Belcher {Family} Beach Session

I have these great friends who come over almost every other Sunday evening, share a meal, and dive into the bible study. Our group has been fun and such a blessing to our family. We get to know people we otherwise would not know, we actually feel safe and secure in who we are with them, and we find that these are amazing people! The Belcher's are one of those families and Erin loved my photography so much that she picked up one of the specials I had going on during the Christmas season to get a family session as part of her Christmas gift. When we met, we had two ideas: beach or field. I kept going back and forth with them and each time I thought I found a field location, I just kept feeling unsettled about it. Usually, I feel really good about location choices but I guess it just didn't seem to fit her personality. So I timidly asked for them to make a 1 and a half hour trip to the beach. They pleasantly agreed and Erin was off to find the perfect clothing. I was overjoyed becuase I love the beach and I would be able to spend some time with them in the car-great conversation time. We arrived and the sand was wet. Galveston isn't really a white sandy beach like in other places, but that suited Evan just fine since he doesn't particularly like flying sand...haha! My camera was happy too! We got some posed and not-so-posed shots-I love them all!



Together, the kids were an absolute joy! They feed off each other so much and their relationship showed through the images. They loved being out there and even though our boy had to be redirected, every time the camera was up and I asked for attention, he was there. I loved shooting these two precious kids so much!! I totally love them and their smiles are contagious!



Well, you can't have a little girl on a beach without some vintage-inspired shots. So let me tell you about this vision. The morning of our shoot, I was looking for inspiration online and I read a photographer somewhere say, "So I built a tent and took her to the beach." She had some great images of a girl in front of a tent at the beach. Wait, WHAT?? You did what? You built a tent? Like how? Materials? What?? So I took it apart logically, because I'm a dreamer-logical-type. Yes, that comes in handy. I truly am the type of person that is constantly saying to myself, "so why can't I?", which really helps in this life...so I did. I took off to Lowe's and grab some posts, cut them on my miter saw (insert Tim-the-Toolman grunt here), grabbed a white sheet from the bathroom, some twine, scissors, and a staple gun. Then I just kind of pieced it together in my front yard to see about measurements and the Belcher's drove up. I threw it in the back of their car thinking, "They will think I'm crazy," but tried not to think about it! When we got to the beach, we took most of the family pictures first and then Evan helped me tie this thing together so everyone had a picture break, which was great. We all LOVED the way they came out. It took me getting out of my comfort zone a little, but it was well worth it!



The Belchers were awesome hosts and took me to dinner afterward, where we watched the Carnival Triumph leave the Galveston dock with happy faces aboard and waving. Crazy, huh? Thank you, Belcher family, for a wonderful day and time together!! These pictures aren't just memories for you, but for me too!!

Kim & Frank {Married}

I had a fantastic time at a beautiful wedding I got to shoot this past December! It was a glorious day and what made it that way was the people. It's such a beautiful thing to witness so much pure joy for two people. Love was in the air, all around, and boy did it show!

Love showed on the face of the bride. In her moves, in her countenance. She was a magical beauty and was so excited about her day. Here are some images of this extraordinary bride, Kim. She first arrived to the church still wearing her traditional Vietnamese gown from her tea party in the morning. I got a few images of her and then she changed into her bridal gown for the church ceremony.




The ceremony was fantastic. Beautiful hues of purple decorated the church. The ring bearer gives a confident stride, the flower girl, a little hesitant. But then Kim enters. And Frank doesn't know what to do. Trying to ignore the slight taunting from his groomsmen, he can't contain himself. He cries. He is so absolutely in love with her. His best man takes the handkerchief out of his suit jacket and steps over to wipes his tears, bringing a small rumble of laughter through the room, but not before he sparks Kim on her own crying mini-spell. They are soo excited to finally be doing this!



After the ceremony, we get some time with the bride and groom, the family, and the bridal party. They are such a fun bunch of people!! Excited for Kim and Frank, they put their best faces, feet, legs, and jumps forward. Congratulations, you guys!

Vintage Valentine Mini Session: Feb 8 & 9

I'm soooo excited about my Vintage Valentine sessions coming up this Friday and Saturday! I've worked hard on this set-painting, creating, shopping: it's been great fun! It's all ready to go-waiting for your sweet ones to grace it & be captured.

I want these photos (and all others, really...) to be FABulous so I want to make sure clients know I will be offering up my children's boutique closet for your use. I have a ton of girl's sizes 18 months - 5T dresses and outfits and some 2T & 3T boy's vests, jackets, and hats. Here is little Maverick modeling some boys attire: shirt, jacket, tie, and vest.

 

I can't wait to see all the wonderful children grace my little studio set for one of my absolute favorite holiday theme!! 

Love, jules

Book your session by 10pm today (Wednesday, February 6th) for a chance to win a FREE 8X10!!

A Story of Adoption {Atnip Family}

I am so glad to have a guest blogger today; the mother in this beautiful family story. The Atnip family: Matt, Ashley, Alana, Mattie, & now Amara, have been an amazing example of faith for me personally and countless others. Matt speaks & teaches in the Spirit and he always has my full attention on the words of the Lord. Ashley's grace, faith, and strength have spoken to my soul and I am proud to call them both "friend".

Please enjoy a wondrous tale of love through adoption from Ashley:

I have always loved pictures. While visiting my childhood home over this past holiday I happened upon photo collages filled with all things high school.  My nieces and nephews laughed and allowed me to reminisce and reconnect to a time scripted with youth. My love of smiling faces is clear in my home.  My father-in-law once told me if I wanted to put up more photos I would need to buy a bigger house.  I do love photos, but I love a story even more.  Photos can tell a story, and I value creating a home where the people I love most see their stories on our very walls.  Stories matter to me.

Stories also matter to Julizza Holub at JH Capturing Creations Photography. She strives to find a story in her photos and helps clients plan a session that is a reflection of what knits them together. My family has recently been knitted together through the adoption of a baby girl born in Debre Berhan, Ethiopia. Julizza agreed to photograph our family for the first time, and she helped us add our latest story to our mantle located in our living room. This is a story divinely created through God’s provision, love, and grace both for my family and this new little gal who came all around the world to find a place in our family photograph---forever.

 

God gave us our first daughter, Alana, just over seven years ago, and Mattie Wynne came three and a half years later. We are beyond thankful for the gifts of these girls and love framing their stories all over our home. Mattie Wynne was born healthy but I had a very difficult pregnancy, and for many reasons, having another biological child was just not part of our story. I could always imagine another child in our family but at the time my sweet husband did not feel the calling for adoption. I prayed about the piece of my heart still open to another story in our lives. I prayed and I prayed---hoping that one day my husband might feel something of what I was feeling. We did not talk about it often as I never wanted to force a chapter that was waiting to be written. Mattie Wynne is now well over two, and I am still praying. During this time, I began reading Katie Davis’ book Kisses from Katie and fell in love with her tale of recklessly loving orphans in Africa and eventually calling thirteen of them her own. She gave up the typical American life to live alongside 13 African girls and saturate their lives with the indescribable love of Jesus. It is impossible to read her words and walk away unchanged.

“Remind us that all the children we touch, and all the children we don’t, are Yours. Yours in this broken life, and Yours in eternity.” ~Kisses from Katie

I finish this book and pass it around to many friends and just continue to find myself captivated by the work God has her doing. I find myself wanting even a small portion of God’s work with orphans on my wall and etched in my heart. A few months later, my husband attended the Catalyst conference in Atlanta, Georgia. While there, Katie Davis walks out on stage to share her story with thousands of people. When asked what advice she would give to someone considering adoption and whether prayer was a part of it, she simply said that yes, she would recommend praying but that she doubted God would say no. The words God would not say no were heard by my husband, and he began to pray and to completely give this to the Lord. God was stirring in both of us, and in HIS own time, God brought Matt and I to the same place. The story was beginning.

“Many days I see the destitute, disease-ridden children lining the streets in the communities I serve and I want to scoop up every single one of them, take them home with me, and feed and clothe and love them. And I look at the life of my Savior, who stopped for one. So I keep stopping and loving one person at a time. Because this is my call as a Christian. I can do only what one woman can do, but I will do what I can. Daily, the Jesus who wrecked my life enables me to do so much more than I ever thought possible.” ~Kisses from Katie

When my Matt got home from the 2011 Catalyst conference he still prayed. He soon decided that he needed to tell me that God was calling our family to adoption before something talked him out of it. The following Sunday after we had eaten together with our family, I sat next to Matt on the couch. Out of the blue, he whispered to me that God was calling our family to adoption. I instantly cried and jumped off the couch and continued jumping around the living room. We began to piece together how Katie Davis had influenced our family and how her name is part of our story. 

“Before many of them come in the gate, they ask what they are expected to pay. When I respond that this program is free, no strings attached, they fall to their knees in the red dust and fight back tears as they thank me. They ask me why am I doing this? Why do they deserve this? Why do I care so much? The answer is simple: ‘Because the Lord who created you loves you. Because He created you for a purpose and He wants you to fulfill that purpose. Because the God who knows every hair on your head desires to lift you out of this dust and into His glory.’” ~Kisses from Katie

After a few days passed, we began asking God to give us a blueprint on leading us to our child.  Although we researched all of our options, we quickly landed on Ethiopia. We loved the idea of being a part of the work God is doing around the world and being able to celebrate this as a family. A dear, dear friend of mine named Kasey Hauret walked through this entire process with me and became my biggest cheerleader. She introduced me to our agency, Celebrate Children International, and stayed close by as we wrote the story of paperwork, social work visits, background checks. medical exams, financial statements, mailbox anxiety, and all the ups and downs of bringing a child from across the globe into our home.

“My candle is lit, I am on fire for God, for this place, for these people. My purpose here is to spread His light. One candle can light up my entire room. Jesus can light up this entire nation and my flame can be a part of that.” Kisses from Katie

Although many stories of international adoption are painted with dire circumstances, we were matched to a child just months after committing to our agency. Soon after, our agency sent us a link to our daughter’s picture. We pushed enter, and there she was. We were in love.

 

We flew to Africa three months later to attend Ethiopian court. Amara Jenn Atnip became our daughter. 

“‘Mommy.’ She said it and I knew. She was mine. I was captivated. Because Mommy is forever.” ~Kisses from Katie

We painfully had to leave her there until the United States Embassy issued her a passport. Due to some complications this took over three months. After one month passed the pain became excruciating.  We held tight to God’s faithfulness but a true grief just settled in for me. The longing for this child was intense. Many families wait much, much longer than we did, but I definitely can empathize with those who are waiting for their child. 

I was up super early on my 36^th birthday as my husband woke me up to tell me the Embassy cleared our case. It was such a beautiful day as the story gains speed. In-laws are coming, friends are calling to help, plans are being made. We left for Africa three days later.  I was living one of my greatest adventures and I had my big God to thank for inviting me into His story for caring for orphans.

We brought Amara home to a street full of balloons and signs decorated by many sweet children that surround my cul-de-sac. My neighbors had given our story a great cover.  We turned onto Hope Lane and breathed a love that was waiting for our Amara, a child who without God’s plan for adoption would grow up without a family.  

With our Africa trips behind us, it was now time for the mantel photo. It was time to capture our latest story. God had brought us from a tiny photo of a 45-day-old baby girl to a 20 by 30 mantel photo with three sweet daughters ages 6, 3,1/2, and 9 months. 

Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this:

to look after orphans and widows in their distress... ~James 1:27

We thank Julizza for celebrating with us and sharing her love of stories for the walls in our home. Welcome to the mantel, Amara Jenn Atnip and yes, I need a bigger house.

 

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

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