Life With Ben

Ben: "Can I take a nap in your bed Mommy?"Me: "Yes." Ben: "Why?" Me: "What do you mean 'why'?" Ben: "Why can I take a nap in your bed?" Me: Sigh. - - - - Ben: "Can I go to Mia's house?" Me: "Not right now. Maybe soon." Ben: "Who's Mia?" - - - - Ben: "Mommy is it nighttime?" Me: "Yes." Ben: "Why?" Me: (thinking, but not saying) Because mommy needs a drink.

Bowling

Sam is sleeping and Ben is playing his video game. I should be working, but what am I doing instead? Processing photos from our bowling adventure with the O'Mamas this morning. We had a great time. Especially Ben who hogged the ball and the lane and kept saying "I won!" after every ball he bowled. And big thanks to Jennifer who held and watched Sam the entire time so I could take pictures. Bonnie Berry is an Austin, Texas child, family and wedding photographer.

Waterloo Revisited

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Here are some more Waterloo photos with the Gleinsers. I posted one already here. I love the one below of Tanya photographing Mia. I only wish I knew which shot she was taking. Maybe she can help me out with that one. Bonnie Berry is an Austin based child, family and wedding photographer.

Flattered

I have been seeing many of the photographs I have taken on Facebook and other places on the web. I am so flattered that many of you have chosen to display my work on your personal sites. I am always happy to have any of you post my photos on your personal blogs, facebook, my space, wherever. All I ask is that you credit me with the line bonnieberryphotography.com on each photo. Many of you already do this, so thank you. Again, I am honored and pleased that you like my photos. I love my clients (that means you).

Jessica | Austin Wedding Photographer

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I had the privilege of photographing Jessica and Shawn's beautiful wedding on Saturday. Last month Jessica, her mother Gail and I headed out to take Jessica's bridal portrait. We had so much fun and I could hardly wait for their wedding, partly because I have been dying to post these. So now that the groom has seen the bride, here are Jessica's beautiful bridals. And here is one of Jess and her wonderful mom (aren't they adorable?) Bonnie Berry is an Austin based child, family and wedding photographer.

Miss Sara

My dear friend Sara is an amazing person and a wonderful massage therapist as well as a practitioner of craniosacral therapy. She has just opened her own practice and you should definitely check her out. I had the privilege of taking headshots for her site as well as designing the actual website. Here are some of the shots that did not make the site, but that I love. Especially the first one. Bonnie Berry is an Austin based child, family and wedding photographer.

Baby Needs a New Pair of Shoes

Since Sam is now walking I am offering a winter special in his honor. I figure that it is as good a reason as any. So here it is--it's 'Buy One Get One Free'. If you book a session between now and Valentine's Day, you get half off the session fee. The only catch is that you have to get a friend to book a session also. You both get 50% off the session price (so it would be $150 each plus a $30 print credit) AND you will both also get a free 8x10. How can you pass THAT up? You have to book the sessions by Valentine's Day and you have until the end of 2009 to actually do the session for those of you who want to wait until the weather is warmer. If you have any questions please feel free to contact me. Also, I have a whole new pricing structure for 2009, so if you would like more information on that, please email me at bonnie@bonnieberryphotography.com. And happy walking Sam (I am in SO much trouble there).

Beauty is in the Eye of the Beholder

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I have been giving this topic a great deal of thought lately. When I first starting photographing people in earnest, I was very severe about everything being totally documentary. I did not touch anything in Photoshop, not a blemish, a pimple or anything. I got caught on this idea that everything had to be real. And then after listening to many photographers and pulling from my previous education, I reminded myself that there is no such thing as 'real'. Photography is by no means an objective medium. There are so many decisions that the photographer makes, which therefore plant it firmly in the subjective camp. So I started correcting certain things like blemishes, snot in kids' noses etc. I started following the "if it won't be there in three weeks then get rid of it" mentality. And I think that served me well. And for the most part I still follow it. But I am also a big believer in people looking the best that they can, but more importantly to portray them as I see them. After all, the final image is really about my relationship with the subject(s)and so my interpretation in inevitable. So more and more I have been touching up crow's feet and smile lines. Not getting rid of them altogether, but softening them. Still keeping the texture of their face intact, but not having the viewer's eye be distracted by things that have no bearing on the image. Sometimes when I open a raw image straight out of the camera I am shocked by how harsh it can be. I will look at every nook and cranny of someone's face and think, "That is NOT what they look like. At least that is not how I see them." And so I begin to ask myself which is real or which is more honest. And does REAL and HONEST matter? It's like your friend who you have know for 15 years. They say they have gained 20 pounds and you have not noticed because that is not how you see them. You have a nostalgic image of them that is clouded by memory and suffused with the inner beauty that they have. Even with my clients whom I have known merely for hours. The bond that I develop with them colors how I see their physical image.

Ultimately I have decided that I want to show people as I see them. That this is the most important thing for me. To portray their years and their wisdom, but to also let that inner beauty shine. They are not supermodels. They are not meant to be flawless. But they are all imperfectly resplendent and magnificent to behold.

Chanukah Fete

Geni and Kell hosted a little Chanukah party last month for the kids. A good time was had by all as well as yummy latkes and some dreidel spinning. Here are some shots of the goings on. Bonnie Berry is an Austin based child, family and wedding photographer.

First Haircut

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Last month Sam had his very first salon haircut. Here is Ben's first one. In the first shot Ben is holding Bah (no idea how to spell it). For a few weeks Bah went everywhere with us and Ben even slept with him. Why so we have this bulldog sculpture? Gift from Josh's dad. Enough said. Bonnie Berry is an Austin based child, family and wedding photographer.

Cookies

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I always wanted to be that mom. You know the one. She decorates the house and the yard at the holidays. She buys the gifts and wraps them early, beautifully and thoughtfully. She bakes cookies and makes candies for her neighbors and friends. And never shows up empty handed at someone's house. Unfortunately, I am not that mom. I am the other mother. The one who madly rushes around the day before for the tree, the presents and the wrapping paper. The one who slaps it all together in the wee hours with Christmas morning hours away. The one who has no idea where the menorah is and if we have candles so I buy more every year and then suddenly discover we have 400 already. So I was pleased as punch with myself ths year when the Simon kids, my kids, Geni and I baked cookies. Yes they were the 'mix out of the bag' kind. And yes the frosting came in a can, but it's a start. And although most people do not equate margaritas with the holidays, they were a necessity. Bonnie Berry is an Austin based child, family and wedding photographer.

Amy's New Studio

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My dear friend Amy Perl has a new photography studio on Piedmont Avenue in Oakland. I was able to squeeze in some time with her last month when I was in California and I fell in love with her new space and all that she has done with it. I have always been a big fan of Amy's work and she helped really inspire me to get into photography again after Ben was born. I met her when I took Ben to have his portrait done by her when he was a wee one of four months and we became fast friends. And she still shoots film, so it is nice to have a resource for all my medium format questions like how do I load the camera? Yep. I have asked her stuff THAT basic. As you can see in the first image, I have started inserting myself into photos to prove that yes, I do indeed exist. Here are some of her beautiful images and her amazing new studio. Bonnie Berry is an Austin based child, family and wedding photographer.