Mandie McMurdie Photography

britiny and chase

2012-01-12T23:43:00.000-06:00

This cute couple decided to do everything out of order. First, bride and groom pictures, the reception a few days later, and the wedding last. I thought it was a fabulous idea, and I think people ought to do it that way more often! Maybe then I would become a wedding photographer!

adelynne | allen tx newborn photographer

2012-01-10T23:14:00.001-06:00

We only had an hour to shoot, and ms. Adelynne was one month old, but with some awesome preparation from mom, a very cooperative baby, and super teamwork during the shoot, I think we were able to get some great pictures!

Isn't she a doll?

strong | Waxahachie family photographer

2012-01-09T19:40:00.001-06:00

I've decided that there's no way I'm going to blog all of the sessions from this fall, but I'll at least try...

I love the Strong family. They were one of my first clients, and I'm glad they've stuck with me. :) I love being able to see Blake grow up, and I love the sweet relationship these guys have with each other.

private ryan | plano newborn photographer

2011-12-21T00:00:00.000-06:00

I'm so happy I was able to photograph this little sweetie the day before his dad went back into service. I was especially glad that both mom and dad were able to be there for the session. There's nothing like watching two new parents love on their baby.

gary family | Burleson Family Photographer

2011-12-15T23:53:00.001-06:00

I went to elementary school, middle and high school with this guy, and now he's got a beautiful wife, two darling boys and two on the way! Funny how people grow up and all. :) It's so fun to catch up with old friends and I'm so grateful for social media that brings people back together after so many years.

here's another one

2011-11-27T21:58:00.001-06:00

This one has smaller detail. Maybe you can see more of a difference.

can you tell?

2011-11-27T21:26:00.001-06:00

This is the same photo uploaded two different ways. One directly into Blogger and the other through Photobucket. Can you tell a difference? If so, which photo looks better to you? A or B?

Roni | Wylie Family Photographer

2011-11-27T21:06:00.001-06:00

I love it when families have creative or unusual nicknames for each other, and I especially love hearing how those nick names came to be. This is one of those families that has a few crazy names for their kids, one of them being the title of this blog post. Can you guess who the Roni is?

I could go on and on... | Wylie Family Photographer

2011-11-14T21:41:00.001-06:00

...about how amazing these guys are, but instead I'll just say that I am so grateful to know this family, so grateful for Audrey's friendship, and so grateful that I have the privilege of photographing them every year!

merrell family | mckinney family photographer

2011-10-25T00:00:00.002-05:00

You know when you meet someone (in this case five someones) and you know instantly that you are going to really like them? Yeah.

miracles | wylie newborn portrait photographer

2011-10-19T21:54:00.001-05:00

All babies are special, but there's something extraordinary about twins.

This tiny little boy needed a space heater and a heating pad over his body in between every shoot to keep his body temperature up.

cute x's 2 | garland children's portrait photographer

2011-10-12T10:47:00.000-05:00

This little nugget goes to my church and I think he is possibly the cutest six-month-old ever! And don't get me started on his older brother!

He told me he wanted to make the "love" sign for his mom. Such a sweet boy!

tow heads | wylie family portrait photographer

2011-09-27T13:13:00.001-05:00

I have an affinity for white-headed kids. Maybe because I was one, and I've got one of my own, or maybe its because they are so fun to shoot! This family has the most beautiful hair and creamy tan skin! Lucky bunch!

Three years ago, this mom took a chance on me even though I didn't know what the heck I was doing. I still may not know much, but I'm so glad they've stuck with me through the years. I feel so blessed that I get to document so many families' lives and watch them grow!

max | rockwall newborn photographer

2011-09-13T22:46:00.000-05:00

I had a blast with this wonderful family! Ten-day-old Max was a perfect little nugget to photograph, and his parents had me in stitches the entire session.

livy | wylie newborn photographer

2011-09-13T21:46:00.000-05:00

After an action packed spring photography season, I decided to take most of the summer off. Although I missed shooting, it was the best decision I could have made. I thoroughly enjoyed spending time with my family, and we spent our days swimming, playing, vacationing, and doing a whole lot of nothing.

One of my good friends, (and favorite clients) had her third baby a month ago, and I was so glad I got to do her newborn session. Livy was sleepy and sweet, not to mention gorgeous! I am really growing to love newborn photography and hope that I continue to have these opportunities.

mini-session dates

2011-08-06T23:39:00.003-05:00

fall mini-sessions

October 15th

45 minute session, 10 digital images for $125

Time slots are 4:30, 5:15, 6:00pm

Location TBA

mini-mini-sessions

November 19th

20 minute session, 6 digital pics, $75

Times are 3:55, 4:20, 4:45, 5:10pm

Perfect for Christmas cards

Location TBA

Contact me at 214-316-0161 or email mandiemcmurdie@gmail.com

First come, first pick!

joshua | wylie newborn photographer

2011-06-29T00:12:00.002-05:00

If you don't plan on having any more children, you might want to avert your eyes. Because this baby is going to change your mind! Don't say I didn't warn you...

petersen family | wylie family photographer

2011-06-05T22:17:00.002-05:00

This family left a lot of really sad people behind when they moved away last year, but we were so glad that they came back to visit last weekend!

carmen and maria | plano family photographer

2011-05-21T21:37:00.004-05:00

I immediately loved Carmen and her daughter when I first met them. I had heard many wonderful things about them, and I was looking forward to meeting another parent with a child with cochlear implants. But what I didn't anticipate was how totally connected I would feel to this woman, and how little Carmen would steal my heart.

Carmen and I don't have a lot in common. She and I speak different languages, live different lives. But I understand her to the CORE. I understand what its like to have a deaf child. I understand the fierce motherly instinct to do everything in your power to give your child the life they deserve. I understand the unique bond that she has with her daughter... anyone that has gone through a physical trial with their child can understand that its different, not necessarily better, just special.

It is hard enough to go through life with a hearing impaired child in the BEST of circumstances. But Carmen has fought her way out of HELL to do everything to make the best life for her daughter, all the while maintaining an optimistic attitude. Her strength, tenacity and resilience blows me away. They are amazing, and I am humbled by them both.

All right, I'm done. On to the pictures... :)

pic-a-day (day 9)

2011-05-14T20:25:00.002-05:00

A gorgeous girl in a gorgeous dress in a gorgeous field.

Meg is a senior

2011-05-11T21:35:00.000-05:00

I don't know why I don't photograph more seniors. Shooting little kids is my thing, but I had so much fun shooting Meg, and she rocked it! And the best part is I didn't have to chase her around and make silly noises to get her to smile.

pic-a-day (day 7)

2011-05-10T22:27:00.004-05:00

If you asked Abby and Carter what they're most favorite places in the world are, they would probably say this:

Grandma's house (both of them)
The swimming pool
Church
The beach house in Galveston
School
McDonalds
Dollar Tree

....but probably not in that order.

pic-a-day (day 6)

2011-05-10T21:06:00.005-05:00

Our city officials decided to add a bit of spice to our city by building a new city complex that looks like a fortress, or babylon, with blue scaly fish sticking out of it. Its so, so strange. It might just be one of the most eccentric buildings I have ever seen. I'm thinking it might make a good place for a photo shoot in the future.

But this what Abby thinks of it.

pic-a-day (day 5)

2011-05-08T22:34:00.001-05:00

One of three reasons why I love being a mother:

pic-a-day (day 4)

2011-05-07T23:32:00.000-05:00

This is one of the sweetest, happiest girls I have ever met. It was so much fun photographing her and her mom tonight. Abby came along and she and Carmen played together after the shoot. Put one very happy girl with a cochlear implant and another very happy girl with cochlear implants together and you have instant friendship. A very big, boisterous, girly friendship. :)

I have so much more to share from this session, but until then, read about their story HERE.

pic-a-day (day 3)

2011-05-06T13:32:00.003-05:00

This is a pic from a session I did last week. A storm was moving in and the light was pretty awesome. I thought I'd show you the original and then what I did to edit.

Here's SOOC

And here's the edited.

Data for this shot is: ISO 200, f/ 2.0, shutter 1/1300
First I sharpened the image slightly, then I bumped up the contrast and got rid of the slight greenish tint. Then I fixed the little red mark on the side of her face, and that's about it!

And here's a BW version just for kicks.

pic-a-day

2011-05-05T17:37:00.002-05:00

Nothing artistic or great about this photo, but just a view of my life this week. Andrew has pink-eye and a nasty cold which requires breathing treatments. And I'm sick right along with him.

Look at those flushed little cheeks! Don't you just want to kiss and cuddle him to pieces? Yeah.... that's why I'm sick.

linford family | richardson family photographer

2011-05-04T23:41:00.004-05:00

Yeah, their kids are insanely adorable, and the parents are super cool, and they chose an awesome wardrobe, but I think it was the slippery fish song that did me in.

Thanks for the fun, Linfords!

pic-a-day

2011-05-04T13:51:00.003-05:00

I'm going to attempt to blog a picture a day for a month.

This is Abby and three of her favorite cousins. They are all 4 and 5 years old and love spending time together. It helps that we all live within 10 minutes of each other. My cousins all lived across the country and I was never close to any of them, so I think its wonderful, and I'm actually kind of jealous! I really hope that they stay best friends their entire lives.

yes, more bluebonnets

2011-05-02T22:41:00.003-05:00

But I love this family!

mandie vs. the sun

2011-04-26T16:08:00.000-05:00

So most natural light photographers will tell you that they prefer to shoot at certain times of the day when the light is soft and not overbearing, and for the most part, I schedule my sessions in the early morning or evening before sundown. But when I got inundated with requests for bluebonnet pictures, and having a limited window in which to do them all, I knew I was going to have to suck it up and learn to make friends with the late afternoon sun. It's gonna take more work, but I think we're going to get along just fine. Just don't ask me to get buddy buddy with the 2pm sun. Aint gonna happen.

Both of these sessions were taken around 5pm in full sun.

This session had a few minor setbacks, (and one blown out diaper-ruined dress setback,) but we rallied at the end and got some good shots.

They pulled out the bunny ears and I about died. SO CUTE!!! He may not think so in 10 years, but eh, it was worth it!

a change of pace...

2011-04-22T00:43:00.003-05:00

Bluebonnets are taking over my blog, so I thought I'd post another recent session I did.

Some of you may recall THIS POST from a while back. I know many of you were inspired by Angela's story and were excited to connect a face to it, so here you go! I really enjoyed photographing and getting to know Angela and her daughter, and they really are as amazing as they sound. :)

Little Annika had gave me a good workout in traditional toddler style and even gave me the eyebrow once in a while. Love it.

Angela has a new (okay, well kinda new) guy in her life and they are so cute together!

seriously

2011-04-20T21:44:00.002-05:00

It's really hard to not go "aaawwwwwwwww..." when I photograph these two.

Come on, you know you wanna say it.

play

2011-04-19T22:07:00.002-05:00

Sometimes its just fun to hang out with a couple of cool kids and take pictures of them play and interact with eachother. These guys are the same distance in age as my oldest two kids are, and the way they play together reminds me so much of my own chillins. Friends for life.

first bluebonnet session

2011-04-18T15:24:00.002-05:00

I shot little Paige last year right before they moved off to Chicago. Mom contacted me a couple of weeks ago and said they would be back in town for a bit and and so I squeezed them into my schedule so they could have bluebonnet pictures to remember Texas by. So good to see you all again! I will definitely not forget these two and that kiss!

cute x's three | wylie children's photographer

2011-04-12T00:02:00.002-05:00

After I took the first couple of frames in this session, I thought, "oh, this is going to be FUN!" Adorable girls with a knack for posing and a wonderfully sweet family made for a very easy photo shoot! The hard part was deciding which pictures to edit!

just one

2011-04-07T13:57:00.003-05:00

giveaway!

2011-04-04T10:12:00.002-05:00

Have you "liked" my Facebook fan page yet?

If 300 people "like" Mandie McMurdie Photography Fan Page by April 16th, all nine families that have a bluebonnet session with me will get a free 8x10 print ($10 value!) If I can get 400 people, then I will give TWO 8x10s to each family. And if 500 people like my page, I will give them THREE 8x10 pics (That's a $30 value per family, friends!) So if you've got a moment, head on over there and help out some fantastic families! And just cuz, here's a pic of one of my favorite subjects.

I remember

2011-04-01T14:55:00.003-05:00

that time four years ago when it was just me, my husband, and our first baby, Abby. Those were happy times, and looking back, I really wish we had done a photo shoot like these guys did. Because before you know it, there's three sets of legs to chase after instead of one. :) Kyle family, thanks for the fun time!

personal

2011-03-26T23:08:00.004-05:00

It started out as a fun little hobby two years ago.

Now I find myself sitting at my computer editing pictures and wiping tears off my keyboard.

I get to document love, milestones, beginnings and ends, great occasions and small moments. Every person, every family has an incredible story, and it may sound terribly cliche' but I feel so privileged to be able to document these moments. It is so much more than a hobby. Now it's personal.

I don't know when this family will be together again, but I'm so glad I got to capture some of their last moments together.

What I do is truly an honor.

Ty and Hedge

2011-03-23T15:22:00.001-05:00

A couple of the coolest guys I know.

thatcher family

2011-03-16T12:33:00.003-05:00

A wise person once told me that if you recognize something is wrong, then maybe its your job to fix it. That's exactly what Del did when she realized a need for the children in our community. Instead of hoping one day someone else would do it, she gathered a few of her friends and made it happen herself. What resulted is the amazing Wylie Acting Group for Children, an organization that has changed and improved childrens' lives in the two years it has been in existence.

I loved shooting this family and getting to know them better. Daniel and Del are both amazing people who do so much for the little people in their lives; with work, their community, and especially their own wonderful children. One of the most amazing things about being a photographer is being able to see the love that families have for each other, and this session to me, was extraordinarily special. Thank you for the wonderful session, Thatcher family!

drastic

2011-03-12T23:31:00.003-06:00

So I wanna show you something.

This image was taken at a session I did tonight with a fabulous family. It was waaay past an appropriate time to shoot but we were running late (too much chatting on my part maybe?) and scrambling to fit all the shots in that they wanted done. My ISO was bumped up to 1600, which is the highest my camera will go, and my apeture was at 2.2 and shutter speed at 160. I could have made some adjustments to add more light, like widening the apeture to 1.8 or so, and lowering my shutter speed, but I was afraid if I went any lower I would lose image quality. (Plus I don't have a whole lot of experience shooting in such dark conditions, so I was a little out of my element. Just keepin' it real.)

Anyway, so the picture is dreadfully dark. Pretty unusable actually. But I put my photoshopping skills to the test to try to salvage it because I really needed the picture. so here's the before. Yikes.

And here's the after:

The picture still isn't as light as I want it to be, mom is a little blurry and the image is grainy and flat. But I think maybe it's usuable now.

What do you think?

i heart faces - people's choice

2011-03-07T20:33:00.001-06:00

It's people's choice over at I Heart Faces this week.

I was scouting out a new location and my son was not in the mood for kisses or pictures. But I love this picture anyway because its the real moments that I want to capture and remember.... AND its always nice to have something to show the girlfriends when he gets older.

Stop on over to I Heart Faces to see the rest of the entries.

And the button isn't working, so here's the link to I heart faces blog!

bluebonnet mini sessions

2011-02-28T13:43:00.002-06:00

Location TBA. Three slots got snatched up in 15 minutes so there's only three remaining! Email me at mandiemcmurdie@gmail.com or call 214-316-0161 to reserve your slot!

practice makes... better?

2011-02-25T15:13:00.002-06:00

I need to practice more. So when I found this vintage smocked shirt in a box of Abby's old clothes, I got an idea for a shoot. So I called up a friend and we went out and had a little mini-session. Except little P wasn't feeling it. Which often times is totally normal for a three-year-old, especially when its cold outside and your mom makes you wear a dorky shirt. But anyway, it was good practice for me. We shot at a time of day that I would normally avoid because of the bright sun, and the subject wasn't very copperative, oh, and Andrew was with me. It was good practice for me. I think its those times when things don't exactly go your way that you learn the most. So thanks, Payton, for stretching me a little. :)

baby emma

2011-02-20T21:07:00.003-06:00

I like to use interesting textures, colors and props in newborn shoots, but to me there's nothing like a solid white background and a lot of natural light to highlight the beauty of a baby.

winner #3

2011-02-16T15:03:00.002-06:00

This submission actually came from Abby's teacher, Fanny Heninger. As some of you may know, I have two children with hearing loss and they both attend a school for the deaf. When I read this story, I just couldn't say no.

Fanny writes:

"I am writing to nominate a family whose child once attended school here. Carmen and her daughter, Carmen escaped a very harsh situation in another state and left with just the clothes on their backs, no photos or trinkets to hold any memories by. They came to PISD in search for a better Deaf Ed program. They lived in a shelter until mom was able to get on her feet and get an apartment for herself and her daughter. Mom worked hard to learn English as a second language, and although she does not dominate the language, she has gotten her certification to become a day care provider at her home. She is very proud that in two short years, she has been able to buy her own car and has moved from McKinney to Plano to be closer to the school. Yesterday, 2/9/11, her daughter Carmen just got her second cochlear implant. Little Carmen is in the Total Communication Program at Davis, we have known her since she attended Pearson. This brave mom has withstood some very hard times and they have managed to stay together and thrive. In the time I have known Carmen, she has always had a smile and a positive thought about her daughter's future. She is always searching for ways to improve herself and her child. I know that they can not afford it, and a portrait to commemorate the second CI of her child and the accomplishments they have both made would be a deserving gift to a family that has truly struggled."

As difficult as having children with hearing loss is, I cannot complain at all about the resources and care (and insurance!) that have been at our fingertips. We have been blessed, and we have not had to struggle a fraction of the amount that this family has. She has strength and character that I could only wish to have. I cannot WAIT to meet them, and hope that some of her greatness rubs off on me.

winner #2

2011-02-15T12:34:00.003-06:00

This next winner was submitted by Monica Peterson, who wrote in about a woman she got to know through church.

Monica writes: "When we moved to Sachse four years ago, I became friends with a woman named Lara. She had a large family, and their income was small, but she always assured me she was happy and her family was well and didn't need anything. They didn't always make it to church because occasionally the cars needed repairs that they couldn't afford it. Lara and her family rarely had new things, but would often get a very used couch or bed from family, and would make it work to have a table that was missing a leg, etc. They were always very appreciative of whatever others would offer, despite not asking for any help even when they needed it most.

One time while visiting I noticed a small (5x7?) picture of Lara and her husband with one or two children hanging on the wall. When I first met Lara she had seven children in their family, and one on the way so I knew it was an old picture. I asked if that was the most recent family picture they had; Lara confirmed that it was. I thought about it off and on for the next month and tried to decide if my photography skills were enough to offer in order for this family to have updated photographs. So I offered to take some pictures in order to have some documentation of Lara's family and each member of it at such a young stage in their lives. I offered, and she gratefully accepted. We scheduled it a couple times but there always seemed to be someone sick in her family and it never worked out. We stopped trying, and I'm sad that for the three-plus years I knew her, we never took one picture.

I place a lot of importance on documenting the changes in our family, and feel bad that Lara is so busy caring for nine children (with the oldest being 12) that I doubt picture-taking has made it any higher on her priority list. She does well to take care of the necessities in life, and from what I could see was very content and happy with never going out with friends or having much "me" time. In my perspective, she sacrifices a lot for her family and their well-being but never lets on that it causes her any suffering. I think it would be wonderful if she could have pictures of her family so she'll have some documentation (for herself, as well as to give her children later) of what her children looked like when they were younger."

My husband Brian help me pick the winners, and this one was his favorite. He comes from a family of eight children, and thought that every family, especially a family with nine children, deserves to have their lives remembered in photos. The largest family I have ever photographed is one with five children, so I am looking forward to this wonderful challenge!

winners! wait.....winners???

2011-02-14T12:25:00.003-06:00

I recieved so many touching stories that I decided to choose three winners for a free photo shoot instead of one. For the next three days I will announce the winners and tell you a little about their amazing stories.

I received an email from Melanie Davis who wrote about her friend Angela. This is what she wrote:

"Angela Dvorsky was married to the biggest teddy-bear of a sweetheart. She called him "My Chuck". He proposed to her while massaging her feet as she was horribly sick on the couch. Angela realized that if he could love and want to be with her in that condition, he would always be loving and sincere. They had a beautiful fall wedding and Chuck did most of the cooking for the guests, he had the biggest servants heart! After many years of trying for children, they were about to give up when Angela finally became pregnant. They were so excited to learn they were having a girl and this baby girl already had Chuck wrapped around her tiny fingers.

One morning, late in her pregnancy, Angela had to rush Chuck to the hospital. He was in horrible pain. Only a few days later he would pass away unexpectedly from toxic back up of his bile which shut down all his organs. The very next day Angela gave birth to their first child.

I met Angela only four months after Chuck's death at a bereavement group I was conducting. Her strength and faith was amazing and towards the end of the program I asked if she might be willing to share her story in a book I was compiling to provide hope and healing to those who were suffering through adversity and tragedy. There wasn't even a moment of consideration, she agreed immediately saying that she wanted to do anything she could to help others, and so the full story "My Chuck" is published in The Triumph Book.

It has only been a year and a half since Chuck's passing (May of 2009) and Angela has recently found a new love in her life. She has lost a great deal of weight which she gained after going through the stress of losing her husband and giving birth the next day and is gorgeous and happy. I know she would LOVE to have a special sweetheart picture taken either with her sweet baby, who looks so much like her father and whom she kisses when she misses him, or a couple picture with the new hero in her life."

Thank you, Melanie, for this amazing story.

This Valentines Day, let us cherish the loved ones in our life, for every day is precious.

carrie

2011-02-02T23:42:00.002-06:00

It was Thanksgiving Day (little did I know it was two days before giving birth) and we were at my mom's house visiting my family. My niece Carrie mentioned previously that she wanted me to take a few pictures of her, but I hesitated because it was getting dark and it was cold and dreary outside. But she looked so stinkin' awesome that I couldn't resist, so we went out and did a little 15 minute shoot. I kinda like the vintage moodiness of these pictures.

the gift of memories

2011-01-30T20:39:00.002-06:00

About a year ago, when I was still really new to this photography thing, I put an inquiry on my neighborhood message board asking for a senior model. I needed practice, and I was going to offer the pictures to the model for free. That evening, my phone rang, and a woman on the other end asked if I was still in need of a model. I said yes, and that if she knew of someone, it was all hers. Suddenly I heard a sob on the other end of the line, and the woman explained to me that her daughter was a senior, and that she had wanted to do pictures for her, but she was a single mom, living with a friend, not able to even make ends meet let alone get professional pictures for her daughter. I told her I would be honored to take her pictures, and was so happy that I could help. When I hung up, I cried, grateful that I was going to be able to help someone in need. Someone who truely deserved it.

But then life got in the way. After a cancelled appointment due to rain and the end of the school year arriving quickly, we failed to reschedule, and after several attempts at contacting them, I gave up and never heard from them again.

That experience has bothered me to this day. I regret that I was never able to help them out, and I promised myself that I would look for more opportunities to give.

So with Valentines Day coming up, I thought now would be a perfect time to honor that promise. But I need your help.

I am looking for a really deserving individual or family in need of pictures. It could be someone facing health problems, financial hardships, or particularily trying times. Maybe its a family with a really incredible story. Or maybe it's someone who gives and gives to others and deserves something special for themselves. If you know of an amazing family or person that deserves professional portraits, please tell me their story! The nominated winner will receive a free photo shoot and a cd of edited images, a $220 value. And the individual who nominated them will also receive $50 gift card to be used towards pictures of their own.

Send all nominations to mandiemcmurdie@gmail.com and on Valentines Day, February 14, I will announce the winner.

Here's the short:

Write me a letter describing why your nominee deserves pictures

Send it to mandiemcmurdie@gmail.com by February 12th.

Nominees must live in the DFW area or be willing to travel here.

I will read all entries, select a winner and announce it on Feb. 14th.

Awards must be redeemed by December 31, 2011.

sweetness

2011-01-20T12:59:00.001-06:00

It's cold and dreary outside, so I thought I would post a little bit of sunshine.

cassie and jake

2011-01-19T22:19:00.000-06:00

i heart faces - winter wonderland

2011-01-16T22:18:00.007-06:00

Wow, its been over half a year since I've entered an I Heart Faces Contest!

Cassie wanted to have a photo shoot done in her quince dress, but wanted to do something a little different. So we waited for a snow day (which occurs maybe one time a year) and braved the cold for some dramatic shots.

i'm a sucker

2011-01-06T16:50:00.001-06:00

So I'm still officially on maternity leave, but I couldn't resist doing a couple of session this past week, including one of this little sweetie and her family.

cutest. cheeks. ever.

hinckleyville

2011-01-05T16:23:00.000-06:00

Recognize this family? I think I might have to put them in a rehab program with the Otts. Or maybe I'll just continue to support their family photo addiction. :)

in no particular order

2011-01-04T21:47:00.003-06:00

I'm going to attempt to post the remainder of my 2010 sessions, and I'll start with one of my most favorite families ever. They have the cutest boys on the planet, and I'm secretly hoping that Abby marries Hyrum when she grows up.

I mean, come on. Wouldn't they make the cutest kids?

But, ahem. Back to the family.

meet andrew

2010-12-22T22:34:00.002-06:00

Our newest addition. Born November 27th, 2010. He's three weeks old now and as sweet as can be. And the reason why I haven't posted anything to my photo blog in forever.

i'm not gonna lie

2010-11-26T16:37:00.001-06:00

There are times when a photoshoot doesn't go the way I want. Whether its less than ideal weather, an unfamiliar location, my creativity and attention to detail is lacking, or I'm having an overall "off" day, occasionally I have a time when I wish I could have a do-over.

This photo shoot was not one of them. The clients was awesome, the sun was just right, and I think I've found a new favorite photo shoot location.

Thanks for making my day, Harbison family!

christmas mini-sessions

2010-11-19T13:22:00.002-06:00

Part I of my christmas mini-sessions was a couple of weeks ago and I'm finally getting around to posting the pictures. This type of mini-session was a new experience for me and I think it went very well! I'm pretty sure I'll have to do this again in the spring!

Funny that all three of these families have three kids. I think three is a perfect number. :)

These guys are die hard Rangers fans. Um, can you tell?

evans kids

2010-11-18T00:23:00.003-06:00

You know that family on your block or at your church that everyone likes, and everyone wants to know? That's these guys. Every person in this family is just effortlessly cool, and I'm glad I can call them friends. Because then maybe that makes me just a little bit cool too. :)

bush family

2010-11-16T13:49:00.000-06:00

Strong

2010-11-05T15:41:00.002-05:00

lines family

2010-10-29T21:59:00.003-05:00

I think I should hire this mom to be a wardrobe consultant for my clients. I loved their outfits!

evolution of a headshot

2010-10-29T17:10:00.003-05:00

I don't think I've mentioned it here yet, but recently I got added as a headshot photographer for a local talent agency. My first client was an awesome aspiring actress, Afton, and we got some great shots. I think this was our favorite of the day, as well as the talent agency owners favorite, but she asked if I could tweak the photo a couple of times and get it just right. I thought I would share the evolution from SOOC to third edit.

Here's SOOC

I played it minimal with the edits, because they like for the talent to look as nautral as possible. So I just sharpened and brightened a little.

However, the agency wanted me to remove some shadow on the left side of her face.

And then asked for even more after they saw the second edit.

So there you have it. Hopefully this edit will be the one that goes on the agency website and be used as one of her official headshots.

Here's a side by side:

hollywould and hollywouldnot

2010-10-28T21:42:00.002-05:00

She didn't want to smile, but I caught a hint of one a couple of times! I have an affiinity for this sweet girl, because she reminds me of a certain three-year-old I know.

Her brother, however, had no problems posing in front of the camera. Dad calls him "hollywood." I think it fits.

olivia

2010-10-28T15:34:00.003-05:00

I'm so behind in blogging, but I had to share one from a newborn session I had this morning. Six weeks until I can photograph my own!

when

2010-10-13T12:49:00.003-05:00

When tragedy strikes, when trials overcome your world, you can let them destroy you, or you can allow those experiences teach you, mold you and change you in a way you never though possible. Like this family.

Peterson family, you inspire me.

one

2010-10-11T23:17:00.001-05:00

one pic from today's one-year-old shoot.

melissa

2010-10-10T22:35:00.003-05:00

Its so nice to have beautiful friends willing to help you out at a moments notice when you're in the mood to practice some photographin' skills. I wanted to work on headshots, and I couldn't have asked for a more perfect model. Thanks, Mel! Oh, and thanks to Abby and Carter who tagged along with us and were very well behaved.

free photoshoot

2010-10-08T18:31:00.001-05:00

I am offering a FREE photoshoot tomorrow at 6pm! I only need ONE person over age 4. An older child, teenager or adult preferred. It'll only take 30 min-1hr and you'll get 10 images on CD for helping me out. Location is downtown Wylie. I need to practice headshots/model shots, so if you or your child loves the camera and wants free pictures, please let me know!

Email mandiemcmurdie@gmail.com or call 214-3161.

short shoot

2010-10-07T09:33:00.002-05:00

Yesterday I did a little 9 month photo shoot with my nephew Connor. He's just getting over pink eye and a double ear infection, so I'm glad he was happy and smiling for me!

I'm so jealous of those blue eyes.

anderson family

2010-10-04T22:00:00.003-05:00

white balance

2010-09-27T11:10:00.004-05:00

So there's this thing in photography called white balance. Most camera's have a white balance setting that allows you to adjust the colors so that what you produce in your camera looks as realistic as possible.

Well the other day when shooting a session, I was having a white balance issue with my camera. It needs to be callibrated, but the colors are usually good when I stay on AUTO white balance. But this time it seemed that my camera's auto setting was shooting too orange, so I tried to compensate by changing it to a different setting. The results were not good as you can see below. It is way too blue. And even after I edited and posted a few pictures I still wasn't happy with the outcome. So I tried again. Here's the SOOC:

The first edit:

The second edit:

So I was able to fix it, as well as the other pictures, but it has slowed down my editing process considerably.

Here's another before and after
SOOC

Edited

So today's lesson: get it right in the camera! It will save you time and grief!

going, going....

2010-09-27T10:29:00.002-05:00

Almost gone!

I have just a few more openings for sessions before I go on maternity leave! If you would like to book a session for October or November, please contact me at mandiemcmurdie@gmail.com.

the cast

2010-09-26T23:04:00.004-05:00

Along with the promotional shoot I did for "The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe," I also had a photoshoot with the entire cast. Every kid got their turn in front of the camera and I had a blast capturing their characters and their personalities. There were over 40 cast members, so this isn't even half, but I thought I'd share some of the cuteness.

This was my first time ever photographing something other than babies with my studio equipment and I really, really enjoyed it. I prefer natural light, but I love what the studio setting can do.

published!

2010-09-22T12:42:00.002-05:00

I mean, I guess you can call it that. Our hometown newspaper published an article on the upcoming performance of "The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe" and it made the front page!

for neysa

2010-09-18T23:24:00.005-05:00

Just a quick pull of images tonight's photoshoot...so you don't have to check my blog every day. :)

announcing

2010-09-14T23:02:00.002-05:00

okay, just one more.

2010-09-14T22:35:00.001-05:00

addison and drew

2010-09-14T13:22:00.002-05:00

Shot these cuties a couple of weeks ago. Thought I'd share a few!

the lion, the witch and the wardrobe

2010-09-08T10:56:00.002-05:00

Earlier this year Del Thatcher and a few of her friends and family decided that our little city was missing out on a great cultural opportunity, so they got together and started the Wylie Acting Group for Children. They debuted their little group with a cute play called "Fairy Tale Courtroom," which caught the attention and the hearts of our community and the leaders of our city. This season they decided to take on a bigger project and do The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe, which is a much bigger production with a larger cast.

I was asked to photograph the promotional pictures as well as the cast pictures for the show, and I jumped at the chance! I was involved in theatre all through junior high, high school and college and even selected it as my major before I changed to music education, so I was so happy to be able to support something so close to my heart, even if its just by taking their pictures.

For promotional pictures we focused on the meeting of Lucy and Tumnus, and of course had to choose a wooded location instead of using the stage. These young actors were great to work with, and I can't wait to meet the rest of the cast!

If you'd like to take your kids to see this great little production, or if you'd like to be a part of their next production, visit their website HERE.

taylor family

2010-09-07T10:58:00.002-05:00

This family wanted to get together for pictures because this guy is going on a church mission for two years.

And of course you need lots of pictures before he goes! What a handsome family!

oh snap! photo challenge - play on shadow, second try

2010-08-29T20:58:00.003-05:00

So I asked on one of the young women in my ward to help me out with my second try at last week's photo challenge. Teenagers are SO much easier to work with than little kids. Doesn't she have the most amazing eyes?!

Instead of using the cut up sheet I made, I used a crochet blanket and a garden rake this time. I think the effect is pretty cool!

ISO 100, f/2.0, 1/500s

ISO 100, f/2.0, 1/1250s

This second pic wasn't the most in focus, but I loved her passive look and the way the shadows hit the angles of her face just right. I learned from this shoot that its not very easy to shoot a model in extreme shadows like this, especially in full sun. It's really hard on the eyes, and she was probably mid-blink in this shot. Considering the circumstances, she did a great job!

Oh, and I also learned that its really hard to hold a huge rake in just the right position while taking a picture with the other hand. :)

oh snap! - play on shadow

2010-08-27T23:07:00.002-05:00

ISO -200
f/1.8
1/160s

So I had this really great idea for the shadow theme and tried to do it today and my models were not being very cooperative. Since it was a little too late to find a willing assistant, I instead went into my archives and pulled this out.

Normally shadow is not my friend. I like nice even light and I try at all costs to avoid deep shadows. But Madison was the dramatic type and so I put her up against the wall and told her to look "fierce." I think it turned out pretty good. I edited pretty gritty too, which I don't like to do either, but I think it fits the mood of the picture.

Instead of critiquing this picture, I'll explain what i was going to do and what I would have done to improve it. First I took an old sheet and cut lots of holes in it. Next I hung it on a backdrop stand in the back yard. the light then streams through the holes making a dramatic pattern on the subject. Abby and Carter were totally uninterested in helping me, and didn't quite understand why I wanted them to sit in front of a holey sheet. So next time I will use an adult model. I will also make the holes smaller so it will create a more dramatic look. I also learned that my inspiration comes in the 11th hour and I need to think more creatively all the time, instead of the day its due. So I'm glad for these challenges to help get my creaky creative wheels moving.

Anyway, both the posted picture and the concept i was going to do are not a literal translation of a shadow, but I think that's why we named it "play on shadow" so we could play around with the idea of shadow.

golden

2010-08-26T12:17:00.002-05:00

My SIL wanted to do some pictures of her daughter for her 2 year birthday, and her four year old, Mikayla, came along too. However, it became clear very quick into the session that Mikayla was going to steal the show. What a superstar!

Keira, your pics will be up soon!

van van

2010-08-25T21:41:00.003-05:00

Our wonderful next door neighbors moved to Houston a few days ago and we are very sad. I went over to their house on Monday to say a final goodbye and sat in their very empty living room and played with little baby Van. Here I was, playing with an adorable, only diaper clad, chunky baby in a neutral empty light filled room and I thought, "What am I doing? This is perfect for pictures!" So I ran next door and grabbed my camera and took a few shots.

Don't you just want to eat him for lunch?

Van's: we're going to miss you!

Under 100 Degrees Sale

2010-08-24T17:34:00.002-05:00

Guess what?

It's going to be under 100 degrees this week! Low 90's to be exact!

So in celebration, I'm offering an

UNDER 100 SALE*

45 minute photo session
20 digital negatives on CD
only $75!!!

I have only a few slots open for this special:

Wednesday, August 25th 7:00-7:45pm

Thursday, August 26th, 8:45am-9:30am

Friday, August 27th, 8:45am-9:30am

*Sale is only good for the dates and times listed above
*Sale does not apply to families of 5 or more.

king family

2010-08-15T23:03:00.003-05:00

When Trever and Jenna met five years ago it was magic from the start. One of those fairy tale moments when they knew almost instantly that they were meant to be together. They had big plans for the perfect life; a cute house, a big family, and lots of happiness. What they didn't plan on however, was for their dreams to come so quickly. A year after beautiful Eva was born they were ready to try again. But this time instead of one little heart beat, there were FOUR. And in an instant, their lives changed forever. And they couldn't be happier.

Look at those eyes! No editing. Promise.

Friday Photo Challenge Week 1: In the Grass

2010-08-13T15:02:00.004-05:00

My sister Missy and I decided to start doing a weekly photo challenge to help us become better photographers and give us motivation to go out and shoot, even if its in 100 degree weather. So this week we chose the theme "in the grass." It was nearly impossible to get miss Abby to lay down in the grass in our backyard because it was too "itchy," but I did manage to get one decent shot. Not as in focus as I wanted, but acceptable.
Camera data: f/1.4, ISO 200, Shutter 1/250.

If you are a photographer and you would like to join our challenge, let me know and I'll give you the details!

emerson

2010-08-10T23:42:00.000-05:00

My sister-in-law Marianne made a quick visit down to Texas this weekend for a friend's wedding. She brought along the new addition (and number SIX) to her family and we were able to squeeze in a few pictures amongst the the oohing and ahhing of other family members. Ugh! I love new babies! Its like holding a little piece of heaven.

family of six

2010-08-09T23:06:00.004-05:00

Mom always does pictures of the kids around their birthdays, but this year she waited and did all the kids pictures at the same time. She allowed each kid to choose what they wanted to wear for their shoot to focus on their personalities and the things they have been doing this year. Emma, being a hip little 11 year old chose to focus on her cool hat. But of course she had to have a picture taken with her new bunny also!

This kid is about as BOY as you can get so we stuck him in a tree for this shoot.

Gah! She's gorgeous little angel. And a little sassy too.

Ashlyn got baptized this year, which was very important to her, so of course we shot her in her beautiful baptism dress.

dahlia bear

2010-07-30T22:22:00.003-05:00

Dahlia's family moved from DFW to Austin about a year ago, and they come back up to visit friends every so often. Every time they come back up this way to visit, her mom and I try to work out a time to do a photo shoot but it has yet to work out.

But recently I found out there was a possibility that little Dahlia, who was born at 25 weeks with her three siblings, may have to undergo open heart sugery. I knew then that we needed to get together for pictures before they started this difficult journey. So knowing that we were headed to south Texas for a family vacation, I called up Dahlia's mom and asked them if we could take a detour and hang out with them for the day. She jumped at the chance, and we finally got together to take some pictures.

Jenna, thank you for letting us spend time with you and your wonderful family. You and Trevor are an inspiration, your children are sweet and beautiful, and your story is a miracle. It was a pleasure and a privilige to photograph your family.

Here's just one picture of Dahlia. More to come.

hot

2010-07-22T01:20:00.002-05:00

I think it hit 100 degrees that day, and it really didn't seem much cooler that evening as we took pictures. But even though it was hot, this couple was hotter, and made for a really fun photo session!

Here's a little sneak peek.

four generations

2010-07-15T16:10:00.003-05:00

ivy

2010-07-11T20:30:00.003-05:00

Oh what a beautiful baby!

Little Ivy did a fantastic job considering the air conditioning had gone out in their house that morning and it was a stuffy 82 degrees. Good environment for babies, not for moms and pregnant photographers!

sweet

2010-07-10T22:14:00.001-05:00

I have four sessions to complete and blog about, but for now, a sweet pic.

exposure

2010-07-08T11:12:00.002-05:00

Okay, so I'm exposing myself here, but I wanted to show a really extreme before and after. This was one of the first shots of the shoot and I was in the process of adjusting my settings. The picture was a hot mess to start with, and I normally wouldn't waste my time with a picture so dark but I decided to take the challenge and see what I could do with it. I sharpened a bit, lightened the picture a ton, adjusted the coloring a tad, fixed the baby acne, and smoothed out her skin a little bit.

And here's the after: Now an acceptable picture.

te quiero

2010-07-07T20:55:00.004-05:00

Back in the day when I was social committee chair of our community, Melissa was a rockin' member of my committee. It's been about a year since I last saw her even though we live in the same neighbhorhood, (I know, sad.) so I was so excited when she called me to take pictures of her family.

This little family is so adorable, but what got me the most was the wonderful relationship that they have with eachother. It was truly a pleasure to watch them interact and see the love and respect that mom and dad had for their kids, and the sweet little way the kids interacted with eachother. So cute. Can I be in your family, Mel?