The heat was on this month, but this little one didn't show it a bit! She was all smiles the whole session. Whether it was her tummy shot, tutu dance or slowing down for one last smile in her hat. She was a champ. We always have a great time with Miss C. Now choosing which shot for the actual Kute photo was the hard part. So I went for a classic, which I NEVER do. The full on smile shot. But it was simple and classic. And something that this mom will want to remember for years to come, so I thought I would select it for the shot of the month. Simple is good sometimes.
Just a reminder that her mommy will receive a FREE 11x14 of this print and a $50 credit to the studio to use as she pleases. Do you want to be entered in the Kute photo of the month? All you have to do is have your portrait taken with our studio and you are entered each month! It is that easy.
Last night, I met one of my clients that has been with me from almost the very beginning. I just LOVE them. They are so easy going and I so enjoy getting to see their family grow over the years. I shot Ms. R's first birthday, Mr. E's maternity, Mr. E's newborn and you probably recognize them from a recent mommy and me session.
But when their mommy called and said they hadn't had a full family session EVER. Well, I just had to change that. And after talking, I found out that they hadn't had any couple photos since their wedding! Well, you can't have that. So we took care of that as well.
Now, those of you who have toddlers, know that it is difficult to capture a family photo at this age. But I think they will be pleasantly surprised, I didn't post them here, but I have some good ones. You guys enjoy your week and the photos should be ready in about a week.
1. How old are your kids?E is 1 yr and R is 2 1/2
2. What is the best thing about your kids at this age?They are absorbing so much, everyday there is something new they are doing or saying.
3. What is the most challenging?Just keeping up with 2 toddlers that are 16 months apart is a challenge but I think dealing with severe food allergies at the same time is the most difficult thing.
4. Do you have any advise to new moms out there?Buy a dust buster!!!
5. What is a perfect day with your family? The perfect day with our family is any day that we get to spend the entire day together as a family. We are always so busy there seems to be errands or projects that need done but the best days are ones where we really don't get anything "done" and just spend time together, going to the park or hanging out at home grilling and playing in the yard.
6. What are some hopes and dreams you have for your kids?I just hope my children grow up to be happy, well adjusted, independent, open minded adults.
You choose the look, location, background, clothing, everything. All I need is YOU! I want to see your personality shine! September mini sessions are called Authentically YOU and are going to be held on September 11th and 18th.
The only stipulation? You have 30 minutes! Be silly, serious, crazy, sad, whatever shows your personality. I have even does this with you pet! (This is a great opportunity for all of those that need a session, but don't want a full session, with full session pricing).
You tell me where to be and I will be there. The price is still $30 and discounts to the normal packages will apply. Most exciting part? You have an opportunity to purchase a 12x12 collage for $40, that will include 9 photos. That is a savings of $55. Wow!
So what are you waiting for? This is great for all ages. A perfect Christmas gift and/or back to school package. Best yet? It can all be done INSIDE! Yeah!
With the start of a new school year, comes hesitation, excitement, the smell of new crayons, lots of money being shelled out for school supplies, etc. A lot of my clients are getting their little ones ready for the first day of school on Monday. So I thought I would put a little bug in your ear about school scrapbooks. I know you guys have tons of time on your hands to do this for each and everyone of your children!
But I do know that you take a ton of snapshots of your kids. Especially on the first day of school. So here are some ideas to extend that notion. Some of these won't take any time at all and can be done online.
1. Take a photo of your child every year on the first day of school (and the last day, too, if you want). Try to take the photo in the same spot, or near a certain item (a tree, for example) each year—you’ll really notice how much your child has grown each year! For another fun idea, have your child hold up fingers to indicate what grade he/she is in. 2. Take a photo of your child as he/she gets on the school bus for the first time. 3. Take photos of your child in his/her classroom, sitting at his/her desk, with his/her teacher, and outside the school. You can do this at your school’s open house before school starts or on the first day of school. 4. Your child will probably bring home lots of artwork and school papers that you’ll want to keep. However, it can be an organizational nightmare to store all of those loose papers. Take a photo of your child holding their artwork and put all of those photos into a book you can print online (like Snapfish). 5. Create a series of fun questions to ask your child every year—things like “What is your favorite subject?”, “What is your favorite thing to eat for lunch?”, “Who is your best friend in school?”, etc. Ask the same questions every year, record the answers (or, have your child write down the answers if they are old enough!), and include them in his/her school scrapbook. It will be fun to see how their answers change as they get older! 6. Have your child write his/her name on a piece of cardstock and include that in his/her school scrapbook, too. You’ll get to see how his/her handwriting changes throughout the years!
Don't forget, scrapbooks don't have to be made with scissors and glue. They can be done online in a few minutes for those of us with not a lot of time. And the kids LOVE looking at them. Grandparents like them too. So don't forget to get out that camera and document the small and big details of that important first day.
In the wee hours of this morning, I had the pleasure of chatting with a lovely family. Miss B, had made her entry into this world just two short weeks ago and I took her newborn portraits at 6am this morning, with no coffee. She did great, she is definitely a morning girl. She was all that she could be, and so were all of us! Thanks for all of your help you guys.
This army family was fantastic and I have to say, one of the most fascinating families I have chatted with in a long time. I learned a lot from them. Between chats about Iraq, politics and of course Miss B, we did manage to get some fabulous portraits done of this sweet little girl. And her name does fit!
You guys enjoy the sneak peak and the shots of the tattoos will not disappoint.
Is this your first baby?Yes
Is motherhood going better or worse than you anticipated? Better
What is the best thing about being a new mom? The way Miss B melts my heart.
What do you find most challenging?Sleeping when Miss B sleeps.
When was the last time you slept longer than 2 hours? And be honest. Or can you remember?Last night because grandma is in town
What is your favorite thing about them? Her toes
Do you have any words of wisdom for other new mom’s to be out there?Try your hardest to sleep when your baby sleeps. Even if it is in the middle of the day.
What do you imagine your baby being when he or she grows up?A mommy
What are you most looking forward to teaching them or doing with them in the future? Her ABCs, 123s and Who Dat!!!
What is one wish you have for your baby in the future?That she marries someone like her daddy.
You guys know that I love props! I need a bigger house just to hold them all. So when I came across this on Etsy, I just had to order one for Caden. And when it came, I was not disappointed.
Caden loves his monkey ball. And I had the chance a few weekends ago to photograph him playing around with it. If you would like a ball of your very own (which I would highly recommend, especially for high energy toddlers), go visit Handmadepretties. This shop has all kinds of great "Giant balls" as they call them. You can order them in dinosaur, farm, sports, cupcake, twin balls, etc. And the best part is, they are personalized! how fantastic is that. There is even a new one for school spirit.
So surf on down to Handmadepretties and tell her I sent you (I get a referral, which I will inturn pass on to you). You might even see some of Caden's photos there. Enjoy!
Just a reminder that I have a few spots left for the Back to School, Chalk it UP mini sessions this Saturday.
This is a perfect time to take some fun, photos before school starts. We have a custom chalk board that your child will have a blast decorating just for them! And an antique desk for hours of entertainment.
Sessions are 30 minutes for $30 and can be extended for multiple children. Also offered are special packages, pricing and gifts.
A few days ago, my son, Caden turned 19 months. Now if any of you have friends that are photographers, you might have heard of PCS or Photographers Child Syndrome. It is basically the idea that any photographer's child hates to be photographed. And yes, my son has it bad. The poor thing has had my camera in his face since he was born. I tried to limit his exposure to it, but I just can't help it. And I have to admit that I have been so busy with the studio that I have missed documenting his 17 and 18 month birthdays.
So you would think that he would have been OK with today's adventure. But...I guess the closer we get to the age of 2, the harder it is going to be. But I did manage to get 2 good ones. This is my sweet pea at 19 months. We waited a long time for you, and I guess I can wait awhile longer for a good photo.
The only smile in the whole shoot. "A little bit of sunshine"
The view I see the most. I call this, "Off and Running".
So as a lot of you know, August is the start of a new time for me and my studio. I am kicking off all kinds of new things, products and ideas. I am taking what you have told me works and building on it. Taking what you said didn't and throwing it out.
I thought one of the best ways to build a great foundation is to sit down and write out some goals. And what is the best way to hold myself accountable? Publish them! Oh and there is no timeline on these. Just hopefully get to them by August of next year.
So here are the new goals for KP Photo on going. See what you think. Some are personal, you are steal them! And some are business related. I wanted to share them, so that we can all better ourselves at the same time. And frankly you guys can help me stick to them. So it is a long post, but I have a lot of goals!
Building Relationships 1. Spend at least 1 weekend a month doing “nothing” with my husband 2. Get in touch with and/or visit a friend I haven’t seen in years 3. Write a real letter to someone once a week for 3 months 4. Meet a neighbor I don’t already know 5. Make 3 new friends 6. Really get to know my studio clients – relationship building
Charity/community 1. Volunteer my photography services to a community project or a family in need 2. Host Mamartazzi technical photo club 3. Donate old books to local book drive 4. Do an anonymous favor or ‘pay it forward’ 5. Donate portrait shoot to charity auction 6. Purge closet of anything not worn in last 2 years, clean out garage! 7. Buy a meal for a complete stranger 8. Host a random giveaway on my blog
Fun with Husband, Caden or Family & Friends 1. Take a staycation with C&C and just lay around the house 2. Institute date night at least twice a month, money isn’t required 3. Make sure Caden get’s outside to play at least twice a week 4. Check out new places like Gymboree, Little Gym, My Gym, YMCA, local parks 5. Have neighbors over for dinner at least once! 6. Plan holidays with family – don’t hibernate
Health & wellness 1. Work out at least once a week 2. Go to bed by 9pm every weekday for a month 3. Try a new recipe at least once a week 4. Take a full lunch break away from the computer at least twice a week for 3 months 5. Institute quiet time every morning before Caden wakes up for devotionals
Personal growth & development 1. Publish an inspirational quote on FB every other day for a month 2. Go to library at least 6 times to read and learn, not sleep in the quiet rooms. 3. Try 5 new restaurants 4. Establish $5000 personal emergency fund (that doesn’t involve shopping emergencies) 5. Learn to scuba dive and/or sky dive 6. Read and implement Dave Ramsey’s Total Money Makeover 7. Pair down the “stuff” in our house 8. Learn to relax and do nothing!
Photography 1. Get published in Woodlands Instyle magazine 2. Get published on a blog other than mine like Savvy Photographer 3. Photograph a destination portrait or wedding session, preferably in Europe 4. Enter a photo competition or two in 2011 5. Go on a photo safari to document India or African children 6. Get certified through PPA 7. Shoot a session in the rain 8. Find a pet project to take at every session 9. WPPI in Vegas 10. Get out in the community more, Spring mom’s and babes, advertise in school functions, etc.
Rest & Relaxation 1. Spend a day I bed doing nothing for no real reason 2. Go an entire day with no email, text or message boards 3. Get a massage every Saturday for a month 4. Sleep in until at least 7:30am every Saturday for a month
Travel 1. Visit Africa 2. Take a random road trip with Chris 3. Visit France with Caden 4. Take another trip to Costa Rica 5. Visit Australia, concentration camps, Russia and Maine 6. Take another cruise through the Med 7. Take Caden to Iowa, Hawaii and CA
Random stuff 1. Focus on one room at a time and finish decorating it , start with Caden’s room, then the studio 2. Pay off credit cards 3. Create our wedding DVD 4. Watch 10 movies I should have already seen 5. Put a note in a book for a random stranger to find 6. Create our wills 7. Complete 2 truths and 2 dares proposed by someone who comments on this post 8. Send a care package to someone who comments on this post (randomly selected)
Today, Miss C came by for her 6 month session. You might be saying to yourself, didn't I just see her on the blog? Why yes! We just did a family session for her grandparents. But today was special, as it was all about her and she was in a great mood. So tutu and all, she showed off her new moved of sitting up and pushing up. She is doing great. I'm going to save the tutu photos for tomorrow, but here are some of my favorites from today. You guys enjoy. And if you want to see Miss C's family shoot or her 3 month, you can travel back in time through the links.
How old is your child?She is 6 months How has she changed from the last time she was in? She has become so much more interactive and is starting to really show her little personality. What is your favorite things that she does? She does little sit-ups when she is on her back trying to see what is going on. You see her little head popping up with a big smile.
What is the thing that you find most challenging?NAPS!!! The child doesn't sleep during the day.
What is she really into right now? She is into anything that she can get her little hand to...she loves to grab and tear things. What is something that you just love to do with her? I love to play peek a boo. You can do it over and over and the surprise never seems to wear off! What is your favorite thing that she does, body part or noise that she makes? (I love this question!) She makes this little throat gurgle...I think she believes she is talking!
August is here, so that means it is time to choose the Kute Photo of July. It seems like it was only yesterday that this month was starting out, and now it is over. During this month I shot the M family twice. Once for this mama's maternity shoot and then for Mr. L's newborn session. I just knew that they were going to be my Kute Photo of the month, because they had so many fantastic photos! Who could choose? A great family, loving home and relaxed atmosphere that Mr. L is just going to love.So after looking through all of the photos from both sessions, I had to pick just one. Oh this is going to be hard. After spending many hours with Ms. M and Mr. L my clients do become family. Some shots take a little longer to "get" than others. And then some just fall into place.
I personally LOVE taking newborns outside. Houston heat and newborns mix in my opinion and this little guy was no different. He loved it. So I chose this shot for my Kute Photo of the month. His little smile, the beautiful foliage. Perfection. You guys enjoy the wall print of this image and the gift certificate! Congrats!
I am pleased to announce the start of Mini Sessions at the studio!
Our first mini session is this Saturday and the 14th and it is called Ties and Tutus.
Bring your little one for a short session to just play! These are great for updating your photo wall, or just getting some photos done in a more economic fashion. We can provide the Ties or Tutus, or your can bring your own. FYI, I have over 10 tutus in the studio, all sizes and colors! This session will be 30 minutes in length and will cost only a $30 session fee. This fee does not include any prints or digital files. I am offering a special mini session package and it is at a huge discount! This would normally cost $120 at my studio, but on this Saturday only, it is your for $50.This package includes an 8x10, 2 5x7s and a page of wallets for $50. All of these prints have to be of the same image.
So come play with me at the studio, as this is going to be Tutu fun! Best for all ages! Call or email me to set up you session, as sessions are limited to 5 per Saturday. And once they are full, we are done till next year.
