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Having 1 son and 3 daughters, all in their tween and teen years, means I am never short on beautiful models. And while most of the time, it's my gorgeous redheaded oldest daughter, or my handsome boy, this time it was my sweet little Alanna, our youngest, who said "I want to do a photo session!" And when they ask, it's so hard to say no! So we sat down and talked about what she wanted to wear and what kind of photos she wanted to do. "I want to look like a fashion model! Like with wild, crazy hair! Ooo and I want to wear one of the prom dresses!" What 9 year old WOULDN'T want to play dress up with a big, gorgeous gown? And lucky her, I keep plenty on hand to choose from. So fashion model is the look we went with, and I think they turned out incredibly stunning. I still just can not get over how grown up she is getting to be. Just a few months away from being 10, I can easily see the sweet, funny, beautiful young woman she will be in just a few years. ♥
 
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One of my favorite parts about being an East Texas teen and tween photographer is being able to shoot "Uniquely You" sessions with my clients! I absolutely LOVE getting to dedicate so much time and effort in showing these beautiful and amazing teens and tweens how unique and wonderful they are. And Riley's session was no exception! An incoming freshman, cheerleader, and soccer player, Riley is a fantastically talented and gorgeous young woman. I loved getting to spend a little time watching her show off her soccer skills (in heels no less!) and getting to know more about the intelligent girl behind that beautiful smile. Uniquely You sessions are a perfect opportunity to let your teen or tween's personality shine. 
 
 When I put out a call for 2015 Rep Models for Heather Colleen Photography, I was so so excited that Jade was one of the lovely girls who responded! A gorgeous young lady, she keeps active with tennis and robotics, singing in the Children's Chorus, playing saxophone in the Youth Wind Ensemble, and is part of a local Anchor Club. She stays active in the community by interning with an Art Studio, participating in Longview Green and Clean, cleaning up the local parks, volunteering in the nursering homes and with Longview WOW. She is a truly inspiring young woman and I had such a fabulous time planning and shooting her session! "Uniquely You" sessions are designed to capture all that is original, special, unique, and beautiful about you, and Jade's Uniquely You session did just that! She has a fabulous sense of fashion, somewhere between Rock and Roll and Classical and she takes "weird" as a compliment. I couldn't stop laughing and smiling throughout our entire session as she channeled her inner Blues Brothers, showed off her awesome Tennis skills, and just enjoyed being her fabulous, unique self! Her images turned out beyond amazing. ♥ Interested in booking a "Uniquely You" session for your tween or teen? Let's talk! 
"Every horse deserves, at least once, to be loved by a little girl." One of the best parts about being a Child Photographer in Longview, Tx is getting the chance to do sweet, beautiful sessions like this one! I was so excited to be Lily's photographer, and to be able to capture the obvious love between Lily and her horse, Bo. Lily is an absolutely sweet and adorable little girl and my camera just loved her! I loved watching her interact with Bo. She takes such wonderful care with him, and it is easy to see that he adores her as well. Our session took place at the Triple Creek Ranch in Hallsville, Tx, where owner, Anne, was such a great assist in making sure Bo cooperated and everyone stayed safe! Does your little girl or boy have a hobby or interest? Do you want to capture the memories from this special time in their life? Let's talk! ♥ 
 "Mom. I think I'm getting fat, so don't put too much on my plate please." Those were the words my 11 year old son said to me last night, as I was preparing to serve dinner. I looked at him, sure he would be smiling, joking, surely he wasn't serious. But he was. 5 days ago, he had a wellness check up, his yearly visit to the doctor to make sure he's growing well and healthy. He measured in at 4'9 3/4" and weighed 75.4lbs. 50th percentile for his height and 30th percintile for his weight. His doctor even told him he was actually a little more on the skinny side of average. And yet, here he was, worried he might be getting fat. Of course, I sat down with him, discussed why he thought that and why it wasn't anywhere near true. We talked about how it's more important for him to make sure that he's healthy, active and eating the right foods than to worry about the numbers on the scales. For dinner, he had his full plate, and seconds.  Between movies and magazines and television and social media, it's easy for our tweens and teens to get the impression that our bodies have to be perfect. Perfect hair, flawless skin, miniscule waistlines. These images and ideas don't just affect girls either. Many young boys compare themselves to the muscled athletes and male celebrities they see being idolized by the rest of the world. They agonize over not having large enough biceps or a defined 6-pack. The idea that they are imperfect, flawed, can lead to problems like depression and even eating disorders. We know our children are beautiful. We know that one day too soon, they will grow into those long coltish legs that seem so awkward to them right now. We know that they will get bigger, taller, stronger, faster. But there are things we can do now to help bolster their self-esteem until that all happens. 1. Be positive. Never make critical remarks about your teen's body. Instead, compliment them. Tell her what pretty eyes she has, or how handsome you think his smile is. Help your tween by encouraging good personal hygiene and posture. 2. Be a great role model. Our children are always watching us, observing our actions, our lifestyles, our attitudes. They learn and they mimic. Pay attention to the example you set for them. When you are positive about yourself, it encourages them to be positive about themselves as well. 3. Focus on the person they are inside. Support their interests in talents and skills that have nothing to do with their looks, like music or sports or art. Tell them how you love that they can make you laugh, or how proud you are of them for their dedication to schoolwork. Let them know there is so much more to them than just their outer appearance. Your tween may not always seem like they are listening, but be sure, they hear you. And you can make a difference.  Why Tween Sessions? We capture all those major milestones, from a bump to birth, the first year to the first day of school to their Senior year. So why miss out on those in between years, the ones that seem to be gone almost overnight? Those magical, fascinating, beautiful moments where your tween makes the transformation from sweet little kid to independent young person. They are coming into their own style and personality, forming their own opinions and views. During a time where peer pressure to "fit in" is at its worst, as their parent, all you want to do is encourage them to just be their unique selves, and love everything about who they are becoming. Tween portrait sessions boost confidence as your child begins to take the reigns and express themselves and their style. Let them wear the bright colors, the ripped jeans. Let their hair be wild. Let them be fierce and bold. Let them embrace the braces and glasses and crazy trends of today. Tween sessions are a chance to let them show a glimpse of the amazing young person they are becoming. It lets them see themselves in the wondrous way that we see them.  This spring I am rolling out a new extension of my business that I am so super excited about! Teen and Tween Rep Models! These amazing young people will be the face of Heather Colleen Photography for the next year, while getting to feel like a model. And there's some pretty nifty perks that come along with the job too! Each model will receive the following: • No Session Fee - 1 hour Beautiful You session • No Session Fee - 1 hour Let's Have Fun session for you and up to three friends between June - August • No Session Fee - 30 minute Back To School Mini Session in September • $25 Session Fee - 30 minute Family Mini in November • Images to use online for sharing as part of your referrals • 50 Rep Cards to hand out Not to mention the extras for the more people that you refer, like print credits, gift cards, movie tickets, and even the chance to earn an iPad 4! There are a few requirements to be considered as a Model Rep: • Be between 9 - 14 years of age • Active in school and community • Outgoing, lively, fun, friendly • Love having their photos taken and love sharing their photos online • Unique sense of style and fashion • Must only represent Heather Colleen Photography for the next 12 months • Minimum commitment of $300 print/product purchase • Being social media active is a big plus, but not a requirement! If this sounds like something you and your tween/teen are interested in, then I would LOVE to hear from you! I ask that all potential reps write me a little single paragraph explaining in their own words why they would be a great choice to be the face of Heather Colleen Photography. Tell me about what activities you're in, how you stay active in your community, your favorite hobbies. Give me a little sense of what makes you so uniquely you! Send applications to [email protected], with Rep Model in the title. Please include the following information: • Name • Gender • Birthday • Grade • School • Parents names • Parents phone number • About You paragraph Application deadline is May 1st. Rep Models will be contacted by May 5th.
I had planned to do a Throwback Thursday blog yesterday.... but, you know what they say about the best laid plans. SO! We're having a Flashback Friday instead! I had so much fun with sweet girl Myla at her dress-up shoot in November of 2013! This was my second session with Myla. Our first was a funky-fun BoHo inspired Mom and Me session the year before. I was super excited to get to work with My and her mom Becky again, because they are both so full of creativity, imagination, and life. I brought along my bundle of petite prom dresses and dressy dresses for her to look through. She fell in love immediately with one strapless turquoise dress that my daughter refers to as "the Cinderella dress". She also brought along her own adorable purple sparkly number to add in to the mix! We spent the next 2 hours trying on dresses, playing with hair and makeup, dancing, and having a blast. It was so hard for me to narrow down my favorites from that day, since we ended up with SO many, but here we are! I can't wait till our next session! 
Our middle girl. Ava Madelyn. Maddy-Lu. Our artist. She is free spirited, creative, curious. She lives in her own world, marches to her own drum. She doubles over in laughter at fart jokes, and any mention of certain bodily parts. She is her daddy's mini me, in looks and stubbornness. One minute quiet, the next, full of laughter. Daniel's "twin", only 4 months apart. She is our crazy chaos girl. She keeps our world colorful and full of imagination. 
So, even though it is somewhat short notice, since I have had a few inquires on Valentines Day mini's, I decided to go ahead and open a few spots! Spots are very limited, so book now!  |
