Merry Christmas & Happy New Year!

Light Artistry wants to wish all of you and yours a very Merry Christmas & a safe and Happy New Year! Until then...

DPPA Roaring 20's Christmas Party

Every year, the DPPA (Dallas Professional Photographer's Association), has it's annual Christmas party. Usually at some awesome facility. This year was no exception (we had it at our new meeting location), but with a twist this year: a Roaring 20's theme (or you could attend in formal wear). What a wonderful idea! For those who participated in extravaganza, it was fun, and apparently hard for the judges to choose the best costume. Anyways, it was fun. Since my sweet husband was out of town working, I took on my my dear friends (a client) with me. She is also responsible for the hair and makeup. These pictures were taken before quickly heading off to dinner and the party. I can't wait to see what next year will be like! To see more of the costumes,check out: dallasppa.com.

Gailey Family Portratis

WOW, Gailey Family! What an honor & a blast we had photographing your wonderful family! :) The Gailey family was part of our "Portraits in the Park" families in November. As you might notice, there's no park. Well, the kids were more interested in playing and doughnuts for breakfast than having pictures made. So, we were invited into the Gailey's home to photograph them in their "natural" environment. What a blessing it was! Here's some of the wonderful images we captured.

Portraits in the Park

Need a family portrait? How about updating your last family portrait? We have some exciting news! We are having our first annual Family Portraits in the Park this year! Join us for this wonderful opportunity to get a jump start on your Chirstmas shopping!

Matthew's Senior Portraits

Matthew, an apiring actor and musician, is one of our 2010 Senior Models, and he attends Denton Guyer. We started Matthew's portrait session out at his home, where he played the piano for us. Then, off to an outside destination to finish his session. Thanks, Matthew for all of your hard work.

Harrison's Senior Portraits

Harrison is one of our 2010 Senior Models this year. He attends Denton Ryan and loves football. What a crazy morning we had! :) Harrison is funny and easy to photograph. Thanks for all of your hard work, Harrison.

I Am Not Lost...

Just in case you all were wondering, no, I'm not lost. August was so busy that I couldn't keep up with blog updates! Yikes! :) Well, I'm getting ready to upload/update like crazy. So, sit back, relax, and enjoy the view...

Been waiting on that Family Portrait? Need an updated Family Portrait? For the month of July, Light Artistry is offering 50% off all session fees for Family Portraits! Contact us today to book your reservation! Don't wait on those priceless family heirlooms anymore! You must book your appointment before July 31st to receive this promotional offer.

Class of 2010 . . .

Here's our latest special for High School Seniors, Class of 2010: July's Special is all about saving you money and getting a jump start on your Senior year! Through the month of July, any incoming Senior will receive 65% off of their session fee as long as they book their Portrait Session before August 31st. You MUST call in July to receive this valuable offer! Contact us for more information.

Happy 4th of July!!!

What a Beautiful Day it is, not to mention an honor, to have the opportunity to celebrate our FREEDOMS in this Amazing Country! We are so Blessed as a Nation, even in this difficult time. Yes, we are still at war, the economy is in a blunder, prices keep rising, unemployment is at an all time high, and it seems like there are so many difficult obstacles to overcome (from global warming to the failing health care system, to the scary demise of our infrastructure and the major overhaul it needs, etc). However, despite all these things, there is still HOPE. Our country was founded on many FREEDOMS. Throughout the life of this country we have sent our men and women off to war to protect those FREEDOMS. As we celebrate this Independence Day, let us not only remember what's currently at our door, but reflect on what we've overcome, and remember there is always HOPE for our future; the future of this great nation.
Happy Independence Day!
Happy 4th of July!
Happy Birthday, America!

For My Dad...

This year I wanted to do something special for my dad for Father's Day. All the men in my life, my dad, my brother, my husband, and sometimes even my father-in-law and brother-in-law, are hard to buy for at any holiday. In June, there's double duty because my dad's Birthday is a couple of days after Father's Day. Well, last year at Thanksgiving, I wanted to photograph my dad's bike just to see if I could do it. Usually when I want to photograph something I've never photographed before, I try and psych myself out. But, when it comes down to it, I just have to remember it's all about what I already know; what I'm passionate about. I'm the hardest on myself and am always looking for ways to improve for the next time and the time after that. In certain realms of photography, for me at least, it takes me a few tries to get it the way I want it. However, all in all, I'm proud of these images. We photographed the bike in my parent's garage for two reasons: 1) that's where the bike was, it was a holiday and we had family in town, the weather was rainy (ok that's 3 in 1 but these were all factors that kinda went together as one) and 2) the floor in the garage (my dad did all the flooring--he's a carpenter). I think this was as much fun for my dad as it was for me. :)

Anyways, DAD, here's to you . . .

Vacation!

!Hola! Greetings! We have returned home from our wonderful, but short vacation. Sometimes I wish we could stay on vacation for...well, I'm not sure how long exactly, but they are always shorter than they should be. Anyways, my husband and I celebrated our 5 year Anniversary on Friday the 5th. But enough about that, let's get on with the vacation. Every year we try and go somewhere we've never been (always a good plan...lol). This year we decided to stay in Texas and head to Houston and Galveston. We took the scenic route down 35W to San Marcos for a little shopping first. After that we explored Wonder World and also went on the glass bottom boats. It was educational and fun, BUT very humid and hot. Our guide told us that where the boats were that they used to have underwater shows that people could watch in a submarine. How cool would that have been! Unfortunately, it's all gone now because it was too much to maintain and too hard for them to keep up with Sea World in San Antonio. That part of the park was shut down in 1994 or 1996 ( I can't remember). Now, the University owns the land and allows them to stay open for education and research. Next stop...Galveston. Althought hurricane Ike did a number last September in this area, for the amount of time that has passed, it looked in decent shape. I'm sure there are many areas that still are not up to par, but I think all in all it's done well in rebuilding in the short amount of time. We went to the Moody Gardens, which had just recently reopened, and spent a day and a half there. There's so much to see and do. I was a little disappointed in the Rainforest Pyramid as there were not any butterflies and only a few tropical species of birds. Most of the animals had been transferred out to different areas around the state, etc., so the gardens had not had time to replace them or gotten them back. It was still an awesome place to visit, though. Our last stop took us to the Space Center in Houston. Although I went as a child, I don't remember it. It was EXTREMELY crowded when we arrived, but to spend the day there was awesome! There was a tram ride that took you over some parts of the campus at Johnson Space Center. We also got to see a special exhibit with some of George Lucas' works. Darth Vadar and some Storm Troopers were walking around inside the center. Our drive home was uneventful until we were about 20 miles outside of Dallas about 12:30am on Thursday morning. Nature was putting on quite a lightning show and the storm clouds were beautiful but had me a little worried. The rain came loud and fast and it was all we could do to see with the wipers on full blast. This is where some people, and a few were, would pull over until it lightened up a little. We just pushed through. CAREFULLY, I might add. All we could do was think about how nice it would feel to sink into our pillows at home. AAAAAHHHHH.....zzzzzzzzzz Oh, sorry! :) Here's some pics of our vacation! Enjoy! :)

In Memorium

Late last week one of my Grandmothers passed away. She was in her 70's and had a wonderful life. She is survived by many, but loved by all. Her and my Grandpa live out of state in the country. As a child, my brother and I were really blessed because we had 2 and a half sets of grandparents ( 3 grandmas and 2 grandpas). About 10 years ago, we lost one of our grandfathers. Now, we're down to 2 grandmothers and 1 grandfather. Anyways, Grandpa seems to be doing as best as to be expected. He says he's "putting one foot in front of the other."

What I remember most about my Grandma is how long she always kept her hair. During the day, she always either wore it in a long braid or up in a bun, depending on what she was doing that day. I remember being in wonder at how long and beautiful her hair was when she brushed it out at the end of the day. (My other two grandmas keep their hair short). I remember Grandma's smile and how when she laughed she had this sparkle in her eyes. When we were kids, and even on the occasions later on when we visited my grandparents, she always made my grandpa breakfast (usually sausage in an iron skillet with toast and coffee) every morning. Sometimes it was only coffee, but she made sure he had everything he needed before she took care of herself or went off to work. When my brother was younger, he would go and visit my grandparents every summer for two weeks. He liked to help my grandpa in the chicken houses. I wasn't old enough to help and ususally didn't get to go that often in the summer because the two weeks my brother would go and visit, I usually had Girl Scout camp. I remember as a kid, her and my grandpa owned restaurants, too many to remember---they loved to cook and serve. They had this one restaurant (Mexican food was their favorite) where they had a game room in the back. All of us grandkids would get together and play in the gameroom before dinner and afterwards when all of the adults were talking. Every time we went to visit, there was always a new adventure waiting on us.

Grandma was someone you could always count on and loved you no matter what. She never passed judgement, but was always there to lend a hand. Her family was most important to her.

On our long drive to the graveside service, I wondered what she would say and think about all of the fuss for her. Standing there at her memorial, underneath the beautiful, shady trees with a slight breeze on a sunny and mildly warm day, I could see her, feel her, and hear her saying how much she loved each of us. Grandma loved the country and the fresh air. One of her favorite places was her backporch where she could sit for hours and enjoy the outdoors. She is at peace now.

Enjoy your NEW backporch, Grandma. And remember, Grandma, we love you! You will be missed...

Keep in Touch...

Well, that's all for this week and next week is the beginning of a new month, so until next time, keep in touch, don't be a stranger, etc. Don't forget to visit our Boudoir Blog at: www.artistryoflight.buttonsandbowsboudoir.blogspot.com for updates as well! See you soon! :)

"Syria"

About 3 weeks ago, I photographed a good friend of mine, Yukari, to help her update her modeling portfolio (her modeling name is Syria, in case you're wondering and you can find her on http://www.modelmayhem.com/kaoriangel). We decided to do a sort of fashion shoot in old, rusty, character-driven places for a different look (she's on our Boudoir blog as well). Before I forget, I have to give a shout out to a few people who helped us along the way. First, to Patty with the local Chamber of Commerce for all of her wonderful suggestions of places to photograph. Second to the owner of the Old Peanut Mill in Aubrey. Thank you for letting us borrow this wonderful old landmark (I'm sorry I forgot your name and I lost my paper that it was on..nice, huh? ;) ). Third, to Wes and his wonderful antiques store/art gallery and Dolly and her Cafe' who helped to put us in touch with Maggy. To Maggie and Roland for letting us use your wonderful old house. What a beautiful place to photograph at! To the guys at the Aubrey Fire Station for letting us use your building and firetruck as a "prop". And last, but not least, to Kiki, Yukari's friend from Hawaii for her input and assistance in the photo shoot. I'm sure I've probably forgotten someone, so if I have, I'm sorry, but Thank You as well. Man, I feel like I just won something and am giving a speech...lol. Anyways, here are some of our favorites from the shoot.

First Communion

This year I also got to photograph my first First Communion at St. Ann's in Coppell. Although we didn't actually photograph the ceremony, we did photograph the First Communicates and their families, siblings, or best friends. I have to give a shout out to Gayla because she was an angel throughout the process. Thank You! Gayla, you're photographs are in the mail,(and so are everyone else's) so hopefully this doesn't spoil the surprise for you!

No Boys Allowed

About 3 weeks ago, I went and photographed a 98th Birthday Tea Party for a family. It was a wonderful experience because we got to enjoy celebrating a woman whose lived life to the fullest (so it seemed) and she's still spunky! I love that about Mimi! :) When we arrived, we also found out that there were two other girls who were celebrating birthdays around the same day as Mimi's birthday. One young lady was celebrating her 14th birthday, while the other was celebrating her 1st birthday. What a wonderful idea using a Tea Party to celebrate the range of ages. It will be a lasting memory for all those who attended, even the one year old as she'll have photographs to look at.... Thank you, Marilyn, Marilee, Mimi, and the whole gang for allowing us the awesome opportunity to capture this precious time.

Cari's Maternity

My friend Terry's daughter, Cari, and Cari's fiance' are expecting their first child in just a couple of weeks or less. It's a BOY! So, CONGRATULATIONS!!! A couple of months ago I photographed Cari and James at the Stockyards for Cari's Maternity session. I've been working on their shower gift (the shower was in April---perfection takes time you know...) for a couple of months. Hopefully, Cari won't see this update until later next week or so because these pages are from her Maternity album that we made for their Baby gift. Cari, if you do see this, oh well...you just have to wait to see the rest...lol. We had so much fun, even though it was a bit hotter than expected. Near the end, we got a breeze...that's the way it goes, of course...oh well, what can you do? Laugh it off, Sunshine. Laugh it off!

Family Portraits

For Mother's Day (and Father's Day) this year, my own mother decided that my Grandparents would LOVE to have family pictures of us (we're not quite a clan yet...lol). Anyways, everyone was busy and it was crazy with trying to find matching shirts and then actually trying to not only find a location that was a reasonable drive for all (my brother lives in Waco), but to actually photograph us all...well, you get the idea. Anyways, there's this quaint little park, apparently one of several, in Keller near where my parents currently reside. My mom and I chose this location for our big group photo and decided to use a portion of the surrounding area to get some different group photos as well. Time was limited because of everyone's crazy schedule and it was a windy day, so hair do's weren't on the survival agenda. However, they weathered the wind storm and all turned out well. I love this picture of the guys...dad, bubba, and hubby... :)

Faith Lutheran

Well, I did my first Confirmation this year held at Faith Lutheran in Plano. I have to give a shout out to Charlotte, who was an angel throughout the whole process. On the day of the photo shoot, it was humid and cloudy. Well, we took our big umbrella to the church just in case of rain. Upon arriving back at the studio, aka home, I asked my husband, my assistant for the day, if he remembered getting the umbrella. Well, I'm sure you've guessed by now that we completely forgot it. I called Charlotte and she happily met me the following week in McKinney, as I was on my way to sell to a dance studio, to return my umbrella. It rained that evening while I was at the dance studio selling photographs. Thank You, again, Charlotte! Anyway, here's the group photo that we chose for the Confirmation Class.

High School Senior

Well, I went on a photo shoot with a colleague to help her with a Senior session. Here's some of what I shot. I loved this Victorian dress and hat. We were at the Arboretum in Dallas and I heard people whispering that she must be a Princess, royalty, or some sort of extremely important person. I also love this Goth look...definitely shows a couple of sides to her personality.

Real Life

Ok, So I said at the beginning of this month that there would be new postings on both blogs at the end of the first week of May. Well, REAL LIFE, as usual, got in the way. However, I'm happy to report that there is about to be a HUGH update with all of the assignments that I mentioned in the last blog...YEAH!!! So, sit back and enjoy these NEW posts! :)

Ok, well, I DID Promise to be a better blogger and so here it is! I've been extremely busy for the past month with many photography projects, and I am so excited to share them with you! I've also been helping out a fellow photography colleague of mine (aka one of my mentors) with a Dance School. For two weekends we photographed all the dancers in their cute and cool outfits for their Dance Recital (it was held Saturday, March 25). I am happy to report that all went well, according to the teachers at the school. I've also been helping my colleague with the editing and ordering process, as she's extremely busy and needed a little help. We all help each other when we can. :) A Wonderful Perk in this Business!! I also photographed a High School Senior session with my colleague. As for me, I've recently photographed a maternity session, a Confirmation, a 98th Birthday Tea Party, and a First Communion in these past few weeks. Look for some of these postings to be up by the end of this upcoming week! See you back here soon! :) Also be sure to check out our Buttons and Bows Boudoir blog, at http://www.artistryoflight.buttonsandbowsboudoir.blogspot.com/, as updates will also be posted by the end of this upcoming week! :)

Calling All Families...

Been waiting on that Family Portrait? Need an updated Family Portrait? For the month of April, Light Artistry is offering 50% off all session fees for Family Portraits! Call or email us today to book your reservation! Don't wait on those priceless family heirlooms anymore! You must book your appointment before April 30th to receive this promotional offer.

Calling All High School Seniors

Have you taken your High School Senior Portraits, yet? Well, if you haven't, then give us a call or email us and we can handle all of your portraits needs!