Too cool for words...

That describes this family to a t! I don't need to explain much else, just watch this drama unfold and tell me you aren't smiling by the end! :)

Emerging...

from the depths of a server transfer. Who knew it could be so complicated?? Email is back, but all emails sent between noon on Thursday and noon on Saturday were not received, so if you have contacted us in that time please try again! Everything else seems to be mostly working, with the exception of some missing photos on the most recent blog posts, which we are working to resolve. Thank you for your patience!

You might have also noticed the lack of Friday Five last week, due to the lack of service on the site at the time.. so sorry! I promise this week's list will be extra fun to make up for it! :)

Now, as I dig myself out from mini session orders and lots of fun spring sessions we've been shooting (all of which will be shared very soon!) I ask for a little more patience as our response time slows until work resumes to normal. Add that to some exciting new stuff in the works for everyone, due to launch by the start of summer, and things are more than a little nuts around here!

In the meantime, a shot I think might just be my newest favorite image. I've gotten a similar shot many times before, it's one of my favorite shots to get, not just a swing but a midair swing, just looking at it makes me feel so YOUNG, I can feel the wind in my hair and between my toes, the gravity-taunting weightlessness that comes right at the peak of a swing, before you get that tug in the pit of your stomach pulling you back down again, that unrelenting urge to just push a little harder, see how high you can go... ahh I loved the swings!

But this one really gets me.. I love how you can see the slightest peek of her face, the beaming smile unmistakable even from upside down. And I also love her little painted toenails hanging on to the flip flop for dear life... so girly and young, so full of every quintessential childhood cliche it almost seems unreal, and yet it's still so completely genuine you don't think twice about it.



Hope you all have a great week!

Country Girl...

As primarily a children's photographer, I don't do a ton of high school seniors. But this girl had me at hello for two reasons. First, she and her family have an amazing ranch just outside of the metroplex where we could shoot all sorts of fun stuff, including with her horses! And second, I used to babysit her when she was just a little sprout! Sniff, sniff... it's like watching my own kids age right before my eyes!! From a spirited little bug to a beautiful, brilliant young woman... there was no way I could say no! :)

Toot, toot!

That's the sound of my own horn.. yes I have no shame.. but this is something I'm actually proud of, so why not share it with may favorite people? :)

A peice I recently created for my daughter's preschool auction is featured today on the blog at Design Aglow, which is the premiere design & inspiration resource for photographers. It's a great honor, and I'm excited about the project as well, so feel free to check it out!

Shameless self promotion over now... we will resume regularly scheduled photo features tomorrow! :)

A Glint...

This little guy was one of my favorite sessions in a long time. It was the epitome of boyhood; we rode bikes and played soccer outside, with him running circles around mom and dad and me dodging sharp turns and ducking from airborne balls.



Then we headed inside, where he created a few masterpieces (including a very impressive likeness of a beta fish!)



He's had a rough time the last few years, conquering adversaries unimaginable for such a sweet little guy. But he'll be the first to show you he's stronger than you'd think!



But whether we were jumping on the bed or snuggling with mom and dad, you could tell this is one special kid. He's just got that something about him, the kind of something that no matter how scared or sad he may be, no matter what life throws his way, he's going to come out on top. It's there in his heart, and it's there in his eyes.. just a little glint.. a tiny powderkeg hint of what's to come.



I loved meeting you and your amazing family, Sam.. thanks for letting me play along today! :)

Friday Five 4/18/08

Happy Friday! Hope you all survived the storms last night and are waking up to a dry, sunny day!

Duck Tape Prom
This is a fabulous idea and just mind boggling to think about. A contest for creating a prom dress entirely out of duck tape... and the entries are actually GOOD! Sort of like Project Runway: sticky edition. :) Be sure to click on the past winners and check out the amazing creations these kids have come up with.

Wonderful Graffiti
This is a really creative way to personalize your home without looking cheesy or cutesy.. everything from monograms to famous quotes to your custom phrase, printed onto special black decals that attach easily to the walls. Sort of a temporary tattoo for your walls! Just browse the site and let your imagination go crazy!

Good Pails
Um, yeah.. this is exactly what it sounds like.. a website full of cute pails & buckets. I know it SOUNDS strange, but really they are just adorable, and make great options for everything from wrapping presents to storing toys and other items around the house. Every size, color and variation you can think of... add this to your "bucket list" :)

Main Street Arts Festival
Speaking of creative things to add to your list.. this is a must do! The annual arts & entertainment festival is drying out this weekend from last night's rain but nevertheless promises to be another great year! Go for the music, the art, or just the turkey legs and cotton candy... whatever your artistic taste deems suitable! :)

My Beautiful Mommy
This one is neither creative or artistic... but it will certainly get the wheels in your head turning! A plastic surgeon has written a book for kids to explain the process when mommy goes in for a tummy tuck or augmentation and comes out "Not just different... prettier!" Add this to the watercooler topics today and see what the opinions are.. either way I bet it sells out quickly!

Hope you all have a happy.. (pretty!)... weekend!

Little Friends

First, a disclaimer... I'm afraid I have so many adorable pictures to share from my Dallas Blooms sessions that you all will be seeing tulips until Fall! But hopefully they will be worth it, I've just had so much fun with these!

Speaking of fun.. these two little ones are always good for a fun session. Maybe because I've known them for so long and been able to shoot them so often... maybe because their mommy is my Girl Friday, Erin, so they've been brainwashed.. either way, I'll take it! :)





Don't let their sweet faces fool you... this pose lasted for about 10 seconds before it turned into a no-holds barred wrestling/rolling match on the lawn of the Arboretum. I don't know who won in the end.. we were all laughing to hard to keep track! :)

Baby Blue

Is there anything more Texas than a little blonde in a patch of bluebonnets? This sweet family has tried to get bluebonnet pictures since they moved to TX a few years ago, and we were finally able to work it out (and get the flowers to cooperate!). Many more to sort through, but these few of the youngest (otherwise known as the curly haired ball of spunk) just melted my heart, I couldn't bear to keep them to myself!

Friday Five!

Beautiful sunshine to replace the last week of storms, the perfect day for our Dallas Blooms mini sessions! Actually the perfect kind of day for just about anything... including our Friday Five!

Idol Gives Back
I just love this outreach by American Idol to get young people excited about donating time and volunteer hours, what a perfect outlet! And of course see yesterday's post for more on how you can get an added bonus from a donation!

NKOTB
Um, yeah.. if you don't already know what the acronym means don't even bother clicking. But if you do... can you just squeal a little with me and relive some 80s/90s greatness.

Family Fun's Cake Bake-Off
If you're looking for some birthday party inspiration this is definitely the site for you! Family Fun Magazine is having a cake contest, with awards for creativity and theme... some of these will blow you away! And they all look yummy too.. bonus!

Fairy Portals
This has got to be the cutest idea I have seen in a while.. I only wish we'd had one when the girls were younger! This woman handcrafts tiny doors out of clay that you attach onto the bottom of a wall in your house. They don't *technically* lead anywhere... but sprinkle a little magic and they are portals into the fairy world.. an entrance for everyone from the tooth fairy to St Patrick's Day leprechauns! A completely fun and creative way to give your kids random surprises and everyday magic... I just love this idea!

Cupcakes Take the Cake
I must be hungry.. another link dedicated to dessert! This is an entire blog devoted to cupcakes.. from great recipes and stores to interviews with well known cupcake creators (did you even KNOW there were such people?) and innovative products or techniques. Clearly a well-defined audience, but the blog is booming (they've even been on Martha Stewart!) and the world is sharing their love of cupcakes one post at a time. If nothing else.. it's fun to lust after! :)

Have a wonderful (sunny!) weekend everyone!

Idol Gave Back.... so can we!

Yes, I admit it, we are avid AI fans. But the "Idol Gives Back" special on last night was just about as inspiring as you can get for the reality genre! It was a great combination of celebrity performers (though I had to explain who many of them were to my girls.. try explaining Heart to a 6 yr old!) and video clips about various charity organizations in Africa and the US that will benefit from the donations. Just enough fun to hold our attention, and just enough facts to really make us want to act.

Some of the facts were staggering.. one that stood out for us that every 30 seconds, a child in Africa dies of Malaria, and a drug that costs just $2 could save their life. My ever sharp 10 yr old did that math quickly and looked at me with tears in her eyes, "So for the time we've been watching this show, 210 kid have DIED? And I could have saved eight of them instead of buying that new Webkin?"

Thank you, American Idol, for inspiring my children (and myself!) to want to make a difference. And now I'd like to inspire all of you!

For the next three days, I'll match any amount you donate to charity with a gift certificate for portraits, up to $250. So if you donate $100 to the Susan G Komen foundation, I'll send you a $100 gift certificate for Ann Beck Photography. No expiration date, use it on any future session or book one now. (Not valid on already completed sessions) Just send me the receipt/confirmation of your donation and I'll do my part in return. Happy Giving!

Anticipation...

Just a few for this ever so patient mom, who has been anticipating these photos almost as much as she is anticipating the arrival of this little bundle of joy! (Okay, probably not even close.. but I know she's excited at least!)

Baby is due to arrive any day now, so good thoughts are with the whole family as they wait out these last precious moments before the world as they knew it shifts dramatically, forever.







I can't wait to meet you, little one! :)

Mini Sessions=Big Fun!

Wow, what a weekend! Our Dallas Blooms mini sessions were so fun.. I'm still recovering! :)

Short on words today but heavy on pictures.. one little sneak for each of my new friends from Saturday.. hope you enjoy, there's plenty more to come!

Rainy Friday Five

Boo! To the rain that delayed our first day of mini sessions!! Here's to a sunny and clear weekend so the rest of our fun isn't hampered!

Make and Takes
This blog/site has just about a million craft & activities to do with kids, or with friends! Most of the ideas are extremely simple and low-cost, it's a great resource for rainy days like today!

Delightful Blogs
For a blog lover like myself, this is the kind of site that gets me excited! A listing of thousands of hip, fun & creative blogs.. browse away and find your new favorite!

Insanely Great Tees
I have never denied my love for funny t-shirts. These are absolutely priceless, but really geared toward the tech-y person in your life. Anyone who obsesses over computers, (especially Macs!), or all things digital will find more than a few shirts they can't live without. My favorite is this, which features some of the most common tools in photoshop.

Linzie Hunter Designs
This artist has taken completely random phrases and turned them into quirky illustrations fit for any office or bedroom wall. Some of the lines actually come from spam emails.. who would have thought those annoying emails could inspire art? I love anything that makes you look at the world as you know it from a different perspective, so this is a fav of mine.

Summer Camp Preview!!
Hooray for summer camps! Hooray for the Dallas Morning News and the Ft Worth Star-Telegram for collecting all the information about every single camp in the area and compiling it into an easy to decipher list! No more calling around, begging friends for tips.. just check out these two sites (depending on your location, Star-T has mostly Tarco stuff whereas DMN will have Dallas/Collin) and get those kids signed up. Whether it's soccer, fishing, tap dancing, or pottery... it's all better than being home all summer driving mom crazy! :)

Have a happy... dry... weekend!

Technical Difficulties...

Please pardon the interruption.. our site is experiencing some minor technical difficulties. Emails are not being sent or received, the entire site (blog included!) crashing intermittently.. ok not so minor!!

We are in the process of transfering the server, which will hopefully alleviate those issues. In the meantime, if you have sent an email that was not replied to, please try again! You can also try me at annbeckphoto@gmail.com for the next week or so. And if you are expecting an email but have not received it yet (like those of you with mini sessions this week.. you all should have gotten an email with a PDF attachment with more info) if you haven't gotten one please let me know!!

I apologize for the drama... the computer age makes our lives so convenient.. until something like this happens, and we see how tied down we really are! Thanks for the patience!