Newborn: Gabriel Luke

Be still my heart. How cute?!? Don't you love pictures of sleeping babies?

I went to elementary, middle, and high school with this little guy's parents. Chandra and I marched in the band and were on yearbook staff together. We met for lunch dates during college. Chandra's pretty awesome. 

Chandra and Josh welcomed Gabriel Luke on July 31. 

Isn't this little guy adorable? He was so calm and so tiny and so sweet during our session.

His brothers, Isaac and Jonas, are in love with him already. 

Jonas was so excited to show off his brother. When I arrived, he had to check me out to make sure that I was safe for his new little brother. It was so sweet!

Congrats on your new family of 5, Josh & Chandra! Love you guys!

Robert, Kelli, and Ryker

Special thanks to these guys! This is Robert, Kelli, and little Ryker. Cute name, even cuter baby!!

I really enjoyed getting to know these guys. I've known them for a few years, but finally we got to spend some time together. They were so much fun! 

I absolutely loved watching Kelli and Ryker. She's such a good momma. 

Aw. Maybe it is just the momma in me, but I LOVE this photo of Kelli and Ryker. Some of my favorite times with my own little have been feeding, rocking, and snuggling as she sleeps in my arms. Pictures of momma and baby are some of the most precious things!

Doesn't Kelli just glow here?!?

Ryker Jace

Cousins!!

I love how in the middle photo he looks at her like, "What are you doing here?"

Tatum Senior 2016: Denarius

I am so excited to present Denarius, one of our very first senior ambassadors. He is a Class of 2016 Tatum Senior. 

This guy is intense. He's a triple threat: he's an incredible football and track athlete (check out the ridiculousness of the medals below), he's smart (he wants to major in engineering in college), and he's a good looking and respectful guy. He constantly replied with "yes, ma'am" or "no, ma'am." Let me tell you, I find that to be an amazing quality in a high school student. 

As you can tell, this guy is crazy fast. He said that is is only 1/3 of his medals! Wow. 

I told you, super good looking.

He pulled out this championship ring like it was nothing. Guys, Denarius is super humble. He didn't brag about his accomplishments. He let his achievements speak for themselves. I'm super impressed by his attitude.

Doesn't he look like a superhero?

I absolutely can't wait for his senior year. This guy will make some waves. 

Our entire session, this guy was all smiles. I really enjoyed working with him. 

This session was especially fun because Denarius and Karsyn wanted some shots together for the Tatum football program. Look for their picture! 

This is an awesome power couple. They both bring it on the field and in the classroom. 

Aren't they too cute?!?

Pet Project: Nala

One thing about photography: you want to always keep learning, keep pushing yourself, keep growing. Here's a pet project of mine (pun intended). 

Nala is a 8 month old Siberian Husky. She's the joy of her owner's eye. He absolutely loves his fur baby. I completely understand. My husband and I had a husky & Australian shepherd that was our fur baby. We LOVED that dog. So, I completely understand the puppies being your fur baby mentality. 

We took to the dog park in Longview to play fetch, run, and enjoy the warm summer evening. I am so thankful for the dog park- so is Nala. 

I'd love to take some pictures of you and your fur baby!

Franklin Family: 2015

This family is one of my favorite to photograph. I might be biased: they are family! They have always given in to my requests over the years to follow them around with my camera. During my first film class in college, Ruger, their oldest, made his entrance to the world. I remember taking film pictures of the few day old little man while he slept on Justin and Julie's dining room table in their one bedroom apartment. Aw! My heart gets all happy just thinking about it! I processed the film in the darkroom. I was so worried that I would ruin the precious film and lose the precious photos of their adorable baby. Guys, I had only processed a few rolls of film before Ruger was born. I won't lie, I might have spent a few days building up my courage to process this roll of film. Once I built up the guts to break into the film canister, I headed toward the darkroom. As the image appeared on the paper, my heart sang. It was adorable. 

Things have changed for me since this guy was born. I've switched to digital. Don't get me wrong. I LOVE the art of film photography. That's exactly what it is: ART. But, I'm kind of a tech geek. I love my computer and all the techie stuff that goes along with digital photography. I applaud those photographers that still jump in the darkroom. 

I absolutely love watching these boys grow up both through living life with them and from behind my lens. I have hundreds of pictures of these boys, and I plan to take hundreds more. Their parents are doing such a great job. These boys are respectful and sweet. They have their own personalities and interests. And aren't they good looking fellas?!? I mean, those eyes!

Look for this image in the Hallsville Bobcat football program this year! Denny's of Longview (view Facebook page here) bought a full page and I designed the ad! 

I love it. 

Landon Evenson

Sometimes, you just find someone who loves to be in front of the camera. 

Since his mommy takes lots of photos (see her portfolio here), he knows the drill, knows the poses, and can work the camera. 

Landon is such a sweetie. I might be partial- he loves my Lucy... and I love those that love my little one. 

Landon is starting his first year of school this year. Preschool! Best of luck, Landon. 

Back to School Minis 2015

This week we are shooting back to school minis! 

What's a mini?

A mini is a shorter session. We pick the location, props, theme, etc. You show up, look beautiful, and get awesome pictures without all the planning of a more personalized session. 

What do I get?

  • 30 minute session on location of photographer's choosing
  • 1 digital file with limited print release (with the option to buy additional)
  • gallery posted online and in an app (iPhone and android)
  • 1 mini accordion book
  • a few other surprises!

Other Comments

These are turning out SUPER cute, and aren't only for the younger kids. These would be super fun for a quick senior session. 

We have limited spaces available, and the sessions are filling up fast! There are only a few spots remaining. We only offer a few mini sessions each year. Don't wait, schedule yours today. 

Reasons to Hire a Photographer

Ever wonder what are some occasions to hire a photographer? We live in a photo centric culture. Most of us take and share multiple pictures a day with our smartphones. We love to share images. We love to show the world what we are doing and experiencing.

More obvious occasions that need no explanation:

  • Wedding
  • Maternity
  • Newborn
  • Senior
  • Engagements & Save the Dates
  • Update to the family pictures
  • New pet

Other, more creative ideas include:

Surprise engagements

So, you found the "one." And you know you want to spend the rest of your life with this special person. You've bought the ring. It's beautiful. You've planned the day of the proposal. It will be magical. What's left? A photographer! 

When my husband proposed, it was special. I remember every moment. What was even more special, was that someone close by took a few pictures to capture my reaction when he went down on one knee. 

Those reactions and moments are priceless. You can't relive those in an engagement session. Let's work together to surprise your significant other with pictures that they will treasure for a lifetime. Even better- these will be perfect pictures to use as save the dates, at showers, and even the wedding. 

Surprise announcements

You and your spouse just found out: your home will be growing by two feet! Two baby feet that is. Some of the most precious baby announcements include the smiling faces of the soon-to-be mommy and daddy (and possibly soon-to-be big siblings). We would love to plan a session announcing that you have a new little bundle of joy on the way.

Have other surprise announcements to make? Perhaps your service man or woman is on the way home. Perhaps YOU are the service man or woman. We'd love to capture the faces of your family members as you walk into the room.  

Besties

Have a friend (or friends) that knows everything about you? Do you finish each others' sentences? A besties session is perfect to show the world that your friend is your BFF. Are you a senior and you have a friend or several friends with whom you are inseparable? Tack on a besties session to your senior session. Bring your friends. Have fun. Make memories. 

Showers / Parties

Are you planning a baby or wedding shower or a first, one hundredth, birthday or a fiftieth anniversary? Do you have a block party in the works? We'd love to help you remember this day for years to come. 

Baby showers and wedding showers often get pushed to the wayside in light of the main event: the birth or the wedding. No, the showers are not quite as important as a new life entering the world or a couple pledging their lives to each other. But, showers are a time for family and friends to gather and celebrate in anticipation of these monumental occasions. 

Are you in the armed forces and attending a military ball? We'd love to work with you in any way we could!

Business

Do you own a business? Do you have clients with whom you work? Are there still stock photos on your website? Or, are your images on your website outdated? Do you need several images to use on your social media sites? We'd love to discuss options for how we could serve you!

Check out the Denny's in Longview on Highway 259. Delicious food, excellent waitstaff, and awesome management. 

Is it campaign time? Consider hiring a photographer to work with you for your political rallies, social media, and other meetings you may have. 

Girls' Night

Want to have a night full of makeup, pampering, fun, laughter, (and of course coffee!)? Let us get everything organized for you. We'll provide the makeup artist and hair stylist. We'll provide the snacks. We can add other aspects, too. Just let us know what you are thinking! You just bring your best girl friends and gorgeous self.

This would be perfect for:

  • Girls getting ready for homecoming, prom, formal, high school event, college formal, etc
  • A bachelorette party
  • New mommy's first night away from baby
  • Just because!

Tea Party 

This is basically the same idea as above, but to include the littles in your life. Sometimes, mommies need to find something to do with other mommies. I'm super busy with my little one. She keeps me on my toes all day long!  At the same time, sometimes it is nice to get out and do something "little" friendly but that is enjoyable for us mommies, too. That's where the tea party comes in. 

The mommies get pampered. They get their makeup and hair done. The littles get to play together! Little need a nap? That's fine. We can accommodate.

The types of pictures you can expect from this type of shoot include:

  • Mommies playing with their littles
  • Mommies getting pampered
  • Littles playing with each other
  • Individual littles at their shabby chic tea party

Just Because

Who says you have to have a reason to have your pictures made? Schedule a session just because! Other ideas include:

  • Date night
  • Vacation (oooo!!! We love to travel!)
  • A day in  the life / Saturday morning

Thought of something not mentioned? Shoot us a message! 

What to Bring

A good question you might have is “What all should I bring to our photoshoot?” Or some of you might be thinking, “Um, was I supposed to bring something?” Either way, this list is for you! We’ve outlined a short list of suggestive things that we think might make you feel more comfortable during one of our sessions.

This is how I really work. My coffee. My lens.


Clothes.

Please, please wear clothes. Unless you are under 15 days old. Then OMG we love the baby wrinkles! Wear outfits that are timeless. Don’t go for “Sunday Best.” Although those are often cute outfits, most people are not super comfortable in the “Sunday Best” outfits. We want you to be comfortable. Believe it or not, you can really tell when someone is uncomfortable in an outfit. 

Be prepared with an extra outfit, especially with children. It is bound to happen: if you don’t bring an extra outfit, someone will get a grass stain, spill a bright red drink, or rip the knees. 

Water.

We are in Texas guys. It is hot! Even when it isn’t hot, it’s still hot. It is nice to be able to take a quick drink to wet your lips and remove the cotton-mouth feel right before you need to smile.

Snacks for the kids.

Guys. As a first time mom, I am learning the power of carrying around snacks. It’s like sparkly crazy magic. Sometimes a puff, or cracker, or squeeze pouch can do wonders for a fussy tantrum. Have you seen the Snickers commercials? The ones where someone turns into a crazed monster because they are hungry. That is so me, and I know it is some of you, too. Bring an easy snack for the kids and the big kids, too. 

Sentimental Items and props.

Sometimes, the whole point of a photo session is to honor or remember a loved one. If that’s the case, find something that makes it special. Was your grandfather a veteran who flew during a war? Bring his jacket. Does your family pass down quilts? Bring one. Not sure if an item would work in a session? Contact us and we’d love to toss around ideas with you. 

If your session is a surprise engagement, don’t forget the ring!

Smile.

Most importantly, don’t forget your beautiful smile. Guys, we want this to not only be a session to capture a moment in time for your family, but we also want to create beatiful memories during our session. We want to laugh and have fun. Please don’t stress out. If everyone is having a good time, that will translate into the photos, so come prepared to just relax, laugh, and smile.