Monthly Archives: May 2010

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Worth the wait…

This session was a long time in the making.  A few (okay, more than a few!) long conversations between mom and I about what they were looking for, how my sessions worked, what location would be best, and the mood we were trying to capture.. followed by a few weeks (okay, more than a few!) of missed opportunities, reschedules, last minute changes, and unavoidable conflicts.  And finally, Saturday arrived and all of the stars aligned for us!  Everyone’s schedules lined up, the weather was perfect, and oh, did I mention, the whole family walked up looking like they were sent to me by Ford Modeling Agency?  I’m not going to deny squealing a little when I saw them come through the gates of the Arboretum.. dressed just right.. coordinated but not matchy, casual but still classic, and all with the most perfect accessory imaginable.. big, bright smiles!

The whole session was one giggle fest after another, and, as is usually the case with little boys, a few wrestling matches in between.  Huge props to mom & dad for letting the boys just be themselves.. everything really comes out so much better when everyone steps back and lets go of expectations, just letting things happen naturally.  Easier on the parents (who don’t have to stress!), easier on me (who gets great, natural pictures without trying!) and especially easier on the kids (who can enjoy the day instead of getting nagged and picked at about their posture and facial expressions for an hour!). It was really just like falling into step with old friends, even if we had all just met at the gates that morning!

I cannot wait to share the rest of these pictures with the family, but since I’m currently on vacation (writing the blog at midnight on Saturday, only six hours until we leave!!! but scheduling it to post later in the week) they’ll have to wait a little bit longer than usual to get the proofs.  (Which is also why they are getting a larger-than-usual sneak peek!) I know for me, it was such a fun morning that it was worth all the delays in scheduling.. let’s just hope they think their pictures are worth the wait as well!

By the way.. how typically boy is this.. instead of just a jumping picture, big brother had to time his launch perfectly so as to get in the air at precisely the right time to be able to smack his little brother on the head mid-air!  I might have stopped him, except that it made me laugh so much, and to be honest I was impressed with his timing and aim… he accomplished this three times in a row!  Boys! :)

Just a reminder, I am still on vacation until June 4th, all voicemails and emails are being checked periodically but answered on an as-needed basis, please be patient while we play catch up but do know we will get to everyone as soon as we can!

Road trip!

I am officially out of commission for the next two weeks as I head north (way north!) to a family wedding.  I’ll be posting regular updates along the way on twitter if you’d like to follow the fun, follow @annbeckphoto or go to http://www.twitter.com/annbeckphoto.  In the meantime, phone calls and emails will be checked regularly and returned as needed, but anything not urgent will be replied after we return on June 4th.  Thank you for your patience.. and wish us luck on the open road!

Summer Mini Sessions!

Summer is a great time for portraits.. the kids are out of school, so schedules are more flexible, everyone has a little sun on their skin, and most importantly, the whole family is a little more relaxed and happy..exactly the moods you want to capture!  This summer we’re offering two rounds of mini sessions in locations we’ve never done before, all the more reason to book one for your family.. something new & fun for everyone!

June 11 & 12: Smile & Splash!

Everyone loves portraits at the Dallas Arboretum… the gorgeous flowers, the cool architecture, the fun playhouses, formal or casual you can’t go wrong! But this summer’s twist is one the kids will thank you for! After a series of perfectly poised portraits, we’re heading over to the famous froggy fountain (how many alliterations can I fit in one sentence?!) to cool off and have some real fun!  Start with a few sprinkles and end soaking wet, anything goes (as much as mom is okay with!) and it’s sure to be a session the kids will remember!

July 16 & 17: Ft Worth Stockyards!

Bring your little cowpokes down to the Stockyards for summer portraits with a little twang… The old, rustic fences, crumbing brick walls, and railroad tracks create the perfect backdrop for portraits with a decidedly Texas touch! You can dress them up in boots and jeans and go really western, or keep it casual and fun, even cute and frilly, for a little more contrast and kick!  You can even make a day of it and hope a ride on the train after your session!

One note about Summer sessions.. they tend to be a little more limited and book even more quickly than usual.. please call or email asap so you don’t miss the fun! :)

Peeks for the week

Sunday was a crazy busy day last weekend… after the birthday party (see below) all day on Saturday and then a super fun fundraiser for Kelcy (see above) Saturday night, I was EX.HAUST.ED. But.. I had a day jam-packed full of fun new faces and visits with old friends.. too much fun to pass up, so rest would have to wait!

I began with a big family session in Dallas.. grandparents, moms & dads, and three two year olds! Yes, it was just as busy as it sounds! But the girls were so cute, and the weather could not have been more perfect.. it was a great way to start the day!

After that I met up with a family I have photographed many times over the last five years and this session in Las Colinas was no exception… they are always so sweet and fun, and give me so much to work with that I want to keep going and going! This time we had an interesting twist.. they didn’t want to stop either! Even Cooper, the sweet three year old, kept asking “Can you take my picture again?” It was so heartbreakingly precious… I would have stayed if I could!

The next session was for some new friends in Fort Worth, who were so sweet and excited for the session.. can’t help but get excited too!  The girls were the same ages as my two youngest, so we hit it off right away! And OMG did I mention their eyes?! Simply stunning.. I couldn’t stop myself from taking LOTS of close-up shots of those bright blues, especially contrasted by their darling freckles… faces with such character make me giddy as a photographer!

Finally, we ended in Grapevine with a family I have photographed many times, this time with the addition of their cousins! So a total of six kids, four of them three and under… yes… that’s what I said.. but surprisingly, it was a very smooth session. Sure, a little chaotic, but never out of control, and just a fun, happy chaos.. the kids were all so sweet and well behaved, and by the end my cheeks hurt when I left from smiling & laughing so much!

Come one, come all!

A quick update from the home front… this past Saturday we had a birthday party for my two youngest daughters, who are close enough in age to share many of the same friends, making the joint party easy and logical. Or so I thought.  In fact, what it made was mass chaos!  But the theme was carnival, so chaos fit right in!  Forty kids, twenty parents, twelve games, two birthday girls and one bouncy house later we were in business!  It was a whirlwind afternoon, but surrounded by so many people that we love, it could not have been more perfect!

The perfect addition to the carnival theme was the cotton candy machine, which was brought and operated by a very dear friend.  If it’s possible to be sweeter than the strands of bright pink and blue sugar she was spinning, she is!  The line for cotton candy stretched across the yard, but no one went empty handed.. sticky goodness for everyone!

I think my favorite carnival booth (no surprise!) was the photo booth, which was nothing more than a box of dress up clothes and a sheet of fabric on the fence, with one of my 12 yr old’s friends operating my point & shoot.  But oh! the kids had so much fun with it!  And the pictures we got… priceless!

One Perfect Day

Weddings are not my usual specialty, but I have been known to accept a few here and there, when it’s small and casual, when the people involved are really fun and get my style, or when it’s just for someone I really care about! This event happened to fit all three of those criteria, plus had the added bonus of completely gorgeous subjects AND an amazing location… how could I say no?

The bride to be is the niece of some really great clients of mine, and could not have been more stunning.  We did her bridal portraits last month, but I’ve been waiting until the big day to share those so as not to spoil the surprise!

And then this past Saturday, on what could not have been a more perfect day, especially given all of the crazy weather we’ve had lately, I can back for the big event.  The wedding was held at the family’s farm, which they rent out for parties, events, and of course, weddings! Between the rolling hills, quaint farm house, and stunning barn, it is the most amazing setting I could imagine! A few hours in the bridal suite primping, playing, laughing and stressing, and then it was finally time to begin! You could tell they had thought of everything; every detail was perfect, every moment happened exactly as planned, and the amount of love surrounding this great couple was just breathtaking. Congratulations.. may the next fifty years be as amazing as your first day together!

Family fun with a great cause

Regular blog readers will remember that we have spent the greater part of this spring working on projects to help Kelcy Orr, a dear friend of our family (and client!) who, at the age of three, was diagnosed with an aggressive Kidney Cancer in February. She has been such a fighter, having survived weeks of chemo, an operation to remove the cancerous kidney completely, and now combined chemotherapy and radiation treatments to kill off the remnants.  Her sweet, sweet family has been so strong through it all, and I have still yet to see them without a smile on their faces, regardless the situation! In the meantime, there is nothing the rest of us can do but pray, and support them whenever possible.

One of those times is now! A great fundraiser to help the family with the ridiculously mounting medical bills AND have fun with your own family in the process!

The town of Pantego (located right in the middle of Arlington and hometown to Kelcy and her family) is hosting Orr Family Fun Night THIS SATURDAY, May 15, from 7-10:30pm at Bicentennial Park. Bring a blanket or lawn chairs and enjoy a live concert and then outdoor movie (The Chipmunks.. it’s Kelcy’s favorite!). You can bring a cooler of goodies or purchase hot dogs and other concessions.  Tickets are $10 per person, $20 for an entire family and 100% of the proceeds go directly to the family! Every person you will meet is a volunteer, and every item used or sold has been donated… it’s an amazing collaboration of one community, rallying together to help one amazing family!

Click here to download a flyer that you can pass on to your friends, print and display at your office or school, or distribute to neighbors. The more participation we get, the more we can raise for sweet Kelcy! You can register early by completing the form on the flyer and mailing it in, or pay at the door on Saturday when you arrive. I can’t think of a better way to spend a Saturday night… enjoying the weather and some great entertainment with the ones you love, all the while giving back to a family who really needs it.

Thanks for listening.. hope to see you all there! :)

A peek at the perfection

The perfection that was our Deep Ellum minis, that is!  I can’t say enough about what a fun day it was… and I can’t WAIT to share all of the fabulousness!! For now, a little peek..

First up, one sassy big sister who had me cracking up the whole time.  Little sis was a complete giggle box and sweet baby brother could barely take it all in.. lucky for him he’s already learned how to live in a house full of girls.. keep your mouth shut and go with the flow! These three were so easy, especially for their ages, and their session is OVER.FLOWING. with delicousness I can’t wait to show mom.

Next, a brother/sister duo that might have been the cutest combo I’ve had in a while. Not only were they each sweet (and a little spunky!) in their own right, together they were unstoppable! I can barely wade through all of the darling images of them together.. hugging, wrestling, giggling, screaming.. all in the same shot! Love love love siblings like these.. as close as hands and feet… and with all of them wrapped around each other!

After them we met another brother/sister couple, slightly younger and slightly (okay a lot!) more energetic! They gave me a run for my money but BOY was it worth it! They made us work for every shot.. but each one is better than the next, so much cuteness packed into these tiny little bodies, it’s almost too much to bear!

Next up was a little man that regular blog readers will probably recognize! He is a frequent flier with Ann Beck Photography and we couldn’t be more pleased about it! Never a dull moment with this one, he had pockets full of ponies, rocks, and other treasures when he arrived, and continued to add to his collection as the session went on.  Knowing the area, we really had to watch what exactly he picked up! :) But as usual, he was a rock star when it came to the photos, and I’m thrilled to give his mom a totally different and cool look from his previous sessions!

Finally for the day we met up with a young old friend.  I’ve photographed this little heartbreaker a few times before, and it seems like each time he’s grown a foot.. now he looks like such a little boy! No longer the toddler or preschooler.. just a real boy! A real boy that gets embarrassed by his mom and his photographer oohing and ahhing over how he’s still just as cute as a button, but too bad! Thank goodness he humored us long enough to get some really amazing new photos.. definitely something for the walls, and then some!

Hope you all enjoy the peeks.. look for your gallery updates on Monday! :)

Baby Girl at One

This sweet girl belongs to an old friend, and I was absolutely thrilled to be able to capture this most precious age for them!  She was just about the easiest one year old I’ve ever had.. made my job a dream!

How’s this bright & shiny face to brighten your Monday morning?