Take Better Photographs of Flowers Today

Now that spring has fully sprung I wanted to share with you this gem of an article I found on the net one day. It's really directed towards taking photographs of roses, but can totally be applied to any flower. Good stuff!

Proud Mommy!

Zelda Bell's Birthday is today...she's 1! I waited to introduce her on here because her birthday was getting so close and today it came! I'm going to share quite a few photos with you right now because she has been such a GIGANTIC presence in my life for the past year. She is spoiled rotten-more than my own kids could have every dreamed of being. Zelda is a blue doberman. I know you most likely haven't heard of a "blue" doberman before...probably only of a black or red one. Well, not only are there blues out there-there are fawns too. I think both types are to die for! Adorable creatures!!! Dobermans have a terrible wrap, but they are the sweetest family dogs in the world! They are loyal too!! Don't get me wrong...they look fierce and can be if need be...but their main goal in life, if trained right, is to live up to all their owners expectations without fail. Check out some photos of other dobermans here. Check out more on this breed of dogs and why they are perfectly safe for you and your family here.

So...the following are photos from the first few months of her little life. More recent ones to come...when they're taken.

This one was from the night we brought her home-12 weeks old. We didn't name her for over a week. We thought of Ginger, Delilah, Queen Rhonda & some others, but ended up with Zelda Bell. Zelda means grey-haired warrior princess so maybe that explains some of why we picked it over the other names. It didn't quite fit her when she was a little cute pup...but now that she is bigger it serves her well. She used to lay down and fall asleep like this-she wouldn't move at all...even if you tried to wake her.

She was constantly confused with a weimaraner before her beautiful ears were cropped. You can see how that mistake was made just by looking at this next photo of her.

My absolute favorite photo of us together-you know baby & mommy! So what if I'm not her real mommy-I feel like I am! Oh...and this was a self portrait! lol

Ah...this day is a day I remember very clearly. Zelda's 1st time in our swimming pool at home. She was a riot! She was so scared. She had went completely under and this photo was of her just as she popped up and gasped for air. I had been hearing stories from everybody around me about Dobermans dying from drowning...something about their upper body being too heavy for them to lift out from the side of a pool on their own. We were trying to help her learn where the steps were in our pool so if she ever fell in she would know how to safely get out. She was scared of the pool for a long time after this episode. Don't worry...her fear of water has subsided-she loves her showers even climbed in my bath the other day. She's fascinated with bubbles!

My all time favorite photo of Zelda period! Isn't she gorgeous?
Look at the paws on her! We knew we'd be in for it when she grew up.And then she was changed forever. Yes, I felt bad about it-still do so back off with the "how could you" drama! Seriously...it was soooooooooooooooooooooooooooo sad to watch her be in pain. I don't recommend cropping. :( This photo was during the "cone" week right after surgery. You can even see the stitches on her ear in the photo. Oh...and our training her in the pool...it turned out to be a smart idea because the first day home from surgery Zelda accidentally fell in the spa-all the way under too. I know-I was going insane. I wasn't far from her and saved her as quick as I could. I think she was dizzy from the meds wearing off. I called her doc and he said she'd be okay even though the ears got wet. The chlorine would kill any bateria. Oh my-we've been through a lot with this girl.

Onto the wrapping of the ears stage. Once weekly for months and months and months because 1 ear didn't want to cooperate-still doesn't cooperate full time.

Just a photo to show how teeny tiny this little sweetheart was to begin with.Those ears looking pretty good, but only staying up for a couple hours at a time on that one stubborn side.More wrapping...It seemed endless & pointless! She was 8 or 9 months old in this photo. You are probably noticing a difference in her coloring by now. She started getting darker around this age. People don't know what color she is. They're always coming up to me and asking is she black or red or tan or what? It's funny. Everybody recognizes that she is a doby, but nobody knows what color. I hear people whispering about her...that must be the feeling movie stars have to go through. At least everybody is saying how beautiful she is-at least when I hear them! :)

More another time...I've got to go cuddle up with the birthday girl for a while! :)

Interesting Take on Shooting in Color vs Black & White

I thought this was a great way to explain this concept.

Wedding Photography Tips - Black and white photography explained

I Love, Love, Love This Photo!

I love most my photos, but this one of Amanda's shoot...this one has something extra special about it. I tried it a bunch of ways...I love them all. Who knows exactly why? It's hard to explain. I just love it! Here are three conversions I thought fit it well.

A Unique Website

David Jay

Revisiting My Past Work

I revisited my past work today to try some new edits on. I have to thank Jen Weaver once again for sharing these actions and a lot more with me! If you've followed my work you will recognize the setting and model below from the "Darkness Becomes Her" series I did a while back. The model is my magnificent sister Stephanie. I like the new edits and hope to get to work on some of my other favorite photos from this set in the near future.

I like how she looks regal in this one...the sepia tones glowing ever so lightly~

The empty stare is what gets me in this shot...and the neat "lomo" action works well to complete the high vibe this photo gives off~

Just gorgeous...the sky is real...believe me! it's not a dramatic addition...
just nature being so nice to us~

An overlay and a midnight action takes this eerie photo down an even darker path~

Wedding Memories

My dear friends Nydrie and Tony were married last Saturday. I've known them and their families for many years now and was so elated to see them come together in marriage after twelve + years of dating. Congratulations you two! From the ceremony to the reception every detail was carefully planned out and it showed. I loved the beautiful color choices of brown and blue. It was a striking combination.


This couple was so adorable to watch throughout their celebration...they never once stopped smiling! Ear to ear smiles all day long!

Interesting tidbit of info...my husband's birthday was the same day! Happy belated birthday hunny! :) Nydrie and Tony were so sweet to remember my husband's birthday and announce it at the reception. We couldn't believe they did that...too awesome!

This window in the church had my eye almost as much as the stunning bride.
It was truly breathtaking~

The gorgeous triple berry cake. It tasted as great as it looked~

The delicate details made it even more memorable~

The ceremony~

The funnest couple...smiling the whole day I tell you~

Which Are You?

"Some people make things happen...Some people watch things happen...Some people say what happened. Which one are you?"~Unknown Author

A Fresh Duo

Sallee Photography out of Dallas Texas is impressing me today. I listened to this cute & spirited couple give advice during the Young Guns presentation at WPPI earlier this year and just revisited their website today. I love their album designs...especially the sample they show of their senior album. Check out their website, blog and way awesome promo video. They offer fresh-energetic style...so enjoy!

A Great Philosophy to Live By

"Love the people who treat you right. Forget about the ones who don't."
~Author Unknown

More of Lovely Amanda

Lovin the bold colors~

A weathered rose technique~

A true beauty..red background makes Amanda pop in this photo~

Lovely Amanda

More senior photos...this time they are of the lovely and talented Amanda. She was brilliant in front of the camera knowing just the right time to change her pose and expression. Could it be because she is an aspiring action photographer and knows what to do on both sides of the camera? Quite possibly! Thanks for giving me a chance to photograph you Amanda...I hope you and your mom fall in love with some of these.

Keep me posted on your work in the coming years too! :)

This one is my pick for favorite out of these first few edits-even though I truly like every one of them so far~

(click on images to enlarge)

The color version~

A "smart" look makes this photo~

Up close & personal~

A classy pose~

Dreamy & Angelic~

I'll keep editing and see what else I come up with...

Sweet Sisters

Love this shot-so what if it's posed? It's cute!

Following directions perfectly~

Darling...all the love between them showed~

Digital Backgrounds

Here's Brooklynn-the youngest of the beautiful blond sisters I photographed early last week. I decided to go digital with these first two because of the expression and pose of little Brooklynn. She was actually chasing a balloon when these were taken.
Safe to say she has the "curious" look in these.

This expression was too cute not to include.

Her clever "Home Alone" interpretation.

Introducing Easy Going Ella

Here's Ella...she's easy going...smiley and super fun! Madison is her big sis...you may remember her photos from this blog.


A cutie all the way~

In Color~

Fun Stuff~

"If I Must"

Live to be the "Whole" you...not just a "Part" of you!

"If we bought something and it functioned at ten percent of its capacity,
we would not hesitate to return it for something fully functioning.
And yet, many of us have lived for years as a fragment of our full selves.
Are we that patient, have we settled for something a 'part' of us believed
was 'enough' or are we merely asleep, just walking...still walking?"

~Unknown Author

Think about that. Seriously. How come the hustle & bustle gets so many people down? Because they go ahead and let it! Don't let it get to you. Slow down, take a deep breath and find your joys! They will bring you to the "WHOLE" you that you were intended to be. Not sure how to do this? Start giving more of yourself to those around you. Really start seeing people for who they are and not what they do or who they're with or who they know. Listen, learn and love! Those things are what will bring you closer to the complete you. It requires daily upkeep to get it going and that isn't easy, but it can be accomplished.

A new week starts tomorrow...a new you can start today!

Senior Portraits of Beautiful Natalie (Last Set)

Senior Portraits of Beautiful Natalie (#2)

Only one more set to go! Check back for the last set later.

Again...this one here is a favorite of mine in this set.

The flower/branch texture added to the next three photos is actually a Photo Duds product by Beth Forester.
You can download this freebie plugin here.

I adore this black and white version.

Some texture on the plain black background gives this one a sophisticated look.