Well my friends, the season of "renewing" your families pictures is among us. 

When a crisp fall wind blows, a pumpkin spice aroma fills the air and the boots start clacking, you know it's family photo time! I want to offer a family photo day that will be an easy time slot and plan to make a commitment too. I know you don't need anything else to plan out and coordinate, especially during this time of the year! 

However, at 45 minutes these session are more than a mini. We will have plenty of time to capture special family memories and get quality images of each child, parents, and the whole family! As always, your fur children are welcome to come and go. I just ask that you let me know when you're planning on bringing them along, so I can come prepared with some special treats. 

These family photo sessions will be held at the NW military side of Phil Hardberger Park.

The images in this post were taken in the fields, forest and on the deck of the Eco Center at Phil Hardberger. 

• These sessions are $365 + a $65 retainer.
•  Session will last 45 minutes
• you will received 20 retouched digital images with a print release in a private gallery within 10 days after your session. 

Current available time slots are:

8:00-8:45 am

9:00-9:45 am

2:00-2:45 pm

3:00-3:45 pm 

4:00-4:45 pm

Leave me a comment, or send me a message here to book your preferred time slot. 

I am looking forward to capturing new precious moment for your family this year. If you have any special request or questions, please let me know! 

This is an opportunity to get those coveted cutesy photos with fun facts about your kiddos next big adventure. 

All you have to do is dress the kids in anything you like, bring them, and I'll take care of the smiles and the photos.

You are welcome to bring some of their favorite books, summer craft projects they want to show off, or a comparison photos from last year for them to hold. 

I will have:

• a small desk (pictured) 

• a stack of books

• an easel

• a marker board for them to hold - you can customize a message you want me to write on the board in editing

Let's meet at:

The deck on the eco center at Phil Hardberger park.

8400 NW Military Hwy, San Antonio, TX 78231
 

The date and time:

Saturday, August 6th 

20 minute slots from 4-8:00 p.m. 

5-7 retouched digital images + print release

One time fee: $80

*There is an additional $20 per child for over 3 children.

More time and images will be added to your package as well. 

Have questions, or ready to save your spot?

Click below and fill out a quick form, or leave me a comment! Can't wait. ❤️

The most fun and (best results) prompts for creating the perfect photo moment
 

1) Bump your foreheads together

2) Grab their head and dip them
 

3) Squeeze them tight and cover their face in kisses
 

4) Hold your arms out together, and pretend you're flying like a plane

5) Whisper your grocery list in a sexy voice into their ear 
 

6) Tell them what you love most about their eyes 
 

7) Have a staring contest 
 

8) Hold hands and bump hips together 

9) Give nosey rubs 

10) Run up from behind and hug them 

If you are madly in love and looking for someone to capture the magic, I'm the gal for you! Click below to reach out, I am booking now in DFW, Houston, and San Antonio! 

f you are a senior, or you have a senior in your house this year there is probably a long list of task that you have never done before, and are racing to checkoff before the big day! Senior photos are a classic rite of passage, and I urge you not to skip out on this tradition! Having images you love to put on your gradation announcements or use for your school photos is a small par pf why these photos are so important. It's a unique opportunity to do anything YOU want with your session, the whole point is to be yourself, and have fun. Senior photos have been taken at Whataburger, car washes, laundry mats, etc. The point is, even if you're not super in to any particular sports or hobbies at a school, there are still a million ways your senior photos can be personalized, and fun for you. 

Not sure where to start? If you're in the San Antonio area, here are a couple fun ideas:

• The gorgeous river at Guadalupe state park
• Karaoke bar
• Skate rink- could be themed form the year you were born + your graduation year
• Bowling alley- this one is especially photogenic and fun
• The botanical gardens has tons of variety that can fit your aesthetic, all gorgeous!
• Our famous missions are a unique and beautiful location for your photos
• San Antonio offers a variety of interactive art museums specifically for taking photos, such as The Flower Vault, The Wonder Chamber, and Hopscotch
• Hays Bridge offers a great city view
• Downtown around the riverwalk
• Country views at Cibolo nature center
• Modern Essex City is colorful, vibrant, showcases some amazing art, and is a memorable place for your senior photos

These are just a few ideas, my goal is to get to know you personally, and tailor  something  one of a kind and unique to you!

Now, I'd love to make this busy season as easy for you as possible, so here are a few notes and tips about your senior photos.

• The guys may complain about photos and acts as though they don't want to do it, but 99.9% of the time they are happy that they were made to have photos done anyway. I can understand and relate to why they may feel dread over being in front of the camera, but I promise I can help them feel comfortable and even make their session fun. A big part of this is planning a theme or location that they can get on board with. Leave it to me, I'm pretty good at my job! 
• Parents, this is a monumental moment for you too. Plan on being in a few of the photos with your senior. It doesn’t have to be the photo you send out, just for your sake and theirs, get in the photo!
• Don't wait until your cap and gown come in to get your senior photos session on the calendar! By then, the opportunity to get your ideal date and location may be passed. 
• The focus is on the senior, and their journey. Less about the school. In fact, some seniors  don't plan on wearing  their cap and gown to their session but instead plan on having a casual look and a more dressed up, fun or formal look. If you want to get a lot of variety out of just a few outfits, bring accessories like jewelry and hat changes to mix it up. 
• High school besties or boyfriends/girlfriends don't always last forever, but they are nonetheless a significant part of this chapter in your life. It's an added bonus if a bestie can make it into a few photos at your session, just don't make it the focus! 
• I'm not heavy on the "props" with my style of photography, but there are special "trinkets" i suggest bringing to your senior session. You can print out some of the papers yo worked the hardest on writing and enjoying tossing them into the wind (I'll clean up afterwards)
• You can bring a small pile of some of your favorite reads
• Bring a photo of you on your first day of school, even if that was daycare. 
• If you plan an instrument or a sport, we want to incorporate it! 
• You can bring a board to write on what you wanted to be when you grow up, and now what you're planning on doing after gradation!

I've got ton's more tips, but we can go over them in your consult! Just reach out with any questions or needs you have. Wether it's me or another photographer, I  hope your session is fun, feels and looks like you, and ends your school career on a high note. Congratulations grads, you did it! 

Click here to send me any questions or request, schedule a phone consult, or ask to see my 2022 pricing guide for seniors! I can't wait to connect with you. 

Although I will say, it definitely isn't a total secret as I was rubbing shoulder with about four other photographers while I was there! Still, with this bridge and the surrounding view of downtown buildings, cozy stairways leading down to the river, and ivy growing along the stone walks there was plenty of room for us all and I thoroughly enjoyed getting to capture the sweet bond between these three sisters an their momma. 

For starters let make sure we're on the same page in regards to what makes a pumpkin patch, the best! For me,(a lover of taking cute photos and blessing my offspring with fun), the things I look for are:

Float in, checks all the boxes. It is for the time being my favorite pumpkin patch in the San Antonio area. If you want to out in the wild, ranch day experience and, perhaps a pumpkin patch with hayrides, corn maizes, and abandoned school buses may be a better fit for you, but for a magical l evening out with the fam or a quick afternoon patch visit, and especially for the best photos, this one is perfection.

Alas my gals and ghouls, what kind of photographer would I be if I didn't leave you with some photo tips for your pumpkin patch outing? 

For this particular tradition, there are some photos I want to be sure and capture every year. I also like the consistency of side by side photos as my kids grow every year. 

Take this checklist with you, and tag me on instagram in your favorites! 

Well your fairy photographer mother is out for this one. I hope you get to check out this patch and make magical memories with the kiddos there. 

Every type of photography is so different, and each requiring their own skill set. Posing newborns is a whole set of skills not everyone may have. The stamina  and organization to shoot a full wedding day is no joke. Helping families and individuals feel comfortable and confident in front of the camera for a session that is fun and capture genuine emotions is also its own skill set, and requires practice.

There are certain types of photography that I know are not meant for me. But capturing  families  most important memories. I LIVE for that. Taking crazy silly mom life photos, it's a part of me. Food photos? It's writing a story with an image, creating something  just  for the sake of being beautiful. It doesn’t  have to be totally realistic, it just needs to create a FEELING and make someone want to jump into the photo. It's literally playing with my food. Photographing flatlays, products, or food wraps me up in a fantasy of a whole different life I imagine I could have one day, just photographing food or products...with feeling.

Anyway, without further ado. Here are the simple and basic five tips to keep in mind when you're playing with your food. 

1) What you need:

• a table
• a window
• a backdrop
• one off camera light source or some really cool windows
• camera
• staging props

Possibly why food photos is one of my favorite things, is because it's like creating a micro reality. You can turn just two small square feet into a dreamy fantasy. You can totally fake it. Scroll the aisles of home depot, or the thrift ship to find interesting textures and colors that can  be used for backdrops and props. Grab laminate, tiles, and poster boards to turn your table into a mini studio. For props, think of the flavors you are photographing and what they remind you of; Summer days? Being at the each? Cozy cold mornings? Use textures, props and colors to enhance the details for that story. 

2) Setting your lighting

Often people use one large window, and face the table and props towards that window to photograph the items from various angles. This works, especially for bright and airy photos, or for creating  some fun shadows angle the table sideways to the window, and play flowers between the light source and the props to create artsy shadows. Often there is a need do bright, simple, photos. But, these can appear very one dimensional and I gravitate towards the moody and dark imagery. 

For this, I put my table by a window in evening light (it was super diffused low light) and used my ring light on the left side  as a key light-this hits the coffee pour, and the sugar just right to add pops of highlights and dimension. I used a box on the side of the table opposite  of the light, to block out any light pollution and subtly bounce some light back onto my props. The background? Just a chalkboard I pulled off my wall. 

3) Camera settings

• Adjust ISO necessary for light source, but I always try to keep it lowered to avoid a lot of noise. 
• use an aperture of f/10. or above so that everything is in focus when you're shooting an overhead image. Play with aperture to focus in on one smaller item at a time. 
• I adjust my shutter speed based on what I wanted to capture. To get images of steam, or a steady coffee pour, I lowered my f stop to 1/80 sec as long as my camera was on the tripod - anytime my camera is handheld, I keep my shutter speed at 1/200 of above. 
• On the canon 5D Mark IV I used the interval shooting setting with my camera on my tripod, so it would take 10 photos, one ever two seconds, while I poured coffee or sugar. 

4) Staging

• In the world of commercial food photography, nothing is what it seems. Bowls of cereals are often just cereal floating in glue. Burgers have invisible slips of cardboard in between each ingredient. Some items are made out of clay or plastic to be able to withstand hours and hours of shooting. None of the food is edible by the end of their shots. For us home cooks, I like to photograph real food as often as possible, and use natural elements to make it look mouth watering, finger licking, good. Texture is a big part of this; Condensation on the edge of a drink (you can use a spray water bottle) steam coming off food (you can use piping hot food, or blow out a tea light candle behind your item to create more smoke). Create movement, make big splashes or drop a biscuit and let the buttery crumbs tumble off of it. 
• use silverware, towels, dishes, flowers, food items, etc. that draw attention to the main item, and bring continuity to the story. 

5) Editing

I do the bulk of my editing in lightroom, and only use photoshop if i need to remove certain prop items, blend backgrounds, or move stuff around. In lightroom I use one of my custom presets to start. Then I do detailing with brush edits. For these photos, around the edges I darkened the exposure, lowered the texture and brightened the shadows. This pushes the light and focus to the center of the images. On the main items, I turned up the clarity, texture, sharpness, and brightened shadows to make those areas pop out. 

I hope you picked up some new tricks to inspire you! Please tag me in the food photos you take, I love to look at dreamy food images. 

On instagram: https://www.instagram.com/annaangenendphotographer/

On Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AnnaAngenendPhotography

On Pinterest: https://pin.it/4QTx75b

What's your favorite food photo hack?

As most of my clients know, I have my Mom Life series but also create a very different  type of imagery for my clients sessions. Truthfully, it's been awhile since we have done some Mom Life style images. What can I say? I haven't been caffeinated enough most days to want to destroy, photograph, and then clean up my house all over again....not to mention corralling the two year old in an image! In fact we have very few of these images with Jaxon in them. Sure enough, I did expend stupid amounts of energy while dancing around like a fool, trying to convince Lucy (the doggo), Mia (who was thrilled to be a MODEL) and Jaxon (who was paid in a steady stream of marshmallows) to get on board with and execute our vision. 

Rockets Of Awesome (how cool is their name?) is a clothing subscription box for kids. All of their clothing has super bold colors, rad designs, and details that make you feel like a rockstar. Personally, I have been eyeballing this sequin bomber jacket that they designed  with Channing Tatum.  It's just fun, the way clothes should be! It's all easy and extremely comfortable, with no-feel seams, and machine washable! Mom list? check and check. 

Honestly, having kids + pandemic, + life in general, I have ZERO percent interest in hauling my munchkins to a clothing store where they will most definitely  run amok. Having clothes delivered to my doorstep is the only way I am willing to do it.  You can keep what you. like, and send back the rest. Plus, you get a fun crafting opportunity with their super cool subscription box! 

I am really grateful that they found me on the interwerbs, and reached out to me. Not only were they easy and fun to work with, it sparked a desire in me to get back to create more of these images for myself, and for my clients who want to capture normal life with a bump of crazy and chaotic in it (which is also totally normal for most of us). 

Which images is your favorite? 

Mia loves to really get into the different expressions. She is the easiest model to work with, I have realized how lucky I am to have her in comparison to how ridiculous it is to get her brother to pose for me. 😂😅 Rockets of awesome did pay me for these images, but all of my opinions about their company and awesome clothes are my own. 

Want to work together? Click here to get this party started. 

Avoid stripes:

There is a rumor that stripes are not slimming or flattering on people, and I beg to disagree BUT there is another reason why I always say to avoid stripes all together! Medium to small stripes, or a small plaid are always subject to digital distortion. I don't know exactly how to explain why it happens (there is a fascinating  article on it here) all that I know for sure if that it will make you look like your waving in and out of another dimension. I do not recommend this particular  activity for your photo session. 

Busy patterns:

So no stripes, but what about other busy patterns? If you're a floral lover, or you want a classic flannel, or something with an array of bright colors...go for it! I just suggest that if you're in a group of people, only one or a few of you (depending on the group size) wear a busy pattern, because It's typically best to place someone in multi colors next to a solid shirt.  You can also bring a solid scarf, cardigan or sweater to tone down the busy pattern when you're standing in a group.

Easy changes + accessories:

Speaking of scarfs or cardigans, they are great accessories  to quickly move through wardrobe  changes  for more variety during your session, and also help to spice up something  simple! Take it to the next level with quick  jewelry, or shoe changes and in current fashion you almost cant go wrong with a wide brimmed felt hat. But if that's not your style then...

Don't be too extreme:

A lot of people want to go all out for photos, and buy nice outfits that they have never worn before. There is nothing  wrong with this, and the results are often stunning! But There are times that people will later realize they love the outfit itself more than the way the love the way it looks on them, and then regret having their photos done in it! My suggestion? Plan your outfits around colors and cuts/styles that you know flatter your body, and that you feel confident in. Don't dress for some cute look seen on Pinterest, wear what feels the most like YOU. It will show in your photos when you feel comfortable and confident. 

Base color + complimentary colors:

So that may all sound great, but where the heck do you start? Here is what I do. Pick a BASE color, like black, tan, or denim blue, and pick 3-5 complimentary colors to keep in your color scheme with that base color. Pick these colors based on:

• what will blend well with your photo location
• what colors you know flatter you
• colors that will compliment  your home when the photos are displayed

For large family groups, it's not too over the top to pick some paint chips and send everybody the pallets so they can color  match when they're shopping for photo day. Don't expect them all to be perfect, but it helps create a baseline for everyone. 

Evergreen style:

If you typically  only have photos  done once a year, or even less often then that, then I suggest wearing something  that can be used in photos  year round, and is’n't too seasonal..i.e., maybe don't wear a pumpkin dress or candy cane pajamas... this way you can get more mileage out of your photos, displaying them in your home or using them in social media post. Jewel tones, neutrals, or black  and white are pretty evergreen and right now they're also trendy, and I think they look good on anyone! 

Match the location or the occasion:

If you'r still feeling overwhelmed, take cues from the location you have picked. Go on Pinterest  and search "country photo session" or "city family photos" and get inspiration form what you see there! 

If all else fails, throw this all out the window and just have  some freaking fun with it. If you ave little kids that are particular about what they wear, or they are obsessed with a particular  set of rain-boots, or a Christmas  sweater...what the heck? It may not be super * aesthetic * but it will capture a really special  memory for you all, so if they insist on wearing what they want for picture day, don't let that  get you down! Embrace the special memories ❤️

Next up, how to pick the perfect location...

What other questions would you like me to answer  about your photo sessions? Leave me a question in the comments, and I'll get you the best answer I can find! 

Thanks for reading. 

Even though bluebonnet season was a bust this year, it's been made up to us by the most rainy Spring that Texas has had in a very long time, and that rainy Springs= a rainbow of wildflower bursting into full blooms.

In my nine years of living in San Antonio, TX I have never seen so many wildflowers, nor wildflowers this tall! We spotted this breathtaking field on the side of the highway, growing in mud and muck that was littered with debris, on just a small untouched strip of land in front of office buildings. I love how mother nature doesn’t  wait for anyones permission to grow and shine, don’t you?

I keep waiting for the days that Mia is sick of me taking her photos, but I am so grateful that she still happily frolics in the flowers for an impromptu photo shoot!

These are some simple ways I help her feel comfortable, and have more fun taking photos:

1) Her and I both wore tall, close toed, shoes, we don't want to be surprised by anything stuck in the ground or lurking in the tall grasses

2) I always scope out where I want her to be, and go there first so she is reassured that there are not thorns or bugs. If she's going to sit somewhere , I will check the ground and do a test sit before I ask her to get cozy. 

3) Turn up a playlist that gets you grooving! Use your phone or a bluetooth speaker to jam out during your session.

4) It's always easiest, especially if you're not a pro and if you're photographing kids, to wait until the natural lighting is right in that sweet spot. In these photos, it was about an hour and a half until sunset, giving us a warm glow to bask in without blinding bright light or harsh shadows. When I am photographing older humans, there is fun to be had with dramatic lighting in broad daylight, but it's much easier to give kids the freedom of frolicking about without worrying too much about your lighting AND you won't have to adjust your camera setting much if you’re in consistent lighting. 

5) I used this atmosphere spray from Amazon to add a fog to my photos. Turns out I didn’t have enough hands to spray it and photograph it before it got carried away in the wind, so I will experiment with this again for a studio session or with my camera on a tripod. 

6) Let's talk about framing your images really quick. This can make or break them. I have a short list in my mind of different composures I want to grab from each session. 

• details - these are you macro shots like wedding rings, or for portraits it's often wrinkly baby feet, hand dimples, long lashes, or freckles.
• classic portrait- I like to get at least one classic portrait, with the subject framed in the center or to the right using the rule of thirds, and capturing from a out mid chest to top of head. 
• wide angle - think of a spectrum and gradually  work form up close to zoomed back. I want to make sure included mages in every session that show the setting and tell the story of the location, use the rule of third again to frame your subject in these wide angle shots. 

• move your body or hold your camera and different angles to experiment telling a story with perspective. Try having some objects in the foreground, but with the focus on your subject. 
• with each of these in mind, I also rotate between vertical and horizontal frames of each shot-this way, you will have plenty of variety and images that tell a whole story from A-Z! 

If you want to know more about the rule of thirds and everything else photography related, I will be going over all of it in my photography course. You can sign up for my newsletter here to make sure you're the first to know when it launches, and get it on sale! 

For my Lightroom users, here are some quick notes on editing. 

I created a preset for this session with a focus on warm skin tones and hues that felt like Summer.  I worked on the color tones to enhance the deep blues, rich greens, and golden yellows. Even after I create a custom preset, my editing certainly isn't one click and done! I like to add more moodiness and drama to my photos. One of the ways I do this is by brushing different  areas of the image. I typically  add a very subtle vignetting around the edges of the images. On the subject, I will create a brush that adds highlights (this brings out those details in the hair, freckles on the skin, etc.) and I will sharpen around the focal point of the images to first draw the viewers eyes there. Then I will brush all around the subject to give the image a dreamy look.  To create this look, I turn my texture all the way down, my sharpening all the way up, and adjust the clarity to my liking. Give this a try on your next edit and let me know what you think!

I hope you learned something new, thanks for taking the time to read! What do you want to know next? I love hearing from you in the comments, or shoot me a message. We will chat soon ❤️

Want to book your own sunflower session with me? Click here to send me a message!

Social media + photography go together like cake and icing. 

Most everyone is representing  some form of their own brand now, whether that brand is themselves (influencers) or their small business. 

A good branding session  can make your life easier by arming with you with months worth of great content for easing posting, continuity  between your website, business cards, social media & other marketing materials. Help raise brand awareness, and help you connect with your ideal clients. 

However, it is crucial to get ultra specific on your brand design, and your mission for your photo session to make the time you have with your photographer (if you're in San Antonio, Texas hopefully thats me!)  the most beneficial for your business. 

Aside from my tips for any portrait session: i.e. sleep well, stay hydrated, wear what you feel confident in, hire a hair + makeup artist. Here are my go-to's for helping my clients plan out the best branding session! 

Grab my FREE PDF here if you're serious about getting the wheels turning for your business shoot. 

Contact me here if you want to rock with me. YAY. 

Let's start with the basics, choose your color palette and incorporate your logo, or logo colors, throughout your session when you can. Remember, you want to make an impression  with your audience. Being repetitive is good for brand awareness. Having a color palette is essential for brand continuity from your cards, to your website, and social media. This includes the overall edit of your images, if you have a curated Instagram feed that you want to stay in theme with. Most photographers, myself included, have it in their contract you do not add filters or edits to your retouched images, so make sure they can match your brand style if that's something you desire. 

You cannot sell ANYTHING if you do not know what you're selling, and if you do not make your offer abundantly  clear to your audience. Define what it is that you're offer, and how you are going to portray this in your images. An exercise I have my clients do is thinking of 5 adjectives or verbs that define their brand like a color palette, but with words. hahaha

Okay, so you have a pretty package and a good offer but WHO are you giving the offer too? You need to understand as much as you can about your ideal client, so you can make sure that your images move them and speak to them. What's relatable to them? Funny to them? What solution to a problem can you offer them? My PDF has more questions to help you discover a clear target audience. 

If you have done all that work, good for you! You are making sure that you get the most out of your branding session. Now, to maximize your results with the time you have during your session, work with your photographer on a vision board (shares images that make you fell like the BOSS that you are) and have a shot list ready to go on shoot day, so nothing is overlooked or forgotten. If you want to take this to the next level, plan out specific post you want to have to engage  with your audience, and create an image for that post.  My goal as your photographer is always to capture as much high quality images as I possibly can give you in your session, so you have tons of great content to use again and again. 

Lastly, a quick short list of what you should have loaded in your car, or at your office to be ready for your photographer. Get ready EARLY so you have all of the time with your photographer to  take amazing images. 

Do you know an amazing small business owner? Send this to them so they can use these tips to get the most out of their branding session. 

Grab your free PDF here loaded with prompts to help you define your audience, and plan out every detail for the most successful branding photo session!

Have you been thinking about a branding session for yourself, but you're nervous about where to start? I understand how much  your image (literally) means to you, and I am excellent at helping you put your best face forward for your personal brand. Let's talk about how together, we can create the most impactful branding session for you!

A recent heat wave served as a reminded that Summer is peaking around the corner.  This bluebonnet season was a bust, and in general....life has been a whole new kind of wild.

I have had so many of you mention to me that you want to do photos, but I know that making it a priority is a challenge sometimes, which is why mini sessions are the perfect solution. 

A weekend day when the kids are out of school, a beautiful pre-determined location with tall grass, dirt trails, gorgeous trees, and a babbling shallow river. 

What makes mini sessions so great?

Mini sessions are completely pre-planned, with a set date & location  so all you have to do is pick a time slot and show up. The short and sweet time window is excellent for getting a quick update on family photos, and snapping a couple of individuals. They are a client favorite, because they're discounted from my regular sessions, and already include your beautifully retouched digital images (15 in this case).  I only do events like this 2-3 times a year, so that there is an opportunity for everyone to find a setting that they love!

My next mini session special will not be until the holidays. 

What can I expect from this mini session?

Plan for it like you would a fun family outing such as a hike, or a picnic. In fact, I encourage you to plan a fun activity for after your session is wrapped!

First off, you can head over to my Pinterest for some inspiration on what to wear. My specialty is candid, natural and emotional storytelling, so wear something that is the most YOU, you should feel comfortable and confident in it. You can message me to confirm a time that is best for you, and please tell me what moments you are really hoping to capture the most. 

I will confirm with you the day before your session. In the event of rain, a new date will be picked for the Summer river mini sessions. If any of you are feeling unwell, or something else comes up you can message me to cancel. Please give me as much notice as possible. 

Get plenty of rest, and stay well hydrated the day before and day of your session, to be the most glowy and photo ready. I suggest arriving 15 minutes prior to your session time, so you can make your way to me and be ready to start right at your time slot. I want you to be able to get the most out of our 30 minutes together! I will be down by the river, which is about a five minute walk.  You may want to spritz on a bit of bug repellent, and bring a water bottle along for the ride. 

Finally, photo time! At this point, I will know any particular images you really want, and you can also share with me any other things you would like me to be aware of such as if you have a favorite profile side (most people do actually!). 

I will coach you through movements that feel natural, and are fun for you while capturing all the BEST moments, so there is no need for you to feel nervous about not knowing what to do in front of the lens. The expectation is for you to have FUN. I encourage you to sing a favorite song with the kids, chase and tickle them, dance with  your partner or snuggle up close. Be silly, give lot's of big hugs, splash around a little. Your session will take place along the riverbanks, by the trees, and wading into the shallow waters a bit.  You can also enhance your session by bringing along memory triggers. 

This setting will be focused on capturing the feeling of those long and carefree summer days, filled with laughter and love. 

After your session, your retouched digital images will arrive in your inbox within 5-7 days. You can easily view, share, and download your images from your private gallery. Your session includes a print release, and you will have the choice of hundreds pf print products, from displays to albums right from my shop. If more than 15 images from your session are just too good to keep to myself, you will have the option of purchasing additional files for $10 per photo. 

When is it better to have a storybook family session?

If you haven't had family photos done in awhile, and you want a session without a time constraints to truly capture the essence of your family, and create a time capsule of this stage in your lives, then I suggest a full session. You are also able to include your sweet pets, or any grandparents that are able to come along in storybook session. Often the longer I am with your family, the more fun we have together allowing me to capture even great moments, and give you much more variety in your gallery. You will receive a wide range of images from your whole family together, each of the kids personalities shining in their individual photos, you and your partner together, and so much more. A storybook session includes ALL of the images from your session and a wooden usb with your files in additional to your private online gallery.

If you have never been to the Cibolo nature center before , you are in for a real treat. No admission  fees are required. You can see more about the center here.

If you are ready to reserve your spot, clock the "book a session" button on this page, or send me a message here!

I can't wait to capture precious memories of your family at the river in just a few weeks! 

CIBOLO NATURE CENTER

I found this great article speaks in depth about how we're "leaking memories". 

So, what can be done about it? I know that you don't have the time to sort through and print out 100's of photos a month. Luckily for us, we live in an age of convenience...and there is an app for that.

Starting out, I want to introduce you to this excellent tool for digital online photo organization and storage. It's hard to foresee internet photo storage becoming outdated, but perhaps it's conceivable. For now, it's close tot he best thing we have got, and with facial recognition, and allowing multiple people to access it, this is a great way to store, organize, and save your best memories. 

Backing up your photos to a hard drive is the current standard for safely backing up your images. But admittedly, it's hard to know whether or bot this technology will change over extended periods of times, and it's not the most convenient. This is coming from someone in their 20's who has already endured saving images to cd's, then to usb's, and now hard drives. Also, RIP to all my high quality emo photos fading away on Myspace. 😂 Truth be told, I have external hard drives AND old phones and computer sitting around for no other purpose than for me to "get all the photos off of" which may or may not ever happen. 

Additionally, there is the small chance of them being damaged in the same way that prints can be...lost in a move, or in a natural disaster such as flooding, fire, or kids. This is worst case scenario, but something to be considered when saving your most precious images. Let's use wedding photos as an example. I highly recommend  having them beautifully  displayed around your home to enjoy, or making and album to show off but I also suggest having the files saved to a hard drive that's in a fire and waterproof safe, or back them up with a digital service like the one I mentioned before, and don't forget your password! 

This seriously  intense external storage is best rated for video and photo pros. For everyone else, this more affordable options from Amazon is also great quality and good reviews. For personal use, I recommend  culling through your images and then only backing up the ones that you hope will last forever. Really make it worth puling out of storage one day. 

Hands down, the best way to enjoy your photos every day and hand them down to future generation is the one method that has long withstood the test of time. PRINTS.

Printing has evolved, and there are limitless ways to enjoy your favorite photos. Form having them etched into glass, carved into wood, turned into an art illustration, or displayed in a digital frame that you can update periodically.  My go to for all my prints and photo products has been Mpix for years. I  love them for the combinations of best quality, wide range of products, great customer service, and affordability. Yes, you can find some items more affordable at other places, but for the combination of the things I just mentioned, Mpix is unmatched. 

If you want to go the extra mile for yourself and your extended family? Create a family tree with everyone's recent family photo session (hey, if you need to update yours, you can book with me here!) Research your families history, and put together photos of past generations and recent family gathering into an album. My Grandma did this, then printed copies for all the grandkids. It is one of my most prized possessions. 

Easily one of my favorite inventions of all time, is Chatbooks. Thank goodness for entrepreneurs  that see a need and fulfill  it well. I am convinced  that any mom who isn't using Chatbooks, simply just doesn't know it exist.  Initially you will need to invest 20-30 minutes downloading the app on your phone, and setting up your profile. After that, the process is gloriously  automated. You can choose to have it synched with your instagram, or camera roll favorites. All you have to do after snapping photos of your kids all day, is favorite the photos in your camera roll that you want printed. Chatbooks will put them all together in a small chronological photo book, and ship it out to you every time you hit a full book (60 images). You can order books for special occasions like "Summer vacay 2021" You can also add notes or captions to your book before it ships, or delay shipping if you need too but what I love is that if you don't want to have to do any of that, then you still get your photos in print and my kids love to sit down with our pile of chatbooks and go over all their favorite memories together. 

Last suggestions. Set up an email account, or even a private instagram account for your kids (I'm betting we can depend on e-mail lasting longer than social media platforms). Send photos and littles notes of big milestones or special moments to that e-mail account, and give them the login information on their 18th birthday. Since most of us have left our handheld camcorders in the past, I think this is a wonderful gift to give all the kids who will be missing out on watching terrible quality home videos one day. 

I hope that this answers all the queries you had about storing and printing your images, but if you have more questions, leave them in the comments! Do you have a friend who would love these photo storage ideas? Please pass this post along to her. 

 Every mom is familiar with the bittersweet moments of packing up infant onesies and bringing. out the toddler clothes, or exchanging baby car seats and blankets  for a walker, then a drum set, and eventually a car I suppose...I am glad I haven't gotten to that one yet!

Sometimes, those clothes, toys, pieces of jewelry or bedroom decorations get switched out without us fully realizing the significance and importance it has to our child. Have you ever had a child chase after something you were dropping at a donation station, or do you remember a favorite toy from your childhood that you don’t recall giving away, it just sort of disappeared at some point? 

Once we're older, many of the little details about day to day life from our childhood is blurry. For reasons I'll never fully understand, our minds will select some (seemingly random) moments to be perfectly preserved in our memory bank, and others that dissipate into oblivion. 

However, maybe you have experienced what it's like to have a moment that you didn’t know you could recall, come rushing back to you. Maybe it's a feeling, a scent, a color, or a place that triggers vivid details of your years past to the forefront of your mind. 

There is something so interesting about reliving moments that you had forgotten, it's easy to see why so many of us seek out ways to experience nostalgia. 

Well nowadays, with cell phones rivaling the camcorders our mothers had, we have the ability to preserve our children's "good old days" with convenience unlike ever before.  I am willing to bet you snap a photo of your child at least once a day, if not 10 times a day! Is that true?

I am the same way, and it got me thinking...how can I make the many photos I take of my kids REALLY count? Which photos will withstand the test of time, and be the ones they really treasure in their adult years?

My answer? The photos that are CHOCK FULL of memory triggers. 

The one that gives them a glimpse back into their childhood bedroom. 

The one that shows them with their favorite stuffed bear. 

The one that depicts them playing a game with their siblings, a game that was their favorite thing to do for a few years, until one day they didn't play it and soon it was forgotten. 

The one of you reading their favorite book to them. 

The one of them having their favorite snack at Grandma's house... oh how I WISH I had a photo of seven year old Mia enjoying a cup of coffee milk on my granny's porch, it's one of my favorite memories from my summer stays at her house. 

We are used to reaching for our camera when something NEW and exciting is happening, but let this be a reminder to record the little things in your day to day life that may not seem extraordinarily special. Right now, it  probably feels like you could never forget about the millions of breakfasts you served your kiddos, but in ten years? You may want to look back and recall with your kids what your Monday morning go-to breakfast routine was like. With that, will rush back a wave of emotions and memories of packing the kids up for school, sipping your room temperature coffee, and realizing how quickly those days did go by after all. 

Sorry, is someone cutting onions in here? Please stop. 

So, now that I have hopefully convinced you that  thinking of these memory triggers is important momming business, here are some ideas to fire up the thought train. Idea of things your kids may one day wish you had recorded. Shoutout to my mom who took a picture of me holding my favorite, totally outrageous, hamburger purse. I am sure it's rotting away in a landfill now, but man I adored that thing until one day I just forgot about it...or it was taken away without my approval. 

If you want to include the most important piece of all... MOM then book a session with me.  I encourage you to make the most out of your storybook session by cramming your favorite things about your family into a time-capsule of a photo session. What are some favorite activities you do together? What places do you like to go? What pets did your children have growing up, what do your kids like to wear? Do they have pictures of doing their favorite activities with Grandma? I love adding these precious moments into your session, making the photos even more of a priceless generational treasure. 

I would love it if you tell me in the comments what your favorite photo is from your childhood, or an object that you really wish you had photos with!

I’ll share something with you first. Whenever one of us comes or goes, we have a family hug. My husband and I haul the kids up into our arms and squeeze them between us. We used to call it a “Mia sandwich” but since little brother came along, we call it “family hug!”. My favorite part is that the kids will request it, Jaxon reaching up and asking for a family hug in his two year old babble, and then the kids will holler “Lucy! Lucy!” until our dog hops up next to us and is part of the hug. I can’t wait to get one of our family hugs on camera. ❤️

Next up, we will talk about how it’s best to print and preserve those memories, or create memory boxes with photos, so subscribe to my email list if you want to get in on that freebie!

I feel like mine are constantly in photo, but rarely family photos and never the "normal" photos like first day of school, or kinder graduation...maybe that's because we homeschool.  Whatever the case, getting kids out the door for ANYTHING is like a friggin circus, that takes time and practice! Getting kids out the door perfectly pressed and happy to take photos....not always a fun time. 

Here are five super simple things I do when I want to set my kids up for success for whatever photo session I have dreamed up for them.

p.s. this quick session was meant to be bluebonnet photos, which I had already taken a month earlier this time in 2020, but when we got to my favorite wildflower spot, it was practically naked. 😭 That darn Texas snow storm!

We snapped a few quick shots anyway, with some flowers I had brought with us. I'm sure we will return back soon for another session, my kids will be thrilled wont they. 😂

FIVE SIMPLE THINGS TO HELP YOUR KIDS HAVE A GREAT PHOTO SHOOT

• Get yourself ready way ahead of time: 

Now you are ready and able to help get the rest of the family out the door, and you can sip your coffee and take your time getting ready without feeling rushed. In an ideal world, anyway! If you have messy babies or toddlers, maybe wait until the last minute to change clothes, but otherwise... BE READY. 

• Lay out outfits for kids the day before

This way you can see how everything looks together and make sure you have it all covered down to the socks and earrings. Also, if your kids are picky like mine, they want to have a say in what they wear, so showing them ahead of time what I have planned (or letting them help plan it) means less struggle and protest when it's time to get dressed. I don't dress my 2 y.o. until we are actually about to start taking photos. Kids can find a billion ways to mess up an outfit in a car. 

• Feed the lil' monsters

Joking, but also so serious. Hunger meltdowns are the fastest way to make a photoshoot stressful. Feed yourself , and get the family some snacks!

If you can pop a nap in with that snack, you're totally golden.  

• What to bring with you

Wipes for snotty noses, mouths with snacks on them, or spills on outfits. Water and snacks....it's just always safest to have these things with you, let's be honest. A "surprise" for after the photos, like a cookie! Possibly one of your kids favorite toys. I like to capture this part of their different stages during childhood, and they are typically  happier when they have their comfort item with them. 

• Include them in the planning

Let them know that this session will be a fun family outing, they are going to meet someone new, or see an old friend...depending on your photographer. Talk about where you're going to go, and what will be expected of them. They can even practice making faces in the mirror, or think of a  fun pose they want to try. 

Want to book a family session in the San Antonio area? Let's chat!

Fresh Spring blossoms at the San Antonio Botanical Gardens, and young love.  What could be sweeter?

Harold said "I wasn’t sure what to wear, so I went for a suit".

Guys, ALWAYS go for the suit. You cannot fail. I love the formality and class both of their looks brought to their session. Honestly, I cannot recall the last time I had a session with someone wearing a suit! Megans gorgeous makeup look was done by the very talented Cynthia Barber makeup artist in San Antonio, TX. I highly recommend her talents to anyone who wants to get glammed before their photo session. 

I am convinced that absolutely everyone thinks they don't photograph well, or feels uncomfortable in front of the camera. Even this gorgeous couple was worried they would be awkward. The most consistent thing I hear leading up to a photo session is "we're awkward! We don't get photos taken often".  Believe me, I absolutely understand how you feel. I too, have had many uncomfortable  "deer in headlights" moments in front of a camera, and was left feeling like I could barely recognize myself in the photos.  It has become one of my top priorities to make your session breeze by quickly and to make it where you're having so much fun, your forget that you are even having your photos taken! Truly, your photo session with me will feel like a fun family outing or a date night activity, AND you get a lasting keepsake from it. 

It's so rewarding to hear "wow, that was so easy!" at the end of all my sessions. 

The thing is, YOU are not supposed to know what to do, so you don't have to even think about it! I will give you fun prompts and things to do during your session, that will lead to fun and genuine moments like those ones I captured here. I promise you, your next photo session can be fun and painless, give me a chance to show you! 

Just come ready to have fun. 

Secondly, after the fun of your session, and all the planning leading up to it, I know how hard it is to wait to see the results. Which is why I prioritize getting your images to you as quickly as possible. I always request that you give me 5-7 business days, but rarely do I need that much time. Most of my clients will have their full gallery within 24-48 hours.  Thank you so much for spending your afternoon with me Megan & Harold. I hope you treasure these photos for the rest of your lives, and one day your great grandkids will look at these and think "dang, I had some cute as heck great grandparents!" haha I Look forward to capturing more special moments in your lives. 

If you are interested in booking a session with me (YAY!) please contact me here:

This Spring in Texas, it's really hard to believe it's March again, first off because we just had a a huge snow that has left every living thing in our grounds brown or bare. It's hard to envision  bluebonnets springing from the dirt right now. Do bluebonnets come after the snow? I guess we will wait and see. 

This March also feels signifiant for another reason. We are creeping up on the one year anniversary of the first shutdown we had in San Antonio, Tx. It's hard to fathom that we have all been living during a pandemic for a year now, and simultaneously it's had to remember life before it changes so drastically. I fell one thousands times more the adult then I was in March of 2020, is it just me?

Over the course of this year, I went through the process fo first cancelling all my sessions, then trying a few front porch session when they began trending. It was tricky at first, and still can be with little kids...but I've also learned that I can do session while keeping my distance. I've greatly improved at giving you prompts for posing and fixing little details versus me hopping into your personal bubble and fixing your hairs or necklace for you.

So yes, Virginia, you really CAN do a photo session staying 6ft a part. What a weird fact I never imagined I'd need to know prior to 2020. 

I have not spotted the first sign of bluebonnets yet. I promise I will let you know when I do. If you send me your email address, I will happily keep you on my list of updates. You can also always follow me on my Facebook or Instagram for updates. 

Wether the bluebonnets come or not, I am really looking forward to some Spring and wildflower mini sessions. Some people take this event and make it an annual family photo updates, a just for fun session, an Easter session, or fit it to whatever else occasion is coming up for you this Spring, Spring can feel like a rainbow after a storm and man has this year been a storm...one storm after another in fact. 

Some of my favorite locations for Spring mini sessions are:

San Antonio Botanical Gardens- So much variety, ranging from ponds to fields of wildflowers, lush greenery, succulent gardens and waterfalls. 

Guadalupe State Park - Splash in the river and feel the kiss of Spring sun on your cheeks in the gorgeous hillside location

A random field near you - wildflowers can pop up in the most unexpected places, and I've come to find a few favorite haunts that I check out every year. 

You home - many of you loved the front porch sessions from last year, and I think it's an idea worthy of repeating or even making a tradition! Show how you have or haven't changed during this momentous year. Let me join you as your plan your garden, or go for a walk outside. These little at home sessions are cozy and intimate. More of a documentary portraiture style and they are precious photos to hold on to exactly what these days are like for you at this point in time. 

The best dates are:

I have a variety of dates open for March-early May. The timeline is a little different for the bluebonnets and wildflowers this year, so I am flexible while we wait for them to appear. 

Worthy of noting: best times of day are early morning between 8:00-9:00, or evenings around 5-7:00. 

Most of my available session dates are for a Friday evening, Saturday morning or afternoon, or Sunday evening. 

The details are:

My mini session details can always be viewed here. I can provide more details in an email or free phone consultation to you. This session can really be tailored to whatever your dream for. a photo session have been lately, at an affordable and flexible rate. This is by far my most popular option. But as a bonus, I will be including 10 digital images in the price, and any additional digital images from your session can be purchased for $10 ea. 

I am always excited to hear your ideas, and bring your vision to life. I am so ready to dive into Spring of 2021 and create the much needed happy magic that we all need in our lives. 

Thank you so much to those of you who came out to my 2020 holiday mini sessions. Truly, you cannot imagine how much it means to me. I have taken time off after having my second child, and it felt so special to come back for my first holiday season in this way. You supporting my business literally puts food on our table, and gifts under the tree for my kiddos, especially in times as hard as this year has been, so thank you! 

I hoped to make you feel pampered,  fill your day with some Christmas magic and create special memories. I hope I did just that! I know that the day felt magical for me. 

I believe in creating an entire experience, so that your time spend with me is fun and relaxing, in addition to also creating images that you will love and treasure for the rest of your life. I aimed to set the mood with Christmas candles, holiday classic tunes, and a bag of cookies for each of you. Did you feel the magic when you walked in?

I also had so much fun working with Peyton from Wild Revival Co. She is the designer who found this venue, and styled everything! She is so kind, and so creative. She made planning the day out a breeze, and she exceeded my expectations! I cannot wait to have her style more of my sessions, and I highly recommend partnering with this local, small business. 

Last but not least, it warmed my heart to stage these sessions in the historic kendalia dance halle. I got to meet Frank, who restored this dance halle with his own hands. The original halle was built in 1903, and has a beautiful history you can read about here. Because of the pandemic, their doors have been closed all year, so it truly was an honor to rent the venue for this event. 

Without any further mush, here are a few highlights from my holiday sessions! I hope to see you all again next year.

Happy holidays! 

Until we meet again, stay warm and healthy.

Wishing you and yours the happiest season. 

This week I had the honor of working with a San Antonio icon. I mean, when you have your own mural in the city....is that not icon status or what?

No one is more deserving, she's talented, kind, hardworking, and stating the obvious here, but GORGEOUS.  I personally love that she promotes sustainable  fashion I have learned so much from her and been so inspired by her tips. Even these cute pants she's wearing, she scored from shopping at Goodwill S.A. online!

The desired mood for this setting called for wandering around downtown, and going with the flow...even doing outfit changes in alleyways, which Jeanelly rocked! 😂

I absolutely love the flow of session when there is so much opportunity around for me to get creative with! Isn't the result beautiful?

For a branding sessions like this, I feel that every setting or outfit is allowed to have it own moment and mood, and I always edit as such. 

My goal is to create TONS of high quality, eye catching, content that can be used over and over again on multiple platforms for many months!

Planning any session, but especially a branding session begins on Pinterest with lot's of back and forth notes, so we can set a clear vision and our desired goals and outcomes from the session. I'm thankful Jeanelly trusted my location suggestions, and rolled with the flow as we walked around the riverwalk area in San Antonio. 

While I'm shooting, I am always mindful of my client and helping them be as comfortable as possible in front of the camera.

Jeanelly, however,  has lots of experiences of her own when it comes to rocking the shot. 

 I mean, who knew you could werk a bridge like this?

Model credit: Jeanelly | The Fashion Lotus

Thanks for reading!

Are you interested in a session with me? Let's chat! Click below to shoot me an e-mail. Can't wait! 

And in 2020 I think we could all agree that this holiday season is desperately calling out for an extra heaping of magic. 

So starting back in July, I set out to plan a safe, festive, magical holiday mini session for you all...with plenty of extra magic.

I am so excited and proud to present to you:

 A Christmas Dance Halle Dream. 

You and yours are invited for a getaway in the hill country, come curl up in front of the tree and enjoy a cookie while I capture your merry and bright moments for your holiday cards.
 

Some of Wild Revival Co.'s work, featured on their website. Oh, so dreamy...right? You can see why I fell in love! I'd like to thank Peyton at Wild Revival Co. for helping me bring this vision to life, and being the absolute best to work with! I cannot recommend her highly enough. I found her because of her dream worthy styling that had filled my newsfeed, and I knew I just HAD to have her style my favorites session of all year, CHRISTMAS sessions! But getting to know her has been an absolute  treat, she has been so amazing in juggling all the concerns of Covid-19, and has been so flexible and patient. Thank you, Peyton!
 

In an age where there is "nothing new under the sun" or it seems that it's "all been done before" I believe that we are creating something totally unique and one of a kind, we couldn't even find it on Pinterest...I don't think that's ever happened to me before, but it's basically #photographergoals 

Imagine this, a Texan dance hall almost as old as two-stepping itself, a place that has stood since the 1903, and been the gathering place of many a family looking to dance their cares away, nestled in a field amongst the hill country. Due to covid, it's doors have sat closed for months, but on Saturday, December 5th we will be chasing all it's lonely blues away and decking the halls with a live tree and some vintage charm. 

 The details: 

Each session will be a full 15 minutes, and includes 10 retouched digital images with a print release. You will receive your images within 5 days of your session, in plenty of time to order your holiday cards. This is the only holiday sessions I will be offering this year, and there are four spots remaining! You can message me here, to reserve your spot before they're gone. 

Event price: $225

Kendalia Halle

1135 FM 3351 Kendalia, TX 78207

Styled by interior designer: Wild Revival Co. 

Photography by yours truly.

The FAQ:
 

What to wear: Show up in your most formal gown, your Texas best or coordinated pajamas! 

The key is to coordinate with your family to set the mood. 

I saved lots of tips and inspiration for you on my Pinterest board here.

Safety: The dance hall has been closed this year, and will be cleaned prior to the sessions. 

I will be cleaning in between each session, and only one family at a time is allowed in the hall. Please arrive a couple of minutes before your session time so that you can enjoy the full 15 minute of your spot. I will text or call you when it is your turn to come into the venue so that we only have one family at a time. I will be wearing a mask during your session. 

Cancellations: If anything comes up prior to your session that inhibits you from coming, or if you are not feeling well, please notify me as soon as possible so I can fill your space. There is a $50 non refundable retainer, but the rest will be refunded. A $150 retainer is due to reserve your spot, and the remainder is due on Friday, December 4th. 

I've counted seven sessions together with this sweet family.

Birthday sessions, pumpkin patch minis, family photos around the Christmas tree, and photo sessions that were just for fun.

There is s special attachment that grows when you get to watch kids and families grow from your lens. You get used to their go-to silly faces, the things they like to try and the things that don't work for them on camera. You look forward to the next milestone, and the one after that, that you will get to capture. That coupled with growing a friendship over the years, has made this session, our "goodbye" session, extra emotional. 

But aside from my big feelings, there are two other reasons I wanted to share some tidbit of this session with you.

Reason one, although I have specific type of sessions  detailed here on my website, I want to encourage you to reach out to me whatever your dreams for a session are! if you don't see something there that fits, that doesn't mean we shouldn't chat and see if we're a good fit for each other. This session is probably the perfect example, because it was literally planned over a few quick text, and us finding a 20 minute window where are schedules could align last minute, meeting at a little library that I had never seen before, in the middle of the afternoon, and making it WORK!

This might not be the IDEAL set up, but when needs must...I am confident I can pull it off. 😉

That 2020 feeling

Secondly, I want to address the common fear that 15 or 20 minute session wont be enough time. Varying on what your desires for your session are, sometimes 15 minutes can do the job! This session for example, is a celebratory snapshot of the "family" retiring form the air force, and looking all adorable in their outfits together. Considering that we were standing outside of the library in the mid-day sun, and we were hiding out form the playground around the corner, staying in one place and capturing these images only took 20 minutes. 

Kendalls mom is so proud of the way Kendall has handled all the challenges while staying positive, and she wanted to do something special for her. I am so lucky that she found me and called about doing a fun session for her! Spoiler alert, we had a BLAST.

Immediately I thought of the Wonder Chamber, as a perfect setting for this special session.  The Wonder Chamber is a super cool pop up museum in San Antonio, Texas. It has ten rooms with all different themes, all intended for taking cool photos! A photographers dream and pretty cool for hip kids too. 😂

Thank you Kathleen and Kendall for giving me the honor of doing this session. Kendall, you rocked it! I had so much fun with you both. 

Are you interested in a session with me? Your consultation is always free, so let's just chat! Contact me here. 

Every time I leave a session, it's my new favorite.

So, take this with a grain of salt, but Lillian's newborn session is my new favorite. 

It's true that you get pretty sappy once you become a mother. What can I say? When I look at this precious little one, and think about how briefly my two were such tiny babies, and then I start to imagine all the wonderful adventures she will have, just like I have been blessed to have with my daughter, it melts me!

It's an incredible  honor to be trusted for this incredibly  special session, and I always hope that a newborn session is the first of many photo shoots that we will have together.

I look forward to capturing all her big milestones  in life. 

11

"Traditionally in our culture we have Quinceañeras for girls and don't really celebrate young adulthood transitions for males. As a first generation Mexican-American. I try to keep parts of our culture within our celebrations but also deconstruct and reclaim it in our own ways. For this reason, he is wearing a mix of our traditional dress attire in a more modern presentation." -Sandy O.

'

I love that Victoriano and his family honor their heritage in this way, and are making it a point to celebrate this young man turning 16. It was an honor to do this session for him.

Happy 16th, Victoriano!

Want a session like this? I would love to chat with you!

There is a lot of things that happened  between then and now, countless playdates, pregnancy announcements, moves, births, celebrations, milestones, many photo shoots. But I will skip ahead to yesterday, when I was in her living room taking her fourth child one year photos and thinking of how quickly the past five years has flown by, and what a beautiful family she has grown in that time. What an honor it has been to be her friend, and to photograph so many of her exciting milestones along the way. Lua, you are a blessed little girl to be in this family. I hope for many more photo shoots together, celebrating happy occasions and big milestones. 

Siblings make the sweetest little photos shoot crashers. 

Are you interested in a session like this? I would love to chat with you!

Why is anyone still paying for professional photography these days?

Let's be honest for a minute, you have probably asked yourself this questions recently, haven't you?

(Or, maybe your spouse has asked you this questions when you were planning your annual family portraits.)

Quite frankly, I have asked myself this question too. I have been doing photography  for 12 years now. Twelve years ago... not everyone had a great camera on hand at any given moment. Cell phone cameras are continually improving, and they're already pretty great. I would know, I use mine multiple times a day to photograph my kids. Then there is the fact that anyone can easily access  the same editing software and apps that I use for my images, so it might beg  the questions, am I being put out of a job? In short, my answer is: NO.

I am not worried about it in the least, and here's why:

Yes, cell phones can take really good pictures of your kids day in and day out, in fact, I teach moms how to take great photos of their kids in Facebook group

 (*and my new course come soon. !)

But the value of photography goes so far beyond a good photo. What is photography truly about? It's about moments and memories. It's about having someone who you are comfortable with, creating a time capsule of your life. Preserving all the little details that you are so certain you will remember in 5, 10, 20, years, but they slip from our memories so quickly until we have a photograph to bring it back like that moment was just yesterday. 

It's about capturing your little ones pudgy hand clasping your blouse, squishing your face. It's about the way your kids look at you with adoring eyes, the way your husband smiles while watching you play with your children.

The way you relax into your husbands arms, he pulls you in a little tighter and you smile. It's about being in that moment, and trusting someone else to preserve your most precious emotions and memories in beautiful  images. 

It's about having photos of our loved ones who have passed on already, but we can stare at their smile in their photos, sit with our children and tell them all about the amazing person they were. 

It's about having images that tell your love story, the story of your family, the story of the best days of your lives. 

I spend time visiting with all my clients prior to your session, so that I can get to know you and your story well,  and do my best telling it. For a change, you can put down the camera momma, and be in the moment. Leave it to me to capture all your favorite parts of life. 

 I take pride in helping my clients feel relaxed and natural while I am in your home, or on location with your family, so that you are comfortable to be yourself in front of the lens.  During over more than a decade of working with people, I have learned how to help you feel at ease during your session, and how to encourage precious moments to occur naturally, and how to expertly capture it.

Does your cell phone do that?

If your interested in planning a session like this one, I would love to get to know you! Hit the button to begin chatting. 

Here is the progression of faces in the first few minutes:

1. Realized my lighting was NOT slimming my face, changed my lighting

2. Forgot how to human, lip is trying to makes its escape off my face

3. Trying to make "normal" faces, looking like a half smoldering half "I'mma kick your butt" face

4. Landed on something I like, even though I as looking at a stain on the carpet, just slightly off camera

Edited version:

I want to be very candid with you. I'm going to show you the good, the bad, and the beautiful.

Because every person at every shoot ever, has probably had more images that they hate than ones that they love.

Most photos we see are carefully selected and then edited, so in the spirit of honesty, I wanted to share some images SOOC (straight of out camera) vs. edited.

Btw, makeup really helps a lot. My favorite way to bring out my eyes in a shoot is FAKE. LASHES. They will make such a difference in your photos.

Now, reality check! Before getting to that pose up there that I like, came this awkward glory below:

This. THIS is why photographers may not want to show you the back of the camera. Heck, even during my own shoot I was hesitant to see the back of the camera, because I didn't want to see a photo of myself that I hated, and then be obsessing over a double chin, or squinty eye during the rest of my session.

Above is a shot my hubby snapped of me. I feel like this "what I really look like". But below are some images I snapped once he left the room, and I felt more comfortable hamming it up for the camera. You will see the difference. You guys, thank goodness there isn't video footage of me fake laughing, leaning into the camera, tossing my hair around, etc. I'm sure I looked ridiculous, but I landed on some photos that I feel look like me at my best.

My point being, don't be afraid to really go for it at your session. Those will be the best shots. You think those instagram models are nailing it on the first shot? Here is secret: hell no they ain't! They are patting the side of their hair, looking strangely slightly off camera, and "candidly laughing" for several attempts before nailing a photo that they love.

Fake nose crinkle, and fake laugh. Also, fake lashes.

Is it still me? Yes, but its' me striving to create a flattering/approachable looking. Me if someone just happened to snap me in the middle of a cute giggle. 

Even these "natural" looking shots that I love, actually felt super uncomfortable when shooting. I was sitting on the edge of my seat, angling my chin out, turning my shoulder slightly to the side, sucking in and laughing, or throwing out my best big smile.

This photo is totally random because my daughter decided to crash my shoot, but I'm putting it in here because...how adorable is she?! Answer: the most adorable!

The shot I love, vs the awkward one that came a split second before it:

Can you handle the cringe?

So, all awkwardness considered, here is a roundup of my top ten tips to help you pose for your own headshots. 

POSING TIPS:

1.  It's hella awkward

- for everyone, so don't be shy! Get in there, and have fun.

      2. It takes practice

- you won't nail it the first time. That's okay! Keep shooting until it get's better.

     3. Sit on the edge

Scoot to the tips of your chair or bench, turn slightly to the side, you don't want to have your shoulders squared to the camera completely. If I am facing the camera straight on, I'm typically leaning with my hand sin my lap, or running my fingers through my hair. Not flat staring straight into the camera like a deer in the headlights. 

     4.When you're uncomfortable, it probably looks good.

-Again: sitting, leaning, sucking in,  pouty lips and all that... it may be a little uncomfortable to hold that pose, but it might end up being the one that's your favorite. 

     5. You will have to loosen up -release your inner supermodel!

-Don't be afraid to play with different faces, or poses, or even throw out a giant fake laugh. Your photographer will love that you're changing it up, and you will land on an expression that you adore. Feel free to strike a pose. Do what you need to do, crank up a great playlists, or involve a glass of bubbly in your session.

     6. You're going to look silly, and that's good

-for myself, and for my clients, I've seen that the best moments happen in a split second in between silly or awkward moments. Go through some poses that don't work, to find the ones you love.

     7. You don't want to see the back of the camera

-Seeing yourself caught in an "awkward" moment can be a major hit to your confidence. Keep striking poses, and trust that your photographer will deliver the best images to you, ones that you will feel great about

      8. Know when to reset

Feeling stiff, and taking images you don't love? Time to reset. Stand up. Shake it out. Take some deep breaths. Close your eyes, breathe deep. exhale, open your eyes, look into the camera, and snap. 

     9. Play with your hair or pockets

- hands can make or break your shoot! It's so hard to know what to do with them! Here is my advice, put them to work. Play with your jewelry, run your finger through your hair, rest a hand on your neck, or hook your thumbs in your pockets. This give you something  to do and adds a candid playful feel to your photos. 

   10. Gather Inspiration

Before you start, look on Pinterest  or social media to gather ideas of poses you like and practice different  looks in the mirror if necessary!

One second (captured above) me looking human, a half a second later, me malfunctioning in front of the camera.

Duck lips live on! 

Did you enjoy this? You might also  like : tips for photographing kids

I own a photography business based in San Antonio, TX and I specialize  in story telling sessions for families and teaching moms how to photograph their kids! Want to connect? Contact me here.  

Ensuring a smooth and happy session with your kids, can start a while before your session. 

When planning a shoot, I  encourage the parents to talk to their kids about picture day. The parents can have fun with their kids, practicing making happy and goofy faces, or have the kids practice making up poses. Anything to help the child get excited about pictures, as opposed to being nervous or not knowing what to expect.

During your consultation, I'd like to discuss what your child's current favorites are. What music they may like to dance to, a song they know well, a character  the like or even a hobby they enjoy. This is helpful if we choose to play music during their session, or so I have something they're familiar with to discuss with them, and hopefully help them feel even more comfortable  with me.

If you or your children are nervous about being in font of the camera, or feel like you have to pose or act a certain way, it is best to plan an activity you will enjoy and have that be the focus of your session, that way I capture all the precious moments that happen organically! Maybe the plan will be to go on a nature hike, a treasure hunt, or play a game of spy!

Or, if we're doing a shoot in the woods or at a park, parents might want to let the kids help pack a snack for their adventure.In my case, I would tell my two year old daughter that we're going to see how many puppy dogs we can spot and she wouldn't be able to get to the car fast enough.

As a lifestyle photographer, I want to capture the natural family interactions and candid moments. Having fun activities planned with the child for that day, can help create much more relaxed and intimate photos.  I also love it when the child participates in planning their own outfit. It can be fun (and shocking) to see what they pick out. Their choice outfit may only be used as backup or extra clothing, but it is great to let the child wear something that they feel like a rockstar in. Even if only for a few pictures.  Imagine how much fun they will have reflecting on their choices 5-10 years down the road! 

When you arrive at your session, first I'll spend time meeting your whole family, and let the kids ask me questions if they have any. I often like to hang back, and capture them exploring their new environment! Some of the best photos come from them being curious about their surroundings, as opposed to me encouraging  them tp pose a certain way. It is also so beneficial for the to be familiar and comfortable with their surroundings, and with me of course. 

I have also found it helpful many time to bring along the child's favorite toy, or I may bring a colorful noise maker to help catch their attention if needed during your session. 

I enjoy bringing parent- approved treats or surprises to your session so that I have a little gift for your kids at the end of our time together. I'll discuss with you during your consultation whether or not that's okay with you. 

*Note to parents: 

It is ok to hang back while the photographer works with your child.  In fact, sometimes  your kiddos will feel a bit more comfortable without mommy & daddy telling them how to sit or how to smile. This can depend on the child's age, some little ones may not want to leave mommy's arms during the whole session, and that's ok too.

I hope you enjoyed this post. If you're an aspiring photographer in the San Antonio area & want more tips like this, you could join me on a shoot. Contact me for inquiries & details.

Ah, can you taste it? The warm salty wind in your face. The sun beaming down on your shoulders. All of nature is refreshing and soothing to me, but the beach is a special kind of therapy for the soul. I typically don't love the heat of the Summer, but I do look forward to the Summer time for the sake of a few days at the beach. This year was extra special, as it was my youngest first visit to the beach. Experiencing these happy first together are some of the best moments of parenthood, and there are a lot of good ones! 

The first day we woke up at the beach, the kids couldn't wait to get down to the water. I intended on taking them for a quick stroll while we waited for breakfast, but when we were out in our pajamas at about 8:30, I noticed how few people were on the beach and how cloudy it was...which of course makes for a gorgeous dramatic sky in the photos! I also wanted to capture the FIRST moment Jaxon stuck his feet in the sand, and experienced the waves. So we rushed back to our room, they got dressed as quickly as I could motivate them too, and we ran back down to the beach with my camera. I'm glad I seized the moment even if it did hurt my legs a bit, haha I will treasure these photos for the rest of my life. 

• These were shot with:
•  Canon 5D Mark IV
• 35mm lens
• Edited in light room with a sprinkle of photoshop to remove people, buildings or umbrellas in the background.

I'm building a course for those of you who have asked about photography and editing. I'm wondering which part you are most curious about? Let me know in the comments what questions you have, and drop me your e-mail if you want to stay updated on when the course will be out!

You may even be selected to trial it for free. 

San Antonio | TX | Portrait | Candid | Lifestyle | Family | Photographer | Photography | Beach Photos | Corpus Christi | Port Aransas 

She made the best of it, and I had a fun walking over to her house one morning to do a front yard birthday session. 

I remember the ages 9-11 being my favorite childhood years. I'm sure what those ages mean now has changed, but for me at that time I was lucky to still be pretty carefree, but also feel grown up and responsible. It's a good balance. Those were simpler times, my ninth birthday was me and a handful of friend splaying tug-o-war and water balloons in my backyard, working up a sweat and getting injuries on the trampoline. My mom bakes a sheet cakes, slapped a tub of icing on it with some sprinkles and it was perfect-Pinterest guilt free! Ah, the glory days!

What was your favorite birthday party? I'd love to hear about it!

As always, if you're interested in a session like this or have an idea you would like to discuss with me, please send me a message here, e-mail me at: [email protected] or call me at 210-716-7763. 

Have a good one, folks! 

Mostly because, well, I thought they were boring. 

Run of the mill, glorified  mug shots (more or less).  Yes, I'll still admit that the standard a headshots can be a smidgen dull, but lately I've surprised myself with how much I love doing headshots. Granted, headshots with spice, personality! Headshots that feel almost like a branding session. Headshots that make you look and feel like YOUR(best)SELF.

It's no secret that just about everyone feels uncomfortable in front of the camera. I love that I can coach my clients through their session, from how to prepare, what to wear, and finally, how to pose! I enjoy the challenge  of helping you feel at ease in front of the lens, so you truly feel like yourself  in your photos. This is also why it's so important  for us to visit over the phone prior to your session, so we can make sure that we are the best fit for each other. 

Most of all, I LOVE hearing your stores and being a small part of it. I have been so inspired by the personal growth, new challenges, and amazing achievements I have heard about through getting to know you during your headshots session. I am so honored  that I can be a tiny part of helping you succeed. 

If you have to know more about a headshots session with me, drop me a note here! 

Hello, all!

Times are crazy right now, really crazy. 

We are each doing the best we can to try and plan for an unknown and seemingly impossible challenge of back to school. 

I'd like to offer some normalcy, fun and cuteness, which is the back to school sessions we all know and love.

This year will be a little different though, like everything else in 2020. This year, I will come to you!

Although "distanced" sessions do have their challenges, especially with  younger kids. I've figured out it is possible and even tested it out on my own kiddos for this example session. 

Instead of arranging kiddos or details myself, I will ask you the parent to fix little things so that I can maintain my distance, coach, cheer, and snap photos from six feet away. I will be wearing a mask as well. 

Now that we have those little details out of the way,  I'd like to answer some FAQ:

What should my kids wear?

 As you can see here, in the spirit of covid-19 and distance learning, my daughter wore a shower cap and robe as a joke. You can be silly and reflect what an unusual year this has been, or take this opportunity  to wear the cute first day of school outfit or uniform you would typically  wear!

What date and time?

 I will be offering these come-to-you mini sessions from August-September. I have weekday and weekend times available  currently. Please make a note of where you would like this session to take place, and what time of day there is some shade in that area. For younger children, it's important to note what time of day will work around their sleep or snack schedule. This will ensure the smoothest session possible. 

What will be written on the chalkboard?

You can handwrite something on the board yourself, or have me edit up to two sayings into the photos.

How long will it take to receive my digital images?

You are guaranteed  to receive a link to your digital images 7-10 days after your session. 

How can I purchase any additional images?

This mini session comes with 3 digital images and a print release. I will edit any additional images that turn out great, and add them to our gallery to preview. If you would like to purchase any of the additional images in your gallery,  they are $10 each. You can give me the image numbers, I will send you an invoice and then make those photos available to download and delete the rest. 

How do I book my mini?

Send me a message here. Ask me any questions you have and send me your preferred date and time. Half of your session fee ($50)  is required to reserve your date. 

Contact me here to BOOK NOW. 

San Antonio | TX | Photography | Back to school mini sessions

Anna Angenend: [email protected] | www.annaangenend.com | 210-716-7763

Do you ever lucid dream? I was not controlling this dream, but I was very conscious of my thoughts. I knew I  had to jump, and I was surprised that I had no fear. Somewhere in my mind, I knew it would all be ok. 

I looked back once more at the people behind me. Their eyes were wide with fear, and their expressions made it clear they did not have much hope for my survival. They could not help me, jumping was my only choice. The anticipation of something is what I fear the most.  I did not want to wait anymore, so I slipped off the rail and went tumbling down. The impact from slamming into the cold water forced my eyes shut, and I began to sink.  Suddenly, I was  near the bottom of the ocean. It was peaceful way below the surface of the storm above. I opened my eyes. There were four wooden pillars to my left, and I caught a glimpse of a mermaid tale, disappearing between two pillars and into the dark, murky, waters. 

I slowly started to rise back to the top of the ocean. It did not take as long as I thought it would before my face breached the surface and I drew in a deep breath. The sun was breaking through the clouds, and it's warm rays greeted me as I began to float on top of the now calm waters. I was fine.

Rarely do I have such vivid dreams. This one is as clear as a memory. It feels as though it was sent to me as a message, or a reminder. Recently, I have begun some new projects. I am taking my business in a new direction and working towards a life dream I have had for a long time. It is time consuming, and challenging. It means staying up till 4 a.m. working, even though I have already done so for the past week. My body has a strange way of dealing with excitement and anticipation. I am always nauseas and shaky when something big is happening in my life. All of these recent changes do feel a bit like diving into murky, violent, waters.  I may go under, but I will rise up and it will be ok. 

These days may be challenging, but they are a gift. Highly caffeinated coffee lost it's affect on me long ago, but the thrill of building a dream energizes me everyday.

Your future is in no ones hands but your own. What motivates you to get up everyday, and make your future a better one? 

I know what you're thinking, why mess with an already adorable puppet theatre, like this one from Melissa and Doug? Don't worry, I haven't gone Pinterest insane! This theater was handed down to Mia from her sweet cousins. It was obvious when I received it, that it had logged a lot of playtime hours! Originally, I was planning on painting over some marker stains and washing the curtains, but then this happened, and I absolutely adore it.  

Esteban_(1201)_20230302_2827

What you will need:

I started with this theater. 

• Chalk paint - let's pretty much assume this is all I am painting with, from here on out. It's so amazing! 
• Wax creme - don't skip this! It will condition, seal, and protect your paint. You can purchase glossy, matte, or darkening wax. 
• Chalkboard paint
• Photos or other decorations, to personalize with. You could add some fun lettering, or stencils designs! 
• Fabric for curtains and side panels
• Mod Podge - I used matte

Tools:

• Screwdriver for assembly
• paint brush
• wax brush
• sewing machine, because I don't recommend trying to hand sew these curtains! 

I had so much fun picking out paint colors and fabric, as well as taking these "head shots" of Mia for this DIY. She really hams it up for the camera! If she ever get's any siblings, does this mean I'll have to build them their own puppet booth?! ;)

I used two coats of chalk paint, which each took about 30 minutes to dry. Then I sealed it with a cream, matte wax. It dries quickly, and looks beautiful! The wax makes it easy to wipe clean with a damp cloth. A huge bonus when you have a toddler! 

For the chalkboard part, I also used two coats of paint. In between coats, I let it dry for an hour, and I let the second coat dry all day. DId you know that your chalkboard paint needs to be "seasoned"? I didn't until recently, and it makes all the difference! After it's seasoned, the chalk will go on better, and wipe off easier. To season your chalkboard, let the paint dry completely, then smear chalk over the entire surface. Let it sit for a minute before wiping off the chalk.  Now your chalkboard is ready to use! 

To add the images, I smothered the back side in some good old Elmer's glue, and pasted them on the particle board. After the glue dried completely, I used a paint brush with very fine bristles to add a top coat of Mod Podge. It will look milky when you first paint it on, but it will dry completely clear and help protect the images for years to come. I think I love Mod Podge almost as much as chalk paint. It's what crafting dreams are made of! 

Lastly comes the sewing (did I just hear some screaming?!).  Never fear, if I can do this…you absolutely can! This is not a lie, I literally google searched: "how to sew" when I began this project.  Ha! I had to look up videos on how to thread my bobbin. Yikes! It's been awhile since my old Singer came out,  but I persevered and the curtains and side panels are almost decent! I know they're perfect for my three year old daughter anyway, who has already begun making lasting memories with her new favorite toy. That's what matter most…and it was totally worth the effort! 

The possibilities with this are endless. I'm still contemplating some gold lettering at the top, and possibly wiring it for some flashing bulbs around the edges. Too much? Hmm…I'll update you if I make any adjustments. 

Questions, comments? Want to show off your latest D.I.Y?! I'd love to see it! Share your thoughts in the comments below. 

Bye now!

I'll be honest, this was not a "quick" fixer upper DIY.  I could sing chalk paints praises all day long, which is what I painted the body of the table with. Wood stain, one the other hand, is what I consider the "toddler" of paints. Ornery!  I do LOVE the results though! It simply requires some extra patience and loving. Aka, lot's of drying time, a good place to dry, and the right brushes. 

You will need:

• Measuring tape - I am being caption obvious here, but you will have to take measurements before heading out and cutting wood for your new table top!
• Hammer - a heavy duty one, nailing that thick oak down was a workout!
• Ultra fine sandpaper - I recommend safety glasses, and mask too when using sand paper. Safety first!
• Chalk Paint -I LOVE this one!
• Wax - to condition, seal and protect your chalk paint.
• Woodstain - I used Black Cherry, ooh la la!
• Sealant- to seal, protect, and finish off the stain. 
• Nails
• Oak wood panels - or whichever wood you prefer! I liked this one because it was so pretty and smooth. 

Recommended Brushes:

• Slanted staining brush
• Wax brush
• Fine paint brush

(both of these can be washed with warm, soapy, water after using chalk paint or wax)

• Paint thinner - to clean your brush after staining. 

Optional: New knobs for drawers

First things first: Plan out your project.  Where will you display it, how will you use it, what type of wood and paint will work best to first your needs?! Secondly, measure your table, then load up and head to Home Depot (will Home Depot and Hobby Lobby just get married, already?!).

 Once you're there, pick out your new table top! I purchased the cheapest oak I could find, because a) It was pretty smooth and b) I am not rich. You guys aren't going to believe this, but I have never purchased wood before. Thankfully, the guys at Home Depot offer excellent customer service, so I handed over my choice wood and some measurements then ran off to shop nails, stains, and brushes! Bonus cupid tip: Take your single friend with you, and leaver her to talk it up with the bearded, buff, wood cutting, dude. You're welcome, single ladies! 

I know this Varathane stain talks a good game with its "achieve color in one coat" and all, but to get a nice, even, coat, I layered it on four times. Each coat dried for about 24 hours.  I let the final coat dry for a couple of days before I added the sealant, and then I let that sealant dry for several more days before assembling the table. Also, if you don't have quality brushed already, invest in them! As long as you wash and dry it properly, it will last a long time and they really do make a difference. 

Ok you guys….I have been dying to tell you this. Chalk paint (not to be confused with chalkboard paint), is AMAZING!! It requires no priming other than cleaning off the surface you are going to paint. I'd like to refer to it as "the butter of paints". It goes on so smooth, and just melts into the wood. I used the art deco brand, but Annie Sloan is a great brand as well. The chalk pain dries incredibly fast, and there are almost no fume. I painted this right inside my dining room! All it took was two coats, which both dried within 30 minutes. Once the paint dried, I applied a matte wax, to protect and seal the paint. Again, invest in the right brushed. I purchased a wax brush at Home Depot, and it worked beautifully. There is gloss, matte, and darkening wax. The darkening wax will change the hue of your paint so make sure and do a test spot before you paint the whole thing!

Last of all, the most fun part! Picking out new knobs at Hobby Lobby. The only thing hard about this, was narrowing down all the wonderful options.

You can use a wood putty to hide the tops of the nails on the table, but I love this rustic, exposed nail, look! 

Table make over total: $85

It sounds like a lot, but this is coming from someone who had to buy all the brushes, nails, stain, and knobs. If you already have those items, the paint does not cost much at all and the wood was about $38.

I learned a lot, and did a lot of youtube searches during this project. If you have any questions before starting your make-over, please leave it in the comments and I'll get back to you!  Show me your projects in the comments too! 

ya'll!

I am here to get your season off to a great start by sharing my favorite Autumn recipe with you. It really is the best ever, that's a fact that I just made up…but once you try it, I think you will agree. 

Added bonus, it will make your home smell better than any candle ever will. 

• 1/2 tsp. cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp. nutmeg
• pinch of cloves (too much cloves or allspice will make it bitter)
• pinch of allspice
• 2 tbs. sugar  The sugar optional, sometimes the apple juice is sweet enough! Taste as you go, and make it to your preference. 

• 5 cups apple juice
• 2 cups of orange juice

Despite the fact that I get to see my daughter everyday, there is often a moment where I look over at her, and realize she looks twice as tall and so much wiser than she was yesterday. Instead of running to the attic and crying over boxes of baby clothes, like I used to do, I’ve started a new tradition. I I grab my camera and set out to make a time photo time capsule.

Like most moms do, I always snap some photos when my daughter is headed out in a new outfit or when she is drawing a masterpiece...on the walls. Still, I haven't captured many of my favorite moments that may fade to blurry memories too soon. I always think I’ll remember which stuffed animal was her favorite for the first 8 months, or what her reaction was like the first time we put a bunch of glowsticks in the bathtub, but sadly, it’s hard to hold on to all those happy memories forever. I blame mom brain! Thankfully, photographs can last long enough for her to share those memories with her grandchildren one day.

Mornings are hardMornings are hard

The time capsule project is as much for her as it is me. We will soon move out of her childhood home, and toys that were once her favorites will be passed along. There are certain triggers, like smells, colors, places that bring back a rush of memories. I like to think that photographs can trigger some of those priceless memories, and help fill the gaps where our minds have failed us. The point of creating a photo time capsule is to freeze a day in time that captures all those little things, and then make an album filled with memory “triggers”.

The challenge: 12 hours. Capture everything.

Morning Cuddles with Daddy

Before you start shooting, take a moment to think about all the little things that you want the remember which make this season of life so special. Their silly hair in the morning, a song that always puts a smile on their face, their crazy eating habits, or a stuffed animal they never travel far without.

One of the things to love about toddlerhood, is that it’s easier to be a “fly on the wall” when photographing them.  I don’t think it will be so easy for me to capture these genuine emotions and candid moments once she is more aware of the camera, and decides to strike a pose. The trick though, is to be very fast. Some of the most breathtaking moments only last for a brief second. My camera is never out of my reach all day when I am shooting a “time capsule”.

Given that the time to snap one of those candid moments is so brief, my camera has to be set ahead of time. Here are my “go to” settings. My 50mm lens is my all time favorite for in home lifestyle sessions. The only time I may mix it up is with my 85mm for some details shots, or something fun and funky like a fisheye lens. Anytime I photograph a bouncy little kid, I start with shutter speed of 1/250 or faster. My favorite place to stay for my aperture is between f/2.8 and f/4.0. I will be mostly shooting with natural light, and occasionally rely on my 580 EXII speedlight to light the way. Since none of these shots will be staged, it means working on the fly with whatever light is there. I start out by opening all the curtains and blinds so most of the rooms in my house will have decent lighting and be ready to go. In fear of grainy images, I prefer to keep my ISO below 1200 when possible. However, I am not afraid to embrace the dark if it fits the mood. After all, this shoot isn’t about getting the perfect exposure, but capturing life exactly “as is”.

What is it about tiny little toes? Even though I am admittedly terrified of all adult feet, I can’t get enough of those baby toes.

Bonus points, add a handwritten note for your child in the photo album. Stash it away to reminisce together in  just a few short years. Oh boy, where are my tissues...

Despite grandma, mom, best friends, stacks of baby books and endless parenting blogs to help you prepare for parenthood, there will still be infinite surprises when you become a parent. There were a lot of emotions and challenges that caught me off guard. It is still shocking to me that nobody warned me about how hard and painful breastfeeding can be, or that the feeling around my c-section scar would never return. Consider this your warning on a few of the issues parenting books are sure to leave out.

1. The Plush Animals Epidemic

Soon after becoming a parent, you will realize that you are the reluctant owner of 50+ plush animals, none of which you purchased.  Our collection began when the grandparents unknowingly started a battle of who could buy the biggest, fluffiest, and cutest stuffed friend. The rest of the animals just showed up one day because word traveled that I was having the plush party of the year at my house. Every time I try to sneak an arm full of them off to Goodwill, my daughter comes rushing over to tell me their names, their family’s names, and their entire medical history. Back they go stuffed into drawers, cabinets, baskets, and under the bed with all the others!

2. Repeat, Repeat, Repeat, Repeat

Whether out of necessity or due to forgetfulness, you will find yourself repeating everything you say so many times that the words begin to lose their meaning, and their urgency. I mean,  is it really necessary to put clothes on before we leave the house today?  Can we get away with not leaving the house at all today?

3. Parenting Comes With A Soundtrack

It is the non-stop sounds of babies crying, toddlers asking to be picked up, toys dumping out of baskets, heads thunking against a wall, toys singing the alphabet on a loop, or even your spouse singing Barney in the shower.  The only sound that is surprising to a parent, is the sound of silence.

4. Daydreaming Is Crucial To Your Sanity

I’ve had to ask myself recently, is it crazier to go a full day without a single coherent  conversation, or to carry out said conversation in my head? For the sake of my sanity, I’ve decided on the latter. I’ve also spent copious amounts of time daydreaming of grabbing my best girlfriends( if they’re still my friends even though I haven't texted them back in months.), hop on a plane (one with alcohol of course), and jet off to Hawaii for a long weekend. I am a firm believer that finding a way to work in some vacation  leads to being a better mommy.  Let go of the guilt! It is possible (and quite common) to be madly and unconditionally in love with your child, but frequently daydream of being in a less noisy place, with at least one other somewhat rational, over 18, human being.    

5. You’re Going to Need a Lot of Bras

By the time you have at least one toddler running around your house, you will have a drawer stuffed with bras ranging from sizes A-F; a different cup size for every phase of motherhood. I was a little excited about moving up a cup size when my boobs swelled up during pregnancy. After they almost exploded with milk, they were chewed on, dried out and shriveled up from breastfeeding. Then they turned into miniature trampolines for my toddler. Now I am just excited about any bra that can pull my boobs up from my belly button to their rightful place, which is, ideally, above the rib cage (in case you, too, forgot where pre-pregnancy boobs belong).

6. Online Shopping Is Your New Best Friend

The days of casually perusing the sale racks while sipping on a hot latte are behind you. If you’re lucky enough to get everyone buckled up and driven to the store, you will be in a race against time to check the necessary items off  your list before the snack cups run dry and the post nap-time happiness expires. Spending money while on the couch, after the kids have gone to bed, has never looked better.

7. Lose Friends, Gain Acquaintances

You may hear crickets on the other end of the line if you call up your single friends to tell them about what a triumphant day in potty training you had. Luckily for us socially deprived, and half- crazed mothers, just about any parent at the grocery store, or on the swing next to you at the park, would love to cheer you on and exchange potty training tips. It is not uncommon for moms to bond with a complete stranger over the simple fact that you are standing next to each other, and both have children.

8. Get Comfortable With Room Temperature Coffee

Coffee is practically sponsored by parenthood. Even if you weren’t a fan of the bitter liquid before, soon after your rambunctious children come into the world, you will start to constantly crave the bittersweet, laced with caffeine, liquid life. Except yours won’t be warm, because if you can get around to brewing it in the first place, by the time you get around to drinking it, there will be tiny icebergs forming.   

9. Karma Has Never Worked Faster

I quickly learned to repress the judgmental thoughts that might arise when witnessing a child having a full-blown meltdown in the store. I can promise you, no sooner than you think the words “my child will never do that,” your child will exhibit that exact behavior on an even more extreme level. Yes, all children will slap their siblings at least once. It won’t be long before you observe a meltdown at the store and  find yourself thinking, “I’ve been there,” and wishing you could go over and give that mom a big hug to let her know she’s going to be just fine.  

10. Nothing Is As Black And White As I Once Thought It To Be

I once had my mind made up that any time a child hits (not in self defense), they should be scolded and/or disciplined... But nothing is that simple in parenthood. What if  your child slaps you on the back, then immediately their eyes light up and they run off to fetch their “Dr. Kit” while yelling, “I am sorry mommy, so sorry! My Dr. Kit make you all better!”. Situations like this, and many other parenting conundrums, are sure to leave you questioning everything you have ever read in the parenting books.

Ingredients list:

(makes about a dozen hash browns)

• Two sweet potatoes-peeled & grated
• Two carrots-grated
• 3 egg whites
• 1/4 cup parmesan cheese
• 1 small onion, diced
• 1/4 tsp pepper
• 1/4 season salt
• 1tbs coconut oil (for cooking)

Tools needed:

• Grater
• Colander
• Medium mixing bowl
• Large skillet or griddle

Prep time:                 Cook time:

15 minutes                     10 minutes per patty

Instructions:

Grate the potatoes and carrots into a colander. Squeeze the juice from the carrots and potatoes. The more juice you squeeze out, the crispier your patties will be! Use your muscles. :)

Stir the egg whites, cheese, onions and seasoning together. Mix in the carrots and sweet potatoes. 

Preheat your griddle on medium heat and melt the coconut oil. Scoop small spoons of the mix and mash into thin patties. This part is  important, I had a couple of patties that we're too thick and the potatoes didn't cook all the way. 

​Cook for 4-5 minutes on each side of the patty, or until desired brownness and crispiness is reached!

*Honestly, I am sure you can mix whatever seasonings you desire into this recipe.  Omit onions, add parsley, bake in the oven (although the bake time would be much longer-about 25 minutes), whatever you want to do! I would just focus on squeezing as much juice as you can out of the ​potatoes, having enough egg to hold it together and keeping the patties thin.  

Whatever you do, I hope you enjoy them! The day I made these, we had them with eggs for breakfast and again as an appetizer for dinner that night. I think they would make a great potato nest for an egg, a hashbrown sandwich, or dipped in your favorite sauce. Yum, so many delicious choices!

ENJOY!

MC: "How did the concept of shooting life with Mia occur?"

AA: "It all began when kids went back to school last August. My friends were emotional about sending their kids off. As a stay at home mom of a toddler, I wanted to show how I felt about school starting up.  I had a lot of fun shooting the photo and my friends enjoyed it, so I shot another one. The rest is history. Being around a two year old 24/7 is an endless amount of inspiration for a new photo. If I couldn’t laugh at some of the ridiculous situations I’ve been put in. I might just go a little crazy."

Here are some quick tips for better photos, whether you're shooting them on your phone or with a pro. 

1. Safety first

• Find a safe location

 You can ask your friends or local photographers for recommendations. Also, check out Texas Highways for the best wildflower locations! (http://www.texashighways.com)

• Texas, Spring & tall grass= Snakes! Oh my. 

Hopefully there won't actually be snakes where you shoot, but be mindful of that possibility and keep an eye out.

2. The sun will make or break your photos

For best results, shoot in early morning or dusk to avoid harsh sunlight, which will cause squinty eyes or overexposed backgrounds. To make a dramatic difference in the quality of your photos, sit your subject with their back to the sun, and use a reflector like this one ( http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/1016048-REG/raya_cr_51_42_5_in_1_collapsible_reflector_disc.html  )to add a warm glow, and put a little sparkle in their eyes! 

3.Bring a simple prop

Avoid awkward "squatting over the flowers" poses with a simple prop. 

Your model may not be too excited about sitting on wet ground, or get poked by sticks and rocks.  You can easily pick up a small crate like this (http://shop.hobbylobby.com/products/wood-box-crate-set-with-antique-brass-handles-550244/) to pose them on. It looks cute and doesn't block or squash nearly as many flowers as a blanket might.

HAVE FUN!

Anna Angenend Photography ©Anna Angenend Photography ©

I've tried the "Here is a stack of puzzles, now mommy is going to catch up on all her e-mails!" trick so many times. It has worked… once…for five minutes. Ok, it doesn't work! My daughter can sense when she doesn't have mommy's undivided attention, and she'll immediately start pleading with me to "come play" or " go hide and seek"! I've come up with a few solutions to that dilemma. Here is how I am attempting to peacefully balance my work and family life, which is all happening constantly under the same little roof. 

1. Set designated work times.

Mine are as follows:

Early morning: I am not a morning person, but If I can commit to waking up at least one hour before my daughter, I can usually respond to all the important e-mails that came in overnight, get a start on the projects that need to be completed that day, and make a solid to-do list for the day.  

Nap time: I usually get an hour and a half to myself during nap time. If this time isn't spent chugging a cup of semi-warm coffee, eating a meal made for adults, or taking a nap myself, it's amazing the amount of work I can get done in that time! I usually take care of phone calls during this hour and check back on my e-mails. However, if that work can wait, I've found that the napping hour is most productive when dedicated to the non-career oriented work that needs to be done, such as paying bills, arguing with AT&T, forgetting to schedule dentist appointments, etc. 

Bedtime: Basically, once the little one is out, my workday is on! The key to not staying up all night is planning ahead, having a clear goal of deadlines and dividing up the "must do" work into a realistic amount  for one evening. Of course, there needs to be an allotted time for Netflix binging before bed, too. 

It's definitely not always possible to finish all my work in these allotted times. When that's the case, I'll set aside things I can get done when my husband is at home, or hire a sitter for a couple of hours while I play catch up. I should also mention how I excited I am about San Antonio's new Utopia Play Cafe. They have an awesome play area for kids (with competent people to watch your child), and a comfy cafe adjoined to the play area where parents can chill or work. I wish every city had these! 

2. Put down the electronics, and walk away slowly!

After that early morning hour I had all to myself, if I don't detach myself from my mobile device, all hope of separating work from family time is lost. I have literally turned off said device and put it in a drawer to keep from checking back on those e-mails, text, Facebook notifications, etc. (I may need to look into social media rehab). I usually put my computer to sleep, T.V. off, whatever! Total electronics blackout. I like to challenge myself everyday and see if I can make the blackout last until nap time. I rarely do, as I will take my phone on our play dates, or call my husband, but work is off limits!  Once my little one wakes up, we have our own morning routine. 

3. Post-it's, lists, and voice messages galore!

Ultimately, my goal in doing all of this is to be as present mentally as I am physically when spending time with my family. However, I have a ridiculously difficult time calming down my crazy brain, which is constantly reminding me what else I "should be doing."Cue post-it notes. (Triumphant music playing in background!) Sometimes I swear I can feel a mental weight being lifted when I jot my thoughts down on paper.

If I have an idea for a session or a new blog post but don't have the time to write it down, I leave a voice message on my phone to play back later. It took me a painfully long time to learn that I need to write things down, and stop thinking, "I'll remember that later."  There is no telling how many genius ideas I've wasted. ;) So, please, learn from my mistakes! 

4. Organize & Inspire Yourself

Believe it or not, this is not a foolproof plan! My biggest dilemma is that once I get to the end of a long day, I sit down to plan a session or finish an interview and I am totally wiped! Inspiration? Zilch.  Humor and personality? Gone; nada!  I usually have my notes and voice messages from my prior spunky self to refer to, but setting up a comfortable work station also helps a lot. For me, "comfortable" equals absolute cleanliness and organization. I'm a nut like that, hopefully you're normal and just need a comfy chair. 

Creative juice is always good. Mine usually comes in the form of wine or bold roast coffee.

A good playlist is an absolute must in my book, and Spotify has some pretty helpful ones. Something titled "deep focus" or "study time" usually does the trick.

Sometimes, I just need to press my reset button and take a long shower or meditate before I start my work night. Find what works for you! 

That's my two cent's! I hope you enjoyed it.

(p.s. I am finishing up this post at 1:00 a.m. What did I tell you? ha! )

I'm trying to get better at this all the time, so I'd love to hear about your tried and true methods for balancing work from home/ quality family time. 

BUNTE.de: "Have you and Ryan planned anything for Valentine’s Day?"

Angenend:

"We don't put a lot of emphasis on Valentine's Day. Ryan does an amazing job expressing his love every day. I make an effort to do the same for him. We especially don't like battling the crowds on V-day! This year, I am excited to make brunch for the whole family, then decorate some cookies with Mia. I'm sure Ryan & I will share bottle of wine after Mia's bedtime, which is fun on any night of the year."

BUNTE.de: "How has life changed since Mia has been born?"

Angenend:

"Everything has changed! I left my 9-5 job to stay home and Ryan started working even more hours than he already was.  I've developed a sweeter, stronger relationship with my parents & Ryan's parents now that there is a grandchild in the picture. They are wonderful to Mia! I've lost friends from my single days, and gained friends who are parents. Ryan and I don't always get all the one on one time we would like, but I love all the moments we share with Mia." 

BUNTE.de: "Do you and Ryan have any arrangements like a weekly kid-free date night?"

Angenend:

"Ryan is out of town for work the majority of the time.  When Ryan took this job, we promised each other that if the travel and  the long hours put too much of a strain on our relationship, then the job wasn't worth it. His schedule has certainly presented it's challenges, but it's made us stronger and brought us closer too. They say distance makes the heart grow fonder, and I can agree with that.  We have a date night during the week that he is home & we do a lot of family outings with Mia during the day. When he's gone, it's all about good communication. We regularly check in with each other to make sure the separation or the work load isn't too much. If one of us isn't happy or if we're stressed out constantly, we'll make changes."

BUNTE.de: "Do you have any other secrets for a romantic marriage?"

Angenend:

"I am no expert as I am 23 years old & just shy of my 4th year of marriage. I do know that a successful marriage is forever a work in progress.  We've found our rhythm and continue to improve it all the time. For example, he makes an awesome omelet, but that's the extent of his cooking abilities. Luckily, I love cooking & then he volunteers to wash the dishes. 

Marriage doesn't always feel like a fairytale, but if we hit a rough patch I like to read some of the cards he's given me in the past or think about the hundreds of things he's done that I adore. I can never stay upset for very long.

It's all the little things that keep us falling in love every day. I love it when he get's up with Mia so I can sleep a little longer, brings me coffee in bed, or offers a back rub. He tells me I am beautiful every day, even on my worst of days. It means so much to me every time I hear it & even when I don't believe it.  I think that having things to do together on a regular basis is important. Anything from watching a show together to sharing a hobby or kicking each other's butt's in a card game.

We're very straightforward with each other about what we want or need & we're not afraid to have an argument. We've always been able to talk through our disagreements & be better for it afterwards."

 BUNTE.de: "Where did the idea come from/what made you start taking pictures like that?"

Angenend: 

BUNTE.de: "I've learned that you got pregnant very young. How did you cope with that situation then?"

Angenend: 

BUNTE.de: "Did you take pictures from other families in those situations too, or have people approached you and asked you to do so?"

Angenend:

BUNTE.de: "Have Moms approached you to let you know that they can identify themselves with the situations shown on the pictures?"

Angenend:

Having a successful shoot with a child can start a while before session day. When planning a shoot , I  encourage the parents to talk to their kids about picture day. The parents can have fun with their kids, practicing making happy and goofy faces, or have the kids practice making up poses. Anything to help the child get excited about pictures, as opposed to being nervous or not knowing what to expect. 

If a child (or adult!) is particularly nervous about being in front of the camera, you can keep the focus of the day on something other than photos. You could plan a family picnic, or nature walk. For example,  If we're doing a shoot in the woods or at a park, parents might want to let the kids help pack a snack for their adventure. If the shoot is in an urban area, you could plan an "i-spy" game. In my case, I would tell my two year old daughter that we're going to see how many puppy dogs we can spot and she wouldn't be able to get to the car fast enough. As a lifestyle photographer, I want to capture the natural family interactions and candid moments. Having fun activities planned with the child for that day, can help create much more relaxed and intimate photos.  I also love it when the child participates in planning their own outfit. It can be fun (and shocking) to see what they pick out. Their choice outfit may only be used as backup or extra clothing, but its great to let the child wear something that they feel like a rockstar in. Even if only for a few pictures.  Imagine how much funthey will have reflecting on their choices 5-10 years down the road! 

Once the client arrives at the shoot, I want to spend some time getting to know the child and letting them warm up to me before I start shooting. This may not always be a good thing, but I rarely pay attention to the time when I am working with kids. I don't want them or the parents to feel rushed or stressed. It will show in the photos.  I want them to feel comfortable with me & their surroundings before I start getting them into poses, or sticking a camera in their face. 

Note to parents! It is ok to hang back while the photographer works with your child! In fact, sometimes the child (and photographer) will feel a bit more comfortable without mommy & daddy telling them how to sit or how to smile. This can depend on the child's age, some little ones may not want to leave mommy's arms during the whole session, and that's ok too.

I am attempting to streamline this post, as I could go on forever! Here is a short list of a some tried & true tips for working with young children:

• Add a colorful scrunchie to your lens to grab attention: 

https://www.pinterest.com/pin/456411743459625882/

• Have a music playlist ready to go

 Most kids love listening & dancing to music. I try to have a playlist ready ahead of time,  made specifically for that family.  It works well to play it on a bluetooth speaker during the session. The right music can go a long way in helping someone feel comfortable enough to have some fun in front of the camera. 

• Have noise makers on hand

For babies especially, having a bell, clapper, maracas, etc. can help to grab their attention. Usually, I accidentally leave those items at home and resort to jumping around, singing, yelling or making animal noises. That seems to be pretty effective as well. 

• Have a parent approved gift ready

When I am working with kids, I am hoping to start a relationship with a life-long client, or at least until high school graduation! I want them to leave the shoot feeling excited & happy and talking about how much fun they had with me. A good way to leave a lasting impression is to send them home with a little gift.  A new book,  some stickers, or if mommy & daddy say it's ok (I always ask during the consultation) some cookies.  Bonus tip, kids also love to look at their pictures on the back of the camera. They get excited about seeing themselves, so all the more reason to get the photos edited and back to the client as quickly as possible…while they're still pumped up about the session.  That subject deserves a whole other post. 

• Know your client

​During the consultation with the parents, I'll ask the them what the child is currently in to.  All children like different music, most likely have favorite superheroes or princesses, a favorite animal, and have at least one favorite movie they watch 5 times a week. That information can be very helpful when relating to the child during a shoot. If you can start talking about their favorite characters, they're going to be interested in what you have to say, and you will be able to hold their attention longer. Another example: Lately, I've noticed the teachers in my daughters classes constantly referencing Elsa or Anna from Frozen. It is completely lost on her, because she couldn't care less about them! However, if you mention Dave or Gru from Despicable Me…you have her full attention.  

I like encourage parents to bring their child's favorite toy to the shoot. Or sometimes,  the child will choose to bring it on their own. If possible, try to pick a "photogenic" toy.  It may be less than perfect, but I think it's a great way to document one of the child favorite things from that age. For example, I wish I had more photographs with this absurd, brightly colored, hamburger bag I used to LOVE and play with every day when I was about four years old. 

I love doing whimsical shoots. It's so much fun to create an environment where a child can let their imagination run wild, while I shoot away and capture some of that magic. 

I don't have any tips related to this photo, I just absolutely love it and wanted to include it. Oh, but notice how they both have hands full of "photogenic" objects. It's the only thing that was keeping them from hopping up and waddling off!

I hope you enjoyed this post. If you're an aspiring photographer in the Houston or San Antonio area & want more tips like this, you could join me on a shoot. Contact me for inquiries & details. 

I'd love to hear from you! What are your tried and true methods for working with little ones? 

What do you want to see in my next blog post?

Welcome to my first official Mom Life blog post. I can't make any promises on how frequent my post will be, (I'll try to keep it at once a week), but I can promise you that there will be awesome photography tips from setting your camera to posing your models & even how to find the best photographer to fit your needs.  I'd also like to share with you all some of what I have learned form having the Mom Life series go viral. 

To be honest, I am pretty sure I'll sneak some parenting post in here. I love being a mom & I love all thing related to crafts, healthy eating, home decorating, ORGANIZING (yay!) & inexpensive, child friendly, activities. I know, I am not super original being a stay at home mom, photographer, blogger & aspiring cook, but I am in love with this life. Don't knock it till you try it! 

First off, I'm going to ease in with some "basic" camera settings. Here is that rundown of my camera settings for one of my "Mom Life" photos. 

I’m going to try to keep it short and to the point. Please feel free to ask questions or add input in the comments. 

ISO-100 because I prefer a low ISO number (whenever possible) to cut down on noise. I especially wanted to cut back on ambient light for this photo. The overhead light was causing a glare on the back of the stove, making it difficult to see the steam. 

Shutter speed 1/250 -The fastest I can shoot with a flash, but still fast enough to freeze toddler motions.

Aperture 4.5- deep enough depth of field for all the props to be in focus, and ensure a sharp focus on my daughter and I. I usually set a large stuffed animal where I will be sitting, then set my focus on the stuffed animal before I pose. 

I ended up merging 6 shots for this photo. I photographed the teapot using ambient light, so the red glow of the hot coils would show. The flash washed it out. The flash did work great to bring out detail in the egg white, spilled milk, and steam which were all shot individually. Then I photographed myself, and lastly my daughter with everything else out of harms way. 

The question I have been asked most about this series is how to get a toddler to “pose”. I’ve used the fact that Mia is in a copycat stage to my advantage. Two days before I shot “Peace & Quiet”, I made up a game with Mia where we would smash are faces up against the window & make silly faces at each other. Once she started copying me, I set up my tripod & captured it.

Thanks for stopping by, hope to see you again soon!