Jordan {Richmond, TX-H.S. Senior Photography}

I could have photographed Jordan all day!  She is a natural in front of the camera and has a bit of an advantage since she modeled for several years, often appearing in many local advertisements.  

Of course you cannot control mother nature so we really had to work with the uncontrollable wind. We made the best of the situation dealt to us and I think the outcome speaks for itself.  Wind or not this girl is simply gorgeous!  I also have to give her a HUGE shout out because just recently she found out she was accepted to LSU!!! Yes, not only is she sweet, naturally beautiful, but extremely intelligent as well.  That is what we call the "whole package!"  Congratulations on your college acceptance Jordan, GO TIGERS!!!!!

    

Explanation of Image Cropping

I often get the question, "what do you mean my image will crop?"  This can be confusing at times because you are looking at a beautifully composed image and then you decide to order say an 11x14 and suddenly your image has a different look and feel than before.  This is know as the "crop factor."  Often images will crop and still look wonderful, but there are instances where the size selected is not ideal for that particular image.  I thought I would take a moment to explain a little about aspect ratio and give a few examples of the crop factor so you can visualize the change that occurs.

First off aspect ratio is the ratio of the short side of an image to the long side,  I shoot with al full frame camera so my images straight out of camera are at a 4x6 ratio.  The length of the long side of the image is 1.5 times the length of the short side.  Once you change this ratio you are manipulating the image, unless you choose a full frame size such as an 8x12, 16x24, or 20x30.  If the larger side can divide into the smaller side and equal 1.5 you know it will be a full frame image with no cropping expected.

Take a look at the diagram below provided by Cornicello Photography.  The various outlined colors show where that particular image would crop compared to a full frame image which will reveal the entire portrait.

 Now lets take it a step further and show you an actual image and how it effects the overall look of the portrait at various sizes.  Rachel with Rachael Myers Photography was kind enough to share this visualization of the same image cropped to various portraits sizes.  I think she did a fabulous job, thank you for sharing Rachel!

www.rachaelmyers.com

Cropping can be quite confusing so I hope this litlle exlplination helps you better understand why every image will not ideally work with every portrait size.  

CHRISTmas through the eyes of a child! {My Inspiration}

My littlest is going to be two in January and anyone that has met her knows she is the energizer bunny in disguise.  I try to keep up with her on a daily basis and she seems to out do me every time.  What I would give to bottle up 1/4 of her energy, especially this time of the year!

With life being so demanding, the holidays snuck up on me quickly! It did not take long and I had fallen behind on gift purchasing, decorating, and merely enjoying the season and holiday I call Christmas.  I realized I had bought my daughter an adorable festive outfit, yet had not taken one photo of her in it.  I decided why not put EVERYTHING aside and play dress up.   Little did I know my daughter would be the one to open my eyes and remind me to slow down and reflect on the true importance of CHRISTmas!

Looking at this image flooded me with emotion and I knew right then purchasing the perfect gift, making the holiday party on time, or indulging in the many amazing holiday desserts had nothing to do with the true meaning of this wonderful holiday.  Christmas is called Christmas for a reason and it is because we are celebrating CHRIST and the day he was born.  Like many, I found myself getting caught up in the stresses of life and was slowly losing sight of the real meaning of this beautiful holiday.  Sitting on the floor with my daughter and playing with blocks was much more important than fighting traffic to search the stores for the perfect cabbage patch doll.  Our dress up day allowed me to see Christmas through the eyes of a child. This is just another reason why I fell in love with photography.  Every year I will look at this image and a little something inside me will sparkle.

 I wish you all a very MERRY CHRISTMAS and don't forget to slow down every once in while and enjoy the many blessings around you.  

MERRY CHRISTMAS!

Adrenaline Cheer [Katy, TX}

I often find myself getting so busy I tend to neglect my blog.  The new year is right around the corner, and I want to make an extra effort to sit back, relax and share with you some of the many events that keep my life exciting.  Whether this be my two year old daughter, Kamryn, filling the house with smoke from melting markers in the toaster (true story) or Kenna, my six year old scoring a 100 on every single spelling test so far in the first grade.  These are bits of my life and "My Inspiration!"

Of course I will still post client blogs, but this tiny section of my blog is going to be devoted to getting a little more personal.  So if you don't already follow my blog make sure you jump aboard because I typically do not experience many dull moments!  :)

I could not think of a better person to brag about than my six year old daughter.  She has always been a very active child and really takes after her daddy when it comes to being a "natural athlete." A year ago she decided she wanted to try out tumbling.  It did not take long, and we knew this was for her.  She loved going to class and excelled rather quickly for her age.  After one short year, her coach informed my husband and me that he was taking a coaching position at a more competitive based gym.  He had been a competitive cheer coach for many years prior and was going to be one of the main coaches at a new gym opening in the area.

The day I informed Kenna that "Coach JJ" would no longer be at her current gym was the day I realized just how much one individual could influence a child in such a short amount of time.  She absolutely adored her coach and worked so hard to make him proud! It crushed her to hear he was no longer going to be her coach.  She begged to follow him and venture over to the new gym.  The commute was a bit more than I planned, but I saw the importance of stability for a child her age and after some thought decided we would give it a try.

It did not take long for Kenna to show interest in cheer. This was a HUGE commitment on all of us, and I wanted to make sure she understood and grasped that.  As a parent, I explained when you join a team you are part of a link, and the team cannot function if it has a missing link.  This meant if she made the decision to be a part of the team quitting was not an option.  I know this may sound harsh for a six year old, but I know life does not just let you quit when things get hard and she needed to learn this right from the start.  We sat down and explained just how much time and dedication she was going to have to put in if she was serious about being on a team.  Not only was it going to be a commitment for her;  it was a commitment for the entire family!

Well of course she was adamant she could handle it and assured us she would give 110% for her new team.  Just as I had anticipated she quickly realized this was not just tumbling which came natural to her but rather much more.  She was the youngest on the team and had no clue about keeping on count or staying in sync with the other girls.  Everything was NEW to her and extremely frustrating!  Did the word "quit" ever come up, of course, remember we are dealing with a fresh six year old.  Was quitting an option-- no and she knew that because she had made a choice that not just effected her but 11 other girls, she calls her "teammates!" Children are very smart and she understood this was not going to come easy, but she was not going to give up.  I watched this group of girls every week for several months and the progression came bit by bit.  By the time the first competition arrived they were ready and I remember looking Kenna in the eyes and telling her "win or lose you should be so proud of yourself because you stuck by your teammates and together you all helped one another get where you are right now!"  That day I watched a brand new team of twelve girls walk out on a competitive gym floor most of them for the very first time, and hold their own against more experienced teams.

It is exciting to say the girls have had two competitions so far and took home second place at both as well as best overall pyramid at the last competition, but realistically I would have been just as proud had they come in last.  To me it is not always about winning or losing but what you learn from the experience.

A huge thank you to to everyone that has supported Kenna and her team.  This includes but does not limit her family, coaches, friends and sponsors that have made it possible for her to be a part of this AMAZING team!!! GO ADRENALINE TEAM POWER!!!!

Sorry for the bad phone video didn't realize I should have turned my phone horizontal, but hopefully you can still see.  This was the first time K landed four in a row!!!  Now onto to back tucks!  

   

Texas Choice Pageant {Galveston, TX-Portfolio Photography}

I am thrilled to announce one of my clients entered the Texas Choice Pageant in Galveston, Texas.  With prior consent her mother entered the portrait I took of her in the "Most Photogenic" category and she she took home the BIG WIN!!!

I would love to see your little one win a contest with one of my images, but please remember all images are protected by the USC title 17 Copyright Law.  You must obtain the express written permission from the photographer to use images for competitions, commercial use, or editorial purpose.  I often see images floating around and wonder if the correct steps were taken to protect all parties.  Please do not misinterpret and think if you purchase the image this does not apply.  The bearer of the image has rights to reproduce the images for personal use only, the copyright stays with the studio.

I wanted to blog this information to educate on an issue that should not be taken lightly but unfortunately often is.  Please respect photographers artistic work and achieve consent before unlawfully using a copy written image.  I was thrilled to give permission for my image to be entered in the pageant, but more so because the proper steps were achieved prior.

Now take a look at the stunning image that won this sweetheart the title "Miss Photogenic."  I know I cannot take the credit, she is an absolutely GORGEOUS little girl.  Not only did she take this well deserved title, she also went home with "Miss Personality" and 1st Runner up to the "Miss Galveston" title.  She will now go on to the state competition and I can't wait for her portfolio shoot.

  

Elkins Family {Richmond, TX-Family Photography}

I always have a pre-consultation before my sessions.  This is an essential part of the photography experience because it allows the client and I to collectively gather ideas and discuss details like attire and location.  Many times your choice of attire can greatly influence a location choice.  As a photographer I want your session to represent you and your family.  Discussing your interest, style, and home color scheme can really add to that perfect shoot.  This family recently moved into a new beautiful custom home with a warm earthly tone.  They chose an attire that accents the home decor and color scheme exceptionally.  Now they can proudly display timeless memories throughout their new home!  What a beautiful family!!!  

 

Cooper {Richmond, TX-Newborn Photography}

I have to admit I felt very honored when I was asked to shoot baby Coopers newborn portraits.  His grandma was my daughters preschool director and is close friend of myself.  I knew how excited she was to welcome this precious gift from God, and to choose myself to mark this memorable time filled me with joy!

We originally scheduled the shoot for October, but little Cooper had his own plans and was coming with or without approval.  I know many prayers were sent out for this little guy and he arrived not only healthy, extremely LOVED!!!

And yes for those of you that know my husband he was not thrilled I allowed a future Cowboys fan in the studio, ha!ha!  GO TEXANS!!!