BLACK FRIDAY facebook-ad 2016

Black Friday is here and once again I am offering a sale - all the way through Cyber Monday! :)

ALL prints and showcase category items (canvas, vivid metals, acrylics, fine art prints etc.) that are NOT custom orders are 20% off (until midnight Monday)! All digital products that are not part of a book, album or wall art package are also on sale (digital combined with prints are part of the sale). Albums, books, greeting cards, custom canvas and other custom orders do not apply to the sale. If you have questions, please contact me.

I've reopened all 2021 client galleries that previously expired, and this sale is also good for all CTC Photography landscape, animal etc. photos that are eligible for sale! Wall art for Christmas? A new piece for your office? You might just find something you like here! If you have galleries from previous years that you have decided you want something from, let me know and I will reinstate it for you.

This discount is only good through midnight Monday, so hurry! :) The coupon code, to be used in the first box at checkout, is: 20OFF2021.

Also, if you have any print credit that you were previously notified of from previous orders, those gift certificate codes can be applied for double savings, because these are in gift certificate codes that are put in a different box. Put that in the last box, during payment options, at checkout, and it will adjust the final total.

I hope you all have a great weekend! Thank you so much for being a part of the CTC Photography family! :)

BLACK FRIDAY facebook-ad 2016

Black Friday is here and once again I am offering a sale - all the way through Cyber Monday! :)

ALL prints and showcase category items (canvas, vivid metals, acrylics, fine art prints etc.) that are NOT custom orders are 20% off (until midnight Monday)! All digital products that are not part of a book, album or wall art package are also on sale (digital combined with prints are part of the sale). Albums, books, greeting cards, custom canvas and other custom orders do not apply to the sale. If you have questions, please contact me.

I've reopened all 2020 client galleries that previously expired, and this sale is also good for all CTC Photography landscape, animal etc. photos that are eligible for sale! Wall art for Christmas? A new piece for your office? You might just find something you like here! If you have galleries from previous years that you have decided you want something from, let me know and I will reinstate it for you.

This discount is only good through midnight Monday, so hurry! :) The coupon code, to be used in the first box at checkout, is: 20OFF2020.

Also, if you have any print credit that you were previously notified of from previous orders, those gift certificate codes can be applied for double savings, because these are in gift certificate codes that are put in a different box. Put that in the last box, during payment options, at checkout, and it will adjust the final total.

I hope you all have a great weekend! Thank you so much for being a part of the CTC Photography family! :)

larry cartoon

During this chaotic time we've had, I've been exploring some new services I have wanted to provide but haven't had the time to learn. One of these services - art portraits made by digitally drawing - I have been able to learn and put into practice, and I hope to officially roll this service out soon. This would be an alternative to photos, and might be a nice option this year for holiday cards for those who may be feeling unsure of a photo session during this time.

The other service is photo restoration. With my connection to Larry Robinson Photography studios, for years now I have had frequent calls from people with old Larry Robinson photos asking for suggestions on restoring damaged photos of their family members, or having copies made. I have been able to help with the copies, but until now have not been able to help with restoration.

I am currently in the process of taking courses in photo restoration in hopes of providing this service in the near future. Depending on the demand, I would likely need to invest in some new equipment to cover the amount, sizes and types of scans I would need to do for old photos, and possibly negatives.

In order to gauge what the need might be for this service, I would appreciate your feedback in a quick survey that can be found here: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/BC8Z2FF
 

Thank you so much for your time and feedback!

Christmas in July sale 2020

I hope this post finds you all well during the challenges we have all faced this year! Christmas is my favorite time of year, and Fall is my favorite season, so since both of those are around the corner, I wanted to do a little sale in celebration of looking forward to them. 

Starting today and ending August 5, all photo prints and products will be 10% off using the code MERRYJULY20. This should be applied in the coupon code box during checkout. All galleries from 2019 and 2020 have been reinstated until August 5, but ANY gallery from a previous session in a different year can be reinstated for this sale. Just message me and let me know if you have an older gallery you'd like to see reinstated during this time. This sale is also good for art/landscape/nature photos I have for sale on the site.

Merry July, everyone, and here's hoping that we are on the upswing of good things to come in the remainder of the year. Stay well, and stay safe!

BLACK FRIDAY facebook-ad 2016

Black Friday is here and once again I am offering a sale - all the way through Small Business Saturday and Cyber Monday! :)

ALL prints and showcase category items (canvas, vivid metals, acrylics, fine art prints etc.) that are NOT custom orders or digitals are 20% off (until midnight Monday)! Custom orders and digitals are not eligible.

I've reopened all 2019 client galleries that previously expired (they will expire again at midnight on Monday), and this sale is also good for all CTC Photography landscape, animal etc. photos that are eligible for sale! Wall art for Christmas? A new piece for your office? You might just find something you like here!

This discount is only good through midnight Monday, so hurry! :) The coupon code, to be used in the first box at checkout, is: 20OFF2019.

Also, if you have any print credit that you were previously notified of from previous orders, those gift certificate codes can be applied for double savings, because these are in gift certificate codes that are put in a different box. Put that in the last box, during payment options, at checkout. 

I hope you all have a great weekend! Thank you so much for being a part of the CTC Photography family! :)

Happy New Year!! I hope you've all had a wonderful holiday season with family and friends!

To celebrate the ringing in of 2019, I am offering one last sale for the year. All galleries from 2018 have been reinstated and will remain open until midnight tomorrow, Jan. 1, 2019.

You will receive an 18% discount on ALL products using the coupon code GOODBYE2018 at checkout. **This is to be used in the FIRST box at checkout, and is a coupon code, so only one coupon code is good per order. If you have unused print credit in the form of a gift certificate, then you can combine this code by using your gift certificate code in the last box at checkout.**

Don't miss your chance to grab those last prints you wish you would have ordered, or one more gift for that upcoming birthday or anniversary at a discount! This is the last chance for you to have your 2018 galleries reinstated without the extension fee!

I hope that 2019 will be a fantastic year for you filled with many blessings, love and laughter, and so much peace! Have a wonderful New Year's Eve and New Year's Day, and be safe out there! :)

BLACK FRIDAY facebook-ad 2016

Black Friday is here and once again I am offering a sale - all the way through Small Business Saturday and Cyber Monday! :)

ALL prints and showcase category items (canvas, vivid metals, acrylics, fine art prints etc.) that are NOT custom orders or digitals are 20% off (until midnight Monday)! Custom orders are not eligible.

I've reopened all 2018 client galleries that previously expired, and this sale is also good for all CTC Photography landscape, animal etc. photos that are eligible for sale! Wall art for Christmas? A new piece for your office? You might just find something you like here!

This discount is only good through midnight Monday, so hurry! :) The coupon code, to be used in the first box at checkout, is: 20OFF2018.

Also, if you have any print credit that you were previously notified of from previous orders, those gift certificate codes can be applied for double savings, because these are in gift certificate codes that are put in a different box. Put that in the last box, during payment options, at checkout. 

I hope you all have a great weekend! Thank you so much for being a part of the CTC Photography family! :)

Happy New Year!! I hope you've all had a wonderful holiday season with family and friends!

To celebrate the ringing in of 2018, I am offering one last sale for the year. All galleries from 2017 have been reinstated and will remain open until midnight tomorrow, Jan. 1, 2018.

You will receive a 17% discount on ALL products using the coupon code GOODBYE2017 at checkout. **This is to be used in the FIRST box at checkout, and is a coupon code, so only one coupon code is good per order. If you have unused print credit in the form of a gift certificate, then you can combine this code by using your gift certificate code in the last box at checkout.**

Don't miss your chance to grab those last prints you wish you would have ordered, or one more gift for that upcoming birthday or anniversary at a discount! This is the last chance for you to have your 2017 galleries reinstated without the extension fee!

I hope that 2018 will be a fantastic year for you filled with many blessings, love and laughter, and so much peace! Have a wonderful New Year's Eve and New Year's Day, and be safe out there! :)

2017-HOLIDAY-MINIS

I have the dates for this year's holiday mini sessions! These are the only spots available for mini sessions this year, and full sessions are nearly filled. If you want a full session this year, you need to contact me today! November and December are already filled, so I just have a few spots in October left. I'm looking forward to working with you again this year! :)

The fine print (Terms and Conditions):

The winner will receive one mini photo session (approximately 30 minutes) to photograph herself and/or herself with her children, in a location within the Alpine, Texas city limits. The session fee will be waived, and a print credit of $25 will be granted to use toward purchase of prints. Total value of prize package is $100. The prize package may not be exchanged for cash or any other goods. If the named winner is entering for someone else, coordination will be made with the person the session is intended for, after original winner is contacted. If the winner (or intended winner) does not want the session and print credit, the prize will be forfeited. Digital files are not included in session, but may be purchased separately. Additional prints and products are also available for purchase. The session date will be scheduled according to a day and time of convenience for both the subject and CTC Photography. CTC Photography's standard contract and booking process must be completed and signed by subject, just as in all commissioned CTC Photography sessions. Giveaway ends at 11:59 p.m. on May 14. Winner will be announced within 24 hours, and contacted via the email address provided on Rafflecopter.

Though this promotion is also shared on Facebook, this promotion is in no way sponsored, endorsed or administered by, or associated with Facebook. You understand that you are providing your information to the owner of this Facebook page and not to Facebook.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Photography can tell the story of your business in a way that is appealing to today's market - especially when the majority of website viewing is happening on mobile phones and tablets. I offer photography services to small businesses that tell the story of your business in a unique way. 

In addition, today's customers are looking for websites that look good on their mobile devices. If they are slow, difficult to read or navigate, then the majority of mobile users won't stay. Facebook and other social media presence is great for communicating with local residents and keeping up communication with current clients, but those outside of the area are searching for services through online search engines. If you have a service business that could benefit tourists or those looking to move to the area and don't have a web presence or a website that is easy to navigate, then you are losing business.

CTC Photography can help you! I offer custom services that cater to any small business budget. You can find more information about these services here: Small Business Services and here: Website Design. Contact me for a free consultation!

Happy New Year!! I hope you've all had a wonderful holiday season with family and friends!

To celebrate the ringing in of 2017, I am offering one last sale for the year. All galleries from 2016 have been reinstated and will remain open until midnight tomorrow, Jan. 1, 2017.

You will receive a 16% discount on ALL products using the coupon code GOODBYE2016 at checkout. **This is to be used in the FIRST box at checkout, and is a coupon code, so only one coupon code is good per order. If you have unused print credit in the form of a gift certificate, then you can combine this code by using your gift certificate code in the last box at checkout.**

Don't miss your chance to grab those last prints you wish you would have ordered, or one more gift for that upcoming birthday or anniversary at a discount! This is the last chance for you to have your 2016 galleries reinstated without the extension fee!

I hope that 2017 will be a fantastic year for you filled with many blessings, love and laughter, and so much peace! Have a wonderful New Year's Eve and New Year's Day, and be safe out there! :)

BLACK FRIDAY facebook-ad 2016

Black Friday is here and once again I am offering a sale - all the way through Cyber Monday! :) SHIPPING DISCOUNT also included!

ALL prints and showcase category items (canvas, vivid metals, acrylics, fine art prints etc.) that are NOT custom orders are 20% off (until midnight Monday)! A 10% discount on shipping is included!

I've reopened all 2016 client galleries that previously expired, and this sale is also good for all CTC Photography landscape, animal etc. photos that are eligible for sale! Wall art for Christmas? A new piece for your office? You might just find something you like here!

This discount is only good through midnight Monday, so hurry! :) The coupon code, to be used in the first box at checkout, is: 20OFF2015. **If you currently have a print credit or other discount coupon code that was included as part of your session, that code may not be combined with this discount, because only one coupon code per order is allowed. However, you can place a separate order using the code if you wish to.**

Also, if you have any print credit that you were previously notified of from previous orders, those gift certificate codes CAN be applied for double savings, because these are in gift certificate codes that are put in a different box. Put that in the last box, during payment options, at checkout. 

I hope you all have a great weekend! Thank you so much for being a part of the CTC Photography family! :)

2016 HOLIDAY MINIS

I have the dates for this year's holiday mini sessions! These are the only spots available for mini sessions this year, and full sessions are nearly filled. If you want a full session this year, you need to contact me today! Most of November and all of December are already filled. I'm looking forward to working with you again this year! :)

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We had so much fun last year in this worldwide event, and want you to join us again this year for Alpine's second ClickinWalk! Registration is not required for participation, but it is required to be eligible for the contests, which are sponsored by some great companies! Get all the details here: http://www.clickinmoms.com/clickinwalk/clickinwalk-alpine/

To celebrate the ringing in of 2016, I am offering one last sale for the year. All galleries from 2015 have been reinstated and will remain open until midnight Jan. 2, 2016. You will receive a 15% discount on prints and showcase products available through my lab using the coupon code GOODBYE2015 at checkout. **This is to be used in the FIRST box at checkout, and is a coupon code, so only one coupon code is good per order. If you have unused print credit in the form of a gift certificate, then you can combine this code by using your gift certificate code in the last box at checkout.**

Don't miss your chance to grab those last prints you wish you would have ordered, or one more gift for that upcoming birthday at a discount! This is the last chance for you to have your 2015 galleries reinstated without the extension fee, and the last chance to get 2015 print pricing!

I hope that 2016 will be a fantastic year for you filled with many blessings, love and laughter! Have a wonderful New Year's Eve and New Year's Day, and be safe out there! :)

BLACK FRIDAY facebook-ad2015_edited-1

Black Friday is here and once again I am offering a sale - all the way through Cyber Monday! :)

Please read the details for each code carefully, because each one needs to be applied differently in an order, especially if you have previous print credit in a gift certificate form from previous orders.

ALL prints and showcase category items (canvas, vivid metals, acrylics, fine art prints etc.) are 25% off (until midnight Monday)! All holiday cards are 10% off (until Dec. 4!)!

I've reopened all 2015 client galleries, and this sale is also good for all CTC Photography landscape, animal etc. photos that are eligible for sale.

This discount is only good through midnight Monday, so hurry! :) The coupon code, to be used in the first box at checkout, is: 25OFF2015. **If you currently have a print credit or other discount coupon code that was included as part of your session, that code may not be combined with this discount, because only one coupon code per order is allowed. However, you can place a separate order using the code if you wish to.**

Holiday cards are a press order, so go through the lab differently. If you are wanting to order showcase products with the Black Friday sale, you'll want to place the order separately because only one coupon code is able to be used in the same order. If you like to get cards out each season but don't have the time this year, let me take care of it for you! I have reopened all galleries from 2015 so that you can order cards if you wish.

The coupon code to use for holiday cards is: 10OFFHOLIDAYCARDS15 and will expire at midnight Dec. 4. You will also use this code in the FIRST BOX during checkout.

Also, if you have any print credit that you were previously notified of from previous orders, those gift certificate codes CAN be applied for double savings, because these are in gift certificate codes that are put in a different box. Put that in the last box, during payment options, at checkout. 

I hope you all have a great weekend! Thank you so much for being a part of the CTC Photography family! :)

2015familyholidayminis

Holiday mini sessions are here! Book NOW if you want a spot - I had a lot of people contact me last year after I had no more session spots left! All of my available spots at the end of November and all of December are already taken, so if you are wanting a session, please contact me right away!

In addition, I will be having photos with Santa available the first weekend of December and will have those details out in the next couple of weeks, so stay tuned!

back-to-school-minis-2015

Summer is still in swing, but school is right around the corner! As promised, I'm holding a limited number of back to school mini sessions. They will be held August 10-15, are $70** and include an online proofing gallery for 15 days, two (2) free 5x7 prints and one (1) custom facebook cover photo. Additional prints and products may be purchased when the gallery is up.

As the number of sessions available are limited, please contact me soon to reserve your spot!

**A reservation fee of $35 to hold your time and date will be required at the time of booking, and is non-refundable if client cancels, but will be applied toward the total session fee at time of session. Please note that in the state of Texas, session creation fees are subject to sales tax. The total fee above includes sales tax for the session fee. Prints are subject to applicable sales tax at the time of order.

Since the #CaptureMomBeauty campaign I ran last year, I have been contemplating ways to help women want to get in front of the camera more - both in photos with their family and children AND photos by themselves. 

It's an even harder thing for a lot of us to have photos of just ourselves. I believe it's equally important, however, for our children and families to have photos not only of us enjoying life with them, but for them to have photos of us just BEING, in our own beauty, our own identity. How many of you have photos of your mother by herself? How about your grandmother? Great-grandmother? And if you do, don't you cherish them? Aren't they beautiful? Before photography, it wasn't uncommon to have painted portraits made of the women in the family to pass down to the generations. Wouldn't you like to have something special like that, printed on archival-quality materials, for your children to love and pass down? A portrait that you feel beautiful in?

Since including the Larry Robinson photography family history on my site, I hear on a regular basis from individuals who are trying to track down more photos of a family member who has passed away. Often, a portrait or two from one of my great-grandfather's studios is the only quality (including archival quality - many times snapshot photos no longer look good after so many decades) photo they have. It has reiterated to me time and again how important photos are for our families. We MUST exist in photos for our families. 

I am proud to announce that I am now offering fine art women's portraiture sessions. These are indoor sessions that focus on the individual, beautiful woman, and are available for women of all ages. 

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The second part of this is for girls. Being the mother of girls myself, I've been seriously thinking about at what age did I start to not liking having my photo taken? At what age is it that we suddenly feel self-conscious about our looks in the camera? And WHY is that?

I started thinking about the affirmations I want my daughters to have - ones that I have often struggled with for myself - and had the idea that perhaps if girls had photos of themselves holding up signs of affirmation that they saw on a regular basis, then maybe they would start to believe them, firmly in their hearts, and not ever hit that point in life where they shrink from the camera.

I chose the affirmations "Strong, Brave, Beautiful" "Kind, Joyful, Beautiful" and "Important." I explain that strength and bravery is beautiful, and that being kind and joyful is not only beautiful, but often isn't the easy thing to be. It often takes a lot of strength and bravery to be kind and joyful. Being kind and joyful are choices that we have to make, and they are brave choices. Each girl is IMPORTANT, and these traits are important traits, and beautiful traits.

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It's my hope that this photo series will begin to affirm to women and girls of all ages that they are beautiful, and important, and I am excited to now offer them! The fine art women's portraits and the Strong, Joyful, Beautiful sessions will be available on a limited basis each month. Many thanks to the recent models I had for each session! You can see two here on this post, and stay tuned on the Facebook page over the next week for the rest of them to be featured! Aren't they beautiful?!

Mommyandme2015Board

In line with the #CaptureMomBeauty campaign that I held last year (more information on last year's campaign in link here), I am encouraging mothers again this year to, RIGHT HERE, RIGHT NOW, keep getting IN FRONT of the camera! I will be donating a portion of the proceeds from these mini sessions to the Compassionate Friends, a non-profit organization dedicated to helping parents who are going through infant and child loss. If you are familiar with last year's campaign, you know this is very dear to my heart. 

There are a limited number of these sessions, so please contact me SOON to reserve your spot! 

Here are the available sessions:

Evening Outdoor Sessions:

Many of you were introduced to Grace, my CTC Photography senior rep for the Class of 2015, back in the fall, but I wanted to share with all of you some more of the photos we had fun taking! Thank you, Grace, for representing me this year, and we wish you all the best in this wide open future you have before you!

It's TIME to start booking your senior portrait sessions if you haven't done so already! I have session time available beginning in mid-February and going throughout the spring, but they will fill fast so if you want announcements in time, contact me soon! 

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year! Thank you for a wonderful year!!

mllddoctor

I meant to post this on Labor Day Monday, as kind of a play on words, but life and all kind of got in the way. I took a good portion of the summer off to travel nearly halfway across the country to be with my sister before she delivered her first baby. It was an incredible blessing to be able to be with her from the time her water broke all the way until my niece was born - nearly exactly 24 hours later after hard labor the whole time!!! - documenting the birth story in photos the whole time. Next to the births of my own children, this was the most amazing, beautiful experience in my life. Of course I stayed around to do "Fresh 48" photos and newborn portraits before making the long trek back home (driving the entire trip with my daughters by myself for the first time ever)!

I'm still trying to figure out how many of the photos I'm going to share of this incredible time, but I thought it would have been a fitting post on Labor Day to post photos of my sister's doctor in action on her "labor day." I wanted to share these, and it's better late than never - and at least it's just a few days late so it's still "Labor Day Week," right?

I recently put a collage together of some of these photos (as well as a photo of the doctor with the whole new happy family) and my sister framed it as a gift for their doctor. She told them that she hadn't seen photos like this of herself before! It made me wonder how many doctors help bring new life into the world all the time and don't know what the looks on their faces are as they are participating in such miracles. I had to share with the rest of you! 

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It's Father's Day weekend! Thank you to all of you fathers, for all that you do!

dad minis 2014

I hope all of my fabulous mama clients had a wonderful day yesterday! Several of you have been asking me for father mini sessions, so here they are just in time for Father's Day! Daddy & Me mini sessions will run for approximately 20-30 minutes and will include two free 5x7 prints of your choice with an online, password-protected proofing gallery where you can choose your prints and products including the free prints. The sessions are $50 and will from May 18 to June 6. There are limited spots - only FIVE! - so contact me soon to schedule yours!

Image used with permission by Planet Jill

In honor of my mother clients, I am offering a 30% discount on all Planet Jill jewelry and gifts until 11:59 p.m. (central time) Mother's Day, May 11, 2014. 

All galleries from 2014 have been reinstated for the sale, and currently open galleries that will expire before May 11 have been extended to May 11. I wear my Planet Jill necklace with a photo of my daughters all the time, and often get compliments and questions about it!

From sterling silver necklaces and bracelets, pewter bookmarks, key chains, trinket boxes and more, Planet Jill offers gifts sure to please with meaning and beauty.

You can see the Planet Jill selections by clicking on the "Other Products" category in your cart. *As this is a self-fulfilled custom order, you will need to check out separately for these items if you are also wanting to order prints with any different coupon code you may have been given with your session.*

Use code MOTHER2014 in the first code box available during checkout.

Have a wonderful Mother's Day next weekend!

window charm necklaceImage used with permission by Planet Jill

**Images in this post have been provided by Planet Jill and used with permission.**

My 1000 first journal entry-6823

I've started a separate blog for a new personal adventure I am on to find and live joy and beauty in every day gifts, and I'm inviting you to join me. You can find it here: http://my1000anadventure.blogspot.com/

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This is a long post for you, but I hope you'll find it worth the read! Getting mothers in front of the camera instead of behind it is often not just a challenge for a photographer hired to capture family moments, but it's also a challenge - an intense internal struggle - that many mothers fight within themselves, whether it's for a professional photo shoot or simply handing the camera (or camera phone) over to another person during family time. I know, because I'm one of those mothers. I'm one of those women. 

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It's with this in mind, and heavy on my heart, that I'm starting a new campaign focused on capturing the beauty of mothers from all ages, generations and stages of life. I'm calling it #CaptureMomBeauty and I'm donating a portion of my revenue from this campaign to a cause that is extremely important to me, and it will stay within our community. I'll give more details of that below.

Since beginning my portrait photo business, capturing mothers with their children has always been a focus of mine, but it was really driven home to me when I experienced the loss of my best girlfriend, my kindred spirit, to a sudden illness in March 2013. Before the service started where we said goodbye to her, a slideshow was playing full of photos of beautiful Ashley with her children, her husband, her family and friends, and by herself. As I looked at those photos with tears streaming from my eyes, I was struck over and over again with how blessed her children are that they had these wonderful memories of themselves with their mother, captured forever so they could look at them anytime. They had photos of her beautiful self to look at and remember that smile and those eyes that were so full of love for them.

I vowed to myself that very day that a renewed focus and energy would be put into my portrait sessions to capture intimate moments of love between mothers and their children, and that I would no longer try to avoid the camera so much when someone was taking photos of me and my family. I've been trying to take more photos of myself on purpose, as well. The hard part of this is that for as long as I can remember in my adulthood, I've preferred to be behind the camera rather than in the photos. I've always found something wrong with the way I look in photos - at any given time I'm unhappy with either my hair, face, smile, weight, makeup, clothes or a combination of all of them. I'm determined to stop this, but it's a constant battle within myself. It's not easy to break that thinking, but for the sake of my children, I'm going to have more photos for them of both myself and of them with me.

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Why not fathers, as well, you may ask? I love capturing both parents, alone and together, with their children. I'm happy to do so and it makes me happy to do so. However, it's generally not as difficult to convince fathers to get photos of themselves. They generally don't have the deep-set thinking that women do about how they look. If you don't believe me, then you probably haven't already seen this beautiful video that has been circulating for months: http://realbeautysketches.dove.us/

I love taking photos of entire families and of each of the parents with their children, but this campaign is about the mothers.

In the fall, I was blessed with financial assistance for my business from Royal Neighbors of America's Nation of Neighbors program. A family member had nominated me for the program, and I was extremely surprised, humbled and grateful to find out that I was a recipient. This assistance enabled me to upgrade some of my photography equipment and gave me some much-needed confidence and the means to pursue some of my goals and dreams - some that I've had for a long time.

One of the goals I've had is to help women and couples who have experienced infant loss. My husband and I lost our first child in a second trimester loss in December 2001 - a devastating, life-changing loss. When I left the hospital after a traumatic and lengthy labor followed by a D&C, we left with a few consoling words from hospital staff, prayers and condolences of friends and family, and a stack of official, cold medical papers referring to the death of our baby as "spontaneous abortion." (I do realize this is the official medical term for losses like the one I experienced, but it is a term that is startling to see describe your loss when you are going through this trauma.)

At that time, there was very little help in the form of books written on the subject of infant loss, and pamphlets or brochures available for doctors or hospitals to give women going through this loss were few and far between. I wrote a book about my experiences of loss and subsequent pregnancy after loss that I have plans to publish, and I want to donate some copies to women's clinics and hospitals after it is. Until then, I have been wanting to provide our local hospital with some brochures that are now available for bulk purchase about infant loss and grieving, along with some kind of memento, a validation, of the life that was lost, that can be given to mothers and fathers grieving the loss of their sweet baby. I haven't been certain of how to go about doing this, or how I would want to go about doing this, until recently.

When I discovered I was a Nation of Neighbors recipient, I began thinking of how I could pay it forward to our community, and at the same time tie together my desire to capture mothers' beauty along with a way to give these materials to our hospital. I knew I wanted to honor Ashley in all of this, and as I won't be able to give her a birthday present on February 18 this year, I wanted to time the launch of this campaign close to her birthday. Ashley was the mother of four beautiful young children on earth, but she also has a baby in heaven and we often talked of ways that communities needed more outreach in the area of infant loss.

In my planning for this campaign, I've talked with the hospital and have learned that they now provide parents who have lost babies in both early and late-term pregnancies, and still birth or newborn, with beautiful remembrance boxes that provide ways for parents to validate and preserve the memory of that cherished life. It overjoyed me to hear they now provide this service and gift! They have agreed to include the brochures I have wanted to provide along with the boxes, so I am happy to still be able to do this project so long on my heart. These brochures are written for parents grieving in infant loss and provide information on this specific type of grief and the feelings that are commonly felt, and ways that may help to cope with it.

**So, here are the details of what I'm doing: I am offering #CaptureMomBeauty mini sessions from February 28 to April 28 and the proceeds after expenses will go to the purchase of infant loss memorabilia for donation to Big Bend Regional Medical Center, where it can be given to families experiencing infant loss. I am putting 100% of the proceeds after expenses from the session fees to this purchase, as well as 25% of the proceeds from print purchases from these #CaptureMomBeauty sessions.

These mini sessions are concentrating on capturing mothers with their families, and/or alone. Because the focus of these sessions will be on the mother, I won't be taking photos of the children without their mothers in these sessions. However, if you want to get photos of your children by themselves in addition to photos with their mother, you can schedule a standard session which lasts longer, and I will donate $20 of the session fee to this cause. If anyone wants to donate an amount above their session cost, 100% of that donation will go to this cause as well.

The mini sessions will cost $50 and will include two 5x7 prints of your choosing (additional prints available for purchase from your gallery) and an online proofing album for 15 days. Mini sessions will last approximately 20-30 minutes. 

In order to meet the very minimum amount I'd like to have for purchase of these donated goods, my goal is to have 10 of these sessions, so PLEASE spread the word! I would LOVE to have multi-generational photos (mom, grandmother, great-grandmother ...) captured, as well!**

So that you know I'm also challenging myself in all this, the photos you see within this post are photos I took over the summer during a self-portrait photo challenge I participated in. I was exhausted when I did these, the light was poor and my camera settings weren't ideal as a result, but I was determined to go through with it and so I set the camera on a tripod and set the timer. I took photos of me by myself, as well as photos with my daughters. I needed to take this first step making a concentrated effort to be happy in front of the camera instead of behind it.

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I felt very awkward and silly doing them, and felt even more self-conscious when I shared them on Facebook for all my friends and family to see. But I did it, because I wanted to inspire and challenge those who saw them to do the same, and get in front of the camera and capture themselves for their children, whether it was by hiring me or another photographer to do so, or grabbing their own camera and doing it. I want YOU to be inspired and get in those photos with your family.

And you know what? I blew up the photos of me with my girls and they are now framed and proudly displayed in our home. And I even printed a couple of the photos of me by myself for smaller frames. I have since forced myself to not hide every time a camera is pulled out that I'm not behind, and I'm trying to make an effort to make more captured moments.

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As one of my favorite photographers, Sue Bryce, says, "Don't wait till you are perfect ... You will never be perfect ... You must exist in photographs for your children."

And I'll add to Sue's lovely thoughts that to your children, you probably are perfect. If you aren't, they still love you just the way you are, right here and right now. Let them have those memories of you right here, right now, captured forever.

Contact Me Today to Schedule Your #CaptureMomBeauty Mini Session!
(432) 386-3104 ** [email protected]

Edit this post to update on the results of this campaign! Thank you so much to all of you who participated! Keep getting IN FRONT of the lens! On December 10, 2014: My thanks to all of you who helped make today's delivery possible ... Thirteen years ago today, we lost our first baby to an early second trimester loss after a long and traumatic labor. We walked out of the hospital with nothing more than medical papers full of cold terminology and the condolences of staff. Today, without planning for it to happen on the anniversary of our loss but the arranged time and day happening that way by no coincidence, I walked into the hospital with a box full of support materials on infant loss and handed them over to a nurse who cares deeply for parents suffering this tragedy. The purchase of the materials was made possible through my clients and the Capture Mom Beauty photography campaign I had run earlier in the year, and the hospital has assured me they will add the materials to the lovely memento boxes they now provide to these families. As the campaign tied together a project long and deep in my heart and the loss of my dear friend Ashley last March, I suddenly became emotional as I made the delivery. In a perfect world, families wouldn't need those boxes and materials, but I'm grateful it finally all came together to be able to give them. Thank you, from the bottom of my heart, to all you clients who participated in helping make this possible! 

MOMBEAUTY

*Image provided by Planet Jill

In honor of the loved ones in our lives, I'm offering a 20% off sale on all Planet Jill photo jewelry and gifts. Galleries from 2013 and this year have been reinstated for the sale. I wear my Planet Jill necklace with a photo of my daughters all the time, and often get compliments and questions about it!

From sterling silver necklaces and bracelets, pewter bookmarks, key chains, trinket boxes and more, Planet Jill offers gifts sure to please with meaning and beauty.

*Image provided by Planet Jill   *Image provided by Planet Jill   *Image provided by Planet Jill

All galleries from last year and this year have been reinstated until midnight Feb. 14, 2014, and you can see the Planet Jill selections by clicking on the "Other Products" category in your cart. 

20% off all Planet Jill items until midnight Feb. 14, 2014. Use code PJVALENTINE2014 in the first code box available during checkout.

**Images in this post have been provided by Planet Jill and used with permission.**

PhotoCroppingGuide

Print sizes come in varying ratios, which affects the crop size. I hope the above illustrations will help serve as a guide for you. Depending on the photo, there is generally flexibility in where the image is cropped and what portions will be missing. If you have questions or need help in determining the best size and place to crop your image, I'm always happy to help!

Dog Christmas 2

Last chance! This is the last sale I'll be offering for 2013 - and it applies to all galleries from sessions in 2013! If you had a session in 2013, your gallery will be reinstated until the end of the sale.

Last-minute gift shoppers, now is your chance to stock up on a few more photos, or grab a Texas t-shirt or landscape photo while you're at it - at a discount!

If you have any photos you still want, this is the time to get them! Starting in 2014, there will be a fee to reinstate galleries once they have expired, so don't delay if you have any still on your wish list!

Don't forget that we also have gift certificates available to give a session to someone special in your life, and/or print credit. What better way to tell someone you care than to gift them with a way to preserve their precious memories for a lifetime?

Here's what you need to know about the sale:

*Offers expire Friday at 11:59 p.m.
*10% off order with code CHRISTMAS10
*25% off order $50 or more with code CHRISTMAS25
*Applies to all non-custom products (prints, canvases, memorabilia etc. that are sent to the lab), as well as Texas t-shirts
*Use the code in the first coupon code box at checkout
*Reinstated galleries will expire at the same time as the offers

BLACK-FRIDAY-facebook-ad

I hope you all had a wonderful, blessed Thanksgiving and more than anything today, you are enjoying spending time with loved ones! However, I know that you might be hoping for some Black Friday specials, and I'm happy to accommodate! I have several (NINE!) offers below.

These sales and deals will end at 11:59 p.m. central time TONIGHT, so don't delay!

Previously expired galleries from all 2013 sessions have been reinstated for this short time!

***If you have a print credit, you may also use it during this time in combination with these codes. You will need to use the coupon code FIRST during the checkout, and the gift certificate in the last step when you are given payment options choose gift certificate, put your certificate code in the box and then it will adjust and let you pay the rest from PayPal or credit card. **Don't choose PayPal when you are first offered it. You will have a chance to use PayPal again in the last step of checkout.***

Here's what I have for you today:

1. $10 off gift certificates! Give a special person in your life a gift that lasts forever - a photo session to capture and preserve precious memories for a lifetime! These beautiful gift certificates are printed on a heavy stock paper and come in an envelope to make an attractive presentation.

2. 10% off holiday cards! This applies to previously expired galleries in 2013, and all current client galleries (excluding CTC landscape and architecture). **As this is a custom order that is fulfilled differently, you'll need to check out separately for custom items if you want to use this coupon code and you are also wanting to purchase prints or display items from the other Black Friday deals.** Use the coupon code BLACKFRIDAYCARDS in the first box for coupon codes available at checkout.

3. 25% discount on ALL prints for previously expired galleries in 2013, as well as CTC landscape and architecture photos! Use the coupon code BLACKFRIDAYPRINTS in the first box for coupon codes available at checkout. 

I'm opening this sale up to all previously expired galleries for 2013, as well as current albums, including CTC landscape and architecture photos. If you had a session in 2013, it has been reinstated until 11:59 p.m. tomorrow.

These codes are good for prints, and range in discount between 10% to 30%. They are good only once, so after one has been used, it disappears.

If you have a photo you still wish you had and don't want to wait until the Black Friday sales, or want to share this sale with family for your album, here are the codes:

SPECIAL

GIVING

THANKS

HAPPY

If you try to use a code and it doesn't go through, that means someone has already used it. The code goes into the first box for coupon codes in the checkout process.

Have a wonderful, cozy and warm weekend!

I shared this newborn session video on facebook the other day, but in case you didn't see it there, you can view it here. I am thrilled to share this newborn session video with you - I cried more than once while I was editing it!

CTC Photography is now offering special collections for newborn sessions, as well as Watch Me Grow packages for the first year! These collections will offer discounts based on the package purchased.

The new service I am most excited about is the Bump, Baby & Smiles Club - an exclusive group that will be limited to a certain number of clients each year that has many perks! I would like to first offer the club to mothers expecting during the January-February 2014 range, so if you know anyone expecting during that time who might be interested, please share with them!

These collections and the club will give me a chance to get to know my clients even better, and I am so excited to get to know my newest and youngest clients on a more personal, frequent level!

I have made a few changes on the website and now have dedicated pages for each type of session with more information on pricing and what comes with each session or collection.

I hope your Fall is off to a great start and you are enjoying the start of cooler weather!

holiday-minis

Happy Fall! The holidays are quickly approaching, and wouldn't it be nice to have your photos and cards taken care of before the big rush? Here's your chance to have a quick session at a reduced price!

Contact me today for your mini session - limited spots! As always, if you would like a longer session for more photos, I am happy to schedule a standard session.

Hey Seniors! I'm looking for TWO senior reps this year. Think you might be interested? Please fill out these questions and send them in a private message on the CTC Photography facebook page, use the contact form on this site or send it in email to [email protected]. Details on all the perks below!

Some qualities I'm looking for in my senior reps: Outgoing personality, not shy in front of the camera, on track for a 2014 high school graduation in Alpine, "Like" CTC Photography's business page and share it with friends, fill out all questions below and submit by Sept. 25, 2013. Reps will be decided by Oct. 5, 2013.

Full name:

Alpine senior graduating in 2014? (Yes/No)

Age (Must be at least 18 at time of photo session):

Parental permission will be given? (Yes/No)

Parents and student willing to sign a model release? (Yes/No)

Parents and student willing to be a spokesperson (and have images used in promotional materials) for CTC Photography through the 2013-2104 school year?

Willing to have your portrait session in November?

List your favorite school activities:

Favorite subjects:

Are you involved in any activities or sports? (Please list)

Three reasons why you would be a great representative for CTC Photography senior portrait sessions?

As a senior rep for CTC Photography, you will be a spokesperson for my business and will receive several perks! A free portrait session with two free 5x7 prints, one free 8x10 print, 8 wallets, a 15% discount on announcements, a private online proofing album, a custom video with some of your photos, a free custom facebook cover photo, free rep cards with your photo to pass out to friends - and a $10 print credit for each session that is booked by the first three people you refer and a $15 print credit and four wallets for each session booked by your referrals after that. Three accordion mini brag books will be given after five referrals. You will only receive credit and perks for referrals made through the 2013-2014 school year until May 1, 2014.

Did everyone have a great Labor Day weekend? I hope so! 

I've been busy lately with planning and working on some new things to offer that I am really excited about! I'll be making announcements here and on facebook as I'm ready to launch each one, but I wanted to give you a peek into two new things I'm really excited about!

I've created several videos regarding the different kinds of portrait sessions available with CTC Photography, but I thought this one was appropriate to start with until I'm ready to share the others, because it symbolizes so much - exciting new changes and anticipation!

I hope you enjoy the video above. I'm having fun with them! So much fun, in fact, that I'm going to start creating a custom video for each full (not mini) portrait session free of charge. That's right, you get a free video included with your session!

Also, because I'm such a lover of shopping perks for myself, I'm starting a "frequent shopper" rewards club for my clients. I'm still deciding on the name, but clients will receive a $10 print credit good on the next photo session with every $100 in products ordered AND they will receive a free standard photo session after every five photo sessions (both full or mini promotion session types will count). 

So, I hope you are as excited about these two announcements as I am, and stay tuned for more announcements and/or video reveals in the near future! Please share the CTC Photography facebook page with family and friends so they don't miss out!

If you'd like to gift a photo session, I'm taking $10 off the session price. If you'd like to gift print credits, I'm taking off 10% from the print credit price. If you'd like to create a package combining both a session and print credits, I'm taking 15% off the total price. The sky is the limit in creating a custom gift that your special person will love!

For more details or to get the process rolling, send me a message or email. This deal ends at 11:59 p.m. (CT) on Monday, Sept. 2!

july-mini-board-web

Well, July is nearly over and school starts in less than a month. I'm switching my "Christmas in July" mini session special to a Back to School special. There are limited spots available, so those who contact me first will get them.

In addition, the previous Christmas in July special is still going on through August 15: 15% off any Planet Jill jewelry or gift order. Contact me if you are interested in this. If your album has expired, I can still use photo from your session(s).

One of the problems we encounter, however, is whether we are getting our photos printed to look their best. Are they being printed with ink and paper that will stand the test of time to last for those future generations, or are they going to gradually fade like those photos printed at the drugstore in our baby albums have have over the decades? And are you getting the best color on your photos, or does your lab make the skin look too red, or yellow, or green, or whatever color you might not wish to look?

If you are hiring a photographer to take your photos, you can probably be assured that they are ordering from a lab that they feel is going to give you treasures that will last a long time.

If you decide to spend money on digital images from your photographer rather than prints, please carefully consider what lab you will use to print those photos. It might not matter as much on certain products like books and boxes, but you don't want to end up with photos you aren't happy with down the road, when you could have spent a little more to have photos you would be happy with for a lifetime.

I am offering this information to you, whether you are my client or not, because I feel passionately about families having quality photos for their memories, and I want you all to have the best. Here is a very helpful article written with honest, objective comparisons of some of the most popular labs - from expensive to cheap. If you are considering digital images from your photographer, or if you are just printing images you have taken yourself with your own camera, please take a look at this list and make sure you're getting the best for your money and memories!

http://improvephotography.com/7756/test-results-best-online-print-lab/

Have a wonderful day!

- Military discount:

   - Preserving family memories in photographs is very important to me. Every family should have memories preserved, and regularly. I know military families are often affected by tours of duty and training that can keep them apart for long periods of time. For families who have members in active military or National Guard, I offer the standard session fee at a reduced rate of $45, with a 15% discount on prints ordered from the session. Please mention the military discount when you are contacting me to book a session, and bring your credentials to the session for verification of the discount.