Mom, the pictures are good.  You can relax.  B, A & D (and dad too) did a great job!  The park hasn’t looked better this year! 

It’s all their fault I smelled like onions all day Wednesday.  I sat right in them while getting some of these pictures of their adorable kids!  As always family, good times, can’t wait to see you again!

First thing I get when I get to this shoot…a big hug from Hadley!  There’s just nothing better than knowing the whole family REALLY is enjoying their photoshoots! 

We fought the light a little, but we sure did find a great little spot for some pics!  I saw it from the road and knew it was going to be a fun little adventure.  If I wasn’t so scared of snakes, I would have poked around there a little bit more.  This family is always too much fun!

Last year it was the Fort Worth Stockyards, this year it was their place outside of town, next year I am thinking I need to go to a rodeo with them! 

Yes, we design Christmas cards.  They are 5×7 or 4×8 photo cards.  You can buy the design for $25 and print them yourself or we sell them for $1.75 each and you have to order 25 or more.  I haven’t started doing any fancier folded cards…just because they are so pricey.  Maybe next year. 

If you want us to design a card, please email us the picture #s you would like us to use.  The more pictures you use the smaller the pictures get.  We will send you a proof and you get one time around to change it for the $25.  If you don’t like it the 2nd time around there are extra charges for additional changes.  And yes, we can tell you how and where to print them and get you a copyright release if you need one. 

If you have received your high res image of your card design, please mail a check for $25 to POB 4032, WF 76308 or make an appt. to drop it off at the office.  Yes, we are still “by appt. only” at the office.  Now more so than ever.  It is still very busy. 

Do we have any appts.?  Not for 3 weeks.  Thanksgiving day before and day after appts. are booked too.  Remember those sitting fees are $100 an hour and are due now to hold your appt.  I have received a few of those payments.  Thank you.

Also sitting fees this month have gone back to the normal price of $45.  Sorry you missed the bargains, please remember to book earlier next year.  The weather is changing and the park won’t look good for much longer.  It is actually really pretty right now (unlike last year when it was pretty two weeks ago!  love this Texas weather.) 

Please remember I am not a traditional studio photographer.  If the weather is bad, and you want to do an inside location, I have to check that location for light and other possibilities.  Am I a diva?  Yes.  But I know what I do well and I know what I don’t do well and I am 100% honest 100% of the time with you about what I can and cannot do. 

That is it for now for the blah-blah-blog.  Please let me know know if you have any questions.  Email is always best.  Facebook messages aren’t checked as often as regular email.  fotobydeedra@aol.com.

And don’t forget the 12 Days of Christmas Giveaways are right around the corner!  They will start on the 9th of December!  And if you know anyone getting married in 2011, you might want to tell them to become a blog-stalker!  We will be giving a wedding photography package away sometime soon also.

Oh, sorry, almost forgot.  We are getting sessions loaded very fast.  The only thing not loaded right now are the appts. from yesterday.  We will get to those starting next week.  If you haven’t seen your proofs, there is a problem.  Please email me and we will figure it out.  And the office will be closed on Monday for appts. in Fort Worth.

…but I think a handshake says a lot about a person.  And Julie has a great handshake!  She had never met me, she came right up to me in a parking lot tonight, and shook my hand and introduced herself.  Very impressive young lady!  She’s pretty good in front of the camera too! 

Thank you Julie for a super fun and easy senior session tonight.

If your files are over 6 months old (not weddings), they are on sale now and may not be available again.  If you want them, it’s time NOW!  email me fotobydeedra@aol.com. 

My new policy on wedding files is that I will keep them for 1 year.  After that you are welcome to buy your CD (if you don’t have it), but I will not be placing any wedding orders after your one year anniversary. 

At the first of the year I am going to make some changes and stop keeping files so long.  It is just too much stress on me and my equipment to have all these picture files. 

There will also be price increases in January.  Prints and wedding packages.  I am only going to be doing 2 weddings each month too, and we will not be at the bridal market next year.

We will be giving away a wedding for next year, just haven’t figured out exactly how we want to do that yet.

Christmas cards–time to get your requests for those in.  I designed 8 yesterday.  

Your orders for Christmas are due no later than December 3rd.  This office will be closed for Christmas break on December 10th.  We will be back on January 5th.

Feeling pretty THANKFUL today for all my new and old friends who invite me to spend an hour with their beautiful families and take a walk around the park for a few photos.  As I repeatedly say and feel terrible for, I just don’t have time to blog everyone right now.  But I do so appreciate you choosing me to take your photos!

Here’s 4 from shoots in the last few days that are uploading or about to upload.  Another busy weekend ahead, filled with more gorgeous and fun families!  I am so Blessed.

Spending my Friday afternoon off trying to blog a little.  Sad that nothing from this week made it here!  Posting to Facebook is just more convenient I guess.  Sorry again for the lack of posting every shoot.  These are from this morning.  Patricia and Clint celebrated their anniversary this week and CLINT wanted to have some pictures taken!!!!  OMG, the man wanted pictures.  Pigs must be flying or hell froze over!  Whatever has happened, I like it.  Men may try to act like they don’t like pictures, but they still know how important they are to have.  Happy Anniversary friends!!!!  Let’s do this again on your 18th wedding anniversary, but let’s do it in Vegas or Mexico!

Jason, Dracula and me and Abby as a Rangers fan at the World Series (that’s why I have a hotdog and beer).  It was a fun night.  Our good buddies the Stroderds trick-or-treated with us and we were home in time for the first pitch.  Let’s go Rangers!!!!!!!

What a great night.  They were too much fun!  So were their friends and family and the zombies too!  And this is only the sneak peak!