Tag: shannon stroubakis photography

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Touch of Boho – The Woodlands Senior Photographer

There are many high schools in the Woodlands, Spring, Tomball, New Caney and Conroe area. But you don’t have to be enrolled at a high school to get amazing senior portraits as you finish up your courses and head off to college! I also photograph students who are home schooled.   It’s harder to find one to trust who comes recommended, so we’ll meet in person before the session to get to know each other, so you can be confidant you’re going to get the very best senior pictures. Call or email today to find out more about booking your senior photos!

NOW BOOKING seniors for  Spring, Conroe, Cypress, College Park, Klein, Montgomery and Oak Ridge and all The Woodlands area high schools! Slots are limited, contact me directly with this CONTACT FORM.

To learn more about senior sessions in the Woodlands, Spring, Oak Ridge or Conroe area, CLICK HERE to check out my senior session information and CLICK HERE to see the portrait gallery.

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Why Are Senior Portraits Important? The Woodlands Senior Photographer

The life of a high school senior is a very, very busy life! It’s almost hard to imagine you’d want to add another item on your to-do list agenda, after Homecoming, applying to and visiting schools, sorting out scholarships and grants, dreaming about Prom, and getting those grad invitations sent out. However, there is one thing that’s been on a senior’s mind going into the year — those gorgeous senior picture photoshoots! If they’re not on your mind, here is a few reasons why maybe they should be!

The End of an Era
Senior portraits are like time capsules. You put into them everything you want to remember from a certain time period in your life, forever preserved, to enjoy in the future. High school is a unique time in your life, and after you graduate you enter the greater world of college and work life. So go all out for your senior pictures! Get glammed up, be young and carefree! Giggle and wear an outrageous prom dress or beautiful outfit while twirling in a field! Your time is now!

Celebrate Your Talents
You have a lot of hobbies and talents, and when will you ever have the chance again to celebrate that with pictures? Grab this chance, you’ll probably never book a photoshoot just to show that you can play violin or go on pointe.

Advertise Yourself for Sorority Rush
Your head is still in high school, but very soon you’ll be touring college campuses and you might have your sights set on joining a sorority. They’ll want to see portraits of you, and having some amazing portraits to send along with your app will go a LONG way to WOWing them. I offer Sorority Minis, check it out here.

Put a Face to the Invites
You’re probably going to send out grad invites anyway, add something a little extra and slip in a wallet sized photo of you as a keepsake to those you love! You can even have grad cards specially made, on card stock, featuring several of your fave senior pictures. Check out this link to see the options I offer in your Collections.

Give Your Friends Something to Remember You By
While it would be amazing if we could all go to college with our besties, and share our next stage in life together, odds are that you are your BFFs are headed to different cities, maybe even different states. Your senior pictures make special and sentimental keepsakes for your friends to have either in print or digitally, so whenever you miss each other, you can look back on each other’s photos with love.

 

NOW BOOKING seniors for The Woodlands, Spring, Cypress, Conroe, Klein, Montgomery and Oak Ridge high schools! Slots are limited so contact me today directly with this CONTACT FORM.

To learn more about senior sessions in the Woodlands, Spring, Oak Ridge or Conroe area, CLICK HERE to check out my senior session information and CLICK HERE to see the portrait gallery.

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All Together – The Woodlands Family Portraits

One of the best gifts you can give your family is the gift of family pictures! This family had a ton of fun together, despite the summer heat, laughing and joking around together. Family pictures together can be a fun activity, stress free, when you’re all in it together!

Are you looking for a family photographer in the Woodlands, Spring, Oak Ridge or Conroe area?Please email me directly with this CONTACT FORM.

To learn more about full sessions CLICK HERE for session info and click to see my FAMILY PORTRAIT and CHILDREN galleries.

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Country Charm – The Woodlands Outdoor Senior Photographer

Everyone has a different personal style, and when it comes to your senior portraits you want them to represent you as you are! So when we discuss your senior pictures when we meet for the in person consult, one of the biggest considerations, after wardrobe and hair and make up styling, is *where* to take your amazing senior portraits! If you want  to infuse your senior pictures with light and colour, without the ultra modern elements of glass and steel, a cute little country town full of charm and natural elements is the perfect choice! Lots of colour, lots of buildings to shoot around that include gazebos and greenery, you’ll be sitting pretty on a covered porch surrounded by bright colour to match your sunny style!

NOW BOOKING seniors for  Spring, Conroe, Cypress, College Park, Klein, Montgomery and Oak Ridge and all The Woodlands area high schools! Slots are limited, contact me directly with this CONTACT FORM.

To learn more about senior sessions in the Woodlands, Spring, Oak Ridge or Conroe area, CLICK HERE to check out my senior session information and CLICK HERE to see the portrait gallery.

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Light and Shadows – The Woodlands Senior Portrait Photographer

Does your personality have a flair for the dramatic, with a fashion forward style? Using light and shadow, with dramatic side lighting in an unusual location, we can create senior portraits that represent that dramatic side of you, full of life and colour and emotion, that you’ll love! This senior chose the perfect flowy dress, in vibrant blue shade, that stands out in the directional light and shadow of the tunnels. Then a gorgeous white top with casual jeans, for seated shots on the dock in the Woodlands. Mixing up your style makes for variety in your senior portrait session!

NOW BOOKING seniors for  Spring, Conroe, Cypress, College Park, Klein, Montgomery and Oak Ridge and all The Woodlands area high schools! Slots are limited, contact me directly with this CONTACT FORM.

To learn more about senior sessions in the Woodlands, Spring, Oak Ridge or Conroe area, CLICK HERE to check out my senior session information and CLICK HERE to see the portrait gallery.

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Bright and Cheerful Family Portraits – Family Photographer the Woodlands

The smiliest baby ever! What a treat to photograph this lovely family to celebrate the birth of this handsome little one, the smiles on their faces say it all! Celebrate your family and important milestones by giving yourself the gift of  beautiful family portraits that your family will cherish for a lifetime, and leave behind for future generations to enjoy. Ask me about my special family print packages, so you get the wall portraits and gift prints you need!

 

Are you looking for a family photographer in the Woodlands, Spring, Oak Ridge or Conroe area?Please email me directly with this CONTACT FORM.

To learn more about full sessions CLICK HERE for session info and click to see my FAMILY PORTRAIT and CHILDREN galleries.

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Top 5 Favorite Senior Poses – The Woodlands Senior Photographer

Photographing seniors is always so much fun just for the sheer variety of outfits and poses we can put together! Narrowing down to your favourite shots can be REALLY hard, but I’ve noticed a definite trend in which poses senior clients tend to choose for their gift prints, wall art, and album covers. Here are the top faves, in no particular order!

1) THE CLASSIC
This is *always* a winner, and the type of shot most usually chosen for gifts for family, announcement cards, and wallet prints.

2) THE CASUAL
When it comes to seated shots, this pose ranks high on the fave list! Cool and casual, but still perfectly posed with careful attention paid to limb placement and the tilt of the head. Sitting pretty!

3) THE EMOTIVE
A shot that elicits the “oohs” and “aahs” and “you look so beautiful!” comments. Seniors and moms both love what I call “the eyelash shot”, and it almost always makes it’s way into the album or wall collage.

4) THE WIDE ANGLE
Seated or standing, that one shot where you get to turn on a little attitude shows off that sassy or dramatic side of your personality. Wide angle shots are more cinematic and include more of the landscape, so your pose has to be killer to stand out in that space!

5) THE LOOKAWAY
A magazine type vibe that takes a break from the usual portraits with eye contact and smiles. Wistful, serene, the perfect “un-posed pose”, like you’ve been snapped walking dreamily through the field or by the seaside.

NOW BOOKING seniors for  Spring, Conroe, Cypress, College Park, Klein, Montgomery and Oak Ridge and all The Woodlands area high schools! Slots are limited, contact me directly with this CONTACT FORM.

To learn more about senior sessions in the Woodlands, Spring, Oak Ridge or Conroe area, CLICK HERE to check out my senior session information and CLICK HERE to see the portrait gallery.

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Family Portraits in the Park – The Woodlands Outdoor Photographer

It’s been a couple years since I’ve seen this beautiful family, and look how much little girl has grown! I love seeing clients come back for renewed portraits, and it’s an important family milestone to be together as a family and document your lives with beautiful family pictures. I look forward to meeting this family again, next time around! Check out their previous session by clicking here.

Are you looking for a family photographer in the Woodlands, Spring, Oak Ridge or Conroe area?Please email me directly with this CONTACT FORM.

To learn more about full sessions CLICK HERE for session info and click to see my FAMILY PORTRAIT and CHILDREN galleries.

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Sorority Rush – The Woodlands Portrait Photographer

Are you a graduating senior, considering rushing at a sorority when you enter college or university in the fall? Now is the time to think about getting those sorority recruitment portraits!  You’ll be sending out those packages before you know it, and it’s only going to get busier with prom and grad coming up so soon!

Sorority rush portraits are fun and simple to shoot! They just want to see what you look like, so they recognize you when you show up for events and interviews. So for your portraits, just wear something simple and chic, like you’re attending a garden party or family event. You’ll want to look trendy and classic at the same time, and show your signature style. So what type of portraits are they looking for?

BASIC HEADSHOT
The winning classic is a close up shot of you, professionally taken, that shows you as you are with your beautiful natural smile as you look into the camera. This says so much about you, and who you are, without artifice. You’ll win them over with your genuine smile and lack of pretense.

portraits to rush for sorority at university

THREE QUARTER AND FULL BODY
Show off your personal style with a three quarter and full body shot. It’s best to wear something like you’d wear to recruitment events, rather than an outfit that will seem to clash with who they’re meeting in person. Consistency will help you stand out, as you curate your own personal style recognized by others.

If you have your recruitment portraits in mind when we’re shooting your senior portrait session, we can be sure to get a great set that all coordinates together to include in your recruitment package. And, you’ll be perfectly styled since your hair and make up will already be styled by my preferred make up artist so you’ll be hitting two birds with that perfectly polished stone!

If you choose, you can arrange a special shoot just for your senior rush pictures. These SORORITY RUSH PORTRAIT PACKAGES are short and sweet, and we’ll carefully curate a series of portraits tailored to the sorority you want to rush. With the right planning, sorority rush will be way less stressful since you’ll be confidant and prepared for when you start the process. Let’s take that first step, with your beautiful portraits.

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Baby’s First Photoshoot – The Woodlands Family Photographer

That very first photoshoot as a family with a new little one is such a special moment! I was very excited to meet this little girl and her family, to celebrate their first family portraits together. What a beautiful family, and I look forward to seeing them again!

Are you looking for a family photographer in the Woodlands, Spring, Oak Ridge or Conroe area?Please email me directly with this CONTACT FORM.

To learn more about full sessions CLICK HERE for session info and click to see my FAMILY PORTRAIT and CHILDREN galleries.

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Large Group Family Portraits – Extended Family Photographer The Woodlands

It can be challenging getting a whole group together and posed for a beautiful family portrait. The great advantage to hiring a pro for those tricky portraits is getting perfectly posed pictures, with a photographer who takes care to pose your group in a flattering way that isn’t cliche or too stiff. Staggering lines, posing arms, and grouping family units is important to getting natural posed portraits of your large extended family. And sometimes, using a prop like a neutral sofa or loveseat adds to the charm!

This family used their pretty loveseat to create family portraits with warmth, with everyone circled around each other. The two lines creates a nicer look for the portrait, like a warm family circle. It also helps if there’s a little one involved, to keep her seated and not squirming!

Are you looking for a family photographer in the Woodlands, Spring, Oak Ridge or Conroe area?Please email me directly with this CONTACT FORM.

To learn more about full sessions CLICK HERE for session info and click to see my FAMILY PORTRAIT and CHILDREN galleries.

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Do I Need to Order a Collection? – The Woodlands Photographer

You’ve decided the time is now to get some great pictures of your family  or high school senior, or perhaps you’re getting married or having a baby and are getting a photoshoot done to document this momentous event. It’s a great gift to yourself and your loved ones, and there is much to consider! The location, the time, your wardrobe, and what you will do after your pictures are ready.

So after the session you might be thinking…now what? Should I order just digitals or products? Do I have to order a Collection? What if it doesn’t fit into my needs or budget?

There is nothing quite like coming home to see the faces of the people you love most on the wall, where you can walk by it and smile every day! Or maybe you’re considering a family album, that everyone can sit together and look at. Albums are a great way to let your story unfold, and make wonderful keepsakes.

Shown below: a 20×30 fine art canvas

 

WHAT WILL YOU DO WITH YOUR IMAGES?

Before the session, we’ll talk about how you plan to display your pictures, so when it comes time to do your in person viewing and ordering session we will have a good idea of what types of products you are looking for.  Clients have the option to purchase a Collection, or to choose products a la carte. So which is right for you?

COLLECTIONS: My Collections are for clients who want to have digital copies of their images. There are several Collections, depending on how many digital files you have chosen – all or 25. The top two Collections come with a monetary credit to spend on the a la carte menu, and the third is a digital only Collection. I prefer to give my clients this freedom, rather than create Collections that dictate the exact sizes and types of products my clients receive. This way you get exactly what you want, and your order fills your specific need. Check out some of the products you’ll take home in the PRODUCTS PAGE.

Shown below: mini desktop collages

A LA CARTE: If you do not need a large selection of digital files and would rather purchase products, you do not have to order a Collection. A la Carte ordering allows you to focus directly on the products that interest you,  to build your own perfect order. With the purchase of an album 8×8 or larger, or a wall portrait (canvas, metal or mounted print) 16×20 or larger, you also receive a complimentary copy of that digital file for sharing on social media with friends and family.  There is a minimum $500 a la carte ordering requirement, and lots of options available to maximize your purchasing power, such as print packages.

With my personal guidance during your ordering session, you’re guaranteed to walk away happy!

Are you looking for a family photographer in the Woodlands, Spring, Oak Ridge or Conroe area?Please email me directly with this CONTACT FORM.

To learn more about full sessions CLICK HERE for session info and click to see my FAMILY PORTRAIT and CHILDREN galleries.

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Family Trio – The Woodlands Family Photographer

It’s always great to see families who continue to take portraits with their children, as they continue to grow and enter high school! So often, life gets busy and schedules fill up and we forget to preserve these all too fleeting times in our times.  For high school teens, it’s a great time to get together and take portraits before they head out to university and you’ll have some special portraits of you together to frame and keep close to your heart. It’s also a pretty fun photoshoot! Without small children to wrangle and tantrums to soothe, family portraits will never be easier!

Are you looking for a family photographer in the Woodlands, Spring, Oak Ridge or Conroe area?Please email me directly with this CONTACT FORM.

To learn more about full sessions CLICK HERE for session info and click to see my FAMILY PORTRAIT and CHILDREN galleries.

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Perfectly Styled Family Portraits – The Woodlands Family Photographer

This beautiful family is a great example of what to wear for formal family portraits that really shine. With the rustic woods as a backdrop, the neutral cream, dark brown and beige, and that gorgeous pop of natural rose on the girls – wardrobe perfection!  With each family member coordinated, but not perfectly  matched, the whole ensemble comes together for a sophisticated overall look (love that jewelry on the ladies!!) that is formal and classy without being overwhelmingly stuffy. And those beautiful smiles are the icing on the cake!

Are you looking for a family photographer in the Woodlands, Spring, Oak Ridge or Conroe area?Please email me directly with this CONTACT FORM.

To learn more about full sessions CLICK HERE for session info and click to see my FAMILY PORTRAIT and CHILDREN galleries.

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How to Guide for Wall Portraits – The Woodlands Fine Art Photographer

Hanging family portraits on your wall turns your house into your home, your personal space where love and family reside. Having your family portraits taken and displayed on your wall is not about necessity, but about inviting love and beauty into your life, and celebrating family. It’s about happiness, and bringing joy to your world.

When you book your family, senior, maternity or engagement session, we’ll set a time to go over the most important aspects of your upcoming photo shoot so your pictures not only exceed your expectations but also are a perfect match for your home.

YOUR HOME DESIGN

Before the family photo shoot, we’ll discuss your home decorating style so that the entire look of the final portrait matches the overall style of your home.  From the colour of your wardrobe to the style you choose – casual, formal or fun and fresh – the overall style of the portraits should be in harmony with the home style you have curated.

MEASUREMENTS

Before your in person ordering session, it’s a good idea to take measurements of your wall space where you intend to hang your wall art. In the home entrance, above the mantle in the living room, or in the master bedroom are usually the most common places to hang your portraits.  After you’ve chosen your favourite image for display, I’ll show you how it will look in your chosen size and ratio. The common gift print size is 8×10 and it’s tempting to choose that size since it’s a popular ratio. However, that is not the size you want on your walls, that size is far too small for details to be seen at a distance. Go bigger! Here is a little article I wrote on the difference between gift prints and wall art.

COLOUR OR BLACK AND WHITE

Along with your home decor, your personal preference for colour or black and white photos is also something to consider. I convert some of the pictures in your gallery to monochrome, when the light is right and the background isn’t too busy to  be a distraction. I personally love black and white photography, and most of the large prints I have of my own children and for my family album have been converted. However, for my walls I just love full colour!  When you purchase a digital file, if there is a black and white copy, you keep them both! So it you are printing, we’ll go over the two options to decide which version is right for you.

 

I look forward to helping you get the perfect piece of wall art for your home!

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Perfectly Posed Family Portraits – The Woodlands Photographer

When it comes to your family pictures, every family has their own style and their own idea for what makes the *perfect* family portrait. For some, it’s carefree, giggly, lifestyle portraits running around a field or hanging out at home. For others, it’s more formal and traditional, with perfect posing and eye contact with the camera. Whatever your style, I’ll work hard to make your family portrait vision a reality, so you are proud to display your family’s style around your home and with friends and family.  You pick the location, and we’ll curate a beautiful gallery of images you’ll treasure for years to come.

Are you looking for a family photographer in the Woodlands, Spring, Oak Ridge or Conroe area?Please email me directly with this CONTACT FORM.

To learn more about full sessions CLICK HERE for session info and click to see my FAMILY PORTRAIT and CHILDREN galleries.

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To Frame or Not to Frame – The Woodlands Photographer

The family portrait is an important investment, so it’s essential to ensure you have carefully considered the overall look, style and proportion for the final piece. When your family, senior, engagement or maternity portrait session is completed, I invite clients for an in person Viewing Appointment so I can personally help you choose the perfect size, ratio and medium for your wall portrait. I’ll show you samples of the products I offer, so you can inspect and touch the products yourself.

For gallery wrapped canvases, these come ready to hang and you do not need to frame them. Metals are designed to be hung without a frame to show off the superior gloss, and the sturdy waterproof and UV resistant design means you don’t have to worry about sun or water damage. For photographic prints I offer complimentary styrene mounting so you can mount your portrait on the wall without a frame, and it’s thin enough to put in wall frames.

WITH FRAMES

OPTION 1:  By using a larger frame, you can highlight your wall portrait with accent matting around a smaller size print. The portrait keeps  it’s original ratio and composition intact with matching coloured mat before being inserted into a  frame. The matted frame means you don’t have to crop the original shot. There is a wide variety of colors and styles to choose from, for custom or traditional matted frames.

OPTION 2: Without matting. This option zooms in larger on the image, and you can choose to crop the image to fit into a smaller frame ratio.

WITHOUT FRAMES

A mounted print, metal or canvas without the frame. The traditional camera ratio for older cameras was 4:5, which created the infamous 8×10 desk print. As a wall portrait, your image could be anything from a 16×20 to a 32×40 or larger. Since the camera shoots at a 2:3 ratio, this crops your image. You can also choose to retain the original ratio and print as a 16×24 or 32×48. This size works well for image of standing subjects, where you want to keep the surrounding environment. For this image, it’s the best choice for this particular image to keep the beautiful trees of the environment around the family.

 

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Sunny Days – The Woodlands Family Photographer

Such beautiful light for this lovely family, how lucky! It was a perfect day to capture this family’s pictures in the park, full of sunlight and with a light breeze for some movement. Days like this are just so perfect for outdoor portraiture, exactly the kind of day you want for your family portraits! With this energetic little boy and his great big smile, it’s all sunshine and happiness.

Are you looking for a family photographer in the Woodlands, Spring, Oak Ridge or Conroe area?Please email me directly with this CONTACT FORM.

To learn more about full sessions CLICK HERE for session info and click to see my FAMILY PORTRAIT and CHILDREN galleries.

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Wall and Desk Collages for Families – The Woodlands Photographer

When it comes to decorating your home and office with your family pictures from your family photo portrait session, I offer many ways to display your final images. With beautiful print and product options, you can choose to display  your family or  senior portraits on the wall as canvases or framed portraits, on your coffee table as beautiful leather albums, or around the house as framed prints for desks and mantles. One very popular option for senior or family portrait display is the 10×20 collage. This collage can be printed onto white polystyrene which makes it easy to put onto an easel for table display. It’s also thin enough to be put into a frame for hanging on the wall.

With several collage arrangement options, we can choose the best design for your fave photos, or make one customized just for you.

CLICK HERE to see some of the great products I offer clients. From gift prints, to albums, to wall canvases – there is something for everyone’s decorating style and needs.

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The Woodlands Holiday Mini Sessions – Family Photographer

When the weather is gorgeous, it’s hard not to think about getting outside and taking those beautiful annual family photos to have in your pocket when it comes time to send out holiday cards! Getting the family altogether for those family portraits can be fun and a great day out together, with plenty of laughter. You’ll have a great set of family pictures ready to post and send out to update your friends and family, and spend a fun afternoon together making memories.

Are you looking for a family photographer in the Woodlands, Spring, Oak Ridge or Conroe area?Please email me directly with this CONTACT FORM.

To learn more about full sessions CLICK HERE for session info and click to see my FAMILY PORTRAIT and CHILDREN galleries.

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Happy Family in the Park – The Woodlands Family Photographer

Such a beautiful day for this happy family in the park for their family photos! This family was full of smiles and laughter for their portraits, and we had a great time letting the kids run free and play to let their personalities shine through! I love a mix of posed portraits with giggly lifestyle pictures to really capture the essence of your family.

Are you looking for a family photographer in the Woodlands, Spring, Oak Ridge or Conroe area?Please email me directly with this CONTACT FORM.

To learn more about full sessions CLICK HERE for session info and click to see my FAMILY PORTRAIT and CHILDREN galleries.

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Family Portrait Print Packages – The Woodlands Family Photographer

Add on to your digital Collections for your family and senior sessions with all new print packages! Now you can purchase sets of prints at a special price. Choose from several print packages, such as the ever popular set of 5 gift prints. Choose the same 5 sizes or choose 5 different print sizes – sets of wallets,  5×7 or 8×10 — no restrictions on size combinations! If you need wallet size prints, pick up a value package of wallet prints for senior announcements or for sharing with family. I also offer several  larger family packages that include small prints for framing and sharing, and a larger print for the wall.

When it comes to preserving your family photos, nothing beats a beautiful print framed or mounted, to last generations. #printsareforever

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Brand New World – Family and Newborn Outdoor Photographer the Woodlands

How beautiful is this new little family trio, under the golden sun in a field! Baby makes three for this family in Spring, TX and they celebrated by commissioning me to photograph this precious time in their lives. With a mixture of formal portraits and some fun, wide angle lifestyle images, we captured a set of priceless images for their first family photoshoot together. I hope to see them again, and watch their family grow!

Are you looking for a family photographer in the Woodlands, Spring, Oak Ridge or Conroe area?Please email me directly with this CONTACT FORM.

To learn more about full sessions CLICK HERE for session info and click to see my FAMILY PORTRAIT and CHILDREN galleries.

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The Woodlands Family Photographer – Beautiful Trio

My clients chose this beautiful park in the Woodlands for their family portraits! A flower filled park and some stairs to sit on made the perfect set up for this East Shore family, for natural outdoor portraits for families in the Woodlands area. Their colour coordinated outfits stand out beautifully against the green backdrop, with the added splash of colour in the flowers. If you are looking for outdoor family portraits in the Spring or Woodlands area, I would love to meet you here to photograph your family pictures! As a family photographer in the Woodlands, there is nothing better than seeing families come together and make beautiful portraits to last a lifetime.

Are you looking for a maternity and/or family photographer in the Woodlands, Spring, Tomball, Montgomery, Oak Ridge or Conroe area? Contact me directly with this CONTACT FORM.

To learn more about full sessions CLICK HERE for session info and click to see my FAMILY PORTRAIT and CHILDREN galleries.