A baby is born to a Navy family...

I love my charity work. I mean I TRULY love it!!! I not only have the opportunity to meet the greatest families ever, yea to us military wives! But, I am capturing the arrival home of a soldier after over a year of deployment, or a newborn child before their daddy has even met them. When you think about that... what an honor!
Today I photographed the Davis family, whose daddy is serving at war for the Navy. I have not been given the opportunity to photograph Navy families often. Usually they are Air Force and Army families primarily in San Antonio. It was a fun change up!
Mrs. Davis and family are from Virginia. She came to San Antonio to be close to her parents who live here. They are a blessing to any wife going through the emotions, and the hurdles of giving birth while her husband is off on a tour. Not to mention her other son, a three year old full of energy!
I myself am preparing for my husbands upcoming tour in Korea, and we have no children together. I don't know how these women do it? Wait a minute... sure I do. They are MILITARY WIVES!!!!
Ok, so is everyone tired of hearing me post about my fabulous husband and our military family? Tough!!!! Can't help it when you are so proud... it's a military thing!
Here are a collection of images from our shoot for Operation LoveReunited. Welcome to the world little one! Your daddy just can't wait to meet you!!!
P.S. Katy, I am ordering my own flat daddy! LOL!!!

Tie the yellow ribbon, hang the dog tags, kids in black military boots, your seal... What are "Things that every military family has!"



Meet the newest member of the family...
















This is SO Norman Rockwell, Navy style...!





A big brothers kisses...



Hurry home daddy... I can't wait for you to meet me!

Our New Studio.....!

From my very first photograph, I realized the importance of lighting and the subject matter. To me, there has always been something very beautiful about "natural" light... that time of the day a photographer calls the Golden Hours. Since I can remember, it has always been all about the light. Then, I go to a convention where I made it a point to focus specifically upon the lighting & posing classes. Then, I went and shot my first ever indoor bridal portrait session, followed by another indoor maternity portrait session. Now, I am hooked! I know that to be the artist I dream of becoming (fierce & fabulous!) I need to not only know, but to offer the capability of a studio surrounding along with location shots.
Next, my husband is off for a year long tour... what are the few things that happen when a husband deploys??? The wife goes back to school, joins a support group, learns to fix the cabinet all by herself, plants a garden (but hires a gardener), has another child, or starts to redecorate the house. So, as I go through the list I figured it all out. I'm still holding out for Germany when the tour of Korea is over... so I will wait on school. Support group, check. I have many things that I will be responsible for fixing all on my own for a year so I am sure to get plenty of practice. The garden is just waiting for spring to be beautiful once again. No babies in our future (we took care of that!)
So, what else is left but to redecorate? So, gone is the boys room and that changes into my new office. And the huge game room becomes my new studio!!!
Hard wood floors, retro furniture, black and white with a hint of lime green punch, and my very own lighting set up for maternity and newborn portraits, and commercial work. Props-props-and more pops! Maybe a few fun bridals as well.
A new advertising campaign, a new shooting partner... since I am losing my second shooter. :( More about Ms. Austin later... :) Lot's of new things happening so stay tuned people, we are getting ready to rock and roll!

Contributors:
Target
Crate & Barrel
Atlas Flooring
Pro back drops

I love my UPS man!!!

You just know it is going to be a great day when it starts with an early morning delivery from your friendly neighborhood UPS man with 3 big packages full of new camera equipment!
Some, are doubles for my husbands D200 camera, some are for the details with my D300, some are for those wide angle church and formal shots. Now, as I await my new D90 I can practice with my new gadgets until next week. My office shelf now looks like an arsenal of Nikon equipment just begging to be played with... I know, I miss playing with you too!
Thursday will be my second shoot since surgery 10 days ago (sorry Dr. K, I know I promised to wait) but I can't turn this one away. A newborn Navy baby who won't be seeing their daddy until April when he returns from Iraq. The time is NOW to capture those precious baby images. I can't wait!
Here's a peak at the new toys!

Sigma 24-70mm f2.8EX

I loved this one so much (It's my primary lens for everything weddings) that we purchased another for my husbands camera as well.

19-35mm f3.5 Wide Angle
For those beautiful wide church interior shots, & large bridal party formal shots.

Photo of the week...

I was thinking, after archiving literally thousands of images into my backup files. How many fun-innovative-risque-artistic-glamorous-silly images that I have kept which never make it to the DB Blog. So... I will be proclaiming Mondays as the official posting day for "The Image of the Week"!

Here is my beautiful bride Hilary, married Dec. 2008 at the McNay Museum.

Husband to Deploy...

A change of Presidency, a change of our military direction, a change in our plans to leave to Europe and explore the world together. Things in this life are never certain, and Eric and I could write a book about all the crazy things we have been through in just 3 years. But the one certain thing is that as a military wife, you live by... "it's never certain until you receive your final papers from Uncle Sam himself".

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For months, my husband and I have been gearing up for our move to Heidelberg, Germany on a 3 year stay. Instead, my courageous and committed husband comes to me on Monday to tell me my worse fear... "Baby, I'm being deployed". So, how hard am I allowed to cry at this news? None... I am an Army wife, who supports the life she chose to share with a husband that raised his right hand almost 20 years ago to defend his country and the requests of the leader of the free world. Don't kid yourself, I cry... just not while he is around.
I should be grateful becuase he has been home for 3 years since Iraq. And, in the military it is never a question of "IF", it's always a question of "WHEN". So he is leaving me for a year come about this September. And the only good thing I can say is that it is Korea, and not Iraq this time.
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So, I am loosing my best friend, my love, my passion, my inspiration, and my second shooter. What the heck am I to do next? I was told by a very wise woman, you will carry on, for "you are
a STRONG-PROUD ARMY WIFE!!!!!!"
So here's to the men and women who sacrifice everyday to keep us all safe and free in this wonderful country. And whether you believe in our governmental system, you are on the fence, or a complete radical... the next time you see a man (or woman) in uniform, stop... and thank him for all they do. Then thank the family sticking by their side no matter what.

A war brought us together... NEVER will it break us apart!!!

I am so very proud of you my love. For the man you are, the character you show me everyday, for your strength when I am weak, your promises always kept, and your dependability which is unmatched. I promise to stay strong... to work hard on my business, to keep this house running like a top, and to give you nothing to worry about except coming, safe and sound, to me.

I love you Eric... with all my heart, I love you!

Couldn't help myself...

My maternity shoot with Kim was so much fun, that I just can't stop finding more images that I fall in love with... so here are a few more favorites!

Getting ready to propose?

The month of romance is drawing near, and as some of you are contemplating a fabulous proposal to that special someone... why not capture it forever! I will be waiting in the wings, undercover photographer with an artistic eye for that perfect moment when you ask her to be yours forever and she says "YES!" The emotion, tears, happiness that comes with this intimate time can be relived again and again through artistic images. What a great love story... from the moment you ask her to become your wife, to the last toss of rice at the end of your reception. This session comes with no time restraints, because the last thing you need now is more pressure! :)

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Ring: $$$$
Planning: Hours upon hours
Nerves: Running high
Caught all in pictures: PRICELESS!!!!
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Principal photographer
Personal Consultation
Online viewing for friends and family
License free disk of fully edited & enhanced images
Custom Coffee Table books also available

Contact DB Images today for all the details! Follow it up with an engagement session and receive 20% off our normal rates!
This is a once in a lifetime moment... capture it forever!

Match.Com and the Story of Us...

As many of my clients know, my husband and I met on Match.com while he was serving our country in Iraq. I hated online dating and was about to give up when he became my pen pal for over 8 months prior to his return to the States.
Well, come to find out that Match is using our story as one of their success story articles! Kinda cheesy I know, but kinda cool none the less! Want to read all about it?

http://success.match.com/StoryViewer.aspx?storyId=22710

He really is the love of my life!

I love you so much baby... thank you for making everyday, everything, perfect in every way! How did I get so darn lucky?

Laura & Mark are engaged!!!

Quiet, sweet, humble, so in love... words I use to describe this beautiful couple (and their dog Dixie). I had the pleasure of photographing all three today out at Dry Comal Creek Vineyards in New Braunfels Texas. They could have used a few glasses of wine before the shoot, Mark was a bit nervous I think? Then again, what man is not somewhat shy in front of the camera? But leave it to my husband the goof to get everyone laughing it up in no time!
And Sabrina... what can I say except thank you for the use (and the tour) of your fabulous vineyard. I cannot wait to come back in the spring, when the vines are full of purple grapes and the fields full of flowers.
When it was all said and done, we captured some wonderful images... then we all went for a personal wine tasting session (Thank you David!!!) So much fun!!! And yes, we all walked away with a few bottles of wine and some amazingly tasty pepper jelly... I am hooked (and eating some now BTW!).

Oh, and I just can't help myself... I can never keep a secret! So Laura... get ready to meet me again before your big day in February because someone special just treated you to a bridal portrait session!!! :) (Wink-wink) I know how badly you want those images as well. What a lucky girl! So, pick your spot and lets get to it! WHOO-HOO!!!!!
Here are a few from our day... Enjoy!















































Meet Dixie...



Just for fun...



Colorful glass makes for some cool pics!









This is the fabulous jelly, that tastes so yummy on crackers. It really compliments the wine! Now I know I can edit images while tipping back a few! LOL!
Kidding guys!