Tyler, Texas natives engagement shoot in fort worth Texas.
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Make My (xxxx) Smaller – Larger – Firmer – Taller – Prettier -Uglier in Photoshop (the not so fugly truth)
Before you ask down in the comment section, YES, it has been requested that I make someone uglier. Specifically a bridesmaid that (to the bride) looked better than her. I think she was joking……
Why You Hate Photos of Yourself
Your mirror is F***ing You
Seriously, you’re not fugly (probably). It’s just science that makes you think you are. I mean, I’m a photographer for goodness sake. I have been for over 15 years and I still absolutely despise most images of myself and I KNOW how to pose my body to my advantage. Also, I am confident person, I don’t have body image issues. I can stand in the mirror prepping for a session, think heck yeah I look good, Look at that sexy bitch! (You do it too, don’t lie) then a client or my assistant will take a BTS (behind the scenes) photo and I’m like…. NOOOOO… how can I post that? I look hideous! OMG why didn’t someone tell me the top of my crack (love handles, bra bulge, bra strap, double/quadruple chin) was showing when I knelt down? (Seriously people, let a girl know if her crack is showing)
Check out the cartoon artist HERE
So who do I blame?
Because of an effect called “mere-exposure,” people react more favorably to things they see more often. Like their mug in the mirror everyday! A psychologist named Robert Zajonc, who formulated mere-exposure, tested this with everything from shapes, to facial expressions, even nonsense words. Since we see ourselves most frequently in the mirror, this is our preferred self-image. According to the mere-exposure effect, when your slight facial asymmetries are left unflipped by the camera, you see an unappealing, alien version of yourself. In case you didn’t know, the more symmetrical your face is the prettier/handsomer you are (supposedly). But very few people have perfectly symmetrical faces. So when you see your face swapped, and others telling you how awesome your photographs are but you think they’re hideous, remember that you’re not seeing the everyday face in the mirror but this is how your friends and family see you! (Don’t cry)
On the left is how I see myself (my preferred image)- The right is how other people see me :Photo Credit: Bree (my 11 y/o daughter)
The camera’s “eye” is better than yours – Your brain is better than the camera
Our eyes see color differently at different light levels than a camera. Typically, if you saw an image of mine prior to processing, it would appear darker than the final edited images but the color would look a lot brighter than it appeared to your eyes in person. Also, cameras freeze motion and allow us to see details that are typically not noticeable while a person is in motion. Those two sun spots on your face, no one really notices them when you’re standing around talking to them or walking by. The camera however latches on to every little detail and captures them forever (and ever and ever) and in a sharp focus.
Why can / can’t you Photoshop me (more) beautiful?
Different photographers and editors do things differently based on their personal style and tastes. Some think PS is a no no – (besides basic light & color adjustments) you should never change how a person appears, it’s insulting. Some like to make their clients look like a plastic doll.
Personally, when I edit client images, I like to edit out things that were either my fault (that belly lump because I didn’t pose the client well or notice that DANG HAIR BAND on their arm), or things that aren’t permanent on their body (acne, stray hair, redness, bruises, those weird marks your skin makes when you’re cold, minor tan lines etc.) If I know prior to editing, that a client has a special request (like removing a scar) I will take care of those as well. Most clients never realize I’ve even done so much work. I just want people to feel good about themselves, so I’m going to present them with the best (realistic) them possible!
This is an example of the amount of PS work I will not do for a client without them paying a per hour PS creative fee. It’s not you, and unless it’s for some special project why would you want an image that didn’t represent you at all? Also, if this wasn’t a silhouette it would take hours to do and look realistic.
“You are imperfect, permanently and inevitably flawed. And you are beautiful.” ― Amy Bloom
Newborn Portraits 17 Years in the Making
Angela & Jeremy have waited around 17 years for this little miracle named Jax. After years of negative pregnancy tests, they began fostering their precious boy Caleb (AKA: Monster) when he was a few months old.
Shortly after Caleb turned 2 (and just after them officially being awarded permanent custody of Caleb) , Angela began having pregnancy symptoms. Friends kept telling her to go take a pregnancy test but after having been disappointed so many times over the last 17 years, she really didn’t want to take another one just for it come up negative again. Plus she was almost 40, there’s no way she was pregnant now after all these years of trying!
But apparently there’s a higher power that has a plan because after cajoling from family and friends she took the test and the rest, they say, is history.
Not entirely enough months later due to complications, baby Jax was born on November 22, 2016 at 5:38 P.M. and weighed in at a little over 3lbs. A month later, Jax finally got to have his newborn portrait shoot and he is absolutely adorable! (and the spitting image of mommy but don’t tell daddy…shhh). Here’s some of my favorite Jax newborn portraits!
Showcasing Your Personality
About the Author: Criss is a full time mother, public servant and artist. She has 2 kids, four rescue dogs, a rescue fiance, a rescue horse that she can’t ride and 28 and counting chickens. She has a passion and love for preserving history and storytelling.
Webster’s dictionary says that heritage is something handed down from the past. Your photographs should showcase you and your personality at that moment in time so they can be the heritage that your children and grand children inherit. Here in the Tyler area, that can mean anything from a lifestyle senior session of you fishing on Lake Tyler.
To “that laugh”….. You know that laugh, and every friend and family member of yours could identify you in a crowded room from that laugh of yours. Even seeing a photograph of you laughing causes them to “hear” that laugh of yours.
Preserve your heritage. The last thing your children will ever have of you will be photographs. Make sure you’re in them!
What to do if You’re Incapable of Dressing Yourself Like an Adult
About the Author: Criss is a full time mother, public servant and artist. She has 2 kids, four rescue dogs, a rescued fiance, a rescue horse that she can’t ride and 27 and counting chickens. She has a passion and love for preserving history and storytelling.
Confession time…. I am 32 years old and I don’t know how to dress like an adult. It’s sad I know. I have a closet FULL of clothes that looked really good on the rack, or you know in that dressing room, pouring sweat trying on outfit, after outfit, AFTER OUTFIT and finally saying screw it and buying something.
I have an average body size that also happens to be an inverted triangle shape so a football player’s shoulders and chest with the no ass/hips at all syndrome. Only 5% of the female population has this shape so YAY me….not… Also average… size 10-14 M/L but above average height at 5ft 8inches. Which means most “normal” clothes are made for women smaller than me and curvy girl clothes are made for women with, well, CURVES, which I decidedly lack. If you would like to have a cry for me now that’s okay, It’s pretty much all I did when shopping after I shot above my size 7 after having children. Let’s just say I’m built like a man….
I know I have talked before about how I learned to put make up on via YouTube, so after some serious personal reflection I set out to see if there was such a thing as a “reasonably priced” online personal stylist. The only think I’ve ever worn for 10 + hours a day since I was 17 is a uniform and those were provided for me (but not very stylish).
Enter Trunk Club. I had heard of stitch fix, which is a subscription service that charges you $25 a month (and you either use the money for a purchase or lose it) but had never heard of TC.
What is Trunk Club (TC)? It’s a styling service for MEN and WOMEN that costs $25 per trunk (not month) as of October 3rd 2016 and you can request a trunk whenever, it’s not a subscription service. HOWEVER, that $25 is an account credit to use on any purchase in any trunk. You have a personal stylist, my stylist’s name is Maddy and she is awesome! Your stylist will pick outfits for you based on your needs, body type, likes etc. She will even tell you how to WEAR the said outfit.
You’ll get a trunk notification, review and approve (or disapprove an item(s), then the trunk full of clothes/shoes/jewelry (approx 12-15 pieces) will be delivered for FREE to your front porch!
Returns are also free; you just request a pick up via your handy dandy app. You don’t have to purchase anything from the trunk and you have five days to review your trunk for anything you want to keep. It’s like the world’s best game of dress up except you don’t have to stand in those stupid dressing rooms with the employees tapping on the door every few minutes asking, “Are you okay in there?” I think they hear my huffing and puffing away. Or maybe crying…..
Now here’s where you have to be completely honest with yourself and your stylist. You have to tell her about your body shape (Which I don’t think Maddy realized at first how much I wasn’t exaggerating about my shoulders for the first trunk) your size, colors you like or don’t like, budget etc.
When I first talked to Maddy, I told her that as a business woman I was in need of business clothing that would be appropriate for me when I was photographing weddings. I also needed nice business casual clothing for networking get togethers and conferences that I have coming up. I ALSO had a requirement that I must be able to move in the clothing ie: squat, bend over, etc AND that since it’s 100 degrees in E.TX until October the items can’t be hot. That’s not a long list of requirements right? You see my struggle. Also, no black. Or at least not all black colors. I want to step outside of my “black makes me look slimmer” comfort zone.
Maddy informed me that my first trunk would be for her to get to know me and my tastes and not to expect perfection on this one, it would be followed up with a second trunk.
Trunk Club is owned by Nordstrom so this is high end clothing that is going to last. It also means that these clothes aren’t Old Navy cheap. However, you can advise your stylist of what your budget is. I DID NOT do this for the first trunk but Maddy and I had a talk about budget for the second trunk. She did include items with a wide range of price for my first trunk though. You review your trunk and approve it before it sends. So if there’s something you really don’t like you can just ask her to change or remove it.
Without further ado, here’s my first trunk!
This was my favorite outfit by far. I really didn’t think this color would work for me but it did! But what you can’t see is that this dress is not totally zipped in the back (football shoulders & chest remember). The poor zipper completely stopped right about my shoulder blades. And this super awesome blazer, yeah it wouldn’t button (stupid boobs) But hey the shoes fit and were fabulous! Look at my legs! Maddy did warn me that the heel was high and we could go with something a little lower next trunk. After about 30 minutes of strutting around in them for this shoot, the balls of my feet were KILLING me. So I sadly put them back in the trunk.
Eliza J Ruched Sleeve Blazer $78 Size L
Eliza J Sheath Dress $148 Size 12
Kate Spade NY ‘infinity and beyond’ knot necklace $58
Kate Spade NY infinity and beyond knot earrings $48
Splendid Jayla Ankle Cuff Sandal $157.95 Size 10
Total Outfit Cost $489.95 which is a pretty penny BUT the blazer, necklace, earrings, and nude shoes are essential pieces that can be worn numerous ways and with numerous outfits. I would definitely say that those are worth the price.
I liked the fit and look of this Adrianna Papell dress but it was a little TOO dressy for me. I couldn’t kneel in it very well so it wouldn’t really be good for much of anything for me. And at $145 it’s not worth the price. I did love it though and this one did fit. It wasn’t very lumpy girl friendly though. Strategic lighting is the only thing that made this dress look well fitted on my frame. BUT THOSE SHOES!!!!
This was cute AND the skirt was swingy. Made me want to twirl around in it like a kid. Unfortunately, again, this wouldn’t zip all the way up. Which made me sad because the shape really balanced out my shoulder to hip ratio. The top was a crop top. The ONLY thing it would work with was this skirt because I am so not going to be running around with my not so flat belly hanging out. So not an essential piece.
Eliza J Pleated Faille Midi Skirt Size 12 $138
Kate Spade NY open stitch sleeveless sweater $118
This outfit didn’t really flatter my shape and made me look boxy and short (which it may not have if I could have buttoned the blazer) but those BOOTIES omg they are to die for and so so comfy. Unfortunately, they are also Vince booties and are $395 so unless I hit the lottery I don’t play or I beg for them for Christmas from my fiancé back in the box they go. Also these pants were super comfy but that hole….. Yeah I can’t wear anything with holes. They last about a month before the holes are ripped open even further from all the squatting. I liked the print and color of the top but again with the boobs. It didn’t fit very well. I did love the jacket & jean combo. Although with my body shape, dark on top and light on bottom works better for me. This would make a great business casual outfit without holes.
Rag & Bone Jean Destroyed Capri Skinny $225 Size 12
Kate Spade NY Hydrangea Print layered silk tank $228 Size L
Vince Harriet Block Heel Bootie $395 size 10
I Loved this linen top and it draped just perfectly on my frame. But JESUS again with my chest. The top button gaped and leaving it open like I normally do showed way too much cleavage to call it business anything. Except maybe business strip club wear? I don’t think my clients (95% female) would appreciate consultations at the local strip club. So I guess I’ll have to buy one size bigger and have it tailored because….genetics….
Can you tell yet why I need to someone else to do all the clothing hunting for me? You ever get so frustrated that you cry in a dressing room? No? Only me huh……….
Equipment Adalyn Linen Sleeveless Top $94.80
So my take on TC? I think it is absolutely perfect for dressing yourself (and your man) up for special occasions in quality clothing that will last. (Like that family/Engagement photo shoot coming up) It is also convenient as there is an app from your phone that you can do all of this with. You can even take photographs of your own wardrobe and add it to your wardrobe on the app so your stylist can assist with matching clothing items to clothing you already have. Isn’t that awesome!
Maddy says to style your whole family for a photo shoot (including your adult sized child(ren) just create a different account for each person using your sharing code on the first account. Using the same stylist for each account will ensure that she can put together trunks with clothing colors & styles that will compliment each other and any colors you need for your shoot. She says they’re used to wives creating accounts for husbands…go figure!
Would I use it for my everyday blue jeans and t-shirt wear? No, I can’t see spending that kind of money on something I will wear while digging around in my garden.
I confess, since this trunk, Maddy has given me some great tips for my own cheaper every day wardrobe purchases. I have been looking at cheaper places like Poshmark to purchase items that Maddy inspired me to wear. However, I will still be using her for my very important styling needs like the conference I’m attending in January!
My Philosophy : Pictures are our way of capturing a sliver of time, a moment, so that we can tell it back to ourselves later. It’s my job to capture that moment for you in all its intensity and beauty so that you can hold onto it through times both bad and good. My passion is storytelling, I just use a camera instead of a words.
Criss can be found floating around on her Website, Facebook, Instagram, or Twitter accounts when she’s not running around the house in her cape or digging in the dirt in East Texas.
5 Priceless Wedding Keepsakes That will Last a Lifetime
We have talked before (well I rambled, you nodded along reading, agreeing with everything I said because you’re awesome like that) about preserving memories and how on your 50-year anniversary, likely, the ONLY thing that will be left from your wedding will be your photographs. Except the dress that you lovingly have put away or your daughter wore to her wedding. Below is a list of 5 ways to have something left from your wedding that you and hubs can still see 50 years later when some of the memories have faded.
- Wall Art & Albums – Well HELLO welcome to a photographer/artist’s article. You knew I was going there right? Artists began to use canvas around 1500. Portrait of a Young Man and His Tutor is an oil painting on canvas by Nicolas de Largillierre. It was painted in 1685 and is on display at the National Gallery of Art.
Can you imagine? This memory of a simple young man and his teacher has lasted 330+ years. How long do you want your memories to last? Offset reproduction of artwork began in the early 1900s and continued with the printing of photographs to canvas. Phoenix Rhys Photography offers many museum quality wall art options and even digital painting services to maximize your investment for the next 100 or so years.
- Save your bouquet. Shoot girl, that thing cost HUNDREDS of dollars (if you’re lucky)! Sure you could dry your bouquet, but that memory will probably only be around for your 2nd or 3rd anniversary before it deteriorates. Enter pressed & framed flowers. Everlastings Flowers based in Hampton, New Hampshire can take your bouquet, professionally press it between glass, and frame it creating a lasting keepsake from your wedding! They have some beautiful design options. Be sure to contact them BEFORE your wedding for instructions on how to preserve and ship your bouquet to them. Contact them to find out more information if you have had a recent wedding.
- Consider creating a living keepsake by adding succulents to your bouquet or hair piece. Besides the fact that these bouquets are GORGEOUS, succulents can be planted in the couple’s first garden (or indoor/outdoor flower pot) and can live (or be propagated from the original plant) for years to come. Urban Succulents has some beautiful succulent bouquets.
Photograph & Bouquet by Urban Succulents The price averages about $150 and it can be shipped to you. Remember here in East Texas, we likely get TOO much rain and a little too much frost for most succulents to survive outside of a pot. Be sure to talk with your floral designer about the type of succulents you would like to have in your bouquet to create a living keepsake. Also, learn how to preserve your succulents with Succulents & Sunshine HERE.
4. Use your wedding décor as home décor. This one is an oldy, but a goody. Unfortunately for me (or maybe fortunately because we are now divorced) my 17-year-old engaged self could not afford a Hawaii wedding. So I brought Hawaii to us with a Hawaiian themed wedding! That’s right I had it all. Grass skirts, coconut bras for the bridesmaids, tiki torches etc. It was very gaudy and FUN! All in all, I think there was about 2K dollars’ worth of wedding décor that was mostly junk. Nothing we had could be used in our home. I encourage you, when you’re planning your wedding to stop looking at Pinterest and look inside your home. That Pinterest perfect wedding you’re planning, is any of that ACTUALLY your style?
5. You worked so hard on your wedding vows. That DVD you ordered from your cinematographer will probably be obsolete in the next 10 or so years. So how do you preserve those precious words your husband poured out of his heart that one time (that you may never hear again…because…men…). Hand lettered and framed wedding vows! Have your vows professionally hand lettered and framed for many years of enjoyment. Make sure to use museum quality glass in your frame and to keep it out of direct sunlight to keep your vows in pristine condition.
In year 2066, you and your love will be sitting on your couch in your home holding hands. There will be a flowerpot sitting on the coffee table overflowing with succulents from the original succulent from your bouquet, reminding you of the expanding love from that day. 
Your children grew up walking by and reading every day, your hand-lettered vows currently hanging on the wall in the hallway. Children, grandchildren, and even possibly great grandchildren will be seated around you both in celebration of this everlasting love. You’ll be perusing your wedding album with a grandchild pointing and asking “Who’s that gamma?” And you will begin to tell them all of the beginning of your love story as a portrait of you and your love looks down from the wall smiling upon you both.
My Philosophy : Pictures are our way of capturing a sliver of time, a moment, so that we can tell it back to ourselves later. It’s my job to capture that moment for you in all its intensity and beauty so that you can hold onto it through times both bad and good. My passion is storytelling, I just use a camera instead of a words.
Criss can be found floating around on her Website, Facebook, Instagram, or Twitter accounts when she’s not running around the house in her cape or digging in the dirt in East Texas.
Phoenix Rhys Artistry 