Over the Years: The Craven Family

The other day I was talking to my favorite person (my grandma Jo) on the phone and we ended up talking about the career paths we chose.  She was a nurse for most of her adult working years and I was an elementary school teacher for five years until I decided to resign and begin my photography business.  She told me there have been times when she thought about doing something besides nursing, but looking back now she couldn't imagine doing anything else.  She LOVED nursing!  Then she asked me what I career I would have chosen if I could start all over again.  As I thought, I honestly couldn't think of any other career choices I would have made.  

I loved teaching, but I didn't love the confines of teaching.  I loved that no two days were ever the same.  I loved having to adapt and be flexible throughout the day as different situations arose.  I loved the students and coworkers.  But I did not love the schedule.  I felt very confined.  When I decided to resign I immediately felt a huge weight was lifted off my shoulders and I could now breathe freely.  

I absolutely LOVE being a photographer!  I love nearly everything about it - besides paying taxes.  I love making my own schedule.  I love creating wall art for families that will be treasured for years to come.  I love it when clients tell me that my work captures so many emotions.  But most of all I love meeting new people and connecting with them!  I love to capture them year after year and create beautiful wall art that showcases their family!  For this reason I have decided to begin a series which focuses on my loyal clients over the years titled, "Over the Years."

The Craven Family

Meet the Craven Family! I first met the Craven Family several years ago when I transferred two of my children to Hallsburg ISD. My son was in fifth grade with their son. Those two became friends and through that friendship our families became friends. We have LOTS in common since we both have large families! From the very first year of being in business, the Craven Family has been photographed by me. They have participated in several of our mini sessions as well as family sessions. Each session is full of laughs and no matter how long we go without seeing each other, the conversation will always pick up right where it left off. They have been there several times when I needed help and I am blessed to call them my friends. Through the years our kids have grown and although that makes me a little sad, I look forward to their future.

2014 - Fall Mini Session

2014 - Halloween Mini Session (We STILL laugh about this photo!)

2014 - Candy Cane Mini Session

2014 - Family Session

2015 - Senior Session

2015 - Valentine Mini Session

2015 - Easter Mini Session

2015 - Fairy Imagination Session

2015 - Fall Mini Session

2016 - Family Session

2017 - Senior Session

2018 - Family Session

TWELVE sessions, y’all! The Craven Family has supported me from the very beginning and for that I am very grateful. Friends such as the Craven’s are a rare gift and I am blessed that I can honestly call them “my friends.”

“Always take note of who supports you genuinely. Those are the people you should always keep around.”

— unknown

THIS IS THE FIFTH FEATURED FAMILY IN THE "OVER THE YEARS" SERIES.  CHECK OUT OUR OTHER FEATURED FAMILIES!

1. The Wier Family

2. The Lopez Family

3. Tana and Layla

4. The Dale Family

Halloween/Fall Mini-Session Success!

The weekend of October 17th and 18th was a FABULOUS weekend for Smith Family Photography's Halloween/Fall Mini-Sessions!  The weather was nice and dry...and warm and sunny.  By all accounts it was a perfect weekend for the sessions! 

The sessions on Saturday were held in Groesbeck at Old Fort Parker.  We only had three available time slots for this location and they filled up quickly!  I was SO incredibly happy when the Wier Family booked the first time slot!  Last Halloween was the first time I met them at our very first Halloween Mini-Session.  They kiddos have grown a lot!  It really is amazing to watch them grow in front of the camera and know that I am helping their family capture their memories. 

Princess Anna and the Gnome, 2015

The difference a year makes!  Here is one of their Halloween/Fall Mini-Session images from last year.

Wier Family, 2014

It's always so much fun spending time with these cuties!  They have so much personality and we all feel so comfortable around each other, which really makes the photographs just that much better because they are genuine.  With Kayson walking this year, we were definitely moving around much more trying to keep up with him!  These siblings have so much love for one another :)

Sibling Love!  Isn't this the sweetest??

Another family I have had the pleasure of watching grow in front of my camera is the Craven Family.  They were also clients from the first Halloween/Fall Mini-Session last year.  They are also becoming more and more comfortable each time we have a session.  This year, the youngest three participated in the session.  The older ones all had somewhere else to be...as older kiddos typically do. 

The three youngest Craven children...all smiles this year, 2015

Miss Emma really came out of her shell for this year's session!  She was ALL smiles!  Last year she absolutely refused to be in the group photo with her brothers.

The Craven Clan (minus Emma), 2014

We have recently started adding collages into galleries due to the amount of clients that have been requesting them.  Collages are a great way to showcase your favorite photographs from the session in one frame! 

A collage for the Craven Family

We had one more client for the Halloween/Fall Mini-Sessions in Groesbeck, Miss Dixie...I mean, Wolfie.  This young lady is very energetic, spunky, and full of personality all the way down to her toes!  She would howl like Wolfie one minute and then want to show me how fast her horse could run the next! 

Dixie was in character as Wolfie...and howled!

As we ran from area to area, posing in various positions and acting the part of many different things, her mom stated that she would like one nice photograph with her daughter.  They got into position for the one photograph that mom requested and then this happened....

Dixie gave her mom a surprise when she asked for one nice photograph!

Mom finally got all she wanted...one nice photograph!

The last session on the Halloween/Fall Mini-Session weekend was held at Hewitt Park with the Senn Family.  They had to have an early time due to some obligations at church that morning.  I was honestly a bit worried when I was driving to the location because the sun really wasn't in the position that I hoped it would be for the session.  I arrived and began setting up.  As I was getting everything set up, I stood back and watched the sunrise.  I realized at that moment that this session was going to be amazing!  The light was going to be absolutely beautiful!  I was even more blown away when I began working with the family and realized how cooperative all of them were...even the three young children! 

Look at that light...and those cooperative kids!

This session went so smoothly from beginning to end!  The kids cooperated so well and much to my surprise, one of the first photographs that we captured had every single member of the family looking at the camera with a happy face!  Absolutely stunning! 

For their session I decided to make them a fun collage which would showcase each of the children with a family photograph.  Again, collages are great to showcase favorites in one frame.  I personally love them! 

Senn Family Collage

We have recently started creating one or two collages per gallery.  However, beginning today you will now be able to customize your own collage within the gallery by choosing the photos you'd like!  You will simply choose the number of images you'd like on your collage and then you will choose the photos.  I will arrange them in a collage and email you the "proof" for your approval prior to ordering from the professional lab.  If you have a different size in mind, or a different amount of photographs, just let me know and I will do my best to build a product that you would like.