Seniors&Teens
Kids
Weddings
Amber and John: Houston Engagement Session
Posted on April 26, 2010
As we slowly drove down the long driveway leading to Amber’s grandparents place in Plantersville, our jaws quite literally dropped open. The acreage was covered in wildflowers, ponds, and fields; it was full of rustic charm. We had an incredibly HARD time narrowing down locations for the shoot, every new corner we turned revealed something else photo-worthy. Amber and John were amazingly patient and relaxed as we walked from one end of the property to the other, until well after dark. Amber and John’s easy going manner has seemed to spill right over into their wedding plans. When asked about their wedding they showed not a hint of stress or frustration. Instead, they seem excited and eager as they look forward to celebrating their union with friends and family. Period. No drama. No fuss.
I love having Dustin shoot with me, especially now that he is coming up with fun and creative ideas for images. He set up the image below and I love the way it turned out.
I love the original Star Wars and wanted to do a image reflecting the movie poster because, well, because I am a total geek. But also, when I mentioned it they humored me and agreed to the pose. Later, after seeing the image on my computer screen, it struck me as somehow wrong. I googled the original poster, which you can see here. Close, but not what I was picturing (although, I wonder if I can get them to do that for their wedding photos). After a little thought I had the sneaking suspicion that the poster I was thinking of was actually from the 1992 cult classic Army of Darkness. Oops. Umm, my bad.
Amber and John, thank you so much for spending so much time with us. We enjoyed every minute of it and are SO excited to have the privilege of photographing your wedding this September!
Filed Under Engagement Session | 1 Comment
Houston Family Photography
Posted on April 24, 2010
It is crazy how creative I have been with my blog post titles lately. For real.
I’m going to be brutally honest. Family photos are not what I consider my greatest strength. I am always on the fence if I should continue shooting them. Props to those photographers out there like Bobbi and Mike, The Image is Found, and Pastel Photography, they can rock some serious family sessions. It takes major determination, skill, and patience to photograph a family. But then I get families like Heather, Marc and their two boys and it makes me think, “I love families! Why would I want to stop photographing them?”.
These guys were ideal clients. Relaxed, patient, easy-going and nice. Really, I couldn’t have asked for better.
Their boys are Nathan and Morgan, and like boys their age, they are very much interested in not having their pictures taken. Especially when surrounded by a plethora of farm animals…
Nathan is three.
Morgan is about a year and a half.
Heather and Marc, I thoroughly enjoyed meeting you and your precious boys and I hope to see you all again!
If you are in the Houston area and interested in a session, please contact me at leah@thesaltedimage.com.
Filed Under Kids these days, Uncategorized, We are family | Leave a Comment
Houston Children and Teen Photography
Posted on April 23, 2010
I am way behind in posting sessions so I decided to cheat and post two at once.
First up is Mariah. Once upon a time I taught Mariah’s 3rd grade Sunday school class, now she is a freshman. Crazy. Not only is she lovely, but sweet and spunky too. You got to love this girl!
Her Mother requested some images Mariah in her formal and cheer uniform. Unfortunately the cheer uniform was MIA, but here is the formal…
Next up is Matthew and Katie. Kelle, their Mom wanted some pictures of her kids in the Texas wildflowers especially the bluebonnets. Easy enough to do in this area of Texas because they are everywhere (except, I have learned, in Lake Livingstone)!
Katie and Matthew have a whole zoo full of animals and brought along a few for much needed portraits…
If you are in the Houston area and interested in a session, contact me for info on our next trip at leah@thesaltedimage.com.
Worn Out and Inspired
Posted on April 22, 2010
I am home and recovering from my whirlwind trip to LA to attend the Jasmine Star workshop. I will post about it soon, in the meantime I want to let everyone know I will be working like a mad women on your pictures over the next week.
In honor of Jasmine, who has a fur-ball of her own who she is quite smitten with, here is a teaser from Amber and John’s engagement session in Plantersville…
Filed Under Business, Engagement Session | 1 Comment
Lauren From Texas {Houston Trash the Dress}
Posted on April 17, 2010
I admit it. Sometimes I make stupid decisions.
I had been looking forward to Lauren’s trash the dress session since the moment she said “I do”. I could see it in my mind, big beautiful live oaks draped with spanish moss. The sun setting behind her as she strolled through golden grass. Perfect. Whimsical. Enchanting.
So when time came for the session, I knew the ideal place would be Brazos Bend state park . However, timing and location would have put us smack-dead in the middle of Houston traffic. Not a fun place to be. So in order to save time I searched for a suitable alternative. Lake Livingston became our location for the day. While researching the area, I found that it was close to a ghost town. Wow, how cool would shots be of a bride in a ghost town?! When I asked the Park People about it they actually laughed at me. Because it seems this was no ordinary ghost town but a submerged ghost town. Yes, submerged as under water. Why a town under water is given the term ghost town is beyond me. Who, besides people owning scuba gear, would even see the “ghost town”? Crazy. I think pictures of a bride in scuba gear in a submerged ghost town just might top a regular ghost town. I’ll put it on my to-do list…
So along with Lauren’s little sister (who, by the way, has uber photgraphic skills) Hannah, we drove, and we drove, and we drove. When we got there and it was nothing like I had imagined. No spanish moss, no ghost town, no scuba gear. Just one ridiculously beautiful friend, her crazy-talented sister, and a camera that I am obsessed with. So do you know what we did? We made beautiful pictures…
Every bride needs a picture of herself in a random telephone booth in the middle of nowhere. So, of course we had to pull over when we saw it. However, Lauren did not seem especially interested in stopping at the biker bar or the abandoned houses we passed on our way home. (I am positive that any of those bikers would have let her take some cool shots on their Harleys. Who says no to a beautiful woman in a wedding dress?)
I love it when I have a session that I don’t want to end. This was definitely one of those sessions. Lauren is such a awesome person to be around; she is fun, smart, interesting and lively. She is a talented writer and has an incredibly witty and entertaining blog. I read her regularly. You, too, should check it out.
Lauren, I had such a great time hanging out with you and Hannah! Don’t pack up that dress just yet. Let’s do it again!
We will be returning to the Houston area in late July and have sessions available. If you are interested please email me at leah@thesaltedimage for more information as our Houston spots are limited and fill fast.
Filed Under Bridals | 7 Comments
Class of 2010: Delaney
Posted on April 14, 2010
Delaney is a senior at Covenant Christian School in Willis, and is graduating in a matter of weeks. She is also cousin to Maryanne and Laura, and sister to Thomas, and yes after viewing their pictures you are probably wondering if EVERYONE in this family is so good looking. Yes, yes they are. Here are Delaney’s images to prove my point…
Delaney, I am so inspired by your confidence, sweetness, and amiable personality! Taking your pictures was such a delight for me and I can’t wait to see what your future has in store!
Filed Under Seniors | 4 Comments
Class of 2010: Missy
Posted on April 6, 2010
Missy and I tried several times to shoot her senior portraits but the weather was against us. If it wasn’t snowing, then we were plagued by severe wind. Finally, after numerous attempts, we met up in her hometown of Hereford to shoot her portraits. I had a blast and it was well worth the wait. Seniors are the best, and Missy was no exception!
Missy has total mermaid hair, which the wind was loving. Thankfully, the breeze was somewhat well behaved and not attempting to blow us into another time zone.
Missy, I had such a great time with you! Thanks for giving me the honor of photographing you and thanks so much for showing me all around your hometown!
Filed Under Seniors, Uncategorized | 2 Comments
Adalay is One!
Posted on April 5, 2010
Our sweet, mellow, little girl is one today!
I need to find a new cliche to sum up; “They grow up so fast”, and “I remember it like yesterday”. I do remember her birth like yesterday and it does go SO fast!
I just knew that this day was our last as “Pre-Baby #2 McLean Family”, so of course we had to get a picture! 12 hours before arrival (and don’t be hatin’ my lounge wear, what else could I fit in?)…
The timing of Adalay’s arrival could have been better. We were waiting on the birth of Baby Mc ver. 2.0 before we could move to Amarillo. Movers were coming that week to pack up all our belongings and our new home was wating expectantly to be filled. After much thought, I decided I would rather have our families help once we got to our new home (where I did not know a soul) instead of at the baby’s birth. Our families graciously waited while we enlisted the help of our church family for the birth. When we headed out to the birth center, our cherished friends arrived to pick up Gavin. When they heard I was already 8cm dilated they decided to hang around. I am so glad they did because Gavin was able to meet his sister just minutes after her birth, he was enamored and he has been ever since.
Adalay’s birth was about as good as extreme pain and suffering can be, thanks in large part to my extraordinary midwife Katherine, who works at the Nativi Birthing Center in The Woodlands. The Birth Center beat the socks off Gavin’s hospital birth. It is really even unfair to compare the two. When they set Adalay on my chest, I asked if the baby was a boy or girl and found out no one had checked , so I was the first to find out we had a girl to go along with our rough-neck little boy.
One of the greatest things about using a birth center was that we were home and in our own bed several hours after Adalay was born. The next day I helped get lunch ready for 20 of our closest friends (because I seriously felt that good, really I did not feel like I had given birth 12 hours earlier. I am still waiting for it to hit me) and we had a”Welcome to the World Adalay” celebration.
It consisted of eating great amounts of food and lots of baby gazing. It was great.
Life was full before Adalay, Gavin was busy keeping our lives packed. Adalay added to that fullness in a way that only a happy-go-lucky, calm, and content baby can. She is such a sweet, sweet, gift. We are so thankful for every minute of her life and so proud that she has been given to us!
A year in review…
Happy birth sweet-girl! I can’t wait to see what the year has in store for you!
Filed Under Personal, Uncategorized | 4 Comments