Over the Years: The Cardwell 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 CARDWELL FAMILY

I first photographed the Cardwell children in 2015 when I took their school portraits. I continued photographing the children in the school setting for three years. In December of 2018 I finally had my chance to photograph their entire beautiful family! Since that time I have continued to photograph their children both in the school setting, as well as outdoors when I offer mini sessions. It is such an honor to be their family photographer.

December 2018 - The Cardwell Family had their first family session in Downtown Waco

Two months later the Cardwell children were again in front of my camera for their Valentine Mini Session. That year they would actually participate in THREE of our Mini Session events - Valentine, Easter and Christmas!

February 2019 - Valentine Mini Session

April 2019 - Easter Mini Session - and the Cardwell family brought along their real bunnies!

December 2019 - Christmas Mini Session

Throughout 2019 I also photographed them at school for spring and fall portraits, basketball portraits and class portraits.

I continue to photograph them in 2020 and so far they have already had two sessions - one was a surprise A & M session for their dad as a gift and another was a fun summer session. We hoped to find a big field of sunflowers, however they were mostly gone by the time the session arrived. Their mom decided to let them have a fun summer session and they got to pick their own clothes and just have fun…and it was very HOT outside!

February 2020 - Surprise session for their dad with the kids wearing Texas A & M shirts

July 2020 - Fun Summer Session on a VERY HOT day in Texas!

I have captured many memories for the Cardwell Family over the past five years and I LOVE being their family photographer! I am looking forward to capturing many more memories for their family for years to come.

“We don’t remember days, we remember moments.”

— Cesare Pavese

THIS IS THE TWELFTH 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

5. The Craven Family

6. The Carpenter Family

7. The Leonardelli Family

8. The Spence-Waldrop Family

9. The Schmedthorst Family

10. The Milstead Family

11. The Erwin Family

Introducing *NEW* Mini Session Contests!

New for 2019…MINI SESSION CONTESTS!

I believe in offering low cost themed mini sessions for families. Most families don’t want to spend a lot of money on a full session for any holiday. They just want a few fun portraits of their kiddos to document the holiday. That’s it. Most of these portraits won’t even make it to the wall! They will be shared on social media and then placed in a file on the computer. Sad, but true.

With that being said, I LOVE these fun, quick sessions! Kids are excited and the parents are so relaxed just watching their kids have fun since it’s not a super formal session. Kids can be…KIDS!

This year I have decided to change some things up with regards to mini sessions. I want to foster a lasting relationship with the participating families and I feel like the old way of doing things was not matching my brand. Each mini session is just that, a super quick session, BUT there is a new twist! These are now mini session contests - which just means that one image from each mini session will be entered in our monthly contest. The family with the most “votes” will win a complimentary 8x10 print, as well as a complimentary mini session for the next theme.

Here is the schedule of the mini session contests for 2019:

• February - Valentine’s Day

• April - Easter

• May - Seniors

• June - Couples

• July - 4th of July

• August - Back to School

• September - Pet

• October - Halloween

• December - Christmas

Each ten minute mini session will include your choice of two digital images and one photo from your session will be entered into the contest. The sessions are only $45 if you book during our special pre-booking events or $50 if you book during a regular booking event.

If you’d like to be added to our email list so you’ll be notified of our pre-booking events, just fill out the form below and I’ll get you added.

Christmas Mini Session Recap

This past year we introduced holiday themed mini sessions. We offered Easter, Fourth of July and Christmas themed mini sessions and I met a lot of wonderful families at each one. In fact, we enjoyed ourselves so much that we plan on offering many more in 2019! We still plan on keeping them short and sweet, but the products offered for each theme will vary. And that excites me so much more than handing over digital images since I am a product based photography studio!

We are still in the planning stages, however I’m not only thinking themed holiday sessions, but what about a session for your favorite fur baby? The sky is the limit and I’m ready for an even better year in 2019!

We wrapped up 2018 with two days of Christmas Mini Sessions, one day took place in Waco and the other day took place in Groesbeck. Both were beautiful locations!

Here’s to an even bigger and better 2019!

We’d love to hear your ideas for 2019! Please feel free to drop us a comment and let us know what you’d love to see offered!

Fourth at the Fort!

Our Fourth of July Mini-Sessions were so much fun this year!  In the past we partnered with My Little Play Place in Waco, however when they closed their doors we had to find a new partner.  This year I decided to work with Old Fort Parker in Limestone County.  The property at the Old Fort provided the exact backdrop I was looking for with our All-American themed set complete with Coca-Cola and American flags so I decided to ask permission to use the property.  

Each session was 10 minutes in length and includes three digital images of the client's choice PLUS two adult passes for admission to the Old Fort at a future date during normal operating hours.  

It was important to ask for permission to use the grounds as it is private property and trespassing is a serious violation in Texas.  The Old Fort also has an active shooting range that is used after hours.  This is another reason to ask permission to use the grounds.  It would be awful to have people using the grounds when someone shows up to shoot their firearm!  

History of Old Fort Parker

You can watch a short two minute video about the history of Old Fort Parker here.

"The Parker family, members of a group of pioneers settling the Brazos Trail Region in the early 1800s, arrived near the future site of Groesbeck in 1833. Determined to make a go of it despite the longstanding presence of Native American populations throughout the surrounding countryside, the Parkers proceeded to clear brush, plant crops, and build a stockade known as “Parker’s Fort.” The fort was constructed of split cedars, anchored in the ground and rising approximately twelve feet. Blockhouses were built in opposing corners, providing a view of the landscape (and as aides in defense). Within the stockade walls the family and fellow colonists built two rows of log cabins as living quarters, completing the project by March of 1834. Despite the stockade’s heavy construction and defensive features, the colony came under a successful attack by a band of local Native Americans and, once it was over, all members of this small pioneering community were either dispersed, kidnapped, or dead. Nine-year-old Cynthia Ann Parker would be one of the kidnapped victims, launching a legacy of assimilation and tragedy that tops the state’s list of historic frontier legends. Fort Parker, abandoned after the attack, disintegrated with age. In 1930 the first replica of the fort appeared on the site, followed by a rebuild in 1967. Today, Old Fort Parker provides a living history interpretation of early life in the region courtesy of the Fort Parker Historical Society and the city of Groesbeck. A full, year-round event schedule includes trail rides, festivals, and celebrations. Rental facilities are also available for family reunions, weddings, and private parties." (Texas Brazos Trail)

Special thanks to Sarah and her staff for doing all they do to preserve Old Fort Parker.  If you'd like to plan a trip to visit the fort, you can find information on their website.

Chicks, Chicks and More Chicks!

Our Easter Mini Sessions were nearly sold out!  I'd like to think it was because everyone wanted to spend time with me...but it's a lot more likely that people wanted cute photographic memories of their little ones with CHICKS!  

As I work through all the fun images and get them ready for galleries, I can't help but have a smile on my face the entire time!  Each family created so many memories for their kids, as well as for me!  Just check out the slideshow gallery below to see for yourself.

Mini Sessions are something new I'm doing this year for holidays.  They are meant to be a fun, low cost way to have holiday themed photographs of your child.  Our next mini session event will be 4th of July themed and will take place in June.  If you'd like to be notified when booking begins, please consider signing up for our newsletter.  

Love Bugs!

Who wants adorable photographs on their little ones on fun days, such as Valentine's, Easter, Fourth of July, Halloween, and Christmas?  Nearly all moms want these photographs, but they don't want to spend a lot of money on them since they are just for keepsakes.  Typically, these photographs are shared online rather than printed and placed on walls.  For this reason I am offering Themed Holiday Mini Sessions at a low price with digital images rather than prints.  

These sessions are only $40 and include your choice of three digital images.  

We had a lot of fun at our Valentine's Day Mini Sessions and we're looking forward to our upcoming Easter Mini Sessions in March!  

These two cousins had a great time at their Valentine Mini Session!

Easter sessions are next and will be held outdoors with a bunny!  Pre-booking will begin on February 13th for our newsletter subscribers (so watch your email) and booking for non-newsletter subscribers will begin on February 16th.

Limited Edition Session Make-Over!

We are always looking for professional products that our clients will adore!  We recently found two products that we just fell in love with - Gallery Stands and Standout Prints.  These products are truly unique and so we decided to make them exclusive to our Limited Edition Sessions as an added bonus.

Limited Edition Sessions will now have the same session fee as our regular sessions, however they will have a theme, such as a Fourth of July theme, Holiday theme, etc.  Sessions will also be extremely limited with only six sessions available per theme, per year.  What sets these sessions apart from regular sessions is the theme obviously, but the two exclusive products that you will be able to choose from will be offered as a complimentary gift.  You will be able to choose a Gallery Stand or a Standout Print as a complimentary gift.  These are ONLY available to clients that book a Limited Edition Session.

So... What is a Gallery Stand?  What is a Standout Print? 

A Gallery Stand is a 5x7 print that is printed on professional grade pearl photographic paper, laminated for protection and mounted on a wood base with an easel.  They can be hung on the wall or displayed on your desk, shelf, or tabletop. 

Gallery Stand

A Standout Print is a print that is mounted on a lightweight foam, which gives it a sleek and contemporary look. 

Standout Print

Our next Limited Edition Sessions are this coming Friday and Saturday, June 24th and June 25th.  They have a Fourth of July theme and will include a firework stand, as well as flags.  We have decided to offer our most popular themed sessions as Limited Edition Sessions with the following schedule:

• April - Cap and Gown AND Bluebonnet Sessions
• June - Fairies and Princesses AND Fourth of July Sessions
• July - Huck Finn AND Cowboys/Cowgirls Sessions
• August - Unicorn Sessions AND Breastfeeding Sessions
• October - Halloween Sessions
• November - Fall/Holiday Sessions

Fourth of July Sessions will be held in Groesbeck on June 24th and 25th.

If you're interested in either of these products, they are not available for purchase.  They are only available as a complimentary gift with each Limited Edition Session.  We are looking forward to our new and improved Limited Edition Sessions!

Fairy Wonderland

Little girls LOVE fairies!  I do too!  That is why I offer Fairy Imagination Mini-Sessions once a year.  Imagination Sessions take quite a bit more work overall and for that reason I offer them on a very limited basis. 

Planning Imagination Sessions is quite time consuming.  Each pose must be carefully thought out.  You must see the final image in your mind and determine what will be needed to create that particular image.  The client (typically a young child) must be posed in a certain way, which is all relative to their age and development.  You must also arrange for any props that might be needed.  Imagination Sessions are mainly created in post-production (Photoshop) so many of the props used are digital.  With fairy sessions, the wings are not actual wings, but rather wings created in Photoshop.  The same with wands, flowers, castles, mountains, etc.  Almost everything besides the client is added to the image, or rather the client is added to the scene. 

Photographing Imagination Sessions can also be time consuming and as I already mentioned, it pretty much depends on the child(ren).  Most children are very excited and cooperative when it comes to Imagination Sessions.  They can't wait to see themselves as a beautiful fairy with beautiful wings!  Even with the most cooperative child, they must be posed in a very specific way.  In order to accomplish this you must know what the child is capable of at that age and at that stage of their development.  This is where my years of experience as a kindergarten teacher are very useful!

Editing Imagination Sessions is a VERY lengthy process!  All the digital elements must be customized to match the scene.  The digital items need to be proportionate and blend into the scene as well.  The lighting needs to be adjusted to create a certain mood.  All of these things need to match the client's personality. 

There are three more Imagination Mini-Sessions planned for this summer!  Be on the lookout for Huck Finn, Cowboys and Indians, and something so magical I don't want to reveal it just yet!

If you have an idea for an Imagination Session, please let me know!  I always love hearing ideas from my clients.

Fairy Imagination Session with Sisters

Fairy Imagination Session

Fairy Imagination Session - close up

Fairy Imagination Session with Butterflies

The Day I Met Huckleberry Finn

Last Wednesday began as typical as any other day.  I knew I had a fun, Huck Finn themed session later that evening, but nothing could have prepared me for how amazing it was going to be! 

I knew "Huck Finn's" mother was just as excited as me (if not more so) because she was asking for my opinion about his outfit well before the session.  I absolutely love when my clients are so excited about the upcoming session!  That energy is captured and makes the photographs so much more beautiful.

I arrived at the location and met up with "Huck Finn" and some of his family members.  "Huck Finn" was so cooperative for such a young boy and complied with every request willingly.  Maybe it's because he was so excited.  Or maybe it was because he just loved spending time with me.  Or maybe (and more than likely) he wanted to go swimming after our session :) 

Certain poses and ideas are easy for young children to understand.  These are the typical type of photos that work in themed sessions such as this, but are more of a "regular" session type of edit.  For example, this photo of "Huck Finn" fishing.

Other poses however are a bit more difficult for children to understand, such as the boat photograph.  This image started with him standing nice and tall holding a cane pole.  That is it.  I told him that he was standing like that because he was going to be on a boat.  Of course, he wanted to know where the boat was.  I explained it was like magic and it would show up after I put the photographs on my computer.  He was such a sport throughout the entire session!

I had so much fun during this session and I am looking forward to sharing this experience with other children!  If you are interested in booking a "Huck Finn Imagination Session," now is the time as I have two dates approaching for the mini-sessions.

Huck Finn mini-session

Huck Finn patiently waiting for his cane pole to get set up

Huck Finn fishing

Huck Finn enjoying the beautiful day

Huck Finn camping among the fireflies

Huck Finn!

As Keith Thibodeaux once said, "I liked Huckleberry Finn and Tom Sawyer, and that is the kind of character that I would have like to have played."  Thank you for visiting my blog! 

P.S.  Mention this blog article and receive a 10% discount on your Huck Finn Imagination Mini-Session on August 1st in Mexia or August 8th in Waco.