Author: woadmin
The Teeds
The Teeds are so fantastic: they welcomed twins last April, and they are such great little friends and companions to their big brother! We spent time at the Heights Boulevard gazebo and headed over to the 11th street park to get some group shots of the family. Of course, I couldn’t resist a few individual shots of the kids as well!
Christof
My good friend and mentor, Christof, is in the process of publishing a book. Luckily for me, he asked for a few headshots in a couple of different locations. He primarily wanted to focus on locations with the light rail trains and tracks, as the book is about transit. I was honored to take his photos, and I am looking forward to the release of his book!
B + C + N
I had so much fun photographing these twins, their adoring sister, and their fantastic parents! We went to the 11th Street Park to play around in our neighborhood wilderness. We had such a great time together!
Ethan
I was super excited to follow up with this lovely family- we’d taken photos in the fall while they were expecting their second son, and he came just in time for bluebonnets! We took a few photos at home and then popped over to Timbergrove to take some flower photos. I am so glad we did, because the light was amazing!
Grace
Grace (and her amazing family) have been my clients for over 3 years. I am alway so happy to see them, and I’m always amazed that Grace is growing up so quickly! They’re a very special group, and they always have interesting new locations to show me. This session was done in Sugar Land, and I keep wanting to go back and explore the area more.
The Nashes
These longtime clients have become friends. I love them so much! We did a very quick evening shoot while the bluebonnets were still out, and I was very happy with the results: mostly because I feel like the emotions we captured were genuine and authentic! I always love seeing this family!
Baby Bhutani
My favorite thing about newborns: when you go to someone’s house and they’ve just had a baby, it’s like entering a parallel dimension. Everyone is so calm, so happy, and so engaged in the moment. As kids get older, there’s so much movement and excitement that it’s hard to stop and really enjoy the details. This time, (luckily for me!), I got quiet time with the baby and fun time with her big brother!
Jasmine
I was so excited to photograph Jasmine for her maternity photos! We did several looks and locations, and she was an incredible model the whole time! I am so excited to meet her baby boy!
RDA Home Tour: Vivi
I was honored to be chosen to photograph featured architects for the Rice Design Alliance 2018 Home Tour. This year, the tour featured women designers and clients, all shot on location. The tour was very successful and a ton of fun! I loved being able to photograph women I deeply respect and admire from the architecture community, as well as meeting new designers with fantastic work. (Also, who can resist that adorable cat?!)
RDA Home Tour: Natalye and Trina
I was honored to be chosen to photograph featured architects for the Rice Design Alliance 2018 Home Tour. This year, the tour featured women designers and clients, all shot on location. The tour was very successful and a ton of fun! I loved being able to photograph women I deeply respect and admire from the architecture community, as well as meeting new designers with fantastic work.
Simran and Akira
These adorable twins are so funny and were a joy to photograph. I photographed their birthday party, but we wanted to get some separate photos on a day with fewer distractions. They popped over to Casa Water Oak to get a few more images. They were a hoot!
Whitney
I love taking headshots at my home studio/ office. It’s super fast, super easy, and allows us to have fantastic lighting and options for wardrobe. I also love that it’s quieter than on-location shooting and lets me chat while I work. So fun! I enjoyed this session with Whitney, an area realtor.
O + B
The weather was so cold and unpredictable that my clients and I decided to head over to Fill in the Blank Studio for their session. This was actually an extended family session- all of the out-of-town relatives had come in and my clients wanted to have photos of everyone- but we also took some time to do a few shots of the kids. I am so glad we did, because they were hilarious!
Sima
I am super lucky that, aside from photographing amazing families with adorable children, I get to meet and photograph some amazing people. We took these photos at Casa Water Oak. I often meet clients in my office for well lit, easy, and inexpensive headshots. The best part is getting go talk to them about their careers while we shoot!
D + J
My parents spent some time in Houston this winter, so I begged them to take a few photos with my kids. I love how they turned out! I feel like these images really show the relationship they have with my kids… And my kids are obsessed with them!
A + A
I love it when a client asks me to photograph their extended family. It’s a great opportunity to take advantage of an out-of-town visit. I generally like to take a few shots of the clients’ immediate families since we’re all together anyway. It feels like they get two sessions for the cost, time, and effort as one. Easy! Fun! Hilarious!
Evan
I often have clients who just want a few photos instead of a more complex photo session. Instead of offering mini sessions only once a year, they are always an option when you book. I love doing that, because it gives people a chance to see if they click with me, and it also means I get to see clients more often than I would otherwise! I was so happy to meet back up with sweet Evan and his awesome parents for a quick session at Menil Park.
Theodore
It was nice to see Theodore again after photographing his newborns! He is growing so quickly, and he is such a sweet kid!
Alessi
Sometimes parents want to get newborn sessions but find they are too busy, overwhelmed, or distracted to take photos when they first come home. Imagine that! Like there aren’t a bunch of new things to do with a baby or something! Alessi’s parents contacted me when she was a few months old. We were able to get great squishy baby photos while also documenting her in a little-more-awake, little-more-engaged mood. I love these images and this beautiful baby!
Anja
I love a good milestone session! It was Anja’s birthday, and she wanted to show off her fancy new tricycle! Who can blame her- it’s awesome!
Alice
One of my favorite parts of this business is the relationship I share with my clients. I have the privilege of seeing repeat clients’ children growing up, learning new things, and getting siblings! This was the case with this family, who have been clients since their son was a newborn. I was so happy to photograph little Alice, and I can’t wait to see them again soon!
H + W
The great thing about having photographer friends is that you can sometimes swap sessions with them and try out new places or techniques. The kids all play together, and everyone has a good time. Shooting at the zoo is a bonus, because it keeps the kids interested and decreases their fatigue during a session. A winning combo!
The Galindos
I always love shooting at Discovery Green. There are so many options when shooting there: water features, urban buildings, manicured and wild plants, and cool artsy stuff makes a versatile combination. I was so excited to see Discovery Green’s installation during this session: brightly-colored ribbons that created a killer backdrop!
Suzanne
My lovely client Suzanne came over for a quick headshot session. It was so nice to catch up with her and we were even able to review the shots before she left! I am really pleased with her shots!
Andrew
I am pretty shameless when it comes to forcing my husband and kids to be my guinea pigs. Luckily for me, Andrew is a patient man and needed some updated headshots, so here we are! It’s always fun trying to figure out what qualities to bring out in headshots- every pose telegraphs certain qualities about a person. Body language is a big deal!
Theodore
I was so excited when my friend called to tell me their baby had arrived! These images were taken last March, and you wouldn’t believe how much this kiddo has grown! I love these newborn sessions- I get to visit people in their homes and talk to them during those magical early moments when their entire lives are changing. I know that’s sappy, and I don’t care! I love it!
Naomi Turns One
I love this family! They joined me at Casa Water Oak to celebrate Naomi turning one! Congrats, little Naomi! We ended up at Water Oak thanks to some pretty ridiculous rain- we’d planned to be outside, and I think it rained for exactly the length of the session and then stopped! I loved sharing this space with them and getting some fun, laid-back shots.
The K Family
I did this session back in July of 2016, but I wanted to share it because of a few things. First off, I love this family so, so much. They were my very first clients, so they will always hold a special place in my heart! Secondly, I love this session as an example of what happens when you rent a studio space for your session. Because it’s so miserably hot at this time of year (and the rain is hard to predict, too), it’s a really safe bet to rent a studio space for your session. This one is Fill in the Blank Studio in the Heights area, and I love it so much! I always feel bad when a client spends time and money on hair and makeup, only to have their session postponed due to weather. Here are a few of my favorite images of this sweet family!
Grace
I did this session back in February, when I was 7 months pregnant. I really love shooting when I’m pregnant, because it makes me think out of the box about how to approach a session. Typically, I’d be lying on the ground, etc to get the right shot, and that’s just not feasible with a big belly!
Luckily for me, Gracie is always a pleasure, and we got some of my favorite shots of the season during her session. As a reminder, you can click to enlarge these images for easier viewing. Thanks for stopping by!
I’m back!
Hello! So I’m back, not only to blogging for Water Oak, but also back to shooting again from a brief maternity hiatus! Above is the newest addition to our family- Joey is a sweet little thing, and we are so happy to finally meet her.
While I was pregnant with Joey, we were also in the middle of another substantial project for our family… We built a house! We’re now settled in, having moved everything two weeks before the baby came. It was a wild time, and I am so glad to have things just be calm now. That said, blogging my sessions definitely went by the wayside, as they tend to do when things get hectic!
I’m going to be blogging various sessions, all out of order, and talking a little about how I love them, so look for those posts in the future! I’ve missed blogging and I REALLY missed my clients while I was on leave! Glad to be back!
Since tomorrow is father’s day, I’ll leave you with these images of my own guy and our little dudes.
Kemly
I’m very lucky to know this family! They are kind, funny, and always a hoot to photograph. I am always so happy to hear from them. For this session, we went to the Houston Zoo to get a few maternity shots as well as a couple of final photos as a family of three.
Olivia
I was so excited to take these photos of Olivia. Her mom is one of my closest friends, and I was very excited because she and her family had just moved back to Houston! Of course, it helps that little Olivia, who was about to turn one, is the cutest kid ever. We had so much fun doing a few photos for her birthday party invitations.
February Favorites
Here are a few of my favorite shots from February 2016! It was hard to narrow it down, but I really loved these sessions. The weather was starting to get warm, and we welcomed a few new babies (and anticipated the arrival of one more!) and enjoyed a birthday or two.
I find myself being drawn to many of these images because I feel like they’re authentic expressions of moments- less formal and posed, and more about having fun or feeling love in the moment. My favorite sessions are ones where we work together to create special moments that are focused on the great emotions that come with raising kids: love, excitement, hilarity… It’s all good!
Overall, it was a wonderful month for Water Oak Families!
January favorites
Okay, so we all know I’m not great at blogging on time. I’d love to talk about each session in depth, but I think it’s going to be easier for me to get caught up if I can change it up a bit. So let me show you a few of my favorite shots from January 2016.
The first three months of the year are historically slow for my business, because we’re coming right off holiday card season and everyone is recovering from the stress and travel. I was lucky to have a few adorable newborns, including one with a hilariously angry-looking cat! I was also very honored to shoot some maternity shots for dear friends of mine, who now have the sweetest little baby (you’ll see him later). Finally, I ended the month with a Valentine’s day photo booth. An unusual event for professional photos, maybe, but we had a super fun time and, aside from Halloween, it’s my favorite booth event I’ve done.
I’ve been asked about doing more booth events, because they’re so affordable for parents and you get some interesting shots. I’d love to do more of those, but my pregnancy has really reduced the amount of long days I can do! We’ll see how I’m feeling in January, perhaps.
(As always, click to enlarge these photos!)
The Blocks | Houston Family Photographer
I loved this session from the beginning of 2016. The Blocks are so funny, so sweet, and so in love with their daughter! We had a great time at the park, and had some lovely images of their very happy baby!
D+K
Things I love: Adorable children. A love story. My first ever clients. Engagements. Rice University. Beautiful, happy families. I was super honored and so happy to be a part of this day and this engagement! I am not a sentimental person, but give me an engagement or wedding, and I cry every time without fail. Congrats to two beautiful, in-love people! You are the best.
Matilda | Houston Newborn Photographer
This session is particularly special to me because I’ve known this couple for nearly 15 years! We were at the same residential college during our time at Rice. More importantly, I really connected with them because Brandi ended up in the antepartum ward at Texas Children’s Women’s Pavilion- the same place I spent 2 months while pregnant with my own son. I can’t imagine how hard it was for Brandi and her family, because she already had one son “on the ground”. We were able to do their photos in various areas in the hospital, which created an unusual and fun challenge.
And a few short months later, I was back with the family to photograph baby Matilda! She’s so sweet, and so loved by her family (especially her brother!). We’ll be seeing more of this lovely family with a bluebonnet session soon!
Suzanne
I was very excited to get to photograph Suzanne while she was pregnant with her first child! Maternity sessions are always such a great time!
Devin | Houston Portrait Photographer
Back in January, I posted images of Devin from May of 2015. Well, it’s May of 2016, and I just got back from my annual trip to visit my lovely niece and extended family. Except in the last 12 months, she has apparently turned into a FULL FLEDGED TEENAGER PERSON. I was totally flabbergasted at how grown-up she looks. Special shoutout to the amazing Natalie at Sephora in Polaris mall, who did her makeup with just the right balance of “cute” and “oomph”.
I have so much to say about this age, which I feel is wholly under-photographed. We take tons of pictures of our babies, plenty of blurry toddler photos, and then there’s this desert from about 5th grade until senior year (or quince, for some people). We’re missing out on SO MUCH. Preteens and young teenagers have a ton of personality and individuality, and they’re relegated to an annual yearbook photo that doesn’t even show off who they are. Anyway, rant over! Enjoy!
Meredith | Houston Newborn Photographer
Last November, I had the chance to photograph a newborn session for little Meredith. This session was awesome- partly due to older sis being hilarious and fun, and partly due to Mom and Dad being super cool human beings (and also from Ohio, so bonus points!) Rock on, little Meredith! O-H! I-O!
Ansel | Houston Newborn Photographer
We’ve had some serious rain down here in Texas, so what else is a gal to do but update the old blog? Ansel’s newborn session is being blogged out of order, because I just love it so much, I had to share it. 2016 has stood out as The Year of the Amazing Rugs and The Year of the Awesome Dogs. My clients are so stylish… And their pets are cracking me up! Ansel’s family is no exception. Enjoy!
Courtnie
When Courtnie asked me to do some quick maternity shots for her, I was so excited. Of course, an impending baby is always a wonderful thing to celebrate! Luckily for me, I also got to photograph her daughter, who is a riot and loves the camera!
Holiday 2015 Superpost!
Okay, here’s the big Holiday 2015 Superpost! I had so many images I wanted to share, but I narrowed it down to just a few… It was a wonderful season with old and new friends, and I am always so honored to be a part of people’s holiday cards and memories during that special time of year. Thanks to everyone who joined me for 2015!
The Birons | Houston Family Photographer
I LOVE this family! 2 parents, 4 kids, 11 grandkids… A giant bunch of awesome people, who were cracking me up the whole time we shot. We spent the morning at Rice, and although it threatened rain the entire time, everyone was fantastic and fun.
The Carters
Two words: Relationship goals!
Charlotte | Houston Maternity Photographer
I love maternity photos, but it’s even more fun to shoot maternity sessions for second/third/more babies. I love the expressions of the siblings-to-be, and the “calm in the chaos” chill of parents. It was an honor to be able to shoot Charlotte’s maternity photos, because she is a very close friend of mine, and a fantastic person.
The Stewarts | Houston Family Photographer
The Stewarts contacted me last May to take photos of their son for his 4th birthday. They were so much fun! I love it when families let their kids choose the outfits and “props” for a session… It’s such a genuine experience.
When they contacted me in late November to shoot their daughter’s 2nd birthday, I was super excited to see them again! Rain didn’t stop us from documenting a lovely morning.
And then -this is a testament to my poor blogging skills- I had a session with the Stewarts just last weekend, when it was pretty chilly out! They were excellent sports and we got some more great images. You can really see the kids growing up in these sessions. I love this family so much!
