New Family Pictures

Despite my past as a photographer, I just cannot bring myself to pay someone else to take our family pictures. **Hangs head in shame**

But we persist. We usually go one of two routes:
1. Self timer
or
2. Trade

The first is self-explanatory but the second just means that I take pictures for someone and they take pictures for me. This year we chose the latter.

Without further ado.

 This is the picture we sent out in our Christmas cards. We apologize if you didn't receive one or didn't receive one yet.

 Lucas. Skeptical as always.

 Libby. Need I say more?

 Thick as thieves, these two.

 *Sigh* Abbie is well on her way to being a sullen teenager. We still like her though.

 In truth, all Lucas wants is all of your attention all of the time. I'm not sure why this is a problem.

 Love this guy. Lots. P.S. Today is his 35th Birthday.

 An excellent shot of all the kids together. Gonna order this one larger.

 I really love their expressions in this one. Perfection.

 Um. Yah. Daddy's girl, much?

 Gah! I just can't take her cuteness!!!

 I will not admit that she is our favorite. I will not. I just won't.

 I have big hair.

 Such a handsome dude. I'm a little worried about the girls as he gets older, but then I remember that he's completely physically uncoordinated and I worry less.

And finally, besties! I hope they stay that way. So far, mostly very little fighting. And yes, we're in big trouble with such gorgeous ladies!

Better School Pictures - Episode 4

Can you believe we've been doing this for four years?

Here's this year's information:

The Better School Picture Day

Saturday, September 24, 2011 from 8am - 11am at a location TBA in the Longwood/Lake Mary Area
                                                                       $25 per child. 
How it works:
I spend 5-10 minutes with each of your children. Just time enough to get 3-5 great shots of them. Your pictures will be fully edited and presented in an online gallery. The $25 pays for the sitting and ONE fully edited full-resolution file on a Data DVD with rights to print. If you decide you would like all 3-5 files, the cost is only $50 total (or an additional $25, make sense?)


Why?
Have you seen your children's school pictures? Last year, I used my own daughter's picture to demonstrate. Here, I'll show you again (much to her embarassment.)


Here is the picture that was sent home from the ACTUAL SCHOOL PICTURES.

Oh Mah Gosh.

Seriously.

I think you've all seen my daughter.

You have, correct?

She's not usually so demonically possessed.

I promise. 

No really.






Here is a picture I took of Abbie around the same time.

So yeah. Not really even the same child.

Here are some more samples.

Please Email Me or send me a Facebook message if you're interested!

Because honestly, you do not want Regular School Pictures to happen to you, and neither do I.

Better School Pictures - Take 3!

A couple of years ago, I started a program which I received a great response from and which I totally enjoyed doing. Better School Pictures!  Since then, several of my photographer friends have started similar programs in their areas. It makes me so happy!!! If you're in the Austin, TX,  or the Tri Cities Washington Area quickly call those ladies!

So! Here are the details, which are only slightly different from last year.


The Better School Picture Day
Saturday, October 2, 2010
9am - 11am at a location TBA in the Longwood/Lake Mary Area.
$25 per child. I spend 5-10 minutes with each of your children. Just time enough to get 3-5 great shots of them. Your pictures will be fully edited and presented in an online gallery. The $25 pays for the sitting and ONE fully edited full-resolution file on a Data DVD with rights to print. If you decide you would like all 3-5 files, the cost is only $50 total (or an additional $25, make sense?)
Email Me now to reserve your spot! Or call! Whatever!

And for illustration purposes...
Here is the picture that was sent home from the ACTUAL SCHOOL PICTURES.

Oh Mah Gosh.

Seriously.

I think you've all seen my daughter.

You have, correct?

She's not usually so demonically possessed.

I promise.

No really.



Here is a picture I took of Abbie around the same time.

Honestly, I don't know how the school photography places manage to screw it up so badly, but there you have it.

And just to prove that I can get pictures like that of your kids too...

I don't know about you, but I'd much rather be sending out those pictures to my relatives...

Everyday...

Just a picture from our everyday life. And so, a haiku.

Blurry running kids,
Laundry waits to be folded,
A common chaos.

Close Enough to Wednesday...

to be Wordless.

The rest of them.

When I did my recent Better School Pictures photo shoot, I had Matt bring the kids to where I was shooting so I could get some pictures of them, too. Rather than blather on about each of them individually, let me just say that I have a pretty great group of kids. They're largely well-behaved and they keep me laughing.

Without further ado, my kids (minus Miles whose pictures were in the last post, sorry).

Better School Pictures- Take 2!

Last year, I started a program which I received a great response from and which I totally enjoyed doing. Better School Pictures!

I really wasn't sure if I'd be feeling up to it again this year, but I'm finally starting to feel better, and I've been being harassed to do this event again! So, I relent!

Here are the details, which are only slightly different from last year.


The Better School Picture Day
Saturday, September 19th, 2009
9am - 11am at a location TBA in the Longwood/Lake Mary Area.
$25 per child. I spend 5-10 minutes with each of your children. Just time enough to get 3-5 great shots of them. Your pictures will be fully edited and presented in an online gallery. The $25 pays for the sitting and ONE fully edited full-resolution file on a Data DVD with rights to print. If you decide you would like all 3-5 files, the cost is only $50 total (or an additional $25, make sense?)

Email Me now to reserve your spot! Or call! Whatever!

Here are some of the fun examples from last year!




Can't wait to hear from you!

Lavish me with praise.

Sometimes, you just need to be honest about what you need, right?

While I didn't slave over the girls' Valentines like some people, I did make them myself.



It was as simple as getting a picture of the girls with their hand in a fist outstretched. Overlaying some "Happy Valentine's Day" text in Photoshop and having them printed as a 4x6.



Then I simply cut with some sharp-pointed scissors, a slit at the top and bottom of their hand and slid the sucker in. I also used a piece of scotch tape on the back to make sure the Tootsie Pop didn't fall out.

Done. Total time spent, maybe one hour?

I had grand plans.

I really meant to do a recap of my great blogging moments from 2008. But I realized, I'm not like other bloggers. Nothing I say is profound. I just take pictures. And laugh about my kids.

So, that's what I'm here to do tonight.

I bring to you my favorite pictures of 2008. And I might not be able to limit myself to just one/month. I hope you can handle it.

January






February


March


April






May










June








July














August






September


October








November






December




I hope at least some of those were pictures you hadn't seen before.

And ultimately, I hope you have a Happy New Year that brings you plenty of moments like the ones above that made my heart sing.