Portraits for Nicholas – Katy Houston Photographer

 This is another of my lost blog post series.  It’s a redux of a post that I feel certain I created and shared earlier this year but which disappeared into thin air.

This session actually took place back in February on a very cold and rainy day, and Nicholas was a GREAT SPORT about his outdoor session.

2015-07-13_0018

 I love photographing guys who are just a little bit quiet and shy.

It’s fun to see how they relax once they realize that I won’t make them do anything cheesy for the camera, once they realize that they won’t have to smile  like the Cheshire Cat until their jaws hurt.

 Nicholas is one of those guys


2015-07-13_0021

It was his 17th birthday when we met for our session at his family home.  Nicholas is quite an accomplished horseman, so we spent most of our time in and around the barn.

2015-07-13_0022

And this is Smokey.   There’s not much in this world that can compare to the velvety smooth nose of a horse.  SWOON!

2015-07-13_0023 2015-07-13_0025We wrapped up our session with frozen fingers and frozen toes — and an extra nose rub and hug for Smokey.

Senior Portraits for Nicole – Katy Houston Photographer

 

 Okay y’all, stranger things may have happened, but I believe I might be losing my  mind.  At least I’m a little bit sick to my stomach.

When I sat down to write my latest blog post, I realized that my site was missing a ton of senior portrait posts for the class of 2015.  I blogged and posted these during the school year before graduation.  I KNOW I did … but they are missing without a trace!  Gorgeous kids.  Fun anecdotes from our sessions.  Gone.  All Gone.  Cyber-Gremlins, I”m sure.    I don’t have an answer, but I have some calls in to some folks who know what to do in a situation like this.

I DO KNOW PEOPLE!!!  We will figure this out.

In the meantime,   I’ll be keeping a very close eye on my security as I bust out a few of the images from my favorite sessions of the year for a blog marathon which will probably last several weeks.    Today we’re starting with Nicole!

 Beautiful Nicole, a dancer, a Cinco Star, and a 2015 graduate of Cinco Ranch High School.

Hair and Makeup by Cintya Velderrain at SPCcreative Photography Studio 

2015-07-13_0008

2015-07-13_0009

2015-07-13_0010

Oh, we had fun together.  I was so glad I got to know her.

2015-07-13_0011

She’s smart too.  She’ll be studying this fall at Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh.

2015-07-13_0012 2015-07-13_0013

Oh, Nicole.  You were a joy to work with.  I have to be sappy now.  As you go forward into life, I hope you dance.

UGH!  Did I really just say that?

2015-07-13_0014 2015-07-13_0015 2015-07-13_0016

 Thank you Nicole!  Have a great year at college!

Ryan’s Portraits – Katy Photographer

A  lovely big family  moved in to our neighborhood a couple of years ago, and I was just lucky enough to be at home when mom, Susan,  and their adorable young daughter came by selling Girl Scout Cookies.

The sweet child waited so politely while mom and I visited  — and visited — and visited — and before long, we became friends.

Now, what does THAT have to do with the photos of this handsome young man?

Well, he is a big brother to my favorite Brownie Scout.

2015-07-13_0001

Ryan was back in town after his first year of college to spend a little time  with friends and family before heading off to Brazil for a year long mission trip with his church, and  Mom needed some great photographs to keep him close at heart.  As a  Mormon Missionary, Ryan’s right at home with a suit and tie — and he does look quite dashing. Don’t you agree?

2015-07-13_0002

 A couple of his younger siblings, including the Cookie Princess dropped by during our portrait session, and they are BEYOND ADORABLE —

so naturally, they  ended up in front of my lens out in the studio barn too.

2015-07-13_0003 2015-07-13_0004 2015-07-13_0005

 Ryan’s looking ahead to an exciting year of meeting people and learning a new language.   . . .

Portugese.  Yep!  That’s what they speak in Brazil.  Look it up ! How cool is THAT?

2015-07-13_0006

 

No doubt, he’ll miss these little guys, but they’re going to miss him too.  Have a great experience, Ryan.  
2015-07-13_0007

My Life 2015 – Looking Back at February

My Life 2015 – Looking Back at February

 

 

 

Wow February went by fast, didn’t it?  My attempts at a daily non-portrait type of photo a day have not been perfect, but I”m hanging in here.  If I miss a day or two, it’s really not a big deal.  We aren’t doing this to prove anything to anyone but instead it’s a way to keep shooting things that are out of my normal realm.  And the important thing is to pick up and continue and to have fun with it.

February 1,2015

So the month kicked off — (get it?  football joke … bwahaha) with Super bowl XLIX  and TV Time — football — commercials — avocados — red wine
2015-03-05_0001

February 2, 2015

Groundhog Day… Puxatawny Phil saw his shadow today…

But my favorite boyfriend brought me these pink beauties.

” … If Winter comes, can spring be far behind?” – Percy Bysshe Shelley

2015-03-05_0002

February 3, 2015

Fred Helps

 When I come “home” from work, the commute is a an exhilarating 16 steps from the up to the down.  My only traffic jam consists of a rescue pointer mix or a geriatric Aussie on steps 4 and 5 from the bottom. Once I weave past that obstacle, this is what greets me in the kitchen when I arrive.    Fred has an innate tablet aptitude, and he just wants to help.

2015-03-05_0003

 

February 5, 2015

Light Check

Just a motley collection of selfies.  I have a goofy little habit of taking selfies as I set up lights in the studio.  Sometimes I even save them, but I don’t really have anything to do with them – so I gathered up a few in one place for grins. (One day I’ll get the guts to pull the really super bad scary ones – everyone will love that! )

I have had super-short hair most of my adult life, but last summer I discovered a salon that specializes in curly hair.  We are taking the anathema of my youth to new lengths – and embracing it.  Although this collection is in no particular order, I think I will continue this little game and document our progress – as long as it lasts.

2015-03-05_0004

 

February 6, 2015

The new office manager, Fred the Cat  is  in charge of catnaps and distractions.  I REALLY do love my commute.

2015-03-05_0005

 

 

February 7, 2015

Pancakes!

Saturday mornings meant one thing in our home when I was growing up.  Pancakes!  As I got older and started spending Friday nights with friends, I was always disappointed to find that my price for a night of fun and giggles away from home usually meant cold cereal.  I just couldn’t believe that other families didn’t eat pancakes on Saturdays like we did.  What were they thinking?

Pancakes on Saturday continued as long as I can remember, except on weekends that we made WAFFLES!  Oh My!  When I was in high school, my dad got in on the act too.  He experimented with a wide array of different batter recipes and home made sourdough too.  Lots of variety, but always loads of melty butter and dripping with syrup.   To this day when I smell fresh cut grass (another Saturday tradition) it automatically triggers the thoughts of maple syrup … and bacon too.

I tried to carry the tradition forward while raising  my own kiddos.  Some weeks were more successful than others – and then my husband was diagnosed with celiac disease.  No more pancakes for us. – UNTIL a sweet neighbor gifted us with a box of King Arthur Flour Company’s Gluten-free Pancake mix and a bottle of Vermont maple syrup.  And it was GOOD!

The griddle lives again, and Saturday mornings are special once more.

2015-03-05_0006

February 9, 2015

Stylus – oh the drama

When the stylus disappears, stress increases by the minute.  Found this afternoon – on the floor – under a shoe.  I think Fred the Cat may have been involved.

2015-03-05_0007

February 13, 2015

Happy Valentines Day – One Day Early

Way back on our fifth anniversary, I gave Mike a box full of funny little gifts signifying our love.   Among the items, a handful of glass hearts with instructions to  carry one in his pocket as a reminder that my heart was always with him.

I didn’t just give him ONE heart.  I gave him a bag full because I didn’t want him to worry if something happened and he lost it.  I wanted him to know that we had plenty of love to spare.

Guess what … he has carried the same glass heart in his pocket every single day and never lost it.

He dropped it once, and there’s a chip in it now, but I think that gives it character.

We will celebrate our 18th anniversary in two weeks!  A heart of glass is more durable than you think it is.

2015-03-05_0008

 

 

February 14, 2015

Do you dare surprise someone on their  99th birthday?

If it’s MY Mawmaw, you sure do.  Is she not amazing?

She didn’t want to have a party this year because she’s saving that for the big 100, but fortunately for us her birthday fell on a Saturday.  That made it fairly easy for nearly all of her grandchildren to gather for lunch in her hometown.  My son stood in for my brother who lives more than 700 miles away.

2015-03-05_0009

 

February 16, 2015

Editing Photos

Fred has discovered the magic  cursor.

2015-03-05_0015

 

February 19, 2015

Lenten Photo Challenge – Preparation

I’m going to take a stab at the Lenten Photo Challenge with devotional thoughts again this year.  Two years ago I did a pretty good job.  Last year, not so much.    Here’s to 2015…

The wooden spoons and chopsticks in my kitchen take quite a bit of abuse.  I use and misuse them all the time. They have a role in nearly everything I prepare in our little kitchen – and I’m a pretty good cook, if I do say so myself.

Nothing beats the feel of wooden spoons against a pan or in a mixing bowl, but I am not careful with them. They stir our oatmeal and then rest too close to the burner, getting scorched. They reach vitamin tablets that bounce under the stove.  I throw them into the dishwasher where they withstand heat and harsh detergent ….

 Even though I have a canister filled with wooden utensils, there are a few that I always reach for first.  These are the ones I have had the longest, too.  They just seem to be the most seem to fit my hand and work the most efficiently.  These are the ones that are worn to a rich patina,  their grain is tighter and water doesn’t damage them nearly as easily as it does the newer ones.  One of them even got caught in a blender blade once, but over time the chipped end has worn to a new funky smoothness, and it’s still a favorite.

Eventually they ALL become dry, and pale, and rough and just plain tired, so when I can, I place them all together  into a pan and season them with mineral oil.  Just rub it in real well and let’em soak overnight.    After a little time of rejuvenation and polishing with a soft cloth, they’re ready to go back into the canister by my stove where they will continue to serve well.

Sometimes after a good oiling it’s hard to distinguish the old ones from the new.

Life does that to us as humans too.  We go about our business, doing whatever needs to be done. We spend our time and energy doing things that are not always in line with our priorities.  We don’t take good care of ourselves, and we get tired, cynical, distracted, and depressed.  But there are always a few people who seem to be in the midst of every activity, every service project.  They’re the first ones to offer encouragement.  They’re the ones organizing coat and sleeping-bag drives for the poor and meal schedules for families in crisis.  They always seem to have a smile on their face, time to listen, and a warm hug to share. Sometimes they even get stuck in the blender blades of crisis themselves, and they crack a little – but they bounce back faster than others.

And we as believers gather together, the seasoned leaders and disciples, the raw eager learners, the givers, the needy,  the creative thinkers, and the organizers who bring us back onto topic… and we mingle and work together, soaking up the healing oil of hope, the balm of mercy.  And we serve  together again. Each time we are a little more scarred, a little more worn down, but also a little more trusting, a little more resilient.

I want to be like the most used and worn out spoon in the kitchen.

This is Lent, y’all.  Let’s soak up the Peace that passes all understanding so that we can do everything that we are called to do.

“ For by grace you have been saved through faith; and NOT OF YOURSELVES, it is the gift o God; not as a result of works, THAT NO ONE SHOULD BOAST. For we are His workmanship, CREATED in Chris tJesus FOR GOOD WORKS, which God prepared eforehand, that we should walk in them.”  Ephesians 2:8-10

 

2015-03-05_0010

 

February 22, 2015

Oscar Night

– and it’s Fred on the Red … Carpet that is!

2015-03-05_0011

 

February 23, 2015

Lenten Photo Challenge – Water

It’s mentioned more than 700 times in the Bible and it is so important to everything in history

From the days of creation to Noah’s flood to Moses’ baby basket and the parting of the Red Sea . . . through the waters of baptism to the water that Jesus turned into wine.

Cities have been founded on it.  Wars fought over it

Water … it’s  a blessing, and it’s generally abundant.  It refreshes. It makes things grow, and it  washes away the dirt.

Parts of our country are in severe drought stages. Not just one year or two with low rainfall … SEVERE!   Lakes sit stagnant and nearly empty.  Farmers have shut down operations.  Once verdant hillsides have turned brown and crispy, but when just a little bit of rain falls in those areas, the tender grass greens up quickly, wildflowers bloom, and people who are not aware of the overall situation forget that water is in short supply.  They turn back to their  wasteful ways. … and eventually the taps  WILL run dry.

Is your soul in drought?

The Living Water that our savior offers is different from the water that comes from a well or the garden hose. Take a tiny sip.  Drink up.  Jump in!  Splash around and get yourself soaked – right down to the skin.  . . .  Because  THIS water will never run out.  THIS!  This is the good stuff!

“ … but whoever drinks of the water that I will give him shall never thirst; but the water that I will give him will become in him a well of water springing up to eternal life.”  — John 4:14

2015-03-05_0016

 

February 26 –

Spent some time this weekend photographing people photographing people.  Lots of great food and fun.

2015-03-05_0012

February 27, 2015

Day two of the barbeque cookoff.  NRG stadium, looking back across the bridge at the end of the evening

2015-03-05_0013

 

February 28

Cowboy Mardi Gras

Wrapping up the barbeque cookoff with  the amazing Dim Fiefelmann Cookers . What an amazing group of people.  They made me feel like a true part of their family.

I’ve lived in Houston for about 16 years, and have thoroughly enjoyed Rodeo Season, but this was my first experience with the cookoff.  I promise y’all, there isn’t anything else like this . . . anywhere.

1/5 second at f 2.8  while zooming. Shot with rear curtain flash, a technique that needs a little more practice.

2015-03-05_0014

 

So there you have it … a picture a day for MOST days in February.  Happy March everyone!

Senior Portraits – There’s Still Time, But Not Much – Katy West Houston Photographer

Alright Seniors, Spring Break is nearly upon us, which means only one thing.  You WILL be walking across the stage  and heading out into LIFE in a very very short time.

There’s lots going on, and it’s easy to let the details slip, so if you still haven’t scheduled your senior portraits — we’ve got your back — but you need to call us RIGHT AWAY for the greatest senior portrait experience in the Katy, Cy-Fair, Sugar Land, West Houston area.

2015-02-24_0001

The only concern is that we limit the number of seniors we take, and once our schedule is full, that’s it . . . we’re full.  That’s because we are a small boutique studio, and we take the time to personally consult with you about what YOU want from your portraits before you even come through the door.

We’ll talk about your wardrobe and  the way you want to be portrayed now and remembered for years and years to come.

We’ll determine the best type of locations for your session. … Our full service studio with ever-changing setups is always available — or we can travel with you to your favorite park, school yard, your family ranch, or even a destination city anywhere in the WORLD!

We’ll bring in a fabulous hair and makeup artist just for your session.

And we  will guide you through your entire ordering process which can be overwhelming if you’re left on your own.

We even  custom-design your graduation announcements so that they are unlike anyone else’s.   These are always so fresh and fun, reflecting your own personality,  that your  friends and relatives will feel like you are sending THEM a gift in the mail!


2015-02-24_0003

So, WHAT are you waiting for?

Call today and reserve the date and time that works best for you.   If you’re QUICK, you might even snag one of the few remaining spring break openings.

 The studio number is 281.773.7465.  If we are busy  and don’t answer the phone, LEAVE A MESSAGE.  We WILL call you back.

2015-02-24_0002

Visit Us On TwitterVisit Us On Facebook