Want to photograph well? Tips and Tricks to Look Your Best!

Look your best for your session (and every day) with these simple tips and tricks!

Hydrate - Be sure to drink plenty of water in the weeks before your session. If you're feeling thirsty, you are already in the early stages of dehydration. This isn't healthy and can leave visible signs like dry, dull skin. It can also leave you feeling sluggish. To prevent this, drink at least eight glasses of water every day. If this seems like a drag, flavor your water with slices of lemon, strawberries, or cucumber and mint leaves. This makes a fresh pick-me-up that you can enjoy any time of day.

Rest - In today's busy lifestyle, it's hard to get a full eight hours of sleep. Whether you are a busy bride-to-be, high school senior, mother or mother-to-be, there's always one more thing you would like to squeeze in before you go to bed. But fatigue is not good for us emotionally or physically. It can lead to stress and a variety of health problems. To ensure that you get the proper amount of sleep each night, set an alarm on your phone for thirty minutes before you want to go to bed. Create a little pre-bed ritual that you enjoy so you will want to wind down and get to bed on time. Whether it's a beauty routine, a few minutes of reading or meditation, listening to your favorite band or a quiet walk, find a way to end your day peacefully and then climb into bed for a full eight hours of rest. This will not only help you feel more energized, but you will find that you look much more alert and revitalized.

Moisturize - Your skin loses moisture easily. In the winter the air is drier and in the summer you can lose moisture through sweating and spending time in the water. Be sure to moisturize after you shower and use a sunscreen with an SPF of 15 or more to keep your skin looking and feeling soft, firm and healthy. This might not seem important, but it can give you a nice glow for your session.

Smile from within - Everyone has seen pictures where the subject is "wearing" a smile. these fake smiles don't look right, and they can ruin an otherwise beautiful image. During your session and anytime you're posing for a picture, try to think of something that truly brings you joy and your smile will really shine. This creates a more natural, beautiful look that will flatter your face and create a relaxed, happy vibe.

Incorporate these simple habits into your daily routine and you can look your best for your portrait session and everyday!

Now is the Perfect Time for Outdoor Family Portraits!

This time of year is excellent for an outdoor family portrait session. Regardless of the location you want, be it your back yard or a local park or garden, there are lots of wardrobe options to consider. Here are a few of our favorite looks for this season.

First, consider this year's spring color palette from Pantone. Most designers have been favoring combinations of these shades in their spring lines.

You can create a simple, stylish look by pairing any of these colors with white or other neutrals. If you want a more playful or dramatic look, combine two or more of these season's colors in the same outfit. For example, Sodalite Blue would pair well with Sweet Lilac, Solar Power or Margarita. The more intense hues, like Bellflower, Cabaret, and Tangerine Tango make great accent colors in accessories, shoes and jewelry.

Check out some new, fun looks from Gap here. These are great places to start for wardrobe ideas before you come in to the studio or head outside for your portraits. Our summer sessions are booking up fast, call 817-870-2200 to schedule yours!

Earth Day & Keep America Beautiful

Earth Day is April 22nd and Arbor Day is the 27th. This month take a minute and do something to help keep our earth beautiful.

Keep America Beautiful Inc. is a great organization. They have a variety of programs like The Great American Cleanup, America Recycles Day, the Recycle Bowl and Clean Sweep USA that not only make our communities cleaner and more beautiful, but also create a ripple effect of awareness, appreciation and concern for our environment.

Keep America Beautiful believes that each of us holds an obligation to preserve and protect our environment. Through our everyday choices and actions, we collectively have a huge impact on our world. It's really a simple concept, but one with far reaching effects.

Keep America Beautiful follows a practical approach that unites citizens, business and government to find solutions that advance core issues of preventing litter, reducing waste, and beautifying communities.

The diverse American landscape consists of many different community environments, each with their own interconnnected needs and challenges. With a national network of more that 1,200 local affiliates and participating organizations, Keep America Beautiful combines education with hands-on stewardship to address the needs of communities on an intensely local and effective level.

Whether you want to volunteer, amke a donation, or even arrange acorporate sponsorship, there are plenty of ways to get involved i this amazing organization and the important work that they do.

To learn more, visit http://www.kab.org

Keep America Beautiful received the highest possible rating (four stars) from charitynavigator.org

Charming Wedding Ideas

Here are some charming ideas to incorporate into your wedding day to make it extra special for those who are nearest to your heart.

Mother
A double frame makes a wonderful gift for your mother. On one side, use a picture of you and your mother when you were a little girl and on the other, a picture of you together on your wedding day—hugging, getting ready together or something like that. For an extra-special touch, have the frame engraved to read, “I’ll always be your little girl.”

Father
If you wear a blusher veil, it is traditional to give it to your father after your wedding day, as a memento of that moment in your lives. A shadow box is a cute way to display this gift, along with a portrait of you walking down the aisle or having your father-daughter dance during the reception.

Fiancé
Secretly do a boudoir portrait session in your bridal lingerie and frame your favorite portrait. Hide it for him to find on your wedding morning with a little love note. This will be a wonderful surprise for him to enjoy that day and for many years to come.

Maid of Honor
A framed portrait of you together on your wedding day with a necklace or a gift card to a spa is the perfect thank you to your maid of honor. Have each bride’s maid sign the sole of your shoe before the ceremony for good luck. Whoever’s name is darkest by the end of the day will be married next.

Best Man
An engraved flask, a box of cigars or a nice set of cufflinks are all thoughtful gestures to give to the best man in your wedding. Be sure to get a portrait of all the groomsmen and the groom doing a toast. This makes a wonderful framed gift to give to each, along with a handwritten thank you card.

Flower Girl
An engraved locket is a wonderful gift for your flower girl. Alternately, a charming music box would also be cherished for years to come. Take a picture with your flower girl, and wait until her wedding day to give it to her, along with a heartfelt message about how proud you are to see her grow into a beautiful woman.

Future Children
Save a few bottles of wine from your wedding (depending on how many children you plan to have) and box each one up with a picture of you and your husband on your wedding day, as well as a heartfelt, handwritten message. This makes a wonderful gift many years down the road on your children’s wedding day.

Anniversary
Save the top tier of your wedding cake and freeze it until your one year anniversary. This makes for a wonderfully romantic memento from your wedding day.

For that big 25, use one of those bottles of wine that you set aside for your kids, if you have extras!

For your 50th, go to the place you were married and renew your vows in front of your closest and most dear family and friends. Be sure to save your shoes, veil and dress, wrapping them in linen and storing them in an airtight, watertight place. If you don’t end up renewing your vows in them, a daughter or granddaughter might love to wear it again.

Chelsea - Senior 2012