the two of them. He even proceeded to put Colleen in a head lock...which sounds weird, but is totally something he would do, especially being as nervous a he was. I knew at that point.

Then, to everyone's surprise, William dropped to one knee, pulled out a ring box and asked Colleen to marry him! She of course started crying and said yes. It was a beautiful proposal on top of the mountain at 12,640 ft. with the mountains and valleys of Colorado all around them. The only people in on the secret were mom and dad who had made the climb to watch their son ask Colleen to be his future wife. That being said, everyone was surprised and very excited! I loved being there for such a sweet moment in their lives and can't wait to stand by their side at their wedding. Way to go little brother, the ring is stunning, your future wife is stunning and I couldn't be happier for you!

Another thing that's awesome is I will now be able to call all the cute Dougherty girls my sisters! Yay!

Colorado Highlights

2009-09-03T08:09:00.003-05:00

Growing things...

2009-08-22T10:23:00.004-05:00

Yesterday was a big day in my photography world. I finally upgraded and bought a 50D, boy am I excited!!! I always think it's interesting to note the first photos taken with a new camera. Naturally I went into our little backyard and photographed some of the plants that have survived the Texas heat. My favorite are the succulents in the strawberry pot. That was my mother-in-law's idea, isn't she creative?! The succulents are thriving while our jalapeño plant is finally growing ONE jalapeño! I had to take a photo of the tiny little baby jalapeño, I guess as proof to myself that we did at least get one this summer. I hope it's hot!

2009-08-19T20:33:00.010-05:00

The 'W' kids met me for a photo shoot this Monday. Whew! I tell you what, they were back in action just as I remembered, but with a third team member! Elizabeth (is that spelled correctly?) is soooooooo cute. She is the little girl version of James with the most beautiful blue eyes and a great big smile. Oh so cute!

But, back to the boys. They did great, cooperated perfectly and smiled for every photo...in Sally's dreams! It only took 150 photos to get a few good ones where everyone was looking and smiling at the same time. That's not bad considering there are three of them, it was hot and there was a large expanse of golf course to run around on. I would have been quite distracted if I were 5. I always have a good time with this crew, I just wish it would last longer! Thanks W family!

Now, about Allison

2009-08-17T22:52:00.004-05:00

And now, some photos of Allison from the Philly trip. Her passion is costume design and she has pursued it without hesitation. She is an inspiration to me to follow a dream. She is following hers no matter what is put in her way or what is said to dissuade her. Keep it up little sister, I'm proud of you!

The City of Brotherly Love

2009-08-17T22:40:00.004-05:00

I just realized I never posted photos from my Philly trip! Mom and I flew up there to help younger sister, Allison, pack up her car for her big move! Allison was a great tour guide. She hauled mom and me around the city and then did it again when Jay and Homeyer joined us Friday to Sunday. Good times were had, Jay loved the history, I loved the architecture. Enjoy the photos!

2009-08-13T07:46:00.001-05:00

And here we leave her with flowers and love next to her dear husband and children.

Big Mama

2009-07-30T22:27:00.002-05:00

My sweet little grandmother, Big Mama is currently working on leaving this world to move on up to heaven. It's heart breaking for me as she has always been so loving and totally devoted to me throughout my whole life. She is the perfect example of a true lady who has lived her life for others. Her smile is her most famous feature, it is genuine and shared with everyone she meets. When I meet a mutual acquaintance of hers (and there are a lot of them) that is the first thing they comment about, her smile. She has more friends than she can count which is a testament to what a wonderful, loving woman she is. Many of the characteristics in Proverbs 31 about the virtuous wife describe Big Mama and her marriage to Big Daddy. What a great example of love, generosity, positivity, marriage, family and faith. She is the one who told me that I "don't need to say everything I think," which has proven to be difficult for me, but is wise advise that I'm still working on. I love you, Big M.

Stephanie

2009-07-13T09:13:00.008-05:00

Look how cool All Good Cafe in Deep Ellum looks right now! If Jay would let me, I would decorate our ceilings the same way. There is something so peaceful about Origami birds flying in a room. Proof of the calming effect; they have a cluster of them over the cold, uncomfortable table you lay on in my gyno's office...

These photos of Stephanie are from a few weeks ago, but I had to post them because she is beautiful! She needed new headshots for her acting career, I of course like an assignment like that. I get to be more creative than the typical 'corporate' headshot, so it's a good day for me! We spent a few hours together, scouting places, shooting, sweating and having fun. It was W-I-N-D-Y as you can see from the last photo. She looks amazing considering her hair was blowing like that between every 'normal' shot I got. I wish my hair would cooperate that well! Thanks Steph, I love your photos!

Molly Makes Her Debut!

2009-06-01T21:11:00.002-05:00

This is Molly, the first baby to be born into Jay's family since Jay. I can't imagine that with the crazy huge family I come from! We have new babies to play with every year. As you can imagine, the T family is ecstatic! Molly has the cutest profile, just look at it, such a cute little button nose! Molly did really well during her first modeling experience. She eventually got tired of us twisting her into different positions, dressing and undressing her, etc., but Natalie knows a cool trick to help with that. When Molly's crying and can't get comfortable, Natalie turns on the hairdryer and she's instantly soothed. I guess it's the constant noise? We used that trick quite a bit (good thing I had Jay to be the designated hair dryer controller). Molly only had one accident during the shoot and it went right into Daddy's hand which made the clean up easy for me! During naked baby shoots it's not IF, but WHEN will the baby relieve themselves. I'm always interested to see how it plays out. I had so much fun photographing her and her parents during a rainy Saturday morning. Bonus, they treated Jay and me to some homemade brunch after the shoot, which was a treat! Enjoy the photos of cute little Molly!

Emma Louise is FINALLY here!

2009-05-19T08:11:00.007-05:00

I have been waiting for this baby since Jenny told me she was pregnant, and gosh it felt like I waited way longer than nine months. I wonder how long it felt for Jenny? Of course Jenny and Tim found out what the baby was before hand...planning, you know. And of course they wouldn't tell us her name so I named Jenny's baby belly my two favorite girl names. Stella Isabella. Apparently it stuck with more than just Laurie and me, Jenny's family started using it too. It's catchy! Then I nicknamed Stella Isabella's nickname and just called her SID. Anyway, I've been waiting for this baby for a long time.

Jenny and I got to walk through major life changes together, she having a baby and me getting married. In the end they happened to coincide about two days apart. The fact that we were both expanding our families gave us a special bond that we could talk about every time we were together. She gave me lots of marriage advice, I gave her lots of baby advice (I don't know how great my advice was since I've never had a baby, but, I must say, there is constantly a baby in my family to practice on). I loved getting to share this time with you, Jenny (and Tim) and I think your baby is precious!!!! Thank you for letting me photograph her and I hope you enjoy these photos!

The new Mrs. Rubottom - ME!

2009-05-10T09:04:00.004-05:00

I'm finally back from getting married, honeymooning in Costa Rica and moving! What fun!

Summertime is here and it's time to start thinking about your Christmas card photo. Send me an email to set up your next photo session!

Deanna turns one!

2009-03-12T16:09:00.008-05:00

Last Sunday Deanna and Andrew celebrated their one-year-old birthdays at Gymboree. I had the honor of photographing the event. It's fun to watch all those little people be stimulated with so many colors, shapes, songs and physical activities. I loved watching their parents react to all of it too! When it was time for cake, I got excited about watching her demolish her piece. To my surprise, she ate her cake like a lady! That was the cleanest one-year-old cake experience I have witnessed. I loved getting to see her and share her birthday, she is still so cute and petit and always has a big smile on her face. I could just pinch her all day!!

William's Debut, He's Two!

2009-03-12T15:47:00.005-05:00

So Robin and I finally worked out an afternoon to take William's two-year photos. We were only two months late, not too bad considering we are both pretty busy! As you'll see in the first photo, it took some bribing on Robin's part to make William cooperate, but I got good pictures regardless. I love how he's shoving the chocolate covered raisins into his mouth with his WHOLE hand. It was entertaining to watch! All the flowering trees are in bloom so I made Robin hoist him above her head to get that beautiful tree behind him. I'm sure she was not too thrilled, the kid is heavy, but hopefully she'll think the picture was worth it, I do!

Price List 2009

2009-02-17T18:22:00.004-06:00

Nick

2009-02-17T18:06:00.002-06:00

I took these photos of Nick about a month ago and haven't gotten around to uploading due to wedding planning distractions. He is a GREAT kid and was one of the easiest people to photograph. I hope these head shots help him in his budding acting career!

Baby Lily

2009-01-13T16:43:00.002-06:00

Dani and Brandon Wed!

2008-12-15T13:07:00.007-06:00

Dani and Brandon finally said 'I do' a few weeks ago. We have all been looking forward to this one. It was special watching/photographing two great friends who compliment each other so well unite in marriage. The day was cloudy and cold with a few drizzles (see photo of girls using my light reflector as a cover for Dani), but when it was time for Dani to walk down the aisle, the sun came out! It was a beautiful evening with a perfectly pink sunset. Talk about having faith right up to the crucial moment! The reception was beautiful and everyone enjoyed great food and fun dancing. Congratulations Dani and Brandon!!

'Ol McDonald had a photo shoot...

2008-12-05T11:37:00.003-06:00

Ei ei o! Yesterday was cold, but not cold enough to keep Braeden and his parents from venturing out to the Arboretum for some family photos! He was exceptionally smiley which made my job really easy. We got lucky, the Arboretum minions had been raking leaves and left their piles unattended. They were exactly what I was looking for to plop Braeden in for some fall photos in his awesome orange sweater. Get a load of those colorful photos! Then we went on to try to get some family christmas card combos. The DeGolyer Mansion with all the Christmas displayes closed early so we missed that opportunity, but we were able to find some Christmas seasonish stuff that worked. My favorite photo is of Justin's face after he wiped a huge snotty booger off Braeden's face. You gotta do what you gotta do to keep your kid looking top notch!

Beck Wedding in Ennis

2008-12-03T08:14:00.005-06:00

I know it has been 3.5 weeks, but I am finally able to put up some photos from the beautiful wedding in Ennis at the Howard home. I love the Howards a lot...a whole lot . And when Carol told me Adam and Amber were getting married at their home I offered my services immediately. What better strategy to be around their family for a whole day! Jay and I went over a week before to help hang lights in the trees, yet another sneaky way to spend a day with the fam. The weather was perfect, the wedding was intimate and I loved getting to watch all of them celebrate this wonderful event! The photos start off with all the family crowded in the kitchen eating and helping with the prep. Then of course there's Michael fixing his holy toilet that blew up on him that morning. After that are all the wedding pics. Isn't Amber beautiful? I hope I look half as good as her on my wedding day! I love you Carol!

Katie is soooo cute!

2008-12-02T17:00:00.003-06:00

This is Katie, she's got a big personality and has all of her family wrapped around her tiny little finger. I guess she can add me to the count too. I had so much fun with this family, they are totally laid back and they laugh a lot! Enjoy Katie's photos!!

B-U-S-Y!!!

2008-12-02T13:24:00.002-06:00

I have so many photos I need to post I don't know where to begin...
It's Christmas time, everyone realizes at once that it's time to send out cards, they need photos, who do they call? Not the Ghostbusters, ME!!! This is an example of how hardcore I've been the last few weeks. A few weekends ago my friends and I celebrated Erin's last few weekends of singledom with a bachelorette party. Saturday was hang out day along with some spa action and dinner/festivities. Saturday I had a 9 am shoot at the Arboretum, followed by a 10am shoot, followed by a 12:30 shoot at SMU. I stopped by the bachelorette party house for breakfast between the 10am and the 12:30 so they would know I wasn't ditching them, just trying to make a living. After the 12:30, I raced to the spa to meet up with them and was late, of course. I then went home, uploaded photos, put my feet up and got ready for the rest of the evening. The next day I had a wedding to shoot in Ennis. That's what it has been like the past few weeks and I love it!!! The only problem is keeping the blog up to date. When you have three shoots at once, it's hard to give everyone their fair share of blog fame.

The 9am shoot from the crazy weekend...

Ella and Emilee!

2008-11-19T22:53:00.005-06:00

I love these girls! They are cooperative and cute and their mom makes them laugh. We started out with a family shoot for the '08 Christmas Card and followed up with just the girls. Emilee is still pretty fresh and new to the family, but she fits right in! That's her extreme close up glamor shot near the bottom. Ella started out among the wild Texas grasses, but ended up in the roses, which is fitting because she IS Ella Rose! The last photo captures the girls escaping up the steps...the sign that all good photographers should recognize as the end to a great shoot!

Erin & Daniel

2008-10-14T14:08:00.010-05:00

Jay and I drove to Fort Worth last Sunday to photograph Erin and Daniel's engagement pictures. I have been looking forward to this shoot because both are fellow TCU friends who are FINALLY engaged. Erin called before the shoot to warn me that Daniel is a little camera shy...doesn't look like it in these photos! We went all over Sundance Square in downtown Fort Worth to find cool places to photograph them. It's not too hard to make beautiful photos in Fort Worth, everything is pleasing to the eye. Thanks for the fun Sunday evening, I hope you like your photos as much as I do!

Dani & Brandon

2008-10-08T12:37:00.005-05:00

I finally got to shoot Dani and Brandon's engagement pictures a couple of weeks ago. We have been postponing due to schedule conflicts and life, but it was finally time! We met at TCU for some Horned Frog reminiscing and to use the beautiful campus. Dani and Brandon are mutual friends of mine and met at TCU years ago and dated, but it wasn't until Brandon was on a random camping trip with me and some others that he was convinced (via me making him worry because Dani was a 'non-committed relationship' woman in Vegas that weekend) that he should make it official with Dani. They give me credit for their relationship becoming official which I think is funny because I had not intention of scaring Brandon into it. But, I am glad it worked because Dani really liked him and when they called and told me they were engaged, I was thankful for that weekend camping trip! Long story, I know, but I'm really excited to shoot their wedding in November because of our history!

Oh, and in the last photo you can see my little assistant helping me during the shoot. He's always good for a few laughs!

Christmas Card Special Offer!

2008-09-24T13:15:00.003-05:00

It's Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas! Okay, maybe not, but it's time to start thinking about Christmas Cards!! I can remember my poor mom hauling us out to the backyard or anywhere else with a 'nice' background, but not before a lot of complaining and comments like, "but, I have nothing to wear!" Once we finally reached our location my siblings and I did our best to misbehave and make the worst faces possible to which our mother would respond, "you'll be sorry when I use that photo for our Christmas card!" We all knew in the back of our minds that she wouldn't, but still, it was a little frightening that maybe that year she actually would.

Does this story remind you of your experience last year? If so, use me instead! Your kids can't complain and make silly faces because they're being photographed by someone 'professional'. Just the sound of that word creates a weird respect and cooperativeness in most kids. They will still complain to you before, but they'll realize afterward it was pretty painless since they weren't fighting it the whole time.

I'll upload some Christmas Card photos from previous years. In addition to photographing your family I am also able to help you select your card template or custom card. Keep that in mind! Thanks!

I have developed an easy pricing method for this season.
$250 included sitting fee and $100 toward your print order. The number of prints you receive depends on the size you select, here is the breakdown:
4x6 print - 185 included; $0.75 for each additional print
5x7 print - 125 included; $1.12 for each additional print
4x8 print (legal size envelope) - 100 included; $1.26 for each additional print (this size option includes the template w/photo)

Art for Sale!

2008-08-28T11:00:00.004-05:00

I finally accomplished one step of a major goal of mine. I have photographs hanging on the walls in Arlington's Coffee Haus Downtown (208 Mesquite)! And they're for sale! I am very thankful for this opportunity because this is something I have wanted to do for a long time. I felt excited and rejuvenated as I walked out of the coffee shop, leaving behind eight pieces of my soul. Jay and I went directly to Piranha Sushi in Arlington to celebrate (the best sushi place, by far).

My next step will be to find more venues for my photos. Eventually I would love to have a show of my work in a gallery...that's the final step of my goal. It is always something I have imagined, having an opening for a show of my work...cool.

Thank you to Thomas Horton of the Coffee Haus. Thomas knows a ton about coffee and buys the beans and then roasts them in the store. His coffee is great because he is passionate about it, stop by and have a cup!

The prints for sale in the Coffee Haus are featured here.

Braeden is 1/2 a year old!

2008-08-13T18:24:00.006-05:00

Yesterday I photographed Braeden with the big blue eyes! He did so well, he didn't cry or complain the whole time. He didn't even relieve himself on my blanket/background during his naked shots...that's incredible! Braeden's photo shoot ended differently than most 6 month olds, he fell asleep. Usually they end in crying exhaustion (not me, the baby) which is expected after having a camera in your face for so long.

After Braeden drifted off into sleepy land, Sharmila had a GREAT idea. We covered him in a pile of his stuffed animals until only his face was showing. SO CUTE! This was a great shoot!

4 Month Deanna

2008-08-13T17:04:00.003-05:00

A week before the big engagement, I took Deanna's 4 month photos. In the engagement story I talked about how I had worked on some photos alllll day long which led to my extremely relaxed attire. These were the photos I was talking about, it just took me a while to get them posted. I've been lost in the world of wedding planning...whew!

Deanna, her parents, grandparents, uncle and I went to the park near their house to get a few photos of all of them together and a lot of the new and improved Deanna! She has grown so much and has such a sweet smile! It was quite hot and everyone was feeling the heat, but it was worth it because we got some great photos. Thanks to all of you for sweating through it with me!

At Last...

2008-07-31T09:33:00.003-05:00

We're engaged!!

"You call me teacher and Lord, and rightly so, for that is what I am. Now that I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also should wash one another's feet. I have set you an example that you should do as I have done for you. I tell you the truth, no servant is greater than his master, nor is a messenger greater than the one who sent him. Now that you know these things, you will be blessed if you do them." John 13:13-17

Jay read this verse to me to talk about how Jesus served us and his disciples by not only washing their feet, which was considered a lowly servant's work in those days, but also by His sacrifice on the cross for our salvation. Before he proposed, Jay washed my feet as an example of how we are to serve one another in our marriage no matter the sacrifice we have to make for each other.

The first few photos are of Jay's set up before I got there. He and his friend, Ben, moved all the furniture out of my living room (except for the 9ft. couch, of course) and put candles, flower petals and three photos in the room. Jay also draped a chair in the middle of the room and had music playing.

So here is where I come into the story. I was at bible study during this whole set up process. I had been working on some photos all day and had not even washed my face. I was still wearing the shirt I slept in and some running shorts with my hair in a ponytail. Obviously no idea proposal was even an option! I wouldn't have looked like a scrub. I came home, walked in the door and said, "seriously?" Jay asked me to sit down, I hugged him first, he was shaking like crazy. I started crying. He talked about John 13 (above) and serving each other, then he washed my feet as Jesus had washed his disciples feet. He then propped up a knee, whipped out a beautiful ring in a nifty lighted box and asked me to marry him (he was still shaking). I said, "of course." Then we prayed together. Wow, I was surprised. The ring is perfect, the whole set up was perfect, Jay is perfect. Then we took some posed photos after I changed into something a little bit nicer. Ben came back over to help Jay move all of my furniture back and then we called our parents, etc. and went to celebrate with a glass of wine at Cru. It was so fun to wake everybody up on a work night to tell them the news! Yay!

We don't have a date set and are not talking about it until tomorrow. Enjoy the photos!

Gotta Love Chipmunks!

2008-07-10T18:39:00.004-05:00

I just got back from a relaxing week (and a half) in Colorado! Ahhhhhh (sigh, not scream). Hiking, reading, 4 wheeling, learning to fly fish, playing Mexican Train...it was all great! To make it even better, Jay's mom has a few furry friends she entices with delicious grub (birdseed and basically everything you would in your compost). They were so enthralled with stuffing their cheeks, I was able to snap some photos of those cute little furry chipmunks!
After last week and being with so many dogs I think I am officially going to begin my dog portrait niche. I keep talking about it, but I think it's time to do it!

Father Mac's 'A'Wake Party

2008-06-25T22:47:00.008-05:00

When Jenny asked me to photograph her husband's grandfathers awake party, my first reaction was, "what, you want me to photograph a wake?" She laughed her Jenny laugh and explained that he wanted to have a party BEFORE he dies with all the people who would most likely show up for his funeral. That way he can enjoy their company and friendship now rather than after he's gone. It's not morbid at all, I promise, he's got a great sense of humor! He was an episcopal pastor for years and years and has touched hundreds, maybe thousands, of lives. His backyard party was VERY well attended and I understood why after being there a couple of hours. Father Mac is personable, loving and really funny! I felt blessed to be there listening to why and how people knew him, he is special to so many people. What a great idea to enjoy your friends at your A Wake party!

Will You Marry Me?

2008-06-25T22:39:00.008-05:00

Gene called me a month ago to reserve me for Sunday June 22. He was surprising his girlfriend, Jessica, of 5 years with a proposal in Texas Stadium and he wanted it photographed! What a guy to think ahead that far! He also arranged to have her best friend there to videotape. I showed up at the appointed time more nervous than him, I think. I was so excited to be there and I didn't want to miss that special moment! They finally walked out onto the field and I got my camera ready. They tossed the football around for awhile until he finally got her down to the center of the field. After about a minute he dropped down to one knee (this is no easy feat for a 6'108" guy...he's tall). Her reaction was great! She was excited, surprised, crying, and beaming all at once, I loved photographing it! She had no clue she was being photographed or videotaped until he pointed us out. I got some great shots of them on the field together, I love love! Thanks for including me in your special day, Congratulations!

Randall & James

2008-06-25T22:35:00.003-05:00

It's time for Randall and James again! I love photographing Randall, he's such a great kid and will do whatever you ask him to. That makes my job pretty easy! James on the other hand had to be bribed with some fruit snacks. He's so cute it doesn't even matter. His little freckles and smile make me laugh! Granny had thought ahead and told both boys if they were extra good they could go to Toys R' Us. Who says bribery is bad?

The B/S Family

2008-06-25T22:29:00.003-05:00

I was able to visit Amber and her family at the beginning of June! I got to meet her sister and sister's husband this time. The whole fam was in town for Savannah's graduation and they were nice enough to include me. Amber and I were nice and cozy on an old school blow up mattress in the living room, it doesn't get much better than that! Before I left I took their family photo in the bright, hot, noon sun. I know they were sweaty and hot, but it was worth it! I got a few really great shots of them.

Frida Birthday...Again!

2008-06-25T22:05:00.008-05:00

I love Frida Kahlo. I think she was a great artist even though some may view a few of her paintings as somewhat graphic. She experienced a lot of pain in her life and dealt with it by putting it on canvas. I admire and respect her for this. Other than that and really liking the vibrant colors she uses, I'm not sure why I'm so obsessed with Frida.

I had a themed birthday party two years ago that had to do with travel. So, I dressed up like Frida...it sort of worked for the theme. It definitely worked for shock factor!

Frida has continued to show up since then so I decided to have a Frida themed birthday party this year. We dined at Frida's Mexican Bistro on Cedar Springs (I highly recommend it, try a Frida Rita)! What made this year fun was everyone got their own unibrow. Even the waitresses and the owner of the restaurant wanted one! What a night! Emily and Robyn crafted a red and green cake with Frida and flowers on the top, it was amazing! I don't think I've ever had such a fun birthday. What made it so special were my dear friends and family who were there. Moral of the story: In order to have a really fun party you need props and unibrows seem to do the trick!

Ben is One!

2008-06-25T21:28:00.003-05:00

Ben's First Birthday was a good one! He succeeded in keeping his hat on, making some cute faces, blowing out his candle with his big brother's help and getting cake all over his face. The photo where he's slouched in his chair with 'the ben' look on his face could be a 'turning another year older?' card. Haha!

The Willy Build-Habitat

2008-05-27T16:11:00.005-05:00

Matilda was kind enough to include Jay and me in participating in the dedication of this years Habitat HPUMC Willie Build house (www.williebuild.com). The whole experience was special; Willie's family was there, the Solis family receiving the house was precious and the volunteers poured out in pink shirts to show their support. I was honored to be able to snap a few photos of this event. Not only did Habitat and HPUMC volunteers build this house, some of them also painted the church across the street. It was such a neat group of people!

Owen is One!

2008-05-27T15:52:00.002-05:00

This is Owen and these are his one-year-old photos! I've been taking a lot of one year shots recently and I love it! Owen's mom and I met at Lakeside Park to document his first year of life. I think the photoshoot was not as exciting for him as trying to speed crawl into the river. He kept us on our toes!

Owen's defining features are his pretty red hair that constantly sticks up in the back (precious) and his tongue curling trick. Both are what make him so irresistible...and his chunky arms and legs too! I loved photographing Owen, I hope his family likes his photos!

Ahhh

2008-05-08T11:23:00.003-05:00

Oh yeah, I also have to share this photo. Luke wanted me to make sure I took a photo of him making this face, he even requested to see it right after I took it so he could approve. He liked it.

Abbie is One!

2008-05-08T11:04:00.004-05:00

Abbie is one-year-old and she still doesn't have much hair! She was pretty entertaining during her indoor shoot and she was totally distracted by her three brothers...but that's how it is in this house. With four kids constant movement is expected. Once we moved them outside to get all four in a photo, it got interesting. I wish I could post all the photos I took in order to capture a few with all four kids semi-smiling to smiling because they are hilarious! See photo 4 four an example of how most photos look (left) and the rare all smiling at once (right) that becomes the photo you love forever. What a hoot!

Another Mouse in the House...

2008-05-05T21:21:00.003-05:00

I was able to photograph a sweet little girl...finally! She's one month old and belongs to two die hard Disney lovers. They actually met while working at The Disney Store during college. They have Disney everywhere you turn in their house, I was lucky enough to get a full tour. It's amazing! To fit with their love of Disney their baby announcement will have "Another Mouse in the House" theme. They even had a Mickey hat with Deanna's name on it, talk about prepared!

The Impossible, Possible Project

2008-05-05T21:08:00.004-05:00

This is a project my grandfather gave me recently. He said "I've never seen a full rainbow at the ranch, this is probably the only one I'll see in my life. Is it possible for you to put these two photos together to make one complete rainbow photo?" I thought..."hmmm, not sure, that might be impossible, but possible." I began my project and soon ran into one major problem, Grandpa didn't take photos of the complete rainbow. If I stuck them together they formed an odd shape so I had to improvise and add a little in the middle and to the top too. Here are the orginial photos and the completed masterpiece!

Andrea & Kevin - Jamaica

2008-04-29T23:31:00.003-05:00

Andrea and Kevin and their wonderful family and friends gathered together in Jamaica last weekend to get hitched Jamaican style! It was such a fun weekend filled with so many people who love them. Their wedding was beautiful, the friendship was strong and the love was overflowing. This wedding was special because of the people who were there to support this marriage...what a perfect four days!

Davis is here!

2008-04-21T19:01:00.003-05:00

I finally got to meet Davis! He's tiny and really cute. He looks just like his mama with a definite mixture of his dad somewhere in there. In between feeding and burping him we took a few pics to document his one-month-old life. I'm looking forward to watching this little boy grow up!

The A Team!

2008-04-14T08:37:00.004-05:00

This is the A Family. They traveled to Fort Worth from all over the U.S. to celebrate their parent's 50th wedding anniversary. They invited me to photograph them for a couple of hours on a chilly Saturday morning. What a group! They were so sweet and cooperative the whole time. We ran around downtown Fort Worth for over an hour taking pictures in cool places only Fort Worth can offer. They got the hang of it pretty quickly, they arranged themselves in photo #2 in about 5 seconds in the middle of traffic! Photo #3 shows the chaos behind the order. Thanks A family, I hope I'll see all of you again soon!

Casa Hogar Juan Pablo II

2008-03-27T16:36:00.013-05:00

These are a few photos from the orphanage where I stay in Peru with my friend, Amber. It is a beautiful, thriving oasis between the dirty, slums of Lurin, Peru (photo 5). They take great care in maintaining the grounds, the buildings and the kids. It is a wonderful place for the children who are fortunate enough to be in this place. They receive a safe shelter, an education, a functioning family environment and access to building their faith. It was started by Father Joe (photo 2) who passed on in 2006. It is being run by Father Sebastian (photo 1&4) and my friend, Amber. To see Casa Hogar, send a donation or sponsor a child, go to www.casahogarjuanpablo2.org.

Kids/Babies in the hospital

2008-03-23T00:23:00.008-05:00

Annie and I visited other wards in the hospital to hand out blankets and stuffed animals that kids from her school had donated. We visited the premies, the burn unit, the pre-op unit, and the terminal illness unit. It was difficult to see some of these children because they were in pain or had been abandoned. However, most of them were happy and excited to receive goodies!

Medical Mission 2008-Lima, Peru

2008-03-22T23:50:00.004-05:00

I returned to Peru for the fourth year in a row to photograph the Sharing Resources Worldwide Medical Mission. This year we were at the Children's Hospital in Lima. We had one doctor operating on eyes (strabismus) and an ENT who worked mostly on repairing perforated eardrums and mastoidectomies. The surgeries went well and 49 kids were operated on successfully!

Random Shots To/From Manu

2008-03-17T22:17:00.003-05:00

Some nice shots on our wait to get the heck out of Manu

Machu Picchu

2008-03-17T22:10:00.000-05:00

The magnificient and unimaginable Machu Picchu!

The Fisheye Reincarnated

2008-02-19T21:22:00.002-06:00

I found my old, cheap, screw on fisheye lens a la the streets of New York. I decided to try it out with my digital camera since the last time I used it I was still shooting strictly film. It works and IT'S FUN! A little color is lost, but can be added back with Photoshop. I'll definitely be incorporating the fisheye into more shots!

Seeing Amber via Skype

2008-02-13T17:47:00.003-06:00

Being able to see and talk to Amber on Skype a few days ago made my day and lessened the huge Amber void. It really is amazing that I can talk to my friend in Peru via the internet for free. I am part of the technological age and it still amazes me. I was so excited, I decided to take some portraits of Amber during our convo. In photo two you get a bonus because you can see Megan in the background. Photo 4 features Amber hard at work, speaking in very rapid spanish, of course. She surprised me with some monkey antics before signing off (photo 5)...not so surprising. I miss you!