JEN BARNES PHOTO - 512.553.5653 » personal photography

a weekend away, the last morning

Jen — Wed, 29 Sep 2010 14:21:41 +0000

There’s nothing like the most gorgeous natural surroundings and singing out praises with a couple of hundred women. It was a spectacular weekend and I was so renewed and filled with joy that I came home and promptly completed about 20 loads of laundry.

The pastor’s wife was the main speaker and she had us rolling in laughter. Those are tears of joy!

This was the third year for the Retreat at that particular location and they have reserved the campgrounds for next year as well. We had an entire afternoon of free time with several planned activities and there was interest expressed in a basic photography class. I’m thinking about offering either that or some free mini-sessions next year during the free time. I didn’t take pictures besides the general sessions because the small group discussions were just so . . . private. It was a life changing weekend (in a good way) and I can’t wait to get back next fall!

a weekend away, the first night

Jen — Wed, 29 Sep 2010 05:39:07 +0000

I had the wonderful opportunity to escape for a weekend with some friends. I am so thankful.

Finally, the fourth. Yes, of July.

Jen — Wed, 18 Aug 2010 16:34:04 +0000

I don’t believe I ever blogged these beautiful fireworks photos! I was just looking back through the archives and, yep, they’re missing.

I sent my boys (all four of them) up to Dallas for the 4th of July weekend to visit the in-laws while I stayed home with the three corgis that we were doggie-sitting. It was an excellent time to get a lot of work done (like repainting the front room so I could utilize it as an office) and enjoy a quiet house. It turns out that my brother, who is the second shooter for an amazing wedding photographer in Waco, had the weekend free so he drove down for a visit. With the kids gone and tons of camera equipment and super nice glass lying around, we decided to pick a few of the best-suited lenses and head downtown to catch the fireworks at Auditorium Shores. I had a great time. We met a nice couple from Houston who sat down next to us with their camera equipment and tripod (and three adorable children) and sat back and click click clicked away.

I put together a little sampling below. I hope you enjoy!

postcards from waco

Jen — Sat, 29 May 2010 06:07:49 +0000

I’ve been busy and I’m very nearly ready to return to tackling things around here. The ol’ blog has collected quite a few cobwebs lately. I just wanted to hop on and post a few pictures of where I’ve been (not of what I’ve been doing, but where I’ve been) and I must say, I really have missed my college campus … eleven years is too long between visits. It’s been beautiful and I can’t wait to tell you all about it this fall!

I was surprised to find comfort in seeing that the NoZe Brothers are still going strong after all these years.

Campus was completely empty, utterly beautiful, and serenely peaceful. I thoroughly enjoyed my morning walking around, just being there, hearing the bells toll and breathing in the still air. I hope you enjoyed my little postcard-like tour of Baylor.

to tide you over

Jen — Tue, 18 May 2010 04:41:39 +0000

I am saving up some bluebonnet portrait posts for when the summer hits (if it hasn’t already, that is) and I have been busy, honestly, but I can’t show you until November. Something about, well, that the magazine actually needs to be published before I can show you, you know, the magazine. Press is silly like that.

So for the time being, enjoy some quick pictures I caught of my two oldest boys this afternoon with a new lens. I think I can say that I’m pleased with it. I had a big debate on whether to get an off-brand zoom or a canon brand prime. I’m glad I took my brother’s advice and stuck with the primes and the name brands.

Yes, I know the baby is missing but he was sleeping, so I’ll just have to try to get him later. Never wake a sleeping baby, afterall. I love those boys more than I even have words to describe. Enjoy!

THE OUTTAKES

Jen — Fri, 23 Apr 2010 17:39:26 +0000

I thought it might be interesting to post some of the outtakes of my boys. I pretty much stopped once I knew I had one in camera that was of all 3 of them looking in my general direction and in focus. I’m just so thankful that they were also smiling!

So fun.

I’ll be posting some session shots next week, so be sure to check back for those soon!

ACHIEVED THE IMPOSSIBLE

Jen — Mon, 19 Apr 2010 00:25:36 +0000

I just got home from my trip up to Plano for bluebonnet portraits and while it was very rainy and cloudy, we still managed to get some beautiful images. I will be up late proofing but I just couldn’t resist editing the one – the ONLY one – of my boys that Grandma Barnes helped me to get of my boys. I was so excited to finally have one picture of all three of them smiling. Photographer’s kids have got to be some of the hardest kids to photograph, especially for their own mother.

The boys are 1/8th Japanese, if you couldn’t tell from their squinty eyes.

snowmen

Jen — Wed, 24 Feb 2010 01:09:50 +0000

By now you know about the freak snowstorm that blanketed Austin and other parts of Texas in a nice cushy thick (we had 3 inches in the front yard) blanket of snow. For the better part of the morning, this was happening outside our windows. It was beautiful.

I wasn’t going to let them outside since we’ve been rather sick lately and three-to-one is not the kind of ratio I like to have stacked against me. I caved in, though, when the oldest begged for a snowball fight. How many more years will it be before I can give him a snowball fight, afterall? It was definitely not a day to get portraits of the boys, though I tried! My oldest two boys (4 years old and 3 years old) were all over the place and would not hold still.

We built two snowmen and enjoyed an afternoon with their daddy home. The school district let the middle schools out at 12:30, so my husband was able to come home shortly after the students were released. He likely won’t be featured on the blog much in the future so I’ll share a photo of him below. I love this man so much.

Despite what it feels like today, spring IS right around the corner. Hard to believe that a month from now it will be time to get bluebonnet portraits taken! I’m still thinking it’s going to be a big year for bluebonnets. How about you? Do you think we’ll see many?

three

Jen — Mon, 22 Feb 2010 04:23:04 +0000

My middle son is three years old come Monday. Three. Three long and trying years. Three years full of the most hard-earned joy! Three years of the most divine eyelashes a human could possibly possess. I love this photo because his big brother truly overshadows everything he tries to do, yet he shines through in the way that so many middle children do. He is uniquely sweet.

And, oh, those eyelashes!

I’ll probably post another little ode to my Lowell here tomorrow, on his actual birthday.

I have not forgotten about the dear blog!

Jen — Fri, 22 Jan 2010 06:16:08 +0000

I promise I haven’t forgotten! I’m taking some much needed time and regrouping, stretching a little, absorbing the joy of the abundance of life around here while we wait on the bluebonnets to grow. If you’ve seen my facebook page, you’ve likely seen my project 365 photos but I haven’t posted some of the rejects over there. I had to save *something* for the blog!

My darling husband and my dear little one, known in these parts as The Destroyer by his big brothers. You wouldn’t know it by looking at that innocent (and dimpled!) face, would you? Believe it. He can tear apart a Thomas Track as big as two whole rooms in less than five minutes.

I just love where the focus fell on this next one. Someday those baby fingers will be as big and sturdy as his daddy’s fingers. I also love that you can see the expression on the little guy’s face. He sure loves his momma and daddy.

Baby bokeh! Love it!

And just to prove that it isn’t all happy around here all the time. This is my oldest throwing a fit in the bath. Bawling. FAKE bawling. For the drama of it. Silly boy. He’s 4.5 years old, what can I say? I just had to grab the camera before I rescued him.

I’ll be back soon to tell you all about my Grand Opening specials. If you haven’t already, you’ll want to head over to facebook and add yourself as a fan to be “in the know” on some extras that I won’t mention here.