ann beck photography

Peace, Love & Pictures!

2008-07-07T23:08:00.005-06:00

It's been a long time coming, but we've got a whole new look for Ann Beck Photography! From the logo and colors to a new website and even a new blog... it's all been updated and improved to better reflect our fun, fresh style of photography!

Check it all out here:
http://www.annbeckphotography.com

From there you can visit the new site, new blog, and check out the new logo! You can even read a bit of the story behind the look and our philosophy in getting there on the style page of the website. And of course don't forget to check out the new galleries (linked on the bottom of the site) to see lots of new, fun images and all our old favorites mixed in!

The new blog is especially excited because it allows for MUCH bigger pictures, which is just more fun for you! Who wouldn't want their sneak peek to come in high-def? :) And another cool feature is the category search, which allows you to pull up past posts in any of a huge variety of subjects. One important note, the new blog does have a new url, so please please update your bookmarks now as this site will be taken down in the next month and no longer be available. All the archived posts are still visible on the new site, it's just coming from a new spot! And for those of you subscribed to the current blog, those will see some interruption but we are working to get the feed switched to the new site. In the meantime, just check it out the old fashioned way on the website until we get all the kinks worked out.

And please do keep checking the blog, we've got lots of sneak peeks and client features to catch up on, as well as some fun summer stuff (including new mini sessions!) to announce.

It's all happening soon... so stick with us.. and we hope you like the new look!

Trust Me.

2008-06-24T20:16:00.004-06:00

I say that to clients often during a session... when the lighting seems contradictory to what they would have done, or the kids are running amok, and all hopes seem to fly out the window of any possible usable images.. just trust me.

It's not that I'm conceited, and by no means do I think I am some wizard of the camera world... but I just know it always feels crazier and harder than it really is. It's just part of the stress we put upon ourselves in the never ending quest for the perfect.family.portrait. I am fond of reminding clients that often the *perfect* portrait is the one with a few imperfections. A giggling face instead of a frozen smile, or a tender snuggle instead of a stiff pose. Those are the images I love the most, when the real personalities shine through. One of the greatest things about kids, while they can't always be the perfect angels you want them to be, they can't help but be themselves.

Last weekend was no exception... lots of busy kids and reassurance on my part.. trust me, I said.. I'm sure we've got something.

Saturday, that meant this set of images, two proud big sisters who couldn't contain their excitement (or giggles!)

And Sunday, two more darling little girls, one precocious almost-five year old and her new baby sister, just recently adopted into what could not be a more loving family. Yes, she was on the move..

but I still managed to catch her a few times!

And now, some official work to take care of.. we will be officially closed for the next week. All calls and emails will be returned begining next Tuesday, July 1st.

We'll also have some big-BIG-announcements at that time, some exciting stuff you won't want to miss...Trust me!

From the Homefront...

2008-06-15T21:20:00.003-06:00

Been a while since I've had any home front updates so I figured post-Father's Day was the perfect time! Hope all the dads out there had a wonderfully pampered weekend of golf and car washes and naps on the couch! (it worked for ours!) :)

Thought you all would enjoy these pictures.. a very minor bike spill left my oldest with a very curious bruise on her cheek. She landed with her cheek just perfectly on the end of the handle bar, and between the round handle and the two plastic streamers hanging off it formed a definite imprint that made us all giggle for the week it too for the marks to fade. I've outlined the shapes in the second image if you don't see it right away.. it's much more evident in person but still there in the first picture if you know to look for it...

Honestly, how is a person supposed to carry on a serious conversation with someone who has a smiley face imprinted on their cheek?? :) It ended up in her favor, it was nearly impossible for her to get in trouble this week, I'd start laughing before I could yell!

(by the way, when I took these pictures my monkey in the middle asked "are you going to blog this?" and I said OF COURSE and got the most priceless sigh from the other. Gotta love the tween angst!) :)

And in other news.. meet our new family member! My sweet husband has wanted another dog to play with our chocolate lab Hershey for a while, so we thought it was the perfect Father's Day gift. Meet 2 month old Reeses Peanut Butter Cup, otherwise known as "Reese," "Peanut," or "MOMMY THE DOG IS CHEWING ON MY HAIR AGAIN!" :)

Wish me luck!

Friday Five

2008-06-12T20:15:00.003-06:00

Is it just me, or was this one of the fastest weeks on record?? Happy Friday again, hope everyone has a nice, peaceful Father's Day weekend planned!

U Pump It Up
A fascinating concept, sponsored by Crystal Light, this site is a place for women to set a goal for themselves-everything from improving their global footprint to learning a new language or getting healthy & active.. and more!- and then with the site tools and other members they inspire and encourage each other.. just one big virtual hug! Plus, it's hosted by the impossibly cute Mandy Moore... how can you not love it?

20x200
I love this idea! A huge selection of art and photographic prints from up and coming artists, all for just $20! For less than one dinner for two, you can have a beautiful original creation in your own home... a win-win for everyone! The $20 prints are all small, easy to display sizes, reproduced in limited runs of 200 copies each.. when they are gone, they are gone for good! But new images are coming out weekly, so there's always a reason to return! For those of you who have told me the Friday Five has been rough on your pocketbook... don't click here, it's a guaranteed spender! :)

Couch to 5k
Since I've announced the 3-day walk I've had lots of people comment on how they would love to do something similar but just aren't in the shape to handle it. This site is for you! A full training program designed specifically for the beginners.. it promises to get you from the couch to running a 5k race in just 9 weeks!

The Slow Movement
Loved this story from CNN... a new movement aiming to get people to.. what else.. slow down! The leaders go as far as to claim our current fast paced lifestyles are destroying our health, families, and environment. Not sure I buy it all.. but I can't argue with a call for more naps! :)

Baby Namescape
Finally this week.. I sent this one to the mother of the.most.photographed.baby.ever. with the email subject line that this was quite possibly the coolest.site.ever. And I still mean it. :) Nevermind searching the social security site for baby names throughout history.. this site lets you pull up the top 10 baby names for boys and girls BY HOSPITAL. How cool is that? Just bring up your city or area and then pick from the drop down menu to get a specific hospital and their list. Love love this site.

Any day now

2008-06-11T07:47:00.004-06:00

This nightly ritual of mommy & daughter story time will have a new set of ears to listen in..

This group hug will have a new set of arms to cuddle in tight...

This nice, round canvas for little sister's masterpiece will disappear...

Giving way for this yet-t0-be-named little one to join the family...

But I'm guessing these hands will still find a way to be this messy. :)

Congrats, family.. can't wait to meet your newest little bundle!

The Prodigal Son Returns

2008-06-09T15:20:00.003-06:00

Yes, it's true.

The. Most. Photographed. Baby. Ever. has returned to me once again for his latest session. Brace yourselves.. he is THREE MONTHS OLD now.. I know.. time flies.. and amazingly enough, I think he has gotten even cuter with age! No, I didn't think it was possible either... but see for yourselves!

Would you believe I could post about twenty more of my absolute favorites? Unfortunately, we have to save some server space for his six month old session!

An Almost Perfect Day

2008-06-07T08:53:00.002-06:00

This was posted on PostSecret, one of my favorite sites (and recent friday five feature!) and I just loved it... what a great outlook... in fact I liked it so much it's my new desktop wallpaper.. because who couldn't use the regular reminder? :)

Have a great weekend!

Summer Friday Five

2008-06-05T20:55:00.003-06:00

School is finally out, the long Texas heat has set in... looks like summer is here! We marked the occasion with a sleepover party and the return of an old classic... the slip & slide! (new name now, same simple but dangerous concept!) The girls were fascinated and entertained themselves (all six of them!) for hours...

And with that, our summer kickoff to the friday five:

Family Fun Summer
My gold-standard for kids' crafts, recipes and more.. family fun magazine! They do not disappoint with their summer fun collection... just about everything you could imagine and more! Fun backyard games, cool rainy day crafts, innovative recipes that are healthy, yummy, AND kid friendly... yeah, this website is a lifesaver!

Pinkalicious
A fun summer-kickoff activity.. this is a musical based on the popular children's book and sure to be a hit with any little girl you know! Only runs for another week, so get your tickets fast!

Summer Smarts
Great article from FW Child that looks at ways to keep the kids busy and still learning as the summer months off from school threaten to turn thier budding little minds into jello melting rapidly in the Texas heat. Great ideas and food for thought!

Travel Writing Contest
Another way to keep the kids thinking over the summer is to create family scrapbooks or journals of your activities. To sweeten the pot, check out this contest for young writers, looking for the best travel stories! Let them recap the trip to grandma's or even just a day at six flags.. even if they don't win, their words will keep the memories alive!

DFW Everything Family Directory
Need to find the closest water park, or a mini golf course on the other side of the metroplex? This site is your ultimate resource.. just pick a category and get a full, detailed listing from across the area of everything you might ever need to find over the summer... and all year round! Bookmark it for future reference.. it's a sure timesaver!

Hope you all enjoy the long summer days... we'll be splashing for you!

Walk with Me

2008-06-02T19:35:00.005-06:00

Many of you remember Sheri, my first Mother's Story client, whose battle with breast cancer I helped chronicle for three years, until her tragic death last fall. She was the inspiration for the entire program, and I am truly a better person for having known her and her sweet family. Today, June 2, would have been her 44th birthday, had breast cancer not cut her much celebrated life short.

In her memory, as well as the honor of all the brave women whose lives have been forever changed by cancer that I have met through the program and in my personal life, I am participating in the 3-day, 60 mile walk this October. We will walk 20 miles a day for three days straight, hand in hand with survivors and their families, raising both awareness and much-needed funds for research and treatment, so that one day no one will face the pain and heartbreak of losing a wife, sister, daughter, or mother. We will walk to write a new chapter in the story of breast cancer, this time one with a happy ending.

Here's where you come in. Walk with me! I've got a few friends already signed up but we'd love the company! Not a walker? Help me raise money! Each walker needs to raise at least $2200 to participate, but of course the more we can raise, the better! All funds raised go to the world-renowned Susan G. Komen Foundation, a truly respected and reputable cause. Short on funds? I'll take the morale support! The training has already begun, and I'm sure it will be a long, difficult track. And of course the weekend after... be patient with me while my body recovers!

You can find out more information about the race, including how to sign up and/or donate money by clicking here.

And of course, I'll have my camera along with me every step of the way... so be sure and stay tuned as the date approaches for images from my journey. And until then, look forward for updates on the event, as well as regular breast cancer awareness PSAs.

The road to ending breast cancer is a long one, no doubt. But together we can get there, one step at a time. Walk with me.

What I did this weekend....

2008-06-01T21:29:00.002-06:00

Catch up on laundry? Nah, it's almost summer, the kids are hardly out of their swimsuits anyway they can wear the same clothes tomorrow, right?

Clean my house? Um.. plead the fifth there.

Sleep? Overrated!

No, I found a much better option for a children's photographer dead-set against wedding photography... shoot a wedding! :)

The bride just happened to be one of my dearest childhood friends, so it was a request I could not even consider turning down.. it was my honor! Just a few to share as I recoup.. my hats off to you photogs out there who do this on a regular basis... six hours straight of corralling extended family members and chasing flower girls just about did me in! Luckily they were all so worth it... and I can't wait to share the rest of them!

the preparations...

the groom in waiting...

the kiss...

the darling ring bearer...

the happy couple...

the first dance...

and that's the end... and for them, the beginning!

Happy Monday everyone!

Super Quick Friday Five

2008-05-30T06:22:00.005-06:00

But first, a quick shot from yesterday, as the.most.photographed.baby.ever. had his three month old session. Ohhh how I wish there weren't about ten sessions waiting to be edited in front of his!

Envirosax
If you're going to be Earth-friendly, why not do it in style?

Small Steps
Suprisingly well constructed for a government site, this site is chock full of great tips for getting the whole family living healthier, from food to exercise and every small step in between.

Kids Nite Out
Should really be called parent's night out, this program certifies locations around the country where you can leave the kids to have fun.. while you go make some of your own!

My Kids Registry
Basically a MySpace for your kiddos.. set up a page, post pictures and updates, message with other friends on the site, share it with grandparents to keep them updated.. the works!

Sweet Tomatoes Pajama Party
How cute is this? Sweet Tomatoes restaurants are having a pj party next weekend (June 8) where kids under 12 who come with slippers and bedhead still intact get a free breakfast.. and everyone has a fun, special morning!

Have a great weekend everyone!

Pink Can, Green Thumb

2008-05-28T23:07:00.003-06:00

Don't know what but I just really *love* this set, all shot today at another fabulous storybook session with one of my favorite little families.

More to come on that one soon, but for now, just sharing a few shots that make my heart smile.

and by the way...check out the lashes on this girl!!

Friday Five

2008-05-23T06:16:00.002-06:00

Happy Memorial Day weekend!

Her Big Idea
This blog features inspiring stories and useful info on women business owners.. how to get started, how to keep going, how to retire!

Freddy!
Local radio station KISS-FM has taken this amazingly talented kid and is helping him make it big in the music biz. The full story is much better, and is all on his website.. and his music.. OMG it's amazing! I've been checking itunes every day since they started talking about him to buy any song of his that's available... it feels like the first season of American Idol.. really rooting for a little guy to make it big against the goliath of the industry, and actually feeling like you might make a difference.

List of the Day
This blog is sometimes interesting, sometimes hilarious, always completely random. It is exactly what they say.. a list a day.. and be warned, the lists are not always PG.. but it's always worth reading!

Man Babies
This is one of those sites I don't even know how I found.. but OMG it's hilarious. Basically, they take pictures of dads with their babies, and use photoshop to swap heads. Yes, completely stupid I know.. but just check out a few and tell me you aren't giggling! (or wanting one of your own!)

Disney Princess Half Marathon
This was just announced and sounds like so much fun... an all-women half marathon through Disney world! Who wants to join me for a massive girls trip?? :)

In our thoughts

2008-05-22T10:03:00.003-06:00

Sending all our love out to little man Sam today, as he and his family prepare for a major surgery. We know he's a strong little fighter, and his mom & dad seem to hold up pretty well themselves, but any parent can appreciate the stress and fear and emotional roller coaster they are on. Please send your prayers if you're the praying type.. or good karma if that's more your thing... whatever it takes to put all the positive energy in the universe in their corner tomorrow so that he can bounce right back again soon.

Puddle Jumper

2008-05-19T21:19:00.007-06:00

Oh, to be three again. To have the world at your fingertips and the energy and imagination to actually try and tackle it, head on... to have the people you love make you the complete center of their world, to be sheltered from anything that might upset you, whether it's a frightening image on tv or a four letter word... still kept pure from the chaos of life and living in that beautiful bubble of childhood.. and yet big enough to begin to appreciate that there is a world out there, ready and waiting, whenever you decide to pop.

To be three is to have a to-do list that goes something like this...

1. Read books with mommy

2. Cuddle!

3. Say hello to friends.

3. Swing a little higher than yesterday.

4. Go for a leisurely drive.

5. Create a masterpiece.

6. Perfect secret spy skills.

7. Jump in every. single. puddle. we can find.

8. Laugh.

Sure, the job of puddle jumper doesn't have much room for advancement, and the pay is minimal... but with fringe benefits like all the cookies & milk you can drink and warm arms always there to catch you, hold you, support you, and cheer you on... who could resist?

In fact, I'm considering putting in an application myself! :)

Thanks for the fun day, little man!

Friday Five is Back!

2008-05-15T22:30:00.002-06:00

Sorry for the absence last week, I gave myself a bit of a Mother's Day vacation! :)

Twitter
This site is a stalker's dream.. completely addictive and utterly pointless, but darnit if it isn't fun! :) Twitter is almost like an instant messenger to the world, you create an account and then log on either by the website or your phone and give random updates throughout your day. Updates to whom? Well, anyone! Friends with twitter accounts can "follow" you, and get a play by play of your day when they log on, or you can download the widget into your blog, as I have done (see right). I've seen this on a few blogs i visit and tried really hard to resist... but it's so fun! Plus, I read this and thought for my own safety it was a good idea. :)

Google Trends
Another version of stalking, but instead of your friends you can stalk the masses on the internet. Another totally pointless addiction of mine.. google trends is just a constantly updated list of the most "googled" words and phrases at that very moment in time. They even break it down by regions of the country or world, and show graphs of that phrase's popularity in recent time. I love it both as a quick glimpse of the state of pop culture and just another awesome example of the genius that is google, how just a few keystrokes can analyze all this data and spit it right out. These computers are amazing stuff! :)

Kristen Andrews Jewelry
Okay, I promise after this I will stop posting cool jewelry.. but I have a good reason! My darling husband conspired with my darling BFF to get me a GORGEOUS custom necklace from this designer for Mother's Day, and I just can't say enough great things about it! Mine is similar to the "follow your dreams" style with the circle and dangling star, but instead the words stamped are "Peace, Love, Joy," which many of you know is a very special and symbolic phrase to me. (More on that soon!) And of course the star replaces the star necklace I have been wearing for um.. almost 11 years?? and while I was sad to see it go, I am so completely head over heels in love with its replacement! (and the giver, I might add!) Pictures of my original creation to come soon.. for now, check out her site and buy yourself something pretty.. you deserve it!

Cuteable
Yeah, the title pretty much says it all. Cute stuff! Mostly homemade, pretty random between clothes, kids stuff, house stuff, and beyond.. but all... well... cute!!

Found Magazine
This one was passed on to me by a fellow reader (thanks, Eryn!) after I recommended PostSecret.. same basic "peek into another's life" idea but on a more surface level. People send in scans or pictures of completely random items they find out & about. A discarded to-do list, an old faded photograph, pretty much anything and everything. Interesting and thought provoking, you'll find yourself intrigued by the scribbles of a stranger and curious about the mysterious smiling faces. A neat way to both spark your imagination and look at everything in the world a little differently. Just look around your desk and imagine any of the papers or items on it lost.. what would they say about you?

Okay, that's my list for the week... hope everyone has a wonderful (sunny!!) weekend... lots to share come Monday, so get ready!

Kids and Animals

2008-05-15T06:35:00.004-06:00

What is it they say about not working with either? Lucky for me they were all a dream!

One of my favorite families at one of my favorite places.. the Ft Worth Zoo! I always love doing sessions at nontraditional venues.. you get some really interesting shots and some fun interaction. And I'm not sure the kids even knew we were even taking pictures!

All grown up

2008-05-12T19:51:00.004-06:00

Well, not completely.. but certainly a big rite of passage! This adorable family has been documenting their little guy's first year with a series of sessions with me, and for the final session they invited me to come to his very first haircut, just hours before his very first birthday party! This is one of my favorite reasons to do the "Year in the Life" plan, we get to go beyond traditional portraits and really capture special moments.

This little man was more than ready, and was as happy as could be as we grabbed a few quick "before" shots of his baby mop.

Once we arrived at the barber shop, he was curious to say the least, both at the man chopping his little wisps off and the paparazzi watching the whole circus.

He was so brave, not a tear to be found! Well, except for his mommy, who was having a hard time watching her baby become a little boy.

Lucky for both of them, he's even cuter now...

Hope you had a Happy Birthday little man! :)

Happy Mother's Day!

2008-05-10T20:39:00.007-06:00

To all the moms in my life... have a great one! Here's an often-circulated essay by Anna Quindlan, one of my favorite authors, an excerpt from her book Loud and Clear. I'm not to this point yet, but I think every mom can appreciate the fleetingness of childhood, and get caught up in the daily grind and forget to appreciate the big picture.

"All my babies are gone now. I say this not in sorrow, but in disbelief.
I take great satisfaction in what I have today: three almost-adults,
two taller than I am, one closing in fast. Three people who read the same
books I do and have learned not to be afraid of disagreeing with me in
their opinion of them, who sometimes tell vulgar jokes that make me
laugh until I choke and cry, who need razor blades and shower gel and
privacy, who want to keep their doors closed more than I like. Who,
miraculously, go to the bathroom, zip up their jackets and move food
from plate to mouth all by themselves. Like the trick soap I bought
for the bathroom with a rubber ducky at its center, the baby is buried deep within each, barely discernible except through the unreliable haze of the past."

"Everything in all the books I once pored over is finished for me now.
Penelope Leach, T. Berry Brazelton, Dr. Spock. The ones on sibling
rivalry and sleeping through the night and early-childhood education --
all grown obsolete. Along with Goodnight Moon and Where the Wild Things Are, they are battered, spotted, well used. But I suspect that if you flipped the pages dust would rise like memories. What those books taught me, finally, and what the women on the playground taught me, and the well-meaning relations -- what they taught me, was that they couldn't really teach me very much at all."

"Raising children is presented at first as a true-false test, then
becomes multiple choice, until finally, far along, you realize that it
is an endless essay. No one knows anything. One child responds well to
positive reinforcement, another can be managed only with a stern voice
and a timeout. One child is toilet trained at 3, his sibling at 2.

When my first child was born, parents were told to put baby to bed on
his belly so that he would not choke on his own spit-up. By the time my
last arrived, babies were put down on their backs because of research
on sudden infant death syndrome. To a new parent this ever-shifting
certainty is terrifying, and then soothing. Eventually you must learn
to trust yourself. Eventually the research will follow. I remember 15
years ago poring over one of Dr. Brazelton's wonderful books on child
development, in which he describes three different sorts of infants:
average, quiet, and active. I was looking for a sub-quiet codicil for an 18-month old who did not walk. Was there something wrong with his fat little legs? Was there something wrong with his tiny little mind? Was he developmentally delayed, physically challenged? Was I insane? Last year he went to China. Next year he goes to college. He can talk just fine. He can walk, too."

"Every part of raising children is humbling. Believe me, mistakes were
made. They have all been enshrined in the "Remember-When-Mom-Did" Hall of Fame. The outbursts, the temper tantrums, the bad language -- mine, not theirs. The times the baby fell off the bed. The times I arrived late for preschool pickup. The nightmare sleepover. The horrible summer camp. The day when the youngest came barreling out of the classroom with a 98 on her geography test, and I responded, "What did you get wrong?" (She insisted I include that here.) The time I ordered food at the McDonald's drive-through speaker and then drove away without picking it up from the window. (They all insisted I include that.) I did not allow them to watch the Simpsons for the first two seasons. What was I thinking?"

"But the biggest mistake I made is the one that most of us make while
doing this. I did not live in the moment enough. This is particularly
clear now that the moment is gone, captured only in photographs. There
is one picture of the three of them, sitting in the grass on a quilt
in the shadow of the swing set on a summer day, ages 6, 4 and 1. And I
wish I could remember what we ate, and what we talked about, and how
they sounded, and how they looked when they slept that night."

"I wish I had not been in such a hurry to get on to the next thing:
dinner, bath, book, bed. I wish I had treasured the doing a little more
and the getting it done a little less."

"Even today I'm not sure what worked and what didn't, what was me and
what was simply life. When they were very small, I suppose I thought
someday they would become who they were because of what I'd done. Now I suspect they simply grew into their true selves because they demanded in a thousand ways that I back off and let them be. The books said to be relaxed and I was often tense, matter-of-fact and I was sometimes over the top. And look how it all turned out. I wound up with the three people I like best in the world, who have done more than anyone to excavate my essential humanity. That's what the books never told me. I
was bound and determined to learn from the experts. It just took me a while to figure out who the experts were."

Friday Five

2008-05-02T11:48:00.002-06:00

Happy May! Sorry for the slight delay in the post today, which will be coming on Saturday for you email subscribers. Our server issues are *almost* resolved... bear with us!

This week our theme for the five is blogs! Clearly, I am a blog fan, and absolutely adore the time I get to spend *chatting* with all of you! But I'm also a big blog reader, and have an entire bookmark folder on my computer devoted to different blogs I keep up with. I thought it would be fun to share a few with you guys, and please send me any you have, as I'm always on the lookout for more stops on the information superhighway! (by the way.. does anyone use that phrase anymore? I think I might try bringing it back!) :) Without further ado, the list!

Grey Matter
Besides blogs, tv is probably my favorite guilty pleasure. Grey's Anatomy ranks right up there in my absolute favs, primarily because of how *smart* the writing is, how interesting the story lines and characters are, and how complex yet natural the dialog can be. All thanks to the fabulous writers, who keep their own blog! Yea! Every week they write a post-show recap, that gets deep into the behind the scenes stories and the thought process behind each episode. They also drop some serious hints as to their ultimate plans for the characters, it's a must-read for any super fan!

Post Secret
Quick warning.. this one is NOT kid or family friendly.. at least PG-13 but sometimes R.. so PLEASE don't click if you are easily offended or if there are kids in the room. That said, this is a fascinating read.. average strangers around the world write their deepest, darkest secrets on a postcard and send them in to the site, where they are scanned and posted for all the world to read. It's a way to get it off your chest without naming names, and it's so eye opening to see the things people are living with and dealing with everyday. Sometimes you see a secret you share, sometimes one you'd never imagine. And sometimes they are silly, sometimes very sad. But it's all very interesting. Secrets are updated every Sunday, so check it out when you get a chance!

Jinky Art
My all-time favorite photographer, straight from Australia no less! She's got an amazing eye, and her work all has a very editorial, modern look. A different style and a different look from me, but that makes it all the more interesting... it's like candy for my eyes! Hope you enjoy!

The Soup
Okay, back to my tv obsession... a second show in the top three.. The Soup on E! And I happen to know of at least ONE other client who shares my pleasure.. we actually watched an episode during a session while waiting for their sweet baby to wake up! It's a hilarious recap of the funniest moments on tv for the week.. and it's completely addictive! The blog just features behind the scenes news and extra funnies to keep you going from week to week!

FW Child: Mommy Bloggers
How could I end a blog post without a story about blogging? Ft Worth Child Magazine took an interesting look at the trend of mommy blogging.. where regular moms like you and me have their own personal blogs, to share photos of the kiddos and talk "shop" with other moms. Sort of an online diary/scrapbook/quilting bee all in one! I know many of my clients have blogs themselves, and would love to do a five dedicated to them.. so if you want yours added let me know! :)

That's it for this week... happy blogging! :)

Too cool for words...

2008-04-29T22:59:00.003-06:00

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...

2008-04-27T20:15:00.003-06:00

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...

2008-04-24T06:37:00.002-06:00

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!

2008-04-22T09:06:00.003-06:00

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...

2008-04-20T21:10:00.002-06:00

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! :)