LP Designz...Creating Lasting Memories

New Name, New Look, New Journey

2010-03-31T16:42:00.000-07:00

This is going to be short and sweet bc you can read all about it HERE. After a few days, this blog will be deleted so please once you visit the link above, add that web address to your RSS feed. (Google Reader, etc) We look forward to sharing our new journey with you!

A Couple of Openings!

2010-02-12T06:05:00.000-08:00

We decided that we can take on 1 or 2 more weddings for this fall. So if you were interested, but thought we were full, please email me and see if your date is available. It just might be!

Happy 2010

2010-01-05T11:36:00.000-08:00

HAPPY 2010 to all of you! We had a busy year at LPD and got to meet some great people. We shot precious engaged couples, beautiful brides and memorable weddings. Thank you to all the brides who made this year a success. We look forward to this new year and all the adventures we'll get to go on.

Because we have been so blessed and wedding spots for 2010 filled up quickly, we are completely booked for 2010! That's right...we have no available wedding spots for this year. If you were interested in booking LPD for your wedding, we are so sorry that we won't be able to work with you this year. However, if you need any recommendations, I have a couple of names I can give you of local photographers who I would recommend both personally and professionally.

2011 Brides...please still feel free to contact me! We have plenty of spots available for next year!

There are 2 more 2009 wedding posts coming before we tackle the new year. Hope everyone has a blessed 2010!

Jonathan & Morgan {Engaged}

2009-12-10T11:42:00.001-08:00

Shoot Date: November 14, 2009

Location: Downtown Beaumont

Shot by: Larra

I love getting to photograph people that I have watched grow up. This is another one of those couples. I knew both Jonathan and Morgan when they were younger. Jonathan's parents have been good friends with my parents since high school. So when we were kids our families always went on weeklong camping trips together. (ugh...camping..makes me cringe) as well as just hanging out at each other's houses. Jonathan is also the same age as my sister so they were in school and graduated together. Morgan cheered with my sister on all-star squads and through middle and high school. So I knew her from all those years of traveling and going to games. And here is my favorite part of this whole scenario...Jonathan's last name is Morgan. So Morgan will be be Morgan Morgan. How fun is that! I'm sure I'm not the only one who has told her she should just be like Madonna and have one name. Just Morgan. (but don't actually BE like Madonna...not the best role model.) Jonathan and Morgan were such a sweet couple to photograph. You can tell he adores her to the fullest. Thanks guys for letting me drag you all around downtown Beaumont and be followed and spied on by strange characters. Can't wait to see you married next summer!

My fave. I loved this wall with broken windows and graffiti.

Morgan looks smokin in this one.

A classic LPD shot against a brick wall :)

I almost screamed in excitement when I saw this wall that was falling down.

And of course, gotta find an old theater in every down town photo shoot.

Trent & Andrea {Engaged}

2009-12-10T11:06:00.000-08:00

Shoot Date: October 31, 2009

Locations: A friend's farm in North Zulch and Downtown Bryan

Shot by: Larra

There's those rare times when photography brings people into your life and they never leave :). That sort of happened with Trent and Andrea. We actually met while attending the same Hope Group at our church. We knew each other but not very well. Late in the spring, Andrea asked me about photography and we said we'd be in touch about it. Over the next couple of months we started hanging out more, Andrea asked me to be her mentor, and now we are great friends. We love her and Trent dearly. They are such a blessing to our lives. And are such a cute little couple. I love watching them interact..Andrea with her dramatics and Trent's not so subtle "chill Andrea" looks. They are precious. We had a blast trekking all over the farm and downtown Bryan. I think it was like a 4 hour photo shoot haha. But well worth it. So here you go..some of my faves!

Definitely one of my top faves. I think everyone they know loves this one.

So sweet. I know there's no faces..but it seems so peaceful and genuine. One of Andrea's roommates said that they need a shot like this when they are 80. (I'm quoting you Michelle.)

This grass was so stinking green and pretty.

Having the flat bill hat in the photos was a must. Its Trent's fave..and it has his initials on it.

A fun artsy shot.

Love the reflection in the train track.

Another fave of most people.

Thanks Trent and Andrea for asking us to share in not only your special day, but also your lives. We love you guys and are so glad you get to stay here with us another year after you are married!

Jenna & Lance{Engaged}

2009-12-09T10:54:00.000-08:00

Shoot date: October 25, 2009

Location: Hermann Park & Rice Campus, Houston

Shot by:Larra (& Leigh Ann came along to help me get there..I would have gone insane with all that zoo traffic by myself)

I met Jenna and Lance for the first time when we did their engagements. She was referred to me by a high school classmate who now works with her in Houston. Thanks Rebecca! We had to deal with TONS of people in the Hermann Park area bc it was a weekend first of all, but there was also a Halloween event going on at the zoo. So it was madness. We had to work hard to keep people out of all the backgrounds of the photos. Thank goodness for large apertures and blurry backgrounds! Here are just a few of my faves.

George & Trina{Married}

2009-12-08T17:32:00.001-08:00

Event Date: October 17, 2009

Ceremony Location: St. Mary's Catholic Church, College Station

Reception Venue: Kurten Community Center

Shot by: Larra and Leigh Ann

I was so excited to shoot Trina and George's wedding. It was my first wedding back since having the baby this summer. I was worried I would be a little rusty..but it all came back to me as soon as we got to the bride room. Trina looked so pretty. I loved the way she did her hair..so natural and beautiful. Thank you Trina and George for allowing us to be a part of your day. We had a great time and we hope you love your photos!

The Dress.

Love this shot of her bridesmaid helping her with the ties.

We got tons of great shots of Trina..so there's a few here.

Trina and her sisters.

Bride with bridesmaids.

George and Trina after the ceremony.

I loved the candles and rose petals lining the tables.

Her cake reminded me a lot of my own.

And last but not least, my favorite parts of the reception. Trina is a kindergarten teacher and knew how to keep her young guests entertained. They had an entire table set up with candy bars and glow sticks. How fun is that!

As I was editing these photos, I realized part of the reason why Leigh Ann is one my assistants. We have the same ideas for so many photos. There were so many duplicates of almost the same photo..one from my camera and one from hers. A lot of them I can't even tell who took what. Thanks Leigh Ann for all of your hard work! We have a busy year next year!

Trent & Andrea {Engaged}...Another Teaser

2009-11-02T14:59:00.000-08:00

This past weekend I shot engagements for some close friends of ours, Trent and Andrea. I am still editing previous shoots but wanted to give Andrea a little teaser bc she is dying to see one. The "real" post coming soon!

Couple of Teasers

2009-10-29T13:31:00.000-07:00

Over the last 2 weekends we shot a wedding and an engagement session. The coming 3 weekends we have 2 engagement sessions and a wedding. So I have lots of editing to finish, and lots coming up. Here are a couple of teasers from the wedding and e-session. It won't be long until they are all ready and each will get their own, special post. Until then...enjoy!

Jenna & Lance Engagement Session

Hermann Park and Rice Campus, Houston

Trina & George's Wedding

St. Mary's, College Station

Margaret & Stephen {Engaged}

2009-09-23T12:10:00.000-07:00

Date: Saturday, September 19, 2009

Shot by: Larra

Location: Various locations around Austin

Some of you may recognize Margaret. She has graced the face of this blog before. See. She was one of my best models to date. And she hasn't changed a bit. I didn't have to give her and Stephen much direction at all. They were precious. They met at work..and how awesome that they have the same color hair. I mean come on, how perfect is that! We had originally planned to shoot downtown, around the capitol and Town Lake. However, on Friday night Matt reminded me that that UT vs Texas Tech game was on Saturday. ESPN Gameday was there. It was going to be a huge mess anywhere close to downtown. So Margaret and Stephen brainstormed and came up with some spectacular locations. The views were AMAZING! Totally different look and feel than we would have gotten from downtown, but just as great of spots. Here are like 15 of my faves. I couldn't narrow it down.

First, we stopped off at the Austin Museum of Art's location on the west side of town. It was tucked back in some hills overlooking part of the lake. They had an art school there and everything..it was super neat!

Next, they made me climb like 500 stairs to Mt. Bonnell. But it was worth the climb.

And last, we went to the 360 Bridge. Apparently, its a pretty famous bridge in Austin. I loved this place..it was definitely my fave spot.

After taking pics ON the bridge, we made our way to a cool spot on the lawn of some building to get the bridge and rocks in the background. It was gorgeous.

See the entire session at my online store. www.lpdesignz.com/store

Margaret & Stephen {Engaged} : Teaser

2009-09-23T10:42:00.000-07:00

I'm still editing Margaret and Stephen's engagement session, but I wanted to give you a little teaser so maybe you'll come back and see the rest. They turned out great. I'll give you all the fun details about the session and the sweet couple on my big post.

Doesn't she have killer eyes?

Bridal Show Success + Extended Show Special

2009-09-15T10:08:00.001-07:00

We exhibited in our first bridal show on Sunday. It was hosted by the Bridal Association of the Brazos Valley, an organization that we recently joined. All proceeds from the bridal show were donated to a local breast cancer organization.

Being that it was our first show, we had no idea what to expect. I've been to a bridal show before, but it was a HUGE one in Houston. I knew this would not be like that. But I did know there would be photographers there who are full-time and would have big displays. However, I was still blown away by some of their booths. They were beautiful with large canvases hanging and a lot of flush mount/press printed albums to flip through. Brides were definitely immediately drawn to their booths.

Our booth was not so much a booth..we were given a round table to exhibit on. So we just had a couple of large framed prints, a few smaller prints set up, and an album to flip through. I designed some literature to hand out as well. Overall, I was pleased with our first show. We could have been a little more creative with our booth..but that didn't seem to bother the brides. We had plenty of traffic and gave out tons of information. And, we actually booked a wedding at the show. Plus, we've had great feedback in just the 2 days since the show.

A spring show will be held at Reed Arena in February. I learned a lot on Sunday and already have ideas for the spring show if we decide to exhibit. I discovered some new album companies that I want to look into for flush mount albums.

So, here's the important part of this post. ATTENTION BRIDES: We are extending our show special. If you got information from us at the bridal show and are interested in booking, you will receive an extra $100 print credit added on to your package. Just send me an email to set up a consultation and mention the show special.

Trinity & Ashley {Engaged}

2009-09-07T11:59:00.000-07:00

Date: September 4, 2009

Shot by: Larra

Location: Downtown Bryan & George Bush Library

When Ashley contacted me about taking her engagement photos, I was so excited. It was my first shoot since having the baby and I LOVE engagements. So what a perfect way to get back in the swing of things. She told me on the phone specifically the style of photos she wanted and where she wanted them so it was great to know going into the shoot what she wanted. We met up downtown on Friday afternoon and spent a little over an hour down there before heading to the library. Ashley and her fiance, Trinity, were such a sweet couple. They were so cute and playful and super easy to photograph. Ashley is starting grad school and Trinity is on the National Champion A&M Track Team. WHOOP! Thanks guys for letting me capture some sweet moments between you. I loved meeting you! I hope you love your photos! Here are just a few of my faves..it was so hard to pick!

I absolutely love this spot at the library. Its on a curve in the pathway that is tucked in some trees. The light coming through is ALWAYS beautiful. A lot of my favorite photos from many shoots are in this little nook just because the lighting is so great.

This last picture was Trinity's idea. He picked the spot and the pose and it turned out beautiful the way the sun fell in the background. I told him he may have a second calling.

To view all of the photos, please visit my online store at www.lpdesignz.com/store.

Cutie Patootie

2009-08-27T15:54:00.000-07:00

I was trying out my photoshop actions for my blog photos and I practiced on my sweet Carson. So I had to share with you :)

Getting Back to Work

2009-08-27T15:09:00.000-07:00

Hi All! I have really been missing blogging. I love talking about my sessions and weddings and getting to share some of my favorite photos. I just feel so overwhelmed bc I am so behind on my blogging. I have sessions and weddings from months ago that never made it to the blog due to my break to have a baby. And after much thinking, I don't think I'm going to blog them. If you want to see them, you can go to my store/gallery at www.lpdesignz.com/store and see the weddings in their entirety.

LP Designz is starting a new season. We can't believe how many weddings we have on the books. We are overjoyed and are so blessed by the Lord. He is doing amazing things and providing in amazing ways. So we are really excited about the coming months and all the work that we'll be doing. And I am SO glad to be shooting again. Its been months and I have missed it tremendously. I feel rusty. I need to get out and do some practicing before my engagement session next week! (JK Ashley, I still got my skillz for your E-session!)

I promise that I will blog every shoot from now on. I've developed some new actions in Photoshop to speed up my workflow that will make it easier to get my photos ready for the blog. (resizing, stamping, etc.) The hardest part for me is picking my faves..I can never make up my mind.

I've also put together a sweet 8 page informational brochure to email out to potential brides. It is loaded with answers to your frequently asked questions, info on how things will go on your wedding day, pricing information, and more! If you're interested in hiring us for your big day, email me and I'll send you the brochure.

-Larra

Postcard for Bridal Show

2009-08-20T09:30:00.000-07:00

We will be exhibiting in the Bridal Association of the Brazos Valley's Fall Bridal Show coming up on September 13. (more details to come on that...) I have been busy trying to get literature designed, prints done, an AsukaBook designed and more. I don't know if I'll ever get done..and its getting down to the wire! Figuring out how to design a roundtable is turning out to be quite tricky...

But I just finished my postcard design and thought I'd share. It's an oversized postcard..8.8x5.5. I went back and forth on trying to decide if I should include my pricing on the postcard. And finally decided against it. I want it to grab their attention with photos and not be overloaded with information. For those brides who are interested and want pricing, I'm going to have pricing sheets I can hand out. That way, it will draw them to the website to see more, and I can still use these at future events, even if my pricing changes.

Front

Back

Codey & Christi{Married}

2009-08-06T15:44:00.000-07:00

It's been ages since I've posted photos. Life has been crazy for the last few months. But I really needed to get back in gear so I'm giving it a shot! This was the last wedding I shot before taking my "maternity leave."

Event Date: May 9, 2009

Shot by: Larra, Matt and Leigh Ann

Location: Bryan, TX

I have known Codey forever. Well, it seems like forever. Our dad's have known each other forever so we met as young kids and went to high school together for a couple years. We also both attended Texas A&M (where Codey met Christi) and were neighbors for a while. And now..we're sorta related. My little sister married Codey's brother Chase. So I guess we're not REALLY related...but it feels like it. Anyways, about the bride and groom! All I really know is that they met at Texas A&M. Hmm..I really need to get the story on this! So let's just get on to the photos! I wish I could post about 30...there are so many that I love. But because I have so many posts to catch up on, I only picked a few of my faves to share.

LP Designz Introduces Carson Jace Palermo

2009-08-03T13:49:00.001-07:00

Sorry, this isn't an "official" pic of Carson. You'd think as a photographer, my own child would already have newborn pics taken. But, he hasn't. And now he's 2 1/2 weeks old! I better do it this week or it will be too late for the newborn, angelic sleeping pics. He's already so active I may have missed my opportunity already. Anyways, I just wanted to introduce the newest member of our team :) He's going to be a great model!

Just wanted to let you all know that I'm back in business. I'm not booking any sessions or weddings for August at all..and I'm booked up for September and October. If you are one of my brides and we are planning Sept. or Oct. bridals and engagements but haven't set a date yet...don't worry! I have you on my calendar..that's why I'm booked!

Please email me for any session or wedding inquiries. lpdesignz@gmail.com

New Updates

2009-07-13T13:29:00.001-07:00

Check the Wedding Info link above to see updated information on pricing and shooting style.

Unavailable Until Further Notice

2009-05-18T15:27:00.000-07:00

In my last post I talked about not taking any more sessions but thought I would be able to still do some design jobs and planning. Well, now things have changed. I am currently sitting in a hospital bed trying to keep the baby from coming too soon. We really need to make it at least 3 more weeks. When I go home from here, I will be on bed rest until the baby is born. So, with that said, I will not be able to take on any more design jobs. If I have already made arrangements with you for your project, don't worry, I'm not going to flake out on you. I will be on the couch for at least 3 weeks so I will get you taken care of. And I will be editing the photos from my last wedding. However, other than that, I am not available until further notice for any new projects.

If you want to contact me regarding weddings or sessions for the fall, please still feel free to email me. I may not be able to give you exact time frames but would definitely like to talk to you.

I look forward to resuming business in a few months and helping you out with all of your creative needs!

A Few Weeks Left

2009-05-11T14:25:00.001-07:00

Well, we did it. We made it through Codey and Christi's wedding without bed rest or having a baby. Now all I have left to do is edit. I can't believe that we won't be shooting anymore weddings until October. It's sort of sad. However, I can't say that I'm not grateful for the break. I will be blogging a lot in the coming weeks so I can catch up from all my past sessions and weddings.

Potential clients: Please Note...I am not taking anymore photo sessions until the end of summer/early fall. That includes seniors, babies, families, maternity, etc.

Potential Wedding clients...if you haven't booked a photographer for your summer/early fall wedding, I can refer you to a great up and coming guy that is amazing!

Remember: If your wedding is in Fall 2009 and forward, please contact me. I will be booking starting in October. So even though we are closed for shooting the next couple of months, we are still available to take calls, emails, talk about details and make booking arrangements for future events.

We look forward to sharing your special moments when we return to shooting in a few months!

Wedding Shoot Today!

2009-05-09T08:40:00.001-07:00

Today is going to be a long, fun filled day of the Franke-Bell wedding! We're getting started at 2pm and will be rocking til midnight! We'll be exhausted..but we'll have fun! This is our last wedding before the baby is born so its going to be a great one to go out on. This couple is very creative and are allowing ample time for pre-ceremony pictures. So I'm very excited to put my creative juices to work! Leigh Ann is on her way into town to help out so we'll have 3 able bodies moving around. (I'm kinda slow at 7 months preggo!) Going to be a great day! Here's one of Codey and Christi's engagements..and a tease of her dress. (I HIGHLY DOUBT the groom will be looking at this blog today before he sees his beautiful bride. But I don't want to be the spoiler!) You can tell by their engagement photo that they are vintage, creative and willing to try anything! I can't wait for today! And people, just wait until you see her dress. It's definitely in my top 3 of all time faves!

Stoll{Family}

2009-05-07T07:59:00.000-07:00

Event Date: April 7, 2009

Shot by: Larra

Location: George Bush Library, College Station, TX

I was so excited to get to shoot the Stoll Family portrait session. Matt has known their family for years and I have gotten to know them since we've been married. Debi was our realtor when we bought our house, and we'll definitely be giving her a call when we're ready to move on. I laughed a lot during this session bc it was a glimpse into my future. 2 boys. It was funny to see the dynamic and to watch them interact with each other. Mike and Debi definitely have their hands full! I'll have to admit that this session was a lot harder than I thought it was going to be. I haven't done a lot of family sessions with older children. It was hard to come up with ideas because the boys are older and its not like the parents can throw them up in the air and tickle them like with little kids. So it was tricky sometimes. While we were shooting, we also did some senior shots for their oldest son, Matt. I hope you loved your photos, Stoll Family.

Keri & Darren{Married}

2009-05-01T18:44:00.000-07:00

Event Date: March 28, 2009

Shot by: Matt and Larra

Location: Houston, TX

We shot Keri and Darren's wedding on a COLD March afternoon. It was beautiful and sunny..but it was quite chilly. However, the bride and groom were troopers and had no problem taking some photos outside. The church was gorgeous so we had to take advantage of our surroundings. We had a great time getting to hang out with them and their family for a little while on the special day. Thanks Keri and Darren for allowing us to be there! Hope you are loving your photos!

The church had beautiful architecture and stained glass. And we couldn't leave out a shot of the embroidery on the dress!

Bride & Groom in the courtyard. Matt's view before the ceremony.

Groom..just chillin before he greets his bride.

We did it!

Another pretty courtyard shot.

Drew {Senior}

2009-05-01T08:41:00.001-07:00

I'm going to work backwards on all my posting..starting with the most recent. Well, I do have a bridal session more recent than this..but the wedding is next weekend so I can't post the beautiful bride yet!

Meet Andrew. Lumberton High School Class of 2009. Let me just tell you..he's a mess..stubborn, irritating sometimes, but I love him to death. And I can say that..he's my little brother :) I can't believe that Drewski is graduating in just a couple of weeks! I still remember the little punk he could be as a child. But he was always the baby so we let him get away with way more than we should have. I love you Drew! Wish you were coming here for school so I could see you more..but WHATEVER!

I'm only posting a few bc I love too many of them..plus I have a lot of posting to do. We shot in Downtown Beaumont..I love shooting there when I'm in town. I'm still exploring new areas and trying to find old, scary abandoned buildings down there.

I love how it looks like he is admiring his fishing pole. Well, he probably is...its his first love!

Client Gift

2009-05-01T07:09:00.000-07:00

After we shot Jarryd and Jessica's wedding in January, we left with so much inspiration..on a personal and professional level. Their wedding and reception was so challenging to us spiritually individually and as a couple. It was a beautiful representation of what marriage is supposed to look like. We were truly blessed to be a part of their day.

We also left with a lot of creative inspiration as well. Downtown Fort Worth has a lot of cool buildings and features so we took advantage of some free time to wander around and take photos. Matt has a new job at LP Designz...the official "letter man." We decided we wanted to start offering "letter art" to our clients or anyone else who is interested in having their name spelled out in photographs. If you haven't seen these, they are so cool. So we used Fort Worth as our first playground for letters and explored up and down, searching for architecture and things in nature that created the alphabet. We had a blast doing it..and are pretty much on the look out for letters anytime we go anywhere. We want to build our letter inventory up so we'll have a wide variety of letters to offer.

So my point here was to share with you the gift we made for Jessica and Jarryd Foreman. We had so much making it and thought it would be a great gift for some special clients. We printed it as an 8x30in which is the standard size you can buy in panoramic frames. Theirs specifically was printed with a white background and black borders around the photos. However, they are available with a black background and white borders as well.

I will have information up soon with more examples and pricing. Please email me if you are interested for info.

*Pics of Jessica's bridals and the wedding coming soon!

Slowly Coming Along

2009-04-30T21:41:00.000-07:00

The new blog is slowly but surely coming along. I've finally gotten my horizontal navigation bar like I wanted, my new header and I'm working on the page content. It's a proven fact that clients love blogs. They want to see current updates and they feel more connected to the photographer when they can read about their photographing experiences. It makes us more personal. More connected. So I really want to get back in the groove of blogging. If you looked at my blog right now you'd think I haven't worked since November. When really, its been the total opposite! I've had more work in the last few months than I've had ever. So its not the lack of business, but instead the steady flow of business (fortunately) that has prevented me from sharing my photos and experiences with you. I think I've found a format for sharing my fave photos that will make it easier for me to post. Just get ready..you'll have so many new posts in your google reader from me that you will be sick of LPD posts. But hopefully not. Until then...

Some Revelations

2009-03-19T09:53:00.001-07:00

During the reconstruction of the blog, WE've (and I emphasize the WE) have also been restructuring our business plan, pricing, products and goals for LP Designz. I love that I can say "we." My darling husband has come alongside me in full force and is 100% my partner in this. He has already been shooting weddings and sessions with me, but has now been interested in the business side of it. Since we have a short hiatus from weddings (due to baby boy coming in July), we are taking this time to really re-think everything we have set up and how we want it to look in the future. We know that with 2 children, life will look different and the business will have to look different. At the same time, we know that the Lord has blessed us both with this gift and has given us permission to pursue this as a second income for our family. We may not shoot 20 weddings a year, but will definitely shoot as many as we feel is right for our family. So we want to keep our business current and thriving.

Right now, Matt is home, which is so exciting! Its the middle of the day! The Aggies are playing in the NCAA tourny right now so he's home for lunch watching the game. The baby is napping. So I'm taking this time, while he's here to discuss things with me, to really start digging into our business. I have been reading Stacy Reeve's pricing guide. (I found this months ago and just haven't taken the time to sit down and really dig into it.) It's really great! I have my big notepad out and am making notes and just completed our business plan. Its so cool to see it written out!

However, I will say that as I read this packet, I've had some revelations. Not anything completely new, but more that things I've thought for a while have been reinforced in my mind. Any photogs that read my blog, please don't take this in any way a negative against you. I'm sure you won't. We all have our own style and business ideas....

I've discovered over the last few months that I'm not like most photographers. I know that most photographers are looking out for their clients and want to provide them the best product while still making money. However, sometimes I feel that a lot of photogs charge a lot for their session and then the client gets nothing out of it besides an online gallery where they can just view their pictures. They get nothing in return. They then have to go spend another fortune just to own some prints. I know that as a client, I'm not a fan of this. So why would I expect this from my clients? I'm not going to go into a lot of details about what my new packages will look like but I hope that I will be able to provide something to clients that are just like I was as a young bride, or who are like me now as a young wife and mom. Your everyday family who can't afford to spend $2000 on a family photo session. I know that there is a market for that out there. And there are amazing photographers out there who can afford to have high prices and have a huge client base. And way to go! I just know that in my market, that's not the case, for the most part. So I can't expect my packages to look like theirs.

As I dig into my pricing and packages, I get excited thinking about all the potential there is. I feel we can offer some great packages that work for the good of both the client and us. I want brides to feel comfortable with me, comfortable with what they are getting for their money and to be so pleased with the outcome after their wedding day has come and gone.

I seriously could type for hours about my thoughts on all of this, but I'm done. I just wanted to get a little of it out while I'm in "business" mode. My redesigned blog will have wedding and session FAQs and info so there will be more to come. In case anyone still wants to read this.

Under Construction

2009-03-18T16:36:00.000-07:00

I realize I haven't posted photos in like 3 months. I'm such a photo blog loser. I promise its because I've been taking care of clients and getting their photos to them. However, things are FINALLY slowing down a little bc I decided to turn down a lot of work until after the baby is born. So I have a little bit of time to catch up, revamp some biz ideas, and give this blog a face lift. I think its time. It needs to be more functional and match my website. So its getting a boost. So if you happen to visit and it looks weird or mismatched, its bc I'm trying to find the new look I want. And then I promise I will catch up on blogging. I'll have like 20 posts!

And if you're a photography client, please email me at larra@lpdesignz.com

I'm Still Here!

2008-12-29T12:15:00.000-08:00

Hey peeps, if you haven't already given up on me...hang on just a little while longer! I promise I really do have so much coming! With morning sickness, Christmas, traveling, shooting, editing and more..I just really haven't had time to blog. But I promise there are exciting posts on the horizon! A Christmas session, 2 weddings, an e-session..and I have 2 bridal shoots but I can't post them until after the weddings. So please keep me in your google reader..I'll update soon. Maybe even today!

LP Designz Is Growing!

2008-12-04T09:42:00.000-08:00

Sorry to all my fans out there. Wait..does anyone even read this blog anymore? I know it seems like I've just closed up shop and vanished. But I promise I'm still here and working up a storm. I just haven't had a lot of time to blog. I've been shooting Christmas sessions, bridals, filling orders, scheduling, editing, etc...so please don't give up on me!

So anyways...on with the news. For the few of you out there who aren't my family and friends and may not read my personal blog, we have an announcement. I'm expecting another baby! I'm due in July so I have quite a while to go. So LP Designz is growing! Literally! We are very excited and can't wait to welcome our new bundle of joy.

With that being said, LPD will be undergoing a few changes. Not big ones..but a few things will have to happen in order to keep the business going AND allow me to get through this pregnancy. (I have horrible morning sickness all day!)

First off, my wedding availability has definitely changed for the summer of 2009. I am not accepting anymore weddings before September or October of next year. I am booked through May and do not think it would be wise to schedule anything close to my due date. So if you are interested in wedding photography anytime before September of next year, I can refer you to some great photographers!

Next, as far as portrait sessions go..I am still available for engagements, bridals, family and senior portraits as long as things go smoothly with the pregnancy. I probably won't be scheduling any after June, but definitely should be available in the spring.

Since I am going to have a short hiatus from weddings, I would like to pick up some more design work. I'll probably work on a lot more stationery products and be available to take more custom design jobs. So if you're interested in anything in this area, please contact me! I do have a waiting list right now (we are so blessed!) and it looks like it will be February before I can take on any new projects. But after that, things will start slowing down so I can definitely help you out with any projects you may have.

I think that's all for now. So if anyone is still out there, leave me a comment sometime! Seriously people! I need comment love!

Jessica & Jarryd E-Session

2008-11-20T09:00:00.000-08:00

2 weeks ago I had a blast with Jessica and Jarryd. They are the cutest, sweetest couple ever! We went all over town shooting on campus, at George Bush Library and of course Downtown Bryan. Let me just tell you, they are a photographer's dream! They are so playful and "lovey dovey" that I never had to give them ANY direction. They enjoy being with each other so much and were so comfortable in front of the camera. It was so much fun! (p.s...for potential clients out there that see these pics and say "I want engagements like that!" there's a catch..YOU have to act like that. haha. photographers can't invent candid moments. we do our best but sometimes it doesn't happen). I try to only choose about 10 of my favorite for the blog. And I had a very hard time choosing. I'm sure if I looked through them again, I would choose 10 totally different ones!

We get to shoot Jessica and Jarryd's wedding in January in downtown Fort Worth. I'm so excited about and can't wait to share a part in their special day! Thank you Jessica and Jarryd for such a wonderful afternoon. You two are truly a blessing and I know the Lord is definitely glorified in your relationship. I hope you love your photos.

Click HERE to view my complete session with Jessica and Jarryd.

I've Converted!

2008-11-19T09:34:00.000-08:00

Do you notice anything different about my desk? Take a good look around...

Yep, that's right! It's official..I'm a mac user. And I love it! It was delivered FedEx today..I was trying to stay busy so I wouldn't stand at my window and wait for the truck! I've had it for a total of about 1.5 hours and I'm already in love. This thing is amazing! I'm going to work it to death! (Well, hopefully not since these things are supposed to be tha bomb dot com for photographers!)

Anyways, I just wanted to share my good news with everyone. Stay tuned for more posts coming soon! I promise I have lots to update you all on...sessions, ideas, and changes coming to LP Designz!

Musick-Busby E-Session

2008-11-13T11:04:00.001-08:00

This past Saturday, Leigh Ann and I traipsed around downtown Beaumont with Lindsey and Josh for an engagement session. Their wedding is coming up in February so we needed to get it done! And we're using the photos in their invite. I can't wait to get that finished up..it's going to look so cool with these photos! I already have my faves picked out for it. If Lindsey looks familiar to anyone, she's my sister's best friend. So she was in the wedding photos from Shell's wedding. Here are a few of my faves. Enjoy!

Leigh Ann took this one..I think it would be awesome for the front of the invite!

I love this one! I think it looks like a CD cover..or the cover of the invite as well.

Another absolute fave! Another CD Cover (oh yea, and they sing and play guitar! so it could become a reality!)

So as you can see from these last 2 posts, I've been super busy. And I still have more sessions to edit and blog about. So stay tuned...

Sidle Wedding: Hurrican Ike Re-Do

2008-11-12T15:38:00.000-08:00

In the months leading up to her September 13 wedding, Erin and I talked about all the details and had a perfect plan for the day. Then about Thursday of the week of the wedding, we both realized that this wedding was not going to happen. Well, at least not the way Erin and her fiance Adam had planned. Hurricane Ike was barreling through the Gulf headed for none other than...Houston! But Erin and Adam did not let that stop them. They were determined to get married that day, rain or shine. They just wouldn't be able to do it quite as they planned. So they arrange to get married in a small ceremony with only their family and rescheduled the big shebang for October 25. It ended up being a beautiful day for a wedding redo.

It was a beautiful sunset ceremony looking over a pond at House Plantation. Adam had still never seen Erin in her dress so we arranged a special time for them before the ceremony where they could see each other for the first time. This allowed them to have a private moment, as well as allow us to take almost all of the photos before the wedding. (It was going to be dark after the ceremony was over.) Their vows were a little different than the usual since they were already married, and there was no need to do a ring exchange. After a quick ceremony, they got on to the party! Ok, I'll say no more and let the pictures do the talking. Thanks Adam and Erin for a wonderful evening!

I love this photo of Erin. This victorian couch was in the bride room..a perfect fit!

Adam waiting patiently for Erin to sneak up behind him. After this moment, he saw her for the first time that day in a private moment on the balcony.

A beautiful setting for a wedding!

My creative husband/assistant captured this cool shot!

Silhouetted by the sunset after the ceremony.

Their first dance draws to an end.

This is Erin's mom and brother! They got their groove on ALL NIGHT! Just look...

Yes, they were "jump roping." It was awesome!

They left in a beautiful shimmer of sparklers. I love how this turned out with them as the only thing in focus.

A Yummy New Look

2008-10-28T14:51:00.000-07:00

If you're in the need for a beautiful cake or delicious pastry, I've got just the place for you! Sweet Memories Bakery and Cafe in Bryan came to me and asked for a blog design. They have a great website but needed a blog to show off their newest creations. They are a local favorite around here. I can't remember a wedding or baby shower that I've been to that didn't serve a cake from them.

I knew right away what I wanted to do. They have a chalkboard menu in the bakery so what better than to incorporate that cute cafe look into their blog! Here's their new look..what do you think?

Check out their new blog at www.sweetmemoriescafe.blogspot.com or their website at www.sweetmemoriescafe.com

Couple of Things

2008-10-26T21:14:00.000-07:00

It's funny how things happen. You plan for one thing, and then out of nowhere, your plans change dramatically. A couple of months ago, when I looked at a calendar, the rest of the year looked pretty slow for me. So I decided to get on the ball and get some holiday cards designed and available for sale. I also wanted to book a lot of holiday sessions.

Then, in September, Hurrican Ike hit the same day I was supposed to shoot a wedding in Houston. It got rescheduled for yesterday, Oct 25. Then, a few weeks later, I booked 2 weddings for December and another for January. And I already had one on the books for February. So needless to say, my planner went from fairly empty to really full. If it was just the actual day of the wedding that was work, it would be no biggy..but there's a lot of editing and orders to fill in between all these weddings.

So, all that being said...I only have 4 holiday cards to offer this year. I already posted 2 of them, but here's all 4 so you can see them all together. If you are interested, please email me. You can send me photos to include or we can set up a session.

We had a busy weekend shooting Erin and Adam's wedding re-do. They decided to get married for real on Saturday, Sept 13 when Ike hit. But they wanted their family and friends to share in their ceremony, and to get to have a rockin reception. We had a great (and tiring) time. Pictures and details of our day coming soon!

Hall Bell Wedding

2008-10-15T07:16:00.001-07:00

I've already written a few posts about my sister's wedding..so I won't say much. I had SUCH A HARD time picking my favorites, but I made myself only pick 11 because I seriously could have put like 30 pics up! Remember, you can view the entire wedding and order prints at www.lpdesignz.com/store. And there's a 20% discount!

Enjoy!

Love, Love, LOVE this photo! She's gorgeous!

They look like a boy band

They did a marriage covenant of sand instead of salt since they were on the lake.

The decor was so beautiful!

Update Coming Soon

2008-10-13T13:07:00.000-07:00

I finally finished editing the photos from Shell Bell's wedding. They are beautiful. Not because of anything I did, but because we had such a beautiful bride and setting to work with. Their were lighting issues of course. You have to expect that with outdoor weddings at dusk, plus a lot of trees to cast shadows. But still, they turned out great. I'm so excited to post them. I just can't pick my faves right now..there's too many! I have a lot going on with some design projects I'm trying to get started on for clients, so it might be tomorrow before I can get my faves posted.

But if you want to check them out or order, please visit my store at www.lpdesignz.com/store. And there's a special treat...since I assume everyone that will be ordering will be friends and family of my sis and new bro-in-law, the print prices are discounted 20%! I hope you like them! If so, come back and leave me a comment. Or you can wait until I post some on here..but please leave me some comments SOMETIME and let me know what you think. I get so sad when I don't have comments!

And...We're Back!

2008-09-29T08:51:00.001-07:00

After a long, tiring, stressful, emotional and definitely JOYFUL 5 days, we're back! My baby sister is officially married. We had a blast spending the week with her as we all prepared for her lakeside wedding. And it was absolutely GORGEOUS! The weather was perfect, the water was beautiful, the flowers were blooming. It looked like a fairy tale. And that's exactly what my sister wanted..she is our Cinderella. She wanted to be a princess that day and her wish came true. She definitely looked like one. After she had her first dance with Chase, she danced with my dad to "Dance with Cinderella" by Steven Curtis Chapman, and then Chase stole her away to dance with her again to "Stealing Cinderella." It was such a beautiful time. We all worked really hard..but it was very worth it.

And let me just tell you how amazing my photography assistants did. My sidekick and husband, Matt, and my sis-in-law, Leigh Ann, did AWESOME! Since I was actually in the wedding, it was hard to take photos, haha. I took all of the pre-ceremony photos and formal posed photos that I wasn't in..and Matt and Leigh Ann did the rest. I am so thankful for all of their hard work. You guys seriously did AWESOME! They both had different vantage points during the ceremony so we really got some amazing views of it all. I haven't edited any photos and have only glanced through half of them. So I don't have much to show you. So I will leave you with this photo I took of my gorgeous baby sister a couple of hours before she became Mrs. Chase Bell. I love you Shell Bell. (Oh, and get this...her nickname since she was young was always Shell Bell. And now her name is really Shelley Bell..so she's still our Shell Bell!)

A Sneak Peak and Exciting News

2008-09-23T14:08:00.001-07:00

I have been busily working on my 2008 Christmas Card Collection. I have a lot of designs that are really coming together and hope to have them all finished and available in the next couple of weeks. I would finish them this week, but we are leaving tomorrow morning for a week long wedding extravaganza. (My sister is getting married on a lake this weekend so we're going to spend a few days playing on the water and figuring out all the photography issues.)

So, I'll give you a sneak peak at my holiday collection.

In other exciting news, I've had a national retailer interested in selling my products on their site! How exciting is this!? We're in the beginning stages of the process. They also gave me some suggestions on how to get my products sold and suggested that I have a site devoted strictly to stationery products. I spent a lot of time and money on getting my photography site and shopping cart up and running, so I definitely won't be doing a full blown stationery site that is as elaborate as my photog site. But I did understand their reasoning..when consumers search for online stationery designers, if they click on my link on google and are taken to a photography site, they may be confused. So I'm working on a simple site that showcases my designs, but they will still shop from my same online store. I am very excited about this new opportunity and I'll definitely let you know if and when the relationship takes off with the retailer! And of course, I'll be debuting the new stationery site..so stay tuned!

It's Beginning to Look a lot Like...

2008-09-17T05:52:00.001-07:00

ALMOST Christmas! And that means time to start thinking about your Christmas family pictures and cards. Starting in October, I will be running a special on holiday portrait sessions. And to make it even better, if you have your portraits done by me, I'll give you a discount towards custom designed Christmas cards! Here's the details!!

To All the Brides

2008-09-11T14:46:00.000-07:00

....in the Houston area planning to get married this weekend. I'm so sorry! My wedding shoot scheduled for this weekend had to be postponed..until late October!! Poor Erin :( (But she's getting married for real on Saturday anyways and then the party will be later)

I just wanted to say keep your head up and don't let the storm get you down. Your wedding day will be so special, even if it doesn't end up being this weekend. You'd rather be safe and postpone it than have your guests drive through a hurricane!!

Everyone stay safe!!

Duty Family

2008-09-04T14:39:00.001-07:00

Last week I had the pleasure of shooting the Duty family. They are a beautiful family with 2 beautiful little children. Allen is the student pastor at our church so it was such a blessing to do this for them. And his wife Kendra made this awesome apron for me to give to my sister as a wedding present. The session was a total of 30 minutes and we still walked away with tons of great photos. Here are just a few of my faves. To view the complete session and to order, click here.

Precious

2008-08-21T17:29:00.000-07:00

I've been waiting a while to put up this post. I took pictures of my precious new nephew when he was a week old, but wanted to wait until his mommy got to send out his birth announcements before I put them up. I wanted her to be the first to get to show him off! We got to spend the whole day with him just loving on him. He cooperated so well! He was only 6 days old, so you know they sleep all the time. But when it was time to take pictures, he just woke up and was so wide eyed the whole time! Now he is a month old..so he already looks so different than in these photos! He is so sweet and we love him to pieces! Here are some of my faves and the birth announcement I did for him.

(I feel like he sort of looks like Brody in this one)

2008-08-09T15:46:00.001-07:00

It's that time again! School starts all over the area in the next couple of weeks and seniors are getting excited about prom, graduation and of course, SENIOR PHOTOS!! Don't wait until the last minute to have yours taken...there is enough to worry about in those last couple of months before graduation!

I am offering an addtional $30 print credit to all seniors who book their senior session for the fall. That means anytime before the Christmas break. So hurry and book your session today! You can view pricing and information on my website at www.lpdesignz.com. Please call or email me with any questions!

What's My Style...

2008-08-08T14:18:00.000-07:00

I ask myself that question a lot. Does my style come off as modern and sleek? Or vintage? Or traditional? I'm not so much referring to my photography style..but more my design style. If you walked in my house, you might say sleek and simple.

I have a black kitchen table surrounded by black and white European photos in black frames and black mirrored sconces. (they aren't in the pictures)

My office/creative space is a black flat desk with 2 organizational boards hanging above in what else, but black frames.

So if you judged by that, you would not say vintage or eclectic. And a lot of my designs have a simple, classic look with clean lines. Not a lot of fluff or frill. However, when I see cutesy blogs and photobooks with vintage papers, embellishments, swirls, etc..I LOVE them! Even this blog has that style! My ideas for my next office feature a shabby chic style, eclectic refinished furniture, and lots of color. But when it comes down to actually doing some designs, I always seem to go back to my old "clean" ways. A polished clean look is what I always end up with. And in some things, that's great. But in others, I really need to broaden my horizons, take some risks, and produce some work that's not just my style, but the style of potential clients. But at the same time, have my "identity" as a designer and stand out because of my style. So what does this mean for me? Where do I draw the line between being flexible to change as I need to and too all over the place?

Some thoughts I had to "fix" this problem was to have different lines of greeting cards. For example, a "Vintage Baby Collection" where all the birth announcements in that collection would have a vintage, shabby chic feel. Then there would be a "Modern Baby Collection" with more contemporary designs. You get my drift. I'm about to start on my holiday cards and hope to implement this new plan.

Have any of you ever faced this dilemma? Either in your shooting style, design style, etc? You know what YOU like, but found it hard to adjust to accommodating the customer.

Missing in Action

2008-08-06T06:39:00.000-07:00

I apologize for not posting in a while. I haven't really had much to say or much going on business related, so I've just taken a break. It has actually been nice. I've been spending a lot of time with my baby boy during the day...we're working on sitting up and eating lots of new foods! And my major "personal" project has been finding a way to save money when shopping at the grocery store, Target, etc. I definitely need to be a better steward of our money so for the last couple of weeks I have read books, blogs, websites, etc and have found all these great new ideas and ways to save tons of money on everyday things! I've never been a coupon person, but you should see me now!

Anyways, I do have some posts up and coming, I promise! A couple more stationery products and just some ideas I have about the business. I'm sorry to my photog buddies who feel neglected. Its not you, its me :)

Don't give up on me!

New Stationery Products

2008-07-25T12:06:00.000-07:00

I've gotten a few new designs done lately and wanted to share them and make them available for sale. I have more in the works so stay tuned! All of these are for sale in my online store at www.lpdesignz.com/store.

"Precious Squares" Birth Announcement. Available for boys and girls. Blue can be replaced with green or pink.

5 x 7

$1.50 each includes envelopes

printed on high quality 1oolb cardstock

This one is my favorite!
"Vintage Baby"
Available in boy or girl. Blue background will be replaced with pink for girl.
5 x 7
$1.50 each includes envelopes
printed on high quality 1oolb cardstock

This wedding invitation is special to me. I designed it for my baby sister using the engagements we took of them.

It's a 5x5 square single fold. The front has a photo and names of the bride and groom.

The inside has another photo and wedding invite wording.

The back can have any information you wish. This one gives directions. I am currently working on the pricing to include envelopes and response cards. Check my store for details!

La Cantera Wedding

2008-07-17T15:48:00.000-07:00

I can't believe its been 2 years since I starting assisting my friend, mentor and photography guru Lynsey Kramer with weddings. She asked me to come along in May 2006 to shoot a wedding with her and I've done numerous ones with her over the last 2 years. Now that I have my own business, she has given me so much advice and I love her for all she does. Well, now Lyns is devoting her photography skillz to their family farm and is doing their marketing, website, etc and is putting the wedding photography on hold for a few years. She had one last wedding scheduled and invited me to come along to assist and get some great shots. And boy did she go out with a bang! On July 5th, we shot a wedding at La Cantera Resort in San Antonio. It was beautiful! And with such a beautiful bride, we couldn't have asked for a better day :) Lynsey, thanks for allowing me to follow you around, soak up your knowledge, pick your brain, and for just being such a great friend. If Matt bails on me, I'll be calling on you to help me at weddings. Ha! Like YOU could be my ASSISTANT! You're too amazing!

Here are some fun shots I got. I couldn't pick just a few so there's a lot. You can see all of them HERE. I didn't take any formals bc I was helping Lynsey out with keeping people organized. Oh, and just a note..none of these photos are for sale bc that would be shady! I only have them posted in a gallery to show my work. Lynsey was the hired photog..when her photos are ready, check them out here.

She was on the phone with the groom. Such a sweet moment!

Back in the saddle this week...I promise!

2008-07-14T20:06:00.000-07:00

I've been out of the loop for the last week. My mom was here visiting for the week so I took a long break from the biz. No editing, no designing, no blogging, nothing. I didn't even hardly check email or blogs. I found out all sorts of info about my favorite peeps and blogs tonight when I caught up on all my reading. I promise this week I will get some photos edited and the blog updated. I don't know how many readers I have, but for the few faithful ones..I'M BACK!

Wedding Photos Coming Soon!

2008-07-06T20:37:00.000-07:00

We had an action packed weekend in San Antonio shooting a beautiful wedding at the La Cantera Resort. We just got back in town and are EXHAUSTED! Stay tuned for photos from the wedding...it was gorgeous! I can't wait to share them! Time to sleep!

Session with an Angel

2008-06-30T14:08:00.000-07:00

Ok, so I may be a little bit biased..but I had to post some favorite photos of a recent session with the most precious little boy I have ever photographed. Ok, yes..it's my son. But isn't he a doll in these? He was totally hamming it up. I'm normally not a fan of posting the same thing on my personal blog as I do on my business blog, but since these photos will definitely be added to my portfolio, I had to post them here. Just a few of the faves...

(my absolute fave...look at that face!)

Chase and Shelley {Part 2}

2008-06-25T21:30:00.001-07:00

I finally finished editing and here are a few of my faves. I had way too many great ones to choose from! They are a very cute couple..and are so sweet to each other...most of the time :) If you haven't already, take a look at the ones my talented hubby shot in the post below.

Their "theme" is Stealing Cinderella. I've never heard the song but apparently it describes their relationship...cowboy stealing away the princess. So they got creative and Shelley wore one of her prom dresses for this shot of him "stealing" her away on a horse.

Blog Design for Hunter and Heather

2008-06-25T20:57:00.000-07:00

Heather contacted me about designing a custom blog for her and her husband of one year, Hunter. I know Heather a couple of different ways...I worked with her mom for almost 2 years at my "real job" before I quit to be a stay at home mom and photographer. Then, I was one of the photographers at her wedding last June. So I sort of knew her personality and what look she might like. Heather sent me her thoughts and said she wanted pink and black and nothing too girly. Being the softball lover she is, I knew the muted colors and vintage look of my previous designs just wasn't the look for them. Bold and clean was what they needed. I absolutely love the final product. It's one of my favorite ones I've done. Heather and Hunter loved it too! Thanks for allowing me to work with you guys on this!

Busy Little Bee

2008-06-25T08:22:00.000-07:00

This past weekend we traveled 3 hours away to shoot a very special engagement session. It was for my baby sister, Shelley, and her fiance Chase. Their wedding is coming up in September so we're busy getting all the arrangements made, photos taken and next I'll be working on getting the invitations designed. I have been steadily editing the photos from the weekend, and am only halfway finished. There's so many good ones, I couldn't delete any!

My dear husband Matt tagged along and did some shooting and let me just tell you..the guy is super talented! He has such a creative eye and turned out some shots that I was so jealous of. I'm so blessed to have such a talented sidekick. I am so excited about having him by my side shooting the upcoming weddings we have on the books.

So although I'm not finished with the photos, I wanted to post a few of my favorites that Matt shot. I'll post hopefully later today with more!

*Other news..I have a new shopping cart that will be up ASAP. It offers you the option to purchase your sessions, prints, stationery products, coffee table books and more! Check my website soon!

Out of Town

2008-06-20T11:43:00.000-07:00

We are out of town this weekend for an engagement session. We'll be back next week with some fun photos to post! Please email me with any questions about a project we may already be working on for you or if you are interested in our services. I may check my email this weekend, but if not, I'll get back with you early next week! Thanks!

JMHickerson's New Blog Design

2008-06-17T20:33:00.000-07:00

Before I begin this post, let me first say I DID NOT DO THIS COMPLETE DESIGN.

Jae Hickerson, of JMHickerson Photography and Design, contacted me about designing her blog for her. I started trying to come up with some ideas, but then realized..wait a second..this woman is a designer herself! So came up with the idea to let Jae actually design her header and backgrounds herself, and she would just hire me to actually plug them into her site and get everything all aligned correctly. (the technical HTML junk)

Jae designed the header and found the cool textured background. It originally had some great designs on it, but they just weren't working with our design, so I tweaked it in order to make it fit correctly and flow seamlessly throughout the blog. Jae designed her sidebar headers, and I plugged them in and adjusted the width of the blog so she would have more room for posts and photos.

We are both really pleased with the outcome. Visit her blog at www.jmhickerson.blogspot.com

A Family of Photographers

2008-06-07T21:05:00.000-07:00

I just wanted to say thank you to my fellow photographers and designers who've been so wonderful in the last year as I've gotten my business off the ground. It is so awesome to work alongside some amazingly talented women who could selfishly keep their secrets and ideas to themselves, but instead choose to share them with me and others. I worked alongside Lynsey Kramer for a while, shooting weddings with her and soaking up her knowledge. She shared her passion with me and has taught me so much. I know that I can always email her with questions regarding business problems, equipment issues or shoot ideas. She is an amazing photographer and even better friend. I love you dearly Lyns!

Then there's sweet Sarah Shalley. What is so special about our relationship is that I only met her because I shot her wedding with Lynsey in January 2007. A few months later, we started chatting on the internet regarding photo stuff, and a great friendship blossomed. Sarah and I will sit on the internet for hours talking and sharing ideas and tips. When one of us has an issue, the other gladly gives input and tries to help. I love that even though we are in fairly close proximity to each other and may be trying to reach some of the same market, there's no competition. Seriously, its not like the 2 of us can shoot the entire Brazos Valley and beyond anyways. I love the convos Sarah and I have and have so much fun sharing with her. We have endless emails back and forth with questions, explanations, ideas or sometimes just to say guess what Idid today! Even though we've only hung out like ONCE outside your wedding, I love you and appreciate you so much! I'm looking forward hanging out this summer and learning together!

Shauna Maness posted on her blog (and I couldn't find the exact post to link to) about how we as artists should share with and help each other out in this crazy business. I think she was referencing a book she read(or is reading) regarding the business of photography. We should be thankful for the knowledge we have and not be selfish in what we have learned. I hope that I am always willing to step out and help a fellow photographer who is trying to get their foot in the door. I would not be where I am (which is barely in the door myself) without the encouragement, tips and support of my fellow photo buddies.

So this is just a thank you to my girls! I love you and look forward to many future brainstorming sessions!

A New Look for the Mosiers

2008-06-07T06:13:00.001-07:00

A couple of weeks ago I noticed some friends of ours had a "cry for help" on their blog. They wanted someone to tell them how to get a "cutie patutie" blog, as Erin put it. I was glad to come to the rescue. I played around with a few different versions of this design, the first one being a little too girly. It was pink instead of blue. But then I realized..Hello, this is for a couple, not a girl! So we switched the pink to blue and green. The Mosiers and I were both very pleased with the outcome. Here is a closeup view of the header since for some reason, I can't get the complete image to come up any larger than that.

I had a lot of fun doing this for you, Matt and Erin. Thanks for trusting me to spice up your blog. So for anyone else out there that would like a new look, here is my design pricing.

Living Creatively

2008-06-03T07:38:00.001-07:00

As I sit here with my morning cup of coffee, I feel very refreshed. My baby boy slept in a little longer today which allowed me to do the same. We had a great night last night...we went to the Aggie baseball game and our Ags pulled through and put a WHOOPin on the Houston Cougars to win the region and move on to super regionals. So we all went to bed happy and slept great. The Brodster only woke up once to eat!! So I woke up this morning feeling very refreshed and motivated.

I cleaned the house yesterday, so today I get to design! As I came to my computer to check emails and start pondering over my next project, it got me thinking about what really inspires us to be creative. I read a post on Shauna Maness' express creativity blog about how we are all creative and sometimes just need to be shown what area we are creative in. I feel this is so true. I used to tell people I wasn't creative because I'm not all that creative with my hands. I absolutely HATE scrapbooking. For some reason I just can't put the pages together. Something will come out crooked or not in proportion or just absolutely ugly. I just can't do it. (But I LOVE scrapbook paper..I use it for design ideas!)

But then I realized I have a whole different area of creativity. Put me behind a camera or on a computer and I can whip you up some creativeness. I can design the same scrapbook page in Photoshop that I would have done by hand, just with no cutting, sticking and hand writing (which is a good thing because my handwriting stinks!)

I love using the world around me to inspire my design ideas. Of course having a 4 1/2 month old, I have great inspiration for birth announcements or baby shower thank you notes. But I've learned to look even more into my home and surroundings to find ideas. I have a cute gift bag that gave me an idea for a notecard and my tea kettle inspired a housewarming invitation.

In my photography, I'm inspired by my client. I like to get to know them before the shoot either through email or just by talking to them before the shoot starts. What is their personality like, what are their interests, etc. When I'm shooting a couple, their love for each other always spurs me on and I'm able to come up with new ideas for their shoot on the spot.

So what areas are you creative in? And what inspires you in your creativity? What makes you go "AH HA!" I would love to hear it!

Simple Logo Designz

2008-05-29T14:54:00.001-07:00

Here are a few logo designs I have for sale for you business owners out there. These work great for photographers, designers, jewelry designers, and more! Click the link to the right to view pricing and payment info!

warehouse #1

warehouse #2warehouse #3warehouse #4

Brent, Leigh Ann & Cole Palermo

2008-05-28T08:12:00.001-07:00

(I recently updated this post with larger images. I narrowed my favorites down to just a few.)

Last weekend I had the pleasure of shooting my sister-in-law's maternity pictures. It's so crazy to think that in 9 short weeks, she's going to be having a baby! I'm sure she feels the same way when she thinks about the fact that I already have a baby! Leigh Ann and I have been through a lot together. We were roommates in college, worked at the same bookstore, met 2 brothers who worked there..and then married them. So we were sisters long before we were ever sisters-in-law. We've seen each other go from immature college freshman girls, to married women, to mothers. So the thought of her having a baby is so crazy, yet so exciting!

Brent and Leigh Ann live in Houston so we wanted to find some cool locations around town. That wasn't so easy! There are great places all over town..but the town is so big and there's so much traffic, that it was hard to find everything before dark! We ended up at the waterwall at Williams Tower, Rice University campus and Herman Park. Rice had these gorgeous ivy covered walls that I loved. They were a great setting for something like maternity pics..and would make a great backdrop for bridal portraits as well. Herman park was great! I want to go back there and just hang out. It was so peaceful..even with tons of people milling around. Oh! And at the waterwall we saw...this.

These kids were going to the prom and they were decked out in their white tuxes and very umm..trashy dresses. I wasn't able to get very good pics of them because I was trying not to be obvious that I was photographing them. It was quite hilarious. They had a stretch Escalade ( I think) parked on the street that they were piling out of.

Ok, on to the good stuff! Here are a lot of my favorites from our maternity shoot. Thank you Brent, Leigh Ann, and baby Cole for letting me capture this amazing time in your life! We are so excited to meet our little nephew in a few weeks! We love you guys!

I Finally Did It!

2008-05-13T11:59:00.000-07:00

I finally got my blog just right. I played around with the design and finally got it right! I love the textures and warm colors. I had so much fun designing this! It's definitely one of my new favorite things to do! I would love to design one for you or your business as well! Comment or email me for info!

Courtney Ford Senior Session

2008-05-09T09:59:00.000-07:00

I have been so blessed to shoot so many senior portraits this year. And everyone is so different! This past week I shot Courtney Ford, a Bryan High Senior. I worked with Courtney's mom, Vickie, at Citibank so we've had this session in the works for months. Courtney is a pitcher for the Bryan High Softball Team so because of schedules and weather, we were just now able to get her shoot done..and graduation is 3 weeks away! But..I think it was worth the wait! Courtney looks like a supermodel..5'8, legs for miles, beautiful face..what more could a photographer ask for? I told her if the softball thing didn't work out, she definitely could have a career in modeling. Thank you Court for allowing me to capture you at this exciting time in your life!! Here are a few of my faves from the shoot.

Neal Batman Senior Shoot

2008-05-01T14:43:00.000-07:00

I had the pleasure of photographing Neal Batman last weekend. Neal is like a little brother to me..I can't believe he's already graduating high school! Our mom's have been best friends since I was 2..so I've known him since he was born. Let me just tell you about Neal...he is valedictorian of his class, played football, baseball, and knows he is called to be a pastor. (My mom told me a church plant pastor..is that still right, Neal?) What's even more amazing about this, is that ever since he was a little boy he has said he was going to be a preacher. He is considering coming to A&M and oh how I wish he would! You would LOVE it Neal! It has been so great seeing you grow up from just a little "tank" (his nickname as a child) to a very handsome and awesome young man. I love you! And I hope you like your photos! Here are just a few of my faves.

Back in the Groove...and bursting with ideas!

2008-05-01T12:21:00.001-07:00

The first half of this week I took a much needed break from photos, Lightroom, Photoshop..everything. I was getting very overwhelmed with needing to get photos edited, orders placed, new sessions scheduled, etc. On top of that, my sweet baby boy decided to choose this week to completely abandon his routine. He had just started going down for naps at approximately the same times, napping long and hard, and being in good moods when he woke up. And his nights had been wonderful! And then for some reason, this week he changed his mind! So needless to say I've had a fussy baby who doesn't want to sleep. And of course he ALWAYS comes before any LP Designz work..so I had to abandon my work and focus on him. Today has been pretty rough with him but right now he is finally napping so I decided it was time to blog and edit some photos.

The break has been good for me though. I always feel a little more creative when I haven't edited or designed in a few days. I have these ideas built up in my head and I get to unleash them on an unsuspecting project. When I'm constantly working everyday, I get bored and run out of ideas. I have 2 posts coming up with recent photos..and then another shoot on Monday that I'll be editing next week...but in the near future I will be in design mode. Senior portrait season is wrapping up so I'll be able to slow down and work on some design projects that I've been dying to get to. Here are some future projects in the works:

Album Templates for consumers and fellow photogs
Card Templates for Photogs
Logos for sale
And of course..More Stationery!

Stay tuned!!

Walter Portillo Senior Session

2008-04-24T18:26:00.000-07:00

I shot Walter's senior pictures this past Saturday. It was the first time I had met Walter and his sweet mom, Ana. Thank you Walter for allowing me to be a part of this special time! Here are a few of my faves!

Revamping the Biz

2008-04-14T19:13:00.000-07:00

I posted earlier in the year about my personal goals for my business and what I wanted it to look like on the "inside." Now it is time to revamp the "outside"..the logo, the website, the blog, the marketing..the overall LOOK of LP Designz. I know that for my business to be successful, I need to develop a look and feel and stick with it. I have played around with my logo and color scheme a lot and thought I like the pink and black with the square logo. But it bothered me. I just wasn't in love with it. I didn't feel like it really represented me and my style. So I'm playing around with new ideas..I've come up with a concept that I like..but I feel like it needs a splash of something. As you can tell from the new blog colors, I am thinking brown and turquoise. (this design is not here to stay, but just my starting point.) But I want to add another color. Here is the logo that I have come up with. I like simple and classic.

I'm thinking a splash of pink? But I'm not sure how to add it in..I've seen some great ideas..but I don't want to copy anyone, obviously. Some sort of swirl or flourish type thing. But how? In the background. Or not at all? Maybe make the line pink?

Here is my new site. I am so in love with it! Blu Domain has the best sites for photographers for the BEST prices! I can customize the colors to anything...And I can't decide how to do it. Should I keep the page colors to strictly my logo colors? I feel like thats boring..but I need it to be uniform as well. Thats part of the reason I was thinking adding a third color to my look. I could rotate between the 3 colors for all the pages.

Next, what about the content of my site. Should I have a FAQ page instead of the session info page? Or both? Any info you think I'm leaving off?

For my design and photog buddies, I would LOOVVEE your feedback..that's the main purpose of this blog. To bounce ideas off of each other and help each other out in this crazy biz! Let me know what you think of my new ideas..and give me honest feedback :)

Margaret Flaugher..Part 1

2008-04-04T18:59:00.001-07:00

I have edited half of Margaret Flaugher's senior photos..and I just had to get some up on here! Margaret is about to graduate from Texas A&M so she wanted some photos that really captured who she was as a student in Aggieland. I had an absolute BLAST shooting her. She is absolutely adorable and was the best model I've ever had. I thought she had taken modeling classes or something. I'm serious when I say that I never had to tell her to do a single thing! She just naturally did it all. Thank you Margaret for your sweet spirit and eagerness to try anything. I had so much fun shooting your senior photos and wish you all the best in your new job! I know the Lord will bless you tremendously! These are only a few of my faves..I couldn't even choose! I could literally put up 100 pics on here as my faves! When I'm done editing I'll put up a few more. The complete gallery will be available as well as soon as I'm all done. Enjoy!

Caitlyn Hill Senior Session

2008-04-04T11:48:00.001-07:00

I shot Bryan High senior Caitlyn Hill last week. I drug her and her mom around downtown Bryan and George Bush Library and we got some great shots. Here are a few of my faves.

Caitlyn Williams Senior Session...Take 2!

2008-03-25T13:40:00.000-07:00

Last Friday I did a second session with Bryan High Senior Caitlyn Williams. We had already done her senior pics early in the fall but she got a new hair do and her senior overalls, so we had another fun shoot..this time at George Bush Library. Caitlyn is a beautiful girl so it was so easy to get great shots of her. Here are a few of my faves!

The Sweetest Thing

2008-03-19T15:30:00.001-07:00

I just took some sweet photos of Brody boy. I love this one. And the crying one. Even though I hate to see him cry. It just reminds me of the front of a greeting card or something. I know ALL mothers have the cutest baby in the world. But I really do :) Midway through our little shoot he got fussy and wanted his paci. At first I was disappointed, but then I realized, that's our boy! He loves his paci! How could I not take photos of him with his paci? It's who he is and captures his innocence. All of my favorites are ones with the paci. Hope you enjoy.

Officially Up and Running

2008-03-19T10:20:00.000-07:00

My Stationary Shop is officially up and running! I've got a few designs for sale there..with bunches more to come! Take a look around, and if you don't find exactly what you're looking for, let me know. I can design something specifically for your needs! The sidebar to the left is just a little sample of what I've got for sale in the shop. Click on one of the items to go there! I'm so excited about this new area of my business and can't wait to see where it takes me! Since I am a wife and mommy, I can't spend ALL day designing (as much as I would love to). So I'm hoping to put up about 1-2 new designs a day, unless I just get a ton of free time and can put up more. Go check it out!
http://www.lpdesignz.etsy.com/

New Designs

2008-03-18T12:15:00.001-07:00

I have been working on some designs this week and they are almost ready for sale. I am finalizing the details on the printing and pricing and will soon have them up in my shop. Here are a few.

Top pic: front of folded 4.25x5.5 thank you note
bottom pic: matching 4.25x5.5 personalized flat notecard

4.25x5.5 flat Save the Date Cards

Look for them in my stationary shop soon!

Viva Las Vegas

2008-03-17T11:55:00.001-07:00

I just completed an order for the Lumberton High School prom invitations and wanted to share the design with you. Their theme was "Rendezvous in Vegas" so I came up with a simple, yet classic design for them using the Vegas Skyline. Nothing fancy, but just what they wanted and they LOVED it!

Stationary Shop Update!

2008-03-14T09:16:00.000-07:00

Thanks to my wonderful Lynsey...I am working on getting my online stationary shop up and going! She directed me to http://www.etsy.com/, an online marketplace for selling creativity! I have set up my account and opened my storefront..even though I have no designs posted yet. Its so simple! I will have a storefront that shows all my items for sale. Customers just select their product and pay through paypal. Etsy notifies me I have a sale and I take care of getting it fulfilled. I will be able to sell standard designs as well as customizable invites and birth announcements. The only fees are a small percentage of my sale. I'm so excited about this. I'm really hoping this will allow consumers to find my products. I also found a great website for ordering colored envelopes and different shaped papers(even though I don't have the ability to print my own products...yet). http://www.papersource.com/ and they have a sister company that sales wholesale to designers. So I'm checking into that. I'm going to be praying that the Lord will bless this new opportunity and allow me to use it to bless my family.

Check out my storefront http://www.lpdesignz.etsy.com/ Its pretty plain right now...but keep checking in for updates. Tell your friends!

Stationary Shop

2008-03-13T20:11:00.000-07:00

I have a few new designs for cards, invites, etc. I'm trying to figure out how to sell them. I've seen designers sell directly from their blog. But I don't have very many visitors to my photo blog. I guess if I said something on my website about going to my blog to purchase? The reason they use their blogs is because you can load unlimited images and not run out of room. You can also put a link for them to go pay using paypal. So I'm thinking this MIGHT work for me? Maybe I could have a link on my site that takes them to a post on the blog that has all the stationary with descriptions and prices. I am looking for ideas. How can people find my stationary and buy it? My next big question is how do I get it sold in stores? Ha! That's probably a LONG way down the road. And takes a huge financial investment. But is a dream of mine.

On a different note, we're off to a weekend getaway in the Woodlands so I hope to have some photos up of the waterway and marketplace early next week. Stay tuned!

She Makes Linen Garments....

2008-03-03T07:42:00.000-08:00

The past couple of months, LP Designz was sort of put on hold. And rightfully so. Our new baby boy was welcomed into the world on January 19 and we have been so busy loving and getting to know him. Plus, I have had little sleep and little desire to do anything productive. However, I've stayed away long enough..I'm itching to get back to business. But I want to do things a little differently in 2008. I want LP Designz to look different this year. Here's what I mean...

When I started the business in May 2007 (by started I mean I went and officially registered my business with the county, got a tax id, etc), I just jumped into it. I knew it was something that I wanted to do and it was something that Matt wanted me to do. And I even knew that it was something that God wanted me to do. So I dove in head first. I designed a website and started trying to find ways to market myself. I had a couple of shoots here and there in the beginning, but nothing really took off in the first couple of months. I had actually had MORE BUSINESS when I wasn't a business. I did 2 weddings on my own, senior pictures, and engagements as a "hobby"..no pay, just for fun for friends and family. Then when I am "legit", nothing happens as quick as I thought. The summer of 2007 was pretty much a bust. Then as the fall came around, things started picking up and I started getting more jobs. I started adding some design options and started building my design portfolio so I'd have samples and options to show clients. In October, I did a maternity shoot and did something before it that had never occurred to me to do before a shoot. I PRAYED. I prayed for the couple..that they would be relaxed and enjoy the shoot. I prayed that I would be able to capture them in their most precious moments and give them pictures that they would cherish for a lifetime. And guess what...I had more fun doing this shoot than any other I had done before. And..I took some of the best photos I had ever taken. The couple was sooo pleased and couldn't stop raving about them. And because of them...I booked 3 more shoots for their friends. However, at the time..I didn't realize who the credit belonged to. I was so "proud of myself." I never gave God the glory for the talent he had given me and never thanked him for the success of the shoot. And..I didn't pray for any of the upcoming shoots as well. Guess what...2 of the 3 shoots that I had booked thanks to them, were cancelled due to weather and scheduling conflicts. The Lord taught me a huge lesson.

While I've been on hiatus these past couple of months, I've done a lot of thinking and PRAYING about what I want my business to look like this year. Where I want it to go, what I want to accomplish, and the reason for even having a photography business. This morning, after I finished my time with the Lord, I decided I needed to spend some more time with Him regarding LP Designz. I prayed for my heart behind the business and asked Him to show me where he wants it to go. As I was praying, I was reminded of a verse in the Proverbs 31 passage that says "She makes linen garments and sells them..." I flipped over to the passage and read the whole thing (I always need to be reminded of how to be a wife of noble character). It was just so clear to me that first and foremost, I need to be a Godly wife and helper to Matt. Secondly, I need to be a mother that my children will "arise and call blessed." After those, then I am allowed to "make linen garments and sell them." Or in my case, be a photographer. I know that God is allowing me to purue this business and to use my passions and talents. Partly because its something I love but most importantly because its a help to my husband. We recently cut our income in half..literally...when I quit work to be a stay at home mom. We know the Lord will provide because we have obeyed him in this area. And one way that he is providing is by letting my photography be a "HELP" financially..but not something we depend on.

So here is how LP Designz will look different in 2008.

I need to be in constant prayer and let the Lord build my business and not try to do it in my own strength.
I will pray before every shoot for the client and our experience and ask the Lord to bless our time. I want to be a light to a lost and dying world and I know that God can use me to reveal himself to my clients.
I need to include Matt in all major decisions regarding the business.
I will give God ALL the credit for any talent and success I have.
I want to just keep learning. I feel I have only scratched the surface and will never know all I need to...its an on-going process.
I want to build my portfolio to include a variety of locations, styles, etc. I have some fun new ideas and can't wait to find the opportunities to use them.
NONE OF THIS WILL EVER TAKE TIME AWAY FROM MY HUSBAND AND SON!!

I feel like I have so much more to say about all this. I think I will save it for future posts as the Lord reveals new things to me regarding LP Designz.

Houston Engagement Session Locations

2008-03-03T06:59:00.000-08:00

My little sis's wedding is coming up in September and we're getting ready for her e-session. She lives in Lumberton, 3 hours away, so we're planning on meeting in Houston for the shoot. Plus I think it will be so fun because there are so many neat locations there. I feel so limited in B/CS..mostly because I feel like I've used up everything. I want my little sis to have the most unique photos in my collection..I want her to have the BEST. However, I have NO IDEA where to shoot in H-town.

The Rice University campus and the Museum District have been recommended to me, so I definitely want to check those out. But I can't think of anywhere else. So I'm looking for suggestions! Any ideas?

I want a facelift...

2008-02-05T16:04:00.000-08:00

Not for me of course. Although I feel like I might need one...my face is looking pretty rough from lack of sleep! But..I want a facelift for my blog. I love pink and black..but I feel like its boring. Bland. I need some spice. I feel so limited for some reason. I love my logo and am not going to change it. So I don't think I will change my color scheme..but I need something. I am working on a header that incorporates some photos (maybe) but what else? What am I missing? It needs some UMMPH. Any ideas?

My Other Passion

2008-01-31T15:23:00.000-08:00

In addition to my photography, I love to incorporate invitation and card design with my photos..or even without photos. I design all of my family's invitations, Christmas cards, etc. And I love it. I am trying to get some designs up on my website to try to get a little design business. With a new baby, it might be hard to do a lot of photo shoots, but I should have plenty of time do work on some designs at home. There is something in the works as far as a partnership and new design company, but until that happens, I wanted to get some of my designs out there. Here are a few that I have worked on in the last couple of months.

*I have a super cute birth announcement for Brody, but I don't want to post it until it goes out in the mail. I want you to be surprised :)

(This isn't Brody's birth announcement..its just one I was playing with)

I have plenty more to come. I'm working on some cute Save the Dates for my sis's wedding. Her colors are pink and brown..I'm having so much fun with that!

I MISS MY CAMERA!!!

2008-01-07T09:46:00.000-08:00

That's pretty much all I have to say...I miss my camera! Being on bedrest has kept me from taking pictures for 4 weeks now! I'm so sad. I've used this opportunity to research business ideas, do a little design work, and read up on photography. But it's not the same! I want to get back out there..even if its just for fun and not a paying job. However, once little Brody is here in a few weeks..I'll have plenty to photograph! You just wait..there will be pictures galore on here of him. Maybe I'll put some of my design ideas up so I can at least keep blogging.

Chris & Jerica

2007-11-18T09:24:00.001-08:00

I had the pleasure last weekend to take engagement pictures of a sweet couple, Chris and Jerica. We shot them at the George Bush Library and on campus. Chris proposed to Jerica at the Century Tree so we had to make sure we got a few there, and then we wandered around campus a little while to shoot in front of Kyle field, and then headed to the library. It was a very fun shoot..Chris and Jerica were very funny and relaxed and really put me at ease. We had some trouble with the sun at some points which can be very frustrating! But they were troopers and just went with the flow. Thanks Chris and Jerica for the opportunity. Here are some of my favorites.

Jon & Angie...continued

2007-10-27T00:28:00.001-07:00

Ok, so last time I didn't say much about the shoot or the couple. Jon & Angie Houston are friends of ours from Hope Group (lhbc.net). We have known them since January, so almost a year now. (wow the time has flown by!) Over the last 10 months we have been so blessed by the friendship and love of Christ that exudes from Jon and Angie. They are one of the sweetest couples I know. Which is one of the reasons why I had such a great time during this shoot. They were so captivated by each other and the life inside Angie that I hardly had to give any direction. It came natural to them. They were sweet..funny..silly..everything you need from a couple to get great pictures.

There's one more thing about them...Jon left for the Army 2 days after this shoot..Thursday, October 24. He will be training through next April-May...and Angie is staying here in College Station. In May, they will move to Germany where Jon will be stationed. Their strength through all of this astounds me. For this reason, I wanted to make sure that I really captured them as they truly are and give them photos that they will cherish forever. Noah Thomas will arrive January 25...Jon will be able to fly in for the birth but has to immediately return to camp. Having a baby on the way myself, I can't imagine Matt and I having the strength to do something like this. However, I know that the Lord has given the Houstons the strength and peace they need to use this as a ministry opportunity and be a light unto the world.

Thank you sweet Jon & Angie for allowing me to be apart of this special time. The photo shoot was a blast and such a blessing. Here are a few of my favorites. I hope you enjoy and hold them dear to your heart.

A Glimpse of What's to Come

2007-10-23T19:48:00.000-07:00

Tonight I took maternity pictures of Jon and Angie Houston. I took them in Downtown Bryan. I really need to find a new location...I'm just so in love with it right now! But I need variety! Anyways, I have 270 pics to edit..but I just wanted to put up this one and give you a preview of what's to come! It might be a couple of days before I can get them all done. When I'm finished, I'll post my favorite pics and tell you a little about Jon and Angie and why I loved this photo shoot!!

Downtown Bryan Shoot

2007-10-19T20:52:00.000-07:00

Tonight I took my best friend Leigh Ann aka my sis-in-law and my bro-in-law Brent's pictures for their Christmas card. It was supposed to be a "get a good pic for the card" kinda thing..however, I couldn't have that. We didn't have much time..and the dog wasn't cooperating..so it was quick. But I think it was well worth it. I was very pleased! Here's a few of my faves...what do you think?

PS I didn't upgrade my Lightroom until this week..I didn't realize it was going to make such a huge difference!! I love the new options! I can't believe I've been missing out on so much!

Joining my fellow shutterbugs!

2007-10-19T13:37:00.001-07:00

So, after stalking my fellow photog buddies' photography blogs for a while..I just had to have one of my own. (Thanks Lyns and Sarah for the inspiration) I love to see what new photos my friends have taken and read the stories and meanings behind them. So I thought I'd share mine with you all as well. "You all" probably just includes Lynsey and Sarah because you are the only 2 people I know that are as obsessed with this as I am.

I thought I would give a little background about how I discovered this passion and why it inspires me. I think for most photographers, there's no huge secret as to how they got started..its just something they love. I remember when I was younger..probably in junior high...I would have photo shoots with my friends at my house. I would always have the camera of course. I would dress them up like models and pose them. Looking back, they had to be hilarious looking. (I'll have to go through some of my old photos and post some of them on here!) But even at that age, I wanted candid, journalistic style photos. I specifically remember a roll of film I took of just my friend laughing, talking on the phone, and being silly. I guess that has never left me because thats the way I still love to shoot today.

In high school, my school didn't offer a photography class, but I was on the newspaper and yearbook staffs. This gave me the opportunity to learn about writing, some graphic design, and publication layouts(which I loved), but few chances to get behind a camera.

So when I finally decided on a major at A&M, no wonder it was journalism. I started out as pre-med(what was I thinking), then wandered around in the Ag department until one day I was like DUH! Journalism stupid! What have you been thinking for the last 2 years? The last 2 years of college were awesome! I wrote feature stories for an on-campus magazine, designed layouts, marketing materials, and YES..started taking photos again. It was like a long lost friend returning home...I was in heaven. I had almost forgotten how much I loved it. Since I had never had an "official" photography class, I spent time with my professors in class learning basics and about the equipment. And with my design experience, I love to not only take great photos but also use them to design invitations, cards, and collages. *I have a whole post planned about this.*

Sidenote - I do have to say something very important here....I HATE the technical side of photography. I don't like to have to figure out what setttings to use and what equipment I need. I just love to capture the memories. I love the fact that modern technology allows me to change my camera settings to create more interesting, beautiful photos. But I wish it could just read my mind and do it for me haha.

Ok, so this is getting WAY TOO LONG! Basically, for the last 3 years, I have been learning, developing my style, and building up a portfolio for myself. I do have to say thank you to my dear friend Lynsey Kramer for her guidance and the opportunity to work with her. You have been such a blessing and sweet mentor to me Lyns!

I want to use this blog to share my ideas and get help from you guys..editing tips, shooting tips, everything. I'm super excited about this!

Ok, so now on to the good stuff...some photos!! I just selected a few that I have taken over the last year or so that I love.

Anniversary Trip to South Carolina - March 2007

Paul & Amy engagements 2006

Shell's Senior Pics

Caitlyn's Senior Pics