2012: A Year in Review at JHCC

It has been an amazing, heartfelt, wonderful, and transforming year here at JH Capturing Creations Photography. At least 319 beautiful smiles passed in front of my lens this year (can't include all my family members or wedding guests from wedding shoots, but at least I've included the brides and grooms!). It started last January with a family session in Austin and ended right here in Houston with a newborn session. I can't tell you as I look back of the list of clients, now friends, how I feel so blessed by this experience. Every man, woman and child prayed for; each session in my prayers. Families, graduates, brides and grooms, newborn babies, and parties were all frozen in time by the wonderful tool God has placed in my hand. Such a wonderful gift to share!

What has come out of JHCC in return (besides the awesome images, that is)? I've been given the opportunities to: sponsor Darin-a 13 year old girl from Africa through Compassion International, give a sizable amount of funding to charities and churches, give away sessions and time to otherwise-can't-afford-it friends and family, freely hold tutoring sessions to up and coming photographers, freely mentor some understudies, pray for the lives of my clients and fellow photographers, and most of all, give all the glory and thanks for my work to my Inspiration, God.

I've been running hard for this business to first become a reality, for my images to have significant meaning to the families, and for the work to be beautiful. I have been blessed with more knowledge and experience of my craft this year, but God is not through with me! As I head into 2013, I am living in this moment, ever sharpening my intuition for this art, and also holding a keen eye towards what God's plans are for my future. I am running for an ultimate goal that I can't reveal just yet, but in time I know if you love me, you'll know I was made especially for it.

Thank you for the kind words you've spoken to me this year, for the way you interact with the Facebook page, and for the ways you've supported me. I cherish deeply every person whose hand has been in this and if you're reading this at all, chances are that it's you. Don't oust yourself; without you, I wouldn't have support.

Accomplishments-well apart from making people cry out of joy at their gallery views, the U.S. Commerce Association also thinks I'm fabulous. I received the Best of 2012 Tomball award in the Professional Photographers category. Nice! My plaques are up on my studio wall:

Well, that's it for 2012. Enjoy this collage of *most of my clients. I may not have been able to put everyone on here from mini-sessions, but if you had a full-blown session with me, then you should be there somewhere! Thank you so much for the opportunity to take your picture <3 p="p">

It's easy to think I only take this many pictures, but maybe multiply each of these by about 250, then add another 5000 or so for personal events and you've got my life. It's been amazing so far!! Come on, 2013!! :)

Compassion for Christmas

Good morning, everyone! I am writing to let you know what the Christmas Mini Sessions this year were able to do for a special someone I know only a little about. A percentage of the proceeds from the Christmas Mini Sessions this year along with donations from our family was given to a wonderful girl named Dari Mariam Ouédraogo. She lives in Burkina Faso (West Africa) and is 13 years old. Here are the few details we know about her: Dari makes her home with her mother. Washing clothes, running errands, and cleaning are her household duties. Her mother is sometimes employed as a seller in the market. There are 3 children in the family. Dari participates in bible class and is also in primary school. Her favorite activities are jumping rope, hide-and-seek, and playing group games. This sponsorship was made available through the wonderful team at Compassion International and I am so glad to call her mine!
I have written to her and sent pictures and am amazingly blessed to have her already. Through the Mini Sessions and our personal gifts, Dari has been given 6 months of funding-her needs are covered for half a year! I am so excited that the Lord has blessed us through this business so we can bless others and I'm thankful for the clients who keep coming-they are my purple jars.
So in this month, the month we celebrate the birth of our Lord and memorialize the beginning of his presence on this ground, we give Him this gift-to love her as He loves us, to give of ourselves to her, of our blessings to her, and to pray for her.

Thank you for taking the time to read about our new daughter and our glorious new love for her. I can't wait to hear back from her!

“A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another." John 13:34

"But the fruit of the Spirit is love...Against such..there is no law."
Galatians 5:22-23

Cyber Week Sale

JHCC: Equipped-Course 1: Manual Mode & Composition

You are invited to join me on Tuesday, October 16th from 6:00-7:00 pm at my studio. Address to follow upon purchase!

 

Camille {Turns One}

Camille is an extraordinary girl with a contagious smile! We took these pictures for her 1 year birthday and she was a record-setter. I've never done a session so quickly-45 minutes-and she had THREE outfit changes and no fussing. Yes, you read that right. THREE! I usually can pull off two outfit changes with maybe some fussing or so, but never three with all smiles. She's just a happy little girl! Here she is in her sassy outfit celebrating being ONE!

As if that's not cute enough, we were able to bring out her little couch she loves to crawl in and out of at home and it went perfectly in front of the purple and yellow house, then in the grass!

I love going over to the client's home to plan our sessions. Saw this rocking chair and mom said it was hers when she was little. I'm glad I was able to record it in these images forever.

Here is her last little outfit. Black, white, pink, polka dots, tutu and ribbon? What says "girl" more than that? It was striking against her fair skin. Yay, Camille!!

We had a great time on a warm, warm evening. Now the coolness is coming around and it's time to get those fall outfits out-we shall see what we find next!

Fall Mini-Sessions

Back to schoool Fall Mini-sessions! Are you a school picture collector? Why settle for less appealing, assembly line picture companies? Special package pricing with purchase!



Times:
Morning from 8:00am-11:00am and evening from 5:00pm-8:00pm
Email Julizza at jholub@capturingcreations.com or leave a comment below to book your time!:)

Emmy {Babies Rock}

Emmy's mom and I are kindred spirits. Both very creative and spontaneous-and we make a perfect pair when it comes to the session. She trusts me with location and big props, and I trust her with outfits and little props. She is AWESOME! I love the partnership! I was able to photograph her first baby girl and if the second was going to look anything like the first, well, I wanted to see that baby! Here's her first girl, Izzy!

That image was taken in February of 2010. Wow! Well she's all bigger now and she's got a little sister too. Emmy was born and we got this image of her in November of 2011:

Now it's 2012 and we went out in May to get some amazing shots of a very active and colorful Emmy!!

I loved the location in Old Town Spring. Lots of nice colors and backgrounds to choose from. For her outfit, I couldn't pass up this purple and yellow house:

I am in love with this whole session. Little Emmy has the most amazing blue eyes! I guess you've noticed? She is AMAZING. Here she is against a green grassy background and blue too. I can't stop staring at her and she can't stop staring at the bubbles :)
She hasn't quite figured out what to do with that big 'ole lollipop. I'm sure she will soon enough though!

Mommy took a cute little yellow outfit too and it suits her complexion and her big blue eyes incredibly! I loved her little shoes but she didn't wear them for most of the shoot so I took a picture. That's ok because mommy and me both love little toes and feet too :)

And the big finale!! Daddy loves guitar and since babies rock, mom put the two together! I wish I had written down where she got her little t-shirt-it's so cute!! Here she is, rockin' on!

That certainly isn't the end for these two girls...after all, Izzy is getting big and mom mentioned getting her pictures done again. She is sooo cute-I can't wait to show her to you again soon!

Davis {Family} {Maternity}

I found this family to be after what I'm after-art for their walls. Magazine-worthy photos of their own family-not strangers. I enjoy creating pictures and my dream for all families is that they gaze a little longer at those beautiful magazine-worthy photos on their walls of their own children and family. I want their guests and company to say to them, "Wow! What amazing photos! I love them!" Those are the moments that although I'm not personally there, my heart still swells because my clients feel good about them. They will come back again and again; they'll learn to trust me. They have an excitement of what the next images will look like. It just plain excites me!

This family and ours are friends from church. I have noticed Kari in pictures on Facebook and I totally dig her style. As a couple, they are a perfect match-children of the 80s and 90s like myself. They have enormous wit and they love the vintage aspects of life-even if it's an 80's jogging suit. I still plan on taking pictures of Kari in that suit after she has her baby...can't wait to!

Caleb and I remarkably had the same location in mind. I tried it out with my neighbor in a shoot prior to make sure I liked the lighting (blog still coming!). I suggested my Victorian couch to go along with the location and a dream was born. The anomaly of the entire setting was what we looked forward to the most-graffiti in the background of Victorian antiqueness. I searched Kari's closet and found a dress I liked. She agreed to put her hair up in a 20's style and the stage was set.

The day came and it was scheduled at 6:30pm. At 4:00 pm, a crazy storm blew in. Calls and messages ensued...what do you think? Will it hold off? No. I (Julizza) think since we live in Texas, it will storm for 30 minutes or so then clear and the sky will look amazing. Let's see what happens. For now, let's keep it on. Ok.

We waited and it did exactly that. Stormed for a while and then cleared. We loaded up the couch in the light sprinkle and the sky was still cloudy. We made it to the location and my crew and I hoisted the couch over muddy terrain and puddles into the abandoned building. I took two couches, two ladders, lighting equipment, and two assistants. It was a major job! We next looked for a great backdrop and spot where the roof wasn't leaking. So here is one of the first shot we got! The kids thought this was the best place ever! The main picture that will hang on their wall..

And a color photo showing the cool graffiti and a bit more:

Can I just say that staying flexible will produce amazing images? I really need to mention that. This family could have easily quit on the day once the storm started, once they saw the mud, once they saw the roof leaking. But no, they were flexible, got comfortable, and I was excited that I was doing a shoot I couldn't have dreamed up better myself. God blesses me with the eye for seeing beauty where everyone sees chaos. It WILL work as long as there are conditions in place to make sure we're safe. Pushing the envelope just a little won't break us! ;)

We switched the couch around and Kari changed to get some pictures with Caleb. She brought along a great hat and I positioned them on the couch and I got way down. I was looking for a serious Caleb. I wanted a depiction of them where we just showcase their style...no distracting smiles. Pure pleasantry. They rocked it.

They both wanted pictures in front of the graffiti and we picked a little spot in front of the crazy toilet paper happily saying "Roll with meee!" I thought it was hilarious and awesome all at the same time.

We then walked out into the moist grass and got more pictures outside for their CD cover images. LOL. Kari mentioned she felt like they were in a band together from this first image. I LOVE it. The second one was my favorites also. I loved her smile in it.

We found a great prop lying in the grass. I might actually go back and get it to keep...haha. A door just lying there. Some see trash. I see potential. Caleb and I picked it up and all the crickets started looking for a deeper place under the ground and grass to hide. Kari. did. not. like. it. And didn't want to touch it. So Caleb and I propped it up and coaxed her into touching a small piece. She got comfortable and we shot a few. Here's the best one...they'll not soon forget this experience!

So now for Kari. Her maternity pictures were mixed in with this set. I usually find soft places and outfits for maternity photos, but her style doesn't suggest it! For her, it's a vintage couch and a Pink Floyd cover (as Caleb joked at our viewing)....

One more portrait location for Kari; I knew she had it in her. She is an absolute doll. I have seen her pictures-I've seen her face. I know she can give me that "look" and I can freeze its beauty. Here's her perfect portrait as a wonderfully expectant mother of three.

And so we come to the end. We start packing up and all the while, my two assistants have been dutifully looking after and entertaining the two wildly excited boys in their new play place. They ran through puddles and found creepy crawly things. They got all wet. Perfect for a picture or two...at least I think so..



The younger one has beautiful clear blue eyes and light blond hair. He became a spotlight and gave me some gorgeous smiles. What a perfect color shirt for him. He looks like a coloring book!

What a great session and family for sure! Hope you enjoyed their awesome story but it won't stop here...they have another on the way after all.. ;)

Sumer {Bridal}

I enjoyed this shoot so much! Despite a small hiccup at the onset of our shoot regarding location, my crew and I captured a beautiful Sumer in her stunning dress and hair-just gorgeous! Enjoy. More pictures will be posted on my Facebook page-make sure to comment! :)

Baby Fi {Newborn}

There's this great perk in this business of photography I started six years ago that I never foresaw. I never foresaw meeting and receiving special clients whose families would eventually choose to keep me in their lives and record their greatest moments time and time again. This family is exactly one of those special clients. I never expected the friendships and blessings that would flow from getting to know the people I would meet through my service. As I continue and meet more clients like these, I find myself craving after it and doing what it takes to foster these joyful and friendly relationships with people.

They were pregnant when I met them. I did their Christmas card and family photos. I did her maternity shoot. Now the baby is here. Mommy and I can't wait to tell the new story of baby girl, joining her older brother, and making a family of four. We can't wait to see what it's like for them to grow up with each other and capture them in photographs. I can't wait to do for them what I dream about and do for my own children. I love the idea!

Without further ado, it is my absolute pleasure to introduce to you the arrival of a new baby girl to the McDaniel family-my friends! Meet baby Fiona!



I loved them so much-I have to include the birth announcements! I ordered these shaped as flowers-sooo sweet! :)



Here is a picture of their family at Christmas and one of Macy for her maternity shoot-I never got to blog these, so it feels so good to include them in our developing timeline. Cheers! :)

November 2011


January 2012

Kim & Frank {Engaged}

This happy couple has been awesome to get to know! We met through my Facebook page, and it has been so fun getting to know them both. Aside from the coolness that they are, they are incredibly photogenic and fun to hang around. We went to a few different spots and I loved the evening lighting. I'm also shooting their wedding and it is going to be an exciting event! Here are some shots from their awesome session. I loved so many of them; it was hard to only pick a few!

Leave them your best wishes or a nice comment on your favorite image! Love to hear from you!

Mother's Day {Limited} Special

She will never believe you did this! Change the wording from "wife" to "mother" or however you would like it to read-front and back. Pick up the gift certificate from the studio address in Tomball so you'll have it by Mother's Day. Deadline to order is Friday (while supplies last)!

Do you realize how much your wife wants you to say that you would like for her to have a picture taken of herself and the kids AND that you want something nice to hang in your home? She might not even believe you! But you'll have the gift certificate to prove it! It's the perfect gift-I should know-I'm a wife and mother too!! Only 5 available since it's such an incredible deal. I charge twice as much normally for what you'll be receiving, so I couldn't do too many! Don't skimp on pictures and a great session-but DO save on them!

**Wives reserve the right to share this on their husbands' walls** ;)

Link to this blog: http://tinyurl.com/jhccmothersday2012

Only 5 available! Shipping is for the 11x14 mounted print once the image has been chosen.

JHCC FACEBOOK 1K FAN GIVEAWAY WINNER

And the winner of the JHCC FACEBOOK FAN 1K GIVEAWAY IS...

JAMIE BALUSEK!!

Congratulations, Jamie!! 

Thank you to all the participants and I look forward to getting to know all my new blog followers and fans! Stay tuned for more great things coming from JHCC! If you like photography, please stick around!!

Jamie, your entry numbers included number 61, and here is the Random Generator image that picked it! Please email me for how to get your prizes! jholub@capturingcreations.com

Fletcher {{Newborn}}

Well, I haven't blogged on actual sessions because I'm sooo active on Facebook, but I'm very glad to be getting back to it. I meet so many interesting families and they quickly become friends! I really love what I do-and I never expected that the people I'd meet would be as fantastic as it is!

Fletcher's mom was excited to do an outdoor session with him because of some pictures she had seen me do for another session in front of water and lily pads. Well, I thought Mercer would work out so well at this time in the Spring for their shots, so we headed out there! Here are some of little Fletcher in front of the amazing pond at Mercer. The background is amazing, but the tiny subject makes the picture! :)

I am trying to do my best to capture the tiny little details in my newborn sessions. They'll never be this small again! Here are a few of a very sleepy baby and his tiny hand and ear.

Fletcher's older brother was having a tough day. Really. LOL. He did get happy towards the end of the shoot and I got some of him playing on the swing. He also paid attention long enough to his little brother for me to snap a few of him about to give him a brotherly smooch. :)

We had a great day and I made great friends. However, my new friends are moving to Colorado soon, so I'll have to see their shiny faces on Facebook. I wish all the best to them and their new adventure! 

JHCC Facebook Page 1K FAN Giveaway!!

I'm so excited and humbled that I've hit 1000 fans on my Facebook page! Let's celebrate!!


One lucky fan will get 10 INCREDIBLE prizes!! Thank you to all the sponsors who were willing to partner with me to give away some great stuff!!


3 steps to enter:

1. Post a comment on this blog-this is your entry! Leave your Facebook name in the comment :)
2. Post "I'm entering the @JH Capturing Creations Photography 1000 fan Giveaway! Go check it out! http://tinyurl.com/jhcapturingcreations1000" as a public post on your Facebook page or timeline. (If it's not public, I can't see it!)
3. "Like" each of the vendors' pages (links are provided below). As a courtesy, give them some love on their wall-tell them @JH sent you (tag my page please)!

Each participant that successfully completes the above 3 steps will be entered into the drawing. You may earn up to 4 extra entries by doing any of the following:

• Follow this blog! Come back and post "I'm following your blog!" for the extra entry. *
• Follow me on Twitter (@julizzaholub). Send me a message "I'm a 1K fan!" for the extra entry.*
• Tweet out the Contest link. Mention me @julizzaholub for the extra entry.*
• Post a comment on 3 different images on my FB page. Come back and post "I'm involved!" in the blog comments for the extra entry.

*Please make sure your name is included on Tweets and blog posts.
Good luck everyone! Now here are the fabulous prizes!!** :)


JH Capturing Creations Photography 
{Facebook Page} {Website}
Houston Area Photo Shoot + print package ($330 value) (no bridals-sorry!)


Lovely Light Photography
"Cary Grant" 8x10 Photo frame from Organic Bloom in any color! ($56 value)


Create with Kari
Handmade Fabric Canvas Frame for a 4x4 picture


Hello, Cupcake
Houston area: 1 dozen cupcakes


Savvy Britches Boutique
One pair (your choice) of boutique leg warmers


Pure Bliss Candles by Lysa
Vera Bradley Tote: ($48 value) + 16oz Pure Bliss Candle of your scent choice


Angel Baybee Hat Creations
May beaded halo


Stuff So Simple
7 Ft 6 Flag Double Sided Banner


Pollys Charms
Silver Plated charm bracelet with charms

Maximum Tranquility/Total Wellness

6 Free Personal Training Sessions & 1/2 off 6 weeks of Group Training Pkg (Program is for 3 or more participants).
Houston area; livingwell@maximumtranquilitytotalwellness.com


**Winner may be responsible for shipping costs from some sponsors. 

Contest closes in two weeks: Deadline to enter is April 30th! 

GOOD LUCK AND PLEASE SHARE!!