hillary d photography

Favorites of 2011 [Amarillo Family Photographer]

2012-01-06T20:17:00.000-08:00

I am BEYOND blessed to have been

given the chance to work with EVERY one of my customers in 2011.

I know there are tons of photographers out there from which to choose.

I love the opportunity to put my meticulous eye for the art in action.

I learned a few things about myself!

1. My preference for newborns, seniors, and furry friends remains strong.

2. I shot my last wedding this year! (that is what I always say! :P)

3. I notice I have a thing for feet.

I had such a hard time choosing favorites.

Enjoy!

Three {furry} Girls! [Amarillo Pet Photographer]

2012-01-05T14:35:00.000-08:00

Let's set the scene:

Downtown Amarillo

Sunny winter afternoon

Busy weekday

Three feisty furry friends

feisty [fahy-stee]

adjective, feist·i·er, feist·i·est.

full of animation, energy, or courage; spirited;

spunky; plucky: The champion is faced with a feisty challenger.

Need I say more?

The Jones Family [Amarillo Photographer]

2011-08-25T18:07:00.000-07:00

Oh my! These two were so fun to spend the evening with. I am so blessed to have families like this one consider me as their family photographer.

Mommy Jones styled her awe-inspiring family without any help from my end!

She is amazing! From the bows in her daughter's hair to the miniature TOMs that her baby boy wore...WOW! Amazing!

A family like this makes me want little ones!

Then to top it all off...they had a photographer's dream in their backyard...

this ADORABLE (custom-made by Grandpa) playhouse!

Baby Boy S [Amarillo Newborn Photographer]

2011-07-29T20:06:00.000-07:00

Just a small sneak peek for baby S family. He is such a handsome boy. I do not get called for newborn boys as much as I do for girlies! Thank you, Becca, for allowing me into your home.

As I do not have a brother, I did not know the special baby boy effect on a mother until I married my husband and was blessed to see his relationship with his mother. What a special thing to encounter. Baby S is going to be no different with his mommy. With two older sisters, he is going to be quite a special little guy, no doubt about it!

Caption Fun! [Amarillo Pet Photographer]

2011-07-16T22:38:00.000-07:00

Everyone can play! View the photo and share in the comment section what you think the perfect caption would be for this photo.

This may get better than the typical Sunday Funnies in your local newspaper! (looking forward to all the witty responses!)

Thanks in advance for playing along.

I am not a wedding photographer! [Amarillo Family Photographer]

2011-07-08T20:50:00.000-07:00

I have known Adam since before I can remember. He and I have been best friends (and maybe enemies at times) and always will be. Do you have that friend that you can go months without talking to, but when you do get the awesome chance to hang out...it is just like old times...love that about him!

His fiance (now wife) approached me about shooting their wedding. My first response is "I don't do weddings." I have attempted a few times and I know have HUGE respect for those photographers that are wonderful at capturing weddings. It is just not for me! But for Adam and Leslie, I caved.

(this is the last time, folks!)

Call me when you are engaged for couple portraits, or when you have your first little one (furbaby or human baby!) and I will be there in a heartbeat!

Love you two!

Precious Baby A [Amarillo Newborn Photographer]

2011-07-01T20:32:00.000-07:00

I just knew that she would sleep for us if we were patient enough!

Precious A's mom and I had teaching to talk about, so we chatted about school kids while we waited patiently for her to fall asleep.

What a cute personality she has already!

She wanted to be part of her special one-week-old birthday portraits.

Big sister did not want anything to do with the celebration, though. I snuck in a few of her and her sis.

passion for golf

2011-06-15T22:16:00.000-07:00

My two favorite guys (hubby and fur baby) have one of the same passions: GOLF!

As I walk by our guest bedroom, I see this:

Josh is packing his clubs for a road trip to AZ where he is stoked to play the course on ASU campus!

Winston is waiting for him to accidentally drop a golf ball so his game can begin tonight!

I ran to the computer to embrass the grain that a high ISO for this evening shot required, excited to make it black and white...and it dawned on me: their golf game might be more similar than we think!

Whether it is chewing on a golf ball,

or hitting it with a club,

they both would prefer to do it on a daily basis,

never care what the weather is,

get frustrated at times,

lose the little white ball from time to time,

"bark" when it is lost,

attempt to get friends to help them find it,

chase it when it rolls away,

and sometimes have to get a new ball all together! ;0P

Happy Birthday Baby O! [Lubbock Family Photographer]

2011-06-12T16:46:00.000-07:00

Oh! The Places You’ll Go!

You’ll be on your way up!
You’ll be seeing great sights!
You’ll join the high fliers who soar to high heights.

~Dr. Seuss

Had to share a a peek for beautiful Baby O's parents! What a doll!

We met Josh's cousin in Lubbock to capture her one year photos on the Texas Tech campus.

We didn't see Raider Red, but never fear! Mom tells us she has had her picture taken with Red already!

I Heart Fridays [Amarillo Family Photographer]

2011-06-10T20:58:00.000-07:00

Last summer I thoroughly enjoyed www.iheartfaces.com's Fix It Fridays!

The last Friday I did last summer was #69 at I Heart Faces. Today, it is #102.

I miss so much during the school year!

They now have a fun community you can be a part of and see how everyone else edits the photos as well. Here is the before photo and then my edit/take on how it should look!

SOOC (shot out of camera) before:

and then here is my edit...square of course!

AFTER:

More of Austin! [Amarillo Pet Photographer]

2011-06-10T15:31:00.000-07:00

Not only do we dog sit, we photograph our house guests!

I have had my eye on Austin as a model for some time. I am so excited to share these with his mommy...

I could not decide what type of sweet story to add here...

then I found words of wisdom from

the amazing author of Charlotte's Web:

A really companionable and indispensable dog is an accident of nature.

You can't get it by breeding for it,and you can't buy it with money.

It just happens along.

~E.B. White~

That is a BIG dog! [Amarillo Pet Photographer]

2011-06-08T23:05:00.000-07:00

Summer has started out slow...

Winston (my furbaby) and I are best buds again...

We have had the joy of dog-sitting one of my good friend's dogs, Austin!

Winston and I had a wonderful afternoon with his buddy Austin today!

Austin is such a gift to everyone that knows him. He is the wise mentor to all pups around, he is his owner's (Liz) best friend, he is one spoiled, loved grand puppy to Betty, and he is a motivational friend and a calm, sweet pair of ears to listen to students read at the school where Liz and I teach.

Stay tuned for more handsome images of Austin. I have just gotten started!

ps...the out-takes are my favorite!

What a tongue Austin has!

Before and After Invitations [Amarillo Family Photographer]

2011-03-26T21:58:00.000-07:00

Before

After

Special birthday calls for special invitations! A is one of my favorite models. This shot was sort of spur-of-the-moment and I pulled the camera up to my eye and shot. (too far right and without a lot of thought into the focus or exposure) This happens sometimes! She started to get silly, and after the fact, she LOVED this one! I think she surprised herself on what acting silly looks like on camera! TOTAL FUN!!!

Project 2 {Project Future}

2011-01-16T08:09:00.000-08:00

My husband is my best friend. We enjoy evenings with no tv and dinners together with great conversation. The talks of the new year have all been about our future. This week's image is a cocktail napkin from a dinner a while ago. Note taking and list making is one of my favorite things to do. We were sharing our knowledge and philosophy of education over a few drinks. I would love to be a fly on the wall to watch the giggles, smiles, and butterflies that he gives me every time we are together!

Project 1/52 {Project First to Bed}

2011-01-02T21:49:00.000-08:00

Here it is...image one out of fifty-two! I am excited to share my weekly photography project with you! My favorite image from each week will be posted here with a witty name...
Project _________.

Of course Winston gets to start the show. He runs the show around here, right? lol (for new followers, Winston is our only child, or Jack Russell Terrier!)

We had just put new sheets on the bed and made the bed and not just *maybe* five minutes later I go back into the room and Winston had left his new favorite toy on the bed. I know for sure this is JRT speak, leaving something there to tell us he was the first to lay on the neatly-made bed. What a hoot he is! He was no where to be found of course! He just wanted to mark his spot for later. Love that guy!

2010 Favorites!

2010-12-31T16:32:00.000-08:00

Wow...where did the time go? I cannot believe we are moving right along into 2011. Seems like the 1900s were just yesterday!

With hillary d photography, Josh and I have been so blessed to have such great clients. I tried to go through my galleries and pick a few favorites.

*spur of the moment New Years resolution*

make a template of more than 15 favorites to share before the end of 2011!

A few highlights that I can name quickly this year were the Amarillo College Suzuki String students, Amarillo High School Orchestra banquet, part of the Senior Classes of 2010, junior high slumber parties, Pet Portraits in the Park, 1980s UN-GlamourShots, Holiday Mini sessions,
and Holiday Portraits at le Chateau Pet Resort.

A sincere thank you to everyone
that was involved with
hillary d photography in 2010!

Holiday Pet Sessions! [Amarillo Pet Photographer]

2010-12-21T08:32:00.000-08:00

Check out a few friends we met at le Chateau Pet Resort

last Saturday! Stay tuned for more pet session days in 2011!

Winston's First Birthday

2010-12-21T07:21:00.000-08:00

Cousin Ramses is here from St. Louis! (my nephew's pup) So cute!

Le Chateau Pet Resort [Amarillo Pet Photographer]

2010-10-28T17:00:00.000-07:00

Thanks to a friend, Ronda, we were introduced to the wonderful people at

Le Chateau Pet Resort in Amarillo.

Our furbaby, Winston, just fell in love with the daycare at

Le Chateau immediately! They offer so many fun, and spoiling services for your babies that have four legs! They have condos for cats and playgroups for pups. Winston knows the road trip to Le Chateau now. As soon as we turn onto Coulter off of Arden Road, he jumps up at the window wanting to hang out! That right turn onto 77th off of Coulter is what really gets him excited! He KNOWS where we're are headed then! The scenic drive down 77th is always a chore for the driver in our car! We have to keep W from jumping out of the window, while he cannot contain his enthusiasm for his friends at his playgroup!

Join us at Le Chateau on the 6th for some pet portrait fun!

Have an afternoon off while your four-legged babies hang out with friends in their gym!

Gorgeous Kiddos [Amarillo Family Photographer]

2010-10-24T15:57:00.000-07:00

The M family is always so great to work with! Such cool kids! I am so happy I will be able to watch these two grow up to be a beautiful young lady and a handsome young gentleman.

Fall is here! [Amarillo Family Portraiture]

2010-10-21T19:13:00.000-07:00

Fall is here! I cannot believe there are leaves on the ground already! Kim and her family are always so fun to work with. Here is just a sneak peek of the session. Her boys are a hoot! I saw a moon in the sky and by the lake! hehehehe Silly, fun-loving kiddos are the reason I photograph children and the reason I still teach!

the wind in his hair [Amarillo Pet Photographer]

2010-10-09T18:27:00.000-07:00

Oh! The Simple Joys in Life!Winston LOVES car rides! He just loves the wind in his hair. He will squint his eyes through the fast wind, while hanging almost half of his body out of the car window. He always need constant reminders that, no, he cannot put his back paws out on the side mirror too! He gets his front paws out there, but that is as far as I will let him get! This is his ode to the open road!

Fur Baby [Amarillo Pet Photographer]

2010-10-02T20:09:00.000-07:00

There are so many things to be done around the house, so many things I can do to prepare lessons for this coming week, so many customer images to edit, but I just LOVE my fur baby!

Saturday Morning

2010-10-02T16:20:00.000-07:00

Football, Football, Football! [Amarillo Family Photographer]

2010-09-27T18:41:00.000-07:00

Ready to meet Dottie!? [Amarillo Pet Photography]

2010-09-17T19:15:00.000-07:00

Dottie Montgomery...what a sweetheart! I am a little biased toward Jack Russell I am sure, but she was so SMART and so distinguished! I hope these two images make you smile! They sure do make us smile!

Now for a great shot! I love a fast shutter speed! Can you imagine how fast that tongue came out and back in!? I love the element of surprise while importing the photos into lightroom too! YES!

My Joy

2010-09-13T18:46:00.001-07:00

So I still need to work on week one assignment, but this is the workshop I am officially registered for...just am not participating in! I have been under the weather, but hope to get to my self portraits soon!

I heart Winston [Amarillo Pet Photographer]

2010-09-12T20:00:00.000-07:00

Winston has become a difficult subject! He gets mad when I take his picture while he is sleeping and he doesn't sit and look at the camera like he used to!

All of my little noises and tricks to get him to tilt his head are old news now!

I am going to have to start finding new material! He is giving me this,

"Gaw Mom, not the camera again..." attitude when I try to take his picture now!

U family [Amarillo Family Photographer]

2010-09-12T11:43:00.000-07:00

I had the great pleasure of photographing Bethany and her family yesterday evening! I fell in love with her parents and family instantly. Such a sweet family. Josh and I are so blessed to have spent the evening out at their land. It is always so peaceful to get away from the hustle and bustle of the city life!

Bethany and her Josh are expecting their first baby in only a few weeks...

you can just see the joy and emotion in the images...

i heart faces fix it friday #69

2010-09-04T00:35:00.000-07:00

Sometimes there is just that photo that looks better black and white! I thought this one would as soon as I saw it! I <3 faces shares a photo for followers to fix each Friday! Since school as started, sometimes I do not make it, but I napped after work and now here I am blogging! YaY!

The original image...this makes me want to photograph DVR and myself!

Then my edit using PS CS4 this time! I attempted LR3, but didn't like the colors, so I moved to PS where I am comfortable with vignetting and b&w conversions!

2010-08-20T18:42:00.000-07:00

www.iheartfaces.com

original and then my edit...done solely with lightroom 3! I am excited!

Fix it Friday #66

2010-08-13T15:52:00.000-07:00

I am a little late this week...this whole work thing is getting in the way of my photography! LOL

Here is the original:

and then my take on the post processing...

Used a texture from Brenda Acuncius after I added fill light and a little saturation to the green. I extended the canvas and added a little burn on the edges.

I heart Fix it Fridays!

My take on Creative Sunday's "raw"...

2010-08-08T21:31:00.000-07:00

Raw: adj 1.Not cooked 2. Changed little from the original form; not processed 3. Having the surface abraded or irritated 4. Not trained or experienced 5. Vulgar; coarse 6. Disagreeably cold and damp 7. Unfair

Raw is the one-word prompt over at

http://madelinebea.com/blog/

for Creative Sunday!

Here is RAW BEAUTY...We love Rusty!

(Thanks to Elaina for letting me capture his beauty!)

Fix it Fridays

2010-08-06T10:52:00.000-07:00

Fix It Fridays! Join in on the fun!

Here is the original that we get to edit! So cute!

And here is my take on it. I lightened up the shadows in lightroom and did a few spot removals on his face and lint from his sweatshirt. (I am a little OCD) I added a tad fill light and bumped up blue and purple saturation for his sweatshirt and eyes!

Then I opened it in photoshop to warm it up a bit, then did a few surface blurs for the grain and then sharpened and cropped.

Please feel free to leave comments! I love comments!

Winston does not like the camera today...

2010-08-05T20:37:00.000-07:00

Or was it the raincoat I was making him wear? It is a tad small...
I think we will give a hand-me-down to his friend Pearl!

the itaaaalian peeeople...

2010-08-05T20:24:00.000-07:00

My father-in-law is another one of the million things
I gained the day I married my husband!

When he cooks Italian food in his kitchen, or in a kitchen at a cabin, or wherever, he turns into THE ITALIAN PEOPLE!

I typed the title out attempting to show the Italian accent that he speaks with throughout the WHOLE preparation and cooking process. The Italian people normally leave as soon as the food is ready, and we get Boyd back!

So...as you can expect, we have athe Itaaaaaliana peeeeople over to our house now when we cook Itaaaaaliana fooda! LOL

They were here tonight!

Amarillo Pet Portraits

2010-08-01T01:02:00.001-07:00

Love these puppies!

The beginning...

2010-07-29T16:28:00.000-07:00

Do these look like tomatoes to you?

Winston [Amarillo Pet Photographer]

2010-07-29T14:30:00.001-07:00

Winston is a great model...when he wants to be! I finally caught him sleeping! It took me about 10 minutes of acting like I was just standing there...

I wanted to catch him doing homework with Josh...I believe he lays on his feet to sleep so he will know when Josh gets up! Winston doesn't want to miss a THING!

We continued our photo shoot after the shutter sound woke him up! These are all shot with the light from our front, east-facing window. He was about 5 feet from the window under Josh's feet and then came to where I was...about 2 feet from the window. Would like for him to stay further away from me, but when I am sitting on the floor, this is an exciting thing! (i guess?) :P

My Husband

2010-07-29T00:26:00.000-07:00

My husband calls himself the "picture-taker helper..."

He is amazing at his job! He is my number one support, as well as our clients' helper!

He holds purses, wipes kids' noses, spreads blankets out, carries my ladders and bags, tries to make silly faces, wrangles kids during a mom and pop shoot, and much more! He has been the guy that parents use as a threat if they don't behave and he has been the guy that feeds kiddos M&Ms for that great smile!
What ever it takes, he is there!
Love you, Deaver!

(he might kill me if he knows I am sharing this photo...he was helping here too...
this was a shoot I had to do for a portraiture class I took a few years ago!)

Internet-dependent...

2010-07-28T14:22:00.000-07:00

Ok, so the internet and digital cable are down. I called Suddenlink and made them aware of the situation. BTW, I had to look up the number on the internet browser of my Blackberry and that doesn't always go so well!

Due to my call, they put a work order out on the problem and she hoped it would be fixed "within the hour or two." NICE! I had just scheduled a print upload to an online lab and I have more photog work to do today...what shall I do now?

Josh always has a great book going...so he sat down in the quietness of the house and began to read. He suggested I go get the book he purchased for me a few days ago and read with him. (he tries to make me a reader but I just cannot sit still that long)

Ok, so I will play with my newly purchased Polaroid camera and film. After a few minutes, and deciding the film I bought doesn't fit, I thought I would google the problem.

The internet is down!

Well, I can handle this until the problem is fixed! I turned to see my unfinished laundry job from yesterday! YES! I will work on laundry and listen to some of my favorite music on Pandora Radio! Ummmmm....

The internet is down!

Ok...I can do laundry without music...

I thought of a few phone calls I needed to return about a photo shoot. Yes, that will help me get those calls out of the way and pass the time! I will just look up their phone numbers on the email they sent. OH! Wait!

The internet is down!

I found the numbers on my phone and was able to make a few phone calls. Whew! The phone rings a few minutes later. I get a little excited that it could be someone that will help me pass the time. It is a message from school that I can check my email for important dates and times! oh, ummm...

The internet is down!

My take on a Dr. Seuss book... [Amarillo Child Photographer]

2010-07-26T11:53:00.001-07:00

Great assignment, ladies! Kristy and Brenda teach an awesome workshop on creativity, post-processing, exposure, aperture, natural lighting, and SO MUCH MORE! Total package when you learn from these two talented ladies!

My latest assignment was to take the following excerpt out of my most favorite Dr. Seuss book of all time: Oh, The Places You'll Go!

I believe these are the first words/phrases in the book. I sadly do not have a personal copy of the book. I need to render that situation.

Our niece was so sweet to model for me! She worked in the wind, sun, humidity, DUCK POOP, and even the rain. What a beauty she is! ENJOY!

You can click on an image to see it in a larger size! Blogger is not the best at allowing for photo viewing. Leave a comment...I would love to hear what you think! Critique it or praise it! good or bad...I am in this for the long hall!

Just two of the many wonderful things I gained the day I married my husband: his nieces!

2010-07-25T01:35:00.000-07:00

Operation Winston!

2010-07-22T19:40:00.000-07:00

Operation Winston...working on his manners...

Winston and I have been to the park two nights in a row! Let's see how long this will last. He and I have been working on two things:

Letting him out the front door and expecting him to go straight to the car. This has been tried in the past, and...well...you know JRTs...ZOOOOOOOM! He ran down the driveway, across the neighbors' yard (on the corner) and down the side street just north of our house! What is down that street that he was running toward, you ask?? A yard with chain-link fence and two large pit bulls.

It has since been a joke that, "no, we can't try it again...we don't have our tennis shoes on!"

He is growing up, you know!? He turned 7 months old on July 20th, so when we went left for the park yesterday, we tried it again. ZOOOOOOM! Straight down the driveway...but wait...he turned to look where we were going! I spoke loud and quick, telling him CAR, Come on!, Let's Go! over and over and he CAME! He went around to Deaver's side and jumped right in the open and awaiting door that we both had ready for him so we wouldn't have to run around the block again!

At the park, we are working on his leash-walking skills! He is just so fast and so curious that he pulls at his leash the whole time! I have done a little research on leash training, so I tried a few of the tips and it seemed to work a tad last night. He was only pulling every 20 steps instead of every 2!

Operation Winston Day One = Successful!

Operation Hillary...yes, this is for me too! I plan to get into better shape. One trip around Medi Park seems a little sad, but it is a start! Maybe we will work on more laps as we move into the second week of our plan!

Day Two = He went straight to the car this time! He did so well...I had my tennis shoes on just in case! (and for the park, so this works out well) I was a little scared because we were getting into the mustang and he rarely rides in that car. We are typically in Deaver's car when we take him out. YES! This is working!

He pulled at his leash right when we got out of the car and a few times as we made our way down to the lake at Medi Park, but he did really well!

Stay tuned...I plan to take my camera to the park soon!

More Ps and Lr! [Amarillo Child Photographer]

2010-07-21T02:10:00.000-07:00

So I was without a computer for almost a week...hard drive crashed...and now here I am, up at 4:12AM playing with Photoshop and Lightroom! I really have started creating my style and workflow in these two AMAZING editing pieces of software. Above is an image I posted before using an action called "funky urban." After collaborating with the wonderful women taking my bloom workshop, here is what I have come up with! This is taking out the gray haze the urban had, brightening up the face, adding a vignette and a stroke, and stamping it with my logo! Love this little baby girl!

Thanks Brenda and Kristy!

2010-07-10T21:20:00.000-07:00

I have had an educational summer thus far! Thought I might share the link to a workshop (Bloom Workshop) I have had the wonderful chance to attend. I regretfully took a vacation in the middle of the workshop and thought our time with WiFi would be suitable for the workshop, but it didn't work out as planned. I have gotten back in the workshop wagon since we have returned. *making a personal note to blog with Red River pictures soon!*

So here is an image straight out of camera (SOOC) and then an edit with a crop and the assistance of one of Brenda's Actions!

We LOVE our Winston books! [Amarillo Family Photographer]

2010-06-18T16:11:00.000-07:00

2010-06-16T20:40:00.000-07:00

Ordered cute accordion books of Winston portraits! Should be here in a few days! I will post photos of the photos...if you can picture that! lol This is something we could order for you!

Winston [Amarillo Family Photographer]

2010-06-16T20:37:00.001-07:00

Newest shots of Winston! I am taking a workshop on shooting in custom white balance and wide open apertures! Excited about my new studio logo and name! More to come soon!

Must Blog Soon...

2010-03-30T15:51:00.000-07:00

Must blog soon! Maybe I can find some time to sit longer than 10 minutes without photos to edit or lessons to write!? Hope it is not June before I do this again! I have not posted pictures of Winston since he was 6 weeks old! I am such a bad mother. LOL

Winston's first bath...

2010-02-13T14:38:00.000-08:00

He didn't love it, but he didn't hate it. He tried to get out a few times, but he barely reaches the top of the side of the bathtub when standing on his back legs! He is so soft and cuddly now!

He is so smart! (and he loves his treats!)

2010-02-08T19:04:00.000-08:00

Welcome Home Winston!

2010-02-05T15:51:00.000-08:00

Look at his big, ferocious dog collar!

We have had Winston since Sunday! What a sweet baby puppy he is!!! We just love him and he has taken over the house! He has met his maternal grandma "Honey," and his paternal grandparents "Pop and Grandmommy!" He is spoiled already. His new time to wake up is 3:30 am. I have sort of enjoyed the outside air in the middle of the night. It is so quiet and still out there at that time. Who would have ever known?

He has really adjusted to his new home well. He slept with this little fox toy for a few nights. I think it was his new buddy for a while! I dressed him up and photographed him while he was sleeping his first couple of days. He has the cutest little heart-shaped nose! He has started staying awake more already. He didn't eat much the first two days, but he is really eating like a big boy now!

Winston has spent most of his afternoons at school with me. He just LOVES school already! He has shown his most excited moments when he enters the office and classroom when Josh brings him to us up at school. My students just love Winston too!

30 years...

2010-01-22T16:12:00.000-08:00

Weird to think I have been alive for 30 years!!??

WOW! Where has the time gone?

I came home to a clean house, birthday banners, and a decorated dining table. DVR remembered from last year that I mentioned (just once) that I love cookie cakes! He remembered!
Cookie cake, present, and a cute centerpiece!

I finally opened the present.
First, I read the sweet "homemade card" my husband included!
Then...

A Nintendo DSi! It is charging now!

Self Portraits

2010-01-20T17:41:00.000-08:00

Thanks to those who made me smile the past couple of weeks by playing Self Portrait Time! Photography is one of my passions, so I just LOVE to see photos of family and friends! *especially photos that tell us about their personality!* I am going to post these in the order they were received.

The first self portrait I received was from Cameron. He says he was "creating mysteries to solve later...Sherlock Holmes style." Thanks Cameron. Maybe you can let us in on one of those mysteries! Is that what you try to keep up as an image? a mystery? might work out with the ladies! Who knows! :0)

Next, I received a couple's self portrait! They titled it "Happiness!" What a cute couple! Art proposed to Kim just two nights before this was taken! So sweet! I wish them never-ending happiness!

Then came a picture of a good friend, Michael. What a wonderful portrayal of his sweet heart and his loving father demeanor. I accepted this as a self portrait, even though he did not take it! I think others can catch the "best" real you when you aren't expecting it sometimes!

Stay tuned for a REAL self portrait from Michael! Love him! He makes me laugh!

A+ for the day goes to Elaina as she sent a real, raw self portrait. Thanks, Elaina! She says,

"It’s me being silly with the fruit roll-ups that tattoo your tongue. It was right before a big museum event, I was super stressed (as you can see by the dark circles under my eyes and no makeup), and just having a little fun."

Then there is my loving husband. His is so true. He has a picture here that is in between two decisions...sort of funny thinking about going back to what he had... to beard or not to beard??

I love my husband, the dreamer. He racks his brain every minute of each day about how he will make our future together better. He often gets caught up in decisions or ideas and can't ever decide! Too late to go back to the beard, honey! Love you! Thanks for sharing!

Matt...if you do not know him...the picture says it all. Knowledge of movies and time spent on movies is AT LEAST half of his life! Very creative! Thanks Matt! True self portrait!

Last but not least...we leave you with a conversation I had with Michael (aka @Stlfanmls) over Twitter.

"And what does this portray about you?" I asked.

Michael replied, "That I am a shy guy and that I like hats maybe!!!" LOL Yes, yes...so shy. (NOT A BIT!) Micheal, maybe you can clue us in on the laughs that you had in that bathroom mirror before having the crazy idea of sharing this with the whole world of Twitter??? So funny! Where in the world do you get a hat that small??? hehehehehe :0) Thanks Michael!

Love that personality you all shared with me! Remember...Giggles on picture day are unforgettable, but the smiles and laughs that the photos create years later are priceless! Start capturing those moments!!! Create them first! Love your family and friends. They are all we have!

Winston!!

2010-01-17T19:40:00.001-08:00

We took a road trip up through the TX panhandle to meet our new puppy today. We were so excited the whole way there. We had Winston picked out for a boy's name and Juliet picked out for a girl's name. Conversation on road trips in the Deaver car is always great! We rarely turn the radio up past the lowest level, because our chatting is better than any music on! (we have XM radio too, so I am sure there is good stuff on there!) Josh would periodically "scratch" the ears of his (for now) imaginary dog and say, "You's a good boy!" LOL This puppy is going to be spoiled!

Conversation is never interrupted due to scenery. If you have never been around Amarillo and its surroundings, you aren't missing much! My mom did remind me today that we have beautiful sunrises and sunsets! TRUE! Thanks, Mom, for finding the beauty in our home!

Taking the road down to the owner's home...we ran into what we call Winston's step-brothers. On the country road, they were just a few feet from the car! Josh tried to get me to get out to take the picture, but I refused and shot the pic out the window! YIKES! I am such a city girl!

After spending a little while with the 5 pups in the litter, we had it narrowed down to three. "How will we ever decide?" I asked. Scarlett, the owner, had great information for us! She is very knowledgeable about the breed! What a sweet lady. We could have stayed all day and played with the pups! There was the runt with only one black spot over one eye. There was the playful girl that carried the toys around and the dough belly girl that was "the hunter!" She was curious! AND...Winston, of course, the only brother in the group. He liked Josh's lap as we sat in the middle of the living room with puppies everywhere! Juliet (yes, we named another one while we were there) was SO VERY CUTE! I could not decide.

An hour later, we were taking pictures of Winston before we left. I mentioned to Josh at one point that he had to hand him back over...then I held him and he had to remind ME that we had to give him back for now! Winston will soon come home and be part of the Deavi! We cannot wait! Love him already!

Puppy Update!

2010-01-10T11:31:00.001-08:00

The owner of our puppy emailed pictures again today! They are three weeks old today! The male is the one trying to get out of the basket! He already has that attitude we are looking for, sounds like. lol We also fell in love with the baby girl that is looking toward the camera in the picture on the left. What a cutie she is, huh!? We are going to try to go meet them next weekend. DVR says he is going to try to get his parents to get one of the siblings of our baby. It would be fun to have play dates!

What a surprise to us that they are tricolor. That is a great bonus! If you saw the newborn pictures, they seem to only be black and white! Not now! We will keep you posted on what we decide. I believe he or she will be able to come home with us in about 3 or 4 weeks! YaY! Our baby is on its way!

Self Portrait

2010-01-08T16:09:00.000-08:00

Laugh with me, please! I had to take a self portrait that portrayed something about me for my VERY first photography class back in the day! Here it is:

What does this portray, you ask? Well, I guess I felt a little overwhelmed by the piles of work, or junk, or whatever it might have been at the time. This was not staged! I just set my camera up on the end of the table and laid my head near the mess! This is what was captured. I used a larger aperture to fade myself a little bit, while the image is focused on the "stuff" there in the picture. That shows my lack of enjoyment of being in pictures - reason for being behind the camera most of the time!

I would love to see what you would set up as your self portrait. Email me your images at barefoothillary@gmail.com and I will post some of my favorites soon! Come on...a short click of the iPhone in your favorite spot!? Please!?

Teaching

2010-01-03T07:57:00.000-08:00

I have decided that in both of my professions, teaching and photography, I must learn at least one new thing each day. Obviously, as a teacher, I like to pass on things I learn to others. I have decided that this information I learn must be useful to someone out there.

I am embarking on a new classroom set up this Spring due to a "model teacher grant" I have won. In the Fall, I wrote a board of IT persons reasons why I thought my classroom and students would benefit from a bundle of new technology materials. In that, I had to explain my plans and future assessing of the success of the equipment. I WON! In the next few months, my classroom will be equipped with a CPS set, from eInstruction, a SmartBoard, and a classroom set of Dell mini laptops. Of course, I will be equipped with a computer, document camera, and projector to assist in using all this jazzy, new stuff.

With all that said, stay tuned for new information as I receive all the equipment and training in the next year or so. I am excited to begin this new adventure.

AND...just TODAY...I have been reading one of my favorite blogs that I try to follow. MckMama (aka Jennifer McKinney) is a beautiful photographer, but first a mom of four. If you have children of your own, you should follow her! I read her blog on "making the eyes pop in a photograph" this morning. Here is what I did to the cutest baby face of all time. More to come, as I can spend hours and hours in Photoshop!

Turkey Paninis {Amarillo Family Lifestyle Photographer}

2010-01-02T17:21:00.000-08:00

My brother-in-law has given us the tastiest turkey recipe in the world. I have passed it on to many friends, and I am more than willing to give it to those that have not tried it. Warning: if you try it, you will never cook a bird in any other way. It is an invigorating time, starting with a brine in a black trash bag, then cooking the bird while basting every half hour! It becomes a beautiful creation...AND tasty!

What is better than indulging in the turkey?? Oh! Stacking it with bacon and Swiss cheese, with tomato and spinach leaves and grilling it on the new panini grill!
My handsome husband went after the turkey breast like he was on a mission. He did a wonderful job! It was the messy job out of all the work given in the kitchen. We stacked the ingredients in this order in between two pieces of sourdough bread: cheese, turkey breast, bacon, cheese, tomato slices, and fresh spinach leaves.I am sad to say we do not have pictures of the panini. We had friends come over with dips and chips, and bacon to cook...and the photographer was "manning the grill" as well.

What is better than indulging in turkey paninis?? Oh! Spending that time with good friends. A wise man once told us that brunch can be served late in the afternoon. "It is called a bartenders' brunch!" So with his words soothing us as it neared 2pm, we savored in Mimosas, pampered ourselves with Turkey and Bacon Paninis, and entertained with a board game.

Board games with friends could be a whole other blog, but today it was Loaded Questions. Google it if you haven't played it. Can be fun for a group of adult friends with sarcastic and witty senses of humor!

I go forth looking for something to add to the panini...a tomato basil pesto? Suggestions?

Barefoot Kiddos Photo Books

2010-01-01T13:22:00.000-08:00

See my webpage (www.barefootprintsgallery.com) for more information on a photo book for your kiddo to share with their loved ones! The first steps of reading and sharing reading is knowing what the words say and being excited to tell someone about it.

Enjoyed our nieces and nephews!

2010-01-01T11:04:00.000-08:00

Sweetness at its finest! What a great personality Emery has! We totally enjoyed her mood swings and cute laughter! She just makes the family photo below! She agrees with her Aunt RiRi (aka Hillary) in believing that photos should be entertaining...catching the personality of the kiddos! She was my new best friend this week, allowing me to take any pictures of her I wanted to and then she would run...."let me see, let me see!" Love her!

Faith and Ella (Josh's nieces) spent a few days at Grandmommy's with us! What beautiful girls they are growing up to be! Miss them!

The holiday season always brings tons of smiles! What a great time to spend time with our nieces and nephews. We hate to see them go, but definitely look forward to seeing them in the future. My sister and her husband our beginning a new road in life with new job offers, so we cannot wait to see what new vacation spot they choose for us! Come on summer, so we can get out of town again!

Decisions, Decisions, Decisions...

2009-12-24T06:58:00.000-08:00

Here are three of the five puppies in the litter! Thanks, Scarlett. There was only one boy in the litter. Deaver originally wanted a boy...but he says he will take a girl too. He grew up with all girl dogs and a girl kitty! We really are going to have to decide after we meet them, but we think these two baby girls are cute too. Stay tuned! We will let you know what happens in the next couple of weeks!

Merry Christmas to everyone! Hope Santa makes all of your dreams come true! :0)

New addition to Barefoot Photography!

2009-12-20T18:21:00.000-08:00

It's a.....PUPPY!!! The momma dog we have found in Spearman, TX had a litter of 5 just this morning. Josh and I will go soon to pick out the latest addition to our family. We will bring a Jack Russell Terrier puppy home late January or early February. We are ready for the crazy attitude of the terrier! We are ready for his/her energy to brighten our days! Stay tuned for more information and be ready for pictures of the baby just as if we have a newborn at home! We are going to be proud parents!

On a cold, winter day... [Amarillo Family Photograher]

2009-12-20T18:15:00.000-08:00

My husband and I had the opportunity to visit with an old friend and meet his new family. He should be proud of these girls. What beauties! Thanks, Matt!

Barefoot Dimples!

2009-12-20T18:05:00.000-08:00

Kiddo shoots are my favorite! I love the innocence of a child. The smirks in their smiles, the dimples that appear, the blush they get in their cheeks, and the curiosity you can see in their eyes...these years need to be captured! I know I LOVE to go back to see pictures of my older sister and I as we grew up! The giggles on the day pictures are taken are unforgettable, but the smiles and laughs that the photos create years later are priceless!

I am ready for photos in the snow!!!

2009-12-17T18:27:00.000-08:00

Christmas is upon us! WOW! How this year has flown by! Maybe I will blog more next week, but for now I just wanted to leave you with a fun holiday card creation!

~h

{amarillo baby photography}

2009-07-10T11:08:00.001-07:00

I just LOVE sweet babies!! This little Mr. was not excited about me the first day we attempted to shoot in his great grandma's backyard! I had to catch a smile! Lucky for me, he and his mom were in town for a few more days and we got to meet again!

Website!

2009-06-15T20:45:00.001-07:00

What a beautiful little princess. The week my website (www.hillarydphotography.com) made its debut ended by a photo shoot with Emma! She was blessed with an adoptive mommy that gave her a life away from Guatemala. What a sweetheart she was! Mom says she used to scream at the site of a camera! She posed differently after each click of the camera during our shoot! Cutie!

Cute Families and Crazy Kids! :)

2009-03-09T18:43:00.000-07:00

Kim and her family met me downtown on a very windy weekend! I am thinking wind and a camera is a perfect recipe for "Crazy Kids!" How cute they were! The oldest boy started to say "cheese" for every picture! Toward the end, it turned into "cheese AGAIN!" hehehehe :) Thanks Kim! Had a blast!

My Handsome Husband!

2009-03-06T19:10:00.000-08:00

Josh is so good at being my main subject when I have the craving to shoot new pics! I love to use him for new ideas. He is really photogenic. I am sure he hates it, but his mother loves to see new photos of her baby!

Barefoot Babies!

2009-02-23T19:32:00.001-08:00

Being able to have "play dates" with beautiful little ones once in a while allows me to not have to jump into motherhood too quickly! Having a newborn shoot once a month or so has me set in the baby area! What a beautiful baby girl! From the comfort of their own nursery, and a little snack in the middle of the session, allows for Baby to have a stress-free photo shoot!

Warming up!

2009-02-20T17:35:00.001-08:00

My first "spring" shoot was a little chilly! Can we call it Spring yet? Ok...we will! It is warming up out there. Loved working with this group. They were a crazy bunch! Shooting families and parents with their daughters reminds me daily how important family is. Please don't forget to photograph these important years! Our little buddy had his first professional photographs shot on this chilly day. What a sweetie!

Busy Busy Busy

2008-11-18T22:02:00.001-08:00

Aaaaaawwwww...Tiffany!

2008-10-10T22:29:00.000-07:00

A friend I have known since 1991 is getting married Oct. 18th! She has been so gracious to let me use her as a subject many times! Recent times have been with her violin and then in her wedding dress! I have beautiful shots of her in her dress, but you will have to come back after the date to see those! The only two I can post for now are the pics of rings!

The A Family [Amarillo Family and Child Photographer]

2008-08-04T18:16:00.001-07:00

We hung out with Deaver's cousin, his sweet wife, and precious boys Sunday night. They were so gracious to allow me to shoot pics the baby boy, Sam, in the nude and with all his glory! We will save the baby bum shots for mom and dad. We then went "bye bye" to head downtown to get cute shots of Jay on the slide and some of the whole fam. We really enjoyed visiting and playing with the boys! What a cute family they have made for themselves!

What a precious baby!
I think Deaver and I definitely caught the baby fever while hanging out with the Adams!

Jay had fun sliding down the slide, running around to the ladder where Deaver would lift him up the steps to meet dad up top and run to slide down again! Out of about 15 times, I caught a few cute shots! He is a little dare devil! Parents beware!!!

Our Honeymoon!

2008-07-19T11:55:00.000-07:00

We had a wonderfully romantic week in California...I had my two favorite things: my husband and MY CAMERA! I am not sure Josh would recognize me without my Canon around my neck! He is so patient with me and my photography. I am all into using different apertures and shutter speeds to see what "artsy" shots I can come up with. To spare your attention span...I will just post a few. I took over 500 shots while we were there. The first four are in San Diego and the last three are from our time in San Francisco.

Weddings

2008-06-11T21:10:00.000-07:00

Thank you Jen for allowing me to capture the special moments on your wedding day! I have been known to cry at the wedding of two people I don't personally know! I for sure cried a couple of times during this one! Tears behind the camera should have been the name of the company!

Families and Children

2008-06-03T20:48:00.001-07:00

I am a quiet person, but I believe I can grab the attention of your children during special play at the park! Children hold a special place in my heart. I live for the cherished smiles on babies' faces, whether they are 2 or 16! Candid, journalistic shots are my favorite! They tell a story that should never be forgotten and should be told for years and years to come!

Engagement Photographer - Amarillo

2008-06-03T20:40:00.001-07:00

I sit back and wait until you are comfortable...and you will almost forget I am there...then the perfect shot comes along! An engagement is a once in a lifetime feeling. I hope to catch your very thoughts on a sunny day at the park with your fiance!

I shot the next three engagement photos of two really good friends...I have never had to pose people as much as I did them...for some reason they were shy around me! We did get some cute shots though! Love ya Tiff!