Little Moments Captured

New Year, New Site, New Name. Dawn Fry Photo | Austin Photographer

2010-01-05T22:00:00.002-06:00

Happy New Year!! I just wanted to let you all know the official news, DLM Photography is now Dawn Fry Photo! Please check out my new site at www.dawnfryphoto.com. I am so excited about this year and all the new things I will be offering for my clients.

Pretty soon this blog and the old site will be gone and all of my updates and information will be on the new site, so make sure to bookmark the new site so you can find it easily.

I am also on Twitter @DawnFryPhoto and Facebook as Dawn Fry Photo. Feel free to fan or follow for all the latest news and updates.

Thank you all so much for loyally checking in here; I look forward to seeing you over at the new site. Please leave me a comment over there and let me know what you think!

All the best,
Dawn

Giving Is Awesome!! Winner!

2009-12-24T22:44:00.004-06:00

Hey Everyone!
Thank you so much for all your entries for the Giving is Awesome giveaway! It was such a difficult choice to make - there are so many deserving families out there and I wish I could give them all package like this.

If you haven't heard the news, DLM Photography has a new website and a new name. We are now called Dawn Fry Photo. Please head over to the new site to find out the winner of the Giving Is Awesome portrait package.

May you all have a Merry Christmas and a wonderful Holiday Season!

Thanks for looking!
Dawn

Giving Is Awesome 2009

2009-12-01T10:52:00.004-06:00

It's that time of year again! The holiday season is upon us! Decorations are up, the radio stations have added a whole new genre of holiday hits to their normal line up, the smell of cinnamon and spice is in the air.... and we are all reminded of our blessings and family and the goodness that is all around us.

But somewhere, someone you know may not be feeling the same. They may be sick, hurting or financially struggling. They may be raising kids while holding down more than one job, or they may be volunteering selflessly despite extenuating personal circumstances. You know someone who would cherish custom photography, but they simply can't afford it. You know someone who deserves a year-round reminder of their family's spirit, love, and beauty.

You know someone.

Dawn Fry Photo (formerly DLM Photography) is once again participating in the world wide "Giving Is Awesome" challenge. We want to know your "someone" and we want to give them the chance to experience complimentary custom photography - over $1000 worth, to be exact. This includes the complimentary session, a 5x5 custom designed album, a DVD slideshow, $200 in print credit and 5 full resolution images on disk. And it's in your power to give them the artwork they deserve this holiday season.

Oh and the best part? The person who nominates the winner receives a complimentary session and a $100 print credit! What better reason could there be to show some love to someone you know?

The Rules:

1) You cannot nominate yourself, and the person nominated must sincerely be incapable of purchasing my services.

2) The nominee must reside in the Austin or Houston area. Tell me who you know, what they are experiencing, and why they deserve my artwork. Please include a way to contact both you and your nominee as well.

3) You must email me the full story: dawn(at)dlm-photography.com

4) Entries must be received no later than midnight on December 20th to be considered. I will present all entries to a panel of fellow photographers and a winner will be selected by panel vote.

The winner will be announced on Christmas Eve - GET NOMINATING!! I can't wait to read all of your entries!

Open your heart to someone this holiday season...and thanks for once again giving me the opportunity to open mine.

With love,
Dawn

Senior Reps | Austin Senior Photographer

2009-11-09T19:10:00.007-06:00

I had the opportunity to do another senior session recently. We spent some time in a popular, hip area of Austin, South Congress, or SoCo as the natives call it. I wanted to give the mom and my Senior Rep Kyle a little sneaky peek!

For information on my Senior Packages, click here!

He really enjoyed the cupcake!

I love the look of this one!

I put together something fun for my other Senior Rep, Jennifer. I thought you all might like to see it too. Take a look at Jennifer's Senior Session Video!

Isn't that fun?!!?

Thanks for looking!
Dawn :)

Dawn Fry is a natural light, on location photographer specializing in maternity, newborn, child, family and senior portraiture in Austin, Houston, Dallas and the surrounding areas. If you would like more information on how to book a session with DLM Photography, please visit my website at www.dawnfryphoto.com. Thank you!

Cheeky Beauty | Killeen, Austin Newborn Photographer

2009-11-03T20:56:00.004-06:00

Oh people, I have just got to tell you. I LOVE my job. Let me say it again; I LOVE my job!

"Why?" You ask?

Because I get to spend time with angels. Who on this earth can really say that?

Take a look at this amazing, beautiful example.
This sweet, sweet baby was just 7 days old when I made her acquaintance. My rockin' assistant, Kim, and I had so much fun holding her, breathing in that sweet newborn baby smell, and getting her all comfy cozy in the blankets and wraps.
Baby A rewarded us for our efforts by sleeping through the whole session, and only pooing on one of my blankets. What a sweetie!
She really is a little cheeky teddy bear!
She had no problem with the nekky shots. She knew just how to pose and still maintain total modesty.
She loved my new backdrops and helped me out by being the perfect little model.

I thought this next one was perfect for a holiday card.

"Do you hear what I hear?"

She shines with a little splash of color!

And this! This next image is my most favorite of all. Sheer perfection! Oh how I wish I had her skin! ;)

Thank you so much K family for allowing me to spend precious moments with your little angel. I am so blessed to have had the opportunity!

Thanks for looking!
Dawn :)

Dawn Fry is a natural light, on location photographer specializing in maternity, newborn, child, family and senior portraiture in Austin, Houston, Dallas and the surrounding areas. If you would like more information on how to book a session with DLM Photography, please visit my website at www.dlm-photography.com. Thank you!

Friday, Friday! | Holiday Photo Sessions - Houston, Austin

2009-10-30T13:36:00.004-05:00

Hello everyone!
It is not often that I blog on here without pictures, but I just wanted to let everyone know that I will be in the Houston area from November 6th-8th for Holiday Sessions. I still have 2 openings available, so if you live in or around Houston and need some beautiful family portraits, holiday cards or just updated portraits of the kiddos, this would be a great weekend to book a session with me.

And if you contact me before next Wednesday, November 3rd, I will take half off my session fee, and give you a $50 print credit!

As I said, only 2 slots are available so contact me today! I look forward to hearing from you!

Hee hee! I couldn't resist a cute peek at my latest newborn! You know me better than that, right?

Thanks for looking,
Dawn :)

Dawn Fry is a natural light, on location photographer specializing in maternity, newborn, child, family and senior portraiture in Austin, Houston, Dallas and the surrounding areas. If you would like more information on how to book a session with DLM Photography, please visit my website at www.dlm-photography.com. Thank you!

Happy Again | Austin Family Photography

2009-10-26T18:12:00.004-05:00

The holidays are here! Well, at least in the photography world they are. ;) A couple of weeks ago I had the pleasure of meeting up with the H family. They are the absolute sweetest people! I was so blessed to photograph them last year, and am just thrilled they contacted me to do another holiday session. One of the images from their first session graces the left side of my blog header and it makes me smile every time I see it.

So this time, we decided on a different park for our session, but unfortunately our plans were thwarted by the gazillion people that had descended on the park that day. (OMGoodness - the same thing that happened with them last year!) I could barely drive my car down the main road! Thankfully the park we shot at last year is just down the road, so we headed back over there.

We were grandly rewarded!
The beautiful little toddler I photographed last year has bloomed into a gorgeous little two year old.
We had such a blast playing in this field!

She has the dreamiest eyes!

H family, thank you again for spending a wonderful morning with me. I so enjoyed hanging out with you!

Thanks for looking,
Dawn :)

Dawn Fry is a natural light, on location photographer specializing in maternity, newborn, child, family and senior portraiture in Austin, Houston, Dallas and the surrounding areas. If you would like more information on how to book a session with DLM Photography, please visit my website at www.dlm-photography.com. Thank you!

From The Weekend | Austin Newborn Photographer

2009-10-18T15:14:00.003-05:00

I just thought I would give you a peek at the most beautiful thing I saw all weekend! 7 day old, Little Miss A.

Doesn't she look like a perfect little girly...baby in an egg?!? ;-) lol!

She was a dream, and I can't wait to show you more!

Thanks for looking,
Dawn :)

Dawn Fry is a natural light, on location photographer specializing in maternity, newborn, child, family and senior portraiture in Austin, Houston, Dallas and the surrounding areas. If you would like more information on how to book a session with DLM Photography, please visit my website at www.dlm-photography.com. Thank you!

Babies, Babies, Babies! | Houston Austin Newborn and Multiples Photographer

2009-10-13T16:23:00.004-05:00

I have been so blessed lately with newborn sessions! I just wanted to share a few more of my favorite images with you.

This is my sweet little Miss C from Houston. She didn't like sleeping too much. ;-)

This adorable little hair bow was hand made by her momma. You can visit her Etsy store if you would like one for your sweet little girl!

But oh when I could catch her grabbing some Z's, how cute was she?!?

The next few are from my newborn twin session in Houston.

I just love it when they curl up and snooze like this. So very sweet!

A little hat action for you!

I think she needs a string of pearls, don't you?

Of course they were perfectly content to snuggle together.

And they loved the little cocoon I brought. So much so that it got, um, blessed a couple of times! lol!

Thanks so much for looking!
Dawn

Dawn Fry is a natural light, on location photographer specializing in maternity, newborn, child, family and senior portraiture in Austin, Houston, Dallas and the surrounding areas. If you would like more information on how to book a session with DLM Photography, please visit my website at www.dlm-photography.com. Thank you!

Twin Mommy Gives Birth! | Houston Newborn Multiples Photographer

2009-09-29T22:31:00.003-05:00

You may remember my beautiful twin mommy in Houston - I had the pleasure of photographing her beautiful family in July.

Well, less than 3 weeks ago she delivered her two beautiful girls!!! YAY!

Of course I had to go out there asap and capture these little beauties and all their newborn squishiness. I am in the middle of editing the images, but I promised Momma L a peek, so here it is.
10 tiny toes!

Oh my achin' ovaries!! Isn't that the cutest thing?!?

More to come!

Thanks for looking,
Dawn

Dawn Fry is a natural light, on location photographer specializing in maternity, newborn, child, family and senior portraiture in Austin, Houston, Dallas and the surrounding areas. If you would like more information on how to book a session with DLM Photography, please visit my website at www.dlm-photography.com. Thank you!

Some Random Thoughts, An Introduction and a Special Offer! | Austin Family Photographer

2009-09-16T18:21:00.008-05:00

As with any other profession I am sure, the photography world is filled with professionals that are open and helpful to others in the biz and it is filled with those that aren't. I, myself, have tried to do the former; providing resources for those starting out, guiding newbies in any way I can that might be helpful, and pretty much answering any question that comes my way. I really believe that being helpful is much more beneficial in the long run than not.

And in my own journey I have been very fortunate to have connected with many wonderful professionals who give their time and talent and advice to anyone in need of it. Even now that I have been in business for a while, I still need help in certain areas and it is nice to have someone to brainstorm with and exchange ideas.

There is one such person that has been more than helpful. She has been a cheerleader, an encourager and a friend, and we have never even met in person! She has her own photography biz in Fredricksburg, VA, and we met through a birth board on Babycenter.

Stacy Laine of Focus Photography LLC. If you are in the Fredricksburg area, check her out!!

Stacy is a sweet mommy to 3, soon to be 4 beautiful kiddos (yay babies!!) and she is the talent behind all of those beautiful pictures on her site. She has a great blog as well, and a couple of weeks ago when she posted her Holiday Mini Sessions, it reminded me that I needed to get mine planned before time got away from me.

I've never done mini session packages before, but after a quick google search it became clear that most photographers offer up very similar packages for mini sessions, making things much simpler.

And I looooove simple!

So, with Stacy's blessing, I modeled my packages after hers and am offering them this season to you!

Remember my packages?

Anyway, my mini session slots are filling up fast for October, but poor little September is being neglected.

So, here is my offer to you: As of today (well Thursday the 17th), there are 98 days left till Christmas.

If you contact me today about booking your October 24th mini session, I will take $98 off the package price!
If you contact me tomorrow I will take $97 off.
And so on and so forth...until October 24th or until all Mini Session slots are booked.

BUT - if you book for the September 26th mini sessions, I will take off a full $100 of the package price!!

How awesome is that???

The sooner you book, the more you save!

I also have a few full session times available as well. Remember, all holiday sessions must be booked to take place before November 15th. And if you book a full Holiday session with me between now and Monday, September 21st, I will give you a $50 print credit!

dawn(at)dlm-photography(dot)com Go on, reserve your spot today!

Thanks for looking!
Dawn :)

Dawn Fry is a natural light, on location photographer specializing in maternity, newborn, child, family and senior portraiture in Austin, Houston, Dallas and the surrounding areas. If you would like more information on how to book a session with DLM Photography, please visit my website at www.dlm-photography.com. Thank you!

Newborn Beauty | Houston Austin Newborn Photographer

2009-09-15T22:33:00.004-05:00

This is just a little sneaky peeky at my newest favorite little Houston girl!
Oh yes! She IS this gorgeous and...

those are real natural highlights in her hair!

More to come. :)

Thanks for looking!
D :)

Dawn Fry is a natural light, on location photographer specializing in maternity, newborn, child, family and senior portraiture in Austin, Houston, Dallas and the surrounding areas. If you would like more information on how to book a session with DLM Photography, please visit my website at www.dlm-photography.com. Thank you!

Meet Jennifer | Austin Senior Photographer

2009-09-02T20:41:00.009-05:00

This is just a little peek...

But I can't wait any longer! I have to introduce you all to someone. She is beautiful, she is smart, and she is one of DLM Photography's oh-so-fabulous Senior Reps for 2010!

Everyone, meet the lovely Jennifer!

She is studious and she is sassy...

She is soft.

And she is gorgeous!!

I can't wait to show you more! Check back soon...

Thanks for looking!
Dawn :)

Dawn Fry is a natural light, on location photographer specializing in maternity, newborn, child, family and senior portraiture in Austin, Houston, Dallas and the surrounding areas. If you would like more information on how to book a session with DLM Photography, please visit my website at www.dlm-photography.com. Thank you!

Jingle Bell Rock | Austin Portrait Photographer

2009-08-26T13:36:00.003-05:00

Here we are, looking back at summer as it slips away, and jumping feet first into the fall with school starting and holiday decor on the shelves of the stores! I can't believe how quickly this summer flew by!

I had the best summer for DLM Photography yet! My clients as always were wonderful, my sessions were a blast and even more fun and excitement is yet to come! I am looking ahead to a couple of newborn sessions, a couple of twin sessions, senior sessions and so much more - and my head is spinning from sheer excitement! Thank you to all of you who have blessed me with work that I love and friendships and connections that I would never have acquired otherwise.

With that said, I am excited to announce that I am now booking for fall Holiday Sessions! I know it seems early, but it's time to start thinking about Family photos and holiday cards. December will be here before we know it!

So if you are already a client of mine, be looking for this in your mailbox!

Holiday Sessions must be scheduled for no later than November 15th for everything to be ready in time for Christmas. Please contact me via email for available session times.

This year I am offering 2 Mini Session days, September 26th and October 24th. Mini Sessions are 20-30 minutes long and for immediate family only. You will receive 7-10 images in a private gallery that will be online for 1 week. I am offering 2 Mini Session Packages.

And of course, I have Full session slots available as well. Shoot me an email through my site, dawn (at) dlm-photography (dot) com for all the details.

Thanks for looking!
Dawn

Dawn Fry is a natural light, on location photographer specializing in maternity, newborn, child, family and senior portraiture in Austin, Houston, Dallas and the surrounding areas. If you would like more information on how to book a session with DLM Photography, please visit my website at www.dlm-photography.com. Thank you!

Twin Power in Dallas | Dallas Family Photographer

2009-08-21T08:42:00.003-05:00

A couple of weeks ago I had the pleasure of going to Dallas to work on the Company Girl book project with my wonderful new friend, Rachel Anne Ridge from Home Sanctuary. She was kind enough to invite me to her home to stay for a couple of days and so we could work on the book. I managed to also schedule a family session while I was there, so on Saturday evening Rachel (who agreed to be my assistant!) and I drove out to Grapevine and met the family at the Gaylord Texan for their photo shoot.

It was so great to see them again! You may remember them from this session a couple of winters ago. Well, those gorgeous twins have now turned 5, and they are quite the pair! Just look at these yahoos!

Mr. B is such a handsome guy! He is just as sweet as they come.

He was great fun to photograph.

And he made the best faces!

Of course, his sister is equally as beautiful. Would you look at her?!? I certainly hope her daddy has his shotgun cleaning routine ready to intimidate all the boys that will come knocking in a few years! He's gonna need it! ;-)

I could just dive into her eyes - they are like crystal!

Good gracious! Oh momma, how I feel for you. When are you going to sign this child up for modeling? She is a natural!

It was a wonderful, hot day in Texas, but we managed to get some amazing images of these darling kids. Many thanks to my lovely assistant Rachel, and to Mom and Dad T for meeting up with me to do your session! I had so much fun, and it was a great treat to meet up with you, if only for a little while.

Thanks for looking!
Dawn :)

Dawn Fry is a natural light, on location photographer specializing in maternity, newborn, child, family and senior portraiture in Austin, Houston, Dallas and the surrounding areas. If you would like more information on how to book a session with DLM Photography, please visit my website at www.dlm-photography.com. Thank you!

More of the G Family | Houston Family and Maternity Photographer

2009-08-13T22:12:00.005-05:00

I just wanted to share a few more from the family/maternity session I did last month in Houston. When I did the sneak peek I hadn't finished any of the actual maternity shots.

This is one of my favorites! I just love the setting sun behind her.

I couldn't decide between the color or the black and white.

Of course I had to include more of one of her cutie patootie little boys!

I looooove the warm glow of the sun and that beautiful belly! She's got 2 beautiful girls in there!

Momma was such a trooper - I made her sit on this beautiful stone work, but after a day of 90+ temps, the stones were pretty hot. She didn't complain though, and she looked beautiful all the while.

...a little artsy fartsy with some texture and actions...

And finally an extreme conversion that I really, really like. It's not my norm, but I felt the silhouette just needed to be highlighted this way.

Thanks again G family for the experience! I can't wait to meet your new little girls!

Thanks for looking,
Dawn :)

Dawn Fry is a natural light, on location photographer specializing in maternity, newborn, child, family and senior portraiture in Austin, Houston, Dallas and the surrounding areas. If you would like more information on how to book a session with DLM Photography, please visit my website linked at the top of the page. Thank you!

Sneak Peek at Newborn Beauty | Leander and Austin Newborn Photographer

2009-08-09T22:48:00.004-05:00

I have been so wonderfully busy lately; I've got sessions and projects galore, but right now my main focus is on a sweet, squishy little newborn girl! I love, love, love newborns, and this little princess came into the world not too long ago to the open arms of her mom, dad and twin big brothers. It is an honor for me to introduce you all to Miss E.

She is by far the best newborn ever! She never fussed, only woke once, and she slept peacefully through every change and position we scrunched her up in. She never even tinkled or poo'ed on my blankets! She was truly a dream!

Miss E has a little bit of a mod side. ;-)

And she is so blessed to have two handsome big brothers to watch over her. This is Mr. J. He is awesome!

Is she not the most beautiful little thing?!? Oh I I fell in love with her!

I will post a few more as soon as I am finished. I just can't get enough of this little beauty, and I think you will enjoy seeing more of her too.

Thanks for looking!
D :)

Dawn Fry is a natural light, on location photographer specializing in newborn, child, family and senior portraiture in Austin, Houston, Dallas and the surrounding areas. If you would like more information on how to book a session with DLM Photography, please visit my website linked at the top of the page. Thank you!

Sneak Peek G Family | Houston Family & Maternity Photographer

2009-07-23T23:01:00.003-05:00

I am right in the middle of a ton of editing and just wanted to come up for air and show you all a few from my latest family and maternity session.

Mom, Dad and their cute little boys are anticipating the arrival of twin sisters in just a couple of months! I can't wait to see this sweet little family grow in such amazing ways.

Here is a sneak peek of some of the session images. I will post more when I finish the set.

Cutie Patootie #1. Mr. F. I think I found something almost as endearing as long eyelashes on a little boy...FRECKLES!!! eeee!

The baby brother who stole my heart, Sweet M.

I love this shot of M looking back at me. So sweet!

More to come soon!

Thanks for looking!
Dawn :)

Dawn Fry is a natural light, on location photographer specializing in child, family and senior portraiture in Austin, Houston, Dallas and the surrounding areas. If you would like more information on how to book a session with DLM Photography, please visit my website linked at the top of the page. Thank you!

Peacocks and Pretties | Austin Family Photographer

2009-07-19T16:04:00.007-05:00

Wow! Where has the month gone?? Things have suddenly become blindingly busy and I am struggling to keep up! It is a great problem to have! In the next couple of weeks I will have lots to share, so keep checking back.

A couple of weeks ago I had the pleasure of photographing the family of a fellow 08/04 mom that I met on an online baby forum. We have children the same age, and about a year and a half ago she asked me to do some family portraits for her. At the time, I was about 7 months pregnant with my second. I still remember the look on her face when I laid down on my big belly on the ground to capture some family shots!

Fast forward to the present, and she and I have both had new babies so it was definitely time to get together again. We decided to meet at a wonderful park near downtown Austin, Mayfield Park and Preserve. This park is amazing! It is by far one of the most beautiful I've seen, and with all of the amazing features it was a perfect location for a family photo shoot.

One of the very cool things about the park is that it is inhabited by many free roaming peacocks.

One of the not so cool things - the many LOUD free roaming peacocks! ;)
They are truly beautiful (and so BIG!) when they spread their feathers.

So mom and dad brought the kids out, and while things were quite pleasant for the first 10 minutes or so, it suddenly became unbearably hot! The humidity was so high that the air had a thickness to it. We were all instantly drenched in sweat. Amazingly though, mom and dad stayed gorgeous looking! I know I've said it before, but I truly believe I have the most beautiful clients.

The middle child, Mr. C, is so adorable. He didn't like to look right at me much, but it afforded me the opportunity to capture some amazing eyelash shots. You know how I adore eyelashes - especially on little boys!

He also has the cutest thumb sucking habit. Oh how I love it!

Miss K is growing up to be quite the little beauty herself, and the obliged me with a couple of incredibly model like poses on this old porch.

The newest member of the M family is Baby C. Oh how adorable is he?!? His gorgeous eyes stole my heart!

He could be pretty funny too!

Baby C appears to have a bit of a jealous streak in him already, at only a few months old he showed me his dark side. ;) Big brother got a sucker and look at the expression on Baby C's face!

{I can almost reach it! Gimme that!}

{DOH! How could you??!?}
Hee hee! Love it!

Throughout our time at the park we encountered the peacocks from afar (for the most part). They hung out high up in the trees, and occasionally one would saunter by at a safe distance. We were constantly reminded of their presence by their loud cries to each other, but we hardly came across them in our trek from one area to another. However, at one point I rather loudly announced to the family that we should move over to a nearby bench for some group shots and out of nowhere a peacock ran right next to us and did this.

{MY bench!}
We approached the bench slowly and the peacock held his ground. It wasn't until after a couple of gentle tail strokes that he released the bench from his possession, but not without leaving us a...uh, little gift for his trouble. *ahem*. Good thing I has some tissue in my bag!

When it was over we were all soaked in sweat and covered in mud and various other wildlife matter (eww) but it was so worth it! I had a wonderful time and I think I captured some amazing images. Below is one of my favorites (though it is so hard to choose just one). I just love the baby smile and the cute way Miss K is holding his little toes. Adorable!
Thank you once again M family for letting me spend a beautiful (though hot) Friday morning with you. I enjoyed your company and hanging out with your wonderful family.

Thanks for looking!
D :)

Dawn Fry is a natural light, on location photographer specializing in child, family and senior portraiture in Austin, Houston, Dallas and the surrounding areas. If you would like more information on how to book a session with DLM Photography, please visit my website linked at the top of the page. Thank you!

2010 Senior Reps | Austin Senior Photographer

2009-06-22T10:08:00.007-05:00

Hey 2010 SENIORS!

DLM Photography is now looking for Senior Reps for the 2010 school year! If you or someone you know will be a high school senior this year and would like the opportunity to receive an amazing Senior Portrait Package absolutely FREE, please send DLM Photography an email asking for details.

DLM Photography is looking for outgoing, enthusiastic Austin area seniors to enjoy a fabulous photo session and to promote DLM Photography to their classmates. DLM Photography Senior Reps will receive a complimentary photo session, 2 sets of Photo Brag Cards, a custom designed keepsake album and opportunity to earn print credit with every booked referral!!
Please contact Dawn at dawn(at)dlm-photography(dot)com for the full scoop and to apply. Only a few of these opportunities are available!

We look forward to hearing from you!
Thanks for looking,
Dawn :)

Dawn Fry is a natural light, on location photographer specializing in child, family and senior portraiture in Austin, Houston, Dallas and the surrounding areas. If you would like more information on how to book a session with DLM Photography, please visit my website linked at the top of the page. Thank you!

Big D | Austin Child Photographer

2009-06-06T17:02:00.005-05:00

A couple of weeks ago I had the pleasure of photographing Big D! This little guy had a birthday very close to my youngest boy and his mom, along with a couple of our other mutual friends were pregnant all at the same time. I have loved watching all of our babies grow in the past year, and I was absolutely delighted when D's mom asked me to do his one year portraits!

He is such a cutie pie - with those big, brown, to die for eyes!

Big D gave me some of the best smiles! I love, love his little happy grin.
This boy has some lashes too - oh how I love them so! You know I am a sucker for lashes...
I tried something new with this session - a balloon bouquet! It was kind of a challenge, but I am looking forward to doing a couple more sessions with balloons. Maybe next time with a little girl and a pettiskirt?? Oh the possibilities!
He has such an adorable face!
I love the clarity in his eyes in this one. You can see me and the sky, the trees and the grass - so cool!!
Here is a little storyboard I put together for him.
And just for comparison sake, here is a shot of his sister that I took when she was two. It is still one of my favorites today!
And here is Big D's swing action shot! LOVE IT!!!

Momma C, thanks again for a wonderful session! I hope you enjoy the images as much as I do!

Thanks for looking!
Dawn

Dawn Fry is a natural light, on location photographer specializing in child,family and senior portraiture in Austin, Houston, Dallas and the surrounding areas. If you would like more information on how to book a session with DLM Photography, please visit my website linked at the top of the page. Thank you!

Company Girl

2009-05-18T22:34:00.002-05:00

So....I am involved in yet another exciting new project!

Today, Rachel Anne Ridge of Home Sanctuary unveiled a new adventure she is taking - she is writing a book called Company Girl, based on an essay she wrote several years ago.

From the Company Girl Website:
"“Company Girl,” a gift book that will be published in Fall 2009, is dedicated to girlfriends everywhere.

Once published, this book will be one that every woman will want to share with a friend. It will be a perfect gift for both special occasions and those “just because!” times that girlfriends know so well. "

Rachel Anne is holding a photo contest for the book - asking for submissions from her readers and the Company Girls that joined her on Home Sanctuary. Submissions for the book will be taken for 3 weeks, then readers will vote for their favorite images.

And what will I be doing?? Well, Rachel Anne has blessed me with the great honor of assisting her in the contest, the final selection of images and the preparation of the selected images for publication in the book! WOW! I cannot express how excited and humbled and honored I am by this opportunity.

Please head on over to Company Girl and check out the story behind the book and the first few submissions. And if you have an image you would like to enter, please check out the guidelines first and then upload your image through the upload page. I can't wait to see all the submissions and heartwarming moments captured!!

Until,
D :)

Farm Action | Austin Senior Photographer

2009-05-07T10:54:00.005-05:00

Ok, so when shooting action shots there is a lot more involved than just pointing the camera at your subject and pushing the shutter. Especially in the situation we had the other night with our senior, Aaron. We were located in a pecan grove under heavy tree cover, in thick grass and it was just before sunset. The light was gorgeous, but there wasn't enough of it to get a fast enough shutter speed to capture the jump without capturing a LOT of blur. So my Hubby, Casey, (who took the following images) had to use a speedlight and at the same time, PAN with the bike as he made the jump. The result was a rider and bike in focus and the rest of the surroundings in an action blur. I think Casey did a terrific job!
He got some great air in this one!
Of course other issues we had involved keeping the cap on, so sometimes Aaron's head was down a little low. But I think it makes him look determined!
We had the kids with us and every time Aaron made a jump, my four year old went nuts! He was jumping and screaming the whole time. At one point he turned to me and said "Mommy, this is SWEET!!!" hee hee!
In the images below he is "roosting" around the turn. (for those of unfamiliar with the term, he was spraying dirt. lol!)
Look out Hubby!!!
I just love the expression in this next one.
So there you have it! Action shots ala Casey. ;)

Thanks for looking!
D :)

Dawn Fry is a natural light, on location photographer specializing in child,family and senior portraiture in Austin, Houston, Dallas and the surrounding areas. If you would like more information on how to book a session with DLM Photography, please visit my website linked at the top of the page. Thank you!

Casey Fry is an on location photographer specializing in architectural, and artistic portraiture in Austin and the surrounding areas. If you are interested in Casey's work, please visit his website at clfrycreative.com.

Farm, Motorcycles and Cow Patties Oh MY! | Austin Senior Photographer

2009-05-05T21:09:00.004-05:00

This past weekend I had the exciting opportunity to do a Senior Session! Aaron and his family attend the same church we do, and I was absolutely thrilled when his parents agreed to let us (my Hubby and I) do a session with him.

I just love, love, love shooting adults! They actually do what you want them to do, AND they hold still!! Hee hee! We met up with Aaron and his mom on their family farm, and for a little while before sunset Aaron and I trekked through the cow patties looking for some ideal locations to shoot. We used an old house, an open field, a creek and the grass lined trail next to the corn field, but decided against hopping the electric fence, and didn't get back to the deer feeder/ "water tower" (*wink, wink* {a little inside joke}) before the sun got too low. The farm was a perfect location for any session, and I was so thankful they allowed us to use it.

Now I know that sometimes guys don't like to have their picture taken, but I think Aaron was a natural. It only took a few minutes to get him to relax in front of the camera and by then he was a total pro!
Of course, it totally helps that he is a cutie! ;)
He is headed off to college next fall to study finance - this boy knows exactly what he wants to do with his life. I find that so admirable!
Maybe some day I'll figure out what I want to be when I grow up!
Hmm, after looking at these pictures, I think I figured it out. Photographer suits me just fine. ;)

How do you like the texture on this next one? I thought I would try it out.
I am so excited I got to use one of my favorite actions here. I just love the edgy feel of it.
This was an amazing session for me because it was sooo much fun! My hubby also captured some images which I will share with you as soon as he's done with them. Aaron is an avid motorcycle rider and he followed in his father's footsteps by having himself photographed jumping his motorcycle while wearing a cap and gown!! It was crazy - and way to much for me to try to photograph. Since my hubby is a pro at photographing things with wheels, he took over the jump shots.

Hopefully I can post those soon!

Thanks for looking!
Dawn :)

Dawn Fry is a natural light, on location photographer specializing in child,family and senior portraiture in Austin, Houston, Dallas and the surrounding areas. If you would like more information on how to book a session with DLM Photography, please visit my website linked at the top of the page. Thank you!

Miss M Turns 3! | Houston Photographer

2009-03-03T12:21:00.005-06:00

Did you know????

DLM Photography does sessions in the HOUSTON AREA too???

Well, yes I DO!!

I love doing Houston sessions! It opens up a whole new world of opportunities for terrific family portraits! And, best of all, my kiddos get to eat up some quality Grammy and Happy time when I do.

I recently had the honor of doing a Houston session for this little cutie pie!
You may recognize her from some of my past sessions. She is the amazing, the wonderful, the little girl love of my life, the Fabulous Miss M and she turned 3 years old this year! I can't believe how fast the time has gone. Didn't I *just* do her newborn session???

Yup, she's 3, and boy is she ever getting to be a big girl.

Our session took place at a park near her home, on a truly dreadful day for outdoor sessions! Just the day before it had been a wonderful 60 something degrees, sunny and clear. The day of our session it dropped to around freezing with the wind howling and gusting all around. We were miserable cold running around the park, but that didn't stop Miss M from having a pretty good time.

She still managed to look mighty cute playing all over the park.

We played as long as we could stand it, and when the grownups had enough (myself included) we raced back to the warmth of the car and headed to the nearest Starbucks! lol! Even though she was a popsicle too, Miss M was still smiling for me. Man, I love this girl!

My only regret is that because of the cold I didn't get too many shots of her absolutely FABULOUS shirt - soooooo representative of Miss M, and sooooo cute!

The sleeves are this wonderful, colorful stripe that I am dying to capture soon. Her mom better keep this shirt handy and have it ready the next time I come to town! I love it!

Thank you M family for once again allowing me to photograph my Best Girl, and for as always welcoming me into your family and being my friends. I love you all!

Thanks for looking!
Dawn

PS. If YOU love in the Houston area and would like to book a session with DLM Photography, please visit my website and send me an email! I would love to set something up! Houston sessions are NOT subject to travel fees! My normal session fee does apply, as does a minimum print purchase commitment. Please ask me for more details.

PPS. DLM Photography will also travel to DALLAS/FW Area!!! More details to come!

Dawn Fry is a natural light, on location photographer specializing in child and family portraiture in Austin and the surrounding areas as well as Houston and Dallas/FW area. If you would like more information on how to book a session with DLM Photography, please visit my website linked at the top of the page. Thank you!

DLM Photography Specials | Austin Photographer

2009-02-23T15:18:00.007-06:00

Hello there everyone! I just wanted to write out a quick post to remind you of my current specials. Check the top box often as things change monthly.

Here's what's being offered right now:
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
FEBRUARY/MARCH SPECIALS:
Maternity and Newborn Sessions - Book a maternity AND newborn session with me and I will waive all session fees!! That's a $180 value! This offer is good from now through March 31st. Sessions must be scheduled for sometime in 2009 - so reserve your tentative dates now to take advantage of this special.

Newborn Sessions - Book a newborn session for any time in 2009 and receive a $75 print credit! Credit can be used for prints, announcements and even special order items like canvas or storyboards.

I know it's still cold out (some days) but the time has come to think about spring. Wildflowers will be out soon and things will be greening up all over. It is the perfect time for scheduling a portrait session. Bluebonnet Season usually happens in March and April - schedule a session with DLM Photography and take advantage of a Texas tradition! I will be sure to know all the bluebonnet hot spots so we can take advantage of the beauty of the spring.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I will be posting new specials at the beginning of each month, so put me on your feed reader, sign up to follow me via Twitter or the blog (down at the bottom of the page) and you'll be the first to know if something new is posted.

As always, thanks for looking!
Dawn :)

Dawn Fry is a natural light, on location photographer specializing in newborn, maternity, child and family portraiture in Austin and the surrounding areas. If you would like more information on how to book a session with DLM Photography, please visit my website linked at the top of the page. Thank you!

Newborn Bliss | Austin Newborn Photographer

2009-02-15T15:34:00.005-06:00

Where have I been???

I'll tell you - in editing bliss! Can you imagine what a joy it is to get to look at this all day?

Oh my, oh my he is such a gorgeous baby!

It's sessions like this that remind me just how much I love this business. I get to hang out with super fun parents, adorable kids and sometimes, when I am really lucky, I get to hang out with the wee ones, the smallest of fascinating people, sweet little newborns; and after a newborn session all is right with the world again. If you ever need a big dose of hope and joy and all the good things that make up this world, if you truly want to feel close to God, spend some time breathing this in.

Well not necessarily the feet, but you know what I mean! ;)

This little man was so sweet. Only a few weeks old at the time; he stole my heart with his beautiful little face and squishy baby body.

I got some great shots of him and his momma too!

The perfect subject, he slept just long enough for me to get what I needed.

Only once did he get fussy enough to require intervention and while his mommy changed her peed on jeans (hazard of the business, lol), his daddy took to task of getting him back to sleep. While I was waiting, older brother was checking out our backdrop and bean bag set up. Just before he left the area to go play with the middle brother (yes, they have 3 boys, bless 'em!) he gave me a sweet little kiss! It was so cute!

In all though, this has to be my most favorite shot.

I hope you like it too!
Thanks for looking!
Dawn :)

Dawn Fry is a natural light, on location photographer specializing in child and family portraiture in Austin and the surrounding areas. If you would like more information on how to book a session with DLM Photography, please visit my website linked at the top of the page. Thank you!

Playing Catch Up, Part Three | Austin Family and Child Photographer

2009-01-24T14:46:00.003-06:00

I can't believe I am just now posting this session! It was shot at the end of November - and was one of my favorites from the holiday season. {oh, who am I kidding, they are ALL my favorites!}

I have done a couple of sessions for the A family, but this was my first with them all together. We had a fabulous time in the park - about 2 hours in all, because when you have a large family like that it takes a lot longer to get all the images I needed. Not only did I get family shots, but individuals of all the girls, groupings of the girls together, the parents together and some mom/daughter and dad/daughter images as well. (was that a run-on sentence? sorry!)

Anyway, this family if fun, fun, fun and obviously they get along so well - everywhere they went they all held hands and clustered together. You can tell Mom and Dad have worked hard on family unity. They chatter together, they laughed, they were interactive and sometimes in their own happy family world. It was wonderful to be around them.
Miss A has the most amazing blue eyes. {they are from her Daddy} They look like crystal.
And here is Little M - gorgeous as ever. This is my favorite shot from the session.
Now, Miss K is growing into such a stunning young lady. Can you believe she is only 11??? She is also up at the top of the page, on the right side of my header image. I can't WAIT until she is in high school. I am already trying to recruit her as a senior rep for my studio. Lol!
Sisters!! I just love this shot!
Another favorite from the session - this was totally unscripted - this is what they do naturally. Isn't it fun!!?!
A family, thank you once again for including me in your family time, and allowing me to capture you all together as the wonderful, loving group you are. I had so much fun with you all, and I look forward to seeing you again soon!

Thanks for looking,
D :)

Dawn Fry is a natural light, on location photographer specializing in child and family portraiture in Austin and the surrounding areas. If you would like more information on how to book a session with DLM Photography, please visit my website linked at the top of the page. Thank you!

Playing Catch Up, Part Two | Austin Family Photographer

2009-01-19T11:38:00.006-06:00

Another of my Holiday Sessions took place in my favorite location, San Gabriel Park. I probably do the majority of my sessions here, and though I get tired of it from time to time, it is always a safe bet for a beautiful session. I love bringing families to this park for their first visit. Most people don't even know it is there, and if they do, they most likely don't realize the sheer size of the park nor just how many different "scenes" the park provides. Suffice it to say, I am rarely disappointed in this location.

This day was no exception. The L family and I have been acquainted for several years now. I had the pleasure of photographing little C when she was a wee tot, and now that they have added a new guy to the crew, it was time for some up to date family photos.

Mom and Dad are such a fun couple. I had a blast hanging out with them and playing with the kids. They look great together and compliment each other so well.

Miss C is getting so big and is still an absolute beauty.

Her laugh is infectious, her smile contagious, her stories, outrageous! ;)

And this is another of my favorite spring '08 babies (next to my own little one and the I family's D) the handsome and extremely talented, Mr. N. Isn't he a cutie?!?
I can't wait to see more of him in the next year. He is going to do big things. I just know...the way you know about a good melon. {name that movie} He is a doll baby!

Thank you, L Family, for giving me the privilege of shooting a session with you, and for spending a beautiful morning playing in the park with me.

Thanks for looking!
D :)

Dawn Fry is a natural light, on location photographer specializing in child and family portraiture in Austin and the surrounding areas. If you would like more information on how to book a session with DLM Photography, please visit my website linked at the top of the page. Thank you!

Playing Catch Up, Part One | Austin Family Photographer

2009-01-11T11:22:00.006-06:00

Oh I had so many sessions over the holidays - the blog got terribly neglected, so I will be recapping them over the next few days.

My session with the "I" family was done down at Berry Springs Park, a location that is quickly becoming one of my favorites. Mom, Dad and the Kiddos all looked so wonderful in their coordinated outfits; it made me giddy when they stepped out of the car.

People always ask me what they should wear for sessions, and I try to explain that they don't have to all go with the same colored shirt, as long as the outfits all kind of coordinate they will look nice. For this session, Mom didn't ask me about clothing selections - she just had it going on and they all looked so wonderful without being matchy-matchy. I love that!

Little Miss A was cute as a button as always, and managed to secure herself a spot at the top of my blog on the left side of the header. She is the darling who is laughing. I adore that child's laugh! She looked pretty cute running down the path too.

Big man D enjoyed hanging out with us, but really only smiled when his momma stood behind me and cooed at him. It worked for this image of him and Daddy.

With such an attractive couple, I was eager to get some shots of just mom and dad. They didn't disappoint.

And here is their "serious" look.

Yowza! Smoldering HOT!

Thanks for looking!
D

Dawn Fry is a natural light, on location photographer specializing in child and family portraiture in Austin and the surrounding areas. If you would like more information on how to book a session with DLM Photography, please visit my website linked at the top of the page. Thank you!

New Year, New Blog, The Unstoppable Miss O

2009-01-03T10:36:00.008-06:00

Hello there!! Welcome to the new and improved DLM Photography blog! I am still working out kinks and formatting issues, but this is basically how things are going to look for a while (I hope!). Take a look around and tell me what you think!

For the first post on my new blog, I wanted to introduce you to my latest subject, the beautiful Miss O and her gorgeous mom, V.

I had the pleasure of photographing Miss O's big sis way back in my early days of photography, and I was absolutely delighted when V contacted me about doing a session to commemorate Miss O turning 1 year old. Isn't she a doll?!?

We were so lucky to get a beautiful, fall like day in December. Just a few days before the temps had dropped to below freezing and we had snow flurries and sleet. I was thrilled when the forecast called for almost 70 degrees and partly cloudy skies! Miss O didn't mind digging around in the dirt though, and even decided to sample it a time or two! It's good roughage, right??

Just like most busy toddlers, Miss O could not be bothered by the lady with the black box in her face, but I did occasionally catch her looking at me trying to figure me out. I got lots of great looks from her.

Those gorgeous brown eyes!!! Don't you just want to swim in them for a while? They are so amazing! Of course, I did manage a couple of smiles - oh gracious, I could just eat her up!

She looks fantastic in black and white too. :)

After shooting a bit in the park area, we moved over to the sunken garden where there is a water fountain, and well, uh, water. The grounds were riddled with puddles and Miss O did not hesitate to crawl right in. Here is where the cute toddler session turned into sort of a "trash the outfit" session! lol! I have always wanted to do a Trash the Dress session with a bride, and this was pretty close! hee hee!

Oh yeah, Miss O knows how to do things right! Those pants are toast!

I have to say though, I think my favorite part of the session was capturing a few great shots of Momma V. Uncomfortable in front of the camera, I tried to ease her discomfort a bit and asked her to let me photograph her. I have always admired her natural beauty. Like her daughters, she has beautiful, soft features. Her eyes tell of her strength, her vulnerability and her intense love for all creatures, and I just wanted to be able to show her what I see. I hope I did her justice. I think she looks amazing.

V, thank you for being a friend and a support and a wonderful client. I am honored to be a small part of your life, and I hope you love the images as much as I do.

Thanks for looking!
D :)

PS. Look for coming peeks of my December sessions! I haven't forgotten about you all!

Dawn Fry is a natural light, on location photographer specializing in child and family portraiture in Austin and the surrounding areas. If you would like more information on how to book a session with DLM Photography, please visit my website linked at the top of the page. Thank you!

Giving is Awesome!

2008-12-26T12:22:00.002-06:00

We have a winner!!! Please go check out Mollie's blog for the story.

Merry Christmas!
Dawn

The List Keeps Growing!

2008-12-07T23:35:00.004-06:00

Photographers everywhere are stepping up to the plate! I am so proud!

Matt Nicolosi, of Texas
Kaycee Dean, of Oklahoma
The Selanders, of Iowa/Nebraska
Alice Park Photography, of Georgia
Charlene Chavez, of California
Kimbrali Boyd, of Louisiana
Rachel Logan, of Texas
Surprise Photography, of New York
Lauri Stumph, of Minnesota
Laura Green, of Iowa
Kimberly Ann Photography, of Wisconsin
Photo Art by Suzi, of Michigan
Krista Muskovin, of Michigan
Kelly Holder, of Kansas
Tiffany G, of Las Vegas
Bamboo Photography, of Pennsylvania
Mollie Kendall, of Texas
Marlo Yoshimoto, of California
Brandi DeLisi, of Tennessee
HRG Photo, of Washington
Dini Groner, of New York
April Todd, of South Carolina
Steven Parker, of New York
Christine DeSavino, of New Jersey
Sarah Pettinger, of Missouri
Veronica Reeve, of Utah
Adrienne Griffin, of Nevada
Barbie Schwartz, of Tennessee
Tiffany Hix, of Idaho
Adorations Photography, of Texas
Alicia Caine, of Montana
Rebekah Pope, of Tennessee
Lisa Nelson, of North Dakota
Crystal DelaHoz, of Texas
Joell Parkos, of Minnesota
Lyndsey Lewis, of Colorado
Jenny Gironda, of Maine
Jennifer Mullinax, of Kansas
Photography by Angelique, of Missouri
Charmi Pena, of New Jersey
Tami Henry, of South Carolina
Kim Mattina, of Arizona
Christy Stickley, of Colorado
Carie Frabotta, of Arizona
Butch Bernstein, of Maryland
Wendhy Jeffers, of Nevada
Kristen Kalp, of Pennsylvania

International:

Jenna Faye, of Ontario, Canada
Peachyc Photography, of Manila
Josee Caza, of Toronto, Canada
Bev Robison, of Poland

Holiday Giveaway

2008-12-05T09:40:00.009-06:00

A group of my photographer friends from all over the United States (led by Kristen Kalp of Essential Imagery), have been challenged to offer an amazing gift. I found it to be a wonderful idea and just COULD NOT pass up on this opportunity to give what I can.

For many people, this is an exciting time of year – the hustle and bustle, the shopping and gift giving, holiday parties, and spending time with loved ones. For some, it’s a struggle and a painful reminder of hard times.

We all know someone who is struggling to barely hang on each month just to make ends meet, let alone be able to purchase anything that’s more than a basic necessity. We all know someone who’s suffered a devastating set back and is having trouble getting back on their feet, someone that has day after day given selflessly, gone without, and sacrificed greatly for the benefit of others, or someone that just hasn’t been able to catch that break that’s gonna give them some financial margin in their life. Think about it, who is that person that you know?

Here’s where I need your help.

Let’s face it – photography is a luxury item, it’s not a necessity. That being said, what is more important than our relationships and our memories? I would have to say, not much, which is one of the reasons I’m so passionate about photography. I am blessed beyond measure to be able to do what I do, and this Christmas season, I’d like to give that special person you know a chance to have the gift of custom photography.

I want to know who they are, and I want to give them the chance to experience complimentary custom photography – $1300 worth, to be exact. I will be teaming up with my good friend and fellow Austin Photographer Mollie, of Mollie Kendall Photography in offering this Holiday gift!

The recipient will receive:

A custom family or child’s session given by Mollie and myself
A leather session album with 20 5x7 images
An 11x14 canvas gallery wrap and
A DVD containing all full resolution digital files from your session!

It’s in your power to give them the artwork they deserve this holiday season.

Oh, and one more thing.. if you send in the nominee we select, you’ll also receive a complimentary session with Mollie & myself and a leather session album with 20 5x7 images as well! That is a $350 value… What better reason to show some love could there possibly be?

The rules:

You cannot nominate yourself, and the person nominated must sincerely be incapable of purchasing our services. (Being unable to make mortgage payments for a million-dollar-vacation-home does not qualify as sincere financial need.)
The nominee must reside in Austin or any of it’s surrounding cities. Tell us who you know, what they’re experiencing, and why they deserve our artwork. Please include a way to contact both your nominee and yourself as well.
Please put “Holiday Giveaway” in the subject line and email the full story to: mollie @ molliekphotography.com (no spaces)

All nominations must be received by midnight, December 22nd, and the gift recipient will be announced on our blogs on Christmas Eve. Please include your email and or phone with your nomination as well as the best way to get in contact with your nominee.

Please forward this along to everyone you know and let's get the nominating started! Open your heart to someone this holiday season – and thanks for giving us the opportunity to open ours.

Much love,
Dawn

This project is growing daily! If you know someone outside the Austin area that you would like to nominate - please check the map to see if there is a photographer near the family that you can contact. The map will be updated daily as new photographers sign on.

Matt Nicolosi, of Texas
Kaycee Dean, of Oklahoma
The Selanders, of Iowa/Nebraska
Alice Park Photography, of Georgia
Charlene Chavez, of California
Kimbrali Boyd, of Louisiana
Rachel Logan, of Texas
Surprise Photography, of New York
Lauri Stumph, of Minnesota
Laura Green, of Iowa
Kimberly Ann Photography, of Wisconsin
Photo Art by Suzi, of Michigan
Krista Muskovin, of Michigan
Kelly Holder, of Kansas
Tiffany G, of Las Vegas
Bamboo Photography, of Pennsylvania
Mollie Kendall, of Texas
Marlo Yoshimoto, of California
Brandi DeLisi, of Tennessee
HRG Photo, of Washington
Dini Groner, of New York
April Todd, of South Carolina
Steven Parker, of New York
Christine DeSavino, of New Jersey
Sarah Pettinger, of Missouri
Veronica Reeve, of Utah
Adrienne Griffin, of Nevada
Barbie Schwartz, of Tennessee
Dawn of DLM Photography, of Texas
Tiffany Hix, of Idaho
Adorations Photography, of Texas
Alicia Caine, of Montana
Rebekah Pope, of Tennessee
Lisa Nelson, of North Dakota
Crystal DelaHoz, of Texas
Joell Parkos, of Minnesota
Lyndsey Lewis, of Colorado
Kristen Kalp, of Pennsylvania

International:

Jenna Faye, of Ontario, Canada
Peachyc Photography, of Manila
Josee Caza, of Toronto, Canada

4 Special Ladies

2008-10-17T15:44:00.006-05:00

I just love families. They are so interesting to me; the way people interact with each other, the emotions conveyed through eye contact and body language.. You can tell a lot about people and their relationships with one another just by observing them.

As a young adult, I spent many an hour observing people - in the local mall, department store, airport (I worked at one for a while) or on campus in college. People Watching was a favorite pastime for me. It suited my personality; I am generally shy by nature.

Once I got into modeling and photography though, the way I observed people changed. I started looking at not only the emotions, body language and interaction between people, but also features and how the body and face would change with slight changes in stance or pose.

And now with my business I am so blessed to have people trust me with their family photos. I know how very special a family portrait is, and that is why when I book a family session I worry every day until the shoot!

And I was so nervous about this particular session. A wonderful and kind lady, S, hired me to photograph 4 generations of women in her family. They were all going to be together for just a couple of days over her birthday (no pressure!) and she wanted me to come out and document the occasion.

What a beautiful group of women! I was so pleased and honored to be able to participate in such a wonderful moment with them.
As much as I loved capturing them all together, I was particularly enchanted with this little one...
My gracious she is beautiful! I think I have found my new "Face of DLM Photography".

Ok, so I don't have an official "Face of DLM Photography", but if I did, it would certainly be this beautiful creature! I am just in love with her eyes.
And this picture captured my heart too - it was the last one I took and it really captured a love between grandmother and granddaughter that I was so hoping to catch.
Lady S, thank you so much for allowing me the privilege of spending an hour with your and the wonderful ladies of your family, and for trusting me to document such a special time. I truly enjoyed our time together.

Thanks for looking!
Dawn :)

H is for Happy

2008-10-10T10:42:00.004-05:00

A few weeks ago I had the pleasure of meeting the H family. Mom found me, of all places, on a BabyCenter bulletin board through the recommendation of one of my best clients. She had been looking at my website for quite some time, and early last month she booked her family's first session with me.

I was so excited for this session because I was going to shoot for the first time at my new favorite location, Berry Springs Park in Georgetown. If you haven't been out there yet, it is so worth the drive! This place has it all, a wonderful pecan orchard, bridges, wildflower field, water features and even donkeys! Every time I go out there I discover something new, and I was so eager to capture it with a family.

We met out at the park and I was excited to meet the family. Mom and Dad are blessed to have two little girls, this one...
and this one! hee hee!
What can I say? Doxie lovers flock to me! *wink*

The baby was about to turn 1 and Mom and Dad were looking for some family shots. We played all over the park - the orchard was just lovely.
The light was playing so many tricks with me that I had them moving all over the place! Trees are always a great addition to any shot, but you have to put your subjects in just the right place. I was completely delighted though when I managed to capture some natural high key images like this one...I just love that image!! It will definitely be on my website soon.

I really wanted to get some bridge shots with this family, but unfortunately for us the park had been taken over that morning by not only a high school ROTC program, but what appeared to be several boy scout groups as well (why does this keep happening to me??!? lol!). By the time the bridge was clear the sun was too high and we couldn't really capture much without major light blow outs. I did get a great family shot though...
Luckily, Mom suggested we take a walk down the path to what looked like a little pavilion - I was so glad she did because the light over there was amazing!Don't they look great?!

The last few shots I captured were by far my favorites. I just love all the "love" in this shot.
H family, thank you so much for spending the morning with me and allowing me to hang out with a wonderful family. I had so much fun!

Thanks for looking,
D :)

The Holidays Are Coming!

2008-08-21T00:29:00.007-05:00

Hey there! Guess what time it is!

Back to School Time??

NO!

Dinner Time?

No, it's

Time to start thinking about the Holidays!!!

Huh?

You read that right!

Well hold the phone Josephine, it's only August!

I know, but here in the land of DLM Photography, you have to be one step ahead of the calendar, and that means you have to start thinking about Halloween, Thanksgiving and Christmas during the summer.

And one of the things on my list is Holiday Cards and family pictures. We are plus 1 this year so a new family picture is definitely on the agenda.

And of course that got me thinking about Holiday Cards...

And I realized that there may be lots of you out there that want personalized, stylish, high quality photo holiday cards, but you don't want to go through the effort and the expense of booking a full photo session with your favorite photographer.

Well, I have the perfect solution for you!!

MINI-SESSIONS!!

What is a Mini-Session you ask?

Well let me tell you! A Mini-Session is just as it sounds, it is a short photo session for a family of up to 5 people, designed to produce only a few images that would be perfect for your holiday cards. Each session is 20 minutes long. We concentrate on getting that perfect family shot, or that perfect image of the kids in their best winter duds before they get disheveled, cranky and dirty. lol!

Your 20 minute session will produce around 10 individual images and I will personally prepare, just for you, 3-5 different Holiday Cards to choose from.

I have reserved for you 2 days out of my busy holiday schedule for Mini-Sessions, Saturday, October 25th and Sunday, October 26th. Check my sidebar for available times.

Saturday, October 25th Sessions will be held at a local park, exact location yet to be determined, but I am thinking about here. I know it is a hike, but this park is amazing folks! It has a pecan orchard, cute pond/waterfalls, a bridge walkway, wildflower field, etc. If there is enough interest in this park, it will be the location for Saturday. If not, I will find something else closer.

Sunday, October 26th Sessions will be Urban in nature and will be held in the old downtown Georgetown.

Your Investment - you can do this one of two ways:

1. A la Carte: Session Fee is a reduced rate of $40 with a minimum $100 print purchase required.
2. Collections: Holiday Collections starting at $150 (including the session fee) will be available. These packages are for Mini-Sessions only and will include prints and personalized cards at reduced prices. I will post the Collections on my website.

So, check Holiday Portraits off your list and book your Mini-Session today! All bookings placed before September 15th will receive a Free 8x10 print with their completed order.

I do this all for you!
Thanks for looking,

D :)

Sweet, Sweet Baby

2008-08-18T17:13:00.005-05:00

The very next week I got the email I had been waiting for - my client had her baby, and it was time for our newborn session!!! I was so excited! We decided to do the session as soon as possible, and when little J was a mere 6 days old I showed up at his house with all my equipment in tow.

I have to say, for a first timer with a 6 day old baby, Mom looked great! I was completely jealous that both Mom and Dad seemed to be getting sleep! Having a practically new born myself, I was expecting to come into a home similar to mine (total disaster) but instead I found a clean, organized, lovely home with a just as organized Mom and Dad and I was so pleased.

So Mom, can you give me some pointers? lol!

I was greeted at the door with the star of the show; the man running the house, and by far the most important person in the room. This guy made sure everything was done properly, the care of the baby did not suffer and everyone did as they should. He also managed to get in some lovin' for himself a time or two...

:) :) :)

Anyway, Little J was such a doll. He absolutely did not want to sleep for us. He was by far the most alert newborn I've come across.

He was totally content to stare at me and study Mom and Dad and just take it all in. Born on 7/7 and weighing 7 lbs even, this little guy is truly a good luck charm; and sooo very small in his Daddy's big hands. However, even when he did finally fall asleep, he made sure we knew exactly how he felt about things...Lol! We got him nice and cozy in a fur blanket which he promptly poo'd on, so then we moved him to a black blanket that he blessed twice with the tee! Stinker! hee hee!

Regardless, we managed to get some super sweet sleepy shots. He looks so happy.

I just love the face in this one. We were trying to get creative with the rings (which really didn't work on the fingers) but the face, the face is what brings me back to this one over and over. Such sweetness!I had so much fun with this family (especially the dog!) and I am so blessed to have been a part of this special day with them. Thank you M family for letting me into your lives. I hope you enjoy the images!

Thanks for looking!
D :)

Double the Fun

2008-08-16T14:05:00.007-05:00

I can't believe I forgot to post about my two favorite sessions this summer!!

I am so sorry. Things have been extremely busy and I just haven't had time to breathe, let alone keep up with my blogs.

But let me tell you about a session I did a several weeks ago. The P family is by far one of my favorites to photograph. Mom and Dad are just as nice as can be, and their daughters are simply beautiful. I had the honor of being able to photograph Little L when she was about 10 days old. Big sister E is the same age as my older stinker, Kiddo, and so Mom and I have that common bond of dealing with the joys of August '04 babies.

So, I haven't seen the P family since I photographed them last year, and everyone looked quite different when I met up with them on a hot morning last month. Little L was about to turn one, and she was just as cute as I remember, but of course, much more mobile!

She so enjoyed the flowers in this garden. I did too - the colors were stunning!

Big sis E did not disappoint me with her gorgeous smile and beautiful eyes. She was a wonderful subject; sitting for me exactly as I wanted her too.

Look at Little L, she is such the cutie pie!Mom looked absolutely gorgeous as well. She is so photogenic, with amazing eyes and a beautiful smile. I hardly recognized her from the sleepy new mommy I met a year ago. ;)Big sis E's claim to fame right now is her gorgeous head of curls. She loves to show them off to anyone who would acknowledge them! Mom was telling me that E points out her curls to everyone - rightly so, they are stunning! I love it when I have clients book me for multiple sessions. Then I can do things like this!Love it!!!

I had so much fun with this family and I hope I have many more opportunities to hang out with them in the future. Thank you P family, for everything!

Next up, a newborn session! Whee!!!!

Thanks for looking,

D :)

p.s. I believe today is Big sis E's birthday - Happy birthday Sweetheart!!

Little L

2008-07-08T09:40:00.007-05:00

The afternoon shoot that hot Saturday took place in a beautiful neighborhood about 30 minutes from the location of my morning session. I opted to stay with my oldest and dearest friend for a few hours between the sessions, so I wouldn't have to drive all the way back to my inlaws house only to have to drive 2/3 of the way back. Does that make sense?? No? Oh never mind! ;)

So the shoot was in the mom's house and involved a spectacular little boy, L. I have known L's mom since high school, but had yet to meet him and he was already 10 months old! And oh was it ever worth the wait!
Little L is the most adorable, squishy, beautifully happy child I have come across in a while and I fell instantly in love with him. When I got to the house, L's mom left he and I alone to get to know each other for a bit. We played on the floor with their lovey Siamese cat and talked about the weather. lol!
Ok, so we didn't talk about much of anything - I talked mostly, and L grabbed fists full of hair out of the kitty and crammed them in his mouth. Well, when the paci wasn't there that is! The room was perfect with soft light and sparse, elegant decor. The carpet was great for simple, on the floor shots. Of course, getting down on the floor put me at risk for getting attacked by a love starved cat, but it was worth it!

After a good 20 minutes or so with Little L, I left him so I could set up my lights in the living room. He happily played on the floor, whimpering only when he remembered his mommy wasn't right there. He is such a happy little guy!

I recently read an article interviewing a well known photographer (the name escapes me now) who said that whenever she does an in-home shoot, she always tries to get a shot of the child in a door way. The examples they showed in the article were stunning - something about it really captured me, and so when I saw Little L sitting in the door way to his mom's room, I had to grab the opportunity. Immediately after the above image was taken, he promptly shut the door on us! Stinker!

We did some family shots in the living room, and then when Mom went to change clothes, I managed to sneak in some sweet moments between L and his Daddy. The light was extremely low, but I held steady as best I could and got a few really nice, intimate images.
We then moved outside for a few more family shots. The back yard was a gracious host - providing us with ample light and a wonderful brick wall for a splash of color. My absolute favorite image of my dear friend and her baby came from here. Isn't she stunning?She looked at me funny when I said I wanted to take some shots against the wall, but after having a look herself, she realized it wasn't such a bad idea. I am so glad she agreed!

We went back inside to cool off and shoot one more little outfit for L. Mom had a baseball and a bat and wanted a shot of his little tushie in this outfit. I was so excited when I saw the words "little slugger" stitched across the bottom! How ADORABLE!! I am probably going to print this one BIG and use it as a display image. I am so in love with it! Look at those chunky baby thighs!! eeeeeeee!!! :) And of course, no baby session would be complete without a close up foot shot. I had already taken a few at the beginning of the session, but Mom specifically requested it so I captured a few more at the end. Gotta love those toes!!
All in all it was a wonderful session! I wish I had more time to spend with this family; they are such a joy! I can't wait to see them again.

Thank you H and M family for another wonderful experience!

Thanks for looking,
D :)

Amazing J

2008-07-07T17:56:00.006-05:00

Seems like catching up is all I do on here! So much for "sneak peeks!" lol!

Ahh, folks, I have been so busy! What a blessing this past month has been!I have had so many wonderful shoots with such amazing clients - I couldn't ask for anything more!

After my not-so-new newborn, my next two shoots found me in a different city. It worked out so perfectly that I could shoot both these families on the same day. The shoots could not have been more different; one outside in the morning with a busy two year old and the other inside the family home in late afternoon with a recently mobile 10 month old!

I will start with the Amazing J. J was about to turn 2 and was such a sweetheart. He was much too busy to bother with me, so his mom, dad and I had quite the time getting him to do what we wanted, and still capture him in his "natural" state.

Because it really is all about capturing the child how they are, not how we want them to be, right?

So with the Amazing J, no matter what we thought he should do, no matter what kind of bribes we used, he just did his own thing and for that I love him!

We had our obstacles too. See, first, it was hot my friends. H - O - T, HOT! Thank goodness we decided to meet up an hour earlier than originally planned. Then we had to fight the wind in one moment, only to swelter in the stillness the next. My shutter speeds were all over the map trying to keep up with the scorching sun going in and out of the clouds.

But, we did manage some fantastic shots.

And we had some fun too!

Thank you to the F family for starting out my morning with so much fun!Thanks for looking,

D :)

Hold On Loosely

2008-06-27T13:43:00.001-05:00

For all you baby wearers out there - check out this AWESOME contest!

[ok, don't, because I really want to win]

Seriously, go over there and sign up!

[no really, please don't - I want to win]

So click on the link below!!

[no really, just go eat a cookie. You don't want to enter]

Enter as many times as you can!

[seriously, are you listening to me!?!]

Here is the link!

Win the Essential Babywearing Stash from Along for the Ride (one Beco Butterfly, one Hotsling baby pouch, one BabyHawk Mei Tai, one Zolowear Ring Sling, and one Gypsy Mama Wrap)

Until [I win],
D :)

Blue Eyed Boys Plus

2008-06-19T13:38:00.012-05:00

The next week, after the lovely Miss F and her family, I had the wonderful opportunity to photograph an almost newborn!

Mr. R was 6 weeks old, and though I prefer to capture newborns during their first 2 weeks, I so enjoyed this shoot with R and his family. Mom and Dad had the perfect bedroom for the shoot, with nice light and simple, modern furnishings.

You may recognize the big brothers - I captured them a little over a year ago. They are getting so big, I can't stand it!

Anyway, Mr. R, sweet and perfect in every way, decided that he simply was not going to sleep for his photo shoot. There was just too much to look at and smile about. I did manage some amazing images of him, as well as the rest of the family. Let's take a look, shall we?

He's gonna have those same stunning blue eyes his brothers have!!

R is quite the serious little guy. He just took it all in.

I did get a couple of classic shots like the one below, as well as some close ups of the feet, hands, etc.

I did capture one little smile...he reserved most of his grins for his momma!

Though he did flash me the peace sign during the family shots...just to let me know all was well. ;)

Big brother C got in on the action, snuggling down under the covers for a fun game of peek-a-boo! Isn't he a doll!?!

And when it was over, he got a way cool tattoo for being such a good sport! Here he is showing me his "ink".

I don't know what it is about this shot of T, but I just love it!

And aside from the baby shots, this one is by far my absolute favorite! T was being goofy with a blanket and I got this close up of his gorgeous face.

More shoot sneak peeks to come!

Thanks for looking,

D :)

Back In The Saddle

2008-06-07T23:25:00.005-05:00

Ahhhhhh!!! It's great to be back! Having my little one was such a dream and I am enjoying it so much. All this time though, my heart kept telling me it was time to get back to shooting. My soul needed some feeding in the creativity department.

And what a way to start! I had the ultimate pleasure of meeting and photographing the C family. My first shoot back blessed me with little Darling F. I wish I could tell you her name, because it is so beautiful. If I am blessed with a daughter some day, I know Darling F's name will be in the running.

With a name like hers it is no surprise that she is just as cute and charming. I had so much fun chasing her around in the park a couple of weeks ago. And despite the relentless heat, she was such a sweetie. Mom and Dad had their work cut out for them that day; chasing her around and trying to keep her out of the water! But I think we all had a great time, and I walked away with some wonderful additions to my creative spirit and my portfolio.

Thank you so much C family! It was a pleasure spending time with you. Here are just a few of my favorites...

Isn't she adorable??!?I just love the tongue!! lol!

The above is kind of an outtake - but I just adore it!

And this one is my favorite I think! How do I manage to book babies with the most incredible eyes?! I did absolutely no enhancement on her baby blues - that is au naturale my friends. Simply stunning!

I am sure I will post more from this shoot later. I am so loving these images.

I am also proofing 3 more shoots that I am excited to share. Stay tuned!
Thanks for looking,
D :)

From Three to One

2008-03-21T11:49:00.012-05:00

A few short months ago, I had the pleasure of photographing a beautiful group of women; mom, and two daughters. They were so wonderful to work with and I was absolutely thrilled when Mom emailed me for another shoot. The original plan was for me to photograph the older daughter, who had just completed and won her competitive cheer leading national championships. I was super excited to get some shots of her in action and uniform and so we set the date.

Unfortunately, at the last minute her daughter became sickly, so we decided to use the booking to photograph the littlest member of the family, the adorable, the fabulous, the super cute Madam M! ;)
(by the way, this is her "look at miss Dawn and smile" face! lol! I love it - fake smile and all!)

This little sweetheart took me all over a local park. We played on the playscapes, we ran through the soccer field and we climbed on just about everything we could. Well, she did the running and climbing mostly, I tried to stay as grounded as possible. hee hee! I did run a bit I suppose, though I use the term "run" loosely considering my current state of "big ol' waddling pregnant-ness". ;)

She loved the swing! Her Daddy had her laughing hysterically the whole time.

Madam M has the most amazing blue eyes. When the light hit them just so - POW! They would just pop! They are perfect for my color obsessed self. I just had a blast enhancing them in post processing. Of course, I stayed true to the color - she made it easy!

Even on the softer shots her eyes are gorgeous! I just love the treatment on this one - so soft and dreamy... And of course, I had to get a little artsy-fartsy below. I love the simplicity of this shot.

Mom brought so many darling outfits for this cutie that I ended up taking waaaayyyy more pictures than usual. It was so tough narrowing them down to a reasonable amount. Thank goodness the family is so kind and patient! By far though, the images at the end of the shoot were my favorites. Madam M and I really connected and we got some great results. Here is one of my favs. Outside looking in...

Isn't she just adorable?!? I had so much fun with this family!!! I can't wait to see them again.

Thanks for looking!
D :)

M is for Blue

2008-03-21T11:03:00.010-05:00

So as most of you know, I am pregnant with my second child right now (though not for much longer I hope!) so things on the photography front have been slow. I was however, fortunate enough to book a couple of sessions last month. The timing has just been perfect, and with such wonderful clients to work with I know I am truly blessed.

The first of the bookings was for a family shoot. The M family found me through a national bulletin board that I frequent, so meeting the mom was like meeting an old friend. We have technically "known" each other through the board for almost 4 years now!

This family, as with all of my clients it seems, was so nice and super easy to work with. They have two adorable little ones, Miss K and Big Man C. Miss K, being almost 3 1/2 really gave me a run for my money! She is as cute as can be, but did not like to sit for long for pictures!! She reminds me of my own little man, who has serious Photographer's Kid syndrome and runs from anything that looks like a camera! lol! But we were patient, and I think it really paid off. I got some super cute shots of her.

Big Man C - oh how he stole my heart!! He had big smiles for me when I spoke to him, but of course as soon as the camera was up the smiles, well, not so much. I guess it is hard to work up enthusiasm for a black box. hee hee! I just love, love the thumb sucking though. He was also very good about looking in my direction when I called his name. For a 6 month old, I thought that was quite the accomplishment. Isn't he adorable?!?

This family came absolutely color coordinated. I took a chance and brought my baby blue blanket for them to sit on and low and behold, they all wore shades of blue!! It worked out perfectly. Sometimes little things like that amaze me. The color images in this shoot were so beautiful - the blues worked so well together. Even Miss K's eyes matched! Mom was a perfect subject; no bad angles on her - she photographs so well. Poor Dad, I kept pointing them toward the sun and unknown to me he had just gone through Lasik surgery. I felt so bad when I found out I was killing his poor sensitive eyes!

Notice to all future clients: Please, please tell me if something is uncomfortable or painful!! I don't want you hurting - mercy! :)

Hopefully Dad will forgive me for putting him in agony. I didn't do it on purpose, I swear!

You've got to love those little baby feet! In black and white, the image is classic. Love the wrinkles!

This shot was by far the favorite of the set. I love it in color, but the b&w really speaks to me too. Don't they look like a fun family?

I do hope they had as much fun as I did. Even with the gigantic belly, I was still able to roll around in the grass and dirt to get these images. I came home absolutely filthy from head to toe. You know that means it was a good shoot, right?!?

Thanks to the M family for allowing me the privilege of working with you. I hope you enjoyed the time as much as I did.

Thanks for looking!
D :)

Good Things to Come!

2008-02-25T16:26:00.008-06:00

Photos and Storyboard Courtesy of MollieK Photography

Announcements!

In case some of you didn't know, my darling Hubby and I are currently expecting our second child! So, I will be out of commission for a little bit around late March. Never fear! I will still be booking a limited amount of shoots - just be forewarned that I might have a wee one strapped to my back! lol!

In all seriousness, I know lots of folks about to give birth and I want you all to know that you may still contact me for shoots if you want. I will be limiting my outings of course, but I would hate to miss out on capturing those special first days of your little one's lives!

And, in honor of my new baby making his appearance soon, and because I need to expand my maternity and newborn portfolio, I am offering EXTREME DISCOUNTS on Maternity and Newborn shoots and their prints through August of 2008. Certain conditions may apply - be sure to ask for details!

Just as an fyi, Maternity shoots are best done between 34 and 38 weeks and Newborn shoots are best within the first two weeks of life.

And, because it is sooooooo fun, I have to tell you about all the awesome Baby Announcements I have!! I have been collecting them for some time now, and I am absolutely positive I can create the most wonderful baby announcement for your family! Whatever style is uniquely you, whatever your color scheme or desire, I have an announcement that will capture the beauty of your little one. You will be proud to send them out to friends and family.

I am working on some samples and will post them as soon as possible. Watch for it!

I just wanted to update you all, and wish you all the best.

Thanks for looking!
D :)

Catching Up

2008-02-19T16:03:00.012-06:00

I completely forgot to mention another shoot I did a while back while I was visiting Houston. A sweet friend of mine, her 4 lovely kiddos and I ventured out to a local park to see what we could capture.

Anyone with a large family knows just how difficult it can be to get good pictures of everyone together. This family shoot was no different, and I am still trying to get the final edits done, but I wanted to share with you a few of the individual shots that captured my eye and heart.

Like I said, my friend's family is blessed with 4 beautiful children.

Here is the oldest, J, and he is quite the character! After about 2 or 3 good shots, I lost him completely! lol!
Next in line is W, who absolutely did not want his picture taken. He warmed to me slightly over on the monkey bars, so I was able to snag this image of his beautiful face.
The newest addition to the family is Mister M. He is such a handsome devil! Look at that grin!! :D

When his momma and I were roommates in college, there were many mornings I was greeted with this face...

LOL! He's definitely the thinker, the examiner, the studier of the group.

Finally, I introduce to you the gorgeous little lady stuck in the middle of all that testosterone, the fabulous Miss S!

She is just so strikingly lovely, and I think I got some really nice shots of her.

Look at those eyes and those pouty lips! She is so sweet!

The problem with taking 4 kiddos out on a cold day to the park for pictures is that no matter how prepared you are, there will be snot. Lots and lots of snot. I am doing my best to erase all traces of the slime and will soon have the pictures done. ;) Many thanks to my dear friend for her patience!

Thanks for looking!

D :)

Scenes from a Playground

2008-01-29T20:36:00.002-06:00

More from Miss M. She is so lovely!

Almost done!

Thanks for looking,
D :)

Miss M

2008-01-23T20:45:00.002-06:00

A little over a week ago I had the pleasure of travelling to Houston for a couple of photo shoots. My best friend's little beauty just turned 2 and they asked me to do a shoot for them. If you have followed my blog for a while, you will recognize this gorgeous little girl. I fall in love with her all over again every time I am blessed to spend time with her.

Though I still have some editing to do, I wanted to share a couple of my favorites so far.

And her personality is just as beautiful!

Thanks for looking!

D :)

The Six Pack

2007-12-18T11:16:00.001-06:00

The third and final shoot of the weekend happened on Sunday. Again, at the favorite park and again in the afternoon. We were working with limited daylight and very cloudy skies, and I was worried it could rain at any minute.

But, by the Grace of God the weather held and I was able to get the shoot in before the bottom fell out of the skies. I have to say this was the shortest of the shoots, but because we were dealing with a large family (including 3 children under the age of 6) I wasn't terribly surprised when 45 minutes later we were walking back to the car.

Mom is a good friend of mine and really she was only looking for a good group shot for holiday photos, otherwise I would have spent more time on the individual children. If you recognize some of these kiddos, the little girl is featured as the Sad Party Princess in my kids gallery and the boys are the adorable twins in the babies gallery. They have all grown so much!

Here are a few of the shots I love.

Immediate family: I just love all the red! It's very festive!!

Extended family shot to include Zsa Zsa (sorry if I misspelled that K, I'm not sure how you guys spell it! lol!)

Two Handsome Devils...

and a Beautiful Little Lady!

Thanks for looking,
D :)

Double Trouble Rides Again!

2007-12-18T10:42:00.001-06:00

The second shoot of the weekend came Saturday afternoon. We met at the same park as before, and when Mom and Dad pulled into the parking space, they suddenly realized that they had forgotten something...

Both of their boys were pantless and shoeless in their car seats, and the bag with the clothes was at their house! lol!

After a couple minutes of debate, we decided to head over to a different park, a duck pond specifically, near their house so they could retrieve the forgotten items and we could still do the shoot with the day light we had left. I just love an adventure!

Never having been to this particular park, I was pleasantly surprised at the photo opportunities it provided. We just had to be careful to avoid the heaping mounds of duck, um, droppings and the unfortunate remnants of a duck that had passed and we were good! I got to the location first and walked the path a ways to scope out a good setting.

I just love these clients - again, an absolutely stunning family and with such beautiful little boys to photograph the shoot was a breeze. The boys had tons of fun feeding the ducks and riding their bikes, and I just loved chasing them around for an hour or so.

Little T just turned a year old. My how he has grown!!

And Mr. H just took my breath away with this shot. He is such a beautiful child.

Here I captured all three boys feeding the ducks. I just love this one!

Here is another shot of Little T on his big bro's bike. I just love the Midnight Sepia action on this one as well. It gives it sort of a vintage feel. And his little outfit is sooooo cute! I think I might have to find something similar for my next newborn coming home outfit. lol!

I had tons of fun with this family, and I hope they liked the images as much as I do. Keep an eye out for holiday cards with these boys featured in the designs. I have some great ones to show you.

Thanks for looking,

D :)

The Ladies Three

2007-12-18T10:20:00.001-06:00

Ok, so the weekend after the Big D shoots was no time to rest. I had three, yes three shoots scheduled that weekend and boy was it fun!

The first shoot was for a lovely woman and her beautiful daughters. They found me through a display I have in my son's pediatrician's office, and I am so glad we were able to meet and spend some time together. I am so lucky that all my clients are not only beautiful and sweet, but they also are some of the nicest people I've met.

So we met at one of my favorite parks, and even though the forecast called for rain once again, we were blessed with dry weather and perfect, overcast skies. I think I was able to capture some stunning images of both Mom and Daughters. And the response I got when I sent them the proof link was enough to put me on a photography high for weeks! Here are just a few from that shoot.

This image came out just a bit soft on the front eye, so I gave it my new favorite treatment, Midnight Sepia. I just love how it makes everything soft and dreamy. And baby M's beautiful blue eyes glowed even dreamier after applying the action. Gorgeous!

Of course, toward the end, Little M was getting tired. But big sis was there to collect some snuggles and kisses. I love this sweet moment between the two.

I was also able to create a beautiful storyboard from a few of the images, per Mom's request. She loved it! And I do too! :)

Coming up, shoot #2 and #3!
Thanks for looking,

D :)

Big D part 2

2007-11-20T17:12:00.002-06:00

As you know, I use this blog to record my adventures in photography and to provide my clients with sneak peeks of their sessions. I have been so busy lately that I just haven't looked up from Photoshop long enough to even think about this blog. For all my clients waiting, I am so sorry!

A little birdie told me today that one of my clients in particular has been checking this blog for a sneak peek of her session every day, several times a day. Oh B, I am so sorry I haven't even given you a hint. I am finally finished with the initial processing of your session, and all that is left is converting the images to proofs and uploading them to the web. Meanwhile, I will give you a much deserved sneak peek. Please forgive me, ok? ;)

So when I was in Dallas I had two shoots. The second was so exciting for me as it was an engagement shoot. Grown ups!!! Yippie! Now, don't get me wrong, I LOVE working with children, but sometimes, doing a shoot for adults is such a refreshing change. They actually do what you want them to do!! Though, sometimes that is a bad thing because grown ups have a tendency to get stiff and nervous and stale in front of the camera.

The great thing about a couple's shoot though is that if I can get them interacting with one another, they often are much more relaxed and at ease and I am free to snap away. And with this shoot - snap away I did! Remember that problem I was having long ago of overshooting? Yup, it reared it's frightening head again! I had soooooo many images to weed through and narrow down that editing has taken me forever. But, I am finally through it, and I think I have assembled a great batch of images for the lovely couple.

Mr. J and Miss B have a wonderful story of how they met and started dating. It involves a wave runner, a crash and an emergency room visit! But somehow through the chaos they managed to find love and are engaged to be married next spring. I had such a great time with them on the shoot. We had lots to talk about and got along so well. They were great subjects; they never questioned (openly, hee hee!) what I was asking them to do and they looked great in front of my lens.

They had absolutely no problems holding hands and kissing on cue. The location we chose, with the help of some good friends, was at a great company campus in downtown Ft. Worth. It backs up to a sweet little park and river, and offered us so many great scenes to tell our story. We had to do some walking though, but the happy couple weren't phased by the constant back and forth I asked them to do.

This little path was so nice; lined with fall leaves and curved just right. I wish I had something similar nearby for my home town clients. It was truly beautiful.

And this was another walkway in the park. I love all the bridges and trees and such that fill out the area.

Below is an image from this awesome little abandoned building that is on the park property. There is no roof, but some great archways and windows....and sometimes a couple of transients, but thankfully we found the house unoccupied that day! ;)

And of course, no shoot would be complete without some great individual close ups. Miss B has the most amazing eyes. You all know my thing for eyes - they fascinate me! Hers are a beautiful emerald green with a burst of gold in the center near the pupil. Gorgeous!

And Mr. J has some of the bluest blue eyes I have ever seen on an adult. They look like newborn eyes; that deep, deep, even blue that has no end.

Towards the end of the shoot, I was able to get Miss B to give me a few model type poses. After all, every woman wants to feel beautiful during a photo session; especially one for an upcoming wedding! Miss B delivered, don't you think? Smokin'!

And here we are back at the main building for some last architectural shots. This building was amazing! And, uh, so was that kiss! ;)

I hope they like the images. I should have their web page available in a couple of days.

Thanks for looking!

D :)

Big D

2007-11-17T13:13:00.003-06:00

So last weekend I had the great honor of being called to Dallas to do a couple of photo shoots. One of my dear high school friends wanted some holiday images of her 3 year old twins and my friend's sister is getting married and needed some engagement photos as well. I was able to go in Friday night and we did both shoots on Saturday.

The fist shoot was that morning for the kids. It was tough! Have you ever chased twin 3 year olds around??!? WOW, those kids are fast!! And, with two of them, they were in so many different directions that I just couldn't keep up. And you can just forget getting them to stand or sit together, look at me and smile... but - I think I still got some great shots of them anyway. I know they are probably not what their mommy is used to (she always goes to a studio, so this was the first outdoor picture experience), but hopefully I was able to capture some of their personality that you wouldn't typically see in the studio setting.

What do you think? Did I get any personality here?? ;)

Hee hee!

I did manage some nice individuals.

Isn't she a doll??!? She's the perfect little blond haired beauty.

And this handsome guy is going to have the girls knocking down his door pretty soon!

Look out mom and dad! When these two start dating you are going to have your hands full!

This is my favorite shot of the two together, even though they aren't smiling. It kind of has a vintage feel to me so I did a little Midnight Sepia treatment on it to soften it up a bit.

I feel like pulling out the lacy borders and distressed treatments for this one. It would make a nice "old photograph", know what I mean?

I had so much fun with these guys and I think they wore themselves out. They were pretty pooped when we got back in the car.

Later that afternoon, the engagement shoot started across town at a really cool downtown building and park. I'll have to tell you about that one later though. I am still working on it!

Thanks for looking!

Until,

D :)

Hey There!

2007-11-08T22:10:00.001-06:00

I know it has been a while. Things have been crazy!

I just wanted to tell you a little about a shoot I had today. It was a glamor shoot of sorts for a friend of a friend, and I have to say it was so much fun! I was excited to have the opportunity to work with an adult (it's kind of nice every once in a while!) and it was such a nice change of pace.

Anyway, I am knee deep in the editing process, and I wanted to share a couple with you all. I wish I could share more, but I am trying to keep things rated G here, so I guess you will miss out! lol!

Here is the beautiful Ms. D.

She has a great smile and some pretty spectacular eyes! I really enjoyed spending a couple of hours with her today. Especially because I got to stare at this gorgeous piece of machinery...

Oh yeah! Her Hubby is a biker; from the leathers to the Harley t-shirts. We thought it would be fun to do some shots with the bike.

I was also able to capture a bit of an artsy-fartsy shot of one of her beautiful tattoos.

So there you have it! A little peek into my shoot. Thanks Ms. D for allowing me to do this for you. It was a blast!

Thanks for looking!
D :)

PSA for the Holidays

2007-10-12T15:13:00.001-05:00

Hi Everyone!

It is that time of year again, the leaves are turning, the weather is chilly......HAHAAHAAAA!!!! Who am I kidding, we live in Texas, right? Someone tell the weather man it's October already!

But seriously, even though it doesn't feel like it, Fall is here my friends. The holidays are just around the corner. We are rapidly descending on Halloween, Fall Festivals, pumpkin carving, pie baking, and soon enough, Thanksgiving dinners and holiday decorations. Have you been to the mall lately? You would think the Holidays were celebrated all year round!

In light of this, I just wanted to put a bug in your ear; a little thought in the back of your head if you will, about the holidays. It is time to start thinking about presents and cards. What are you sending out this year? Will you run to Target on December 20th and pick up a pack of 50 generic cards for the family? Will you beat your sister at getting holiday cards out and send them out 2 hours after Thanksgiving dinner? What will it be?

If you want to really impress your friends and family this year and send out something super special, may I suggest a completely personalized, custom designed holiday card from Little Moments Photography? I have picked up so many new, gorgeous designs this year am I am itching to mold them into something specifically for you.

All of our greeting cards come in three different high quality papers, gloss cover, watercolor and linen. They can be flat, folded or even the increasingly trendy tri-fold design. If you would like to see examples of the different papers first hand, make sure to ask me about it before you place your order.

Here's the catch - if you want to get this done, we have to schedule your photo shoot no later then November 15th. I know, I know, that is really soon - but think about how exciting it will be to have a beautiful, press printed greeting cards with your family's picture and personal greeting on it on fireplace mantles all across the country.

I wish you could see the quality of these cards. Here is my personal holiday card from last year.

I know it's hard to see (and names have been smudged to protect the innocent. lol!), but there are also examples on my website. Look under "Moments" and then scroll down to "Sharing Moments". Those are all last year's examples, and I have lots of fresh and exciting designs for this year. From modern to classic and even whimsical, I know we can create something that represents your family and the spirit of the season.

So, if any of this appeals to your holiday shopping self, go to my website and fill out the contact form so we can get your session on the calendar!

I look forward to capturing your holiday memories!

Until,

D :)

YIPPIE!!!

2007-09-24T17:17:00.000-05:00

I am here to announce that

Little Moments Photography has a new home!

My new website is finally ready and I am so excited for everyone to see it. There are still some bugs to work out, but if you have a moment, please hop on over and give a lookie loo! Tell me what you think (but be gentle, this is my baby! lol!).

I know the contact page is not currently working, and am in the process of fixing that. But, I think everything else should be functioning properly.

I am so excited to have a new and improved place to show my work and my absolutely stunning clients! I am loving the beautiful layout, easier updates, and a more professional look. Please let me know if there is anything you think needs changing or improving by either leaving a comment here, or shooting me an email at dawn@dlm-photography.com

I look forward to hearing from you!
Until,
D :)

Double Trouble Part 2

2007-07-16T16:47:00.001-05:00

Ok, so I forgot to post about the second shoot. Sorry about that. I don't know how I could have forgotten.

The next shoot was on Monday morning at my clients home. I was a bit nervous as to what the lighting situation would be. Thanks to the lovely rainy weather we'd been having every day, even if the client did have lots of natural light her home, the sun wasn't reliable enough; so I brought my lights.

The sun hid behind the clouds so I did have to use the lights. I think it worked out well though, because the house was so beautiful and colorful and open that the lights only enhanced the natural light coming in through the big windows. It was a great situation.

I was also nervous because the client has two beautiful daughters, a newborn and a 3 year old. Being that I am the mom of a 3 year old myself, I know how hard it might be to get good pictures. Miss 3 was not about to make it easy on me, but we had so much fun running around outside and playing in her room; I think I was able to capture her personality pretty well. She is such a beauty. Here is one of my favorite shots of her.

I couldn't decide between the color or the black and white with this one so I'm showing both! :)
Look at those gorgeous pouty lips and long eyelashes!! And I soooo love that curly hair! :)

Of course, the Little Newbie of the family didn't disappoint. She was an absolute dream; sleeping almost the entire session! She was so cozy comfy on their couch.

I really enjoyed my time with this family. Miss 3 was just as sweet as can be, and once she warmed up to me we were good buddies. The family dynamic was so sweet too. While Mom and I played with Miss 3 in the back yard, Dad took care of Little Newbie. When we came back in for a much needed drink of water, I managed to capture this image. It didn't make the final cut because it is so dark and grainy, but I really love the moment and the expressions of Dad and Miss 3 as she gazes upon her baby sister.
And now for the favorites! Here is my fav of Little Newbie - I absolutely LOVE the check-mark catch lights in her eyes.
Would you believe that is was actually my pediatrician that told me that if you want a good picture of a newborn with their eyes open, to put them on mom's shoulder??!? Well, thank-you-very-much Dr. J.! :)

And this is my favorite of Miss 3. When I saw it on my LCD screen it made me gasp. I am still not entirely sure what I like about it, but I can't stop looking at it. It's almost as if I caught a glimpse into her sweet soul. The way her eyes are so wide open; the expression on her face, the colors - they all work for me. Anyway, I love it and I hope the parents do too.

And because it works so well in b&w too -

Thanks so much for sharing your time with me P family. I absolutely loved meeting you and appreciate being a part of your world for just a little while.

Thanks for looking,

D :)

Double Trouble

2007-07-07T09:04:00.000-05:00

I had two wonderful shoots this week. With all the rain and nastiness we been having here lately, I really was surprised to book two shoots in one week. But thankfully someone was looking out for us because we had nearly perfect weather for both shoots.

I booked both shoots within days of each other. It was funny because my main contact for each is the mom in the family and both women had the same initials. They also have very similar names. Both have two children, one with two boys and the other with two girls. I was having the toughest time keeping names and situations straight - I am not the best person for remembering names anyway, so it was quite the challenge, especially with so many similarities.

The first shoot was on Saturday. We met at a local park (we had to find one that wasn't flooded!) and everything went so well. The boys are absolutely adorable! This is the handsome Mr. H. He made me work for the shots for sure! At 2 years old he was on the move and super quick. But, that gorgeous blond hair and sparkly blue eyes kept me chasing him for the perfect shot. And his overalls are just too cute!

Little T was a bit easier being that at only 6 months old he is not quite mobile yet. However, he is such a thinker and observer that getting him to smile while my face was behind the camera was a bit of a challenge.

His Daddy was really good at helping me out with that though. And as you can see below, this little guy really looks up to his Daddy.This family looked like they just stepped out of the pages of a magazine. I absolutely can't wait to see their images in print! Here is the beautiful Mommy with Little T - we got an awesome smile on this one!
This family was so much fun and so easy to work with; I really had a wonderful time with them. I love it when I come home from a shoot happy and smiling, with lots of good energy to carry into my day.

I've said it before and I'll say it again; I absolutely have the best clients. I'll tell you about the second shoot in a bit.

Until,
D :)

More from Miss A

2007-06-15T22:08:00.000-05:00

I am almost done proofing this session and just couldn't resist adding some more peeks at my favorites. Enjoy! Isn't she just a doll??!? Her complexion and features really lend themselves to high contrast black and white, and I was so enjoying the conversions on these images. She's just got that perfect little face! Of course, she looks wonderful in color too! Especially when she does something like this... LOL! I love it!!!

Of course, I always have a few that I just love for different reasons.

In the above image, Miss A seems so small, but you can tell she's a little spitfire! Just look at that confident stride!

And now for my personal favorite from the shoot and probably one of my all time favs as well. Drum roll please......

Ok, just so you get the picture, she was swinging and hanging forward over the bucket. I decided to lay on my back under the swing and she was hanging over me. She thought it was hysterical and I absolutely love the shot that came of it. I love the motion and her expression.

Love it, love it!!

Thanks for looking,

D :)

Marvelous Miss A

2007-06-07T17:07:00.000-05:00

Shew! It's been a busy week! I had two photo shoots this week, along with all the usual stuff that goes on in the household, a girl's night out (with kiddos), parents coming in this weekend, etc., etc., etc.

But all that work is worth it when I get to spend a morning with a beautiful little angel. Miss A is a sassy, beautiful, almost two year old and she made me smile for the better part of Tuesday morning. And I have to say, there was plenty to frown about, but this stellar mini client of mine didn't let adversity get her down. Oh no, she was a trooper!

We met up at one of my favorite parks in the area. I love it because it is big and the photo opportunities are endless. The terrain is wooded and open and has a river and little creeks and even a beautiful garden with a water feature. I've done many shoots here and no two come out the same. So, when we agreed upon this particular park I was excited. Arriving 10 minutes early I was shocked to see that the park had been taken over by some sort of massive cub/boy scout group. There were tents and tables and signs and kiddos EVERYWHERE! My favorite natural backdrops were now archery ranges and "zones" and I almost cried at the sight of it. I drove an extra loop around the area to see if there were any free spots and was relieved when I discovered my lovely garden with fountain was uninhabited.

The darling Miss A was in a wonderful mood, and though she started out right off the bat with an accidental blow to the head, she bounced back happy and full of energy. Her absolutely darling little Janie and Jack dress made me long for a little girl of my own!

Is she ready for her catalog shoot or what?! :) There is a matching hat too mommies - this little outfit is just to die for!

After a million perfect shots around the fountain, we moved over to the river side of the park for a snack and much needed break. There must have been some planets in alignment or something, because throughout the shoot we were greeted by the local park creatures.

This little guy walked right up to our table, and in doggy fashion sat up on his hind legs and held his little front paws out to us for what seemed like forever. "please ma'am, may I have some of your snack?" I just happened to catch him in this image on his way under the table for a nibble dropped by Miss A.

As soon as we left out picnic table, a bold and gregarious duck waddled up and followed us for some distance down the dirt path to the playscape. I was too focused on my little cutie patootie client that I didn't get a picture of him, but I assure you he was mighty friendly.

As we made our way to the playscape, the temps were on the rise. I honestly didn't think Miss A would make it much longer (or myself for that matter!). It was a typical hot, humid Texas day and as usual, no wind for relief. But let me tell you, not only did I get another 100+ shots out of this cutie, she kept smiling and playing joyfully throughout.

I am having the hardest time narrowing down the shots to a reasonable amount for proofing, but I am pretty sure Mom will be pleased. I suppose it is a good problem to have! Hmm, the perfect little subject, the perfect dress - what more could I ask for?

Oh yeah, maybe less boyscouts! ;)

Until,

D :)

More From the Park

2007-05-26T18:41:00.000-05:00

Here are a couple more from Miss C. Her outfit was just the most darling thing! I absolutely LOVE the hat! And this is another favorite. She was lovin' the rocking dinosaur.Thanks for looking!
D :)

A Day at the Park

2007-05-15T21:03:00.000-05:00

I had the pleasure of photographing sweet little lady C today at the park! She was such an absolute doll and we had lots of fun chasing squirrels and looking at trees. Not quite yet two, she ran her mom and I ragged as we went up and down hills and walked the trails for about an hour.

I am just in the beginning of proofing, but I had to post one of my favorite shots of the day. As you know I have a thing for eyes, and this little beauty didn't disappoint. Miss C has the most amazing doe eyes, and I am getting lost in their depth as I jump into editing mode. She has a soulful look about her in this image, as if she is wise beyond her years.

And, just because it was just too cute to not share; this is how you know when the photo shoot is over...

Awwww! She was so sweet and good natured through it all and even told her momma she had fun when she was getting into the car. Well, Miss C, I had fun too! Thank you for letting me capture you at such a cute age! :D

Until,

D :)

Blue Eyed Boys

2007-05-02T10:13:00.000-05:00

Last week I had the pleasure of photographing two absolutely adorable little boys. At 4 and 2 years old, they had more energy and spunk than I could have imagined. It was such a hoot watching them run and play in the park, and I loved trying to keep up with them and capture their little personalities in that brief couple of hours.

In editing the photos for proofing, I simply cannot get over the eyes of these boys! They are so beautiful, so full of color and spark and so incredibly, deeply BLUE! :) :)

I know, I know, I have a thing for eyes - but see for yourself - these guys are going to be heart breakers!!!

Here is T. He was a photographer's dream: pausing from play to flash me a gorgeous smile (and not that "I'm smiling because Mom says I should" kind of cheese, but a genuine, beautiful smile!). He provided plenty of opportunity to get some amazing shots.

And here is the marvelous, the energetic, the super sweet C-man. Such a cutie, but you've gotta be quick!

Can you believe the eyes on these kids?!? Sooooo beautiful!

I just had to share a couple with you all. I am almost done with proofing, so there are more to come!

Until,

D ;)

Tip-toe Through the Bluebonnets

2007-04-09T16:02:00.000-05:00

Wow, it has been an eternity since I updated this blog! Shame on me!

I did a shoot for a wonderful family a couple of weeks ago. One mom is a loyal client and mother to The Ultimate, whom I had the pleasure of photographing last August. Well, I must say little R has grown into quite the little lady in these past 7 months, and just as before it was such a pleasure to spend some time with her and her mom. Also along for the ride this time was R's aunt, uncle and two darling cousins. The three girls ran me ragged as we did a whirlwind tour of the local park. We toured the fountain area, ran with the local duck population, tested out the playground equipment and frolicked in the bluebonnets. It was a beautiful morning, overcast (for pretty much perfect, even lighting) and just cool enough to keep us all from working up too much of a sweat. The area had suffered torrential downpours for 2 days prior, but we managed to keep every one relatively clean and mud free.

Because of the multitude of people and locations I shot, I have had a ton of proofs to edit. I am almost done, and once conversions are complete I will put up the web page of proofs for the families to view.

In the meantime, I would like to introduce you to a beautiful little 3 year old, Miss M, who mesmerized me with her lengthy lashes and wavy locks.

This stunning beauty took a bit to warm up to me, but we did manage to have a moment towards the end when she told me she liked my hair. Oh sweet pea, yours is so much more divine, but thank you for your kindness! ;)

I couldn't get over the eyes on this child. They are the deepest, steel blue with hints of brown and gold and red. The color images just don't do her justice - but I am torn at taking away the color of her eyes for the black and whites. She is just such a beauty.

Her baby sister, Miss E, was also a beauty, blessed with the same glorious lashes and richer, more auburn eyes. (can you tell I have a thing for eyelashes!)

And of course, this sneak peek would not be complete without a shot of the crystal-eyed sweetheart that captured my photographic eye 7 months ago. Still as sweet as ever, she gave me big hugs and even let me carry her back to the cars when we were done.

It was such a fun time for me! I hope the families had fun too.

Until,

D :)

Public Service Announcement

2007-01-23T10:03:00.000-06:00

To all you local babes in the Austin and Round Rock area:
Thursday, January 25, 2007 (that's THIS Thursday!) Round Rock Premium Outlets is hosting Ladies' Night Out from 6-9pm. Stop by for Live Salsa Music, Local Spa Demonstrations and Coupons galore and shop for fabulous deals! There will be give aways from Novita Spa in the gift court - you know you want to be there!!

Thanks!
D :)

More Playing

2006-12-25T21:38:00.000-06:00

Man, I love this lens!

Here's my little man...

Our family dog - at 100% crop you can see her hair's hairs! ;)

More later,

D :)

New Toy!

2006-12-25T14:12:00.000-06:00

I LOVE the Holidays! Have I said that before? :) My wonderful Hubby got me a new lens for my camera for Christmas - YIPPEE!!!! I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE it!!! I am so excited to play and even more motivated to search for new clients to photograph. My passion is quickly being restored. :) :)

Here are a couple of quick plays from this morning...

Can you see how razor thin the focal plane is?!?! The car's eyes are in focus, but the passenger side headlight is not. WOW! I am so excited!!! The blurred part is sooooo smooth and even. ahhhh!

Here's my cutie patootie brushing his teeth after his Christmas M&M's breakfast! LOL! Look at that crystal clear eye!

If the wind would die down a bit here we may go out to play later. Hubby got a new tripod today as well.

May you all have a wonderful Holiday Season, and may love and light find you wherever you go

Blessings,
Dawn :)

Holiday Cards

2006-12-04T17:34:00.000-06:00

Well, it of course is that time of year again and I have decided this year to take on designing some holiday cards for clients. Thankfully, because of the generous nature of the great folks I chat with on a photography forum, I was able to collect many templates to use for the base of the cards. I thank each and every one of you for your amazing generosity and kindness.

I am so pleased with how some of these came out and I wanted to share them with you. Now if I could only get around to designing my own for my family, all would be well in the world! ;)

Here are some recent favorites...

These came out so nice printed on Linen card stock. I hope the S family likes them as much as I did.

There are a couple more I want to share, but the client hasn't received them yet, so I will wait.

Until,

D :)

RRO Prize Winners

2006-11-26T11:33:00.000-06:00

Another wonderful opportunity came my way in the form of a beautiful young contest winner and her handsome hubby. Several months ago, I donated a prize to give away at the opening of the Round Rock Premium Outlets and this lovely couple was the winner. I had almost forgotten about it when I got the call from L asking to do the shoot so she could have some holiday cards made. Last weekend I was able to do the photo shoot for them. I really enjoy working with adults - I mean, kids are fun, but with adults you can tell them what they need to do and they actually do it! ;) I had so much fun with this couple. Like most men, Mr. E was not too thrilled at the idea of having his picture taken, but he was a good sport and I think he had some fun along the way!

Here is my favorite and also one of those shots that the client it thinking - you want us to do what??

I think it turned out beautiful!

We had some fun with poses and smiles and things were just getting rolling when I said, "ok, now I need your semi-serious, seductive look - make sure you think happy thoughts; I just want a natural, happy look without the big smile..."

It took a minute to get all the giggles out, but I think we found the look I was going for...

Then my instructions to just interact and forget about the pictures and posing brought out the actor in Mr. E... :)

But I still managed to capture a beautiful moment...

One more favorite - she has the most beautiful eyes I've ever seen!

Hopefully they are as pleased with the results as I am. :)

More to come,

D :)

Soccer and Sweetness. Presenting the S Family

2006-11-15T14:10:00.000-06:00

A couple weeks ago I had the pleasure of photographing the S family. They are such lovely people; I had so much fun with them. They were a referral; Mom is a coworker of a good friend of mine, and I was very nervous about the shoot. It is one thing when you are photographing total strangers, but with the personal connection of this family there was even more pressure to get it right. :)

Since I had never met them until the day of the shoot, I was so happy to find they are a beautiful, fun loving family, and very easy to photograph. Mom and Dad make an attractive couple, and the boys were cute, fun and easy to talk to. We met at a local park, equipped with a nice little creek and ducks, beautiful foliage and overcast skies. I prayed the rain would hold off for a little while and was able to shot for about an hour before it just got too dark. The boys were so good for me. The youngest was such a cutie and we discussed his friends, his Kindergarten teacher and soccer. He told me how many goals he made at the last game...

I was impressed! :)

Unfortunately, their oldest child could not make it to the shoot, but I think we got some great family shots of the four present. I cannot wait until the spring when we plan on shooting again with the entire family. I look forward to working with them again!

Here's a couple of favs...

See, I told you they were fun!

More to come...

D :)

3 Months Old and Such a Cutie

2006-11-07T23:26:00.000-06:00

Last week I had the pleasure of meeting the L family. Mom, Dad and their 3 month old darling met me out at the Arboretum for an early afternoon photo session. I had originally scheduled two sessions last week, one for Wednesday and one for Thursday. The Wednesday had to reschedule due to illness and I thought for sure I was going to have to reschedule the Thursday one for weather. Fortunately, the Mother Nature changed her mind and gave us a beautiful day for photos! I had never shot at this location before, but remembered a scenic pond and beautiful, tree lined trails. The park area was as I had remembered, but it is funny how different things look when you are viewing them from a photography perspective. Suddenly the lush landscape was littered with mottled light (lovely to look at but not good in photos) and narrow walkways (again, lovely for everyday things, but restrictive when trying to take pictures). We managed though, and I think our creativity paid off. We shot a few poses on a nice little curved bridge/scenic look out point. This is one of my favorites from there...

Isn't she a cutie?!?!

Then we decided to head down to the pond area. WOW! I didn't know I was going to get such a work out! A very long, very steep and twisted cobblestone walk way was the only way we could see to get down to the pond. What a sight we must have been; me carrying my camera bag and all my stuff in a big rubbermaid tote and Dad basically carrying their jogging stroller the whole way down. (does anyone watch America's Next Top Model? Remember the cobblestone walk way challenge? - that was me!) I was wearing my standard high heeled boots (they give me the best balance when I have to squat down a lot) and I was sure I was going to break my ankle on the way down. Thankfully we all made it down safe, and we were able to get some terrific shots in that area. After about an hour, little Miss was getting tired and cranky so we wrapped things up. Overall it was a great afternoon for me, and I am excited at the images I captured.

I am almost done with post processing; conversions should be done tomorrow and I will be able to show the family their pics. Here is another favorite before I go...

Such a sweet family!
Until,
D :)

Laughing and Gasping

2006-10-25T17:23:00.000-05:00

You know, it's a strange phenomenon with photographers that occurs almost every time we have a client place an order - inevitably the photographer's favorite image(s) from the session are not ordered for print. Most of what I have in my printed portfolio are images that no one cared about. They take my breath away, they make me hold back tears, I sigh or "awwww" or even gasp when I see them; I love them, but for whatever reason the subjects (or parents of the subject) did not want a print. Sometimes it's hard to deal with, but sometimes I think it is good that it works out that way. After all, most of our business comes from referrals, and if I have someone come to me or my site that has already seen baby x's photos, I want them to see something new when they inquire with me.

That said, I have been collecting some favorites over the past week or so and thought I would share them with you.

I love eyelash pictures - love, love, love them! This sweet one has some great eyelashes and I just fell in love with this picture.

I also love close ups - the closer the better. It doesn't bother me in the least that part of the head got cropped out - I just love looking at those deep, dark eyes and a beautiful grin.

And then there are those photos that make you laugh out loud...

"Hey dude, just so you know, I'm not into all that kissy face stuff, ya dig?"

And then there are the images that capture each person's individual personality PERFECTLY!

This last one, for me, is gasp inducing. I just love it. I am not even really sure why. It is completely untouched, straight out of the camera, no alteration at all - and I think it is perfect.

More later,

D :)

Operation Love Reunited

2006-10-23T21:13:00.000-05:00

I just wanted to direct your attention to my new "Important Link" in the side bar. OpLove is a new organization founded by a wonderful photographer that allows photogs like me the opportunity to give a little back to our much appreciated military families. Take a look at the website if you have a moment to find out what we are all about. I am so excited and honored to be a part of this organization. I hope to be sharing related pictures with you soon!
Until then,
Dawn :)

Butterflies, Pumpkins and 3 Generations

2006-10-18T16:29:00.000-05:00

The weekend before last I had the amazing opportunity to go into Houston to photograph my best friend's family. Fry Moments: H-town, the G man and a Boo Shirt gives some of the details and a couple of pics from the weekend - in case some of you are interested in my personal life! :)

Anyway, I took so many pictures! There were basically 3 families involved, including 2 small children, so I took lots of individual shots as well as group shots - with 3 generations present, 8 people total, I ended up with over 300 images to look through! After weeding out the absolute "un-useables" (is that even a word?) I still had about 250 to potentially process.

It has been quite the job - not that I mind in the least, but I am making sure to take breaks every now and then so I don't burn myself out. I am almost through the initial processing at this point, and will be well into conversions and extras by the weekend.

And on to my favorites! As some of you know - I really enjoy capturing "real" moments; those photos that aren't necessarily technically correct, but emotionally all there. I caught such a moment between Grandmother and Granddaughter. I am imagining a story board or collage for these...
Inspecting some corn...

The sun was right above and behind them so it cast a glare over the pictures, making them really soft and, I think, kind of ethereal looking.

Aww! I get all gooshy just looking at these - of course, I have a personal history with the family, so that's expected.

And here is that beauty by herself playing with a pumpkin...

More to come!

Until,

D :)

Tuesdays with Momma Ru

2006-10-09T17:46:00.000-05:00

Tuesday also brought me Momma Ru - who was in need of some head shots for advertising she will be doing for her new real estate business. (her grandkids call her Momma Ru - I think it's so cute!) This was another shoot that had to be delayed because I got sick, but thankfully she was able to work me into her busy schedule to take a few shots.

We decided to meet at my house, but the lighting wasn't the greatest, so we set up in my driveway. It must have been an interesting sight to the neighbors to have a backdrop stand and photography subject sitting in my driveway! But, as you all should know - the sun is our greatest light source, and I am always much happier with natural light photos.

I love it when people tell me right off that they don't take good photos. Momma Ru told me just that, but I would have to disagree with her. I hope she sees the beauty I saw when I looked through the lens. Look at that smile!

I love bringing out someone's inner super model...

Hope she likes them! Oh, and if any of you reading need an agent in the Austin area, I'll give you her number. :)

More shoots this weekend, so pictures will be forthcoming.

Until,

D :)

Family Fun

2006-10-09T16:47:00.000-05:00

Last Tuesday brought to fruition the photo shoot for the beautiful W family. I have been talking to mom for a few months now, trying to set something set up and between illness and bumps and bruises we finally were able to schedule a shoot for her daughter's first birthday. What an honor it was to be able to capture this beautiful little girl on the very day she turned 1! Here are two of my favorites...

This family was a blast to work with - I thought for a while I was working with professional models - they posed themselves perfectly and had amazing smiles and expressions. Dad had a little trouble looking in the direction of the camera, but we worked it out and I was able to get his amazingly reflective eyes in my sights. If you could zoom in super close on the pic, you could see the reflection of his wife in those gorgeous green eyes!

After working with them in the heat for almost an hour, I was able to convince the parents to do some individual shots - I just love the natural beauty in the mom's face - her smile is very natural and pretty.

And lastly, this is an out take that probably won't make the final cut, but I just love it because of the expression on the dad's face. The ladies are looking at a dog that is passing by, and I caught dad looking so lovingly at mom - sooooo cute!

I am almost done with conversions for this shoot and can't wait to show the family the final images. I hope they are as excited as I am!

Until...

Busy, Breakage and Brain Drain

2006-10-09T16:41:00.000-05:00

Hello All,
I am sorry I have not been keeping this up like I should. Things have been crazy! After a bit of a dry spell (and a heat wave) I am up and working again. YAY! This past week has had me running, and of course, it wouldn't be my world unless something went wrong. Our beloved lap top bit the dust and is in need of a hospital stay. So, I had to delay some photo processing for a few days until I decided to buy a new lap top.

BUT - I have had the opportunity to work with some amazing and beautiful people, and I can't wait to share them with you!

Keep watching!

Family Maternity Session

2006-09-05T16:08:00.000-05:00

Another friend session. This beautiful family has been in our lives since my hubby was a wee one, and we are so fortunate to have them living right around the corner from us. Our little boys are only a couple of months apart in age and I am thrilled at the prospect of them growing up together, just as their daddies did!

They just had their second child, a beautiful baby girl, and I am so glad they gave me a chance to take some maternity photos for them this time around.

Now on to the technical...The lighting was very low so I had to bump up the ISO on the camera. Unfortunately the Olympus does not do well on anything over ISO 100, so I knew I was going to get some grain. I was thinking it may be time to invest in noise reduction software, but then I got my new camera, so I may not have to after all. But, on these I think the grain seemed to work.

My favorites...

Isn't she gorgeous?!

I love this picture so much. Dad works very hard for his family and the harshness of his hands against the smooth belly is a wonderful contrast.

Again, I just marvel at how pretty Mom is. She has amazing eyes!

Thanks for looking!

Now I Lay Me Down to Sleep - Important Link

2006-09-05T16:00:00.000-05:00

I added this link today on my side bar. Not because I am affiliated with this organization, but because I want to help spread the word about this important service. I would love to be able to do something like this for the families that need it, but unfortunately the subject hits too close to home and I can't even make it through the first page of the website without dissolving into a blubbering mess.

I hope that by adding it here, other photographers will see it and get involved in such a worthwhile endeavor. And I hope that some day I too will be able to take part in such an important service.

Blessings,
Dawn

6 months old - and such a beauty!

2006-09-03T17:43:00.000-05:00

Another friend shoot! This time they happened to be in my neck of the woods so we met at the park. I am so thankful for every opportunity to photograph this family. It is about the only way I am able to keep up with my very best friend, her husband and beautiful daughter. It was hot this day too, so we met early and made it quick! As usual, I had so many ideas about what I wanted to do, but for whatever reason none of them materialized. Why is that? I know what I am doing - I think - but for some reason I really do "capture the moment" because the "moment" is never what I imagine it to be. I am not complaining here by any stretch of the imagination, I just think it is funny that way.

This family has been through so much and overcome the obstacles in a way I would never have the strength to do - you can really see the love they have for each other in their images. A more bonded family you will never see my friends.

My favorites from the day...

I LOVE THIS PHOTO!!!! *smooches!*:) :)

Brown-Eyed Girl

2006-09-03T15:22:00.000-05:00

A few weeks later I had the opportunity to do a shoot for a good friend of the "Ultimate's" Mom. For some reason I was kind of nervous about the shoot, and unfortunately the night before my own little guy had serious sleeping issues. So, I drug myself out of the house and raced to be at their house by the arranged time, completely hurting from the rough night. To make matters worse, my back was out and I was in serious pain! She wanted mostly indoor shots as it was super hot out and I opted to leave my lights in the car because I didn't think my back could handle lugging them out of the truck. Her front room had good light, but not the best set up, and because it had good light it was pretty warm. So, we didn't last too terribly long there. We moved to a more comfortable back room, but the light was not good at all so I suggested we go out side. Conditions there were not much better, and I just was not feeling it. Got a couple of good shots overall, but after post processing decided to ask the mom for a re-shoot. Thank goodness I did! We met at a park a week later, and I scored some super cute shots of this adorable girl! The first couple are from the original shoot and the last couple are from the park re-shoot. Enjoy!

This black and white conversion is my current favorite shot from the past few months...

This girl has the sweetest grin I have ever seen!

One for the artsy-type...

And another favorite. I love the colors and expression in this one!

The Ultimate Photo Shoot

2006-08-22T16:25:00.000-05:00

The next client I took on was another wonderful woman from the mom's group. Her daughter was, at the time, 16 months old, and one of the most photogenic little ones I've seen in a long time. This time the mom wanted some indoor and some outdoor shots, and I was glad to hear it. My intention all along has been to deal mainly with outdoor light - so I was excited to finally get to shoot in the arena I love.

We decided to do it at their house, which could not have been more perfect for this type of thing. There were trees in the front yard, lots of interesting levels and landscaping, a beautiful two-toned fence and a very high concrete wall on one side of the house. She also had nice hard wood floors in her dining room and so that is where we started. This little one was much harder to keep in front of the backdrop, so we took a few shots and then decided it would be best if we moved out side.

This was one of those magical shoots. The weather was perfect, the lighting was perfect, the location, the mom, the child, everything just fell right into synch and worked beautifully. I shot about 200 images (gotta work on that) and was already worried about post processing before I even got home. The thing was, there were SO MANY great shots that I had an even harder time in pp because I couldn't weed out the "bad" ones! What a problem to have! This baby has THE most amazing blue eyes - I just couldn't get enough of them.

I probably made a big mistake in showing Mom all the proofs (there were tons, and it makes it overwhelming for people trying to place an order), but she was over-the-top excited about how well they turned out. I keep telling her I'm going to have to put her on my payroll as a marketing director because she must have told every single person she knows about me and sent them a link to the pictures!

I think what I loved most about the shoot is that it really lent itself to artistic type photos. Mom was very open to everything I suggested, and I really felt a connection with her little girl. She even gave me a big hug! AWWWW! :)

Client #2

2006-08-22T15:50:00.000-05:00

The first shoot was so much fun, and the mom was so pleased with her pictures. It was a great way to start out. Only a couple of days after I had her proofs on line, her mother called me to see if I could do a shoot for her granddaughter, the original mom's niece. Does that make sense? Anyway, they just happened to be in the area that day, so I dropped my son off at a friend's house and high-tailed it over there to do a shoot. They wanted the same, indoor, natural light photos, and since I had just been in the house a week ago, the set up was pretty easy.

This time though, was a little different. The little girl was just barely 10 months old, and was not walking yet. She could crawl though, and with the grandparents and her cousin and aunt and dad all in and out of the room, keeping her in one spot was next to impossible. I could tell her dad was getting frustrated with trying to corral her and keep the distractions to a minimum. I was having a really hard time getting anything in focus - she was so quick!

Still, she is a beautiful little girl and I certainly got a few portfolio-worthy shots out of the deal. Her family was pleased as well.

My Favorites!

The Clients

2006-08-22T15:25:00.000-05:00

So after much practice and much trial and error, the opportunity came along for me to actually have some "real" clients! I wanted to see how I could handle this, so I announced to one of my mom's groups that I was just starting out and would love the opportunity to do some photo shoots and build my portfolio. Thankfully, many wonderful ladies took me up on the offer and my client list was born.

The first is the mother of a beautiful little boy, who at the time was about 14 months old. What a cutie pie he is! I went to their house and did a shoot in mom's office. They wanted indoor shots and her office had the best light and some amazing hard wood floors. Her son was a little shy at first, but thankfully Mom was really good at keeping him in sight and entertained. The shoot took about an hour and was really fun.

My favorites!

Did I say he is a CUTIE PIE?!?!

Still Backtracking - Families and Maternity

2006-08-22T14:14:00.000-05:00

I love my friends. They are some of the most supportive and loving people I have been blessed to meet. They support me in more ways than I could ever hope for, and I thank God for them every day. Without their love and support, I would not be doing this.

That said, I really wish a few of them didn't live so far away. For a short while, my husband and I lived in Arizona (we loved it there by the way) and we always talked about how nice it would be when we moved back to Texas and could be "close" to our friends and family again. So we move back, and though we are closer, we are still about 3 1/2 hours from most of our family and friends. Thank goodness for the few we have in the same town! They are probably the main reason we haven't moved back to AZ. But those that are the long drive away also happen to be the ones having babies and wanting pictures. So, I have driven the 3 1/2 hours (one way) to take their pics on several occasions. And if I'm being honest here, I would have to say that it is a HARD trip. Towing my 2 year old son all that way (and he doesn't like to travel!) and making sure my wonderful mother-in-law can watch him for me, the $$ involved in gas and eating out, as well as coordinating everyone's schedules around a very short period of time - it really was an ordeal. BUT - and this is a really big "but" - it was SOOOO worth it in the experience and the knowledge gained in doing family shoots and out of town business. It has really taught me about what TO do and what NOT to do, and it taught me tons about what to expect and also demand from clients.

And even though it cost me a small fortune, it is priceless to me to be able to document my friend's lives in this way. For that alone, I am eternally thankful...

I LOVE this shot! I use it as an avatar on several photography forums. To me it is the perfect belly - round and full and life giving - and the texture of the material is very feminine to me. Thank you, thank you my friend, for allowing me to take pictures of your sweet, uncomfortable self! :)

And here is the product of that wonderfully protective belly, a beautiful baby girl. She was only a day old in this picture. Her momma let me take her first pictures while she was still in the hospital. What a blessing!

More Backtracking

2006-08-21T11:11:00.000-05:00

Then, my beautiful friend had her beautiful little girl. I was so blessed to be able to capture these images. What an amazing day for me! I spent the whole day with them, and must have taken about 300+ images (can someone say "Overshoot"? ) I was so much fun, but editing was a looooong process! Here are some of my favorites from the day...

Backtracking, Part 2

2006-08-16T19:41:00.000-05:00

Ok, so I have a lot of wonderful friends! My beautiful friend, Rhonda, allowed me the honor of doing some maternity pictures for her last year. I was still refreshing my knowledge of photoshop, and with these I had a lot to work with - though not with her, just the backdrop. Next time I am investing in a steamer! The session was fun though; I got to hang out with my friends, and after a while her hubby relaxed a bit. I think I got some great captures out of the day. What do you think?

Backtracking, Part 1

2006-08-16T18:11:00.000-05:00

Ok, so I've been working on this for a while (this being the photography thing) and I wanted to make sure I include as many of my "clients" as I can. I guess if I had to pick a starting point, I would have to start with my very good friends and all of their help in providing me practice!

My dear friend has allowed me to photograph her beautiful children on many occasions, beginning back in 2005. Here are some of those early photos...

These sessions were so much fun! I loved working with the kids, and though I made mistakes, I always came away with something I could use, and something they could use. For me that made it worthwhile!

Why I do this...

2006-08-14T11:04:00.002-05:00

I have always had an interest in the arts, and was even a music major in college. I always knew I would be doing something creative with my life, though for years I thought it would be singing. That still may happen someday; and I hope it does because I would hate to waste a God-given talent, but my life is not reflective of that right now. Anyway, so I married an artist, who by the way has more talent in his little pinky than most people do in their entire bodies. He can do anything, drawing - yes, sculpture - absolutely, design - you got it, the man even has a nice singing voice (if his allergies aren't being too bothersome!). But his most exercised form of art right now is photography. We have been playing around with photography for years; he with landscape and fine art and me with people and protraiture. I tried landscape photography for a while... we would go out in the beautiful Arizona desert to take pictures, and my most favorite were the ones I snapped of my hubby while he was photographing some cactus! It didn't take long for me to figure out that landscape photography was not for me.

So I worked on this and that and actually fell backwards into a job photographing actors and models for headshots and comp cards. I got to work with kids a lot - there are lots of moms out there that want to get their beautiful child or baby into acting or modeling, and I learned how to photograph them well in a limited amount of time and with limited space in our studio. It was a wonderful experience and instrumental in my coming to this business.

Fast forward a few years to the birth of my son - yes, I was a mom with a camera! I wanted to document every moment of my baby's life. He was changing so fast, and I just couldn't take enough pictures. I wanted everything, the laughing, the crying, the infamous "poopy face", all of it! I would send out weekly emails to the grandparents with 15-20 new pics each time and would make up little sayings and thoughts to go with them. My father in law (God bless him) was entertained by my photo commentary and one day suggested I try to make a business out of photographing children. I thought he was nuts (at first) but the more I thought about it and asked other friends their opinions, the more I thought it would be a good idea. So I started off the way most of us do, using my friends as guinea pigs and practicing all the time. We bought the same camera I had used with the actors and models many years ago (familiarity is always good) and I worked on developing a business.

I love taking pictures of children. I love capturing their true selves; the expressions they have when they see something for the first time, discovering a new toy or a bug outside, and just their play in general. With every photoshoot I hope to forever document the essence of the child as they are right then. I hope to capture their personality in such a way that 10 years from now the parents can look at the picture and say "oh remember when she used to make that face?". My sessions are very impromptu. That is, I try to capture real moments as they are happening, not posing or directing the action.

I feel like this is the direction God wants me to go right now. And if it were not for Him and the help of my dear friends and family, this would not be possible. Thank you to everyone who is helping me make the idea a reality!

I intend on using this blog as a way to keep my friends, family and clients informed on the goings on with my photography. Please check back often for sneak peek and shoot summaries, as well as random thoughts and events. I look forward to reading your comments and seeing us all grow together!

Many blessings,
Dawn