Keepers of the spirit of people | Brenham, TX Portrait Photographer

Rainy, cold, miserable weather....I've never seen or described San Antonio that way before in my 33 years (did I really just type 33 - wow, I'm old!), but that is what it was like earlier this week when I attended Imaging USA, hosted by the Professional Photographers of America (PPA).  But bad weather or good, wild horses couldn't have pulled me away from the amazing classes and speakers that I got to experience.  I'm so thankful to belong to an industry that is so determined to make us the best we can be at our craft.  And where else can you go to a convention where the speakers Love. Their. Job! One of the most emotional classes I went to was presented by Storey Wilkins, an award winning Master Photographer whose speciality is weddings.  I was brought to tears at her class - and of course Brad rolled his eyes at me.    I want to be like her when I grow up!  She has an amazing quote that is so true: "We are the keepers of the spirit of people".  I love this quote because that is what Homegrown Photography is ultimately trying to achieve with each session.  I want to be able to capture the true spirit of people.

So have you ever wondered, why Homegrown?  How in the world did I come up with the name Homegrown Photography?  Homegrown is who I am.  Raised by a Hungarian grandmother and an Italian grandfather who built their life around farming, I learned that the best things in life are homegrown.  Whether it be the tomatoes that they farmed, the friends they had, the good times or the memories that I have of them.   Looking back, I'm so thankful for the summers working in the field and the unique experiences I had on the farm.  Little did I know, these were the things that would make me who I am today.  Thank you PoPo and Granny

New Year, New Opportunities | Fayetteville, TX Photographer

January has always been one of my favorite months.  It's as if all my screw ups and mistakes from the previous year are wiped clean and I get to start fresh with a new year.  I'm very excited about 2011 and the opportunities that it will bring.  This month, my calendar is jam packed with a ton of educational workshops that I will be attending - and most anticipated is the Imaging USA convention that's being held in San Antonio this year.  Imaging USA is put on by the Professional Photographers of America (PPA) and is the biggest event photographers around the globe look forward to every year!  

Homegrown Photography is proud to announce that it will be attending ALL the WEDDING workshops!  That's right, 2011 will be the year that Homegrown Photography will officially offer Wedding Photography services.  If you read my Facebook post yesterday, I mentioned that I have the pleasure of partnering with The Shelby Inn Healing and Retreat Center here in Shelby, TX for their photography needs.  The new owners are looking forward to hosting many weddings & receptions this year!  They will be attending the Bridal Extravaganza this weekend at the George R. Brown Convention Center.  I'm so excited to see how many brides will fall in love with the little town of Shelby and choose to have their dream wedding here!  

So if 2011 is the year that you will tie the knot, contact Homegrown Photography for a consultation!

These are a few of my favorite things....

Listening to Christmas Carols 

Baking and decorating cut out cookies

Watching old Christmas classics like White Christmas or Miracle on 34th Street

and witnessing the sheer excitement of a child experiencing the magic of Christmas!

The Christmas season brings back memories of years past and the special traditions that are shared.  This year my family is going to enjoy a white Christmas in Breckenridge, CO.  We're so excited, but of course it won't be the same not being at home.  We have assured Addyson that Santa will know that she's going to be in Colorado on Christmas and will make sure to visit her there.  We're hoping to make some great memories that will stay with us forever. 

Another one of my favorite things are my awesome clients!  Seriously, it is because of all of YOU that my dream of being a photographer has come true.  It is because of YOU that I get to develop new relationships and friends - and I get to capture memories that your family will treasure for a lifetime. 

I'm excited to see what opportunities are ahead in 2011 and I look forward to offering your families with the best!  So from Homegrown Photography and The Voelkel Family, here's wishing you a very Merry Christmas and a Joyous New Year!

Keeping up with the Joneses | Cypress, TX Family Photographer

The Jones family really knew how pull off a fantastic wardrobe for their photo session...thanks to mom, Annette.  The girls are stunning and I'm sure their dad is going to have to whip out the shotgun pretty soon to start scaring away the boys who are going to be beating down their door!

Here are a few of my favorites from their shoot:

Thanks Jones family - it was a pleasure and I hope to work you again!

A Little Bundle of Parker | Carmine, TX Family Photographer

Is it just me or is this month on fast forward?  Life has certainly been flying be for me lately and I've

been falling behind in blog posts.  The weekend before Thanksgiving I got to meet a really cute couple from Carmine that was enjoying life with their new little man Parker.  

They decided to meet over at The Shelby for their photo session.  Suzanne was one of my favorite clients - I puffy heart her!  She brought items for wardrobe changes, was open for all types of posing ideas - and she wins the award for the fastest order placed - EVER!  

Thanks again guys - it was a great pleasure working with your family and I can't wait to work with you and watch Parker grow!  

Take better family pictures this holiday season | Austin County, TX Portrait Photographer

With Thanksgiving right around the corner and Christmas knocking on the door, everyone will be pulling out their cameras to take pictures of relatives they haven't seen all year and what a better way to make family memories!  But how would you like a few tips to help make your pictures even better?  The following are 5 tips that will hopefully help you create some great pictures this year.

#1 – Turn off the flash!  The flash that comes on cameras should be outlawed, really.  They cause those devil red eyes, horrible shadows and it’s just totally unflattering.  Use the natural light that streams through your living room window or go outside when the light is warm and lovely.  Just remember, flash = bad!

#2 – Find the light

The best light can be found in the morning before 11am and in the evening after 4pm.  These times can vary depending on the season, in summer the evening time will be later.  The light at these times is nice and not harsh.   Sometimes you can’t help taking pictures at high noon, so if that’s the case, look for shade.  Shade is your friend, as long as you have a bright open sky in front of your subject.  Make sure to have your subject positioned on the edge of the shade.  The reflection from the sky will brighten your subjects face and give great catchlights.  Catchlights are the twinkle in their eyes that make your subject come alive in their pictures. 

#3 – Be mindful of the background

What sets a really great picture apart from an everyday snapshot is the background.  Creating interest with textures on the side of a barn or under a majestic old oak tree can really make your pictures something to cherish.  Be careful when you are posing family or children so that branches do not appear to be coming out of their heads or that your dog isn’t in the background making a present in the yard.  Another trick to use is pulling your subject several feet away from the background so that the background is slightly blurred, and your family is in focus.  What I mean by this is…don’t have your family right up against the background (such as a house, barn, etc), but instead, have them move up towards the camera about 10 ft or so.  The background will still be there, but the focus will be on the family. (p.s. - there is a cemetery in the background here...but you would never know if I didn't tell you)

#4 – Get on their level

Whether you’re taking pictures of your toddler or your teenager, get on the same level or plane as they are on.  If they are sitting on the ground, don’t take your shot from up above, get down on the ground so you’re at the same level.  You will be pleasantly surprised at how that change of height can really make an impact on your final product. 

#5 – Composition

The way that you set up your picture in the view finder of your camera can really make a huge difference in the quality of your final picture.  At some point in your life, your Aunt Nelda took a picture of you and your husband, but it wasn’t a close up of just you and your husband, instead, the both of you were just a small speck in the picture that included her entire living room and random other people in the background.  Paying attention to framing your subjects inside the camera is key.  If your camera doesn’t zoom, use the manual zoom – your feet! 

Well, I hope this helps you think about things a little differently the next time you pick up your camera this holiday season.  Make memories that will be cherished for generations!

The Kitchen That Could - Part One

Back in May of this year I said goodbye forever to my kitchen in Houston so that I could live in the country in the 1860's farmhouse that Brad and I have been remodeling for 20 years.  Just kidding, it's only been like 2 years...but it dang sure feels like 20 years!  Here's a look back at the kitchen when we first started tackling it many moons ago...it was in rough shape.  The kitchen was in a part of the house were the roof had been leaking for a long time and it needed our help B-A-D!

And take a look at the "padding" we found when we pulled up the flooring....check out the dates too!

I never knew that Lane Bryant was around in those days! :)

Anyway, sorry about the trip down memory lane, but the unfinished kitchen in our country home has been a huge source of frustration.  You see, trying to cook in that kitchen is like camping...seriously.  I have a 2 burner hot plate and a microwave to work with.   (sorry, cleaning THIS thing is just not high on my priorities these days)

But now I have this!

Yes, our refrigerator is in there and we have a utility sink...so running water is a big plus, but still, everything is everywhere and trying to cook the smallest thing is a huge undertaking.

Don't ask...not sure how a banjo, guitar and a box of booze got crammed in the kitchen either!

So a couple of weeks ago we decided it's now or never and we decided come hell or high water, this kitchen was going to get finished by Thanksgiving!  I wanted to be able to bake in my kitchen for Christmas dangit!  So we successfully got our cabinets, new stove and a dishwasher.  Now, anyone who's a relative or a friend of the family and has ever visited this house before the remodel, knows that there has never been a Voelkel woman with the luxury of a DISHWASHER in this house unless of course, it's the kind with 2 hands and a heartbeat.  So I am over the moon to know that I will be THE FIRST Voelkel woman to be able to use a dishwasher!

This past weekend my step dad came out to help Brad install the cabinets and stove.  And thank goodness for my step dad who recommended the layout that I wanted for this kitchen...even though our prior measurements determined that it wouldn't work.  Guess we don't know how to use a tape measure too well? :)

With the new layout, we have tons of room, so much that we have a surprise addition that will make you say - holy moly that was a great idea!

On Monday we went to Ikea and spent a good part of the day there.  By the end of the day, my dogs were barking, my brain was mush and we had some pretty awesome stuff.  We decided to use their butcher block counter tops.  I LOVE the look of it and think it will look awesome with the farmhouse feel that we're going for.  We also got a pretty neat light fixture too...but you'll have to wait and see that once we reveal the surprise addition!

Yesterday we got busy doing a little customization on our cabinets.  When we purchased them from Home Depot, they were your average run of the mill oak cabinets, nothing fancy.  But thanks to our friend Beverly down the road, the owner of The Round Top Farmhouses, she gave us a really cool idea to save money and give them a more custom look.  We purchased a sheet of beadboard and cut it into pieces that fit inside the inset of the cabinet and secured them with some liquid nail and tah-dah!!!

 Pretty snazzy huh?  All we have to left to do now is to caulk and paint them.

We've been agonizing over the color for a while now, but we finally agreed on black cabinets and we're going to try to tackle that today and tomorrow.  That's the progress report for now...stay tuned for more updates this weekend or early next week!