Dallas Family and Children Photographer Devine Memories Photography, Devine Inspirations

Chloe

2009-07-18T11:46:00.003-05:00

This was the last of our four Baby Plan sessions with Miss Chloe. That doesn't seem possible, she has grown up so fast!

Apologies

2009-07-02T02:03:00.002-05:00

Just in case you are a client coming here to check in wondering where I am, and I haven't been able to get in touch w/ you yet...this has been a very, very dramatic week or so with my father, and he will be having more surgery on Friday. I am working to catch up in between 3 kids and hospitals but still working. Thank you so much for your patience.

You can read updates on my father here : www.caringbridge.org/visit/bobdevine/journal

Sneak Peek Round 4

2009-06-27T20:44:00.002-05:00

I will admit that this special Mommy has already seen these. After all, she has been through enough in the past year, and anything I can do to make her smile is worth it.

Blog readers ask me about Denise all the time. She and Ethan are doing really, really well considering...she impresses me so much with her positivity and determination. Totally my idol!!

It was tough to live up to last year's awesome location...but with some careful research, I think we did it!

Sneak Peek Round 3

2009-06-27T20:42:00.001-05:00

This family are old friends, big brother was a client for his first birthday, and now it was little brother's turn! He is an amazing story--was born at only 21 weeks of pregnancy and is doing GREAT!

Sneak Peek Round 2

2009-06-26T08:01:00.002-05:00

This adorable little guy charmed my socks off; what a little sweetheart

Happy First Birthday

2009-06-26T07:53:00.004-05:00

I am incredibly behind on sneak peeks (I am incredibly behind on everything-thank you Summer) so here is my version of playing catch up.

First of all, these babies are famous around here: the winners of Image of the Year 2008 are growing up before our eyes---happy first birthday babies!!

Spring Minis Sneak Peaks

2009-06-12T20:42:00.005-05:00

The mini session promise: Give me 30 minutes or less with your child, and I'll give you about 10 amazing images of them. (wow that sounds like a commercial)

Next mini sessions will be later this summer-we do summer minis in the fountains! My favorites all year! Let us know if you're interested and we'll set a date!

Workshop Openings

2009-06-10T15:39:00.005-05:00

I have a couple of spots open for the next workshop, which is Saturday, June 27th from 3-5:30pm in Plano.

The cost is $250 per person and is designed to help you, the parent, learn all about your digital SLR camera. We also touch on lighting and photoshop.

Click here to read the reviews from last month's workshop

Spots are limited so email us at deanna@devine-memories.com or call 214-577-4922 to reserve your place ASAP!

Alex & Taylor

2009-06-08T23:57:00.004-05:00

This session with some very familiar faces produced one of my new favorite images:

Confession: If I win this contest, because it is from Nickelodeon, my 10 year old son will look at me with all new respect. He is VERY impressed by this, simply because of the Nickelodeon name. I don't have the heart to tell him that it's only a small local thing. But if I win, my kid who is embarrassed by me 99% of the time will think I'm cool, if only for a minute. This? Is my motivation.
PLEASE VOTE AGAIN TODAY :)

Reese & Collin

2009-06-05T16:28:00.004-05:00

Some fun shots for some fun kids...have been photographing these two since they were itty bitty newborns and have loved EVERY session!

Am I Your Favorite??

2009-06-04T11:49:00.001-05:00

Remember, you can vote once a day! We're in the lead but barely!!

No sign up required- just click and vote!

For Family Photographer
in Dallas

Baby Ellie

2009-06-01T15:19:00.003-05:00

I first met this little angel at only a few days old, and now she is the sweetest little chunk of baby and just SO MUCH fun. Such an easy session.

Chase Your Dreams

2009-05-28T22:37:00.005-05:00

5 years ago this week, I was sitting at a restaurant with my entire family, including my parents.

The topic of conversation was very heavy. I was MISERABLE. We were young and extremely poor, we had two children, I had a very secure job with free childcare for my baby Gabby, free tuition to one of the top private schools in the area for my preschooler Mikey, great benefits, unlimited access to my kids whenever I had a break, and was always just a short walk away from my Dad, who worked at the same place I did. Yet I had been taking pictures for years, studying and practicing, and in the winter had begun taking paid clients and received my tax and business licenses. The hours from doing the photography AND working full time at the church were too much, and I had to choose one.

Did I take the safe route, where I was unchallenged and just getting through the day? Or did I really take a chance and try and make a full time career of my passion?

I sat at the table with my parents weighing the pros and cons. Finally, I said "OK, I think I'm going to turn in my notice tomorrow. I'm going to do this." I promptly jumped up from the table, ran to the bathroom and was sick. This was absolutely the scariest thing I had EVER done.

I remember that my boss was not surprised. She saw it coming. She had watched as parent after parent would file into our office over the months, requesting photo shoots. She wasn't happy about my leaving, but she definetly understood.

2 weeks later I worked my last day, said tearful goodbyes to all the parents and friends I had made, and to my Dad who hated to not be able to see his daughter and grandchildren every single day, and walked out the door with the feeling that I had NEVER FELT SO ALIVE. Scared, yes, but it was like my eyes were open to the world for the first time, and the possibilities seemed endless.

What followed was definetly NOT a piece of cake. Guillaume Barre Syndrome hit me the week I left and I was incapacitated for months. Then learning to balance the Mom thing and the working thing, all at home. Then another baby, and then the difficult events of this past year. But the business has never suffered, it took off on it's own and it has thrived for years, and I truly believe it is because of the passion behind it.

When you love something so much, everything just falls into place. If you would have told me back then that in 5 years I'd be a single mom of three kids, living in a house I bought in Plano, supporting myself and the family....well, I might not have gotten so sick at the restaurant :)

I definetly have my moments of burnout, but only because when your passion becomes your way to pay the bills, it can sometimes feel less fun and more like a burden. But I have always found a way to make it exciting again.

And what is REALLY cool about this milestone is that my younger brother Tim just turned in his resignation to his miserable job today, and is going to chase his dreams full force as well. I know the rush of adrenaline and anxiety and fear and excitement that he feels right now all too well. I am SO proud of him and know from experience that he will succeed and be happy.

Life is too short not to love your life and to be stuck just paying bills and getting by. Chase your dreams, whatever they are!!!
(this is Gabby, who is now the middle child, at the time that I quit my job 5 yrs ago)

and here she is this weekend, before her dance recital. *sigh*
(PS-Don't forget to VOTE for us by clicking here! You can vote once a day, and ask all your Facebook and Twitter friends to vote too!)

Charlie

2009-05-27T12:56:00.003-05:00

Love this baby boy SO MUCH. He is such a joy to take pictures of. As a matter of fact, if you haven't been to our website lately, you must check it out--Mr. Charlie is the blue eyed baby on the main page!

Notice a common theme to my pictures lately? The Arboretum seems to be the #1 choice this time of year, which I love because you just can't go wrong!!!

Family of Fun

2009-05-26T15:35:00.002-05:00

Love this sweet family...you might remember these twin girls from their infant session...how quickly time goes by.

Nickelodeon Parents' Picks: Favorite Family Photographer!!

2009-05-18T15:13:00.001-05:00

Please come and vote for us!!!

For Family Photographer
in Dallas

Back to What I Know...

2009-05-13T18:29:00.003-05:00

...families and adorable little 1 year old boys!

(my favorite action shots of all time are catching new walkers mid-stride)

One Opening Left

2009-05-11T23:00:00.002-05:00

I have one opening left for this Saturday's Spring Mini Sessions. (info here) Please email us at deanna@devine-memories.com if you would like to book this final spot.

Devine U Workshop

2009-05-06T13:02:00.003-05:00

I'm already planning my next Devine U parent workshop, please email me if you are interested and we can get a date set for June or July!! The fee is $250 per person, and it is 2.5 hours of small group instruction and exercise.

Some feedback from this weekend's parent workshop:

"I've taken photography classes before in a big classroom setting and gotten jack-squat out of them. The concepts of f-stops, ISO and shutter speed, just didn't make sense to me. I gotta tell you, I was worried about the cost of the workshop and not getting my money's worth, but it was TOTALLY worth it. I mean, I've got this fancy, schmancy SLR camera and had NO idea how to work it (I'm a very bad instruction-reader, I learn much better in a hands on, one on one environment.) You took the time to explain what all those knobs and buttons on my camera do and now I can correct those pictures that I couldn't get when the camera was on auto mode. PLUS, I now know how to manipulate the photos and make them look even better using my computer (I used Picassa instead of Photo Shop because it's free, and you helped me with that too). THANK YOU!!!!!!!!!" -Vivian

"When I saw that Devine Photography was offering their Devine U Workshop, I couldn't wait to sign up and save myself a spot! Not only had Deanna taken photos of my family since I was expecting almost 3 years ago, but the idea of being able to pick her brain about questions on photography and photography equipment that random "Googling" wasn't answering for me was just a few of the reasons I wanted to go.

After signing up I knew this was going to be more than some simple little workshop/class that you could take a Wolf Camera or community college. Deanna sent me an email asking if there were any questions upfront that I would like answered at the workshop, um WOW. Never had
a workshop ask me that before hand so that I didn't have to remember when I got there.

As the days got closer to the workshop, I wondered how Deanna was going to know how "my" camera worked. Everyone has a different camera, I knew mine was way different than hers, how was she going to help me understand my camera any differently than anyone else's? Well to say I was wrong in my thinking was a gross understatement! She asked everyone to pull out their cameras and right away she was telling each person what "this" and "that" did on their cameras - I even learned about buttons I didn't know I had!

Deanna was clear and spoke on a level of clear understanding that not only kept my interest in what she was talking about, but made me feel like all the information I was getting out of it was something that was completely ascertainable that I could, WANTED, AND COULDN'T WAIT to use them!

The next day I to say I was "itching" to pull out my camera and "practice" everything that I had learned is, well lets just say I was like a kid in a candy store! Thank you Deanna for giving me a better understanding of my camera - from the inside out." -Denise

High School Senior Photography

2009-05-04T14:46:00.004-05:00

I was so excited this last weekend to do my first ever high school senior only photo shoot! (I've had teens with their families before, but never a whole session for just one!!) I was so excited and was even more excited to show up to the shoot and find this beauty Julie, who made the shoot so easy.

I have been considering opening a High School Senior division of Devine Memories for a while now, and this shoot absolutely sealed the deal. So send 'em on over!!

The Devine U workshop was great this weekend! Stay tuned for dates for the next one!

Party of 3

2009-04-23T22:40:00.004-05:00

Very special family pictures for this precious family, who has been with me since this gorgeous child was just a newborn baby. Love watching the kids grow up!!!

(And I also want to thank their sweet Mommy for the lasagna she sent home with me that night--we gobbled it up, SO YUMMY)

tickle fight!

Oh and whoops, how did this one of my baby girl slip in here? (Can you believe she's 2.5???)

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Spring Minis have almost filled, make sure you call soon if you are thinking about joining us!!!

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Lots of people have asked about my Dad, I'm still updating over at http://www.caringbridge.org/visit/bobdevine . He has had 4 brain surgeries in 5 weeks. It's been very, very difficult watching him suffer. There is still hope for his recovery, but the stress has been great. The stress is getting to me physically, and so I've been in and out of commission...but I really appreciate everyone's patience and also your continued support of my business.

Spring Mini Sessions!!

2009-04-16T11:29:00.006-05:00

ANNOUNCING SPRING MINI SESSIONS!!!!!

Saturday, May 16th 9am-12n
Dallas Arboretum
$125 sitting fee
Packages available starting at $500

Spring Mini sessions are quick 20-30 minute sessions for up to 2 subjects, with 10-15 images to choose from.
There is a $500 minimum order requirement
Spots are limited and will fill quickly so please call 972-596-5500 or email deanna@devine-memories.com to hold your session!

One Opening

2009-04-06T19:27:00.004-05:00

I have one more opening for the Devine U workshop. Here are the details:

Saturday, May 2nd 3-5:30 pm

$250 per person

Will cover camera settings, photography basics, basic natural lighting, and basic Photoshop editing. Perfect for the amateur who wants to learn more about their DSLR.

2009-04-03T01:55:00.001-05:00

Back to square one: http://www.caringbridge.org/visit/bobdevine/journal

New Website for Updates on Dad

2009-03-26T21:39:00.006-05:00

Well, this is turning out to be a much, much longer process than any of us ever could have imagined. 3-6 months of recovery seems to be extremely, extremely optimistic, according to the drs.

Monday night, after he was moved to rehab and just hours after I wrote my last blog post, Dad got out of his hospital bed without any of his nurses knowing (there is an alarm on his bed that was supposed to be turned on and wasn't), and he fell and hit his HEAD, yes, the same head that was operated on just 2 weeks prior, that left a large gash over his left eye. He was sent back over to Baylor for a ct scan which determined he did not receive further injury from the fall, THANK GOD.

I am having a very, very tough time. I know so many mean so well by pointing out the positives of the situation to me. What it boils down to for me is that I was prepared for Dad to be in a 6-7 hour surgery and to be home by now, back to his old self, and what I have is a 53 year old father who is trapped inside a body that will not work for him. He is in a rehab center with 80 year old patients who can speak and walk better than he can. He is frustrated, he can't stop coughing, he can't get his damn spoon in his mouth, and he is scared. I know that people mean well when pointing out the positives in the situation to me, but it makes me feel defensive and upset, and I just can't deal with that right now. I know that someday, I will have the perspective that I need, but right now, I am pretty miserable and scared. And that is ok. I am not going to die from being upset and miserable. It's a tough, tough road, but what choice do I have? I am in the grieving process, grieving the change in my Dad, not putting together in my head that this is the same man I want to call and console me about the situation.

That being said, I have decided to stop updating on facebook, twitter, and this blog, and started a "caring bridge" website so that others can help me out with updating and can field comments and well-meaning messages. Also, this site has a "guest book" that you can sign that hopefully he can read later.

So if you were here to read about my Dad, please visit http://www.caringbridge.org/visit/bobdevine , and you can sign up for the email updates if you wish to stay on top of things.

Also, if you were someone giving me the positives, please do not be offended or hurt...I DO know the intent was pure of heart and meant in the best possible way. Many people my age have never been through this, and it's hard to know what to say, I know I would NEVER have. I just have to minimize the amount of stress I'm under and this is something that was stressing me out. That's just my personality.

Thank you all so much again for caring so much about my Dad. I will have more photography related posts very soon. I will leave this post with a few pictures of my girls. My Dad, the night before his surgery, was very entertained by my middle daughter's hula hooping skills (seriously, she's awesome!) and so I took these pictures of her to give to him in the hospital.

The sisters (Mikey was at basketball practice)