Your family portrait should be well thought out and planned. Not something thrown together because you have about an hour on a Wednesday night!

Most people do put some thought into their clothes selection but there are a few other important aspects of your family portrait… Lets talk background! Almost daily, someone tells me, I want my picture to be taken outside…. only 1% actually know what TYPE of scene outside they would like… there are so many different options available from a country scene, never-ending fields, flowers and waterfalls, trees and railroad tracks, Urban buildings… so many different scenarios!

Studio portraits can be just as complicated sometimes… How do you want to FEEL when you look at your portrait? Relaxed, excited, awe… Your family portrait should be exactly what YOU want it to be… close your eyes and picture your family together…. what do you see?

Another very important aspect of your family portrait that is commonly overlooked is where your portrait will be displayed. Thinking about where you want to hang your portraits helps me come up with the best posing scenarios. I am also able to get all of the family combinations you have requested. Especially if there are small children my pre-planning will allow me to come up with a plan to keep the participants engaged. Or, at the very least, I will know what is the most important and we can capture those images when everyone is engaged in the session the most!

I want to create your vision. I can only do that if we talk about it! Whether you choose Affinity Photography for your portraits or another studio, take the time for a consultation. Consultations have NO CHARGE and NO OBLIGATION…. call today to come in for a chat…. 

This is the difference between a portrait and YOUR portrait!

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Let Affinity Photography upgrade your social networking profile image for your SENIOR YEAR! Our Facebook Party is rockin’ from
3:00 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. on Fridays in September!
Call to reserve your session today!832-331-3669 It’s your profile. Put your best face forward! There is NO COST… but reservations are REQUIRED! Make a reservation and bring your friends!
*No purchase necessary—no kidding! All Facebook-party portraits will be hosted on the Affinity Seniors facebook page.

Wow… I tell you when I decided that I wanted to do an in-house photo contest… I had NO IDEA how awesome this would turn out!

There were 3 catagories. Babyz, Toddlerz, and Big Kidz. Each like for a child was worth 5 points each vote would be worth 1 point.

In the Baby catagory there were 5 girls and 1 boy that participated. Of those 6 children they acquired a total of 1, 668 POINTS.

In the Toddler catagory there were 4 BOYS and 1 girl. The toddlers had points totalling 1,827.

Lastly, the Big Kidz. Here there were 8 kiddos… 6 girls and 2 boys (both named Hunter!)  Their points totalled 1,790.

All together there was a TOTAL of 5285 and OVER 500 people voted!!!

All I can say is WOW!!!

So I know you are DYING to know who the winner is…

In 3rd Place with 551 points we have Blake…

In second place, another Toddler Ray!!

And the GRAND PRIZE WINNER IS DANIEL!!

Thank you to all those that participated!!! I hope you had fun!

Daniel and his family will be walking away with the GRAND PRIZE…

A Memories Session (Sunrise, Sunset or Beach Portraits)

and a Wall Collection!

but Blake and Ray are not leaving empty handed at all!

They will receive a wall portrait and a complimentary Life Portraits session!

The BABY with the most amount of votes was… Grace!

and the Big Kid that came in 1st was…

Auslyn!!!!!

These 2 ladies will receive a complimentary Life Portraits session with a

Thin Wrap Wall Portrait, up to 16×20!!!

All other participants will all receive a complementary Life  Portraits session!

(I upped that from the original prizes because I thought the voters deserved some credit!)

I havent forgotten about all the VOTERS out there!! I want to say thank you to you as well. Because without all of you, this would have gone nowhere!!!

So… EVERY VOTER will receive a $50 studio credit!

There are no expiration dates, but you must call the Studio by the end of the month to get it put in our system!!!

There are several needs that the New Horizon Family Center (Formerly Bay Area
Women’s Shelter) has when it comes to providing clothing and schools supplies
for children living in their shelters.

This need has been brought to my
attention so I am asking for your help with these children.

On August
21st, in the midst of tax free weekend, pick up an extra box of crayons and come
drop it off at our Studio. We will see to it that these items make their way to
the children living in the New Horizon Family Center.

Every child that
donates, -will receive a free package for our School Portraits taking place in
September, $35 value!!

If you want to help a little bit more, or do not
have a child in school that will benefit from our School Portraits, there are 2
other options.

Gift Cards for CLOTHES or NEW clothes with tags. There have been times when a
child coming to the shelter does not have clothes that meet school uniform
requirements. Although uniforms are donated to the shelter sometimes there is
nothing that fits. In these circumstances children need to be purchased new
clothes. If you would like to donate gift cards ONLY to be used for school
clothing for children that require uniforms and the shelter does not have
anything to fit them, I honor double the value of each gift card in studio.

The last opportunity for you to help is by making a commitment to “sponsor a child” for the 2010-2010 school year. There is nothing up front that
is needed, but you agree that if anytime during the school year a child enters
the shelter you will pay for their “school supply contract” available to the
school by writing a check directly to the school. You will also be responsible
for providing a school binder or a backpack. Whether or not a need arises for
you to step in and follow through with this, I will give you a $150 credit to
use however your wish! (That is a free portrait session with enough prints to
share) All for your willingness to commit! Thank you!

All offers end
August 21, 2010

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I am super excited to announce the

Affinity Kidz

Baby and Child Photo Contest!

You are in control…. and the rewards will be amazing!

Any child between the ages of 1mo and 9 years may enter. There will be 3 different age categories, depending on the number of entries.

Babyz 1mo-18 months

Toddlerz 2 – 4 years

Big Kidz 5 – 9 years.

There is no limit to the number of children you enter per age or the number of winners per household.

Each child that wishes to participate will have one image placed on submitted online for your for people to “vote” on. These images will be located in a Facebook album labeled “Affinity Kidz Photo Contest CATAGORY NAME”

How do your images get on Facebook? I put them there! To make sure that there are no unfair advantages, all entries will be submitted by Affinity Photography via submission sessions. If for any reason you are not automatically tagged… I urge you to please do so yourself.

15 minute sessions will be available August 5th-7th for all who wish to participate in the Affinity Kidz Photo Contest. These sessions are completely free. There will be NO consultations for these sessions. Please come dressed and ready! There will be several different images taken and we will chose and select the best to go against your competition! Appointment no shows will be ineligible for participation. If you cannot make your appointment for ANY reason call and let us know.

Images from sessions within the last 2 months may be used by your request.

Each image will include ONLY the child participating in the contest.

Schedule your appointment by calling 832-331-3669…

Pending we do not need to add dates for extra submission sessions,

voting will begin August 10th.

You may vote by “liking” or writing the word VOTE in the comments section under the image. You may “VOTE” for more than one image per day, but only one “VOTE” will be allowed for a single image per voter.

Each “like” is worth five points, each “VOTE” is worth one.

So I am sure you are wondering by now what you win….. each category will have one winner.. That winner will receive a complimentary Life Portraits Session and an amazing Thin Wrap wall portrait.

The 2nd and 3rd place overall winners will also receive a complimentary Life Portraits Session and a Wall Portrait

There will be one grand prize winner to receive a Memories Portrait Session. Memory Portrait are the most sought after sessions, they include sunrise, sunset and beach memories.

To get the most of your session you will also receive a stunning Thin Wrap Wall Collection.

Last but surely not the least this grand prize winner will receive 50% off ANY life portrait sessions and Wall Portraits (excluding charity and fund-raisers) forever!
Every participant will be given s $50 print credit to be used on any future sessions.

So what are you waiting for…. call now

This is a subject you don’t want to get me on.

Not at all… but I am here
already, so we will move forward.

Friday was a very interesting day for me… 8 years ago I became a mother… it is also the one year anniversary of the most devastating day of my life,
to date. This date was the very first time I experienced love like no other and I suffered a loss like no other. July 23, 2002, Kendall D’Lani was born and on July 23, 2009. Seven years later my uncle Temple was laid to rest at the Veterans Memorial Cemetery in Houston, Texas. 

When I was about 3 years old, my Uncle Temple made me cry. Probably, by
scaring me. I think that is how the story goes, I don’t remember that. All I remember is him loving me to the max! My mom says that he felt SO BAD for making me cry that one time he was dedicated to making it better. I NEVER remember feeling sad around him! I was very fortunate, my parents have never divorced, yet him and my Aunt Bit loved me so much, I always saw them like more grandparents. There was a love and a connection like no other. 

In the 26 years that I knew my Uncle Temple, he definitely gave us a run for our money! He had type 1 diabetes and there were quite a few battles he faced… and over come. 

8 years ago, my uncle Temple… recovering from a surgery visited my daughter and I when we came home from the hospital. He was just tickled to hold her.  

Almost every family picture taken that day she was in his arms. 

 

This is kinda the beginning of a story that would evolve. 

I already had a love for Photography by this point in my life but not a professional direction. 

On August 16, 2009 I lost my Uncle Temple. This was the first time I ever felt the effects of losing someone I loved so dearly. I was devastated… without question I fell into a deep depression… I completely withdrew from everyone. Until I got a call that changed everything. My aunt and cousins had been going through hundreds and hundreds of photographs documenting my Uncle Temples life. Somehow in the midst of it someone thought… what if Kimberli could make a sideshow. Without even thinking twice, I got dressed loaded my laptop and portable scanner drove to Rosenberg and went to work. I started scanning and retouching as they were still sorting. Late that night I drove back to Baytown and scanned all night long. 

About 400 pictures later we had a beautiful slideshow documenting a life that has left this world. That is just it. When you are gone THIS IS ALL YOU HAVE LEFT. I am really not yelling at you just stressing it. These are your memories. These are everyone you loves memories of you! 

I remember watching that slideshow in the sanctuary of The First Baptist Church in Rosenberg, Texas. My father to my right, my great aunt right in front of me. My own children front row, just captivated. So many tears… and then a burst of laughter… Remembering a life well documented in photographs. 

I thought I had done my job. Until the second request came. Uncle Temple was to be buried at the Veterans Memorial Cemetery, on my daughters birthday. I was asked to document this. And that I did. 

 

Of course Kendall did not attend the burial, I did not want her to have this memory at all for a birthday; but when I was asked to do this there was no hesitation. I knew my family understood the value of portraits. These very last memories are priceless. 

This is real, this is LIFE, this is all I have left. 

 

This is it… the end of the road here on Earth. 

All my aunt has left is a folded up flag and pictures. 

I will leave this post with one last thought… 

A birth certificate says you were born and a death certificate says that you died. 

But PICTURES… that shows that you truly LIVED…. 

Wow…. hasn’t this been an adventure…

Several months ago… during a wedding consultaion, I was shocked at how unaware the general population was when it comes to services available to those planning a wedding in the Baytown area…

Maybe I just knew what was out there because I connected and networked with many different businesses that service the wedding industry.

So… what if we could put all of these amazing business in one location, and allow them the opportunity to shine in the spotlight!

I couldnt help but call a good friend of mine, Susan Schultz. Susan owns Innovative Linens. Susan has a PHENOMINOL product, and although she gets MANY referrals off of wedding facilities, she is completely unnoticed… In my opinion… people (brides) do not realize how much they should add this to their budget!

ANYHOW! I call Susan and pitch my idea…. and inadvertantly ask her to partner with me… Although my PASSION is not in special events hers is.. I knew she was a PERFECT FIT for the job at hand… that and she is the exact opposite from me in so many ways… I knew she would offer a balance needed to make this happen!

That we did… I created a website almost instantly… Our Facebook page took on a life of its own… We gained the support from the Baytown Chamber of Commerce

Despite much critisism… From other wedding industy professionals, we pushed forward.
Baytown had never seen anything like what I was planning before!

I want to see business working together… I want what the Baytown area has to offer shine!

I want people that live and work in Baytown to continue to buy in Baytown
… Especially when it comes to special occassions, like your wedding!

I want people that aren’t familiar with Baytown to come here and see that we have much more to offer than refinaries!!
We have AMAZING services right in our home town… Support that!

After countless hours of incredibly hard work, the baytown wedding Expo took place June 5th, 2010….

It was a huge success!!! Every goal I set was accomplished… Businesses networked… They made their services known in Baytown. Some of which you would never find through conventional advertising!

Don’t miss out on the 2nd annual Baytown Wedding Expo…
February 19, 2011…
Baytown Community Center
Baytown Wedding Expo

In fact the next moms and cameras class has 3 men signed up already!!! We had such rave reviews from the first class… I will keep offering as long as there is a need!! Limited space is available… You MUST pre-register to attend… 

In a nutshell here we go… there are 3 parts to the class taking up 3 Saturday mornings… The July class will be held the 10th, 24h and 31st  (considering other times for the August and September classes…) From 9-11am (I have extended the times to not skimp on any info and questions!) we have some intense learning about cameras… The first class… we learn about how cameras work… proper exposure and what gets you there… We do live demos on cameras… bring yours so we can explore to find settings right then and there… This will teach you all the necessary information to take a picture…

The next class we go hands on… using what you learned from the first class we discuss composition, posing and lighting… “how to make your subject look their best” We use real life lighting and talk about the best sources of light in and around your home….

Lastly, we discuss what to do with all of these images to get them off of your memory cards and off of your computer… What are the best ways to display your images.

The AH HA moments students have leave me just speechless… don’t miss out on this FREE opportunity full of PRICELESS information…

PS if you are a former student… please feel free to leave a review in the comments!

This Mother’s Day we want you to really celebrate being a mom… by helping other mothers….

For ONE DAY ONLY, that happens to be Mother’s Day we will be giving all moms a free 5×7 for coming in to have a picture with their child or children. This is for ALL moms, young and old alike… whether your child is 2 weeks or 65 years old… come celebrate being a mom… Generational pictures are more than welcome… Just NO DADS this is all about Moms today!!!!

We will take about 3-5 pictures let you pick your favorite and you will get a free 5×7 of it!! We have several companies that are giving us door prizes to offer to the moms that come in we will just make a fun time of it…

So, like any sensible American, you must be wondering, what is the catch?

Ok… here it is… in order to participate you MUST bring an item for the Women’s Shelter…. lets help make their lives a little easier this mothers day by letting them know we care… Being a mom is really tough in normal circumstances… well I think you get where I am going with on that one…. :*-(

So this is what we need: Bring one of the following items to our studio on Mothers day, between noon and 5pm, and we will give you a 5×7 portrait of you with your children to cherish forever!
Update!!!! Non-perishable foods are requested as well.,,,

Please tell all of your friends and family… help the Baytown Womens Shelter have their best mothers day ever!

We have been requested by the shelter to possibly provide food for their mothers day dinner. Any covered dish would be appreciated.

May 22nd will be the first of a 3-part series geared towards moms and how to take better pictures of your children.

These classes are all designed to give you new informormation during each part of the series.
Here are a few highlights of what will be offered…. We will touch learning the basics of your cameras and what all those things on it mean!

We will also discuss posing and lighting and I will share some tricks I use in studio to get beautiful portraits of busy little ones and siblings that are going in different directions!
Finally, we will talk about all the options out there and what to do with all of the pictures you have taken of your child.

You will have the opportunity to bring your children in to have sessions with them demonstrating first hand what we do in our studio that makes us different. How we get that genuine smile and capture the personality of each child. We want you to take these tips home and use them….
Space is very limited so reserve your spot today!