Summer Special Offer

School is finally over and the sun is finally out! I recently went swimming for the first time in a very long time and I feel energized. With all of this new-found energy, I thought it would be a great time to announce our summer photography specials!!

Fun in the Sun ~ This Collection is perfect to get some new family pictures, some of the kiddos only or a baby/kid milestone. Sessions will be booked Monday through Saturday early morning (between 7-10 am), before the heat of the summer day. Location choices include area parks, lakes, play grounds, your back yard with play equipment, and much more.

Water Fun ~ This Collection is created to meet all your Water Fun needs. I’ll come to your back yard or splash park and shoot you and your kiddos having fun.. sprinklers, swimming pool, water balloons, you name it, I’m there. The only condition is that it has to be fun and wet.. ;) .. Sessions will be booked a few hours before sunset Monday through Saturday.

*** BOOK NOW and receive your FREE 8x5½ Soft Cover Press Photo Book (brag book). ***

Tax and shipping NOT included. Offer Valid for June, July and August. Other session types can also utilize this offer. Great for SENIORS too!

Ok so who is in??… Let’s make this summer memorable.. ;)

Take a picture why don't you – it'll last longer!

Some may remember posing for an "impromptu" photo opportunity during every family gathering. You stood there frozen, with cemented smiles as you wondered if Aunt Thelma would ever take the photograph. Cheese...... then Bam! You were blinded by the bright flash bulb.

Auntie had the right idea. She wanted to memorialize every event. It didn't matter if the developed film never made it out of the card board envelopes. What was important is that she enjoyed taking photos. Amateur photographers everywhere are still snapping pictures as a favorite pastime.

Photography is a good means to chronicle someone's life. A picture tells a thousand words, so what an excellent way to document special moments, highlights and milestones. Over time, our memory isn't as iron-clad as it once was. With photographs you can still recall the special moment even when the memory fades.

Photography is good for your well being. Reflect on all the studies that talk about how beneficial laughter is to your health. Now consider your emotions when you see photos of a new baby, or a wedding, or any of the other adorable photos that are found in email in-boxes on a daily basis. They make you happy! Photos elicit positive emotions.

Think about the people who were in south Texas during the winter of 2004. I'm sure they were happy to be down there when they had snow for the first time in over 100 years. There were people outside taking pictures at midnight; what an opportunity!

Have you ever seen deer on the side of the road? Not too many bucks will stop long enough to be photographed. If you're fortunate enough to see sitting deer, you better hope to have a camera with you; as they likely won't be sitting there waiting for you the next time you drive by.

While some people still prefer film cameras, digital cameras now come in any size or budget. For the novice photographer who merely enjoys taking photographs as a way to relax or capture those one of a kind moments, suitable digital cameras are available for under $100.

Some people are still using 1.3 mega pixel digital cameras. By today's standard, that is considered a dinosaur. However it would still work if the photographer just wanted to take an occasional photo to list items for sale on eBay. Today many amateur photographers are using digital cameras with 4-6 mega pixels.

As a rule of thumb, the higher the mega pixel, the higher the price tag. Notwithstanding, higher mega pixel cameras also come with more bells and whistles and have a higher resolution. Most all digital cameras also have a timer and ability to make very small movie clips. Many also have zoom lens features.

With digital photography it is fun to play around with new technology. Create a screen saver of your best photo with ImageBox from CoolUtils or visit tripwow.tripadvisor.com. If you came back from Hawaii and have lots of great photos that you want not to just show to your friends but amaze them - make an astonishing slideshow. Imagine all pictures will be shown one by one with different effects, accompanied by music and your comments. With ImageBox every photo stops being a snapshot but becomes a living part of the presentation. With TripWow you can create an amazing slideshow of your trip that includes maps showcasing your vacation. Your friends will be amazed! Don't think about how difficult it is – you will create your first slideshow in 6 minutes.

While it is possible to make a living as a photographer, the majority of camera users simply take photos because they enjoy it. It's true that time will not stand still. The taunting school aged children had it right when they responded to stares, "Take a picture why don't you – it'll last longer!"
Now you do the same - stop reading and go take a picture... it'll last longer!

And for that special event, call us and schedule a session for professional portraits! That way you can always keep your memories close.

One of the most polarizing issues among people today ...

It's one of the most polarizing issues among people today. It's drawn online protests and immense frustration. And once you've formed an opinion about it, it's hard to change your mind.

Nope, it's not the 2012 election. It's another Facebook redesign.

Facebook Timeline, currently rolling out to all users, is one of the biggest design changes in the site's eight-year history. Timeline, an interface that encourages users to make Facebook a kind of online scrapbook of their lives, has been optional for all accounts since December.

Timeline features larger "wall" photos and a huge cover photo in addition to a profile picture, and it emphasizes major life events.

Timeline has plenty of naysayers, who say they think the new layout is confusing and reveals too much personal information. But among fans, the larger photos and ability to navigate events by year are some of the favorite features.

And they're taking advantage of those features. The last time Facebook redesigned its profiles to include more photos, artists got creative, and they did it again again with Timeline.

CNN "Creative Facebook Timelines"

Facebook's Timeline is here. Whether you like it or not. So Let's embrace it! Let's create a Timeline that truly showcases who we are. Dawn Michelle Creations can help you do that!

It's simple really.. all you have to do is schedule your photo shoot .. and WE will take care of the rest!

After your appointment, in addition to viewing your images on your personalized web page, you will receive a FREE custom Facebook timeline photo image collage.

Call 214-789-7090 today to schedule your appointment and start impressing your friends with your amazing Timeline!

Why All Business Women and Men Should Have a Professional Portrait of Themselves

Earlier today, I was talking to a woman who was having a difficult time at work because she felt like upper management just wasn’t taking her seriously. She hadn’t been promoted in the last five years and was feeling incredibly frustrated.

She is an attractive women, who wears trendy professional clothes, is highly educated, and continuously strives to increase her knowledge including improving her public speaking and presentation skills. I asked her to show me the picture she was using on her internal company directory. That’s when we realized something was very, very wrong!

The picture on her company directory was actually the same picture that had been taken for her security badge – back when she joined the company 11 years ago! Needless to say, it looked like a bad police mug shot. Her hairstyle was incredibly outdated (and her hair was stuck to her head since she’d been caught in an unexpected shower without an umbrella that morning) and the picture was overexposed, making her look like a ghost.

Upon seeing the picture, she said, “Oh my gosh, I look horrible! It’s even worse than the picture on my passport! What must people think of me when they see this picture? I never bothered to think about my picture on the company directory. And every time someone looks me up on our directory, they’re seeing this picture! Eek!!”

She also hadn’t bothered to think about the pictures she was using for her profile on other social networking sites outside of her work environment, such as LinkedIn and FaceBook. Big mistake! Unfortunately, perception is often reality, as the old saying goes. How you look in a picture with your professional business profile and contact information is sometimes the first time a person will actually see you. And when they look at your picture, what will their perception be about you?

If you don’t have a professional photo, people will often come to the conclusion that you don’t take your career seriously and you may not be very professional yourself. Perception is reality in the business world.

Six Do’s and Don’ts for Professional Photos that get Noticed – for the right reasons:

• Do dress conservatively for the picture and wear clothes that would be appropriate for your work place. Do not wear sexy, form fitting, or revealing clothing for your business portrait.
• Do dress in solid colors. Don’t wear patterns as they can be distracting and become dated quickly. Red and yellow can cast an unflattering light on your face so don’t wear them near the face. If you are light skinned do not wear white near your face as it will make you look pale.
• Do use a professional photographer. Avoid having a family member or friend take your photos, no matter how “well meaning” they might be.
• Do make sure your photographer does at least basic re-touching. It’s important to project a polished image by removing things like stray hairs and blemishes. Don’t go overboard with the re-touching and end up making your photo look like a plastic Barbie doll.
• Do have the photo taken in a place you’ll feel comfortable. You do not have to take a studio portrait. You can have your picture taken in your work environment, home, or outdoors, if you prefer. Just make sure it’s taken by an experienced location photographer so it won’t end up looking like a snapshot. Regardless of where the picture is taken, don’t use elaborate sets or props – keep it simple.
• Do smile! It’s very important to smile in your professional portrait. A smiling image has been proven time and time again to make people feel more at ease. It’s also a widely held belief that a person who smiles is more trustworthy. Do not try to look stern in your photo – people will not take you more seriously if you look mean.

Once you’ve had your professional portrait pictures taken, we send you the images electronically so you can switch out all the previous pictures of yourself for the new ones as quickly as possible! If it’s true that perception is reality, then you can immediately start changing (for the better) the perception people have of you…starting with your picture.

The Value of Family Photos

I was talking to a lady the other day who had a very sad story to tell. Orphaned as a child, she had no photographs at all of her childhood. In later years, her ex-husband destroyed all of her photographs from her teenage and young adult years. As a photographer, this really brought home to me the value of family photographs, whether taken professionally or just casual family snapshots. I’m lucky in that we have a wealth of family photographs to look back on, but that isn’t always the case.

What concerns me in this digital age is that there are many more photographs taken than ever before, but most of them never see the light of day. They’re stored on computer hard drives or even left on the camera or phone, but we all know how fast technology goes out of date, and how quickly computers can fail without warning. Pictures can so easily be lost forever.

My advice is to back your pictures up!! Better still, get them printed – a hard copy is so much more stable!! And take heed of the story that started this blog – get multiple copies and distribute them round the family. One last word of advice – if you’re the family photographer, make sure that you get to be on some of the pictures too. They don’t have to be masterpieces, but why not supplement your own family snapshots by booking a professional family photo shoot once in a while. Family photographs are one of the few things that increase in value as time goes by.

I just thought I’d take this opportunity to share a couple of family shots from my own childhood….

Here is my Grandpa with my Mom when they were photographed for the newspaper, talking about the clocks they brought back from Germany:

 

This is me and my Grandpa at his house in Bells, Texas:

This is me and my Grandpa at my Great Grandma's funeral:

My Grandpa died many years ago. These photos help to bring back my memories of times spent with him. They also showcase the style of the time.

Call 214-789-7090 today to schedule your family for a session - Capture those memories before it's too late!

Facebook Timeline

Facebook is scheduled to change all profiles to the new timeline format in March. If you have already tried uploading a photo, then you know how it does not always look the way you want it to.

 

Therefore, the next 10 people who book their photography appointment - family, seniors, new baby, any session type - will receive a FREE custom Facebook timeline photo image. Call 214-789-7090 today to schedule your appointment.

Photo Gifts - Not in a store near you

Looking for a unique gift idea? Our custom photo gifts are perfect for any special occasion.

One of the best ways to showcase your images is to put them on everyday items for your home or office.

Truly impress your recipient with personalized photo gifts ... photo gifts like a photo iPhone case, bookmarker, drinkware, or canvas print. Give Dad a photo mouse pad or personalized luggage tag. Give Mom a photo coaster set, a photo key chain, or a photo album. Give Grandparents a photo puzzle or a photo calendar. Photo ornaments make a unique Christmas gift for extended family members. Or get your dog or cat a personalized photo tag with your contact information on the back.

We also have great photo plaques to give as "thank you" gifts to coaches, teachers, or to a dedicated star student. You can also stack the deck in your favor with a set of personalized photo playing cards.

We have many choices for the most unique gifts. Schedule your photo shoot today and use your professional images to truly give custom photo gifts.

First 10 appointments booked receives a FREE Basic Portrait Package

I am trying to build my portfolio so I am offering this deal for a limited time. The first 10 people who call 214-789-7090 and book their appointment will receive a FREE Basic Package which includes your choice of any 3 Units (sheets) and a photo inserted Key Chain, $113 Value FREE only for first ten appointments.

Only a few more appointments left!

What is a photographer?

A photographer (from Greek φωτός (photos), meaning "light", and γράφω (graphos), meaning "written") is a person who takes photographs.

Photographers take pictures of people, places, or things. They want us to get a special feeling when we see their pictures. They take pictures to sell products, entertain people, report the news, or bring back memories.

Photographers know how to choose the right equipment to give them the best picture. They use different things such as lights, lenses, and film to create a picture. New digital technology is being used more and more by photographers. A lot of them use computers to finish their work.

Photography is the art, science and practice of creating durable images by recording light or other electromagnetic radiation. The process of obtaining a usable exposure must involve the use, manually or automatically, of a few controls to ensure the photograph is clear, sharp and well illuminated. The controls usually include but are not limited to the following:

• focus
• aperture
• shutter speed
• white balance
• metering
• ISO speed
• choosing the appropriate focal length, lens, and filters

What kind of person is a photographer?

Photographers need to be artistic, persuasive, determined, energetic, kind, and outgoing; and have a strong affinity for aesthetics and beauty. Photographers are extremely perceptive and aware of others. They constantly gather specific information about people, and seek to discover what it means. They are usually penetratingly accurate in their perceptions of others. They genuinely care about people, and are strongly service-oriented.

A photographer needs to be artistic, intellectual and thoughtful. They need a creative eye and an easy going personality; and the ability to simply observe, analyse, and clarify.

My temperment generally falls into the INTP personality type.

"When involved in portrait or people photography, the INTP will also be primarily concerned with the mood conveyed by the person in the eye of the lens. Quality photographic skill, as well as an intrinsic feel for imagery, is usually second nature to the INTP and can make a good career choice. When viewing photographic images, say in magazines, the overriding concern is for how the photo is conveyed; its mood, its colour, contrast and shading usages, its perspectives and image quality." http://intp.org/intprofile.html

Ever wonder why some photographers are attracted to street photography while others work exclusively in their own studios? Or why some love landscapes while others care only for portraiture? It has to do with more than a simple preference for one subject over the other. Based on years of personal observation I believe the root cause has to do with personality type. Allow me to explain.

Broadly speaking, photographers who are, shall we say "control freaks," want their photographs to turn out a certain way. They have a vision in their minds and they want their photos to reflect that vision. They therefore prefer to shoot in situations where they have almost total control of the environment--in other words, a studio. A studio allows them to control every aspect of the lighting, from direction and degree of diffusion to intensity. They can control the subject and its positioning. They can control the camera position. If they shoot digitally they can control, well, you name it. Although they might admire the mindset it takes to venture out into the wild and wooly world with their only controls being location, time of day, camera settings, and when to release the shutter, the idea of actually doing it themselves is horrifying.

Street and the sports photographers tend to fall at the opposite end of the spectrum. They give up the bulk of their control in exchange for the joy of the hunt and the miracles of serendipity. The difference between them is that sports photographers are generally extroverts. Although some street shooters are extroverts who think nothing of walking up to perfect strangers and either engaging them in conversation or snapping a few quick frames outright, others are introverts who prefer to be on the outside looking in. The last thing they want is to be noticed and the less attention they attract the better.

Landscape, location, travel, wedding, and architectural photographers tend to fall somewhere in the middle. They understand that they are often at the mercy of mother nature, time, and logistics, yet they're often willing to do whatever it takes to get the shot, whether it be waiting hours or days for the light to be right, or adding unseen lights, shims, and reflectors to a scene. They can certain recognize and take advantage of a serendipitous moment when they see it yet they are perfectly willing and able to seize control if the need arises.

As for me, it's no secret to loyal readers of this blog that I love location photography - the grassy hillside, endless rail road tracks, city side walks, stone walls, iron gates, play grounds - these provide some of the most amazing images; showcasing you as you naturally are, capturing "you".

Between all of the different types of photography, cameras, films and all of the different personalities of photographers, it can often seem an impossible task to choose the right photographer. Ultimately, you must choose a photographer who can capture the unique images that you are looking for.

At Dawn Michelle Creations, we offer more than professional photography. We capture the moments your family will cherish for years to come. We know exactly how to bring out the unique personalities of each individual, creating a photographic record that can be shared and displayed. We translate our passion for storytelling into images destined to last you a lifetime. Dawn Michelle Creations does more than take photographs; we create memories that last a lifetime.

How to be Beautiful

While beauty is almost as subjective as love, it's something that you can explore and discover in yourself over time. This article focuses on both inner and outer beauty.

1. Seek beauty around you. How do you define beauty? As you go through your day, try to make note of things and people that strike you as beautiful: the art, the sky, someone's freckles. If you can, write them down. Find your beauty. Try to understand what makes them beautiful to you. They may not be beautiful to others, but that's the reason beauty is in the eye of the beholder.
2. Recognize the beauty in yourself. Look in the mirror and search for beauty. By now, you've probably noticed that the most beautiful things in life are often subtle and hidden. The same goes for the beauty you hold. Maybe you have smooth, well-proportioned hands, or a flawless forehead, or perfectly-shaped shoulders. Whatever it is, it's yours - reveal it.
3. Develop your inner beauty. There are plenty of so-called beautiful people out there who lie, cheat, steal, and even kill. This type of beauty does not last . By finding yourself and building your character through integrity, you can be beautiful both on the inside and on the outside. Better yet, your inner beauty will always emanate and never fade, wrinkle, or turn gray.
4. Enhance your physical beauty. Looking beautiful is all about emphasizing those features in you that are already beautiful. There are millions of ways to do this, as there are millions of potentially beautiful features on a single body. The important thing is to experiment with accentuating that beauty until you can look at your reflection and feel like you've given your beauty the representation it deserves.
5. Create beauty outside of yourself. Now that you see beauty and you are beautiful (as you always have been, but now know it), it's time to make beauty. Art is a very popular emulation of beauty, but it's possible to inject beauty into everything you do (your work, how you interact with people, and the way you decorate your room, for example). This is an extremely satisfying pursuit that will not only make the world a more beautiful place, but it will also bring your quest for beauty full circle.

Even though what is considered beautiful varies from person to person, there are a few broad characteristics that most people seem to agree on:

• Health is beautiful. There's nothing beautiful about destroying your body, even if you do it slowly by neglecting your body.
• Character is beautiful. Think of the most beautiful people you know; now imagine them spitting on a homeless person. They're not very beautiful anymore, are they?

Tell yourself every day when you wake up: "I am beautiful. No one can take that away from me." If you are getting older - in your thirties, forties, or older, you will be beautiful in a different way than a younger person. You will have lines, perhaps scars, perhaps some grey, you may have mannerisms or ways of moving that have become uniquely you. You can take these changes and either use them to feel deeper, richer, more nuanced, more sensual, or you can feel worn down, comparing yourself to younger people.

Being fake (a form of deception) is one of the ugliest things in the world. Don't think that in order to be beautiful, you can't be yourself. Many people have terrible judgment and don't recognize beauty when they see it. They may say things that can hurt you, but don't let their ignorance ruin your happiness, because those who mind don't matter, and those who matter don't mind. Beware, some people may also overemphasize inner beauty as the only area one should work on enhancing. Do not believe making "adjustments" to your outer beauty is being fake. As long as you are comfortable, you are good to go.

Inner beauty is something we all posess. Sometimes we just need someone / something to remind us of how to use this quality. Helping others without thinking, lending a hand to someone in need (even if it is just to carry something for 2 steps).  Remember that doing your good deed for the day is when you do something for someone who will not be able to repay you.  Even when you are in a rush, put out your hand and help someone out. You never know when you might be that someone…

We believe that everyone is beautiful! Taking the time to highlight and capture that inner and outer beauty is our commitment to you. The art of our inner world caught by a camera offers compelling beauty and inspiring images. Dawn Michelle Creations captures your mood, facial features, and your inner beauty and celebrates every stage of your life with natural, fresh, and simple portraits that you and your family will treasure for generations to come.


“I believe inner beauty shines outward. While photographing, I strive to capture the rays of light that reveal one’s essence." ~ Dawn Michelle


Life's moments are a lot like magic - here one minute and gone the next. Capture the memories and magic of family with the enduring beauty of a portrait. Call to schedule your appointment today! We have a few more FREE Basic Packages left (includes your choice of any 3 Units (sheets) and a photo inserted Key Chain, $113 Value FREE for 1st 10 appointments).

The Perception of Beauty

You can read the entire Washington Post article at http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/04/04/AR2007040401721.html

When is the best time to create a photo book?

Life moves fast and unless you capture those special memories, they fade away and can easily be lost to the busyness of daily life. Whether those special memories are holidays, family reunions, family vacations, a wedding, a new baby, a graduation or capturing the precious moments of childhood, unless you take steps to remember these times, you can lose them forever.

A photo book will capture your precious photos along with photo captions and the story of the event or occasion to preserve those memories for you and for future generations.

Whenever you have precious memories you want to preserve for you and your friends and family, it is a good time to capture those memories in a photo book.

Creating a photo book is easy and fun. Just choose your book type from our album selection, choose your image numbers, let us know of any text you want to include, and we will do the rest.

The best time to create a photo book is while you still carry the specialness of that time in your heart, before it starts to fade from memory. You may even want to create a photo book on a regular basis so you don’t miss preserving your favorite memories.

Check out the amazing personalized photo books today at http://www.dawnmichellecreations.net/Photo_merchandise_album.html and get started before your precious memories start to fade away!

Dawn Michelle Creations Slideshow

Dawn Michelle Creations Slideshow: Dawn’s trip from McKinney, Texas, United States to Denison was created by TripAdvisor. See another Denison slideshow. Create a free slideshow with music from your travel photos.

Picturing "You"

“It’s one thing to make a picture of what a person looks like, it’s another thing to make a portrait of who they are.” – Paul Caponigro

When it comes down to who you choose to professionally photograph you or your family, it's important to find someone that captures "you".

Thank you for considering Dawn Michelle Creations! I realize that your choice in a photographer is personal and I would consider it an honor to capture the important moments in your life.

We translate our passion for storytelling into images destined to last you a lifetime. Since you’ll probably want fitting ways to show them off, we offer an endless array of eye-catching options for hanging, decorating, sending, and sharing – all available the same day you receive your prints.

Once we capture your story, you get to choose how it gets displayed. We give you options – from archive-quality canvas hanging on your wall to photo cards you drop in the mail to grandparents. We offer a variety of print sizes for you, from a large 30x40 down to mini wallet-sized gems your kids can share with their friends. Best of all, choose one of our package sets and you can do all of the above!

Our Portraits

Life is full of moments that can become precious gems, and we know just how to find them.

By getting to know your family’s personality first, we’re able to create a friendly, familiar session that immediately puts you at ease.

The result?

High-quality portraits delivered to you usually within a week, all backed by a 100% satisfaction guarantee (click here to learn about our quality).

At Dawn Michelle Creations, we offer more than professional photography. We capture the moments your family will cherish for years to come. We know exactly how to bring out the unique personalities of each individual, creating a photographic record that can be shared and
displayed.

Dawn Michelle Creations does more than take photographs; we create memories that last a lifetime.