New things for Spring! ~ McKinney, TX Child and Family Photographer

 ~ Spring has meant some sprucing up around here at Drabek Photography! I am excited for all the changes I have made for this year. They will be so helpful for my clients and me. (Read all the way to end for a very special change!) ~

~ I have new gift certificates - pretty right?! They are in stock and ready for Mother's Day gifts. ~

~ A new referral program - all clients that book a session this year will get enrolled! ~

~ I have a new email/newsletter system!! So very handy - I need all the organizing help I can get :) Plus it doesn't hurt that they are so pretty to look at. ~

Bluebonnet sessions are now open to all! If you have not already confirmed your session time and date with me now is your chance! ~Bluebonnet mini sessions~ 30 minutes up to 4 people 10 -12 edited images with reprint rights $59 + tax Families with more than 4 people participating are encouraged to book a full session. Dates available Monday April 11th - Friday April 15th (2 mini sessions or 1 full session will be offered on these days) sessions start at 5:00pm. Saturday April 16th and Sunday April 17th Mini and Full Sessions will be offered these days. Sessions start at 9:00am with last session starting at 5:30. Times will vary based on types of sessions booked. I will do my best to fit everyone in. There will be a lunch break in there for me too :) The dates for Dallas Arboretum sessions are picked! Saturday April 2nd and Sunday April 3rd Session times are limited these days: 9:00 am (picked for both days) 9:45am 10:30am 11:15am Please see the Arboretum website for parking and entry fees. Please also allow time for parking in case the lot is full and they are bussing patrons from an off site lot! ~ Arboretum mini sessions~ 30 minutes up to 4 people 10-12 edited images with reprint rights $59 + tax (I will be waiving the travel fee to the Arboretum on these days) Families with more than 4 people are encouraged to book a full session.      ©2011 Drabek Photography | McKinney, TX

~ I have a new Client Contract that explains all kinds of picky little details so I won't forget them and so I can protect myself and my work. It will also help and protect my clients too, yeah! (no pic, it is useful but not really pretty) ~

~ I got my logo made to be a watermark for my pics - Thanks Kelly, you rock! ~

~ And lastly (drumroll please)...

MY WEBSITE IS LIVE!! Woooohoooo! 

{   www.drabekphotography.com   }

~ (Told ya it would pay off to read to the end!) There are a couple other new things but I don't want to leave you reeling from all this news so I will keep a couple things secret - till your next session that is :) 

     Thank you to all my clients, without you my new website galleries would be empty, hehe, No, really, y'all are all so special to me and appreciated beyond measure. ~

~ Shout out to Brandie for giving me free therapy sessions, as I call them, and tolerating my frequent rants. I appreciate your patience and input bunches. Thanks chica and I can't wait to do the same for you when you start your business. ~

~ Thank you hubby for taking in stride and tolerating me being up crazy hours working on this, missing soccer practice, and not doing much cooking or cleaning or anything for that matter. Your help and encouragement has meant everything to me. No way would all this be possible otherwise. Love you babe! ~

Love,

Angela

Family Session Wardrobe Tips

       I have had a few people tell me they just don't know what to wear for their session. When photographing an individual the wardrobe choices and options are very different than when photographing a family of 3 or more. I do consult with each client about what they plan to wear the day of their session because it is such an important and influential aspect in how their final images will look. Too many colors or patterns and it becomes more about the clothes and less about the people in them. Here is some general advice to consider when planning your next family session with Drabek Photography. This is meant to give most people a little direction in their decision making. I have not gone into as many options as could be possible in fashion - dresses, Capri's, layers - or into the fact that your location can make a difference too. I am just providing this as a basic tool for a place to start from. Of course each family is unique and different! Your family's special charm, personality, and happy smiles are what will set you apart from everyone else, not your clothes. Let those unique qualities be what people see in your pictures!

          With parents participating in a session I usually say pick what you feel comfortable in and then dress the kids to that! But I think most people choose the kids and then themselves because the kids are pickier or harder to find something for. Don't shortchange yourself, you deserve to look and feel your best too! Also, look for what the majority may already own so you don't have to add the stress of shopping for head to toe new outfits for everyone. Keep it simple!

Bottoms: Choose a neutral colored bottom - black, denim, khaki, gray, navy, brown.
Then decide will:

• everyone be the same - same color and same style - i.e.  black pants on everyone.
• boys and girls be different - boys shorts/girls skirts.
• kids the same and parents different - kids shorts/parents pants
• the boys wear one color (khaki) and the girls wear another (brown)

I wouldn't mix up the bottoms too much more than this, if you are looking for variety, because it will look too busy and be distracting. Neutral patterns on bottom can also be done. Bottom style can vary (leggings, pants, long skirt) but I would try not to vary the length if possible. All long or all short is better. All long is best.

Tops - Choose a rich somewhat neutral color. Good colors to think about would be navy, forest green, maroon, sometimes black, cream possibly, sometimes white.
Then decide will:

• everyone do the same color, one that is flattering on the whole group
• boys wear one color and girls wear another.
• parents wear one color and kids wear another.
• kids in one style (sweaters) and parents in another (button downs).

I suggest not doing patterns on top on anyone if possible, if you do do patterns try to keep them neutral and not too busy - for example: everyone in plaid, would not be good! It will be too busy with many people wearing it and again distracting. Small logos are fine but words, writing, and characters on shirts is discouraged. I wouldn't do more than two colors on top in a small family if possible. This tip truly depends on number of people participating. I would not do head to toe one color (black top/black bottom). Top style can vary (sweater, button down, long sleeved polo) but I would try not to vary the length if possible. All long or all short is better. All long is best.

         My reasoning for these suggestions is as follows - when you look at a photo your eyes are instinctively drawn to the lightest colored part of the photo. If your arm and leg skin is covered your faces become the lightest part of the picture and everyone will be drawn to look at them. The neutral clothing then also showcases every one's face and it becomes less about what you are wearing and more about seeing each person, their features, and your collective expression!

I hope this helps a few of you. Feel free to still ask questions if you have them and email me snapshots if you would like specific feedback.

Angela Drabek

Who do you use to print your photos?

        There are many aspects to planning a portrait session, both for the client and myself. As a client you have many choices to make. The most obvious first step is you have to decide who your photographer will be. Will you choose a studio or on location photographer? Then you have to decide what to wear, which location to use, is this is for a special occasion or gift or is this just for yourself? Assuming all goes well you will end up with some images you will cherish forever.
         As your personal family photographer I would be remiss if I did not point out the most important choice you have to make after your session. What to do with your wonderful images. When you choose Drabek Photography you can choose to only print them, to save them to a flash drive, or both. I also offer other product options but for now we are going to strictly focus on prints. I want to show you why your choice of printer can impact your final tangible results. Not all printers are created equally and therefore neither is their product.
       To illustrate this point I am conducting an experiment and a survey. I appreciate all your feedback in conducting this survey. I will have my experiment results in a couple weeks to share with you. I hope this will help my clients to become happier and more informed consumers. Thank you for your help!

Angela

Please leave this info in your comment:

Who is your preferred digital printer for your everyday prints? Why?
Who is your preferred digital printer for your special portrait prints? Why?
Are there any other contributing factors to your choice besides price and location?
What would cause you to choose a different printer?

My life in cameras, 35mm to digital point and shoot to DSLR to point and shoot again...

          I, like any camera/photography nut, have a history that can be told in my cameras. I wanted to take this chance to tell you what I have and why. I don't talk about myself on here much because I want it to be about my work and clients. This aspect though is relevant I think so here ya go. I will post later about other equipment I use but for now it is about the camera itself.
          I remember cameras from when I was little. I don't remember a lot of specifics but I loved using them. Polaroids rocked! I remember my dad's cameras too; I wasn't allowed to touch them. I remember my grandfather's cameras; he was a picture nut too. It's in the genes I am sure. My kids display the early signs of photo nuttiness already.

          My first "nice" camera was an Olympus. I got it as a gift from then boyfriend, now hubby, and I cried I was so excited. I loved that camera. It went everywhere with me. Vacations, family holidays, and of course our wedding. I took so many pictures of my own wedding. I got the photographer's pics too because that was the only way there would be any of me. I got asked to take a couple's pic for the first time with this camera. They just wanted a nice pic of themselves and ended up using it as their Christmas card photo. I was so excited they liked it enough to use it for something so special. They are not together; I still love them both. Still got the camera and that picture.
                       Took Olympus on the honeymoon, to our first home, and he captured the first pictures of our first born son. Wasn't giving him up. Didn't like digital cameras. Where is the fun or quality in those? I loved the rich color and look of 35mm prints. In the beginning you got to admit digital cameras were not great. The processing of them needed to get the kinks worked out too. Some digital cameras are still too tiny for my taste. Really convenient though. I wasn't willing to give up 35mm for convenience. Old school all the way. I liked waiting for my pictures to come back from the store. I liked the surprise of getting a great shot that I wasn't expecting. Then digital got better. I decided to give it a try. Second baby was on the way. I opted for Canon after much research.  I liked her, OG (original) Canon. Not sure why she is a she and Olympus is a he but let it be noted there is a difference.She was convenient and made good quality pictures. I got asked to do engagement pictures for a friend. Then a family picture for her. I used my Olympus. That person is still in my life and I have now had the privilege of taking pictures of her kiddo for her "professionally". Still got the camera. They still have the photos.

                 I finally decided to put Olympus down and pick up OG Canon full time. She took the first pics of my new baby boy. She fit in the diaper bag better and with a baby and toddler to lug around it was just easier. Oh how me and my OG Canon got along once I gave her a chance! We went to the park, parties, concerts, and all the fun stuff. I loved her. I could print all the copies of 5 pictures that looked almost identical that I wanted. (PRINT your pictures people, more on that later) Price per print could not be beat for sure. I could share even more with friends! The boys knew I loved her and they wanted to be like mommy and take pictures. They broke her lens cover! I still had a warranty and sent OG Canon in. It kinda felt like an appendage was missing over those couple of weeks. She came back and we were off with life. Then the boys broke her again. grrr. Out of warranty now. They got a Fischer Price Kid Tough Camera for Christmas that year. Also strict instructions to never ever touch MY camera again. But what to do now that I was out of a working camera?

                   I knew a point and shoot wasn't going to keep up with what I wanted to. Photography has always been my passion and number one creative outlet. I have always enjoyed sharing  this love with others or whoever will hold still and let me take their picture. I finally took the plunge and decided to start Drabek Photography. Hubby and I agreed I should invest in a DSLR for my new business. I decided to go Canon again. I don't choose to get in Nikon vs Canon debates, everyone has their own opinion. It's a personal preference too, I don't take it personally though. I'm just a Canon girl. So 50d came in to my life. Oh she is gorgeous! I *heart* her, I *heart* her!! Momma C as I have now named her. I don't mind her size or weight at all. Being a she she appreciates that I don't size discriminate. I love all the fun things I can do with her. I take her everywhere. Hubby is a little intimidated by her, ha ha j/k. He just likes the smaller carry-in your pocket-ability of the point and shoots. I don't care. She is pretty and I love her. She would be sad to miss out on all the fun, so she comes along to all of it.
                     I have now grown out of my "cling on, sleep with, eat with" phase with Momma C and realize I want her to last as long as possible (See side note below). She isn't always that easy to carry to the park. But gosh she takes great pictures. I was kinda thinking I wanted another point and shoot. I dare not ask for another camera though. I just got this one. I will take 50d to sessions and the playground. Wait, summer is coming, that means going to spray parks and pools. Maybe I do want a point and shoot. Nope, gonna suck it up and figure it out.

         Insert awesome husband and kids. What do you think they got me for Mother's Day? Another camera of course! I did not ask for this cutie but did get a little say in what I liked, just so happened to be a Canon. The idea and generosity was all theirs. Thank you boys!!!! Momma C has now adopted Baby C as her own and so have I. I give them genders and names, call me crazy like hubby does, I can take it.

         Now Momma C can come with me for sessions and special occasions. I do say every occasion deserves my most heartfelt attempt at taking a good picture of it. Blowing bubbles in the backyard? Gonna set the shot up first. Point and click or not. More on this topic too, another time. But Baby C will come to the park now, the pool, the basic life stuff.  As long as someone is on duty I am good. Hubby wants his own camera now, I am such a bad influence, to take pictures when he is away from me. I am a little possessive of my cameras and don't share really well. Like my kids, it is hard for me to let them out of my sight. Who knows, we'll have to see who joins the family for Father's Day!

       Gonna send in broken OG Canon for a trade amount. I am sentimental but also practical. I know that this is a lot to read, but hope it gives you an insight into my passion for what I do. Me, my camera, and my photos are intertwined. I love my family and my cameras bunches, hehe.

        Keeping the Olympus forever I think. Just like me and the hubs, we go way back. Like "when 35mm was hip" way back. Too much history there to let it go, plus I do still love 35mm pics.

Love you babe, thank you for tolerating my other true love, you are the first love in my heart always.  ;) kiss kiss.

Angela

Side note: Every digital camera has a life. Not a "go to parties and shopping" kind of life but a life expectancy. It is usually measured in frames. How many pics (frames) you can click before it goes kaput. Getting this point and shoot will extend my DLSR's life by allowing me to click away for the little stuff at home and use my 50d for big stuff. Most manufacturers will list the frames you should expect your camera to get before it needs repair or replacement. Look in your manuals. You do read your manuals right? The amount you can expect will of course vary by brand, style, and how you use it and take care of it. Also, you can reduce your electronic gadget footprint by finding out if your brand or store of choice offers a trade in option.