A Week Ago Today...

Last Monday I spent the afternoon near

and IN

Lake Travis, 

tagging along after this sweet, fun family.

You can see more photos of them over at my website

 Barbara Shallue Photography.

But you won't see them all. 

I kind of went crazy.

I took over 200 photos!

Between working, editing those photos, and celebrating Father's Day with my dad and then with Tom, 

this past week has zoomed by. 

But guess what?

One of my photos will be featured in HuffPost 50's 

Fifty Fine Arts, 

but I'm not sure when. 

I'll keep you posted.

I have other photos I want to share with you soon 

of the yucca blooms 

and this weird metallic beetle my kids spotted 

but they aren't ready yet. 

So I'll just share these of this awesome old red truck 

resting in the parking lot of Bogie's Buggies, 

an automotive shop in Lago Vista. 

It's missing a few parts. 

Can you tell?

I hope they can fix it up, 

but I loved it the way it was and had fun meeting it

and playing with the photos.

(If it had air-conditioning, automatic windows, and a radio, this would be the vehicle of my dreams!)

Thanks for coming by!

I hope you have a wonderful week!

Hello, Tuesday

Are your days flying by like mine? 

I can't believe it's been over a week since I shared my Austin photos with you.

But guess what? 

Mortal Muses chose the one below for their Street Photography Mosaic!

Click HERE to see the mosaic itself.

And I have more good news!

I spent the afternoon yesterday at a park on a creek, capturing the smiles of my friend Debbie's family for the second year in a row. 

I'm not quite finished editing them, but here's one of my favorite group shots so far....

Isn't that a gorgeous family?

I'll post my other favorites on my website when I'm finished.

Time to get going.  

I hope you have a fabulous week!

Belated Lessons from the Third Shoot

One evening way back in April, I spent a few hours traipsing after my friend Debbie's precious family with my camera.

It  just hit me I never posted any of them here!

We had scheduled and rescheduled the shoot at least twice trying to work around the weather and other conflicts, and we had to do it in the evening when the kids were tired, but I'm pleased - and I think she is - with the way they turned out.

Then there was another delay. 

Before I had a chance to really look at them, my friends and family  pitched in and bought me a new computer for my birthday - a Mac! - which meant I had to load my editing software, not to mention learn how to use the computer.

(I'm not complaining, believe me!)

But Debbie is truly a saint and never complained. 

That's no excuse for me, though. I learned from this shoot that no matter what happens, I need to make my client's photos a top priority. 

I need to have a quick turnaround, no matter how saintlike and patient they are.

I also learned...

... bubbles might be tough for 4- and 5-year-olds 

 ... let the client know they are off the hook for trying to get the little ones to smile, and to just relax and keep looking at me

... if possible,  schedule the shoot in the morning when little ones aren't tired, but if that's not possible, follow them around and catch them doing what they enjoy (I'm glad I wore tennis shoes!)

Debbie, thank you again so much for letting me spend time with you and your beautiful family!!

On the Playground with Haila

Electronically thumbing through my photos yesterday, I was dismayed by how many I've barely glanced at, if not totally forgotten. 

These of my nephew and his family are from Thanksgiving weekend! 

Where have those weeks gone? 

For that matter, it doesn't seem that long ago that I took this young dad, his sister and my own three kids to a playground similar to this one.

Ahhh, they grow so fast, don't they?

As much fun as those days were, I confess I'm happy to be the one snapping photos rather than chasing after the giggling toddler...

Lessons from the Second Shoot

The day of my second shoot

it was cold

there were near-hurricane force winds blowing

(that's an exaggeration, but during a photo shoot, wind is not your friend)

so the plan of shooting in a nearby park was scrapped.

I learned to be flexible.

We shot between two tall houses that (nearly) blocked the wind.

We shot inside, too.

I don't have the right lighting equipment for inside shots

so I had them stand near a window.

My client had this beautiful red wall and yellow couch

and great ideas on how to stage the shots.

I learned (too late, obviously) that they shouldn't stand close to the wall.

This would be so good except for that shadow.

You can't beat that smile, though, can you?

Again, I was blessed with wonderful photogenic client/models

who had great smiles and ideas.

I just listened and clicked.

Capturing this many sets of eyes open in one shot felt amazing!

...and I kept an eye on this one during the breaks... 

It paid off!

The outside shots are still my favorites...

The biggest lesson I learned?

To relax and have fun, no matter what.