The difference a year makes.

Tomorrow will be exactly one year since water took over our home during Hurricane Harvey. I've had a weird week with little glimmers of PTSD, usually when I see haunting pictures from Timehop, reminding me what life looked like one year ago. But, even with the swirl of emotions, I'm most happy that our house is put back together and we're resuming our "normal" life (if that even exists with 3 kids under 3!).

So, on the eve of the anniversary of Hurricane Harvey, I thought it would be a fun project to photograph our house, as it is today and share it with anyone who might be interested! I had fun sharing photos of our home after the first renovation, and this is no different for me. Even though the circumstances weren't ideal, I truly love decorating and it was a passion project of mine to get our home in order. It was also fun because I tried to move things around to new spots and give things a different vibe, wherever possible. Reduce, reuse and recycle, #amiright?

We also got to add on an upstairs playroom, WOOT WOOT! It's been life changing, for all of us. The boys love having some space to play, I love having a place for the toys to live, Justin and I love watching movies at night when the kids go down.....the list goes on. It's been a really positive change for our home. We also grew into the house quicker than we anticipated, so it's given us some breathing room. It's wonderful. 

Lastly, I'll say that this experience also taught me that it's totally okay to take great pride in your home. Before the flood, I felt like it was a petty or materialistic passion of mine, but when it's something you lose, you realize that your *home* is more than name-brand decor or a game of keeping up with the Joneses. It's HOME. It's where you raise your babies, it's where you wrestle on the couch. It's where love is grown. It's where your children learn about security and family. 

So without further ado and no shame whatsoever, here's my post to brag on our little house. Enjoy!

Senior year....ahhh those were the days

Y'all. Behold the beauty of this gorgeous senior, Sarah! 

Her mom is a friend of the Peltier family so, of course I jumped at the chance to do Sarah's senior pictures. We went out to Justin's parents' amazing property in Tomball and total magic ensued. Sarah was natural, outgoing, confident.....but you'll see that for yourself! 

And due to some last minute changes on my part, I also had to bring the twins along (have I mentioned that they usually are NOT invited to my photo shoots? haha) and Sarah was also so sweet and playful with the boys. They loved her and I always appreciate a client who is understanding about the fact that I am a mom first, photographer second! 

Anyway, I'll go ahead and shut up my trap and let you enjoy some of Sarah's portraits.  

Sarah, best of luck to you in the coming year. Enjoy college, it goes by in a blink.

Oh, wait. Can we talk about her HAIR though!? Total #hairgoals for sure!

Just a little check-in

Hi Friends! 

I haven't done a blog post in a HOT minute, so I thought I'd check in real quick and give you a little State of the Union for the Peltier household...

To be honest...life is really good right now. I am hard at work growing a new human (another little baby boy!) and I am *constantly* on my toes with my 22-month old twin boys. Here's a shameless pic of my two handsome babes:

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I am also staying fairly busy with little photography projects, here and there. This week alone, I get to do a newborn shoot (my fave!), a headshot client (my first love) and some real estate photography (yes, I do that, too!). I've also gotten to take lots of family pics and even a senior session a few weeks ago. So, we're really all over the map these days - and that's what keeps things interesting! 

I don't do a lot of advertising and lately, I've been pretty quiet on the social media front. But, perhaps when the whole "growing and raising humans" part of my life slows down (does it ever slow down?), then I can focus on having more of an online presence. I really do love showcasing my gorgeous clients and I love that prospective clients get to come to my website to see some of my work.....but I also gotta do laundry, shower (sometimes) and clean....those floors don't vacuum themselves, ya heard!? 

But, that doesn't mean I'm not available. I am gladly taking clients as they come. I'm loving the variety that life throws at me and I am loving that there's no pressure to book, book, book new clients all the time. If you need me, I'm here. But, if it's quiet for a month straight - then that means we're at the park or making chocolate chip cookies and/or watching Moana. 

Here are a few highlights from the last few weeks:

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Anyway, thanks for coming by to check in. Hope to talk to you soon! 

Newborn Spotlight

Y'all. I've been SLAMMED with clients this fall. And I am loving every minute of it.  But, I have a brief (and rare) moment where I'm all caught up. Yeah, you heard that right. I'm caught up. So, I thought I might blog a little update real quick. 

It's been an awesome mix of family sessions, product/branding photography, headshots and, of course, chasing toddlers around until me and their parents are out of breath. But, there's one little group that I wanted to spotlight tonight.

NEWBORNS. 

Omg. Newborns. Not only are babies pretty much the best thing on earth, but being invited into someone's home to spend the first few *precious* moments with a family that's just grown by one, that's seriously such an honor. 

I have another newborn session tomorrow morning, so I'm sure I'll be sharing more pictures that are guaranteed to make your ovaries explode, but for now enjoy two of my favorite recent newborn sessions. 

And don't forget to throw my name in the hat next time your preggo friend mentions she's looking for a newborn photographer. 

XO

Fall mini sessions are in full swing

So, first things first. I am super thrilled to say that the Mini Sessions this year have been a great hit and I have had a ton of families sign up, both old friends and new. But, sadly, that also means my time slots are also totally full.....(haven't they figured out how to add more time to the day? Or more time to the Fall season, at least?). 

It pains me to ever turn a new client down, because frankly I would love to be as accommodating as possible and I truly love providing photos for families that are affordable and special during the fall. But, what I am learning (sometimes the hard way) is that time is not unlimited. And, because I am a mom first, I have to remember that if I have too many pots on the fire, then I risk doing the "mom/wife" gig poorly. Which, ain't nobody got time for that! 

OKAY, enough of that. The awesome news is that I've kicked off my mini-session season with some amazingly gorgeous clients, and I'm excited to share some highlights from my time with these families. 

First up is the Cavazos Family, with pretty much the most gorgeous toddler that walks this earth. 

Those lashes, right?! 

Those lashes, right?! 

Love this family! They're like my own family, pretty much. So glad to be doing life with them! 

Love this family! They're like my own family, pretty much. So glad to be doing life with them! 

Colin and his keys....

Colin and his keys....

Product Photography - Quilts!

Getting to do product photography is one of my favorite things - you get to help someone create a brand, help them put their best foot forward. And best of all, you get to be a part of their labor of love, just like photography is mine! 

My friend Kelsey is starting up her own quilt shop, Bundled in Love, so now she can share her talent with the world. I got to shoot her inventory and there's plenty more quilted goodness coming up soon. 

But for now, enjoy some beautiful photos of these gorgeous quilts! And if you'd like to check out her shop, here's a link to her Etsy: https://www.etsy.com/shop/BundledInLoveTX

Pumpkin Patch Mini Sessions

The pumpkin patch was a great success! We went to this sweet little nursery here in the Heights called Buchanan's (have I mentioned how much I love living in town?!) and they were so gracious to let us play in their pumpkin patch all morning. They didn't even ask us to leave when my two little crazy people cried for most of the time.....so that's a win! 

Here are some of the pics of the friends that spent the morning with us. 

 

Making a House a Home

Want to know how to motivate yourself to clean your whole house on a Monday?

RENOVATION BEFORE & AFTER PHOTOS!

The boys went down for an amazing nap (#allthepraisehands) and I finally hung some curtains, so I figured it would be a fun day to tidy up and photograph this wild ride of renovating. It was a labor of love....and sometimes a labor of hate. I'll spare you the details, but after some cliche contractor drama, we're finally done with the interior. 

We bought the house in June and we finished the hardcore phase of renovation sometime in August. Over the last month or so, I've gotten to do some final touches, so here's a little peek into the house we've made a home. 

Enjoy! 

 

 

Power Couple

One of the best things about photography is that it allows you to keep in touch with friends, even better, it's an excuse to spend some time together! 

I met Natalia when we worked together at Halliburton in Recruitment.  I was immediately impressed by her poise and professionalism. She's confident, smart, gorgeous and - best of all - she follows her heart. It's hard to meet people in the corporate world who boldly follow their passions, but I can tell you, she's one of them! And it was awesome to finally meet her husband, Peter, who is one of Halliburton's best and brightest. 

And while I'm sad she's left the Lone Star State, I know her new career in the real estate market in Greater Detroit is going to be a tale of adventure and success. 

Best of luck to you both, Natalia and Peter. Thanks for letting me spend some time with you!

 

 

Little Henry

Y'all....is there anything better than a newborn baby? No, I didn't think so. I think I need another one....oh wait....what?

One amazing thing about being a photographer is getting to share special times with our closest friends. I made myself right at home at Rashell and Chad's (and I mean, like, I was super cozy in their master bed for a solid 45 minutes), cozying up to Henry Gray so we could get some pictures of his first few days. What a special memory, thanks to Rashell and Chad for letting me come crash the baby party.

And, by the way, swaddling a baby is totally like riding a bike. 

Anyway, enjoy some sweet pictures of my sweet little love bug! 

2016 Interns

I wanted to share a fun project that I did a few weeks ago, thanks to a referral from one of my besties. She does University Relations for Phillips 66 and she threw my name in the hat for their 2016 Intern Headshots. They do this every year as a parting gift for their interns, as they forge their path forward into the real world. In my <biased> opinion, I think that's a really awesome gift. 

The setup was perfect - they had a nice luncheon at a Houston country club, and then gave everyone the option to stick around for a headshot. Easy peasy. Lots of people decided to stay, which I have to give them props, because it was....as you can imagine.....really hot. #texasforever

To any of the interns reading this, best of luck to you. May you all go on to accomplish great things in your career! I have a special place in my heart for my life in the corporate world and I'd be lying if I said I wasn't a little green with envy. It was refreshing to see everyone embark on a really challenging and rewarding time in life. And as always, it was fun to see a few familiar faces. 

Thank you Taylor for the awesome opportunity.

Now, without any further rambling, here are a few of my favorites from the shoot. Enjoy!

 

...and we're back!

After welcoming twin boys in June of 2015, I was lucky enough to clear everything else off of my schedule and spend the entire year at home with them, enjoying every little nuance that comes with newborn life.  But along with my "early retirement" from the corporate world, I also had to put my photography business on the back burner. Life was crazy and I knew that the best way to embrace being a twin mom was to "reduce chaos". Taking that year to focus on the boys was just what the doctor ordered...we shared many fun days, many tough days and made a zillion memories in between. And also, a zillion diapers. So..many..diapers! 

During my time at home, I have still had the immense pleasure of photographing their every move (sorry, boys) so I have had plenty of time to continue learning about my camera and about myself as a photographer. And what I am sure of, is that I truly love being behind the camera. 

So now, a year later, I am finally ready to come out of my twin cave! I won't be returning to the corporate world just yet, but I am happy to announce that I will reestablish KP Photography, primarily focusing on head shot clients. 

I've already booked a few clients since my triumphant return to photography and it's been exciting to get back in the saddle. I'll share a few highlights from my first few sessions shortly! 

Please feel free to contact me if you're looking to update your head shot, whether it's to help you land that new job on LinkedIn, or to help update your blog. We're here to help and very, very happy to be back at it! 

Now, enjoy a few shots of my little people over the last year. 

Oh Baby!

I had the pleasure of shooting maternity/family pictures for a college friend, Micah and her husband Rick. They have a VERY sweet little boy, Reeves and he's lucky enough to become a big brother this fall! He was so easy going behind the camera and I loved spending time with this growing little family. 

I was honored when Micah asked me to do pictures for them as they embark on becoming a family of four. Once he arrives, I even get the privilege of practicing some newborn shots. 

And I can't wait! 

Til then, enjoy a few of their pictures: 



What a dream...

The first day that I launched my new website, a friend contacted me to ask if I would be interested in doing photos for a winery. If you know me personally, you know my immediate thought was, "Um, ya I'd do that for FREE....".  But the entrepreneur in me I tried to play it cool and pretend to really weigh the option...ultimately I accepted the challenge.

Before I even spoke with the owner, Emily, I already had a private Pinterest board created, complete with dozens of unique wine photos. Sidenote: What did people ever do before Pinterest?

Shortly thereafter, I met with Emily and we established a plan of action. They're updating a lot of their print/web materials and launching a new wine this fall, so we opted to do inventory pictures, as well as lifestyle photos of the couple who owns the winery, Kagan Cellars.  So far, we've only conquered half of the project: the inventory shots, which I wanted to share with you today.

So far, I've really enjoyed working with Emily and her husband, Mark. Kagan Cellars is a labor of love for them and I am so thrilled to be a part of it. 

Now the fun part...the pictures! 


John, Ashley + Baby Claire (Houston Maternity Photographer)

Well, it was another exciting week here at KP Photography + Headshots!

I had the extreme honor of photographing one of my good friends from college, John, and his sweet wife, Ashley. They're welcoming their first daughter, Claire, in October and it was such a pleasure spending time with them, but most of all helping them snap some photos that will help them remember this fleeting season of pregnancy. John and Ashley were so sweet together, constantly doting on each other and you can see in their faces - they're glowing. 

Also, over the last seven (yes, 7!) years, I've also grown very close to the aunt-to-be, Chelsea. She's John's sister and she tagged along, helping me "smooth that fly away hair" or "fix Ashley's shirt".....which was so helpful! Oh, and let's not forget, "Hey, Chels, can you grab my step ladder?". Yea, she was a lifesaver. Anyway, it's safe to say that this little baby girl will be more loved than anyone can imagine. Becoming an aunt myself has been one of the most fun "life changes" and I am excited to swap strategies on how to best spoil these nieces and nephews.

We spent a lovely Sunday doing a Heights tour: visiting John and Ashley's precious bungalow (complete with a fur-baby, Murphy), the gazebo where they were married, and lastly, a neighborhood restaurant in the Heights, none other than the fan-favorite, Downhouse. 

Now, I'll shut up and get down to business...

Enjoy! 


First week...check!

Well, the first official week is behind us here at KP Photography & Headshots!

And nothing screams "First Major Milestone" like publishing a website, am I right?! And wow - let me tell you just how rewarding it is to see all of your work come together on a pretty little website. It has me doing my own little version of a happy dance. 

In case you're curious...here's how I wound up here:

My interest in photography really just started as a simple quest to learn how to use my DSLR. Because I had some important things to photograph, you know, like my dogs. And those cookies I love to make from scratch. 

So, I finally learned how to broaden my horizons beyond Auto mode and - just like that - this hobby took on a life of its own. Now, photography has turned into a huge part of my life, both as a creative challenge and as a service I am thrilled to provide for friends, friends of friends, and everyone in between. 

Now I've made the leap to offer my services to a wider market, under the alias of KP Photography & Headshots. And, that my friends, is how we ended up here.

As I begin this new endeavor, I am excited to see what direction it takes. The sky's the limit, right? I guess we'll just have to see! 

Now, it's time to settle in for a relaxing weekend with my husband and dogs. Tell me she doesn't have relaxing down to a science?