This weeks fix was fun to play with, especially since the little girl was adorable!!! Here’s the original image….

The steps I took in cs3…..

1. exposure fixer-upper (Childs Play) at 74%
2. skin cast blasts (MCP Actions) blueberry @ 41%,  shrek @ 37%, mellow yellow @ 100%
3.  Phaunt’s eye pop & sharpen @ 60%
4.  MCP powder your nose to mask some of the noise in the shadows of her face
5.  Slight burn around the edges
6.  Resize/Sharpen for web

 
 
This picture was too adorable not to play around with some more. For my black and white, I used the medium black and white from Simple by Sarah Actions. For the third image, I used a freebie action I picked up somewhere - Cindy’s Periwinkle. When I use that one, I do a slight burn around the entire picture to bring back the shadows and give the face depth.

I was soo excited when I saw the theme for Week 20! I immediately had the perfect image ready to go! I took this of my little brother last year just before he graduated from High School. Our house faced the East and we were able to witness the most beautiful sunrises! I truly miss living in the panhandle! We were up bright and early to capture this shot, but it was worth the missed zzzz’s! Except for a slight crop and resize, this image is SOOC and one of my favorite pictures I’ve ever taken!

Want to see more great silhouettes? Click this button!

“Your silent tents of green. We deck with fragrant flowers; Yours has the suffering been, The memory shall be ours.” –Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

It’s sad to say, but I think Memorial Day has become more like National Cook Out Day, or Go to the Beach day and many have forgotten about the real reason behind what marks the end of the school year and the start of the summer. It’s more than just another day that the banks are closed. It’s more than having a BBQ or going camping. It is a day set aside to remember those who have made the ultimate sacrifice for our freedoms. It is a day to honor the men and women who gave their lives in service to our nation. As people have called me today thanking me for my service, I have reflected on those who were lost. I have a long family history of service members and I know my mom and nannie have been at the cemetery today putting flowers on the graves of those self-less family members. Today my heart has been heavy for the families of Lance Cpl Seth Huston and CWO2 Miles Henderson - both of these you men gave their lives Iraqi war. Seth was just 19 and Miles was a 24 year old newly wed. So, as the day is winding down and so many are coming in from their long weekends and preparing for work, and as kiddos are celebrating the start of summer, I do hope that you took some time to remember the men and women who have given everything for our freedoms and the families that they left behind.

For love of country they accepted death… ~James A. Garfield

There aren’t very many pictures of me in uniform floating around, but for the curious, I found a few scans on my computer.

One of my favorite parts of a wedding is all of the beautiful details. Many brides spend months & months (and lots of money) planning out their perfect wedding. Now that they’ve found the perfect groom, they worry about finding the perfect dress, choosing the perfect flowers and getting all the decorations just perfect! However, when their perfect day gets here, brides are rushed, excited & nervous so they often don’t get to soak in all of their detailed planning. So, that is where I come in. Yes, I capture the ceremony, the cake cutting, the dancing, and the leaving, but more than that, I get to capture all of those perfect details that bride has worked so long to get *just right*. So Amanda, I just want to thank you and Nathan for allowing me to share your wedding day and I hope you guys had a perfect honeymoon! I’ve been working on your gallery and album and just wanted to share a few of my favorite details from your perfect day! I hope that they show you special things that you may have missed in all the excited of your wedding day!!

I have known this mama-to-be for years! In fact, her dad taught me Algebra. Well, tried. I’m afraid I didn’t retain much (it’s still my most-hated subject) Kameron and her husband are anxiously awaiting the arrival of their first blessing! I was in town for my little brother’s graduation so we were able to capture some images of this special time! Josh, thanks for giving up some golf time on such a beautiful day! I enjoyed spending time with you guys and looking foward to meeting this sweet baby! Take it easy this next month and I’ll see you before you know it!!

A fellow photographer wrote this and I couldn’t have said it any better myself. Every word is so true and I feel that I need to share it with my clients, family &  friends. You can see the original article Kristy Lynn Photography.

I know you have heard it said, and it could be considered a cliche, but the powerful words, “there is no day like today” rings so very true during this time of cutting back in the American economy.

I have thought about it a lot. Our family, like any other, is going through our priorities and reevaluating what we consider important enough to invest our money into. Everyday new challenges are presented to us and we carefully consider how we will handle them in light of our own financial situations. So I know what it means when clients and friends say that they are trying to be wise when making decisions about photography.

However there is something unique about photography that is not true about a lot of our other expenditures. A lot of the things that we buy will be around tomorrow and next week and next year for us to buy. That new flat screen television will still be at Best Buy (given that Best Buy is still in business, lol!) next year. In fact if you wait you may even get a better model. And that new couch and loveseat set will still be at the furniture store next year or you may find one that you like even better for a better deal later this year.

But your children, and family will not be the same later this year. Your newborn baby will not be as small as he or she was the first 10 days of his or her life ever again. Your one or two year old will not be a toddler forever. You will not be pregnant 9 months from now with the child you are now carrying (THANK GOD, right?). And your wedding day is a once in a lifetime event. The exact make up of your family as it is today will never be the same. Kids grow, situations change, dad’s lose their hair… like it is said, there is no day like today.

So here is my point. When you are reevaluating your budget and choosing your priorities, please do not under estimate the value of having the moments of your life captured by a professional photographer. Your baby girl’s smile is priceless, get a tangible memory of that up on your wall as art. Your family is beautiful. And as many of our possessions are becoming less of a priority in this economic time, the value of family increases. Today is the day to turn your memories in to art.

And here is the deal. If you mention this blog post to me in an email and then you go on to book a full session with me before August 30, 2009, you will receive a $50 print credit for making your family’s memories a priority during these tough times. It is my challenge to you to make sure and treasure the moments of your life, and to let me be a part of capturing those moments.

*Cannont be combined with any other offer. Credit is non-transferable*

Madeline is finally getting some teeth in! For the longest time she only had her bottom two. Then her two eye teeth came in on top. We got the biggest kick of her looking like a vampire baby!! I had wanted to take her out for a vamper session but a nasty stomach bug threw our schedule off and before I knew it, the center top teeth popped out! Bummer. Oh well, she’s still cute! We went to the park today and while big brother was playing I took advantage of the beautiful light and let my camera play with Madeline Aiden was too busy playing to pay attention to us, so there weren’t any distractions. She didn’t disappoint me! I love my baby girl!!

This past weekend I had the privilege to photograph the wedding of two very special people. I have known the bride, groom, and their families for a long time, so that made it extra-fun! I drug my dear friend Misty with me and we had a blast! The wedding-day-forecast was gloomy, but it ended up being a bright, sunny, hot day! I know the two love-birds are away on their honeymoon, but there are some anxious family members waiting for this post! Here’s a teaser of your sneak peak! There will be more coming as I finish clearing cards & backing up images! Corby, Kelly, Micah & Kim, you guys have a beautiful children and I am so thankful that you allowed me to capture their special day!!

This sweetheart was a whole 5 days old when I introduced her to my camera! Her mom & I go way back and I feel honored that they allowed me into their home to capture her sweet smile. Sarah & Aaron, thank you so much for coming to Lubbock so I could see Sophie. David, thank you for opening your home and Brooke, you made a GREAT backdrop stand! I hope you guys enjoy your sneak peak! I’ll let you know as soon as the entire gallery is online!

This little guy was super TINY and almost made me want another! You just forget how small they are! If I could find a way to stop time and keep newborns newborns, I’d be a millionaire! Mr. Logan was a trooper this morning! He smiled in the very first picture I took! What a good boy! Thank you guys so much for allowing me to photograph your precious son! I look forward to watching him grow up - he already has a head-start on being handsome! Enjoy your sneak peak and I’ll talk to you soon!

And just because he was such a good sport today - here’s Mojo