Orange Crush {the crystal image photoblog}

{ a play date in the leaves }

It was a beautiful afternoon—amazing considering how flippant the weather has been these past few weeks—so I headed outside with the newly three-year-old Donovan to play. We had a blast—kicking leaves, running around, tossing rocks. All things appreciated by a high-spirited little boy. Along the way I captured some great shots that I know mom is anxious to see. So here are a few to tide her over.

Enjoy!

{ the many looks of colin light }

Colin is one sweet little cutie. It seems like just yesterday I took his three month pics and now he's already six months and so smiley! His dad is one of my good friends—and the creator of my logo—so I'm honored that he and his wife have opted to participate in The Crystal Image Fingers & Toes Baby Program—despite the fact that they live a few hours away. So here are a few of the many looks of Colin. 

Business casual:

 

Punk rock baby (look at him rockin' that hair!):

Fresh-faced Peapod:

{ beautiful }

I absolutely love love love maternity sessions. The female body is always beautiful—but perhaps even more so when pregnant. A lot of women are hesitant to have maternity photos taken because they feel fat, bloated, etc., but I've never taken maternity pictures where the women didn't look fabulous—and feel great about having their photos taken. And I've never had anyone regret taking maternity pics, but I hear "I wish I would haves" all the time! Some women prefer more demure and understated shots, while others are open to whatever ideas I might have—regardless, it is a time period that can't be recreated, so it's wonderful to be entrusted to capture the beauty of moment.

I had a great time with Ashley and Steve during their session—they were so relaxed and open to trying out some of the great ideas I'd had in my head—and I think their pictures are amazing. It's a good thing we got Ashley in when we did, because little Miss Sadie decided to make her grand entrance a good two weeks early! There are a few sneak peeks from her 12 day session below also. Enjoy!

And then there was Sadie.  :)

{ fall is in the air }

Wow, it's hard to believe that it's already mid-October. We're getting really busy here at The Crystal Image and the weather changes always make it interesting from week-to-week. Thinking about family or children's photos for holiday cards? I encourage you to call now to schedule your appointment—we're currently booking about 2-3 weeks in advance. Or are you a high school senior (or parent) that didn't realize how quickly the yearbook deadline would pop up?  Give me a call—we can squeeze you in to get your headshot taken care of (and schedule your fun pics for the upcoming months).

One fun event that we have coming up at The Crystal Image is our fall and winter Kid Themes promotion. These events are usually offered for just a few hours and provide the opportunity for parents to get some great pics at a really reduced cost. Sessions are just $15 (up to two children, each extra add $5) and the unit pricing starts at $25 for the first sheet and goes down in price from there. These 10-shot sessions were wildly popular at the old studio and I'm happy to be able to bring them back just in time for Halloween and Christmas! Our fall theme will take place on Friday, October 31st from 3-6:30 p.m. This set works great for kids in costume or sporting a favorite fall outfit (there's a photo of the set below—click to view larger). We're going to try this as a walk-in event, so no appointments are required. However, if you are on a time schedule, you might want to reserve a time so that you are not stuck waiting for your turn. 

Our winter event is called Let's Go Sleddin' and will take place over two days—Wednesday, November 19th and Thursday, November 20th. On Wednesday the available times are between 5-7:30 p.m. and on Thursday from 3-6:30 p.m. Bring the little ones in dressed in their favorite sweater, snow gear, holiday outfit—the choice is all yours. The set features snow, evergreen trees, snowflakes and our really cool antique sled. This session does require a scheduled appointment. Pricing is the same as above. 

Give us a call today with any questions or to reserve your time. 785.393.1958

Now get out there an enjoy this beautiful weather while it lasts!

{ sessions from Cherokee }

A few weeks ago I packed my studio up and went back to Cherokee, Oklahoma—the original home of The Crystal Image. For three and a half days I got to see old friends and some of my regulars—and how they've grown. Many of them were the children that I've been taking pics of since they were three months old—and many of them are now four years old! So it was great to see everybody and it was an honor to be able to do sessions for so many families that I haven't seen since I left Cherokee over a year and a half ago. One of the most rewarding parts of my job are the relationships that I get to build with people. And getting to capture the many phases of their children's lives has been equally rewarding.

And did I mention that I shot pretty much non-stop while I was there? More than 21 sessions in all. It was madness. So that, paired with my sister's wedding and the general craziness of senior season has been keeping me pretty busy. But we're still here and will be updating the blog at least twice a week going forward—if not more. And the shots below are from just a few of the Cherokee sessions—there are still more families, children and even a few seniors to blog in the coming days. 

For all of you seniors out there who just realized that you need a headshot for the yearbook by October 31 or November 7th—give us a call. We are currently booked several weeks out but can get you in for that much needed headshot within a day of you calling to schedule. LHS seniors—you have to have a print for the yearbook, so be sure to allow an extra 10 days to get that back AFTER you've selected your headshot. So, the point is, give us a call today to get your headshot out of the way—then you'll have your fun pics left to look forward to. 785.393.1958

Here are a few from my weekend in Cherokee.

{ my poor neglected blog }

Wow—what a crazy month it has been. I've been busy shooting lots of seniors, children and families—and it's just the beginning of the holiday season. I have so many new great sessions to share that it's hard to keep up, but I did want to drop a line to announce the winner from the LMH Fall Festival, held on Friday, Sept. 26th. 

Penny Conner of Ottawa—you are the winner of a free half hour session for two plus a $50 credit! Congratulations and give us a call to claim your prize. 785.393.1958. 

The Fall Festival was a lot of fun, several of my existing customers work at the hospital so I saw lots of familiar faces and also met many new people, which I love having the opportunity to do.

Now is the the perfect time to be scheduling your sessions for family holiday cards and the senior pic deadline is right around the corner—so don't wait another day! On a side note, the studio will be closed this Friday, October 3rd so that I can help my sister prepare for her wedding on Saturday. And no, I'm not taking the pictures, but yes, I am in the wedding (makes it tricky to be in charge of the photography!) I'm excited for my baby sis and look forward to hanging out with her this week. 

And, just to give you a sampling of all the sessions we've been shooting, here are a few recent shots. I have about 10 seniors waiting for their sneak peeks, so those will all be coming up here in the very near future. Keep checking in with us! As always, double click on the photos to see them larger.