CATEGORY family

The cobbler’s son has no shoes, and the photographers family never lives up to the client work. Part of the interference is of course directing the scene while running into it before the self timer fires. Perhaps it’s because there are just so many people to direct! But  I fear the real issue is the sad truth that my own children are not nearly as anxious to please the nice lady as others’ children. Maybe it also has something to do with the fact that I’m only a nice lady with other people’s children.

I guess the main point here is that I’m sure you want to capture your own family having as much fun as we are! I saw some seed pods on some of the flowers tonight, so hurry before it looks more like a pea patch than wildflowers.

Austin bluebonnet season is in full swing. The flowers are bright and juicy, and not a single one has yet gone to seed. Another week of springtime before the pods take over and the Indian Blankets move in.

These gorgeous girls were so fun and easy to work with. They posed, they modeled, they listened, even the baby stayed put, and in between asking for mama created some beautiful smiles. Their dresses lend an almost vintage feel. And as an extra bonus, I found a huge bluebonnet patch just a few minutes from my house the morning of the shoot! Lovely subjects, great location, overcast skies with soft sunset light that needed no flash all added up to a wonderful photo shoot.

The Texas state flower has good reason to be so. Every spring they pop up all over the hill country, especially along the highways making even rush hour seem almost pleasant. With small kids we found an enormous yet out of the way patch just north of Marble Falls for this session in the flowers. Two families back to back with the sun fading by the minute, we moved fast: almost as fast as the toddlers!

I took Baby’s First Year maternity, newborn, 6 months, first birthday, and holiday family photos of the little redhead, and now he’s walking around talking to me! I also did the 6 month session for the toddler in the second family: they do grow up fast!

Mrs. C called me this morning right after I posted my holiday push mini shoots, and we certainly put a rush on things! We met same day, after the Belterra holiday party to capture some family moments for her holiday cards, and of course I couldn’t stick to the 1-2 poses. They looked amazing with the coordinating outfits: simple yet fun, matching but not over the top. And these kids are gorgeous, who could resist? We still did a pretty good job keeping to 30 minutes because the rain and the dark helped us out.

You would never know from the huge smiles this child gave that she spent half the shoot crying! We shot indoors before the neighborhood Santa party, and instead of getting excited that Santa was on his way, she was completely distressed no matter he wasn’t even there! I had to tell her he called to say his reindeer were sick and he couldn’t make it. She did her best to give a few genunine smiles, and how that effort paid off! I might just eat her up, but then my daughter would lose her play buddy. You would think that living across the street for 2 years the girls would play all the time, but sadly, they’ve never even met. We’ll fix that very soon! She keeps asking me who the girl on my screen is, and I keep telling her it’s her friend up the street just because seeing her perplexed look is so fun.

It’s December 12, which means there is about 1 more week to get your family photo taken and get your printed holiday cards in the mail! Procrastination has paid off in your case.

Mini sessions are about 30 minutes, 1 location, 1 outfit, and 1-2 group poses (but don’t worry, everyone in your family gets their own outfits!): perfect to get that family photo you’ve been dreading because your husband can’t sit still any longer than your toddler. No need to fall back to a pocket camera snapshot. Short, sweet, fun, and will net you a fantastic artistic family portrait, mini sessions this December have no sitting fee! Proofs are ready in a day or two, purchase only what you love, and your cards or photo gifts will be ready to go just in time.

Rush cards w/envelopes prices are
25 4×6 flat $50
25 4×6 folded $75
25 5×7 flat $100
25 5×7 folded $125

From my family to yours this holiday season, wishing you much peace, happines, and true joy. This is what brings me joy: my beautiful, loving, wonderful family, and creating art for others and myself to enjoy. I am thankful to all of my family, friends, and clients for allowing me to be a part of your lives!

The R family, owners of Austin Signco, found my portfolio online through our local Dripping Springs homeschooling group, and this shoot was the first time we had met in person. Their twins are absolutely delightful! Adorable, well mannered, full of exuberant energy, and the parents were down to earth and incredibly friendly. I always try not to show just how much work a photo shoot is, managing everyone and capturing not only their emotional interactions while making them all look good, but a family like this makes it fun. Honestly, I can’t wait to get to know them better and let our daughters play.

A year goes by so quickly, and it’s incredible to watch baby McD grow from a wriggling newborn to a laughing, running toddler! Babies grow so fast, it’s like watching mold in a petrie dish (except a lot cuter!) This family shoot was the culmination of a year’s portfolio from maternity, newborn, holiday card, 6 month, to 1 yr. Happy first birthday little man!

Ho, ho, ho! Especially for this Santa event and Christmas party for Belterra homeowners at KC Memory Lane in Wimberley, TX, I designed 8 greeting card borders to be printed on site for our guests, which was a huge hit. Of course, my family had to test out the setup, lighting, and printer, who else? Merry Christmas!

A 4×6 holiday card custom designed from scratch. 150 of these babies and some envelopes, and Christmas couldn’t be merrier!

One of the benefits of being a picture maker is sharing with our friends. The S family have been our close buddies for years now, sharing hobbies and kids. In fact, my 3rd daughter and her 3rd son are only a few days apart in age! It’s a pleasure to take pictures of such nice-looking people, thank you!

Uncle L and little nephew N catching some outdoor activity together. Can you see the family resemblance?

If it involves a camera and a computer, I can do it for you. Yah, I’m amazing, I know, but you get my drift. Be creative, ask for the moon, we’ll work together to create exactly what you want!

My standard offerings should get our creativity fired up to design custom products especially for your family or your business.

Portrait Sessions
Digital enhancement (plastic “surgery”)
Graphic borders, enhancements, scrapbook pages, web and blog themes
Logo, flier, brochure design or redesign
Albums, hard or softcover, sleeve or press printed
Framing and wall gallery design
High-quality photo or business promotionals printing
Lab-quality event printing on site

Got any more good ideas?

A la Carte Services

Printed Invitations and Announcements (available with my photos or another photographer’s with release)

all cards include custom-designed graphics, white envelopes, identical design for each batch of 50
call for bulk pricing over 50, or wedding invitation extras like foil envelopes, double envelopes, full-color front and back design, etc

25 4×6 flat $50, 50 $85
25 4×6 folded with interior design $75, 50 $140
25 5×7 flat $100, 50 $180
25 5×7 folded with interior design $125, 50 $225
colored envelopes, add $25 each 50
return address printed envelopes, $25 each 50
recipient address printed envelopes, $50 each 50

Prints & Enlargements

4×6 $10
up to 300 4×6 proofs from session, $75 (included free in wedding packages)
5×7 $15
8×10 $25
11×14 $35, artboard $50
16×20 $45, artboard $80, canvas wrap $150

Montages and Scrapbook Layouts

8×10 or 11×14 custom photo montage $100
12×12 or 8.5×11 custom digital scrapbook page $50

Albums and Frames (available for my photos or another photographer’s with release)

4×6 proof sleeve album $10
4×6 frame album $30
4×6 keepsake box with all proofs from session, $100

5×7 bound album $45
framing $35 up to 8×10, $40 up to 16×20, $50 20×24 with 16×20 mat
10×10 10-page (20 layouts) bound, hardcover album $200

DVD’s and Keepsakes (available for my photos or another photographer’s with release)

DVD photo-music slide show $150
all images 4×6-quality high resolution on DVD $250 w/ personal reprint rights
up to 100 images enlargement-quality high resolution on DVD $350 w/ personal reprint rights
100+ images enlargement-quality high resolution on DVD $500 w/ personal reprint rights
all images enlargement-quality high resolution on DVD $1000 w/ commercial reprint rights

Sitting fee due at time of session, remainder due at ordering consultation. Print prices are honored 90 days from portrait session. Digital negatives are stored for 90 days from session, and 2 years for negatives selected for prints.

All packages include
sitting fee
1 hour travel
all images individually edited
select images digitally enhanced
$25 print credit

1/2-hour Mini Session $75 suitable for individual head shots or 1 location and limited poses
2-hour Standard Session $200 suitable for individuals up to 3 clothing changes and 1 location, families up to 5 with group and individual shots, group shots only, or real estate
3-hour Extended Session $300 suitable for large families up to 10 with large group and individual shots, or groups/reunions with small group shots

A la Carte Services

Printed Invitations (available with my photos or another photographer’s with release)

all cards include custom-designed graphics, white envelopes, identical design for each batch of 50
call for bulk pricing over 50, or wedding invitation extras like foil envelopes, double envelopes, full-color front and back design, etc

25 4×6 flat $50, 50 $85
25 4×6 folded with interior design $75, 50 $140
25 5×7 flat $100, 50 $180
25 5×7 folded with interior design $125, 50 $225
colored envelopes, add $25 each 50
return address printed envelopes, $25 each 50
recipient address printed envelopes, $50 each 50

Prints & Enlargements

4×6 $10
up to 300 4×6 proofs from session, $75 (included free in wedding packages)
5×7 $15
8×10 $25
11×14 $35, artboard $50
16×20 $45, artboard $80, canvas wrap $150

Montages and Scrapbook Layouts

8×10 or 11×14 custom photo montage $100
12×12 or 8.5×11 scrapbook page $50

Albums and Frames (available for my photos or another photographer’s with release)

4×6 proof sleeve album $10
4×6 frame album $30
4×6 keepsake box with all proofs from session, $100

5×7 bound album $45
framing $35 up to 8×10, $40 up to 16×20, $50 20×24 with 16×20 mat
10×10 10-page (20 layouts) bound, hardcover album $200

DVD’s and Keepsakes (available for my photos or another photographer’s with release)

DVD photo-music slide show $150
all images 4×6-quality high resolution on DVD $250 w/ personal reprint rights
up to 100 images enlargement-quality high resolution on DVD $350 w/ personal reprint rights
100+ images enlargement-quality high resolution on DVD $500 w/ personal reprint rights
all images enlargement-quality high resolution on DVD $1000 w/ commercial reprint rights

Sitting fee due at time of session, remainder due at ordering consultation.

Print prices are honored 90 days from portrait session. Digital negatives are stored for 90 days from portrait session, and 2 years for negatives selected for prints.