Deanna Cathcart Photography Blog

April 2011 Session Highlights!

 

I know Mother's Day is in May, it's May 8th to be exact, but I thought it would be nice to have photos FOR Mother's Day, so we need to take them in April. After dragging my own feet the last few years to do "mommy and me photos" with Chloe I understand some of the reluctance us moms have to stepping in front of the camera, so I thought a great deal is just what we needed for incentive!! Here's the 411:

  

April Mommy and Me Mini Session Special

The whole month of April

session fee $10

minimum order $50

 
We're Going Fishing for Easter! 

  Fri April 15th & Sat April 16th  

You can wear your bibs and straw hat and go fishing with the cute baby ducks. Or if your not the fishing type, wear your Easter best and have a picnic on the dock. Either choice is adorable on this whimsical set.

Winter Fairies Feb 25th & 26th

 

 

 

It's that time of year again! When winter magic has arrived at Deanna Cathcart Photography. All costumes are supplied so the only thing you need to worry about bringing is your special little girl. These sessions book FAST so reserve your appointment time today! 515-573-5943

 

It's Time To Think Christmas!

It's time to be thinking Christmas cards! There is only about 4 more weeks left to get in, have photos taken, and get them back before Christmas! Lets look at one of the reasons I love Christmas photos so much.

 
 
 
 
Do you see a pattern there? I remember the first time the Symens family came in. Conner had fallen asleep in the car and stayed asleep when his parents brought him in. Instead of waking him up we decided to run with it and dressed dad up as Santa. Now Sandy had proof that Santa came to visit while Conner was asleep.  :)

That's why I love this time of year, as crazy as it is. I love seeing and catching up with all my favorite families. Seeing how big the kids have gotten, and capturing those memories to be shared with others.

Remember if you want to be gaurenteed cards are back in plenty of time that you can get them sent out by Christmas you only have 4 more weeks to get in. I really book up this time of year. I have lots of regulars that come back year after year, as well as all those new babies and families just starting to make their Christmas memories. Call today. 515-573-5943

That time of year already!

Time to start thinking about Christmas and those family photos. For those of you that like the fall colors in your photos that time is now. It's getting cold fast and those colors are not going to be around long! This year fall family photo weekend is at snell crawford park Sept 24,25,26. I still have a few times left Friday and Sunday but Saturday is already looking booked! This is the ONLY weekend I work for family photos so it's a great opportunity for you families that can't get photos taken during the week.

Winds of Change

Well we just had mothers day and it has been as windy as a room full of politicians eating beans outside. So I thought I would put the two together and asked a very pregnant A to come and pose for me.

 




She did beautifully! Thank you A for coming and being my guinea pig today, I hope your warmer now! LOL   

Upcoming Events

Mini Sessions ½ price session fees and no minimum order!

 

Mother’s Day Mommy &  Me Mini Sessions. A session just for moms and their little ones to show that special relationship she has with her children. Full of hugs and kisses and maybe just a few giggles this is one session that will let you relive the memories of your special bond for years to come. Sessions last 15 – 20 minutes, studio only, no clothing changes. Clothing suggestions: Matching either black OR white in color, not one of each, keep in the same tones.  May 11^th – 15^th

 

 

Father’s Day Me & My Dad Mini Sessions. Whether you have a “Daddy’s girl” or a “Chip off the old block” this session lets dad’s show that special relationship they share with their children. Sessions last 15 – 20 minutes, studio only, no clothing changes. Clothing suggestions: Matching either black OR white in color, not one of each, keep in the same tones.  June 22^nd – 26^th

A Child’s Imagination Series

 
  Midnight Enchantment  This set only comes around once every two years – and it books FAST!! Session fees are $40 and there is a $200 minimum order requirement. Costumes are provided in sizes baby – 10. I have actually had little girls cry when it was time to leave, they had so much fun pretending with me. Dates this year are June 11^th – 13^th remember once the session times are gone they are gone and it will be 2 years before you can do it again. No fingernail polish please!!

 

 

Dog Days of Summer I love the old paintings depicting a bygone era of children and their dogs. I know you do too because ever since posting those photos of Chloe and her BFF Daisy I have gotten a load of emails asking if I could do these for your children and their dog. Sure I can! The dates are July 23^rd – 25^th. Boys should wear a plain white t-shirt with either jeans or bibs. (I have bibs!) I have the nightgown Chloe wore in sizes that should fit 4 – 8 years of age, I also have an assortment of dresses and bib overalls. You can bring your own clothing if you like just remember that it should have a vintage feel. No aggressive dogs allowed. Little girls no fingernail polish please!!

No kids, pets other then dogs – no worries we have something coming up for you too!

 

 

Fur, Scales, Puppy Dog Tails What is your pet made of?? It doesn’t matter because August 17^th – 21^st is just for them. The best part?? The session fee is a $15 donation to the local humane society. So not only do you get great photos of you beloved pet, but you get to help out less fortunate pets too. No aggressive dogs allowed. Please remember to bring your check for $15 made out to Humane Society of North Central Iowa.

A girl and her dog

Chloe and my English Bulldog puppy have formed quite the bond. I really can't even call her mine, she is heart and soul Chloe's dog. On the day's Chloe has piano and Maddie rides the bus home alone, the EB - called Daisy, walks in circles in front of the door looking for my youngest to come in behind her older sis. She will start whining louder and louder, going to Chloe's room and pacing until the youngest gets home from her lessons at which point she bounces all around greeting her excitedly.

Just yesterday Chloe was sitting on the couch playing the PS3, not paying enough attention to her baby, Daisy jumps onto the couch to join her. Not stopping there she then proceeds to try and insert her quite well endowed behind onto Chloe's lap, constantly trying to push her her flab between Chloe's legs and her arms which are holding her joystick. Chloe is 44 pounds, Daisy was 41 pounds at her last vet appointment almost two months ago.

I wanted to capture this fantastic bond of a child and her dog and I have always loved the paintings from the 1800's of children and their pets. So I googled a search for vintage prints of children with bulldogs and came across a pose I just fell in love with! Keeping with the vintage feel I wanted this image to have I put Chloe in MY dress, from when I was 8. Sad, yes I know, my dress is now "vintage". haha. Anyway here is what I came up with. I love it!

And this one, Chloe had a bit of a fit because they "weren't ready" for this one but it's how she always is with her pooch. Loving on her, hugging her, and a  little doggy smooch now and then never hurt anyone. :)

 

Well I have been told that I am well past due on a blog update. You think!?!? LOL Ok, ok...... I'll update!

So what have I been up to.....

Well I took Chloe out of school an hour early this week so I could dress her up and go play in the snow. The trees were just so beautiful. Unfortunately her eyes are so sensitive she couldn't keep them open in all that blinding whiteness so I had to move where the trees were thicker - and that also made them darker and not as pretty - but she's pretty - so I guess that's all that matters. :) Here's one where she is telling me she is FREEZING and she is NEVER EVER doing this again, even if she did get out of school early. Plus I owe her TWO cups of hot coco when we go back inside. She's a very demanding little model! LOL

 
And here she is "striking her model pose"  

I choose not to post the image she had me take of her frozen boogies. You all can thank me for that one later. :)

 I'm still photographing pets for publishers- so anyone with puppies drop me a line. Most the time they have to be purebred pups but send me a photo even if you have a Heinz 57 - I never know what they are going to ask me to photograph next. Also kittens, bunnies, guinea pigs...... I need just about everything right now. I really like to work with 4H kids and their critters. If I use your pet as a model the session is free and it pays in photos + you have just might see your pet in a calendar that's published all over the world. I can't tell you how cool it is to walk into a Barns and Noble or a Pet's Mart and see your pet on the cover of a calendar being sold there. It's got to be right up there with me walking into one and seeing my photo being sold there. Here are a few shots from sessions this year. These were taken for a new publisher I'm working for and some will be out in calendars in 2011.

Babies, babies, babies. I'm always photographing babies! I know I already posted this on my website but I don't think it made it to the blog. This baby is not a newborn anymore but she was my youngest baby to date, at about 60 hours old. Baby Sophia, what a doll.

She is also a member of my "Little Miracles Club" so here she is again at around 3 months.

I have a confession to make. I'm as bad as a first time parent with these little ones. No sooner had she been in for her three month session and I was already planning her 6 month session, and I can hardly wait for her to be sitting up!   

Seniors -I did photograph a few this year, but I'm cutting them back again. I know, I have cut them back every year for the last three years. Here's the deal. I'm sick. REALLY sick. I have been in the hospital every fall since 2007. This year just before Thanksgiving I spent another week at Mayo in Rochester. I was so dehydrated and anemic that I could barley stay on my feet and almost passed out at the doctors office. The doctor made me go straight to the infusion center for fluids and IV iron. I refused the blood transfusion. (Been there, done that, to many of those makes me nervous.)  All year I went back and forth to Rochester every 4 to 8 weeks. Seniors require the most work out of all mysessions. They are long sessions, they require a lot of editing, a lot of pre order work, and hardest for me when I'm sick - a lot of time away from the studio. So I will only be taking siblings of past senior clients this year, past child/family clients that now have children graduating, a few family friends, and those crazy pet people that have seniors. :)  I know, that still sounds like a lot doesn't it? Lucky for me they don't all have seniors every year. It's enough to keep the "I need to photograph someone that doesn't pee in my studio" bug away, but not so much that I need to starve myself everyday so I can get through a session away from the studio without getting sick.

 So that's the update for today. We'll see how long I can keep this up again before life: work and kids, takes over all my time again. :)  

We're still phat!

On the very day my baby phat contest winner's mother came in to view her images I found a message on my answering machine. "Are you still looking for a phat baby, I have a 27 pound 7 month old." The caller said. Well I was done with the contest - but a 27 pound 7 month old! Who could pass that up! Sight unseen I told her to bring that baby in and met Graeme who is proof that Phat is beautiful, baby!

What else is new this week. Babies! July must have been a slow month here in Dodge because I have bellies and new babies coming in like crazy this month! I have started a new baby plan and it is insane. I only have room for one more new baby in April, two spots left open for May and have already started booking for July!!!! That with no advertising! I'll try and get some more information on the website about the new baby plan in the next day or two. In the meantime here's a new one from yesterday:

I photographed this beautiful boy yesterday, Graeme this morning, another brand spanking new baby is coming in this evening and a belly on Friday. OMG don't drink the water while you are here!!!

Remember all you soon to be moms out there that we are giving away a free maternity session & 8x10 this month. You can find more information simply by scrolling down and reading the last blog post.

Well that's it for updates until I get the new baby info on the website.

Later all,

D.

April Contests!!

You might as well know now that all my contests are going to be running about a month ahead of any upcoming event. WHY?? Because I want to put the images on the website during that event. Confused yet? For instance I am going to run a Mother's Day contest - NOW - this month - because the winner will be coming in the week of Mother's day to have their session so I can have Mother's day images on my website.(Check out Hailey, the Phat February winner on the splash page of my website!)

So now you want to know what the contest is right?

Well the winner will get a FREE maternity session and a FREE 8x10 of their session.

Here are the rules:

You must be an expecting mother.
Your belly must be bigger then your breasts - you need to look like you have a belly.
You can NOT be due before May 10th - I need to have time to photograph that belly!!!
You need to be able to have a session done the week of May 10th - or within a short time after.
NOW the part  you will actually be judged on:
You must email me a love letter to your unborn child. Let that baby know what it means for you to be their mommy. Your hopes and dreams. Whatever you want, however you want, to express your love to your unborn child.
Letters need to be emailed to info@dcartphoto.com subject line "Mother's Day Contest". All letters are due by April 30th.

Remember if you are not expecting - email your friends that are! If they win maybe they will name the baby after you. ;p

One last thing - our inspiration image.