A boy and his dog...

Here are a few pics I took over a year ago of best buds, Jakob and Erica. I had forgotten how much I loved these images until a few weeks ago when I pulled them up to print an enlargement of the black and white picture as a gift. Unfortunately, Erica (a super mellow, well behaved black lab) passed away in 2009. I am so glad we were able to capture these moments for the family. There is something so Norman Rockwell about this first picture - I just adore it! 

Two in Tutus....

Tutus - the ultimate girly girl accessory. My sister-in-law bought the most precious yellow tulle (or tool, as I would have chosen to spell it) with peach satin trim tutu for Riley almost a year ago and the girl will not touch it. It is hanging in her closet, just looking spectacularly adorable and completely unused. Here are two little ladies who loved sportin' their tutus....

Low Light....

Photography is so interesting to me. You have a camera that controls these elements (ISO, shutter speed, aperture) that work in concert to produce an image in a very specific lighting situation.  Adjust one element and the other two need to shift in order to gain the right exposure. Here is one of my favorite images of Riley taken in an indoor aquarium on our family trip to Oregon last year.  It was completely dark in all around her, except for a single dim can light right above her.  If I had any other camera, I would not have been able to capture it because I had to crank my setting to the extreme - amazing what you can get nowadays at 3200 ISO with my 24-70mm lens wide open....

All Grown Up

I seem to get quite a few inquires about photographing older kids and wether or not it is something I would like to do.  The answer is YES!  I think it would be so much fun to be able to photograph someone who I did not have to brib or chase:)  I have been thinking about getting into the "senior market" after I take my maternity leave for nugget number 3.  Until then,  here are a few of some big kids I took awhile ago....

 

Wordless Wednesday....

Just the way I always want to remember my sweet, smiley Riley Jane as a two year old:)  

Oh, The Places We'll Go (Part 3) - Discovery Green

Yet another wonderful place to take outdoor pictures is Discovery Green, which is smack dab in the middle of downtown Houston. There are wonderful textures and patterns throughout the park and some really fun places for kids to roam and explore. Here are some from a double session I did for two families this past Christmas. You can also see some other Discovery Green shots by looking in a few previous posts - the brother/sister shots from "Repeat Offenders" and the sisters in the sprinkler/grass from "Fudgie's in the House"....

Oh, The Places We'll Go (Part 2) - Museum District

Another great place to go to take pictures is the Museum district.  There are a ton of really cool backdrops within walking distance the Museum of Fine Arts Building to include a few beautiful church doorways, some lovely tree covered paths and the MFAH sculpture garden.  Here are a few fun family shots from the sculpture garden - I just love the way color pops off the concrete....

Oh, The Places We'll Go (Part 1) - Oyster Creek Park

I love being a "traveling" photographer.  I really enjoy getting to come into a client's house to photograph their family. In addition to children being a bit more relaxed on their own turf, it is such an advantage for me to be able to get a client's sense of style from visiting thier home.  It really helps me in the post production of images - do I keep them clean and crisp,  do some heavy vignetting,  go with more black and whites, etc.  However, when I have already photographed a child at home or the kids are a bit older and can handle a new environment, it is super fun and challenging to head outside.  Although we have to pay a bit more attention to the light and weather, there are some great places to take pictures around town and out in the boonies (Missouri City) where I live.  Here are some of my favorite pics from a park in Sugar Land right off Highway 6.  Bridge shots rock....

Jump For My Love....

I love it when a song reminds me of when I was little. Do you remember the video for this Pointer Sisters classic. If I am not mistaken, it is basically the three of them dressed in spandex with these gigantic hairdos dancing while video clips of track athletes doing the long jump play during the chorus.... so totally 80's:) Here are a few of my favorite "in motion" pics from the last few months - it is awesome when you can capture the pure joy of kiddos on the go....

Second Time's a Charm....

Let's face it, getting your kids' picture taken can be a truly traumatic experience.  Pretty much everyone I meet has some horrific story to share about an awful experience at Picture People or JCPenneys filled with stress, tears and exploding diapers.  Even having a photographer come to your home can seem overwhelming - is my house clean enough, what will my kids wear, what if they wake up in terrible moods right before my scheduled session time. The good news is that since I am right there in the trenches with you - side by side in this battle we call motherhood - there is really not much that you can throw at me that I have not already seen, done or smelt first hand in my own home. That being said, I also arrive armed with six powerful words that seem to set every anxious parent at ease - "I can always come back later". You should see the way faces lighten when I say these words to concerned parents - it is almost magical!  And although I've only had to go back a second time to a handful of clients homes to reshoot, the mere fact that I would be willing to return in case we don't get the images we want seems to do the trick. Every once in a while, even the most giggly toddler becomes somber in front of the camera or in this little sweethearts' case, we just seem to miss the "happy" window of time. I ended up swinging by a few weeks after our first session to grab some quick smiles and this little lady did not disappoint. Here is the final "Put a fork in me, I am done!" shot from the first session and a few subsequent images from my quick second visit. Too cute!

Workin' Mommas

One of the best parts about my work is that I get to meet the most interesting women, many of who have super cool jobs.  I have worked with a few political advisers, a t.v. anchor, a geneticist and quite a few lawyers and doctors.  I also have worked with a number of moms who, just like me, have created a small side business out of something they love.  They get their entrepreneurial and creative juices flowing in between the gaps of stay-at-home mommy-dom, working around pre-school schedules and t-ball practices.  Here is one such amazing woman and her two precious boys.  Holly is an interior designer with an awesome sense of style. Check out her website at  www.hollymathisinteriors.com ......