Tag Archives: family portraits

Live in the Moment

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Summer is fast and furious for me… a senior, wedding and family photographer.  Some might call me “just a photographer” but it’s not like that… not at all.  My seniors, brides, and families invite me into their personal lives to share their very important life milestones.

If I was “just a photographer” then I wouldn’t get this lump in my throat as a dad walks his daughter down the aisle to hand her future over to a young man that can’t possibly love her as much as he does…

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…or when I see endless tweets of last season’s high school seniors packing their cars to head off to college. Who is going to feed them, protect them, love them?

Live_In_The_Moment_Blog 4 Being a mother and daughter myself, I can feel both sides of the fence.  I remember how excited I was to marry the love of my life. But, I remember my dad asking me if I was sure I was ready.

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I also remember packing my car and heading off to college.  I was SO excited.  But, I also remember my parents driving off without me.

The funny thing is that we all know it’s coming.  At the start of our senior year, or the beginning of your engagement, we know where we are headed.  If we prepare properly, then we are ready.  It’s the way life goes. Ready or not, it’s time.

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As summer is winding down, I continue to share these life milestones with my families. I’m technically “just your photographer” but, really I feel more like part of your family.

So, from the family member who is on the outside looking in, my advice to each one of my 2016 seniors, parents of 2016 seniors, brides, grooms, parents of my bride and grooms, and now my 2017 seniors and their parents…

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Live in the moment! Take it all in and enjoy every second with your loved ones.  We are exactly where we are supposed to be.  Thank you for including me in your family!

Do you know someone who needs a professional photographer? We’d love to be part of your family too.

What do you want to be when you grow up?

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A couple of times a year I have the privilege of participating in the CFB ISD 5th grade career fair.  Unfortunately for me, it always happens during the busiest times of the year. But, I’m honored to be included.  There are tons of photographers they could ask, but they choose me.  And I don’t take that lightly.

The set up is similar to any other trade show, the difference is, the attendees are 5th graders. Hundreds of them!  Their objective is to visit with the representatives from careers they think they may want to choose when they get older.

These kids are my future employees, clients and competitors.  I want to give them the most useful information and the best advice possible.

One 5th grade  boy walked up and asked me what was the worst part of my job… okay, I wasn’t expecting that question so I thought a minute.  I told him that as a business owner, I had to do the day to day chores around the office like taking out the trash and cleaning the bathrooms.  Without even thinking, he responded “do you have to go to college for that?”  I couldn’t help but laugh.

Then another 5th grader asked me what I wanted to be when I was in 5th grade.  That was also a great question. These kids will change their minds a million times from now until they start their careers.  But the great thing about this career fair is that it gives the kids an opportunity to look a professional in the eye, shake their hand and speak to them face to face.  It also gets them thinking about their future and opens their eyes to many new opportunities. The sky is the limit for these kids, they can do anything they want.  And because of that… the kids… I will continue to carve out time to spend with the future of this awesome city.

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Proper Portrait Sizing – Tips from a Carrollton Professional Family Photographer

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Since family portrait season is in full swing, we wanted to take the time to educate our clients on how to pick the best size for their wall portraits. Often our clients tell us they “don’t need anything big” for their walls, only to come back and need to upgrade their portrait size. Here are our tips for how to choose the right portrait size for your home!

DVD's are not portraits!

1. DVD’s are not portraits!
We love being able to offer digital collections to our clients, but the portraits rarely make it off the disk! By having Texas Tradition Photography print your wall portrait, you get amazing quality, choice of mounting or gallery wrap, and you won’t be able to resist hanging your portrait right away!

8x10's aren't big!

2. 8×10’s only seem big when you’re holding them.
Unless you have a wall with A TON of portraits hanging on it, your wall will look empty. 8×10’s are great for desks and wall clusters, but they don’t make great wall portraits.

16x20's are still too small

3. Not bad, but not great.
This 20×24 is starting to fill the space, but still isn’t making much of an impact, even with a wider frame.

30x40 Perfect!

4. Now this is what we’re talking about!
This portrait is a 30×40. It may sound HUGE, but the second it’s hung on the wall it looks perfect!

Not sure what size will work best on your walls? Grab a sheet of paper and hang it on your wall. If it looks too small, add another sheet until it looks right. Once it is the perfect size, measure it. Bring in your measurement and we can help you find the perfect wall portrait for you!

Still need guidance? Give us a call, we would love to help you decorate your home with beautiful portraits!

If it’s worth having, it’s worth working for…

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Have you ever heard the saying “if it’s worth having, it’s worth working for.”  Well that’s what comes to mind this time of year as I photograph so many families.

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When a mom calls me to schedule her family portrait session, we have to compare and cross reference work, sports, dance and social calendars of all the family members. By the time we have chosen a date and time that works for everyone, something comes up like a playoff game or a sick kid. Then we are scrambling to reschedule. Once that perfect date is established, it’s shopping time.  Everyone in the portrait must look their best from head to toe.  Often times this means going to several stores on several different days to secure the perfect attire.

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This has already added up to be a timely investment.  Now, let’s talk about getting the entire family clean, dressed and to the portrait location on time AND in a good mood.  By this time, a lot of families just want to get it over with… this is where I take over.  I bring my years of experience dealing with all ages, personalities and family dynamices to come together and create an amazing family experience.  It’s not just a portrait session, although that is the ultimage goal.

By the end of our session, everyone is laughing and playing and having fun.  The session planner (usually the mom) hugs me and says she is glad it’s over.

…pause for effect… hopefully, you have chosen a great photographer because after all of this time, the portraits need to be BREATH-TAKING!!

Fast forward a week… we meet, usually with the whole family, to view and order the portraits and it hits mom hard… tears start to flow… and she thinks “if it’s worth having, it’s worth working for!”

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“Our” Dr. Thames – Carrollton Family Portrait Photographer

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I’m sure a lot of you recognize this staff!  We have been working with Dr. Thames and his staff for a couple of years now and love them all. I challenge you to find another orthodontist that is as friendly as they are! (and good looking)  If you need braces, or if you think you need braces, you should check them out at www.DrThames.com

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The Sanchez Family 2012 – Carrollton Family Photography

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Here are a few images from the Sanchez family portrait session.  We met at a beautiful greenbelt park in Carrollton. It was a hot day, but just perfect for this family portrait session. Andrea, the oldest daughter, was one of our 2013 senior models. We had an amazing time and I hope you enjoy their portraits as much as we do.

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I’m always up to something…

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Over the years the photography industry has changed SO much! It seems like there is always something new to learn. When I have free time, (ha ha) I usually choose to clean house, spend time with my family or read the stack of photography magazines I have sitting in the nook by my bedroom.  Well, this weekend I had (took) time to do all three.

My husband, daughter and I went to see the movie Brave.  It was super cute. We haven’t seen a move in a really long time so it was good to get out.  But, as I was sitting there with my super cute 3D glasses on, I couldn’t help be notice all of the information that was being thrown at me. There were posters on the walls and cute little cut out signs and adorable animated commercials on the big screen. It was hard to relax with all of that going on but it was interesting to see how much NEW information gets thrown at us in such a short amount of time. The remarkable thing about it was that even my 9 year old daughter retained a lot of it. She came home talking about the funny little songs they sang before the show even started.

Usually I’m not always thinking about ME, but I am always thinking about Texas Tradition Photography. So, I wondered how all of this information could possible relate to my business. And then it hit me. We do a lot of fun things around here, but unless you show up for the fun, you almost never hear about it. The bunnies come and go, the senior sessions come and go… the weddings, the newborns, dance schools… I am having SO much fun and it seems like no one knows.

So, that brings me to this NEW blog.  I’m not an amazing writer or anything like that, but I do want to share my passion for photography with you. So, if you are interested in hearing about the adventures of a girl with a passion for photography…. from a little town in Dallas, then follow along.