Popsicles, Photographs, and Pools! 

Creator of this image is unknown, but appreciated!

Summer is around the corner and you're likely to have a zillion opportunities to take some amazing photographs! Time to dust off your camera, play with the settings and make your own magic! Whether you have a DSLR camera or a cardboard covered disposable camera, you can definitely amp it up to a new level; there are a TON of websites dedicated to helping you capture your memories in beautiful form. 

Here are just a few:

• http://digital-photography-school.com/ Absolutely free, easy-to-read articles, and plenty of visual inspiration! 

• http://www.iheartfaces.com/ Absolutely free as well - delve into honing your talent with contests, forums, etc. 

• http://kristendukephotography.com/?cat=72 has one SUPER fun blog to read (she's a local gal if you're an Austinite like I am) and her photography tips are available at that link. Watch out though! You'll glance at the clock and find you've just spent a half hour drinking in her posts! 

• And finally, Willette Designs has generously shared a free downloadable file of 100 Summer Photo Opportunities. Just submit your e-mail and the file is all yours!http://willettedesigns.com/?p=3866 You'd better believe I'm signing up for this one! I've taken her Family Joy workshop and absolutely loved it! If you are looking to sharpen your editing skills, she breaks it down so that it's easy to understand! 

And of course, if there are any questions you have regarding photography, I'm always happy to help if I'm able. So feel free to comment below or send an e-mail to Jessica@JessicaReynoldsPhotography.com

Have a photo-fabulous summer, friends! 

~Jessica

Shooting For A Cure

Throughout my 32 years, several dear to me have passed on after battling cancer. I guess you could say, I have a soft spot for those who are touched by cancer.
I also have known several survivors - and I rejoice at having another day in this world to spend with them. 

So I want to tell you about Shoots For A Cure.
As a network photographer, I'm thrilled to be a part of this cause and work with those in Austin and surrounding areas. 

www.ShootsForACure.com

 Shoots For A Cure is all about celebrating life in spite of a diagnosis. Even if your prognosis isn't good, it's important to celebrate relationships and we understand that. Your Shoots For A Cure photographer is there to document those special relationships and provide you and your loved ones with a minimum of ten special professional lab prints as our GIFT to you.

That's right. It's a gift in support of YOU! 


So if you or someone you know has been diagnosed with any form of cancer in the last 12 months and could benefit from the services of Shoots For A Cure, please visit www.ShootsForACure.com to locate a network photographer in your area. If you live in the Austin area, you've come to the right place. Just send me an e-mail at Jessica@JessicaReynoldsPhotography.com - I look forward to working with you and yours! 








(Details: Shoots For A Cure sessions provide clients with a single (one hour) photo session with area network photographer. Photographer has agreed to provide Shoots For A Cure clients with ten small matte prints created in a professional quality lab at the expense of the photographer. Any additional gifts are at the sole descretion of the photographer.)

Death cannot end our relationships - only change them. 

You're beautiful. You're real. I love you just the way you are.

This is my daughter on Christmas morning. She's got bed-head hot off the pillow, but she's happy and I love her. Just as she is. Right here. Right now. 

"I think you're beautiful, dear! I love you just the way you are."
"Mom, you HAVE to say that. You don't understand," replies the frustrated teenage girl.
"Honey, those girls on the cover of 'Seventeen' aren't real. They're models..." the concerned mother dutifully replies.
Her answers only seem to frustrate her daughter further.
Her daughter KNOWS they're real people. After all, they eat, sleep and breathe, don't they?

Mom's love message is jumbled in semantics and the lesson was lost in the words.
The conversation has ended and no one actually feels any better.
It doesn't HAVE to be the end of the conversation, though.
Together we can pick it up again and give a frustrated teen girl another vantage point.

Let's emphasize her gorgeous eyes with a deep shadow and a little eyeliner. Sweep the apples of her cheeks with a dusty rose. Remind her that since her eyes are decked out, her lips should remain muted and natural... maybe a pale gloss at most. Powder the shine and dab a spot of concealer - just to hide a breakout.

Let her wear her favorite outfit (provided you approve - modesty is beautiful too. As you will see, my daughter is not exposing cleavage or in any provocative pose) - you know the outfit. It's the one you can tell she feels good about herself when she's wearing it. You can spot it because it's what she's wearing when she reaches a little higher, tries a little harder and smiles a little more.

Let's coif her hair - brush it gently and treasure her with each stroke of her hairbrush because it's what she deserves. She must learn to be gentle with herself. Let her relax a little and enjoy herself.

And maybe we'll step outdoors and let the sun shine down on her a little... allow her to soak it in while I snap a few photos. And if she won't smile, maybe I'll tell a joke or talk to her in a British accent until she smirks and her eyes brighten - and I'll snap the shutter.

Allow your daughter to sit next to me as I edit one of her photos. Allow her to watch as I airbrush a blemish and sharpen her eyes. Allow her to look at an image of herself the way she studies an image of a celebrity sprawled across the cover of a magazine while you're busy paying for groceries.

And maybe, she'll finally 'get it.' Maybe her "Aha!" moment will be immediate. Maybe it will take a few weeks to soak in. And even if she never understands it completely, she'll walk away with a special memory of the day that you and I spent time together - to show her just how beautiful she is - for real.

This is also my daughter. I love her. No matter what.

Take a moment to visit www.TeenIdentitymag.com and enjoy a free subscription to Teen Identity Magazine. Book a Teen Identity Session with me and let's show her through another lens the beauty we already see.

Funtastic Family

This family is so fun to hang around - I think you'll see why...

Three beautiful, brilliant children:

But I'm quite fond of the beautiful colors of Austin, so...

we'll explore a couple of editing options for the same photograph! 

Baby Bliss

Want to make my day? Give me a camera and a newborn to play with! I absolutely cannot be within twelve paces of a newborn without stopping to take a sniff of their fresh-from-Heaven hair or at least to welcome them to our world. I heart babies. I really, really do. Such a joy to be in the presence of this little princess! Welcome to the world, precious Sophie!

Cute Little Fella

He loves his green truck! 

Time out for a little play...

Curious kids are the cutest! 

"Maybe It's In The Water!"

I was blessed to meet another mom-to-be the other day... such a cute bump!!! As a kid, I recall that the more women pregnant at any given time typically induced the comment "There must me something in the water!"
Well - there are quite a few pregnant women around lately, and I am loving the baby-excitement!
Check out this beauty!