Heather Essian Portrait Arts Blog

heather essian portrait arts has moved!

2012-12-12T22:06:00.022-06:00

we moved! if your browser has not redirected you click here to go to our new blog!!

arden + paul {prenup session}

2009-06-03T21:37:00.005-05:00

i just have to say it...

get rid of tradition unless it **r e a l l y** means something to you! :) pretty please.

i think it's a very common misconception that the only sacred time to see one another on your wedding day is the moments walking down the aisle. i beg to differ...b e g to differ. this tradition came from arranged marriages and was put in place to keep the bride and groom from running. i'm pretty sure you know who you're marrying before the wedding day so no need to worry that your fiance` will high-tail it the moment you lay eyes on them-thank goodness right?! so why not start your own tradition? that first sight is what you both make of it and has the potential to be even more special if experienced with just the two of you...well, and me.

this does not at all mean that i don't support the tradition of waiting. i just think there are a few of you out there that need the permission to break the traditional rules. haaavvvveee at it! :)

arden and paul chose to forgo even seeing one another for the first time on their wedding day, and instead chose a separate day before their wedding so that we could spend loads of creative energy and time on their romantics. i'm so glad we did because we got some epic photos out of it. it meant there was not nearly the same amount of pressure on the wedding day. i'd like to think they had more time to enjoy their reception and guests ;)

arden, i love you and paul to pieces! i feel blessed to have you both as good friends. i'm so very happy for you, and honored that i got to be the one to photograph you two on your special day!

arden was the super gorgeous and talented lady who second shot the majority of my weddings with me last year. muah arden!!

cindy + peter {engaged}

2009-06-01T20:31:00.004-05:00

meet cindy and peter. these two were so much fun to work with! i walked away from this session feeling blessed to have met them :)

they drove all the way from houston to have me photograph them for their engagement session. it just gets me all excited to know two super sweet amazing people are willing to drive hours just for little ol' me ;)

it's rare that i'm able to really take the time to break a session down for you all (a goal to do so more!) but feel this is the perfect session to do so. i think that cindy and peter's e-session possesses all that a couples session should. we have fun, we have love, we have "moody"...we have a story folks. a story of two people in love who will share these images with family forever. i can picture these photos hanging in their home for years and years to come with no need of replacing them because they are a story, not just a photograph. i picture these sweet images reminding them of the love they share when times are tough. these were not taken on a wedding day (where love is to be expected) the photos are just- them. so if you haven't taken photos with your special someone, you should because you'll cherish them forever, and your kids (or future kids) will be so glad to witness your love captured.

cindy and peter, you two are a special couple. thank you for allowing me to capture you :)

okay okay i'm done being lame..enjoy!

they were laying on a tree trunk in the photo below while i carefully balanced on the tip of the trunk to get this shot...i'm sure it looked interesting to those passing by :)

a classic
isn't cindy stunning?!
love the peacefulness of this image below...

looovvee this last image, the bus passed us just in time!

christine + jon {wedding}

2009-05-28T17:20:00.006-05:00

christine and jon had an absolutely beautiful wedding. their wedding will be a part of PLATINUM WEDDINGS and will air sometime this fall! the platinum wedding crew had their cameras pointing at me from time to time and i must say that if i look weird, it's probably because i was weird. i'm not the best t.v. personality ;)

christine and jon got married at christine's father's new wedding venue in southlake called the PIAZZA IN THE VILLAGE it's a beautiful modern-ish wedding venue complete with impeccable service...check them out!

thank you jon and christine it was a pleasure getting to be a part of your special day!
and thank you to arden for photographing the groomsmen for me!

zack and ava {siblings}

2009-05-15T15:01:00.004-05:00

i've failed to mention that the last few posts have been from the studio special we ran in april. we had a great turnout and i'm super excited to share all the sessions with you!

leslie bushnell from chocolate dipped and sugar kisses children's boutique supplied many of the clothes in the images you see and will see. i'll do a final post and share all her cute clothes. in the mean time go to her website HERE

ava and zack were a blast to photograph! zack was a great big brother & helped me to entertain sweet little ava while I took their pictures :)

secret {bride and groom}

2009-05-13T15:24:00.001-05:00

i want to share this session...but i can't just yet :) it's awesome!

nicola {graduate album}

2009-05-12T20:25:00.011-05:00

kenrie {toddler}

2009-05-12T16:33:00.005-05:00

meet sweet kenrie! i had a blast chasing this little one around. absolutely love her sweet pigtails :) thank you pruitt family!

layla {baby}

2009-05-09T17:46:00.004-05:00

another super sweet baby session...isn't she a doll? thank you kyle and stacey, layla couldn't be any cuter!

sarah kate {baby}

2009-05-08T16:56:00.007-05:00

isn't she adorable!! sarah kate is the 3rd baby girl in the edward's family. we go way back to the days when Heather Essian Portrait Arts was just beginning. this family holds a special place in my heart :) i love you edward's family! thank you for allowing me to see your little girls grow up.

graduate session {allie}

2009-05-05T16:55:00.005-05:00

a little sneak peek for you all...more to come this week!

custom designed senior announcements

2009-05-05T15:56:00.003-05:00

meet the new graduation announcement concept...it's all about the senior, it's personalized and a whole lot cooler than the typical gold adorned formal graduation announcement.

2010 seniors this could be you ;)

calling 2010 high school seniors!!!

2009-05-01T18:39:00.001-05:00

We are now booking for 2010 senior sessions. Call or email the studio for more info 817.201.9401

Okay so here is a sampling of my most recent rockin senior sessions...

The beautiful Katie

Gorgeous Nicola

and the very GQ~Michael

I feel that this is where I (WE) can really let my (OUR) creative side run free. What a cool opportunity to um... show em' what you got. Who can have the coolest, most unique senior portraits? Isn't that what we all want...to be set apart? Not like everyone else. We are now booking for 2010 senior sessions. Call or email the studio for more info 817.201.9401

Stay tuned for an introduction of some sweet print options, as well as some senior specials. SERIOUSLY!

baby elly!

2009-04-23T14:11:00.007-05:00

isn't she a doll?! i photographed elly's parents wedding a year and a half ago, and now get to photograph sweet elly. thank you hayley and kris for allowing me to photograph your new baby girl!
click here to view SLIDE SHOW

jamie & bill's wedding

2009-04-16T14:58:00.015-05:00

hi friends! i've been a little absent from the blog lately, you know when you hear crickets around here that it means things are hoppin' at the studio :) i've got tons of new sessions, news and goodies to share with you all.

i'm excited to share jamie and bill's gorgeous wedding with you! you'll recognize mrs. jamie from her rockin' bridal session a few posts back. enjoy your sneak peek guys, i've so enjoyed working with you two!

click here to view the SLIDE SHOW

a sweet coffee table book design!

2009-04-02T17:41:00.004-05:00

i had such a blast designing lynn and jon's coffee table book! i wish you guys could see it in person the images and slide show DO NOT DO IT JUSTICE. please check out the design here

CLICK HERE

{FRONT OF THE BOOK}

{BACK OF THE BOOK}

sweet tooth days studio special!!!

2009-03-21T12:37:00.004-05:00

hi friends! we're having a studio special on april 17th and 18th. receive 50% off studio session fee and a complimentary 5x5 signature print!

tell a friend that books with us and receive a $40 print credit on top of our sweet special!
{this special is for children and babies only}

call us or email us for more info.
studio: 817.201.9401
info@heatheressian.com

a few recent faves!

2009-03-17T23:15:00.002-05:00

hello friends! i just wanted to drop a few recent favorites on the blog for you to see. i can't tell you how happy my heart is shooting family and children portraits. children portraiture is so vastly different from wedding photography that shooting both keeps things fresh. and definitely keeps me on my toes!

what i would call "natural" family moments :)
i like to fast forward 20 years and think of how special these family images will be. priceless!

little girls and their tutu's

2009-03-11T01:21:00.003-05:00

i think every little girl should wear tutu's everyday until they're at least 4. in fact i kind of wish i could wear a tutu from time to time because they just seem like so much fun! this of course would be no good considering i struggle to look my age and not 17 anyways ; ).

meet sweet jenna. isn't she a doll baby?! i'm excited to share these images with you all because not only did i get to shoot her portrait session, but she'll be my sample baby for an upcoming studio special. stay tuned!!

sweet sweet sweet!

lynn's bridal session!

2009-03-05T15:36:00.002-06:00

lynn and I had a blast with her bridal session. it was a very chilly day, but she stuck it out and you can't tell she was nearly a popsicle by the end of it all. thanks so much lynn, you rocked it!
i can hardly wait for your wedding this month.

beautiful!

hello awesome bw chair! i heart you! love this image.

these last two were shot in my studio. i'm quite happy that we chose to shoot there as well!
love love love how beautiful lynn's skin looks in these two images. Isn't she a beauty?

jen + josh sneak peek!

2009-02-14T15:04:00.007-06:00

SLIDE SHOW

jen and josh's wedding was just beautiful! their reception was at the amazing arlington hall in dallas. i enjoyed so much working with you guys...cold and all! enjoy your sneak peek!

beautiful bride!

love!

my second shooter jennifer photographed the guys while i was off photographing the gals :)

i'm in love with the gorgeous light in these images

a perfect ending to the night!

****NOTE*****
i'll be leaving for vegas for the photographers wppi convention tomorrow morning bright and early! kim will still be responding to phone calls and emails! i'll be sure to have lots of photos to share with you all when i return. keep an eye out for upcoming wedding slide shows and portrait sessions! xoxox-heather

kevin + lauren's slide show!

2009-02-10T16:57:00.004-06:00

Just wanted to share Lauren and Kevin's wedding slide show with you all!
click here!

cram family portraits

2009-02-07T18:21:00.004-06:00

i had such a great time photographing the cram family! they had a lot of fun, and the kids did just about anything i asked...(that doesn't happen often with kids;) thank you cram family! i really enjoyed photographing your sweet fam!

now that's my kind of family portrait!

karen+erik wed

2009-02-07T17:56:00.006-06:00

karen here is your blog post sweets!

karen and erik flew me to kansas to shoot their beautiful wedding back in september (a little late blogging this one i know ;). karen is co-owner of heartland photography and i had the opportunity to shoot with her partner mike. karen and mike do amazing work check them out HERE ! thanks so much for letting me be a part of the best marathon wedding ever ;)!

gorgeous!

europe images!!!!

2009-02-05T21:01:00.009-06:00

hello friends! i wanted to keep my bloggin' streak going so i decided to share some personal images from our trip to europe for korrie and landon's beautiful wedding! enjoy these few for now but trust me there are many many more to come! i think the number is around 500 images left to share to be exact :)

this image above was taken in france!

this bw striped church makes me want to jump up and down with excitement...where else can you find a striped church but in italy??? this church has inspired me with my interior decorating ;) i think i'll make get a big canvas print made of it to go in our living room.

this lantern image has a funny story. jim and i went to this really really old pub in barcelona and above a table filled with people hung this lantern. i, looking like a dork walked right up to the table to photograph it. i knew if i didn't i would regret it. i'm glad i did!

this was also taken in barcelona (right outside the old pub in fact) i just love the way the light glows around the scooter below.

if you see any images here you would like for a personal artist print please contact me! i can't think of anything better then sharing my art with you all :)

i'm off to celebrate mine and jim's 5 yr wedding anniversary! it's really feb 1 but unfortunately i was at home sick in bed...so today the celebration begins woo hooo! i love you my sweet boy!

stephanie + jason teaser!

2009-02-03T16:40:00.002-06:00

meet stephanie and jason. i had a blast photographing their wedding! i've never met two more equally kind people before. not to mention how kind their family and guests were, i was quite impressed! thanks so much steph and jason i've really enjoyed our time together!

doin' a little remix with the frame and the artwork...i like it! what do ya think?

i love the feeling of this image. their moment together, and the way the trees frame them make this photo so pretty :)

you all know how much i love "looking into the lens pictures" but this one is casual and a classic ;)

hope you guys love your teaser images!

keep checking back for more blog posts...i'm on a roll! woooo hooo !

i heart fabrics

2009-02-02T20:44:00.005-06:00

if i were a dining room chair...i think i would want to be this chair.

over the past couple of years i've developed this passion for interior decorating that makes me all giggly and excited inside. we just bought our first home last year and i vowed to have no white walls in this house (you see...because we rented for so many years.) i've spent hours and hours searching for the perfect fabric to dress my antique furniture. fine fabrics make my heart sing! and my husband crabby. ;) he just doesn't understand why we can't cover the dang things in a sheet (ha!) but he always loves the pieces once i'm done. i promise to post some of my recent projects soon, but in the mean time here are some photos i've found that inspire me! i wish i knew where i got these from...shame on me! i'll remember for next time (they are all from magazines and decorating blogs)

this room is so very sophisticated. i'm in love with the curtains!!!

there's something so classic about b&w...i have two chairs covered in a fabulous b&w velvet stripe. simply divine :)
this chandelier is one i'm considering hanging in our dining room...i love it's whimsical feel

check out this decorating blog...it's one of my favs!

good friends, great questions!

2009-01-29T15:20:00.012-06:00

Well as you all know i simply love what i do for a living! there are moments throughout the days that i go "oh my gosh this just fits me." :) but with this love comes a massive amount of work and dedication. because of my love & passion for photography i end up spending quite a while tweaking each and every image until i deem it almost perfect. Because we "artists" can be a little "eccentric" as my husband likes to say we have a tendency to gravitate toward one another. We (photographers) just understand each other.

one of my great friends is the fabulous Ksenija Savic of Ksenija Savic Photography. Ksenija & i met in December of 2007 when she documented my sister-in-law's wedding. we instantly clicked that day, and have been friends ever since. :) the other day, Ksenija & i were talking and we both realized that although every photographer is different from each other, both she & i specialize in fine art photography and tend to have a longer turn around time due to the process that goes into editing, post-processing, etc. we feel it's crucial for our clients to know that every photographer is trained differently, and specializes in different areas of photography, therefore what's right for one photography business owner may not be right for another. so the question that we discussed was :

why does it take so long to receive my wedding/portrait images?

{Ksenija and i decided to colaborate on the verbiage of this post}

while we've been lucky to not have anyone ask this question, at times maybe we wish you would! we wonder if you might be asking yourself this question, or just plain want to know more about the logistics of it all!

recently we saw and were inspired by a simular post on Anne Ruthmann's blog {a lovely & awesome photographer} while we agree whole heartedly with everything she expressed in her post, we decided to share our process as well.

so today, we decided to share with you a bit about the process we fine art photographers go through the minute your session, or wedding is over. however, just to make it easier, let's use a wedding for the example!

step one:
we load all memory cards to the computer in order to properly back up your beloved photos.
then spend what seems to be a NEVER ENDING process,
burning dvd's of these files to make extra sure the images are safe, as well as backing them up to an external hard drive!!
EXAMPLE: 3500 images = 8 - 10 hours (MINIMUM)

step two:
all thousands of images are reviewed (often times up to 4000 images... yes 4000)!!!
one by one, we choose the best of the best images, to help make your life easier.
the idea behind narrowing down images, is to make sure only the most perfect shots are edited and given to you.
we take so many to make sure we can have a grand selection of every moment!!!
this process can take hours & hours looking at each individual image, to decide whether to keep or not to keep.
EXAMPLE: 2500 images = 2 - 3 hours (MINIMUM)

step three:
somewhere between 100 - 300 top favorite images are selected and then given the very special artistic effect
that is custom by photographer's style and makes your wedding unique and special!!
this is the process that takes the most time, energy, and personal touch, as well.
in order to provide you with the beautiful, one of a kind, fine art you invested in, this process most definitely cannot be rushed.
EXAMPLE: 75 images = 10 hours (MINIMUM)

step four :
a blog post is created so that you have a great sneak peek to be able to view, share & enjoy some of the top faves from your day!
everyone does blogging a little differently, however for me, i really love being able to make my blog posts as special as possible because of how much i connect with my clients. i want this to be the time that you get to view the best of the best, the most moving & memorable images. an average blog post from start to finish takes me about 24 + hours (MINIMUM).

step five:
color and density is corrected with each and every image. images are cropped if necessary.
Because your wedding was shot in a multitude of different lighting situations each image can have a different correction needed.
EXAMPLE: 2500 images = 21 hours (MINIMUM)

step six:
the images are loaded to an online proofing company.
depending on the photographer's system and the on-line company used...this can take several days. And inevitably my internet decides to act up right in the middle of a wedding upload :)
EXAMPLE: 2500 images = 48 hours (MINIMUM)

...so now you can see it has been a MINIMUM of 117 hours - just to get to this point! this of course doesn't include other weddings & sessions shot, client meetings, daily emails, phone conversations, downloading/backing up, orders made, album designs, etc. that all happen in the 'in between' time either!

****PLEASE NOTE****! both Ksenija & i feel it's super important for all to know that we as photographers each have our own way of doing things. some photographers have a team of editors,,, and others do it all themselves there is truly no right or wrong... which is what makes it an art & so special.

all of us have a different style and approach. what is MOST important is the fit. finding the right person to capture the memories of your special day who also has the style that makes your heart swell,,, because after all, we are around you the entire day, too!!!

another thing that both Ksenija & i firmly believe in is that what counts in the end is the quality of your wedding photos. when you see how much you love, LOVE them, you will be sure it was worth the wait!!!

and then, you will have all the years of your life to relax, share & enjoy them!

and just for fun... here are a few more top fave images from this past year that have all gone through the meticulous process mentioned above!

amanda + ryan wedding slide show!

2009-01-22T16:54:00.004-06:00

Check out Amanda & Ryan's wedding slide show as well as some wedding day favorites!

click below to see their slide show!
SLIDE SHOW!

jamie's awesome bridals!

2009-01-07T16:29:00.003-06:00

this is what happens when a super cool bride meets her match in a photographer ;)

favorite!

a little normalcy for you

amazing light!

Jamie, I'm so excited for your wedding in a couple of weeks!

ahhh..rest

2008-12-30T11:06:00.004-06:00

Hello friends! I hope you all had a wonderful Christmas. I know it's been a little quiet around here for a while...I'm gearing up for 09 ;) The studio is closed until Wednesday the 7Th. I'm resting at home and doing a little editing to pass the time. I realized that it's been two years since I took time off and stayed at home, the other times we were traveling and we all know how exhausting traveling can be. I must say this last year was amazing, I feel so blessed and overwhelmed with how my business grew. Now I feel hibernation is necessary to recoup.

I hope you all have a great New Years Eve! We'll be at 8.0 downtown listening to a great band called The Campaign super talented group, easy listening with some seriously good vocals and a rad bass player *wink wink* Arden :)

Much Love-Heather

rebecca+steve teaser!

2008-12-13T14:44:00.002-06:00

Hello friends! I must apologize for my absence from the blog. Too many weddings and portrait sessions to edit to keep up with the blog. I promise once the new year is here you will see loads of sessions and wedding sneak peeks! My new year resolution is to post more images and share more personal stories with you :)

Rebecca and Steve got married at the beautiful First United Methodist Church in Downtown Ft. W. And what a gorgeous wedding it was! Thank you Rebecca and Steve for allowing me to be a part of your special day!

More luck with the veil...the wind kicked it up just in time for me to snag this shot.

This image is a classic...I kind of wish I had one like this :) I love how you can see their smiles.

A beautiful bridal of Becca!

one of the last images from their wedding night

2. years. ?!

2008-12-05T23:04:00.002-06:00

For this I am thankful!

2 years in review...

Wow I can't believe it's been just two years since I officially started the biz. At the same time I can't believe it's only been 2 years! And this is where I get all sappy ;)

A constant question I'm asked is "how long have you been doing this?" And "How did you get into photography?" So here ya go....How it all started: When I was in high school I took my first photojournalism class and I liked it, but it wasn't until my second year in college that I had the thought to really pursue the idea of photography, and from my first day in the darkroom I was enamored with the ability to expose my preferred pearl paper, dip it into the chemicals and see my image come to life, just to throw it away because it wasn't yet perfect.

I photographed my first wedding when I was 20. For the next 6 years I worked with, and tagged along with, any photographer who would have me. From commercial, fashion, portrait, and wedding photographers I learned so much about my craft. But it wasn't until starting my own business by chance two years ago that I really learned about myself.

The story of how the business began is close to my heart and not a plan I had in mind at the time. Jim and I were living in MI when we felt a clear calling from the Lord to move to TX. This was a huge shock to me because I thought I would never live in TX again. (One day I'll have to share the whole story in detail because it's pretty crazy!) We moved by faith alone, and what a blessing it has been that we trusted that God would provide. We had no money to move, no home, no jobs, and no urgent reason to move back here. Our dear friends Jim and Shirley Hollars invited us to live with them until we could find a place of our own. I placed an ad on Craigslist for portraits, had a couple of friends interested in me photographing their family, and there ya go, Heather Essian Portrait Arts was official. We moved into our own townhouse four weeks later. I honestly thought that once Christmas portraits were over business would be dead and I would be unable to continue working for myself, but somehow I just steadily started to grow. It was clear that God had a plan, and because of the way it all started I now trust in Him with this business because I know it was His to begin with. My constant prayer is that I would be a good steward of what I've been gifted with.

Owning your own business is one of the most vulnerable things I think one can do. This is a place where I have learned what I'm really made of. I've placed my heart and soul into my art - into my business. One thing I've learned is that business can quickly take over a passion, and since I learned that harsh reality I've been working to balance my passion and my business very carefully. This journey has showed me my gifts, but more importantly my weaknesses. I've always been a person who strives to be the best they can be, never settling for just good enough...of course unless we're talking about anything that has to do with numbers (right mom!?)

I remember thinking the way I would run a business, the kind of leader I would be, while watching fellow less-then-perfect-leaders lead me. Foolish me for assuming that I knew what it was like owning my own business! The respect I have now for those who persevere, break the mold, and start their own identity in a business is beyond anything I could express in words. Even as I write out the last years to share with you I struggle to put to words just what I feel. One thing I know I feel is incredibly blessed. Blessed to have the opportunity to express myself through my work. Blessed by each and every one of you who have encouraged me and believed in me when I've continually doubted myself. Blessed that perfect does not exist; it's taken me a long time to accept the understanding that there is no perfect, and for me to recognize this does not mean that I'm not trying hard enough. I've learned how to properly communicate expectations which surprisingly can be difficult at times. I've always known that I wanted to feel a connection with each client. Growing too quickly can easily create a disconnect because with vast change comes less time to connect and for me that's one of my favorite things about this business - the relationships I build. I've realized no matter how hard I try, no matter how much effort I put in, I'm just one person and I simply cannot handle an infinite work load. Booking your life a year out poses a huge problem because it can take some serious time to catch up.

I know that I've just scraped the surface of the things I have left to learn, but the most important thing to me is that I do learn, and my character and ability to lead a business continues to grow. I praise God everyday for this walk. It's joyful, painful, and incredibly fulfilling and an experience I know I would not have if I was the average clock in and clock out working gal, although it's tempting at times :). Thank you all for allowing me to share my heart with you. I hope to continue to show you this passion I have for photography, and more importantly my passion for the relationships I build with all of you. I hope that I will continue to show you in a deeper way just how important your relationship is to me. Thank you for choosing me as your photographer, and I cannot begin to tell you how much your encouraging words keep me going! Thank you thank you for allowing me to do what I love!!

If you've ever considered starting your own business...do it! But know that a good leader of any sorts is one whom approaches all things with humility and tenacity.

.lauren.+ .kevin. teaser

2008-11-10T17:01:00.003-06:00

Lauren and Kevin are such a sweet couple. Can you believe it rained--- scratch that---poured on their wedding day and Lauren didn't bat a pretty eyelash. The rained held off just long enough for us to get some cool shots outside. More later!

got to love the blowing veil!

.amanda. + .ryan. teaser

2008-11-10T14:38:00.002-06:00

Ryan and Amanda were a dream couple. I have really enjoyed getting to know the two of them over the last few months. Amanda has impeccable taste and her wedding exuded her personal style. I can't wait to show you more! gorgeous light, gorgeous flowers, and of course a gorgeous couple- perfection!

a little mystery for you...

.lynn. + .jon. e-session

2008-11-06T15:35:00.005-06:00

Lynn and Jon were too much fun. We shot at The House of Dang , Deep Ellum, and then ended at the Fair! The smell of fried everything still lingers....Lynn had such a great vision for her e-session, and I was so excited to try new things. House of Dang was the type of place I've wanted to shoot at for so long now! Thanks to House of Dang for letting us turn the place upside down--you guys rock!
love love love this top image...it's as if there is a glass window between us

And this image above is a shot I've had in mind for over a year now...all I needed was that perfect couple that was willing :)

"he loves me...he loves me not"

"he loves me!"

These two are super sweet and I'm so excited to shoot their wedding in March! Lynn...I know it's going to be so glam!

how. jimmy. boy. ALMOST. got .his .cowboy .boots

2008-11-04T13:38:00.004-06:00

Let me just say it's super hot to have a husband who can laugh at himself. I love you my sweet city Yankee!

Well as most of you know my husband Jim is from MI. In the last couple of months he's acquired a TX drivers license, TX plates, a pair of working boots, and a TX phone number...it's about time honey it's been 2 years. Oh! And he even went four wheeling and gun shooting on a friends ranch a few weeks back!

Let me just set the scene for you:

Jimmy comes running in the house and this is what unfolded after...

JIM: "Babe there's a dead animal in our garage!" "A dead raccoon!"

ME: Thinking to myself I better go access the situation

I walk outside to our garage to find Jim standing with a shovel and gloves in his hands

ME: "That's a possum."
JIM: "What do I do, I'm not touchin that thing!"
ME: Thinking "I have to go get my camera, this is going to be good!"

Out I come with camera in hand
Jim: "DON'T TAKE PICTURES...YOU'RE MAKING IT WORSE"
ME: "Babe, I want to blog about your bravery"

I proceed to plead with him that it's mind over matter, "pretend it's a brick" I explain. After my coaching wasn't working I expressed to him that I would pick up the dead possum. He handed me the shovel and the gloves and said "Gladly, I will never live this down but I don't care!"

(me sporting my new short haircut that's not quite grown on me yet)

So mind over matter, I swiped the possum up by it's tail and shoved it into the garbage bag as fast as possible. I couldn't bare but to only show the possum in it's trash bag of a grave. And that my friends is how Jimmy Boy almost got his cowboy boots!

studio. update .info

2008-11-03T18:16:00.008-06:00

Hey hey friends!! Look for a new blog post in the next couple of days, and I have a really funny story to share with you guys as well ;)

We got a new studio telephone number so please save this number as our official contact number
817 . 201 . 9401
we also have a new email address that will help us keep emails more organized please email info@heatheressian.com for any questions regarding your wedding or portrait sessions, Kim will be happy to help!

I have lots and lots of sneak peeks to come...for now I'm going to work on some teaser images...

2008. christmas. card .designs.

2008-10-22T11:34:00.007-05:00

Here are this years Christmas Card designs! You will notice some familiar faces! {I also changed some names just for fun ;)} Let me encourage you all to get the card you like most...not the one that you think others will like. I tend to stray away from traditional Christmas decor so I think you will see that in my designs.

Please know that the last day to order your Christmas Cards will be November 22. It's super important that this be the last day to order so that I can insure that you have them to mail out in early December. If I've shot your wedding or a portrait session at any time you are welcome to place an order with us!

sample slide show

baby. riley. + .the. new. studio!

2008-10-20T14:32:00.005-05:00

This is Riley and she is just such a doll! She was content and full of smiles for me the whole time (well most of the time right Angela? :) I feel so honored to get to shoot Riley because her Daddy is serving in the armed forces in Baghdad. Angela plans to send him some images of the two of them and I can't wait for him to see his sweet girls from my perspective. I have to send my deepest gratitude to Angela, her husband and baby Riley, and to all who are serving for our country. It's definitely a sacrifice for the whole family and I'm so thankful that we have men and women brave enough to fight for us! All of these images were taken in our new natural light studio, I hope you enjoy them :)

one of my favorite baby images of the year!

Angela brought her friend Ashley along with her and I'm so glad she did because I borrowed Ashley's new baby boy for this shot :) Thank you Ashley he sure is a cutie!

finally the Barcelona wedding!

2008-10-14T16:15:00.011-05:00

Well as you can imaging sneak peeks are difficult for me to narrow down...but Korrie and Landon's wedding was definitely one of the most difficult. How do you weed out any image taken in Spain when you're from TX?! I seriously had the time of my life shooting K + L's wedding. Not only because of the location but because these two and their families are super sweet and welcomed Jim and me as their own. They took such good care of us! Thank you to Korrie, Landon, and your families, I'll cherish this opportunity for the rest of my life! I'll let the images do the talking :) If you want to see more click on the slide show below, you fill find many many more images!

I love this image above so much I can hardly stand it! Look at the red peep through on the bottom of her shoe!

view the SLIDE SHOW

just. a .teaser

2008-10-09T17:36:00.002-05:00

To hold you over until Tuesday...

{Landon and Korrie's Barcelona Wedding}

.kansas.!

2008-09-26T19:28:00.004-05:00

Hey y'all! I'm here in Kansas resting up for Erik and Karen's wedding tomorrow. After a canceled flight and 7 hours in the airport I'm so glad to be here in my cozy hotel room. Flying is becoming more and more of pain these days...what's going on with the airport folks, I don't see many workers with a smile anymore?!

I hope you all have a wonderful weekend, I'll be back in the office on Tuesday.

Up next to be blogged...

Korrie and Landon's Barcelona Spain wedding
Harrison Family
my personal Europe images
Jen and Josh e-session
and many many more to come!

.moving. day!.

2008-09-20T10:38:00.006-05:00

Today's the big moving day!! My hands hurt from reupholstering furniture, it's a lot harder then I thought :) I can't wait to see how all my shtuff looks in the new studio...

I will leave you with the sweet Howington Family portraits. I was a little early so I had some free time to catch the fam getting ready, this session was a little more like a Lifestyle portrait session- which I love by the way! It was the perfect mix of candid with a little bit of portraiture. We had plans to shoot outside at their home but the rained followed me there so we were stuck indoors...I think it was a good thing ;)
Kai did not like getting his hair dried...

sweet brotherly love :)

sweet Cooper

As I was waiting for the perfect moment to take a shot of Kai on his scooter, Cooper (unknowingly) crossed my shooting path and this is the outcome...I think it's a happy accident and one that made this image stronger.

Kristy- you have to admit it's kind of funny that this is the 3rd year in a row it's rained on your portrait session :) I think it's only made the portraits better! Sunshine is overrated ;)
Stay tuned I have a couple more favorites from their session to add!

I love you Howington Family...it's always such a pleasure to see your family growing!

.what. a .lovely. day!

2008-09-17T10:38:00.004-05:00

Hello all! Sorry for the long pause with the blog posts. We are sprinting to keep up with all of the weddings I've shot, as well as getting prepared to move into a new studio. Where do the weeks go???

I do have some exciting news...we move into the new studio on Saturday!!! We will have our first portrait session there on Monday so I'll post some pictures as soon as possible.

What will the studio offer?
Well first it will be a natural light studio (no artificial studio lighting) for me to shoot in with funky furniture, cool fabric backdrops, and still have the ability to be clean and simple for your portraits. No worries, I'm not turning into a traditional photographer the studio portraits will be just as unique and artistic. Perfect for children and babies! We will still have the option of shooting on location as well. We will also begin portrait and wedding album proofing at the studio for your ordering convenience. During this proofing session you will get to see your portraits for the first time, as well as wedding album design for the first time. We will walk you through all of our print and book options, and help you decide on the perfect prints for your home. The studio will also be a place for Wedding consultations, and portrait consultations. It's going to be great!

We are running an introductory studio special from now until the new year. This special is $175 with a $45 print credit, plan on a 30-45 minute session with me. If you would like to book a portrait session for prints and Christmas Cards this year CALL THE STUDIO today to set up your appointment. We will only be able to take on a few more sessions before Christmas, if you wait then you may have to send out New Years Cards (which I love anyway:)

And I just want to also take this time to thank all of my amazing clients for helping me grow, Kim and I are taking all the necessary steps to keep up and fine tune your experience with us. We greatly appreciate your patience and support, what a blessing!

studio: 817.989.7674

jamie. + .bill. e-session!

2008-09-06T16:04:00.007-05:00

This is Bill & Jamie- two super sweet people with fun loving personalities! I went to high school with Jamie so it's really cool that I get to shoot their wedding in January, I can't wait! These two have such a sweet story...Jamie was Bill's son's teacher and after much pursuing, Bill won Jamie's heart <3
weeeee!!!!
a definite favorite from the day! {below}

I caught them flirting from around the corner ;)

so sweet...

Internet down

2008-09-04T16:05:00.003-05:00

Hey guys.. just want you to know that our neighborhood Internet is down and we are being delayed in checking emails and uploading photos to pictage. Heather gets emails on her blackberry and she will respond to emails as soon as possible. We appreciate your understanding during this frustrating time.
Thanks,
Office Manager,
Kim Hayes

you can call us at the studio with any questions or concerns @ 817-989-7674.

*UPDATE* It's working now!!!

.myrna. + .t.j. wedding!

2008-09-02T17:05:00.007-05:00

Myrna and T.J. were so great to work with. Myrna called me up at the beginning of this year- we had a great phone conversation, and before I knew it I was set to shoot her wedding before we even met in person. I got to meet the both of them when they were here visiting and from that time of meeting them I knew that I would enjoy documenting their wedding day. They currently live in Chicago but have deep roots here in TX {Myrna does anyway...T.J. is now by default a "Texan" :)

Their wedding was laid back, fun, and full of joy. Thanks guys for letting us be a part of it!

reception at Gaylord Texan {Jeff was fabulous!}

check out their slide show at the bottom of this post. My amazing second shooter Arden shot the guys getting ready!

there's just something about this image that I love...

this one too :)
oh and this one!

T.J.'s beautiful daughter

a little bit of dancin for ya!

gorgeous cake!

click here for the SLIDE SHOW

.bridals. {amanda.

2008-08-28T16:46:00.005-05:00

*Attention* If you're a groom and your name is *RYAN* stop here... don't ruin your big surprise!
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Amanda was super open when it came to her bridals. She fully trusted me and I think we accomplished some beautiful imagery together. She's such a gorgeous girl as is, but in her Vera Wang gown, she's a knock out. Vera Wang happens to be one of my favorite dress designers so I was really excited to shoot her in her dress, it's gorgeous!

classic (image below)

I think this image looks like a perfume add :)

I saved the best for last...I love love love this image (above)

Can't wait for your wedding Amanda!!

{up next is Myrna and T.J.'s wedding!}

.leslie. bridals.

2008-08-25T13:01:00.006-05:00

Whew...what a summer it's been! I want to share Leslie's bridal portraits with you because I never got the chance to when I posted her wedding images.

Isn't she stunning in that birdcage veil?? Love it!!

I feel that the sun flair added emotion and warmth to these images. That kind of light makes me want to dance and twirl in it!

sassy!

*A little side note about your bridal session and why you should have one (northerners ;)*

a. It's fun to get your bridal portrait taken because when will you ever wear tulle on your head, and a dress that extravagant?

b. What if you realize you hate your shoes, hair, makeup, or bouquet?

c. It's just more practice in front of the camera.

d. no pressure the day of the wedding to get a bazillion bridal portraits because you've already taken a bazillion.

And lastly... Heather's theory on bridal portraits:

Your bridal portrait should be different, in my opinion a little fashionable. Choose a location that is completely different then your wedding. Lets be creative, and edgy. I promise we'll get a lot of "normal" shots if you will, the day of your wedding. I want you to go "oh my gosh I never thought I could look like that!" This is your opportunity to really get outside of the box. You've got nothing to lose because you'll get in that dress and veil again on your wedding day. We can both show what we can do ;)

.in. Michigan.

2008-08-21T09:00:00.002-05:00

Hello Friends! I will be in MI for a wedding and will return to the office on Monday. I will be responding to emails only.

Hope you all have a wonderful Thursday!

What a relief from the heat and rain, I think I want to go..........never mind running is never a good idea.

.beth. + .brian. wedding!

2008-08-19T00:20:00.005-05:00

Look who's blogging ;) I'm finally catching up from busy wedding season- slowly but surely!

I'm a lucky girl :) It's an honor to be chosen as a wedding photographer, but to have a family believe in you enough to invite you to another country to document their wedding day is just amazing! Beth and Brian's wedding was beautiful and I can't say enough nice things about them and their families. Oh... and thank you Beth for providing me with the amazing details to shoot, I could have taken pictures of those shoes all day!

a big thank you to my good friend Jennifer Towles and fellow photographer for making the trip with me.

wedding day slide show below! I heart comments!!

This was one E A R L Y morning wedding...
such a beautiful dress!!!

what a beauty!!

one of my favs...
these were shot in the aquarium that ran all underneath the Atlantis Hotel.
*magical*

SLIDE SHOW

.heidi. + .robert. wedding!

2008-08-18T19:11:00.004-05:00

I have to give Heidi and Robert huge props for hand making many of the details in their wedding. Heidi designed her own invitations {Robert put them together ;)} They even made their own decor. Such a beautiful wedding! I really enjoyed working with you Robert and Heidi, thank you for letting us be a part of it!!

Check out their wedding day slide show at the bottom...I've finally been able to show these again {wedding day slide shows} thanks to some tweaking. Enjoy!

One of my all time favorite bridal portraits!
the amazing dress...

loved this pillow!
hard to take a bad picture of Ms. Heidi!
happy groom...
love!

and a perfect ending to a lovely night!

SLIDE SHOW

question for you

2008-08-12T15:45:00.007-05:00

Hello friends!! Okay the time for us to move into our new studio space is getting closer and closer! I can't tell you how excited I am to be able to have a space all our own that I know will help simplify things a bit for everyone.

Question:
How many of you would love to have a cute portrait of your fur-baby (ies)?!
If you're not familiar with this term I'm talking about your cats and dogs :)

Here's what I'm thinking... An affordable way to get a professional print of your baby...the new natural light studio will be perfect for this sort of a session!

Please please leave me a comment if you like this idea. Zoe will be first in line and I can't wait to have a big ole print of her cute face hanging in the studio for all to see :)

If I feel that enough people would like something like this then I'll announce a Pet Portrait special very soon.

Have a fabulous Tuesday!

.portraits. fun!

2008-08-06T17:27:00.005-05:00

What an infectious smile :)

every child should have a picture on Daddy's shoulders...

another sweet moment between mom and son

my kind of family portrait. casual and real :0)

I think this image below tells such a cute story. Sarah is pregnant (you can hardly tell because she's so tiny)
having some fun on the marry-go-round!!!

This session shows how fun portrait sessions can be. This was my second time to shoot little Noah and I just can't get enough of those big blue eyes and his sweet sweet smile. Thank you Gammell family!

.sigh. home.

2008-08-02T14:34:00.004-05:00

Gosh what a wonderful experience Europe was for Jim and me. I'm sure it's been just long enough that my little blog here has slipped your minds ;) It has been nearly three weeks since I've blogged- gasp! As much as I loved Europe, I can't tell you how much more I love home! My bed, my pup Zoe, my food, my friends....ah how sweet home is!

My body is still recovering, I don't know if I caught a bug or something over there but I have not felt like myself since we got home. However, I have had much time to reflect and I've returned inspired. You would think that Spain, France, and Italy would be what has inspired me, but while they certainly did, I am inspired because my brain has taken a break. For two weeks I didn't think about work, plans, or the stresses of everyday life. By the grace of God I did not think about these things because I really made no conscious effort not to and yet somehow my worries escaped me. I spent so much enjoyable time first with Korrie, Landon and their wonderful families, but most of all with my husband. We laughed, we were silly, we relaxed, we talked, we hiked, we marveled at the beauty of the sea, we tasted great wine, and ahem--- pretty good food (yikes I know that will make some of you mad.) It was so nice.

I've now realized the importance of taking breaks. I simply can not give my best if I'm just running myself into the ground. And I know most of you may think I'm just busy with the business which is mostly true, but really isn't life just busy??? My business, your job, church, kids, friends, family, appointments, planning. Life is so stinkin busy! The funny thing is I really didn't think I needed that kind of a break and sadly did not spend much time thinking before hand about our little vaca. because well...I was busy. Now that I've had time to process our trip and reflect on our many blessings I've become more focused. I'm excited to share with you all about what exactly I've become more focused on.

I truly hope that you will find (scratch) make some time for yourself to just be. It will help you to be a better person. And really none of us need Europe to do that.

thanks for reading this far ;)

.new. .album.

2008-07-15T19:44:00.002-05:00

I'm so excited to have received my new sample album! Many of you have seen the modern coffee table book, well we call this album the "fine art leather album." It has nice thick pages with a tiny crease down the center, the pages lay flat, and the best thing about them is that there are TONS of cover options! All you brides out there that have been waiting to order your album, shoot Kim an email and she'll give you more info.

REMEMBER I'M IN BARCELONA FOR TWO WEEKS!!

.barcelona!.

2008-07-15T16:11:00.004-05:00

Wooo hooo!!!! Barcelona is finally here... I'm off tomorrow to go shoot Korrie and Landon's wedding in Barcelona, Spain! We will be there for a whole 2 weeks. Can someone please tell me how the heck you pack for two weeks when you've never been to Europe and have no idea what to expect??? How do you not bring 100 pairs of shoes? Jimmy won't let me go over the 50 lbs required, so flip flops and a pair of heels it is!

Kim will be responding to emails only (heather@heatheressian.com) so give her a shout if you have any questions. The phone line has been acting up and I can't, for the life of me, figure it out : (

I will miss y'all!

~Heather

.james. + .leslie. wedding

2008-07-15T14:18:00.004-05:00

This is James and Leslie's wedding. We had so much fun shooting this wedding, these two are a rare pair that are just smitten with one another! It seemed as though they booked me forever ago but how quickly the day came. There were many more images I wish I could share with you all, but I still have to pack for Barcelona {insert crazy face here!}

Thank you Leslie and James!

the image above is a current favorite :)
the handsome groom
seeing one another for the first time as bride and groom! {such an emotional special moment between them}

.baby. grayson.

2008-07-03T12:38:00.005-05:00

This is sweet, sweet Grayson. What a great change of pace in the midst of wedding season! Oh my gosh, I'm was so reminded of the love I have for shooting children. Please let me shoot your babies! :) According to Adrienne (her mom) Grayson doesn't really take naps; she just kind of eats, takes a little cat-nap, and is alert again. She was the perfect baby.

looking at Daddy...
I know it's a little different, but I think it tells an interesting story :)

everything is little-so stinkin cute!

Here is a draft of Grayson's Birth Announcement. It's a 4x5 accordion folded card. I especially love designing these. What a great way to share your new gift with friends and family in a creative way! On a side note I have this little theory that when you send cards/invitations of any kind they should make a big statement so they don't just get thrown in the trash (that's a waste of money.) I think the more unique and creative a card is the more people will hang on to them, and appreciate them.
{outside of the card including the back of the card (on the left) and the front of the card (on the right)}
{this is the inside of the card}

.brittany. + .will. wedding

2008-06-25T13:57:00.003-05:00

First up Brittany's Bridals. This first image is one of my all time favorite bridal portraits! I can't tell you how proud I was that Tina (Brittany's mom) chose this image as the one to display at the wedding. Yay Tina!!

Brittany and Will had the most beautiful, HOT wedding at the Japanese Gardens in Ft. W. The foliage was lush, and her choice of bright flowers fit so well. It was clear how much these two truly adore one another. Thank you Brittany and Will, we are so blessed to have been a part of your special day!

first I heart their cute shoes, and second, this image is fab- so much sass!

seeing his bride for the first time!

my favorite from the day

a sweet moment during their first dance...
the new Mr. and Mrs.!
I have so many more favorites from the day. I wish there was time to share them all :(

tipper. .tuesday. on .wednesday.

2008-06-18T16:19:00.007-05:00

On Friday we had a Fence builder come out to our house and give us a quote. He greeted me with the warmest smile. I don't know what it was about his niceness that struck me as so refreshing but just him being polite got my day off to a good start. It got me to thinking how easily we can all affect each others attitudes IN A POSITIVE WAY. I mean look he affected me so much I'm now blogging about his kindness! It makes me think of those of you who have called the office and I've had the opportunity to chat with you and we just seem to hit it off. I love that feeling! Although after we got his quote his niceness didn't stick out in my head as much ;)

On Monday I took the day off because I had to get some work done on Sunday and I went to Calico Corners (a fabric store) and just struck up the best conversation with the nicest lady there, she might teach me how to sew!!! And I left with a warmer heart then when I arrived, she was just so kind, It makes me want to sigh...

So I'm going to make a conscious effort to be a random nice girl :)

I LOVE NICE PEOPLE!!!

.officially. official.

2008-06-13T16:49:00.006-05:00

oh my gooooodness y'all. Heather Essian Portrait Arts has a home all it's own. Complete with hardwood floors, beautiful white paned windows, and loads of charm! Located in the Historic hospital district of Downtown Ft. Worth easy to get to for all of my Dallas clients (we love you Dallas peeps!)

We will use the space for meeting future wedding clients, proofing portrait sessions and album designs, and use it as a natural light studio as well. It's going to be a swanky fun place to be with huge prints, and lots of albums and products to see, oh and lets not forget the fabulous furniture (really excited to decorate). I can't wait to share it with all of you!

The building is being remodeled and it looks like we won't be moving in until August or September 1, be ready for a big ole open house cocktail party!

I feel like doing the running man right now, care to join me?

.mike. + .courtney. e-session.

2008-06-12T17:14:00.004-05:00

Mike and Courtney were so much fun and up for anything! They're getting married in Mexico I believe this fall right Courtney? I'm so honored that they asked me to shoot their engagement pictures. Thank you Mike and Courtney!
most would hate her hair in her face but i actually think it sets the mood

Mike is King :)

my favorite!

.tips. on .tuesday. but. today. on .wednesday.

2008-06-11T17:29:00.016-05:00

(one day late)

Let me say there is nothing wrong with any of these “musts”, but if it’s the deciding factor on who you pick for a wedding photographer you may want to reconsider.

What I’m asking you to reconsider is this:

Do you like and trust the photographer?
Do you LOVE their work?

If the answer is yes to these questions then know that all of these “musts” can be added later after the wedding, but you absolutely can not go back and change the vendors you hire for your wedding day. You’ve heard the term “you get what you pay for” That’s not to say that just because you’re spending more money than you intended that you’re going to get perfection, but it does mean that you’re probably going to hire someone with great talent, respect, and value for their work.

Lastly know that we as photographers are commissioned to create "Art" sounds cheesy I know but I think of a better way to articulate that right now. All this added of course to documenting your day.

Art through your e-session, your bridal session, on your fast moving wedding day, and Art through you the average person (not a trained model) All of this here "Art" takes loads of practice, time, and passion to do well.

Hire vendors with heart, passion, and integrity and you're sure to have a good experience.

Now don't get me wrong I don't take myself too seriously. It's not brain surgery, but it sure is my passion, and joy!

Thank you for this great oportunity to share with you, check back every Tuesday to see a new post on tips for brides and other topics as well. I promise not every "Tipper Tuesdey" will be about photography!

in light of me wanting to get to know my clients better ...*THE FIRST BRIDE WHO IS AN EXISTING CLIENT (PAST AND FUTURE) TO LEAVE A COMMENT ON THIS POST RECEIVES YUMMY DESSERT ON ME WITH ME :) I may even throw a print for ya ;) !

if you're out of state no worries I'll take you out when I'm there for your wedding, or when you come to TX again!

Note: the first 3 comments are spam.

.cassie. + .james. MEXICO WEDDING!

2008-06-11T10:13:00.004-05:00

I went back and added few bonus images :) The story is just below...

this was kind of a risky shot, I wasn't sure how it would turn out or if the leaves from the palm tree would be too distracting. I think I accomplished the little bit of mystery I was going for.

Oh Cassie and Jame's Mexico wedding was beautiful! It was so special for Jim and me to travel there to be a part of their ceremony. I had the opportunity to get to know Cass pretty well over the months leading up to her wedding. I'm blessed to now call her a friend. This is why I love to get to know you all- I'm connected to your day and your sweet relationships.

Thank you Cassie and James!!

you all know how much I love the shoes!
breath taking! The wind worked in my favor.

such a sweet moment, they were enamored with Cass's beauty

definitely one of my faves from the day. I love the light, the texture, the mood, everything!

I was so glad that James and Cassie were up for anything. She knew she wanted to get in the ocean with her dress, and I was thrilled! This my friends is what we call a "trash the dress" the dreadful term that you all raise your eyebrow to-understandably. My goal was not to just throw her in for no reason, I wanted the images to be fun, romantic and purpose filled. And I think that's what we accomplished. I wish I could show you all the images- so fun!

THANK YOU FOR YOUR COMMENTS ;)

being. vulnerable.

2008-06-10T16:12:00.004-05:00

Allow me to be a tad vulnerable for a moment...

Sometimes the blog is an after-thought, or just a thorn in my side. Not because I don't love sharing with you all but because the image prep can be quite time consuming. Sometimes I wonder if anyone out there really pays attention to my little blog. I love that my photographer friends encourage me with their kind comments, but sometimes I wonder if clients and maybe even future clients see what goes on here. After all that's really my purpose for having an Internet identity, if you will for my business. So this leaves me to wonder how can I get more of you involved? Not at all for my own self indulgence but to share with you my heart, my work, and most importantly you. Is the time it takes worth it? Or should I spend my energies elsewhere in the business?

I've had many ideas as to how to communicate with you all (my clients) through this blog, but I wonder if my efforts would go unnoticed or fearfully unanswered because you don't know about this here little blog ;) So this leaves me to ask would you mind sharing with me, or mind commenting about what you would like this blog to be, or what you like about it now?

or just say "no... don't abandon the blog!!!"

just in case you don't know you can leave a comment by clicking on "comments" under each post. You can sign in anonymously (although I don't encourage) it or you can sign up with google/blogger by using your email address and creating your own password. It's really easy just select the option to create an identity, post a comment, publish it and vuala (sp?)!

Hopefully some of you will share in the blog love and I can get back to preparing the images to share with you ;) If you're shy and want you can just shoot me an email to heather@heatheressian.com

the "comments" tab is right under here! :)

home. sweet .home

2008-06-09T16:39:00.002-05:00

Just got in from the Bahamas! Beth and Brian's wedding was amazing...stay tuned for their sneak peek along with so many more images I have to post!

Oh how I will miss the white sand, and the clear blue water...

.stephanie. + .jason. .e-session.

2008-05-27T14:12:00.003-05:00

This is Jason and Stephanie, I had such a blast shooting this couple.

Jason drove his bike around the block a couple of times so that I could get a motion image of the two of them. I got some great shots of that, but I liked the light on them in the image shown in this post.

thank you Jason and Steph!
lucky lady bug!

Jason loves his bike...

I think these two are my faves from the session- so vintage

beth. + .brian. e-session.

2008-05-22T11:38:00.004-05:00

Meet Beth and Brian! These two will be getting married in the Bahamas next month. I can't wait to document your wedding Beth and Brian. It's gonna be a rockin wedding :)

my favorite image from the day!

amanda.+ .ryan. e-session.

2008-05-18T17:07:00.003-05:00

This is Ryan and Amanda. Once again I love the light in these images! Such a sweet couple, and Ryan was a really good sport. I was lucky enough to have my husband Jim come with me for this session (I love it when he comes along) and Ryan was good about being "mushy" in front of Jim while he made fun of him :) Joking of course...

Ryan and Amanda we can't wait to spend more time with you guys!

sweet.family.

2008-05-18T16:57:00.004-05:00

I have to thank all of you for your extended patience with me during this busy time of year! Your patience has allowed me to give the necessary attention to each and every session which is super important when it comes to my creativity! Thank you thank you!

This week my Mom has been in town from Argentina! She and my dad are missionaries over there so I don't get to see her often at all-about once a year :( Having my Mom gone makes me appreciate her love and affection even more!

Arden (my second wedding photographer) was kind enough to capture some sweet pictures of my Mom, Grandma, and me. I know we'll cherish these always!

Arden, I'm so very proud of you. I can't think of anyone else I would rather work with and have shoot my family!

inbox could be sick...

2008-05-09T17:46:00.006-05:00

Hello friends just wanted to touch base with you all and let you know we've been having some email difficulties for what may have been a while now and I didn't know it. PLEASE don't think we're just not answering you.

If for some crazy reason you don't receive a response from Kim or myself just shoot us a quick message that says: "hey did ya get my email?" ;)

on that note we are currently working on:

editing:
Beth and Brian e-session
Steph and Jason e-session
Ryan and Amanda e-session
Christina and Joe wedding
Carpenter twin boys portrait session
Amanda and Tyler couple session
Cassie and James wedding

print orders:
Renfro
Russell
Pruitt
Ratan
Leslie Shearin
Brittany Howe
Edwards

Invitation design:
Karen Mikols
Rebecca Reynolds
Tim and Tina

studio:
sample products (very exciting)
three new album samples
leasing a new studio/meeting space!

It's such a blessing to be busy, thank you for helping us grow!

love,
Heather

.christina. + .joe. wedding!

2008-05-08T09:52:00.004-05:00

Christina and Joe had a beautiful wedding, they were such a joy to work with! I had not yet met Joe until the wedding day which is unusual and he was just as fun and kind as I had imagined.

Christina and Joe I hope your wedding was all that you dreamed it would be, and thank you for allowing me to be a part of it!

The reception venue shot by Arden!

Arden was in charge of the boys and she did a fabulous job!

Christina- your father was certainly with us on your special day! :)

.heidi.+.robert. e-session.

2008-05-06T20:29:00.005-05:00

this post has had technical difficulties-please stay tuned...

.tim.+. tina. e-session.

2008-05-06T12:34:00.003-05:00

this is Tim and Tina...super sweet couple with great style! I love this image it has a secrecy feel to it. I was shooting between a chain link fence.
my top fave from the day...

can't get away from the sun flair!

Riviera Maya Mexico .here. .I. .come.

2008-05-01T16:19:00.004-05:00

image not shot by me ;)

whoop!!! I leave tomorrow to shoot Cassie and James's wedding in Mexico- so very excited! Cassie and James are willing to *gasp* jump in the ocean or do whatever we see fit for amazing images. Stay tuned...

I will be out of commission until Tuesday Morning.

Have a blessed weekend!
~Heather

.sneed.family.

2008-04-28T19:23:00.004-05:00

This is the Sneed family, very dear friends of ours. I've so enjoyed getting to be a part of this family. I've shot them a number of times and it makes me so proud to see their family grow. Little Emma is a ton of fun to photograph-she's always ready to strike a pose for me :) Dutch was so funny when we put him in the grass he turned his little nose up and was making the funniest faces...we soon realized he didn't like the feel of the grass on his feet. How cute!

Thank you Sneed family for allowing me to capture your sweet family!

something you may not know...

2008-04-24T21:14:00.004-05:00

here are a few cars that I would buy in a heart beat...

I thought it may be fun to give you all a little insight into me!

Many people think I'm a girly girl, but I have a tomboy side to me :) in fact my mom jokes that I didn't become girly until I met my husband Jim. He brought out the girl in me.

I have always had a love for old cars, and sports cars in general. When I was 16 my dream car was a 65 fast back Mustang. I'm also in love with the 67 & 68 Camaro SS. Oh how beautiful these cars are! We looked and looked for my dream car but sadly none fit in my budget.

The last love of mine was a 94 5.0 GT Mustang. I had illegal *shhh* exhaust and you could hear me comin down the street. My friend Ashley shared my love for fast loud cars so we would drive it around and rev the engine every time we went under a bridge just to hear the rumbling echo. How retarded huh?! Oh and don't even get me started on my pet peeve of automatic sports cars ;)

.Lauren+Kevin.e-session.

2008-04-17T14:33:00.002-05:00

Lets give this sunlight a hand clap offering...

Isn't it beautiful? I just love how light can evoke even more emotion in an image.

This is Lauren and Kevin, they really made my job easy. It's clear how comfortable they are with one another. I love what we were able to accomplish through their session, great couple, great light-what more could a gal ask for?

I love this shot. I don't think I even realized they were kissing I was too busy trying to focus with the sun in my eyes. But luckily I caught them :)

.christine+johnathan. e-session.

2008-04-16T20:00:00.004-05:00

am I a good blogger lately?!

so this is Christine and Johnathan stars of the new engagement sign in book! I had a lot of fun shooting these two. First we started at the train yard and got some seriously hot pictures. Then went onto some of my favorite bright walls that went famously well with Christine's skirt.

Christine is stunningly gorgeous!

this effect was done in camera. I wanted us to get a sense of them truly walking away from us...

by the way her dad is in the process of building a sweet new wedding venue called the
Piazza go check it out.

.funny.

2008-04-15T21:50:00.006-05:00

okay before I share the title of my favorite blog let me explain..

remember when we used to say "fugly" (unfortunately I still say it) when something was really ugly :)?

well this blog is called go fug yourself

will seriously ignite rolling laughter within your soul.

I love funny people- I mean to be funny in person and to make people laugh means you are uber talented. But to be a friggin hilarious writer, well I'm in awe....and only wish I was half as funny as these two girls.

When I need a break from seriousness I visit their blog and am sure to read something that will give a good chuckle. Not because they're making fun of celebrities but because they're just so funny :)

go check em out, I love the "random fug"

if you get a good laugh leave me a comment :)

.yum.

2008-04-14T19:42:00.003-05:00

my good friend Jennifer Lyons is a private chef for a downtown company. Her job is to cook and prepare the meals for the top dogs. She is super talented at what she does and I'm so excited that I could not only shoot her beautiful food, but snap a few of her as well.

Isn't she gorgeous?!

This is a shot of one of her many beautiful windows in her kitchen. I thought the way the light hit the oven was magical.

{I caught her using the oven to put her gloss on as she prepared for her shoot :)

Thank you so much Jen! Love you!

.amanda.senior.

2008-04-14T14:21:00.003-05:00

I have a new found love for senior portraits.

Meet Amanda~ graduating this year from High School! It was so neat getting to know Amanda through her senior session. She's got such a cute style. She plays the guitar and is an amazing singer to boot.

I got a little private concert with an out of tune guitar she borrowed from her brother in law.
{Ha! Amanda if you can sing well to an out of tune guitar then you can definitely sing sister!

How cute are those scrabble pieces? I found them just laying out our second location and got the great idea to spell her name out.

Amanda it was so fun working with you and your mom. Can't wait for your couples portraits!

engagement.sign-in. book!

2008-04-10T12:07:00.004-05:00

introducing....

the new e-session sign in book

{check out my rad new chair while you're at it!}

Each book is custom designed to fit your style. We even create a personal monogram for you and your wedding.

Quirky fun questions to get your guests involved in your day.

A great way to reflect on your amazing engagement session as well as remembering all those who are special to you.

complete page slide show coming soon!

style.me.pretty.

2008-04-08T20:00:00.004-05:00

Okay so it's high time I post by now huh?

well...I have a ton of sessions to share with you guys but as I sit here watching American Idol I thought I would share this cute wedding blog that I found.

style me pretty blog

home.from.vegas!

2008-03-20T13:44:00.008-05:00

Ksen, Em, and me!

Sara France's Soiree

{Robert Evans and myself -pictured above}

Whooo!!! Vegas was a blast!

I've never met that many people that I had so much in common with. I could have stayed and talked with all of them forever. Each and every one was willing to share a piece of themselves. Gosh... I wish I could list all the amazing photographers that I met there.

Thank you to Kyle Barnes and Fred Egan for introducing us to many of the leading photographers in the country. I was pleasantly surprised at how friendly and kind they all were.

One that really sticks out is Robert Evans of Robert Evans Studios Photographer of many celebrity weddings including Katie Holmes and Tom Cruise. Robert just chatted with me and my awesome roommates Ksenija and Em sharing with us how he runs things. His staff and associate shooters that work with him are equally super kind and fun!

I sat for two hours and listened to one of my favorite photographers Jesh de Rox (how cool is his name?) talk about how important it is to connect with people. Real conversations, real intimacy with those around us and how this will exude in our images. He just re-affirmed how important it is for me to connect with all of you and get to know you. That is my first passion in life- my relationships. If my images reveal your relationships and our relationship then I've done my job well.

I walked away from the experience overwhelmed, excited, and inspired! You will see a lot of great changes around here, including some sweet new products that you won't get anywhere else.

Blessings ~Heather

.wppi.

2008-03-16T09:23:00.003-05:00

Hello friends just want to let you all know that the office will be closed Sunday March 16-19th.

I will be attending a huge photographers convention in Vegas. They are expecting over 11,000 professional photographers!

I'll get to check out some new products that I will be offering in the future, as well as different album samples. And learn from some of the best photographers out there right now.

I'm not sure what my Internet connection will be like once I'm there. But I assure you I will be responding as quickly as possible.

Have a great week!

jessica.+.brandon.e-session

2008-03-12T17:25:00.002-05:00

Jessica and Brandon will be getting married in beautiful Mexico in a couple of months. I had such a great time wondering around Downtown Fort Worth with them. They were so cute and so natural they made my job easy :)

Jessica and Brandon I hope you're wedding is all that you dream and I can't wait to hear all the details!!

I really love this series, I think it tells such a sweet story...

erin.+.clay.wedding

2008-03-10T23:17:00.006-05:00

Meet Erin and Clay. Two super sweet people who completely deserve each other. I had to make myself stop because there were just too many favorites to post! How gorgeous is Erin by the way?

I've really enjoyed getting to know these guys. I had the opportunity to shoot Erin and Clay's friends Nathan and Eva's wedding back in November. It was neat to see some of the same bridesmaids and guest again! I must say everyone was really patient, I think we started shooting about 3.5 hours before the ceremony began. Thank you Clay :)

Erin and her mom are really creative and did such a great job with their decor, they implemented cute little birds and bird cages into theme of the wedding (I love birds!) Becca from A Stylish Soiree designed her flower arrangements, her and her team did such a fabulous job!! I haven't seen flowers that creative in a while.

OH! I almost forgot Lisa (Erin's mom) sewed those gorgeous sashes on the girls dresses, and made the cute little bride and groom bird cake topper. LOVE IT!

david + kim.wedding

2008-03-06T12:55:00.005-06:00

This is Kim my new office manager and her new husband David!! I had the pleasure of shooting their wedding in January (Kim patiently waited on her wedding images so that I could get caught up) what a team player!

Their love is so real and so sweet. I got choked up when they saw each other for the first time. David had his hand behind his back waiting for his beautiful bride to be (apparently something he's always done.) She took his hand and he prayed for their new beginning together. From a distance I remember hearing him thank God for her, it was quite touching.

She got to pick out which images we featured on the blog. Here are her favorites!

I'm so proud of Arden. She was responsible for shooting the guys and did such an awesome job!

to.cut.or.not.to.cut.

2008-03-03T19:29:00.005-06:00

OH MY GOSH I'M THINKING ABOUT CUTTING MY HAIR!!

For those of you who know me know that I've had long hair for all but 6 total years of my 26.5 years of life.

Should I cut it y'all?

Here is what I'm thinking...shoulderish (not short people!)- sassy- bobish- not Posh bobish though- and possibly a lighter hue for summer? My husband likes it long and dark, but I'm not sure either is suiting me well. Why do men love long hair??? I think he wishes I was slightly more exotic. Sorry babe- I'm a white girl.

My hair takes close to 2 hours to wash, dry, style for it to look it's best. I don't have that much time or stinkin energy. It has to be a special day for me to go through all that!

Okay leave me a comment saying "YES" or "NO"!!! Lets be brutally honest people!

this could be history folks...vote NOW!

ahhh.rest.and.falling

2008-02-29T21:16:00.005-06:00

It's Friday night and I'm nesting for my wedding tomorrow (erin and clay- I'm so excited!) Fridays are nest days for me. I don't like to leave my nest from about 3 pm-on. I'm gearing up the way a marathon runner would, except not quite as much movement is involved. I don't like running (ever) or moving on Fridays.

I have this horrible habit of cracking up whenever I or someone else falls (in the non brake your dome kind of way of course) So tonight I was watching America's Next Top Model "best of, or things you missed" episode. And there is a whole 5 min. clip of girls struttin there stuff on 6 inch heels FALLING ALL OVER THE PLACE! I have not laughed that hard in so long, I'm totally chuckling right now just recapping it :) I don't know what it is about people tripping that's so stinkin funny to me. I think it's how off guard it catches us. It's really quite disturbing. Just that break in our flow and then all of a sudden we're on the ground...What tha?!

Trust me I'm the first to die laughing when I trip. Watch me trip tomorrow just cause I'm laughing about it now...

rache.+.dave.new.jersey

2008-02-20T15:05:00.017-06:00

I had the pleasure of traveling to NJ to document Rachel and Dave's beautiful wedding. I met Rachel and her family while Jimmy (my hubby) was playing Baseball for the Atlantic City Surf team-Go Surfs!. Jim and Dave played ball together as well.

Eilene-Rachel's mother went to be with the Lord just a few weeks before their wedding day, she had been battling cancer for some time. Her presence was still very much alive at their wedding, It was neat to see how much support and love that the whole family has. I don't think I've ever been a part of a wedding where literaly each and every guest was obviously close with the bride and groom.

The Syvertson family means so much to me in so many ways. They helped us find a home when we moved to NJ, they took us under their wing and made sure we were always comfortable. Eilene was one of the most loving and compassionate people I have ever met. She always had us over for dinner and made us the most AMAZING Chocolate Chip Cake. I could write a whole memoir on how much I love this cake of hers! Not kidding, I would have paid her to make it and mail it to me. In fact I really wish I would have thought of that. Rache-can you make the cake as good as her? The Syvertson family really helped fill the void of me not having any friends or family around during our stay in Jersey, and for that I will forever be grateful.

To be able to witness the families strength during such a hard time was awe inspiring. Eilene and her family continued and still continues to glorify God in all of their hardships. The wedding was a happy occasion even though all were mourning the loss of Eilene. There were even some jokes made during the ceremony that I'm sure had Eilene chuckling :)

So it is my honor to share with you their special day. Thank you Syvertson family for all that you have done for Jim and me, and thank you for being such an amazing example.

This song was one that Eilene used to help her perservere through her walk with cancer.

love,
Heather
There will be many more images to come from my wonderful photographer friend Cristina Wisner! She shot all the guys stuff :)

This is Dave and Rachel seeing eachother for the first time!!

I'm in love with this image, I love the look and feel it has.

I think it was at this point in the ceremony when the pastor was joking with Al (Rache's dad) that Eilene would much rather be with Jesus than with him, but no hard feelings of course :) The single rose to the left of Al is to represent Eilene's place in that very special day.

ashley.and.todd.engagements

2008-02-12T16:07:00.003-06:00

WOW I've had a long leave of absence from this blog!! I have to say I've missed it :)

Well as you all know I've recently released my new website. (Jimmy made me do it) It's almost complete! Due to switching things around I've had a hard time figuring out how to post large images as well as the slide shows from sessions. SO....hopefully we can get that done ASAP.

I want to introduce you guys to Ashley and Todd. They'll be getting married on July 5 at the Empire room in Dallas.

I just loved how relaxed the both of them were. The really created so many sweet moments for me to capture.

new.jersey

2008-02-07T14:12:00.000-06:00

Just wanted to let ya'll know I will be out of town to shoot a wedding this weekend. Unfortunately I will not have access to my email or phone calls. I will be returning messages on Monday. Have a great weekend.

~heather

pulled.it.together

2008-01-25T10:32:00.000-06:00

Okay y'all we're back in business! Call all you want :)

Due to switching to my new website (which still needs some design work) some of the images on my blog were lost so we'll have to re post those. And I'm trying to get used to a new email host. If for some reason you send an email and I'm not responding please don't hesitate to contact me again. I may have not received it.

Also since my phone crashed on Tuesday I've lost all my messages that were on my voicemail. Please call back if I've not returned your call on accident.

And I'm so excited to introduce you guys to my new office manager Kim. She's super sweet, you all will LOVE her. I know I will!

Have a great day!

temporary.contact.difficulties

2008-01-22T09:57:00.000-06:00

We are in the process of publishing our new website and changing the office around. I will be unavailable by phone until further notice.

You can still email me at heather@heatheressian.com

Sorry about the inconvenience.

Have a blessed day!

jen.maternity

2008-01-16T13:36:00.001-06:00

Isn't Jen just gorgeous? These two were troopers. They let me try some different things, in some new locations. Love the outcome!

Makeup by the talented Hilaree Hawkins

How beautiful!

brandy.+.danny.+.baby belly

2008-01-16T13:16:00.000-06:00

Aww Brandy and Danny have a special place in my heart. They were one of my first clients!

I've shot their, "couple portraits", e-session, wedding, and now maternity. And very soon I'll get the joy of shooting baby Austin! They've opted for my Babies First Year Collection so you'll be seeing a lot of this pretty family!

studying up on parent hood :)

love love love this image!