Houston Child Photographer - Cameron

It's hard to believe our little one recently celebrated her fifth birthday. Seems like only yesterday we were reading board books, encouraging her first steps, and enjoying Mommy & Me classes! These days, Cameron is off and running - and usually too fast for my camera! She is a joy to parent and her brother, Mom & Dad are looking forward to celebrating a new set of milestones with her this year! Happy 5th Birthday, Cam!

Houston Child Photographer - Camila

Camila recently celebrated her fifth birthday and will soon be heading off to Kindergarten. She has the most beautiful hair I've ever seen on a five year old and she is super cute & fun to be around! Enjoy the sneak peeks Mom & Dad!! Thanks for allowing me to work with your little one!

Houston Child Photographer - Christian + Clara

Clara's newborn sneak peeks were posted a few weeks ago. I was so excited to have the opportunity to visit with her again at three weeks for a few more family photos! Clara's big brother, Christian, is absolutely adorable and already excited about teaching his little sister all about trains!!! Enjoy your sneak peeks, Mom & Dad, and thanks for having me back to work with your sweet children!

Houston Baby Photographer - Cake Smashing with Marcela

Marcela's mom & a friend made this cute cake for her 1'st birthday cake-smash session! It smelled so delicious! Sweet little Marcela was such a doll and so much fun to work with! Enjoy the peeks, Mom & Dad! I will be posting more images from her one year session as well as some of her big sister in a few days!

Houston Newborn Photographer - {Clara - 10 days old}

I had the pleasure of meeting this precious little one last Friday. At ten days old, Clara Lane was so tiny and perfect! It was great seeing her big brother, parents, and grandparents interacting with her - just an awesome family!

Clara's appointment was my final scheduled newborn session; however, after spending the day with her and her sweet family - my heart is torn! I love working with newborns and I think it is my niche. Mom and Dad, I hope you enjoy your sneak peeks. Your sweet Clara has me reconsidering my decision to completely close JWP!

Portrait Party Dates Available - Contact Me If You Are Interested In Hosting

Portrait parties are an excellent way for friends and family to receive affordable professional portraits in a casual environment without the big investment of a full session. They are great for people on a budget who still want professional portraits or those who need just a few updated portraits.

What is a Portrait Party?
A portrait party is hosted by one lucky guy or gal who invites friends &/or family members to their home, or another outdoor location, for a 20 minute professional portrait session. The host coordinates the guest list, schedules the sessions consecutively, and collects the session fees.
Hosts receive a free 20 minute session before the party begins and a CD with 20 images + a print release for hosting the party. (Please note, you are recieving a full 20 images on CD as a bonus for hosting the party.) In addition, hosts receive a $10 cash for every guest who commits to the party!

Each guest pays a reduced-rate session fee of $85 which includes the following:
* One 20 minute custom photo session
* 10 digitally enhanced photos on CD + print release

How Does it Work?
The host selects an available party date and invites 5 - 10 guests to her home, or other outdoor area such as a farm, park, playground, or other scenic location. A minimum of five guests is required for each party. You may put together your invitations any way you like; however, Evites work great and are free!

When guests RSVP, the host schedules their session time and collects the $85 session fee (cash or checks made out to Jill Ward). Sessions should be scheduled consecutively and 30 minutes apart.

Guests should arrive at least 10 minutes prior to their scheduled session and are not required to stay for the duration of the party.

The host is responsible for collecting the session fees and paying those to photographer no later than seven days before the party. Nothing will be sold on the day of the portrait party - the business end will be taken care of and your guests will be able to relax and enjoy their fun portrait session!

When will guests receive their CD and print release?
All CD's and print releases will be mailed directly to guests no later than ten days after the party.

What are the responsibilities of the hostess?
Before the party: Create and send invitations, schedule a minimum of 5 portrait sessions, and collect the $85 session fee from each guest in advance. Once all sessions are scheduled, mail a check for the total ammount collected to Jill Ward Photography.
During the party: Provide the outdoor location for the shoot and light refreshments for your guests.

What are the benefits of being a hostess?
As a hostess, you work hard to ensure a smooth flowing party and then help your guests get their orders in on time. For all of your hard work, you will earn big rewards!
* A 20 minute pre-party portrait session with NO SESSION FEE
* A CD with 20 images + print release
* $10 cash for each guest who commits to the party!

Host Tips for a great party
Portrait parties should be relaxed, stress-free, FUN events. It is a win-win situation for you, your guests, and your photographer and your guests will thank you for providing them with this opportunity to have portraits they will treasure for a lifetime.

Encourage your guests to bring along any props or keepsakes they want in the photos (special toys or blankets, tricycles, fairy wings, tutus, hats, tiaras, etc...

For added fun, suggest a theme for your party: tea party, super hero, dress up, father's day or mother's day, holidays, etc... If you have a theme, be sure to have your guests arrive in themed attire and think about how you can decorate the shooting space. For fab themed party ideas, check out the super sweet website! I could seriously get lost in this little corner of the web!
Example - if you want Christmas themed portraits, consider decorating an outdoor tree with large, colorful ornaments.
If you choose a tea party theme, set up the shooting space with appropriate props (tables, blankets, tea cups, etc...)

Remember all sessions are shot OUTSIDE in natural light so be sure your chosen space provides a little privacy for the guests - away from the party action.

EXCEPTION - If you are hosting a newborn portrait party and are inviting guests with babies under four weeks of age, I can bring newborn props and backdrops to complete the sessions indoors. There must be a room with LOTS of natural light for these sessions. Newborn sessions can be done outside - just let me know ahead of time and I will bring some of my favorite props for the wee ones!

Lets get started!
If you are interested in hosting a Jill Ward Photography Portrait Party, give me a call at 281.902.7394 or send me an email through the CONTACT link above! We will discuss available dates and I will answer any other questions you have - as well as make suggestions for possible party locations if you don't think your backyard will do the trick. I look forward to speaking with you and working together to pull off the best party of the year!

Goodness Gracious Great Balls of Energy!!!

Recently, my husband and I went on a fifteen day juice fast. The first ten days we juiced twice a day and ate once. I know, not really fasting, but getting there! The following five days, we survived on juice! It was amazing! We ate (er...drank) veggies and fruits that we have probably never purchased in our lives...kale, beets, radishes, to name a few.

When we decided to start eating again, we wanted to be sure we were making healthier choices than we had in the past. A friend shared a recipe from The Marathon Mom Blog for Granola Energy Balls. I altered the recipe a bit for my family as we have one who doesn't like coconut. You can see the Marathon Mom's original recipe here. I posted my altered version below.

We absolutely love these little nuggets of delicious-ness! They are so tasty and super easy to make! Give it a shot and let me know what you think. Just be warned....they are addictive! They are also full of fiber....so watch out!

Ingredients:
2 cups oats
1 cup peanut butter
1 cup ground flax seed (simply grind them up in a magic bullet, food processor, or coffee bean grinder)
1/2 cup chocolate chips
2/3 cup honey
2 tbsp wheat germ
1 tbsp vanilla
1 teaspoon cinnamon

Directions
1.Mix all ingredients thoroughly.
2.Roll into balls.
3.Store in fridge in an air-tight container.
You can choose the size of your balls. I made mine a bit larger so I wouldn't feel guilty opening the fridge over and over and over again to sneak one out!! My recipe made 22 balls.

Houston Baby Photographer - {Parker + Peyton}

Over the past couple of months, I have had the joy of meeting with some of my youngest clients for the second time in their young lives.  I love seeing how much they have grown and spening time with them at a very different stage in their life!  I was thrilled when Parker and Peyton's mom called and asked me to take some holiday photos!  I first worked with them when they were only three weeks old!  Now, at eight months, these boys kept my assistant, their mom and dad, and myself laughing hysterically!  What a joy this family was to work with!!  Thanks so much, Candy & Derek!  I hope your first Christmas with these sweet boys is a wonderful one!

Houston Couples Photographer - Maggie + Sam

I recently had the pleasure of working with Maggie and Sam to capture some fun images of them in celebration of Maggie's birthday! This couple was so much fun to work with! They were completely at ease in front of the camera, adorable, and full of laughs! I loved the balloons Maggie brought!!! I hope you guys enjoy your sneak peeks!.

Houston Natural Light Photographer - Post Processing

Levels, contrast, white balance, brightening, noise reduction..... All of these are terms pertaining to post-processing. This is the procedure by which photographers take their SOOC (straight out of camera)images and turn them into works of art.

Each photographer has their own style of post-processing. Some like high contrast while others opt for breezy and etherial looking images. Some photographers add textures to their images and some go for somber and moody results by adding heavy vignettes and bringing down the lights. Other photographers do the bare minimum necessary to liven up their images in order to keep everything looking as real as possible. No method is better or worse than another.... Photography is art and art is subjective.

When you are considering your own family photos, be sure to look at the websites of several photographers in your area to get a feel for what type of images they produce. If you have questions, ask! I've heard horror stories from fellow photographers of clients who hired them based on referrals alone - and who were surprised when the images were not what they were expecting. Research, research, research!!! It's best to openly discuss your options with your photographer before you both invest valuable time and money into a session! You want to be sure you will walk away with images you are proud to display in your home for years to come - and every photographer wants you to be in love with your end result!

On average, I typically spend 8 - 10 hours with clients from initial contact to delivery of their orders! It is truly a "work of heart!" Here are a few examples of my SOCC images and my final results after post-processing. This is where a big part of my time is spent....after the session.

Houston Senior Photographer - Giselle

Meet Giselle! She is a JWP Senior Model Rep for the class of 2012 and I absolutely loved meeting her and working with her! Giselle is such a bright and intelligent young woman - I know she will go far in life! If you are a friend of Giselle's and would like to have your own senior portraits made with Jill Ward Photography - ask her for a referral card and receive 15% off your order! Thanks, Giselle, for doing such a great job and best wishes for a wonderful and unforgettable senior year!

Playing Catch Up!

The holidays are fast approaching and I, like many, am feeling a bit overwhelmed! I've been neglecting my blog - which is not good considering potential clients come here to check out my portfolio. I've become a bit lazy and have been posting ALL my session sneak peeks on Facebook!!!! It's so easy....but I'm getting a little tired of Facebook if truth be told. It's so....in your face!

I've decided to return to my roots and blog my session peeks for clients. I will post, at a maximum, three peeks on Facebook. Beginning tomorrow, I will be uploading my most recent sessions right here! I'm excited! I think it is so much nicer to see mulitple images from a session in one location and in a nice format. It certainly beats hitting "next" on FB and flipping through the images.

In the meantime, I wanted to share a photo of a really fun dessert my four year old and I made today! She is having a Thanksgiving Feast tomorrow at her little pre-school. If you are so inspired, they are quite easy!  Simply melt a bag of chocolate chips in the microwave.  Using two toothpicks to hold a marshmallow, dip it into the melted chocolate and then place it on top of a cookie (Keebler cookies turned upside down).  After they dry completely, use a tube of yellow icing and paint a buckle onto each hat!  Enjoy!

Houston Maternity and Family Photographer - Lidia + Alberto

This family of three is about to welcome another little girl! I loved spending the evening with Lidia, Alberto, and their beautiful little girl, Sabina! Sabina's smile could light up all of Houston and the love her mom and dad share was so evident and sweet! Enjoy your sneak peeks!!!!!

Houston Portrait Photographer - {Shaida}

I met with Shaida and her family for a mini session last week and had a great time getting to know this beautiful young woman. She was recently accepted into the nursing program of a prestigious college and is looking ahead to a very bright future! Here are some of my favorite shots from our session! I will be posting more from her family session later this week! I hope you enjoy your sneak peeks, Shaida! My best wishes to you in all your endeavors!

I loved Shaida's style! Check out her adorable shoes! The soles perfectly coordinated with her top! Oh to be 20 again!

Houston Family Photographer - {Tiffany + Ryan}

I had the pleasure of working with Tiffany, Ryan, and their adorable children last weekend. I loved watching this sweet family interact with one another - the love they have for each other is evident in their photos! Mom and Dad were completely content with letting their kids be kids - exploring their surroundings - and allowing me to capture their lives as they live them....on the go! Here are some of my favorite shots from the session!

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Houston Children's Photographer - {Emily + Sofia}

I was so happy to spend the day with Emily, Sofia, and their sweet mom, Larissa! Sofia was one of the first newborns I worked with when I started JWP and I also had the pleasure of shooting Emily's awesome 4th birthday images last year! Larissa's husband surprised her with a photo session from JWP for her birthday this year and I was thrilled to have the opportunity to work with this great familiy once again! Time certainly goes by fast - I can't believe how much these little ones have changed over the past year! I hope you enjoy your sneak peeks, Mom & Dad! Your girls are beautiful!!

Houston Family Photographer - {Alex + Cameron}

As an on-location photographer, I am forever trying to locate great new places for photo sessions. I often see great spots on the side of the road, but am without a camera or a subject. Later those areas are forgotten. Last weekend, my husband and I took the kids to Galveston to celebrate my mother-in-law's birthday. While there, I spotted the perfect location for a shoot. This time, I was armed not only with my camera, but with both my kids! I wish I could stop the hands of time and freeze these guys where they are at this moment in time. They are both so sweet, funny, and adventurous. They are not worried by the wrongs in the world, they are just living life one sweet, simple day at a time. They are SO loved by me!

Houston Baby Photographer - {Taylor's First Birthday Session}

I posted some of my favorite cake smash photos from Taylor's first birthday session last week. I'm back to show more sweet images from her outdoor session. This little sweetie pie had just learned to walk three weeks prior to our session. I loved capturing some of her first steps and her pure excitement over this huge accomplishment!

Taylor happens to be the first member of her family born in Texas. Mom & Dad wanted to incorporate a Texan theme into her session and the end result was adorable!!!!

Houston Product Photography - {Comfort Me Books}

My daughter and I had the pleasure of meeting with Cristine Hoskin, author and creator of Comfort Me Books and the Comfort Me Bear Mission. Comfort Me Books is a collection of Recordable Storybooks. Each book features a comforting colorful storybook and a 3-minute re-recordable module allowing the child or loved one to record the story. The recording module is fun and interactive with a special function that allows a sun and heart on the module to light up during playback of the story.
In addition to the books and modules, Cristine developed the Comfort Me Bear Mission. Comfort Me Bear is a Humanitarian Mascot Bear which bring comfort to children in hospitals. This bear is seriously cool and has brightened the day of many children in hospitals and clinics around Houston!

Cristine just won the Creative Child Magazine 2011 Book of the Year Award! She asked me to photograph her products - and my little girl reading the book for an advertisement in the Creative Child Magazine. I was thrilled to work with this intelligent and talented artist and mother of two and wish her much continued success! If you are in the Houston area, you can find her book & module sets in Berings on Westheimer, Berings on Weslayan, Pickles & Ice Cream, Kid to Kid in the galleria, and the River Oaks Book Store. If you are not in Houston, you can still grab a set on her website!

Houston Newborn Photographer - {Delila - 6 Days Old}

Delila.  Such a pretty name.  Such a beautiful baby.
Baby Delila was six days old when her mom brought her to my home for her first photo shoot!  I have an enormous window in my den which allowed sunlight to pour onto our setup.  I also pulled out the trusty space heater to keep Delila nice and warm.  Mom fed her right before the shoot in the warm sunlight - and the end result was a little one who slept like a baby!  From the moment her mother handed her to me until the moment the session ended, Delila remained peacefully and soundly asleep!  Amazing!
Mom & Dad, thank you for allowing me the opportunity to work with you in Delila's first week of life!  I hope you love her sneak peeks!  I will be posting Mom's maternity peeks later on next week!  I'm going about it backwards!!!