The Future Mrs. Coy, September 17, 2008

The day has finally come. I have been stressing out over doing my sister's Bridals for months now. Well, here is a sneak peak. Jeni did agree to me posting these pictures, and believe me I asked her more than once if it was OK. We did a lot of research looking for the perfect spot for her pictures and came up with several. This was our first stop at Betenbough.

After seeing Jeni's practice bouquet, I wanted to rewind and do my wedding flowers all over again. Too bad I can't go back six years. Hmm. I can rave about her florist, though. The florist's name is Joe Shakespeare of Lou Dees Floral and Gift Center in Levelland.

I am very impressed with myself. This was my very first bridal shoot. I must say I didn't do too bad. I couldn't mess up because Jeni would never forgive me.

Lucky, for me my step dad has this awesome red barn and a huge field of grass at his house. It was so hard to choose my favorite.

I wish someone would have taken a picture of me getting the grass shots. I had to stand on top of Jason's truck to get the street out of the background. I am sure we got a lot of looks from people driving by, too. I love it!

The baseball field photographs were actually a re-shoot. I just wasn't happy with the first round. We took them in a rush the first time at about 4:00 in the afternoon. I have always heard take your photographs early in the morning and early evening. I learned my lesson the hard way. Most of Jeni's pictures from her first shoot had funky shadows running across her face. This time was so much better. So, we took these right before sunset. They turned out awesome!

This had to of been my favorite. It just screams confidence.

Am I Getting Better?

OK, I have had my Canon EOS 40D since Christmas 2007, and I love it. I was just taking my pictures on "Dummy" Mode until recently.

If you did not know, I am a self taught photographer. I did graduate from Texas Tech with a Degree in Visual Art Studies. In other words, I became an art teacher. My emphasis was in ceramics. Weird. I never took any photography courses. Double Weird. I seriously had maybe two three hour classes on slide photography, and that was it.

The two photographs of Mason were some of my firsts. They were taken with my first Digital Canon. It was a gift for our wedding from Jason's parents. I am not sure what model it was, but I think it only had like 3 MP. I have come a long way since then.

Mason, June 23, 2005

Mason, October 28, 2005

So, I have slowly developed my photography skills in the past few years. I knew I could do better so I asked for a Canon Rebel for Christmas last year. Well, typical Jason went one better and got me the Canon EOS 40D. I thought my pictures were really awesome until I did a custom invitation for a friend of mine recently. I just did the invite and not the picture. I was totally blown away when I opened her son's picture for the invitation. It was awesome, and I was crushed. Why are my pictures not that good? I set out to learn more.

The Invitation

This is the picture that inspired me to do better. It was taken by another photographer who definitely knows her stuff.

I found a little tutorial on You Tube, I think, about my camera. It was by the really cool guy, Michael Andrew. He is an awesome photographer who has created several DVD's full of tutorials about photography. So, I bought his Canon 40 D Crash Course DVD. I have watched half of it and learned so much. He breaks it down so simple that even I can understand it. Thanks to his help I have ventured of the "Dummy" Mode into the "Creative" Modes on my camera.

Each photo shoot gets better, and it makes me so happy. I think the best advice I have gotten from him so far is to Edit as much in the Camera as possible. Funny thing, it works! I haven't had to Photoshop my last three shoots. I am so impressed. I definitely owe thanks to Michael Andrew.

I came home from a photo shoot last night and scanned through my photographs. I realized something is happening. I am getting the photography bug. The more photo shoots I do, the better I get, and I crave more. I think this is going to be a long term love affair for me. I can't wait to see what the future has in store for me.

The Woods Family, September 16, 2008

I have such an awesome family, who trusts me to take their portraits for them. This shoot was such a big deal for Crystal. She stressed out more than anyone I know getting ready for these pictures. It was so funny. I hope we at least got a few good ones.

These are a few of my favorites I shot of the other Woods' family (Jason's younger brother and his family).

Jacie and Brooke were both so cute. The camera and I loved them. They were perfect! I think it is a girl thing. We all love to have our pictures taken.

I got this idea from another photographer. I can't remember which one, or I would giver her credit. The girls tried their hardest to hold the frame up, but it was just a little too heavy. The pictures were still priceless.

Jacie and Brooke are my two nieces. Brooke is just a couple of months younger than Mason. Anyway, I am ashamed to admit that we just don't spend enough time with each other aside from family gatherings. The last time I did a semi-professional shoot of the girls was Christmas 2007. I got some really awesome shots of Jacie and Brooke was your typical 2 year old. I must say I was very impressed with Brooke this time. She loved the camera, and the camera loved her. She was just so adorable. Brooke even had a pose she had been practicing. It was seriously the cutest thing I have seen in a while.

Brooke, The Pose

I can't just brag about Brooke. Jacie is a natural, too.

I almost forgot the Lollipops. Jered was such a trooper. He snuck away from work to take pictures, and stayed gone a little longer than he wanted. He was so ready to leave, but we had to have lollipop pictures. Our shoot wouldn't have been complete. These were taken on our way out. It may have been the highlight of the entire shoot, at least for the girls.

What a perfect ending......Sugary, sweet lollipops.