Family, Children & High School Senior Photographer - Texas
My daughter, even though she hasn’t read the book, is a Twilight fan. Perhaps only because of the hype her friends have placed on it!
For her birthday I thought it would be fun to recreate the look of the Twilight poster with her picture. I added several special effects and eye make-up (much to my husband’s chagrin) with the computer and am having it printed. We’ll give it to her on her birthday next week.
Once in awhile I share some pictures that have to do with me and my personal life. This post is one of those times.
My oldest brother was married earlier this year. When he signed up for the National Guard he knew it was likely that he would find himself deployed to Iraq, but now that the time is here we’re all experiencing the emotions that happen during a time like this.
They visited several weeks ago and allowed me to take some photographs for them. Something to hold on to during the long months apart. It was certainly a new experience for me to take pictures under these circumstances and the emotion that shows in their images moved me.
Have you ever had your luggage lost or stolen? I went on a trip last week and for the first time ever, my luggage didn’t reach my destination with me.
Last week was the annual Wedding & Portrait Photographers International conference in Las Vegas, Nevada. It was a great time to learn from some of the best photographers in the industry, spend time with old photographer friends and make lots of new ones from around the world.
The trip was made more interesting by the fact that my luggage was lost on the way there! My only carry-on luggage was my laptop computer and camera, so I found myself in quite a bind. Between friends who were generous with their things and a mall within walking distance of the hotel, I managed to recover and had a great time in spite of the costly inconvenience. My luggage never made it’s way home so I said good-bye and finally bit the bullet today and went to see Dr. Redwine to get new glasses (thank goodness I wear contacts during the day or I would have been very lost). I hope whoever has my suitcase is enjoying my prescription glasses in their outdated frames!
I can’t describe what it’s like to be in Las Vegas with good friends, amazing teachers, inspiring mentors, a trade show with displays and vendors beyond belief and 11,000 other people who share your passion. The energy and enthusiasm was literally palpable. It was amazing.
I can’t wait to share the new ideas and techniques I learned with you, not to mention share the amazing products that I got to see and experience at the trade show. The bottom line is that the show and conference was fantastic, but bringing it home and sharing it with customers is really the ultimate reward. Wow, that sounds cheesy! You know me. I’m not the cheesy type. I’m just that excited and energized.
Okay, enough rambling. How about some pictures?!
All of my group pictures are snapshots. Thankfully Alisha got a few decent pictures of our ‘gang’:
L to R: Alisha from Atlanta, me, Martha from Miami, Carolyn from Houston, Monique from Houston and Heidi from Tampa Bay.
Can you tell we were goofing off? This one is our ‘Dallas’ soap opera pose:
We can be serious though… just not very often!
We stayed at the Signature Towers at the MGM Grand. The service was top notch and the suite was fantastic. My favorite part was the wake-up call. Several of us shared a room and the first name that came up alphabetically on the room was my friend Martha Bravo. Each night when I’d phone in a wake-up call the operator would say: “Thank you, Ms. Bravo. You will be awakened at 6:30 a.m.” or whatever time we requested. Even when we called one in at 2 a.m. the operator didn’t laugh!
If you live in West Texas, chances are you or someone you know enjoys a good steak restaurant. One evening we grabbed a taxi and headed over to Texas de Brazil. Wow. I’m not a big steak-eater but even I was impressed by this place. Huge cuts of lamb, pork, rib-eye, sirloin, chicken… you name it. Freshly cooked in huge cuts, carried to your table on the biggest skewer I’ve ever seen and cut while you wait, right at your table. The phenomenal salad bar with it’s fresh foreign cheese and imported olives was my favorite part, but I’m pretty sure it’s taboo to say that!
Here’s our crew at dinner at Texas de Brazil:
I took a bunch of traditional Las Vegas shots that I’d love to share with you, but I think we’re reaching picture overload on this post so I’ll save them for later in the weekend!
I’m busily finishing up projects, rounding up a few small last minute holiday gifts and preparing for Christmas. It feels a bit like Santa’s workshop here with all the packages and wrapping everywhere!
I wanted to take a moment to thank all of you who take time from your busy lives to read and follow this blog. Having a job you love that also allows you to meet the very people who make the area you live a wonderful place to build a life and raise a family is a true blessing. I am thankful for the opportunity this amazing business has provided for me to get to know so many of you. Happy Holidays from my family to yours!
I really like to keep this blog a place that is happy and upbeat. I love that my readers come here to see pretty pictures and to read my miscellaneous ramblings.
Once in awhile something comes along and no matter how ugly it’s just worth mentioning. We all know what today is. This anniversary is one we will never forget.
As most of you who’ve met me can attest, I’m generally not ever at a loss for words. However, I really don’t know what to say so I thought I’d share a bit about that moment in history at the Essary Household that fateful day in 2001:
I was pregnant with my youngest child and had slept in that morning because I was exhausted. The phone kept ringing and ringing so I got up to answer it, assuming it must be an emergency for someone to call repeatedly without leaving a message.
It was my husband calling to tell me to turn on the television. Between my half-asleep status and his nearly incoherent speech I followed his advice and turned on the t.v. to figure out what he was trying to tell me. I remember watching the second plane and feeling like I was in an alternate reality. I was sobbing, trying to explain to my two year old why I was upset and alternately talking to the baby I was six months pregnant with, wondering why the world had to be such a hard place to be born into.
I will never forget thinking about all the women who were pregnant like me whose babies would never meet their fathers. That was all I could think about. Any woman who has been pregnant understands how your thinking surrounds your unborn child during your pregnancy.
I alternately love and hate this horrid anniversary. It makes me so miserably sad and upset, yet at the same time I am glad for these emotions. I don’t want to forget
