KM Photo Studio

NEW BLOG

2012-01-31T22:48:00.000-06:00

Please go visit my new blog at blog.kmphotostudio.com

All old entries have been moved and ALL NEW entries will be posted *only* at blog.kmphotostudio.com

See you soon!

~Krystal

Baby E - {Toddler} - Sneak Peek!

2012-01-30T08:54:00.000-06:00

Happy Monday! I met this darling little girl and her parents for a session in cooler temperatures. Seeing as how it is January, I guess this should be expected but I'm always surprised when I get outside and it is actually chilly! Little E did fabulous during her session. She was shy at first, but after a few minutes she was ready to tear off and run around! This is such a fun age for me to photograph. The cute little personalities are really showing at this age and they are simply fun! Little E's mommy & daddy were so easy to work with. I love seeing parents interacting with their kiddos. It's so easy to see how much they love her - and that makes me smile!

Here are just a few of my favorites from her session!

PEEK-A-BOO!!

As always, I hope you have a fabulous week! It's so hard to believe that it will be February. I'm totally ready for the spring to get here though. I'm such a pansy with cooler temperatures. ;) hah!

............

Krystal

Mrs. "Smith" - {Boudoir} - Sneak Peek!

2012-01-25T08:37:00.000-06:00

This past weekend, I had the opportunity to be a part of a boudoir session. To be honest, I really wasn't sure if I was going to like this style of photography. So many times you see images that are not tasteful at all and leave nothing to the imagination. I was SO excited to learn that not all boudoir sessions are like that. And, in fact, most of them aren't at all!

This lovely lady is newly wed and her hubby is going to get these photos as a Valentine's gift. I have permission to share these and I'm so happy that I do! She is gorgeous!! We did this at a local hotel and the entire experience was a blast. I think I just might be hooked!

These are just a couple of my favorites!

............
Krystal

Exciting News! - {Personal}

2012-01-23T16:03:00.000-06:00

If you are one of my lovely followers over on Facebook, then you probably saw this news on Friday. I wanted to make sure I shared it with you guys too though incase you missed out!

This..... is my sweet little boy who will be making his appearance in July!

Can you see the resemblance? Hah! ;)

After the announcement, I have been getting emails & Facebook messages asking if I would still be doing sessions.

YES!

I will be doing sessions, weddings & events until the end of May (pending there aren't any complications with my pregnancy- and I'm totally hoping for that!). If I am feeling okay, I might take on a few sessions in June, but that is not a guarantee. If you know you want a session with me, please book before then! After he arrives, I will take a few months off but plan to be back doing sessions and events again in October.

So what does this mean for you?

If you want to have a regular session with me before June, I *highly* suggest you book soon and don't delay. Some dates as late as April are already fully booked and my schedule is quickly filling up.

If you want me to photograph your wedding or event in 2012, I suggest you book now. The sooner the better.

If you are wanting a fall session, it would be wise to go ahead and schedule it. I fully anticipate my fall schedule to book months in advance!

And finally, if you are having a baby this summer and know you want me to do your newborn photos - give me a call so we can chat! I will do what I can to make sure it will work out.

Thank you all for your kind words & congratulations over the news! Although it was more than a little unexpected, I have fully embraced it and can't wait to meet the new little man who will soon melt my heart!

............

Krystal

The Normans - {Family} - Sneak Peek!

2012-01-19T17:00:00.000-06:00

This family means so much to me & I love that they continue to ask me to do their family portraits each year. It always amazes me how much the kids have grown since I last saw them! I have known Becky for maaaany years (as in more than 20). We grew up going to the same church and became friends in high school. I definitely consider her one of my very best friends! She is the type of person that I can go months without seeing and then sit down and it is as if no time has passed at all.

All four of the kids are such sweethearts and, as you will see, completely adorable! Becky & Aaron make such beautiful babies & are wonderful parents. It was *very* cold during our session - we're talking in the low 30s! But all of the kids did so good and didn't complain at all!

These are just a few of my favorites from their session!

............

Krystal

Madden - {Newborn} - Sneak Peek!

2012-01-16T11:25:00.000-06:00

When Madden's mommy asked me if I would come to New Mexico so I could do his newborn photos, I was so excited! I always love visiting my hometown and seeing familiar faces. Growing up in a small town, you tend to know a lot of the people there. Madden's mommy and I grew up going to the same schools, often had classes together & she graduated the same year as my older brother. Because of the wonders of Facebook, I had seen how adorable her kids are, so I was even more excited that she asked me to do his newborn photos!

Madden is absolutely beautiful! He was older than most babies are when I do their newborn session (he was 3 weeks old), so he was more alert. That just meant I got to cuddle him more. :) He was super sweet and did so good during the session. He has the prettiest blue eyes and a lot of blonde hair! Since his due date was December 25th, his mommy had some special props for us to use!

Here are just a few of my favorites from his session!

Don't you just want to snuggle and squeeze him??

So cute!

............

Krystal

Lana & Kids - {Family} - Sneak Peek!

2012-01-12T07:00:00.000-06:00

While doing sessions in my hometown in New Mexico, I had the pleasure of meeting Lana & her kids. Seeing as how I had never met Lana before, I was completely unaware of how gorgeous she is! (Seriously...I'd never believe she had three kids if you told me that & I didn't know) And her kids.... they will melt your heart. All three of her kids have stunningly beautiful eyes. They were a little shy at first, but quickly showed off their true personalities & ran all over the place!

These are just a few of my favorites from their session!

..........
Krystal

Couples/Valentine's Mini-Session! - {Special}

2012-01-10T16:10:00.002-06:00

Since the weather has been unusually warm for this time of year, I thought it would be fun to offer a couples mini-session special - just in time for Valentine's Day!

So guys... if you need a good gift idea, then here you go!

There are ONLY 10 sessions available, split between two different days. You have your choice of Saturday, February 4th or Sunday, February 12th. The sessions will be in the far north Dallas area, but will be held at two different locations. There will be an urban setting and a more natural setting to choose from. Please contact me for location and time details.

Mini-Sessions always fill up fast, so don't delay if you'd like to book one!

...........
Krystal

The Bakers - {Family}

2012-01-09T11:48:00.000-06:00

If you are a regular reader of my blog, you probably remember the post a few weeks ago when my family had an unexpected twist. The week following Christmas, my grandparents and aunt & uncle decided to come to Dallas for a quick visit. I was so happy to be able to spend a little bit of time with my extended family! For part of my grandparent's Christmas gift, my mom had arranged to have a photo session with all of the family. It was hard on us to know that we had someone missing, but I know we will truly treasure these photos for years to come!

My Grandma & Papa are such kind hearted people. They adore their great grandbabies (as is quite obvious from the looks on their faces in the photos)! My Papa is constantly picking at my Grandma, but I know it is out of love and is how he shows affection. I love spending time with them, even if it isn't as often as we would all like!

Meet more of my sweet family!

Aren't they so cute? Over 50 years of marriage! Such amazing people. :)

............

Krystal

Best of 2011 - {Nature & Pets}

2012-01-04T08:52:00.000-06:00

Today I'm finishing up the Best of 2011 posts with Nature & Pets! I had the pleasure of seeing different parts of Texas, Colorado, Las Vegas & New Mexico in 2011. Coming up in 2012, I'll be heading to a few different fun places - the one which excites me the most is the Caribbean! Here are just a few of my favorite nature photos taken before/after sessions & while I was on vacation as well as some cute pups thrown in the mix!

The rest of the 2011 Best of posts can be seen here, here, and here!

Thank you again for making 2011 such an amazing year. I know 2012 will be even more spectacular!

...........

Krystal

Best of 2011 - {Seniors, Models & Couples}

2012-01-03T10:29:00.000-06:00

Today's post are some of my favorites from Senior, Model & Couple sessions! I've really enjoyed taking on new areas of photography in the past year and these are quickly becoming some of my favorite types of sessions! I love being able to be a small part of these special days - whether it be a senior blossoming in front of their parent's eyes; a young adult seeing themselves as beautiful as they truly are; or couples in love who are soon to be married or those who have been together for years!

Thank you so much for letting me be a small part of your special days & for letting me into each of your lives! I can honestly say that I truly treasure the friendships & relationships I've made with all of you!

If you missed the other looks back at 2011, you can check those out here and here. Tomorrow I will be wrapping up the Best of 2011 with Pets & Nature!

............

Krystal

Best of 2011 - {Families}

2012-01-02T10:21:00.000-06:00

Last week, I began featuring the Best of 2011 starting with Kids & Babies. Today, I'm excited to look back and show you some of the Best of 2011 Families! It amazes me how many different sessions there were in 2011! It blows my mind just looking back at all of them!

And, of course, I couldn't post this blog without saying a big THANK YOU to all of these wonderful people who trusted me to be their photographer & with these special moments!

Each and every one of you were a complete joy to work with!

Coming up tomorrow: More of the Best of 2011!

............

Krystal

Best of 2011 - {Kids & Babies}

2011-12-30T11:03:00.001-06:00

I've decided to break up my Best of 2011 blog into a few different ones - otherwise we'd be here all day! Plus this way I can showcase favorites from each of my categories. :)

I want to first say how blessed and thankful I am for such a wonderful year. Being able to capture all of these special moments is amazing! I truly don't take it for granted that all of these wonderful people have trusted me to be their photographer. Being a small part of your lives means SO much to me and I love getting to know you!

2011 has been a crazy year - both for my business and for my personal life. There have been extreme highs and extreme lows and I am thankful for both. I've not only grown as a photographer, but in all other areas of my life as well. The new website & blog are in the works and I can't wait to share it with you! KM Photo Studio has expanded by huge leaps and bounds and I know 2012 is going to be even more amazing.

Today is featuring the Best of Kids & Babies from 2011 (of course in no particular order because I could never narrow it down to my favorite because ALL of them are my favorite!)! Stay tuned next week where I'll be sharing Best of Couples, Families, Models, High School Seniors & Pets!

Be sure to come check back next week for more of the Best of 2011!
Stay safe this weekend and enjoy your New Year's celebrations! I will be enjoying a quiet night at home with my lil' family. :) Much love to you all!

............

Krystal

Happy Holidays!

2011-12-23T23:15:00.000-06:00

Wishing you & yours very Happy Holidays! Enjoy your weekend. :)

I hope your days are filled with family, friends & loved ones!

...........

Krystal

Heartache - {Personal}

2011-12-21T07:47:00.000-06:00

When I started this blog a year ago, I was torn if I wanted to include a few stories from my own life. As time has gone on, I've discovered that many of my clients become fast friends and I want to share my life with you guys. We all know that life has good times and bad. Life can't truly be appreciated unless there is a little heartache. But when you're in the midst of a tragedy, all you can ask is "Why?". I've been planning to share fun holiday posts with you all week, but I received a phone call on Monday late afternoon that has morphed my family's holiday into something you never think could happen.

My dad called me around 5:00pm on Monday. While this isn't totally weird, it was definitely not the norm since my mom is the one I talk to about 55 times a day. I figured he had a last minute gift question or something of the like. As I picked up the phone, he said "Krystal..." His tone was enough for me to know something was not right. He went on "I'm so sorry. I hate that I am having to call to tell you this.... but Robert Lynn (my cousin) was in a rollover accident and he is no longer with us."

My heart stopped beating. Robert Lynn? ..... Gone? .... But, he was only 27 years old.

How? Why? When? All of the questions were a jumbled mess in my head. How had this happened?

My next thoughts were of my aunt and uncle. They only have two children - and those two boys are my *only* cousins. We are a small, tight knit family. I knew my aunt and uncle's hearts would be ripped apart. No one ever plans for the death of their own child. It's just not right.

I've slowly been processing and still find myself in a state of disbelief. We were all supposed to be together this year. We hadn't had Christmas with my aunt & uncle in years and we were so looking forward to time with them. I was going to take photos of all of the family since we didn't have many recent ones since all four of the kids (me, my brother, & my two cousins) are all grown.

I know my family will pull through. We have seen our fair share of tragedy & lives taken too soon. But from this, I hope that others can learn just a few small things.

1. Always, always wear your seatbelt.

2. Take photos of family & friends - and take them often. Even if they aren't by a professional, those snapshots will be something that you will one day look back upon and smile.

3. Appreciate the time you have together. We are never promised tomorrow.

4. Take time to remember that even though the holidays can be stressful - it is meant to be a time where love is freely given.

Hug your loved ones tight and send some extra thoughts & prayers for my family.

I was so blessed to have Robert Lynn as my cousin & I will never ever forget the fun memories we made together.

Holiday Baking - {Recipe}

2011-12-19T09:18:00.002-06:00

When I started writing this post, I was just planning to write a quick post with a recipe. As I began to write, my mind went elsewhere and the post is a lot longer than I originally planned. But it is sharing a little piece of my family history and why I love holiday baking so much. :)

One of my favorites parts of the holidays is holiday baking. Ever since I was a little girl, my mom and granny would make the most delicious cookies -and of course I was always there to "help" (eat the batter & cookies). As I grew up, I began to do more and more of the baking and really loved the quality time I had with my granny and mom. It was always an all day affair - we're talking starting by 8am and not finishing until late in the evening. My parents always made cookie trays for all of their friends & family, so we had to make double, triple & sometimes even more batches of each cookie. My mom and granny would bake up a flurry and then we would enjoy the cookies over the next few weeks. When my granny passed away due to cancer in October of 2006, the holidays were obviously very different that year. I was away from home graduating from college & working three jobs - all while planning my quickly approaching wedding. That year was one of the first years I didn't do the Christmas baking and probably one of the reasons why that holiday seemed so "off".

The next spring, I got married and moved to Dallas. I think I may have done one or two cookies that year, but I honestly don't remember. It certainly wasn't the same baking by myself. Fast forward to 2008 when my parents decided to leave the town they lived in the past 25+ years to move to the Dallas area. This opened up the door for my mom and I to continue our holiday tradition of baking all of our yummy treats together since I was living here! Although it is a little different from how it used to be, I love the quality time I get with my mom. Of course things are a little different since Luke is a very active toddler. Instead of both of us doing the baking, it has now turned into me doing all of the mixing while she chases around Luke. This year she was able to at least roll out many of the batches which was a HUGE help! When all was said and done, we made 22 (yes TWENTY TWO) batches of various cookies and my home smelled *wonderful*.

I had great plans to document all of it with my camera, but I am not known for being the neatest cook - so once the flour started flying, I put my gear away. Hah! Before the day began, this is what one small part of my counter looked like:

I wanted to share with you guys my favorite homemade cookie recipe! This recipe was handed down to me by my Granny. If you had the pleasure of knowing her, then you know she didn't mess around when it came to the kitchen. These are SO good (and the recipe makes a ton)!

Crunchie Cookies

1 cup sugar

1 cup brown sugar

1 cup shortening

1 cup vegetable or canola oil

1 egg (for egg free version - substitute 1T white vinegar, 1 tsp baking powder & 1T milk)

1 tsp vanilla

1 T milk

3 1/2 cups flour

1 tsp baking soda

1 tsp salt

1 tsp cream of tartar

1 cup instant oats

1 cup rice krispies

1 cup coconut

1/2 cup chopped nuts

Cream the sugar, brown sugar, shortening, canola oil, egg, vanilla and milk together. Slowly add in flour, baking soda, salt and cream of tartar. Mix well. Then add instant oats, rice krispies, coconut and nuts. Roll into balls and flatten on ungreased cookie sheets. Bake at 350 for 12-15 minutes until golden. Cool on cooling racks then enjoy!

And here is the finished product!

Don't they look yummy?

I even made an egg-free batch so Luke could enjoy my favorite cookies!

You should definitely try these & let me know if you love them as much as I do!

............

Krystal

Noble - {Siblings} - Sneak Peek!

2011-12-16T10:35:00.000-06:00

This set of siblings met up with me for their session after we had to reschedule because of the crazy rain we had a few weekends ago. They were super flexible and totally understood that I can't control the weather (although that'd be nice if I could!). All three of them were so easy to get along with and it was easy to see they each have their own individual personalities! They had me cracking up during the session and they even laughed at my jokes (or maybe they were laughing at me?). Either way - it was so much fun and was definitely one of my favorite sessions!

They had never had a session done like this before and did this as a surprise for their mom for Christmas (shhhh!!!). We wanted to get some shots of all three of them together as well as feature each of them individually. The location we chose had so many different great areas, so we were able to get a lot done in the normal amount of time it takes for one session. I've tried to narrow it down, but this is definitely one of my longer posts. I had too many favorites! See for yourself! :)

..........
Krystal

The Jernigans - {Family} - Sneak Peek!

2011-12-14T12:14:00.000-06:00

This adorable family met up with me for their family session on a very chilly morning. It was *so* cold, but they didn't complain about the temperatures at all! Their sweet boy pretended to be shy, but as you will see from the photos - that didn't last long at all. I thought their outfits were great and the scarf was the perfect accent! They were so sweet and completely easy to work with. It didn't hurt that they are a great looking family either! :)

These are just a few of my favorites from their session!

I was trying to convince him to let me have his owl hat! It's so cute!!

He didn't want to share though ;)

............
Krystal

Benjamin - {18 months} - Sneak Peek!

2011-12-08T12:21:00.000-06:00

Are you ready to have your heart melt? This little guy is SO cute! We met up on a very chilly day that was quite foggy and overcast. We were originally supposed to have a morning session, but had to change it to the afternoon due to rainy weather that morning. Benjamin pretended to be shy for the first few minutes (you can see some of the first photos he has this adorable bashful face). But then he quickly decided I was a-okay and he gave me some great expressions! It was so much fun chasing him around during the session! His mommy was so sweet and even played in the leaves with him at one point to get him interested.

Here are just a few of my favorites!

............
Krystal

Fabulous Shoes - {Personal}

2011-12-06T09:49:00.000-06:00

I think every girl should have at least one pair of fabulous heels. I have just a *few* more than one pair, but always seem to think I need to have just one more pair (even though most days I am wearing comfy clothes and practically never get dressed up). ;) With the upcoming holidays, that brings the onslaught of many holiday parties to attend. Which gave me just another excuse to get a pair of shoes! Hah!

This year, I will be sporting these fabulous, sparkly shoes to many of the holiday parties we will be attending! And surprisingly, they are not killers to wear!

Aren't they fun??

My name is Krystal and I may have a shoe addiction....

Mark & Patricia - {Just Because} - Sneak Peek!

2011-12-05T11:12:00.002-06:00

I met with this gorgeous couple last month. They had never had a professional photo session together before, so I was very excited that they decided to use me for their first one! You wouldn't be able to tell at all that they had never done this before. Mark & Patricia were total naturals in front of the camera! I am totally jealous of Patricia's gorgeous hair - if I even try to curl mine, it ends up looking like curly sue. It was so easy to see that Mark truly adores Patricia. Such a loving couple. :)

These are just a few of my favorites from their session!

..............
Krystal

New Branding & Logo!

2011-12-01T17:00:00.009-06:00

If you are a regular reader of my blog or follow me on Facebook, then you already know that for the past few months I have been working with the fabulous Ravyn of Three Fifteen Design. We have been working on a new brand identity project to help my business have a cohesive look. The last part of this process that you guys saw was the Design Board:

The goal of this project was to not only come up with a new logo, but to really come up with a strong identity for my brand. Something that truly represents my style, my photography, my life, my passion, and lil ol' me! I believe that photography is me being able to look at things with my eye & capture the true beauty there - so it really does need to be representative as a whole of all of these things! I love capturing real emotions and always strive to create meaningful relationships with each and every person I work with and wanted this to be a part of the brand project.

After speaking with Ravyn, she came up with words to describe me & my work. The words she used for this project were natural, sweet, emotional, friendly, ease, organic, texture and modern. It was so amazing to hear that she was able to pinpoint exactly what I wanted my photography to portray just by getting to know me a little & looking through my work! (If you ever need design work done, seriously - you would be crazy to *not* work with Ravyn!)

And now..... I am SO excited to reveal the new brand identity of KM Photo Studio!!

Isn't it beautiful?? I am so in love with this new look & am excited to be on my way to having a cohesive look. :) Thank you thank you thank you a MILLION times, Ravyn! You're amazing!

The new website is in the works and will hopefully be rolled out by the first of the year! I'll then be able to take all of the new pieces she designed and put them on the blog, website, facebook, twitter & everywhere else I think can of!

...............

Krystal

The Tanners - {Family} - Sneak Peek!

2011-11-30T22:54:00.000-06:00

I met up with this adorable family a few weekends ago for their family session. The location we chose happened to still have some beautiful fall color! All four of them looked fabulous. I love their coordinating outfits! Justin & Sally are wonderful to be around and their kids were a hoot! They definitely showed off their personalities during the session. It was so much fun being around all of them! During the session, Justin & Sally mentioned they had never had family photos done "like this" before. They went on to explain that all they ever had done was something of the Sears variety with the fake backgrounds, big umbrellas and bright flashes. I think my sessions are way more fun than that! When else do you get to run around outside & act silly? :) But in all seriousness, it makes me so happy that people choose me as their photographer!

Now for the good stuff! Here are a few of my favorites from their session!

............

Krystal

Holiday Traditions Giveaway - {Winners Announced!}

2011-11-29T18:00:00.000-06:00

When I posted the holiday tradition giveaway, I knew I would see some great responses - but you guys really blew me away!! There were so many sweet, silly, and out of this world traditions that I had never even heard of before. There were very sweet traditions that mentioned reading the Christmas story, opening presents & stockings all together, and setting a plate for the family members who couldn't make it in town for the holiday. Other entries talked about everything from a wrapped Nilla wafer box to mexican martinis to wearing yellow underwear! They were so fun to read!

And now.....drumroll..........

We ended up with 53 entries! So that means we will be giving away the Clickin Moms Year Long Membership and a mini-session with KM Photo Studio to two different winners!

The winner of the Clickin Moms membership is:

Number 8 - Kristen Smith! Kristen wrote that her favorite tradition was "All of my brothers & sisters were always forced to wear matching shirt every year at Christmas. We decided to continue the tradition on with our own children! Someone else has to be tortured besides us haha!"

And the winner of the mini-session is:

Lucky number 39 - Mandy Adcock! Mandy said "My favorite tradition that we still do today is at my granny and grandpa's when we open presents. My 2 cousins and I have our "own" spots where we sit. It's always been a joke that even as we got older we still sit in the floor in those locations. And now that we all have spouses and kids of our own, it gets very challenging! But we still manage! (no matter how much our spouses gripe about having to sit beside us....in the floor:)"

Winners only - send an email to krystal@kmphotostudio.com to learn how to claim your prize! Thank you again to everyone that entered!!

~Krystal

The McConnells - {Family} - Sneak Peek!

2011-11-27T21:33:00.000-06:00

This family met up for their session just before sunset on a *very* windy day! They were such troopers and even had their sweet pup with them. These two brothers were such sweet kids and not camera shy at all! I loved meeting this family and really enjoyed our session - even if we did nearly blow away ;)

Here are just a few of my favorites!

............

Krystal