Godspeed, Sweet Dreams

I had the great pleasure of celebrating with my friend, Carla, a few weekends ago as she prepares to welcome a little boy into this world. Carla and I have a lot in common, and my heart is overwhelmed with gladness that she will soon be a mama. To say she is radiantly glowing isn't adequate. I am blessed to see and know her beauty, inside and out, every day, but I was absolutely awestruck by what I saw behind the lens. The camera loved her. And as I was editing her images post-shoot, I felt privileged to be a part of capturing the excitement, peace, and expectant hopefulness that spilled out of every image. She was, and is, simply put, stunning. And she's going to be one hell of a mama, don't you agree?







Lyrics from the lullabye below decorate my nursery walls. Every time I sing this song to the boys, I am humbled by what it means to be a mother. And as I celebrate my own little men's 8-month birthday today, I am reminded of these lyrics in anticipation of the amazing memories that Carla will have so very soon. Godspeed, little man.

Dragon tales and the "water is wide"
Pirates sail and lost boys fly
Fish bite moonbeams every night
And I love you

Godspeed, little man
Sweet dreams, little man
Oh my love will fly to you each night on angel's wings
Godspeed
Sweet dreams

The rocket racer's all tuckered out
Superman's in pajamas on the couch
Goodnight moon, will find the mouse
And I love you

Godspeed, little man
Sweet dreams, little man
Oh my love will fly to you each night on angel's wings
Godspeed
Sweet dreams

God bless mommy and match box cars
God bless dad and thanks for the stars
God hears "Amen," wherever we are
And I love you

Godspeed, little man
Sweet dreams, little man
Oh my love will fly to you each night on angels wings
Godspeed
Sweet dreams

The Dixie Chicks

And just for fun...look at my "little 'dids!" (My boss calls me "Katydid," so by him my boys are affectionately referred to as "the little 'dids." Love it!)

Beauty is in the Eye of the Beholder

Simply put, love reveals itself in countless and limitless ways.

One of the biggest blessings in my work is constantly experiencing new and creative reflections of love. Love never gets old, it never gets boring. It's always powerful, it's always beautiful and it always feels fresh. And on this eve of Valentine's Day, a holiday I usually toss to the wind, I encourage you to take a moment and remember why you love and why you are loved.

Two weekends ago, I was awarded the very rare opportunity to just play. I got together with several photog friends, some amazing and incredibly unique couples, a fabulous location and just had fun with a Vintage Valentine inspired shoot. It was such a neat display of how love transcends all different styles, characteristics, personalities, etc. and radiates warmly and brightly for all to see.





A big thanks to Chelsea LaVere, Melody Gillikin, Sarah Mariel, Christene Schaaf, Valerie Demo, Somer Chambley and April Campbell for jump-starting my creative juices! Having true friends in the photog world is a rare and momentous find! Bravo!

And an even bigger thanks to our gracious and rockin' volunteer couples for braving the cold, the rain and the crazy pack of photographers all up in your biz. You truly made my day!

Encore! Encore!

Back by popular demand, of which I am so incredibly flattered, humbled, excited and a whole mess of other big emotions...I, or rather you all, have chosen to hold another basics photography class.

Class will be held on Sunday, February 26, 2012, at 12PM, in my home, lasting 2-3 hours, and will cover basic skills and fundamentals to propel you towards taking better photographs of your families and controlling the creative outcome of what you produce by taking back your camera and getting the heck out of Auto mode!

As before, cost will be $75, with a $30 deposit due by Saturday, February 18, 2012, and the remaining $45 balance due the day of the class. Class size is incredibly limited, so please be sure to contact me directly at blevins.katy@gmail.com to save your spot!

For those who took my first class, I am offering a discounted price of $40 should you wish to attend again to further imprint the information into your brain. (Graduates note: This is not the intermediate shoot out we will be planning as a follow up to the class you already completed!)

Can't wait to meet my newest group! And in celebration...here are a few candid pics of my own kiddos from everyday life!

The Importance of Me: 2012 Outlook

Lately, we have been focusing on the importance of you as the client, as a creative being and as a contributor to the artistic process. That's been awesome, and we'll continue to do so, because hey! You are super important and without you...simply put, I'd be lost!

But for just a tiny second, I'm going to switch gears and focus on the importance of Me and just how that will play out in 2012 and the years beyond. As I'm sure you've already noticed, we've had a few changes around here. The big website relaunch, the introduction of a formal web presence for my boudoir photography and the shift away from burned discs of images towards new cutting edge digital media transfer via PASS. These are all changes and decisions that have not been made lightly and not without purpose.

With the arrival of my two little amazing men, life took a major shift in countless different ways. One thing was abundantly, if not obnoxiously apparent. I didn't have the time available for my family that I wanted and that was something I desperately needed to address.

So what you are seeing is a streamline of my business in a calculated effort to free up more time for my family, while also making sure you receive the absolute best of me, all the time, every time. My intentions in 2012 are to work less and play more. This means my availability will be limited at times, so please be certain to reach out and plan ahead, but it also means that I am spending my time wisely, investing my heart in my family as I should, which can and will only translate to renewed vigor, passion and creativity for you!

Happy New Year!

Besides...who wouldn't want to spend all their time with these cuties?


Photo Credits: Melody Gillikin

January 21, 2012: you. me. hot cocoa. and our cameras...

(photo credit: Melody Gillikin Photography)

It's a date!

After receiving several requests, I have decided to host a small gathering of folks to teach the basics of photography and encourage you with some simple ways to improve your family photos.

The class will be held in my home on January 21, 2012 at 1PM. It will last approximately 3 hours and will cover the very, very basics of photography as they best pertain to you in an amateur sense for your personal photos. We will cover other tricks like looking for light, perspective, composition and neat ways to bring out the best in your kiddos.

This class is for those who have a nicer camera, but have no idea how to use it and struggle to capture their kids as they sprint past at lightning speed. In that light, it will be informal, probably pretty darn funny and empower you to control your cameras and capture the memories you want to last for a lifetime.

The class will be $75, which includes a $30 deposit that will be due by January 7, 2012 to secure your spot in the class. The remaining $45 will be due on the day of the class. The class will be capped at 8 people so that it stays nice and small and everyone gets a voice!

You will need to bring your camera, your camera manual and a willing heart. I ask that you bring your camera manuals because what I will be teaching you will be the fundamentals of photography, not how to use YOUR camera, and I'm not a technical pro on the ins and outs of your brand, so you may need to consult your manual for where settings are and how to use them.

You can have any type of camera, as long as it has manual, shutter or aperture priority settings (settings that allow you a certain element of control). This is to help you move beyond shooting in automatic and really learn to be in charge of your images instead of relying on your camera to do all of the heavy lifting.

Email me at blevins.katy@gmail.com for more information and to secure your spot in what will surely be a rockin' day of laughter, learning and fellowship!

I have loved you for a thousand years...

Every now and then you come across two people that are so intricately woven into each other's lives, that you truly understand what God meant when He said He knew you before He formed you and set you apart (Jeremiah 1:5). And you realize, these two were made to love each other, and that fact was known before they were even born.

Nichole and Daniel are that couple. I've only known them for a short while, and they've already made me laugh, made me cry and inspired me to new levels of creativity and passion for what I do. In a few words, I love them. And I love the way they love each other.



Here is one of the first emails I got from Nichole (and when I realized I was going to adore her...aaaannnndddd that we might be long lost twins).
"If you notice, most of the pictures we love are not necessarily the photos of us smiling for the camera. We want the photos to capture the various emotions behind our relationship. To me the photos show many emotions, such as comfort, trust, support, care, love, passion, loyalty, ambition, strength, excitement, playfulness. We started this journey 7 years ago, so part of what defines Daniel and I's relationship is the growth, emotions and experiences we have shared. We started as two very different people, but we have grown to be a family. We want to capture a variety of the emotions that have got us to where we are, and get us where we are going."

I mean, seriously, their relationship rocks my world. The depth of their history, the many facets of their chemistry, and breadth of their love for each other are rooted to their cores, their very inner beings. They remind me of a strong oak tree, with deep roots, that has been there a thousand years and will be there for a thousand more.



And as if it couldn't get any better, here is what Daniel has to say about his bride-to-be.

"Nichole is a very driven woman, and when she decides she is going to do something she does it. She pushes me to be better and go after my goals in life. I love her support and the encouragement that she provides. We definitely balance each other very well. I get her to be more out going, while she keeps me from getting out of hand…I help her to live on the fly, while she keeps me focused and driven…I help her to relax and live in the moment, while she keeps me planned and organized...(just to name a few). She is by far my best friend and the love of my life. I cannot imagine my life without her, and I know there is no hurdle life will throw at us that we cannot overcome. I cannot wait until our big day where we will become one and start a new chapter in both our lives where we will grow each day in respect and love."

::swoon::



I could go on forever about how much I enjoy these two, and how overwhelmed I am to be sharing in this most treasured time in their lives. But I'll stop now, and leave you with a song, written by David Hodges & Christina Perri, that reminds me of them.

Time stands still
Beauty in all she is
I will be brave
I will not let anything take away
What's standing in front of me
Every breath
Every hour has come to this
One step closer

I have died every day waiting for you
Darling don't be afraid, I have loved you
For a thousand years
I love you for a thousand more

And all along I believed I would find you
Time has brought your heart to me
I have loved you for a thousand years
I love you for a thousand more

You are a VERY. IMPORTANT. PERSON.

First...a mea culpa. I am a bit behind on client blogging. I admit it, I blog when the mood strikes me. And it doesn't always strike in a timely manner. But I have long since learned that letting ideas percolate pays off. So, the blogs will come when they are ready. And they aren't...not just yet.

Now, the good stuff. A SPECIAL ANNOUNCEMENT!

Ready? Here it is...

YOU.

ARE A VERY. IMPORTANT. PERSON.

TO ME!

As if you didn't know...

After much thought, research, and frankly, some technological pushiness by our friends at Apple, I am putting some changes into play that will make your 2012 sessions, in a word, AMAZING.

I am happy to share a new program with you that will be the foundation of our relationship together as client, photographer, friend, and will even more importantly, be the foundation of your relationship with your photos, your memories, and all those who enjoy them along with you.

Beginning in 2012, I will be sharing all edited images via PASS galleries. This new program will allow you, with a simple download of a program or app, to access your edited files instantly, from your home computer, iPads and iPhones at any time for up to a year! You will be able to download high resolution images, share to Facebook, and pull up your memories in an instant wherever you may be!

With this new technology that brings your images to your fingertips, gone will be the long wait for DVD mailings, the stress of lost files, the battle of competing computer operating systems and the bulky chain tying you to a computer with a disk drive if you want to share your memories with friends and family. With each session or event, you will now receive a PASS gallery with your edited images, with YOU listed as a VIP with access to download high resolution files for immediate personal use.

The decision to do away with DVDs was not an easy one. Many people have learned to expect that as the best and only way to receive their files, and the idea of moving away from a tangible item marking the completion of an order may be hard to comprehend for some. But as experience has taught me, the DVDs tend to be the most cumbersome part of our time together. The frustration that is often felt by a client with a different operating system, or the fear that swallows you whole when you lose your DVD, or even worse, scratch or break it, are frankly, no fun at all. So be gone DVD nightmares! While you will still have the option of burning DVDs from your home computers after downloading your high resolution images, you will not be forced to rely on such a tenuous bitty finite item as your primary source for your memories. Instead, they will be stored securely online for you and only you. Because YOU. ARE. A VERY IMPORTANT PERSON. TO ME.

Want to know more? Watch this nifty video from my friends at PASS sharing exactly how this will work...

http://gallery.passpremier.com/

Get excited! 2012 is all about YOU!

Much love,
Katy

PS. There will be purchase options available to extend your secure online storage beyond a year and limited print rights to all unedited files from your session/event via DVD available for purchase at an additional fee.

PPS. Those clients presently under contract for 2012 will receive PASS galleries in addition to the DVDs they were promised at no additional cost!