Terra & Megan

Terra and Megan brought one of their babies along for the session, and if you haven't looked at the photo thumbnails yet, know "baby" is code for "dog baby."

He stole the spotlight, that's for sure! I love putting pups and other pets into photos. They're family, after all.

But doggie aside, I had a great time with Terra and Megan. Perhaps one of the coolest parts was discovering that Terra and I went to the same high school, although at different times.

Anyway, once again, I chose White Rock Lake for the session, but we stayed relatively close to Mockingbird Point Dog Park, so their little one could swim and play. We walked across the bridge, took some shots in the blistering sun (or whatever shade we could find) and dodged bikes on the path. It was adventurous, but never dangerous!

Kevin & Larry

If it wasn't 100 degrees out when I met Kevin and Larry, it was close.

But they're wedding is coming up quick, so they powered through the heat for a fun-filled engagement session at White Rock Lake.

We met at the Bath House Cultural Center. I felt the building could be an interesting background (and even provide a bit of shade). Not to mention the bird poles in the lake where egrets and other water fowl tend to perch.

Unfortunately, the birds felt it was too hot to show up! But we managed to get some lovely photos, regardless. I'm very much looking forward to Kevin and Larry's wedding in August ... indoors!

Flyin' High with Doug and Andy

Andy knows how to fly airplanes. And he has the license to do it. How cool is that?

So when they contacted me to shoot some photos of them flying over Dallas, I couldn't say yes fast enough.

However, shooting in a tiny, four-person plane has a unique set of challenges. First, it's tiny and a standard 50mm lens wouldn't cut it. In fact, even a 35mm wouldn't give me the width I'd need in order to fit both front-seat occupants in the photo. At least not in the way I wanted to.

So I picked the widest lens I could find that wasn't a fisheye. Nothing against fisheyes, it just wasn't part of my vision. That and getting my own body in the shot was already a concern, and with a fisheye, I was pretty much guaranteed to get my knees/feet in every shot.

So super wide angle it was. I still had to do some yoga-esque twisting in order to keep myself out of each shot, but the guys were cool with me taking over the back of the plane (which I did).

On the plus side, since we were in a tiny bubble, the light couldn't have been better. Thankfully! I can't even imagine trying to rig up lights for this. They'd have to be aimed in through the outside and this "easy" shoot would have gotten way to extreme and expensive way too quickly.

It was so windy, we ended up shooting on the ground. That worked out for the better, anyway, since I had to get out of my seatbelt to get angles.

Plus, Doug and Andy promised to give me a ride at a future date. I'm going to hold them to it!

the Bens Family

Spring has sprung and fall has fell. Even though it's still in the 80s, it's autumn in Dallas, which means it's a beautiful time to take family portraits. I had the chance to hang out with the Bens family this last weekend at the Dallas Arboretum. We were able to dodge the pumpkin-loving crowds long enough for some sweet family portraits.

Babies are special.

I was fortunate enough to take photos of another perfect little baby the other day. It's very humbling that parents invite me into their homes to capture forever images of their families. Now that I'm a mom myself, I have a whole new outlook on family and what it means to love.

I try to make newborn sessions gentle. After all, you can't tell a baby what to do--they don't have words. And they're so tiny and delicate and precious, the last thing I want to do is disturb or distress them in any way.

So I work with parents and their baby. And we just take advantage of whatever mood the baby is in. I think the results are quite nice.

My selfie game is strong.

You, too, can have selfies just like this. All it takes is a great DSLR camera, a few speed lights with soft boxes, some remote flash triggers, a remote shutter trigger, a few stands, a tripod, and a happy baby.

It's easier than it sounds. I promise!

Stephanie, Joe, and Downtown Dallas

Stephanie and Joe had a cool idea to have two engagement sessions. Session number one took place at the State Fair of Texas. And session number two took place in and around Downtown Dallas. We went to Thanksgiving Square, the Dart Rail, the Dallas Museum of Art, and a few other stops.

Stephanie and Joe also had another cool idea. They brought along their sweet doggie! She might have had more fun than all of us (except when she wasn't the center of attention, that is).

Home: Where The Heart Is

The Rollins family welcomed a new member into their family a few months ago. So it was about time to update the ol' family pictures. Since the youngest Rollins family members are itty bitty, we decided to keep the shoot close to home. Literally. Besides, I love taking photos of families where they spend the most time. Not to mention, it's easier on the kiddos (and usually the parents!).

Jordan, Class of 2011

Jordan wanted something different for her senior pictures. Most of her friends have gone to the usual local spots, but Jordan ventured to Oak Cliff with me. So we wandered around the eclectic Bishop Arts District, drank sodas, and listened to good music. All in all, it was a great way to spend a few hours.

Stephanie, Joe, and Big Tex

The State Fair of Texas is known for fried food, butter statues, and live shows. It's also a great place to take engagement photos, so I was totally excited when Stephanie and Joe wanted to shoot their first engagement session there.

We went on a Wednesday night and fought the crowds. It wasn't an easy thing to do, but we made out with some pretty awesome shots. I can't wait until their second session. And then the wedding.

Congrats, Stephanie and Joe!

Ideas For Your Photo Sessions

Many photographers offer wedding packages. And most of these packages come with one or two separate photo sessions. Usually, these are for a bridal or engagement photos.

But what should you do if, say, you have a friend doing your bridals? Then you have this extra photography session laying around that you don't really want.

Well, trust me, you want it.

Try something different.

Get Spicy with Boudior Portraits

Ladies and gentleman, what better photo could you give your partner besides a sassy, sexy, playful photo of yourself (or several).

Nothing; trust me. Use one of your included sessions and take some boudior photos. They can be shot in the comfort of your own home. Or rent a fancy hotel suite for the day.

Take After-the-Wedding Portraits

Many brides feel a bit of post-wedding-partum depression in the weeks following the big day. Give yourself something to look forward to. Either the day after the wedding or even a few months after, use your photo session to take more in-dress portraits. Heck, both of you get gussied up again, only more casual.

Maybe wear some funkier shoes than you were comfortable with wearing on the big day. Or try something crazy with your hair. Let your imagination run wild ... in a wedding dress ... downtown, perhaps.

Get Family Portraits

From wedding to reception, it's usually a time crunch to get portraits of the entire family. An uncle ran off to sneak a taste of the cake. The children are no where to be seen. And extra people sneak into the photos.

While everyone is in town, get them all together the morning (or early afternoon) after the wedding and do some more organized and fancy family portraits. It works especially well for people with large families.

Plus, it lets each family have the chance to get some individual family portraits. Consider it a gift to everyone for helping out with your big day!

Have "Prom" Photos at Your Wedding

This is something that I wanted to do at my own wedding (but unfortunately didn't get the chance). Have a corner or separate room set up as a photo booth ... prom style! Your guests can get fun portraits done. You can have props, backgrounds, you name it!

It's also another great way to keep guests entertained during the cocktail hour. And kids LOVE it.

Courtney and Ryan

My favorite place to take pictures right now is in Uptown in Dallas. With the Katy Trail, the American Airlines Center, and the McKinney Avenue Trolly, a photographer has it all! So when it came to taking Courtney and Ryan's engagement photos, I lured them to my neck of the woods. And I think we're all glad I did!

They are so easygoing, so much fun, and so refreshingly in love that I almost feel guilty taking credit for these photos. Courtney and Ryan are almost mind readers; as I was about to ask them to move an arm or stand over there, they would ask me first! Their session was a delight and I'm honored to have been their engagement photographer.

Family Time

My husband and I crashed the party at my aunt and uncle's house this weekend. They were playing lacrosse, my younger cousin's newest passion. My husband was quite the player back in the day. So he's excited to have a lacrosse buddy in the family.

I gave it a go myself, but no one in the family felt comfortable enough using my camera to get too many photos of my (awesome) abilities. Oh, well. Perhaps they should sign up for my photo workshop.