DARN FACEBOOK!!!

Found Facebook and totally forgot about my blog. Oh well... promise to post something real soon. Especially since fb just changed it's format and I can no longer see any "highlights". -peace out!

Introducing MELANIE! FCS 2010 Senior Model!

What happens in Vegas doesn't always stay in Vegas!

These images are from my recent trip to Las Vegas. I went there
with a couple of my BFFs to celebrate my 40th birthday. Had a blast!!!
Met some interesting people and a few wacko's... more than I care to
remember. The lights at night were a photographer's dream!

Christmas Lights B A B Y !!!

Here are a couple of images from Christmas Eve! We took the
kids to Johnson City to see the lights at town square and at
PEC (our electricity provider). The kids loved it, of course and
we did too! Santa was not there, when we visited this year,
as he had better things to do that evening.

JUNIOR and SENIOR STUDIO REPS WANTED!

Fall Creek Studios is currently looking for Junior and Senior
Studio Representatives! Participating Schools: Westlake, Lake
Travis, St. Michael's Academy, Regents School, Marble Falls
High School and Faith Academy. We need just a few juniors and
three seniors from each school... So don't wait, get your
application in today! Studio Reps will receive a free studio
portrait session and free portrait gifts to give to friends &
family! Download the application here.

Operation Smile - The gift of surgery

Since 1982, more than 115,000 children and young adults have been treated by thousands of volunteers worldwide and thousands of healthcare professionals have been trained globally. For as little as $240 Operation Smile can change a child's life by giving the gift of a surgery. Revenue in excess of surgical costs is invested into our sustainability programs, empowering our partner countries to treat more children on their own and making your investment go even farther. In as little as 45 minutes, one cleft lip surgery can change a child's life forever.

During October, November & December,
Fall Creek Studios will be donating $50 from each portrait
session fee to Operation Smile

Halloween Fun!

Here are my kiddos a few days before Halloween! They had such a good time trick-or-treating this year. I... ummm I mean THEY have so much candy to eat!

The Hippie

The Sushi Chef

Dunna nunna nunna nunna Batman!

Sunny & Co.

Here are a few images from my session with Sunny and her Mom & Dad. She is a HOOT and boy can she talk up a storm! She loved talking about blue tacos and her new friend (my 36 inch stuffed studio bear). :o)

Wall Groupings

Just one example of a wall grouping. These were designed as 16x16 black and whites, matted in a gallery white mat with thin solid black frames. So much cuter than just one image... Think in multiples of the same size to make a bold statement in your home.

Bill and Whitney are MARRIED!

Congratulations Bill and Whitney!

Whitney's Bridal

Here are a few images from Whitney's bridal session - Isn't she beautiful!!! She and her entire family and family-to-be are such a pleasure to work with and photograph. Got to love beautiful people!

California Cool...

I would like to introduce you all to Alec and Taylor from California.
These cool teens are brother and sister and were in Austin visiting
family.... My family. Alec and Taylor are my nephew & niece.
Taylor will be heading off to college in New Orleans this year!!!
How Exciting!!!

Heather and Mark are having a baby!

Look at this sweet couple I had the pleasure of photographing.
They are so sweet and so very excited - just counting the
days until their baby girl arrives.

The Brelli Umbrella

I just found the coolest thing... Well, cool to me. The umbrella is 100% biodegradable! How cool is that? I just think it will be fun to use it for my senior shoots. Promise to post images for you to see it in use! Get your own by visiting Brelli.

Batman - The Dark Knight

My son's new favorite toy: Batman The Dark Knight on his
Knight Cycle. No! We won't let him see the movie but he
is all into the cartoons and the new toys.

Pesl - Ray Family Vaca !

Even on vacation - remember to eat your greens!

words to live by...

Our Lemonade Beach House

Wonder if the fish are biting today???

Trout Street scenery

Kennedy is loving getting sandy! The vacuum did too!

Zac - digging for shells, gold and a winning lotto ticket!

Gracen and Rileigh Kate making sand castles.

cute bathing suit mom.

Sunbathing cuties!

...more Trout Street

The Gang
(Big G, KiKi, Tacker, G-man & Chaos)

Like Mother, Like Daughter
(Too bad there's no photo of Mom doing the exact same thing later that night)

What tha???

This is a shell... on the beach

Dr. Pepper - Always is STYLE!

Still screams like a girl!

Kennedy with her creation "Girl and dog on a leash - 6549."

"The Toe Show"

Trust me... their bite IS worse than their bark!

Baby Momma!

Here is an image from my session with Amy from Pflugerville. This A&M graduate is going to have one big baby boy! He is due any day now and he is already so very loved by his parents! Can't wait to meet this little Aggie!

I'M IN TOP CHEF HEAVEN!

Please tell me there are more TOP CHEF fans out there ??? I know my niece Rachel is as addicted to the show as I am. Sweet little Dale just got eliminated. He was kind of evil but always looked like he was so sad or maybe tired. LOVE judge Tom Colicchio - wonder if I would think he was that cute if he were a my plumber or the cable guy... Think it's the whole Chef/Judge thing. Oh well. Totally voting for a chick to win this season... Antonia or Stephanie??? Not sure who I like better but I am cheering for them both! Just needs to be a girl! :o)

Gracen... An angel?

Here are a couple of images from my "angel" session with my oldest child, Gracen. She is an angel... Well at school anyway - not so much at home - she can "roll" her eyes better than I can. This session was done the day following my Lasik eye surgery. I was still pretty much blind (and very cranky) but we still managed to get some pretty cool images from the session.

Bill & Whitney are getting married!

Is this not the most gorgeous couple EVER?

This is an image from my session with Bill and Whitney of Westlake. What a fun session this was. I really think this looks like an ad from a magazine... Maybe an ad for toothpaste, or great hair or perfect skin.... or maybe just an ad for being really good-looking. Cannot wait for their wedding in August!

Can someone please order some RAIN?

How much rain does it take to make our Waterfalls flow? For sure more than this. They are quickly disappearing! This is an image from the Cleaveland Session done a few months back. Years ago, you could barely hear anything in the grotto due to the roar of the flowing water. Now... just a trickle. If anyone knows a good rain dance, I am willing to pay for lessons.

Zac celebrates a few milestones

Shoot 'em up! Go Red Raiders! Congratulations to big cousin Andy who graduates from Texas Tech this year. "Hey Zac... Aggies have more fun!"

"Okay, but if I give up the diapers... can I keep the cool mud boots?"

Here's my Tacker (aka Zac or Zacharias as he is known by God). He is total boy. Well, except for the screaming like a girl thing he does every time his sisters take something of his away from him. Not sure how to teach him how to scream like a man. Favorite things to do: Eating snackies, watching American Dragon: Jake Long and burping.

Wall ART

This is Wall Art

This is Wall Art

And THIS is WALL ART

SAVE A PHOTOGRAPHER - SHARE YOUR WALLS!

Luke... I am your Father

This is my sister-in-law and partner-in-crime and her kiddos at Halloween. (Is it okay to hyphenate everything? well spell-check says Y-E-S) They came all the way from New Orleans to spend 5 hours partying with us at my oldest child's 7th birthday party. We had a blast in the studio creating silly portraits as party gifts. Boba Fett - You had me at Hello!

Rileigh Kate turms 5!

My middle child, Rileigh Kate (a.k.a. Mini Me, Little Sue Ellen, Ri-Pi & Riles) turns the big 5 this month. Okay, you are not all invited to her party but we are accepting gifts. ;o) We are planning a ceramics painting party and then lunch at Serrano's (her second favorite restaurant - Rosie's on Hwy 71 is number ONE in her book). Should be a lot of fun!

Kristin B. - America's Next Top Model

Here is an image from my session with Kristin B., another Faith Academy 2008 Graduate. She was a lot of fun. Her mother and big sis came along with to help out. Kristin really got into being "America's Next Top Model" for the afternoon. There were so many images with so many different looks... it was hard to believe it was the same girl from image to image. I had so many great images for her to choose from. She really rocked this session! Thanks Kristin and big sis Karen!

A Passion for Rusty Things!

For some reason... I love rusty objects. Cannot figure out why but it is kind of like my obsession with doors and chairs. Even during some of my college photography courses many years ago, I remember being drawn to things that were distressed and falling apart. Some of the images are from around our ranch, some from Arizona and New Orleans. I should make a book one day of all the rusty things I see. No one will buy the book, so I will just make one copy to place on my coffee table in my studio. The book will be simply titled.... "RUST" and here are the first 9 pages. ;o)

Grandparents... Not just for hugs & kisses anymore.

I have been so fortunate lately to work with such wonderful loving families from all over the US. What a great idea. Don't just have your family portraits made and send them to Grandma and Grandpa.... Actually have them involved with the session. We never did this as kids and oh how I would love to have a professional portrait of me and my sisters with our grandparents.

Faith Academy Girls Win State 2A Track!

KJ captures gold for winning the 800 and Mile run at state!

Bailey & KJ holding some of their winnings

Able to leap tall buildings..... Bailey winning State

Check out these images from the family of KJ and Bailey. Look at Bailey pole vaulting! Like who does that? Other than maybe Super Girl! Incredible! Bailey & KJ took home trophies for 1st place 400M Relay (that was my all-time favorite as a track athlete in High School), the TAPPS 2A Pole Vault (would NEVER have attempted that in High School or EVER!) and State 2A Champions for Track & Feild 2008. You go girls! Nice to know all that hard work, injury and sweat was worth something so awesome.

KJ

Great! I hope I am not addicted to blogging now. This is fun! Sure hope someone reads it other than me. :o)

This image was from my session with Kristin or "KJ" as her friends call her. She was tons of fun. She did an awesome job of modeling during her senior session. So cute... and so willing to try whatever just to get that perfect shot. Gig 'em Aggies!

Bailey Shea

Check out this image from Bailey's Senior Session. We had so much fun, roaming around looking for fun spots to photograph. She was a natural! This was the front of her very cool, totally custom graduation announecment. Nothing blah and boring for this girl! Gig 'em Aggies!

Ranch Hand

Here the image that won me a first place at Austin Professional Photographers Association the past month. This is Cole. Isn't he cute? Four years old and ready to ride the range with Dad and Grandpa. Tons of "smiling" images of him but with this one, there is such a connection with the viewer. Thanks for an awesome session and award winning image Cole!

First Time Blogger!

Okay. Said I would NEVER have a blog. Said I would NEVER have enough time to maintain a blog but.... after a week long class with the amazing Sarah Petty, I was convinced... I HAVE TO HAVE A BLOG. So here it is. What do I do next??? Oh, pretty sure I am supposed to post a few images. I'll get right on that. I'm kind of scared, but I do see that there is a spell-check button. Good thing for me! Okay. Now I just have to figure out how to add a photo. Shouldn't be too hard. Right?