Advice for your Mini!

Whoa, mini session season is in full swing!!  It is an awesome way to get a product from a photographer you love at a discounted price.
Here is my (REAL, unfiltered) advice as both a mom and a photographer, for getting the most out of those few moments of time!!  This advice is specific to me and how I work at a shoot...all photographers are different.

As a mom...getting everyone prepped for a photo session can be stressful. Right??  It's the choosing of outfits, and coordinating time, and making sure no one is hungry or tired, and and and and...the list can just go on and on.  The bribing/ threatening/cajoling begins long before the day of the shoot. 
Okay, maybe it is only that way with my family (but I doubt it)!
 Photo sessions make people grouchy, there I said it!!!

The most important advice I can give you going into a photo session is to leave ALL of that behind.  Nothing kills beautiful pictures faster than expectations and stress.  It is not natural to sit or stand perfectly still in a crazy position close to your family with a smile plastered on your face, but we expect it.  We growl under our breaths, we threaten, we poke and prod...I have seen it all....ugh, I have DONE it all trying to get the best picture possible of my family.  Never in the history of ever did it make a difference, or make better pictures....it just made for more grouchiness.
I have (finally) learned how to control the momzilla that rears her ugly head only had photo taking time. (Mostly, kindof...I really try.)

Instead, I say to you...you beautiful family who loves each other.  Show up at your photo session as you.  Your family... whether crazy, quirky, super loving, awkward, tender, strange whatever it may be, just do you. 
Your photographer will find those in between moments of wonderful that are specific to your family, if you choose to be relaxed and calm and OK with imperfection and truth.  
 
 We just had pictures taken, and this is probably my favorite shot of my kids. My kid to the left had just planted a massive kiss on his brothers cheek, and sister is over there just happy to be so close to her big lug of a brother who isn't a hugger.  All of their personalities right there, for me to remember and enjoy.


As the person shooting, I allow a little silliness at my shoots because kids dig that and then are more cooperative when I ask for poses, allowing me to get that "shot for the Christmas card" as well as those shots that we love because they are just real.  

I tell parents coming to a shoot that we only need one person in charge at the shoot, and it needs to be me.  I am not a control freak, I just know that kids usually want to please and trying to figure out WHO to please and when can be mighty frustrating.
I let parents know to leave it to me, (unless your child is in danger or specifically breaking a family rule).  I will ask them to move, shift, smile, kneel, change position, look up, look down....you get the idea.  Parents, your focus at a shoot should just be to be photographable...at any moment.  I work hard to get your kids doing the things they need to do, so you can just stand there looking good, ready for those camera snaps. It is hard to relinquish that control for a few minutes, but trust me here....it is worth it.  
 

Mini Sessions are usually booked back to back to back, which means you have got to get in there, get er done and high tail it out.  So being a few minutes early, and letting me be mindful of the time is paramount.  When I plan minis, I PLAN them.  That means I already have several shots in mind, and places to shoot them, all I have to do is fit your particular family into that plan. 
I tend to think of each family like puzzle pieces!  Each family is shaped differently and their pieces fit together uniquely so be patient with me as I twist and turn those pieces to find what is best for your finished product.
 

And the LIGHT....y'all the light is SO important.  So if I get you all set up and the light is funky, forgive me and give me lots of grace as I move you about again.  (Sorry to that pregnant momma who I did this to recently, ack) 

I get lots of worries about what to wear. Here is my advice.  Coordinate, but don't worry about matching!  Choose a color scheme and stick to it.  The patterns and texture can vary when the colors work together.
I like to go with 3 colors.  Usually I tell mom to pick an outfit that she feels amazing in, and build the rest of the wardrobe around it....because if momma ain't happy.....you know!!

I tend to lay all the clothes out on the floor and take a picture of them to see if anything pops out as weird. 
As is normal for me, I had everything planned out then changed it, then changed it again when my middle son wore this plaid shirt to church one Sunday. It reminded me of my green sweater and then the final plan fell into place.  Also don't forget to accessorize!  A jacket, scarf, statement necklace, or sweater can add layers of interest.  ;)

 You can always text me a shot of those choices, and I can offer advice.











 Since time is so short, I do encourage you to practice a little posing.  Just do it when the kids are at school.....or not, it could make for some fun memories.  Get familiar with how you and your body shape looks its best. I like this little video for some great tips about that. Start at the 1 minute mark and watch through about 6:30 (Yes, I know she is super skinny...trust me, her advice is spot on!!)

One of my favorite things to hear when people are leaving a shoot is "That wasn't so bad!!!"  I know I have conquered yet another photo session aversion for the time being! 

I hope all of this helps!  Looking forward to an amazing mini season with you all.

It is Mini Session Season!!! 

Listed above are my remaining dates and times of availability. 
We will be working at Terramont Park this year, at the intersection of Branch Crossing and Terramont in Alden Bridge, The Woodlands.

Cost $135.00 plus tax payable through a paypal invoice.
We will have a 20 minute time slot, where I will shoot as much as possible in as many poses as possible to give you a good variety of shots.
I will deliver 5-7 of the very best images to your private online gallery.  You will be given printing rights up to an 8x10 on these low resolution images.  They can also be used for all of your holiday printing needs...cards, letters etc.
Larger prints, canvas prints, metal prints are available to purchase through me using my professional labs.
Included is a bonus of 25% off all paper prints of your choice, no limits on sizes.

Contact me via email  tjwshop@gmail.com or through private messenger on Facebook. You can find me @JD.Waterhouse.Photography

I will list booked times below as these fill up!! Also, if these dates and times don't fit your schedule get in touch.  I am shooting at this park because it is close by and I can get there quickly.  We can plan something around your schedule too.

 NOW BOOKING EQUINE SESSIONS!!! 

Need more details...no problem head  HERE!!

NOW OFFERING Equine Portrait Sessions

*****Limited Time Portrait Special*****  The discounted price session must be booked and fulfilled by May 30th to secure the price. June 1st I will move into my regular pricing with a solid foundation of work beneath me.
The total discounted price with tax will be $194.85. A deposit of $64.85 will hold your spot, and a balance of $130.00 would be due on the day of the shoot. I will accept the deposit in the form of a paypal invoice.
I will treat these sessions exactly like a full priced session, so you get all of the bang for less buck!! 
email tjwshop@gmail.com to book your session

Winter is out, spring is in and the horses are looking fabulous with their nice slick coats!!  This was the perfect time of year to shake off the dust, invest in some further education and delve into portrait work! 

I had the opportunity to work with three different horses and their lovely owners to fulfill my class assignments and boy howdy, did I learn a ton!! 

Here is some of the fruit of that labor!
 Follow this link to learn more!!  Equine Sessions

Mini Sessions were a great success!!

 A HUGE thank you to all of my clients, old and new who had photos made this season.  We had a blast in those short pockets of time.

Midwife duty!

 Tessa is one of the gals out at 7-5 Ranch, a stunning liver chestnut, Quarter horse, mare.
She always gives me beautiful pictures, but I gotta say she has always been leery of me.  It is hard to describe really.  Some of the horses are accepting of me almost immediately drawing me in like some strange part of the herd, some...like Tessa, well....it takes a bit more time and dedication to win them over.  I don't rush anyone, knowing quite well what it is to be an introvert!! 
I felt like I had finally made a break through about 3 weeks ago, when of her own volition she approached me in the pasture for some scratches.  I was so taken about and whipped out my cell phone to try to take quick selfie with her just for proof.  Ha.....those few snapshots were horrid.  There is a fine art to the really good selfie with a horse, but that is another blog post. 

Now, on to what I am here to really talk to you about. 
Ms. Tessa (broodmare extraordinaire) was overdue.
Ms. Tessa was overdue by a good 20 days, and I just didn't see how she could possibly hold out any longer. (click HERE to read more about equine gestation)  Her owner out at 7-5 Ranch and I had just about given up hope on her actually producing a baby, but of course we knew better and just played the waiting game. The waiting...oh the waiting!!
Of course I have the easy part of the waiting. I keep my phone handy, mainly by my bedside when sleeping for that tell tale phone call or text before light, saying that a baby has arrived.  None of that early to the pasture while it is still dark and cold day after day to have nothing but a big belly to greet you for me.  

I often imagine that being an equine photographer, and not actually owning any horses, is something like being a grandparent.  I get all of the joy, but carry very little of the actual responsibility. 
This year has proven that I get more and more involved from grooming to gate holding, to vet checks to enemas...again, a whole 'nother blog post right there.  You see how distracted I can get, I can't imagine what it is to spend time with me....my friends, bless their hearts!! 

FOCUS....Tessa!  I arrived on Wednesday of this week to keep Tessa company, with my Venti Starbucks flat white, a protein bar and an attitude of patience.


 I had gotten word that morning that Tessa was finally dripping milk and the baby had moved position.  Now I was fairly certain that this birth was not going to happen on my watch, but I had the time to kill, and a Venti coffee and really what else do you need??? So, I settled in to wait her out. 

I posted to facebook at 10:26 that she had settled into one of the favored corners in the birthing pasture. She was just standing there shifting weight from one rear foot to the other, nonplussed about the day, and me.  Every once in a while the foal would shift and she would begin dripping milk again, but goodness, it had started and stopped so many times I knew not to be too excited.  
I had pulled up my camp stool between pastures and was keeping her company (ha, as if she needed my company) and shooting images of the babies in the other pasture.  It was absolutely peaceful, warmly sunny, there was a gentle crisp breeze blowing, and all was quiet. I was just soaking it all in...amazed at the un-realness of this actually being my 'work'!

I wasn't gonna mention it, but the truth is... I sang her a few verses of "Count your Many Blessings"  It was always my go to song in the middle of the night when I was up with my kiddos trying to comfort them (and me) when times were uncertain!  Lots of verses of that song lifted up!


 Around 10:50 I didn't really understand it yet, but something changed and she strolled over to this very spot and called to her boyfriend over the fence. Grunt is the Stallion at 7-5 Ranch...oooohhhh I do love him. 

He called back to her, a sweet funny conversation over the fence line, that I tried to get recorded with my cell phone but, well that was a fail too.   And then......it began!!  She started to exhibit behavior I have never seen before.  This mare chose to turn in slow meticulous circles, almost like she was going to lay down, but she didn't. I have learned to watch for these laying down clues, because I love a good roll shot!!!

*****From this point on it gets graphic, in words and photographs, if you are sensitive turn back now.****


Now Ms. Kim, her owner, had headed out for the morning, which was why I had chosen to be on baby watch and was soaking in the beautiful day all by my lonesome.  

I was annoyingly keeping her updated via text message.  "She just walked 3 feet."  "She just pooped." "She just nibbled some grass."   Ha hah aha......okay it wasn't that bad, but to a lady who has been breeding horses for some time, I am sure my communications seemed as such.  I just wanted it to happen SO badly, and was hoping the signs were right. 
I took a phone from Angela who was on her way out, and let her know that something serious was changing with this strange turning and then suddenly I realized that this was actually going to happen on my watch....and there I was all by myself.
Yup just me and this momma in labor, a midwife of sorts; except I was absolutely clueless!!! 

I saw that she took a break from her circles to pee, but she didn't stand and go like every single other horse has ever in the history of ever done, so far as I have seen. Nope, she peed a bit then rotated, then peed a bit then rotated.  And it hit me like a ton of bricks....THAT ISN'T PEE!!! 

This was my next shot at exactly 11:00!   

 Before I could climb through the fence and get myself into position, she had already made this much progress!! (And I may have freaked out a little bit)
Now friends I do believe that I forgot to mention that this IS my first birth rodeo.  I was a teensy bit hysterical at this point as I tried to dial Ms. Kim and continue shooting. 

 I wasn't frightened or scared, and sweet Tessa was SO MUCH at peace that I wasn't even anxious I was simply flat out overwhelmed that this, THIS amazing event was about to unfold right before my eyes and I was blessed to be able to see it and capture it. I mean, it just doesn't get any better than that.

Ms. Kim answered my (what came across and panicked) call, and asked what was going on.  She gave beautiful advice telling me to calm down (uhhhh because I was openly weeping...gah), and just let Tessa do her thing.  She added, stay out of the way and let nature take its course, Tessa knows what to do and will be just fine.

And ya know what???  She was absolutely right. 

  I calmed down just a bit and hit my very composed, photographer calm stride.  It hits when I separate myself emotionally from what is going on and just focus on the work at hand. It can be a fairly quick transition and I am getting better at it with practice. Seriously, there is a lot of stuff that happens in pastures and you can't be letting your emotions get away from you, those horses need you not to be doing that weird human freak out thing. 

NOW, being that this was my first rodeo, there were quite a few unexpecteds and firsts that I simply could not have even begun to fathom. 

 The main one being that this momma horse full on in labor didn't just stay laying there on the ground but got up and walked and laid back down.  Not just once mind you, but many many times over.  I do believe Tessa got up and down 6 times.  It was not a thing to her, just all a part of the process.

 (But this was me screaming in my mind, even though there was no one there to hear me had I said it outloud.)  "HELLOOOOOO, is there no one out here in the least upset that there is a baby poking out of the back of her??? 

 ANYONE??? Yup, that was a new one on me for sure!!! 


 See her boyfriend Grunt there in the background?

 And she got up again, did a turn and laid down once more.  Slow, gentle, easy going and calm the whole time.  The. Whole. Time.
It was a stunning dance, that she knew the specific movements to make it beautiful. 

 Time check----11:10!!!!!

 I know that this next shot looks out of order, but it is not.  This was her last rise, and isn't she absolutely stunning!!!  This is likely one of my favorite images of her, such power and grace and full out pregnant momma doing her thing. 

She did another turn and laid down again, causing me to need to switch position in order to have a fairly decent shot.


 THIS was the very next frame I captured.

 

 It was ON now, this was it, that baby was truly making its way into this world.  

And then this happened and that stride that I had convinced myself that I had hit just fell apart as the wonder of it all just washed over me.   

There are simply and plainly NO words to do that justice.

And friends, I kept clicking...because after all it is my 'job'! 

And that concludes the story of the day I checked off a very special one of a kind spot on my bucket list. 

Oh wait, you need a standing shot to truly finish it off properly.  Here ya go! 

I have quite a few more shots to process of that first few hours, and I will savor the experience over and over again because of it!! 
A HUGE thank you to Kim Cook from 7-5 Ranch for giving me trust and the great honor of being with her horses.