Come visit us at The Waxahachie Bridal Extravaganza, being held at the Waxahachie Civic Center, today from noon to 5 pm.  Make sure and enter your name and email address into our sign in book for your chance to receive a complimentary engagement session and 11×14 print.  See you there!

Be Good!

This weekend is going to be a busy one.  If you are local to Ellis County, this Saturday is also Oktoberfest at the Civic Center from 10 am to 8 pm.  If you see my husband, Hector, tell him Hi for me.  Poor guy is working it 6 am to midnight – buy him a Diet Coke for me.

Then on Sunday, September 18th we are setting up our booth at The Waxahachie Bridal Extravaganza from 12-5 also being held at The Waxahachie Civic Center.  And that poor guy I wrote about earlier… he is such a trooper, will be there again to help me.  Lots of Diet Coke for that man!

I’ll see you around.  Be Good!

It’s interesting that I chose photography as my career when my entire life I have been so fascinated by words.  The words in stories, the lyrics of songs, and the quotes of famous people.  While I was in Vegas I passed this enormous photograph that made you stop, turn your head and gaze at the photo while blocking 15,000 other photographers from getting to their next class.  At the top of the photo was a quote from the photographer “If I could tell this story in words, I wouldn’t need my camera”.  And BAM!!  I realized it, its the story I love so much.  It’s what all the words say when they are together and it is what it means to you the audience. The same thing happens wen I click that shutter and pause a moment in time in the story of this couple.  I love the story.

A little story from behind the lens regarding this image.  This couple and I had permission to photograph on the fantastic property where they will be married in May.  We are walking around this stable and I position them in this entryway and the owner says, ” How embarrassing, look at that old wood that has been chewed away”.  And I had just been thinking, how fantastic is that wood with all that texture and distressing.

Be Good!

A special thank you to Christina for driving all the way from McKinney for this engagement session.  We first had this planned during one of the snow days we had back in February.  It didn’t work out for us then, but today was beautiful and a great day to be taking pictures.  According to Hector, he and Christina have been dating for two days.  Hector was channeling some child in his family that liked to say cheese and give “punk” looks into the camera.  As you can see – I had  lots of fun with him.

Hope you two get to pick a date soon.  I would love to photograph your wedding!!

Be Good!

I remember the day Amy called me… I was sitting at home working in the kitchen when my cell phone rang.  I looked down at the number and about 40 numbers appeared as the incoming call number.  I answered the phone reluctantly thinking it was going to be some marketing company.  I probably didn’t answer the phone with my most friendly voice.  To my surprise, a sweet voice is on the phone and she is apologizing for calling late and calling on my cell phone.  She explained she was calling from London and that she was planning a wedding in Waxahachie (in my head I’m wondering WHY??).  Still unsure of the date, she rattled off a couple of dates to check my availability. I felt immediately embarrassed for answering the phone the way I did.

Over the next couple of months I’ve gotten to know Amy and I’ve heard all about this person on the other side of the world… Simon.  I was so happy to meet him and I’m sad to say, he was not so happy to meet me.  Simon doesn’t like to be photographed.  I know he laughed a couple of times and I know it wasn’t so bad.  I hope he’ll tolerate me as well on his wedding day!

Be Good!

I spend most Sundays recovering from a busy week – typically horizontally comatose on my couch.  This Sunday was a little different.  I had places to go and people to see.  My day on Sunday couldn’t have been more perfect and I think it had a little something to do with getting out on a beautiful Sunday afternoon.  The weather was more than amazing – it was really perfect.  I was so happy to be outside taking photographs.  It was like happy songs were playing in my head all day.  I love those days.

Last Year, I photographed Lindsay’s Senior session.  During the process I learned of her older sister Lauren.  I know she was dating Jeremy at the time, he had not yet proposed… but Lauren knew she wanted me to photograph her wedding when the time came.  When she announced her engagement, I simultaneously got the request to take her engagement photos.  We picked Sunday and it was just meant to be.  The light could not have been any better.  The temperature was comfortable and things were starting to bloom and turn green around town.  I’ve come to the conclusion that light just shines different on the beautiful people of the world.  And I believe that was just the case on Sunday.

Be Good!

On Wednesday, after getting up at 4 am and boarding a plane from Las Vegas to Dallas, losing my license between checking my baggage and security, thinking I lost the contact in my right eye (that’s my camera eye), paying $70 for parking at the airport (I was robbed), zipping to Waxahachie and grabbing my gear, and then speeding to Deep Ellum, it was 4:30 pm and time to photograph this engagement session or as I choose to call it now… my beloved session.  I have to say its both exciting a nerve wracking to photograph a fellow photographer.  Michael is getting ready to have his own show displaying his art work.  It’s always quite an honor to photograph another photographer.  Plus I get to talk all my geeky photog talk with someone who understands it.

I’m in love with that first image of Lauren and Michael.  I love the complete look of bliss on Lauren’s face.  She is beloved.

Be Good!

Third time is a charm for this little fellow.  He came in with his older brother and sister for a special session. I love that you can see so much of his personality already.

An engagement session from Sunday afternoon.  A sign that spring is around the corner… dandelions!!

Be Good!

It seems its thought the rubber chicken has followed me everywhere. It started back in high school.  The all girls catholic school that I went to had a math teacher who would take out her “rubber chicken” in cases when we needed a snow day.  We called it praying to the rubber chicken.  Essentially it was a big joke, but more often times than not – when that rubber chicken came out – VOILA, NO SCHOOL!!!!! After college, I managed a sales team in Memphis.  I shared the rubber chicken story with them and the next day – a rubber chicken appeared on my desk.  Needless to say, we prayed to the rubber chicken quite a bit there. Rewind to two years ago.  I went to my first ever photographer’s seminar.  A well known photographer came to Dallas to talk about photographing babies and young children.  Her secret weapon… The yellow rubber chicken pictured above.  Interestingly, this rubber chicken appeals more to adults than it does kids.  It has an interesting noise that comes out of it when squeezed.  If you give it a big squeeze it sounds like we are torturing the poor rubber chicken.  That sound would scare any child.  This is the “Scary” rubber chicken and it has to be squeezed with caution.  I do occasionally use it on children, usually as a last resort since I know it may have an adverse effect.

Bruce wanted the rubber chicken included in some of his engagement pictures.  He also wanted to make goofy faces.  Obviously, Bruce is a big kid at heart.  I’m gonna have fun with him!

Be Good!

First a quick note to say thanks to all of you who have sent sweet notes and messages about my back.  A trip to the ER and one doctor later it looks like I am suffering from sciatica.  The good news is I am feeling better.

I met Chassler and Claude at Las Colinas on Saturday.  I didn’t prepare them for the sight they might see when I arrived.  As the session progressed I felt my back hunching more and more and then I had to say something.  Fortunately they were not too embarrassed to be seen with me.  I was looking pretty old and decrepit.

As I was walking around with them, I instructed them on things to do.  Claude looks over at me and says, “I’ve become that man.  That guy who poses for those cheesy pictures.”  I’ll be meeting them again for their casual engagement shoot soon so we can take more pictures with LESS cheese.

Be Good!