Baby G: Slideshow

I've been re-working the way I process my images after a shoot so that I can get through them faster than before, but it has taken me FOREVER to nail down the process and poor Casey has been patiently waiting for her slideshow all this time.

So Casey, I am so happy to finally release this to you. Enjoy!

Home

The following images are for my sister Andie, who lives far, far away and can't visit often enough.

My mom puts so much time and thought into her house, with decorator touches in every nook and cranny. I have a new lens (yea me!), and so I walked around yesterday testing it out and capturing all of the gorgeous little details.

I hope you like you like it Andie!

I have a WINNER

Oh my gosh, this contest was so hard to judge. I had so many fantastic enteries! The challange I gave was to come up with a creative Lifestyle session involving your family, and I had to pick the one that I most want to shoot.

You people did not disappiont me. Holy cow, I was blown away and I wish I could photograph them all at no charge. But there can only be one winner, so I'm thrilled to award Marilyn Peebles with the Grand Prize of a free session, plus all of the images on CD.

Here is Marilyn's winning entry:

We love Gruene, Texas. Prior to having kids, Jonah and I spent many weekends there listenting to live music and staying at the Gruene Mansion Inn for a mini-getaway. It is still a place we love to take the boys on Friday afternoons to listen to the sound checks at Gruene Hall or have a frosty beverage at the Grist Mill while the boys play in the open field. The kids love to get a scoop of ice cream or a candy stick from the General Store. So, I thought it would be fun to have a "Tour of Gruene" session, with pictures doing our favorite things there: dipping our toes in the river, eating ice cream on the stools at the General Store, playing pool with the boys and listening/dancing to music at the Gruene Hall, spinning under the stars in the open field by the Grist Mill, etc. I think it would be fun to celebrate our Texas roots with pictures with the boys in Gruene.

What I love about Marilyn's session idea is that absolutely everything I was looking for is here: a beautiful and interesting setting (its Gruene, for pete's sake!), various things to do that involve the entire family, and it is something that has history and meaning to the family. I can't wait to have these images for myself, can you imagine how special they'll be for Marilyn?

I want to give a huge THANKS to everyone that entered. There wasn't a single idea that I didn't want to photograph, so if anyone would like me to do their session I will give you a BIG discount. Huge. The only ones I can't do are those who requested a Halloween session, and that is because, well, I'll be photographing my own kids that night.

Congratulations Marilyn, I'll see you soon from behind my camera!

Walker: Lifestyle Session

I think I've photographed Casey 6 times now, and each time it gets better and better. Her baby girl is growing like a weed, a perfect flower really, and even though she started out a bit cranky, she really perked up after her bath.

Casey, here is a sneak peak. I'll have a slideshow posted very soon!

There is one day left to enter my Free Lifestyle Session contest. I've had some incredible entries so far, very imaginative and some of the session suggestions have brought tears to my eyes.

Keep 'em coming! The deadline is Friday, Sept. 5th at midnight.

And the Winner Is...

Riann Doyle! You won a $20 Starbucks Gift Card for posting on my blog about my Big Announcement. I used Random.org to generate the winning number. Here are the results:

Random Integer Generator
Here is your random number: 1
Timestamp: 2008-08-30 15:20:02 UTC

Congratulations Riann!

Don't forget that there is still another contest running until next week. You can't win if you don't enter!

It's Here!

I can finally release it...the thing I've been working on for months-My Brand New Website!

The hardest thing for me was the process of deciding the over-all look of my site. There are some incredible website companies out there, and the longer I looked, the more overwhelmed I became. I started looking at the websites of other photographers that I love, trying to decide who has the best presentation, the easiest to navigate, the most elegant, or personable.

I also got caught in in trying to figure out what my brides would like best, and then the next day I would think that maybe it should appeal to families with kids. Maybe it should be colorful, cheerful and bright. No, it should be sophisticated, and slick. Modern. No, timeless. AAAHHH! It was so hard.

Well, it was hard until I attended the Free to Succeed Workshop in Austin last month. There, in the course of four hours, I learned EXACTLY what I needed to do to create the perfect website. I learned that I didn't need to look any further than myself. That the key to finding the perfect website, the perfect marketing materials and the perfect brand for my business, was ME.

Thinking back to that night, I can almost feel the earth shake as my entire BRAND suddenly gelled in my mind during the drive home.

I'm not slick, or especially colorful. I'm definately not the most modern woman. My house isn't perfect, I'm uncomfortable in super-slick houses. So none of those things would work for my brand.

So, who am I? Well, I'm kinda messy, a bit scattered, but with a decent amount of flair. I love texture, things that are handmade, not perfect. I love black and white. I have a busy schedule, but I'm fairly laid back. Art, in many different forms, has always been a part of my life.

At the workshop, we had to come up with 5 words to describe ourselves - my five were:
Not slick
Natural
Organic
Simple flair
Classic

Then we expanded on this, thinking of things that we like about the stores and restaurants that appeal to us, and I wrote:
Texture
Artisan
Soapstone
Torn edges
Quiet

And BOOM. I knew how everything should look.

I was incredibly impatient last year, when I wanted to put the site together but couldn't for several reasons (mostly because I needed more images). Now I am very thankful that I didn't do it sooner. It wouldn't have reflected me, it would have been a copy of what other photographers have done. Now, today, I can connect the dots, and I am very happy that I didn't do this sooner.

So here is the link:
EverAfterbyLeah.com

Take a look around and let me know what you think!

Christina: Quinceanera Portraits

Sometimes I get to photograph the most amazing kids. You might already know this, but I really love to do sessions for teenage girls. There are so many different reasons, but one of the things that I always marvel about is how different they all are, even when they are the exact same age, as is the case with the Quinceaneras I've done lately.

So this girl, this soon-to-be young lady, had an inner glow, a sense of peace, that I know for sure I didn't have at that age. She was so innocent, sweet, and loving, especially toward her mom-who I happen to know has put many luxuries aside for herself , in order to give her daughter a solid foundation.

Mother-daughter relationships are so hard sometimes, but these two made it seem easy, so natural and in particular, incredibly beautiful.






Her Quinceanera is less than a month away, so the last minute details are being taken care of. I recieved a shot list from them a couple of days ago, detailing every image that they want to ensure that I take-Christina with her escort, her grandparents, at the altar, with the girls, the boys, etc. Two pages of shots, two pages of memories that they are looking forward to.

I'd like to add one more shot to the list, one that trumps all the others as the image that sums up the entire event. I plan to get a very special portrait of Marie and Christina, mother and daughter, to record the incredibly special bond they have, and to represent the perfect love that they have.

Marie, I know that you are focused on making the party perfect for Christina, but make sure you doll yourself up-the camera will be on you, too!

Big Announcement Coming Soon!

I can't give away too much, but this is something I've been working on for months. It's almost ready...I can't stand the suspense, but tomorrow is the big day!

How 'bout a contest to celebrate? I will give a $20 Starbucks card to someone that I randomly chose from all those that post a comment either today or tomorrow (Friday) after the BIG REVEAL. The winner will be announced on Saturday.

How 'bout another contest? The prize-a FREE Lifestyle Family Session. To enter, send an email to me at LeahGodfredson@aol.com with your Lifestyle session idea. I'm looking for the most interesting session-for example:

We want pictures of our family while we fish together at Lake McQueeny.

or

We would like you to photograph us during the Halloween season while the kids pick out pumpkins at the Bracken Pumpkin patch.

or

I'd love to have photographs of my daughter at one of her soccer games.

The key to a successful Lifestyle shoot is that your family needs to be engaged in an activity together, it can be something exciting and fun, or relaxed, but the thing I'm not looking for is posed pictures at a park or in your home.

The activity needs to take place within 25 miles of San Antonio,and can occur anytime within the next six months. You will get a free session and a CD of all final images, to print anywhere that you choose. This is a $300 value! The contest will run for one week, so get your Lifestyle Session suggestion to me by Friday, Sept. 4.

Keep checking back for my Big Announcement, and don't forget that there are two contests going right now!

Hey, Cuz'

My good friend Lisa called me recently, with a small request. She wanted me to photograph her kids together with their cousins-all ten of them!

Well, I took on the challange but I knew it wouldn't be easy. We chose Landa Park in New Braunfels for the setting, mostly because of all of the things the kids can do there-feed ducks, throw rocks into the river, run, etc.

Here is the whole group. This tree is a fantastic "anchor" spot. Most kids love to climb trees so there is no problem getting them up there. It's a little dark in this area, so we grabbed a few and then moved on to find a brighter place.

I don't think I'll ever forget this kid. He spent the first 10 minutes screaming his head off, and the next hour being the most adorable thing I'd ever seen

It was very difficult to capture all 10 at the same time, so I divided them up into smaller groups:

And then I took some individual shots:

I don't think I'll ever forget this kid. He spent the first 10 minutes screaming his head off, and the next hour being the most adorable thing I'd ever seen:

We got a few fun shots (my favorite!):

As well as a few posed ones:

Thanks for spending time with me, guys. It was so much fun!