Capture life: Shelby Lane Photography

Popping in real quick

Just wanted to say Happy Holidays to everyone out there!  The kids and I had a great Christmas.  There are the ages where everything is still magical and exciting, and we had a blast.  Mac got a digital camera so now he's taking all sorts of great self portraits with the self timer.  It's so funny to watch.  Charlotte got doll toys and so now she's a pretend mommy.  So, now the tree is gone (thank goodness -- after a month it was dropping needles like crazy!) and everything is cleaned up, and I am back to work getting everything together for the new year.  The studio is still closed till after New Years, but I am checking email every so often.

Just a couple of quick, fun things.

First, my fellow photographer Kimberly Hill (if you're reading this, HI KIMBERLY [waves]) posted an excellent book list and I wanted to share it with you:  Must-Read Books for Preschoolers.  We have (and love) many of these but there were some on the list I hadn't heard of yet.  Many of you know that I used to be a librarian, and so I always love a good book list.  I told Mac that he could recommend one book a month for the blog and he's so excited, so expect that first review in January.

And then, even though it's a little late, I felt like it was time for a little Peanuts around here.  This always, ALWAYS makes me a little teary-eyed.  I hope you all have a wonderful week with your families and that everyone stays safe!  See you all next year!

Linus Tells the Story

Oh, and here is a "new" YouTube version of the classic Snoopy dance.  Don't watch if you're worried about someone butchering a classic (because this is funny and well done but it might change the song you hear in your head when you see the Peanuts). Thanks, Kori.  ;)

">Hey Ya. Peanuts Style

A few quick images

  From recent sessions.  Some are bigger kids.  Some are brand spankin' new ones.  All are adorable!  I swear, I get to photograph the world's cutest kids.  Enjoy!

 

Hotmail Accounts and Studio Holiday Hours

I hope everyone is done with their Christmas shopping and enjoying the season!  Here are just a couple of quick updates from me (and then I hope to be around later to post some recent session images, too).

If you have a Hotmail account and have emailed me -- I have replied, but I'm betting you did not get it.  Today I got a TON of "undeliverable" receipts.  Apparently Hotmail has taken offense at either something in my host's email servers or in my own email address, because it says that all of my messages to Hotmail users are "rejected due to policy reasons."  I am trying to find a workaround for this -- I get too much spam at the free accounts (hotmail, yahoo, etc) to use them as a reliable business email address, but I also need for the Hotmail folks to be able to get my replies, because there are so many of you out there.  So please bear with me.  I am not ignoring you: I'm just trying to figure out how to work around this latest odd little technology problem.

I guess this is a better time for this to happen than, say, a month ago when we were at the height of Christmas orders.  Everything that we expected for Christmas delivery should be on its' way to you (or is waiting at the studio for pickup as of tomorrow morning). If you call, the studio is closed until after New Years.  Abbey is on vacation and I am trying to get things settled after weeks of being in "go mode" non-stop with Christmas orders.  I'll return all calls after we're back in on January 3rd, and I'll be checking email every so often in case of an emergency.

And on that note, if you have completed a session in 2007 and are NOT a current Little Blessings member (meaning, your child has not reached his/her first birthday), I wanted to make sure that everyone was aware that our new price list will be active as of January 15th.  Any sessions booked between today and Jan 15th and any prints ordered between now and then, will be under 2007 pricing.  But anything from last year that is ordered after that date will be by the 2008 price list.  So if you are interested in reprints from sessions, or have yet to place your order, please send me a note or leave me a message at the studio ASAP so that we can get that processed and you can take advantage of those 2007 prices one last time.

That's it for now.  I really will be back later with some images, for my blog stalkers (you know who you are).  ;)

Fall Colors

In case you haven't guessed, I loooooove fall colors.  So when this sweet girl came in with a beautiful deep red courdory dress, we had to pull out the leaves and the deep browns to go with it.  She is just the cutest little thing with those cheeks and those big, beautiful eyes. 

Announcing our Winter Special Events!

I am a little late on this -- I know I promised it last week!  But there are a few details that I'd still like to iron out.  So... we're going to go ahead and announce, with sample images and final details to come a little later.

The new year is right around the corner, so we are proud to announce the return of the Winter White Limited Editions (January 8-18).  This was very popular last year and I'm excited to be bringing it back again.  The set will change a bit (a little softer, a little more flowy) but the concept will remain the same: very simple, classic portraits in white, on white.  These look best if you and your kids are dressed in mostly white with either khaki or denim, and again, we will be offering a touch of color on selected images.  The 30 minute sessions are $150, including a portrait package, and I will put that package info up next week.  We have a limited number of sessions available so give us a call to reserve your space.

As an add-on to the Winter White sessions, we are offering a "Ballerina Babies" set.  This will be a special version of our White Sale set with a barre, using the wood floor, and of course, our collection of tutus.  These sweet images will be good for girls of all ages, although the barre itself will be built for our under 10 crowd.  Wear your leotard, tights, and ballet shoes, and bring your tutu (or borrow one of ours).  I have wanted to do this set for years and now that Charlotte is almost 4 and in ballet lessons, it felt like a good time to offer it to you all.  Like the other White Sale portraits, we will be hand-tinting selected images for a vintage look.  If you'd like to add this on to a White Sale portrait session, be sure and let us know while booking so we can prepare for two outfits.  Special Limited Edition hand-tinted watercolor prints will be available from these sessions only.

Finally, we are finally launching our Project Pink line of portraits for women next month.  Our goal is to create beautiful images of real women that are not overly softened, photoshopped, or "Glamour Shotsy".  I am fortunate to have beautiful portraits of my grandmothers and great grandmothers to share with my own children.  But what will OUR children have of US except for some snapshots?  Get your best friends together and book one of our "girls nights", to come in and let us make you look and feel your best.  We are working on a partnership with a local salon so that we can give you the full girls night out experience!  These portraits will be great Valentine's Day gifts for your special someone!

Look for sample images from our sets to come in the next couple of weeks.  We are accepting appointments for all of these events RIGHT NOW.

I'm in love...

... with my new blog header!  It's the work of the incredibly talented Kim Townsend of Simply Splash and I have to say, it is beautiful.  When I first signed up for her to design this, I didn't really know what I wanted -- but I knew what I didn't want.  Yes, I am that kind of customer.  ;)  I was so thrilled that the very first design Kim showed me was absolutely perfect.  Thanks, Kim!  It's so nice to have a fresh look for the new year.

And just one more thing

Because of the final rush of Christmas orders last week, and the fact that we were closed (but I was working) on Sunday and Monday, I am a little behind on returning emails and phone calls.  I have not forgotten you.  It's just that this is the first chance I've really gotten to sit down in a few days.  Tomorrow should be my catch up day!

Photographer's Kids

I know that I am behind on blogging about other people's kids.  But since Christmas season shooting is finally over for me, I brought my own kids up to the studio for a change.  I haven't photographed them for a "full" session since... well... I can't even remember.  Mac has been begging me to "take pictures" and so I told him that if he'd help create MY vision, I'd photograph him however he wanted.  So he helped with some of the posing on my Christmas card session portraits, and then brought an extra outfit for his own.  I let him set up whatever he wanted, so he chose the wardrobe, chose the background, and then chose the props and poses for his own portraits.  He did a GREAT job.  We also photographed Charlotte on the dark background even though he says he knows that it is "mixing keys" because she has a lighter outfit on a darket background.  Ahhhhhh, photographer's kids.  ;)  So here are my little monkeys in their Christmas jammies.  See if you can guess which one of the Christmas card images Mac was in charge of posing.  And yes, Charlotte is always like that.  It's one of the reasons we call her "Cheese." 

I am continually amazed at how much they grow and change and learn every single day.

So, catching up on some blogging...

Yes, I know, it's been awhile since I have blogged images.  I am still waaaaaaay behind so here are a few sessions, all at once. 

A few words about what's going on in the studio: we'll announce our Winter Specials for January this week.  Keep an eye on the blog because those of you who are current clients know how fast these specials book up.  I hope to have all the details settled by Friday... I'm just waiting on "okay"s from a couple of service providers so I can give you all the particulars at once.

In other news, we've been getting quite a few calls and emails about "do you only photograph small children?"  I do family and high school senior portraits as well, so this week we are adding to the family gallery, just a bit, and then today we added a new Senior section as well.  One of our January specials will be for high school senior portraits, and we are taking a limited number for 2008, so look for those to be announced this week as well.

And now, on to the images.  :)  Our first "rosey baby" is 7 months old.  Her mom and I have known each other since we were born, and I feel so honored to be asked to photograph her.  She is adorable.  And I just love her hair.  ;)  Her mom got the magic bow, that will stick in even the shortest, finest hair (and I have seen proof of this!) from a boutique in Austin called Lambs-E-Divey.

Our next baby is also one of our newest.  This sweet newborn and her brother were in a couple of weeks ago, and I just couldn't resist putting her on the blog right away.

And our last baby is the baby sister of one of our Little Blessings graduates.  She looks so like her sister, but then at moments, she is completely herself.  She was just precious and happy through the entire session.  I love 3 and 4 month old babies.  I've included one of Big Sister so she doesn't feel left out.

Ahhhh, Christmas!

I hope you all had a wonderful Thanksgiving!  We ate too much, but it was worth it.  Is keeping to a healthy diet even worth it this time of year?  I was talking to a friend of mine this past weekend and we were both swearing that we'd get back on track today, but of course this morning I feel like Christmas is only a few weeks away, so maybe I should wait till January.  ;)

Just as a reminder, this is the LAST WEEK to order if you want to have prints back before Christmas.  We are past the deadlines to be able to get cards without a rush order.  But print orders that are in by this Saturday will be back in time for Christmas delivery.  I am closing out all 2007 sessions so if you'd like to reorder, now is the time.

The website is STILL in the process of being moved.  I will be transferring the domain to the new servers later on this week, so we may still have site or email outages sporadically.  Thanks for your patience with this!

I know it's been awhile since I blogged images, but I feel guilty about blogging sessions when I know I have people who still need to order.  :)  But now we are caught up, and we'll be seeing several of you this week so you can get your order in before the deadline.  In the meantime, here is Aubrey, one of our newest Little Blessings Club babies.  Doesn't she have the sweetest little pout?  I do love a gummy baby smile, but this just makes my heart melt.