San Antonio Children's Photography: The Stranges

Fun day shooting out at their family ranch, which also happens to be a gorgeous place to host an event. They do  it all, so if you're looking for a place to have a party, definitely contact the fabulous Strange family. Here are a few shots of their beautiful children.

 

 Thank you Shanan! And thank you Mallory for the referral! :)

Also, on Monday, I'll be sending out an email with details about a Kid's shoot in February. If you're not on the mailing list,  and would like to be on the first-to-know, email me at admin@relishportraitstudio.com.  

I'm off to shoot my first senior session of the year, so excited! Have a fab weekend everyone!  :)

San Antonio Family Photographer: Shelly and Travis + fam

I'm slowly climbing out of the "To Blog" folder. These were from back in December.

Since it's almost FEBRUARY, I'll spare you the theme-y shots we did. But I have to say that Travis was a pretty good sport about everything. You know boys never like to have pictures taken. Well, we had him out there with Christmas bulb props, and ladders. He even sat still while Shelly and I wrestled a Santa beard on her CAT. All this, while there was a football game going on, too. 

 They're pretty cute together.  :)

I think Shelly and Trav are in a lot of trouble, in about 5 or 10 more years. Oye.

Now time to write a Shutter Sisters post for tomorrow. Any ideas?  :)

Hot Mama shoot recap

Truth be told, I'd been dreading it. Not because of the shoot itself. But because I had completely depleted myself trying to get the studio ready. The last few days leading up to it, were INSANE. I realized WAY too late that I should have just hired people. But we've always done everything ourselves, so the thought  never even occurred to me. I saw (again) how severely lacking I am in the relying-on-others department. And it causes a lot of unecessary overwhelm.

So while it's frustrating that we still have a ton of projects to finish, I'm pretty proud of how much we did manage to get done. Especially considering the fact that just a few weeks ago, I had no intention of ever signing another studio lease again.  

But just like any other party, you forget about the dust bunnies as soon as your friends get there. That is assuming your friends are not lame enough to point them out to you. And this group of women who came on Saturday was AMAZING. They were fun, and deep, and honest, and endearing, and vulnerable, and strong, and just LOVELY people. I felt like I went into it all worn out and empty; and came out completely re-energized from being around so many wonderful people all day.

And that's not to mention my rock star friend Robyn. She is sweet, and funny, and laid back, and she is a true ARTIST when it comes to makeup. She doesn't just slap up a bunch of unintentional colors on your face. She looks at you, and customizes, and creates a look that is all yours. She is so talented. You should definitely contact her the next time you want to look (and feel) like a princess. And she also gives makeup lessons, too!! robyncchappell@yahoo.com

Patricia Hill also did a good job styling hair. So if you're interested in trying someone new, her number is (210) 391-2048.

And there was also a happy surprise! About a week prior to the shoot, Kathy Cornett of BCC Jewels emailed me about offering her services for all the Hot Mamas to wear during their sessions. How cool, right?! So she set up a beautiful display of all her gorgeous jewelry. She makes the most amazing turquoise necklaces + lots more. And right now she's doing trunk shows, so if you're trying to think up a good idea for a girls night in, CALL HER: (830) 446-9945 or email Kathy@bccjewels.com. She was a SUPER HUGE help to me at the shoot by making sure everyone had wine, or mimosas, or whatever they needed. And besides that, she's just fun to be around. She's the kind of person who makes you feel like you've known her forever, even when you've just met.

AND, last but not least, a HUGE THANK YOU to my good friends Michele and Tina. Michele came to join a girlfriend, and ended up staying to hang out, and help, and grab lunch for everyone. Then, Tina drove all the way to New Braunfels on a busy family weekend just to help clean up, and have a glass of wine with me afterwards. The whole day was an absolute pleasure. 

And I have to say one more thing. I designed these shoots last year, because I simply wanted to make women feel beautiful. It was (and still is) a new concept, so there've been bumps along the way. In comparison to my other sessions, the preparation is very high maintenance. There's a ton of coordination, and at times, I've questioned whether they were worth continuing. Especially when they're purposely priced much lower than my regular sessions, because I know that (sadly) women have a hard time treating themselves to things. But I kept going. Because for me, it's not just about a pretty picture. It's about creating an EXPERIENCE for somoene that makes them feel catered to, and pampered. And maybe along the way, I could change or enhance how someone looks at themselves, and their bodies.

The surprise has been that I think it's starting to change the way that I look at my self and my body. I'm not sure how to put this to words. But at this last shoot, I felt as if I could see myself in every woman that I photographed. It was comforting. And validating. And I know this sounds weird, but it felt healing. Maybe I'll be able to articulate it better at some point. For now, I'll suffice it to say that I started doing these shoots as a gift for others. And as they evolve, I see that they are equally, if not more of a gift to myself.

So to each and every amazing soul who joined us on Saturday, thank you. You are all SO BEAUTIFUL. INSIDE AND OUT. xo

hola

Bazillions of things to get done today, so no time to blog much. I just wanted to pop in to say that if you're waiting for a phone call, an email, a text, a smoke signal, or a bag of jellybeans, I promise I'm not ignoring you. I'm just behind, and completely buried in paint, and shopping, and movers, and preparations for the big shoot tomorrow. I totally forgot how much work goes into getting a studio together. Hopefully it'll be all done SOOOON.

Have a fun weekend!

Random

This post is brought to you by the prompting of Tracey Clark.  :)

16 Random Things about Me

1. I often feel in-over-my-head and simultaneously like I know I'll get through.

2. I hope my daughter never stops raising her eyebrows when she tells stories.

3. Last summer I overdosed on chips and queso, which prompted a fifteen pound weight gain over the course of three months. WTF. So, I started "rocking" (run-walking) as my friend Shelly calls it, on January 6th. And it's amazing how quickly your body takes to being healthy. Also, who knew how much better fresh air was, vs. the treadmill?!!

4. I'm very cynical about politics and government, regardless of affiliation. I think power inherently corrupts; and that we've reached a point where the richest people just buy laws that will benefit them. Hearing Barney Frank say that he doesn't know what happened to $350 BILLION dollars, has only strengthened my opinion. However, on this very historical day, I can't help but be proud of how far our country has come within the span of a few decades.

5. I'm also proud of my friend Delaine for writing about the most important, and far too often ignored, horror that is child abuse. It never ceases to amaze me how hard people will fight for trees, or whales, or rabbits...yet totally ignore the torture of children.

6. My girlfriends are essential to my sanity.

7. So are coffee and wine.

8. I think it's more important to experience things than accumulate them. 

9. My closets are not organized, and it's always in the back of my mind...bugging me like a gnat.

10. I'm totally addicted to trash television and Facebook...(which is probably just the personalized version of trash tv). And probably also the reason why my closets are not organized.

11. I start to short-circuit if I don't have enough time alone.

12. I think everyone is interesting, once you know their reasons.

13. Some days I'm okay with the way I look. Other days, I want to have every plastic surgical procedure known to man.

14. When we moved to Texas 6 years ago, I swore we'd be gone in 2. Now I can't imagine leaving.

15. But I wish our family was closer. There's so much missing out that goes on because of distance.

16. I don't have many pet peeves. Generally the voices in my head are louder than the dogs barking across the street, or the person who's chewing loudly. I don't care if you drive slowly, or send me too many forwards, or check your texts at the dinner table. However, I DO have a nails-on-chalkboard reaction to black and white photographs where one element of the photo is displayed in color. 

Exhibit A  (hahaha!)

 Taken yesterday when we were on the Living Show to promote the Hot Mama shoot this Saturday. #1. What was I thinking with the white bra under the grey dress...clearly not compatible with a camera flash. Besides that, everything went well. Amazing Jen came to model, and was a total pro. And so was my awesome friend, and makeup expert Robyn Chappell (robyncchappell@yahoo.com). Here's the link if you want to see the segment. We're totally booked for Saturday now, with a waiting list. WOOT. If you want to be added to the list for next time, let me know.

OH. And I will be in Houston next month for this. So if you're in the area and would like to schedule a photo session, let me know: admin@relishportraitstudio.com

phew, long post. Gotta get back to work. Have a great day!