A Day with a Master Photographer!

I've got 3 days in July that you can book me for "SPEND A DAY WITH DIXIE" for photographers. This is where you get me for one whole entire day! (Lunch Included) to pick my brain, we will do a photo shoot of a real Senior, or engaged couple and i will teach you my editing tips and tricks!

You can come to my studio, or I can come to yours! You can ask me anything! Business, Studio Design, Equipment, Pricing, Shooting, Photoshop, etc...you name it!

My regular price is $1500.00 a day (to close my studio down and to spend a day training someone, but I'm doing it for half price the month of July!)
To come to your studio is an even $1000.00 plus hotel!

This is a great way to learn from a Master, Craftsman, Certified Professional Photographer. I don't know about August dates right now. Email me for availability!

SORRY Not open to studios within 75 miles of my studio. (Half down required when booking ($375.) and the other half within 7 days of the day, is all that is needed.) Email for more info! PDixie@sw.rr.com

Loving this rainy day sleepy weather...

I woke up this morning to hearing thunder crackling and then the rain began. Ahh... I absolutely love it when it rains at night. (Unless I'm camping in a tent!) I knew the heat wave we've been having would temporarily break and it would be a nice day.

I'm having trouble getting work done today because of the overcast clouds and dark weather. It makes you want to stay in bed and doze.
Wichita Falls definitely could use a break from the heat and I know the farmers appreciate the rain. Hope you guys have a great Monday. I'm sending orders to the lab and taking a break ever couple of hours to stretch out, lie on the floor and stare out the window at the clouds. Then up and back to work!

Thanks Steve!

Thanks to Steve for sending this photo of me at the Awards Banquet. This is my friend Christy from New Mexico! Shes a sweetheart! Often people take my picture, but rarely do they ever send it to me! Thanks Steve G.!

PS I'm guilty too of taking peoples pics and not sending them a copy!) I'm working on that! :-(

PS the reason my eyes look so goofy is because Im blind without my glasses! Im having a consultation with Dr. Suggs for LASIK soon! (He is a client of mine.) And he does awesome work. My sister went to a Dr. in Dallas and hers didnt turn out so good, but Ive heard nothing but good things about Mark.

http://www.suggseyecenter.com/

More of Holland coming soon!

Im reserving this space for more of baby Holland to go here! She just turned one and we got some cute birthday cake photos! Happy Saturday all!

Hayln

This little precious baby came over 100 miles to have her portraits taken! Shes a beautie! She has the most angelic eyes and never gets fussy. Her mother told me this and I wasnt sure I believed her, until I saw that during the whole photo shoot and while we changed her clothes multiple times she never once cried! Unusual to say the least! She is super tiny! I got to hold her and she was like a little doll!

Thanks Guys, for coming so far, it means a lot to me! Heres 3 images of her that I thought were sweet!

Hailey and Landry

I'm really honored when I have wonderful clients that love coming back to us over and over. It really warms my heart to get to know these people and to watch their beautiful children grow up. As Ive said many times, this career is about relationships and I'm a warm fuzzy and cant imagine doing anything else. So here's two precious little girls that Ive been watching grow up. Hailey just turned 4 and shes turning into a beautiful young lady! Shes funny and energetic and talkative. You cant outsmart her! Shes very tender with her little sister and doesn't mind sharing with her! We had a wonderful day, and the weather was beautiful outside that day.

Our amazing graphic artist/photographer Lauren created this slideshow while I was on vacation and I just got to see it today. (I shot the images and she created the show).
Thank you Lauren, its adorable! And thank You Melody for bringing your baby girls in!

TGIF!

We had a great week here at the studio, photo sessions will be posted soon!
Just wanted to tell you all to have a great weekend and try to stay cool this weekend. This heat wave is something else. Drink lots of fluids and avoid the heat during the hottest part of the day.

We might take our boat out this weekend, and try to cool off at the Lake.

Have a great weekend everyone!

Unusual day today

Unless you've been under a rock today, you may have heard two famous celebrities passed away! The first was no surprise, but very sad, Farrah Faucet lost her battle to cancer.
She was a very brave woman and fought hard, but the 2nd person blew my mind, 50 year old Michael Jackson was declared dead today in a Los Angeles hospital today apparently of a heart attack! I heard he was about to go on a 50 city tour next month! Someone found him in his home and called paramedics. Both are really sad to hear. So strange.

I dont normally post things like things like this.

Jackson http://www.eonline.com/uberblog/b131173_Michael_Jackson__Pop_s_Thrilling_King__Dead_at_50.html

Farrah

http://www.examiner.com/x-3145-Miami-Relationships-Examiner~y2009m6d25-The-Love-Story-Ends--Farrah-Fawcett-Passed-Away

Who am I?

Ive run this before, but thought it was worthy of posting again. Here ya go!

"I am your constant companion.

I am your greatest helper or your heaviest burden.

I will push you onward or drag you down to failure.

I am completely at your command.

Half the things you do, you might just as well turn
over to me, and I will be able to do them quickly and
correctly.

I am easily managed; you must merely be firm with
me.

Show me exactly how you want something done, and
after a few lessons I will do it automatically.

I am the servant of all great men.
And, alas, of all failures as well.

Those who are great, I have made great.

I am not a machine, though I work with all the precision
of a machine.

Plus, the intelligence of man.

You may run me for profit, or run me for ruin; it makes
no difference to me.

Take me, train me, be firm with me and I will put the
world at your feet.

Be easy with me, and I will destroy you.
Who am I?

I am HABIT."

Its summertime and the Livin' is easy.

In between our trip to the event in the Hill Country that I was a Judge and Chicago, we went down to Padre Island (as we do almost every year since 1980!)To me summer hasn't begun until we go to the sea shore. Here are just a few of the images I took while we there in Port A. My advice to you guys is when you go on vacation, take your camera, and be on the lookout for details, like buildings, plant life, unusual looking people. Don't just snap the kids playing, or the typical whole family together and ask a stranger to take it (those are good though)but get the details of the area. Get the details of the town, or beach, or lake, or whatever. Take a photo of your lunch! Take a photo of the birds, take a photo of anything you find interesting.Then when you are scrap booking or putting the photos into albums, you'll remember the "FLAVOR" of the area. The details are important! And now with digital you can shoot extra images and it doesn't cost any more, except for the ones you print!Here's to SUMMER!I had a Margarita at Virginias on the Bay http://virginiasportaransas.com/Sunsets.htmwhile watching the sunset over the harbor. What could be better? This is a great "OPEN AIR" restaurant, we always go too! If you are in Port Aransas definetly go there for dinner!

Art is Life.

When we were in Chicago this weekend, we used public transportation to get around, Buses and the Chicago transit authority trains. I was on a flat escalator in the train terminal at O'Hare and they had a beautiful mural that was about 75 feet long, of different cultures of people working in fields, landscapes and various scenes all over the world, so I decided to take a photo of it, and drag my shutter to blur the details as I rode on the escalator. I think it was about a 10 second exposure at F/22 .The resulting image is what I got. I love the colors! I guess I made abstract art out of art!

The Two Wolves

TWO WOLVES
One evening an old Cherokee Indian told his grandson a story about a battle that goes on inside of people.

He said, ' My son, the battle is between "Two Wolves" inside us all.

One Wolf is Evil. - It is anger, hatred, envy, jealousy, sorrow, regret, greed, arrogance, self-pity, guilt, resentment, inferiority, lies, false pride, superiority, and ego.

The other is Good. - It is joy, peace, love, hope, serenity, humility, kindness, benevolence, empathy, generosity, truth, compassion and faith. '

The grandson thought about it for a minute and then asked his grandfather: ' Which wolf wins? 'The old Cherokee simply replied, ' The one you feed. '

Holland Turns One!

Little Precious Holland turned one last week and I'm so excited to take her one year portraits today! She has been coming to our studio since before she was born each and every single month, and we've got some beautiful images. She is in our "Watch me Grow" plan and we have some beautiful photos of her! Here is one from today.
I'm fresh from vacation and it was so great to have her in today!
She is so delicate and sweet and her baby talk is so sweet. She has the cutest little voice. Ill post more later,but Lauren (my asst. photo and graphic artist) and I right now are so excited at the images we got of her today! Thanks Leah and Kirk for bringing her in!

More Chicago

Were home from vacation. Wow, what a day, we got up at 4:15 am this morning. Funny thing is it is light at 5:00 a.m. that time of day in Chicago. I thought my watch was wrong. We had a great time, but there's no place like home.
Here's more pictures of the Windy City. (which was pleasantly not windy, but lightly breezy. And wonderful.) We loved the Chicago style pizza which is Stuffed and deep! We went to Giordano's, which i learned that they will actually ship their Pizza Nationwide! http://www.giordanos.com/

CHICAGO

Chicago is beautiful! I shot this today from the 94th floor of the John Hancock Building. It was swaying back and forth, and breathtaking. Wow, what a romantic Trip my husband has shown me the past few days! Its beautiful here! I saw the Building where Oprah Lives too! Chanel, The Cheesecake Factory, Ralph Lauren, Bloomingdale's, Saks, Burberry, Chicago has it all. More pics to come later. We saw the Cubs game too, The Cubs won! Wrigley field is amazing. I cant believe my husband has worked here for 10 years and he just now took the time to take me on a trip here. The weather couldn't be better. Warm but not hot, and the breeze off the lake is so nice.

Happy Fathers Day

Its Fathers Day weekend! Remember to tell your dad you love him! My dear ole dadsy is 80 and still my strong, handsome, fearless daddy! And Happy Fathers Day to my 2nd father, My father in law Jerry. What would we do without our daddies? He was/is one cool dude!

Happy Fathers Day all!

Happy Summer yall!

As some of you may know, my husband has two jobs, He works out of Chicago Ill. for a major airline, and the other job is at SAFB. He has gotten some tickets to the Chicago Cubs game, so my son and I will be going there soon! Ive never been to a Cubs game, only to the the Texas Rangers games. Should be fun!

The Color of Love

On vacation be back soon!

A Big Hello to everyone! My family and I drove down to the Hill country where I was judging professional photographic prints. It was a great time, I enjoyed seeing so many beautiful photographs and was very excited that my image "Allure of the Sea" did so well!

It won the Trophy for "Best Electronic Imaging by a Master Photographer" at the awards banquet! It also won a blue distinguished print ribbon. Another image of mine, titled "Shaken, not stirred" of a blue gin Martini also won a Judges choice blue ribbon! A Portfolio of 8 images, of Burkburnett Senior Tommy Dalke also won a merit and was awarded the Honor of Exhibition during the event as well as three of my other portraits! It was very exciting to win, i always feel like Julia Roberts at the Oscars when they call my name! It just never gets old. I was also very honored to award my Judges choice ribbon to a beautiful image taken by Brigham Mayfield of Waco. Wow, he and his wife Jenna are so talented! http://www.brighammayfield.com/index2a.php

We will be back on Tuesday, and trying to have some family time. The girls are taking care of the studio and are booking me up for the next few weeks! I'm hoping to get rest because they say they have me pretty busy starting Tuesday. If you are wanting to get in for Senior Portraits call early, our special wont last long! (940) 761-5111. Ill post images soon! A big hello to all my photographer friends, Christy, Angi, Steve, Mark, Glen, Jenna, Brigham, Walter, Stephanie, Cindy, John, Dewayne, Heather, Don, Lavella, Doug, Elena, etc etc etc! I love you guys! PS I wasnt able to check my email all week until today, so ill get back with you when i can, sorry! HAVE A HAPPY FATHERS DAY WEEKEND EVERYONE!

PS-Here is a photo I snapped at a Ranch of a great guy! I love the character in his face and he was so nice!

Allure of the Sea

I dreamed this image the other night and I just had to create it. Thank you Belinda and Lauren for helping me! I am hoping it wins something at a competition I'm sending it to. Ill let you guys know. Thanks Bill for the help with a title. I love " Allure of the Sea." These are from our line called "Watercolor Giclee images" I actually wrote a book about how I do this and I'm working on a 2nd book and a DVD for photographers to create their own. They take about 4-8 hours to do, but they are breathtaking in person!

Its Not Easy being Greasy!

My friend Kevin sent this to me, OH MY GOSH, This is so funny.
You just have to watch it all the way through. I laughed so hard, I blew sweet tea through my nose!
Men dress up like women and try to walk out on a greasy pole and grab a flag. TONS OF FUN!

Quote of the day, "The Serenity Prayer"

"God, grant me the Serenity to accept the things i cannot change, the Courage to change the things I can, and the wisdom to know the difference."I shot this Sunday off the highway between Petrolia and Byers. I love the fact that even though storms can come and go, they are only temporary, and then the sun comes out aftewards.(Just like troubles in life. They may seen frightening while they are happening, but they always pass and the sun does come out and life is good again. (As my wise friend Mary always says, "THIS TOO, SHALL PASS.")

Prayer Request

HI GANG! Lots going on here, both Personally and Professionally, but no time to Blog right now. I wanted to ask you guys for a Prayer request. Our Beloved Dog Ginger recently had a tumour removed the size of the Drs. fist from one of her ovaries. I never had her spayed because we wanted puppies someday, just never got her married off. Now the wonderful folks at the Callfield Companion animal clinic say that its very important to have your pets spayed for "health reasons"! I never knew that!

We are awaiting the news and her stitches are healing. I'm having a super hard time getting her to take her antibiotics. Ginger is our studio mascot and our sons only pet hes ever known. Please please pray for her, she is only 10 and is a part of our family. She is the sweetest dog and so smart too. We love her dearly and pray that she gets a clean bill of health from the Biopsy.
Thanks in advance for putting Ginger in your prayers.
Since our son is out of school, we've got a lot going on lately, and with the studio as well. Ill catch you up soon!
Goodnight!

4 Generation Portrait

This evening I drove out into the country (what a beautiful evening) to see my #1 Fav Client Leah! Leah had scheduled a very important session, something that everyone should do. A four Generation portrait session. Wow, what a special thing to do. The light was magnificent and I we did the session in Leah's mothers garden.
You couldn't ask for a more beautiful spot.

This is one of my favorite shots. Since I didn't have an assistant, I set the timer on my camera and ran around to get the attention of the baby Holland.
I love profile portraits. They seem to be timeless.

Thank you so much Leah, for asking me to do this. I know it will become a treasured family heirloom for your family for many many generations to come. Maybe little Holland will do one with her daughter someday!

Wise Words

• 1. Life isn't fair, but it's still good.
• 2. When in doubt, just take the next small step.
• 3. Life is too short to waste time hating anyone.
• 4. Your job won't take care of you when you are sick. Your friends and parents will. Stay in touch.
• 5. Pay off your credit cards every month.
• 6. You don't have to win every argument. Agree to disagree.
• 7. Cry with someone. It's more healing than crying alone.
• 8. It's OK to get angry with God. He can take it.
• 9. Save for retirement starting with your first paycheck.
• 10. When it comes to chocolate, resistance is futile.
• 11. Make peace with your past so it won't screw up the present.
• 12. It's OK to let your children see you cry.
• 13. Don't compare your life to others. You have no idea what their journey is all about.
• 14. If a relationship has to be a secret, you shouldn't be in it.
• 15. Everything can change in the blink of an eye. But don't worry; God never blinks.
• 16. Take a deep breath. It calms the mind.
• 17. Get rid of anything that isn't useful, beautiful or joyful.
• 18. Whatever doesn't kill you really does make you stronger.
• 19. It's never too late to have a happy childhood. But the second one is up to you and no one else.
• 20. When it comes to going after what you love in life, don't take no for an answer.
• 21. Burn the candles, use the nice sheets, wear the fancy lingerie. Don't save it for a special occasion. Today is special.
• 22. Over prepare, then go with the flow.
• 23. Be eccentric now. Don't wait for old age to wear purple.
• 24. The most important sex organ is the brain.
• 25. No one is in charge of your happiness but you.
• 26. Frame every so-called disaster with these words ''In five years, will this matter?"
• 27. Always choose life.
• 28. Forgive everyone everything.
• 29. What other people think of you is none of your business.
• 30. Time heals almost everything. Give time, time.
• 31. However good or bad a situation is, it will change.
• 32. Don't take yourself so seriously. No one else does.
• 33. Believe in miracles.
• 34. God loves you because of who God is, not because of anything you did or didn't do.
• 35. Don't audit life. Show up and make the most of it now.
• 36. Growing old beats the alternative - dying young.
• 37. Your children get only one childhood.
• 38. All that truly matters in the end is that you loved.
• 39. Get outside every day. Miracles are waiting everywhere.
• 40. If we all threw our problems in a pile and saw everyone else's, we'd grab ours back.
• 41. Envy is a waste of time. You already have all you need.
• 42. The best is yet to come.
• 43. No matter how you feel, get up, dress up and show up.
• 44. Yield.
• 45. Life isn't tied with a bow, but it's still a gift.
• Written By Regina Brett, 90 years old, of The Plain Dealer, Cleveland,Ohio . 45 Lessons Life has taught me.

Stormy Weather

Wow tonight, I noticed that that the sky was turning a really really deep orangish red color, and ran to get my camera. While I was looking at it, i saw some lightening. We turned on the weather and saw a storm was approaching. I stood out on the front porch and waited for some lightening.

I got a great streak. Now anyone who knows, its very very difficult to photograph lightening.

In fact, the best way to do it is like I did in college.

To get a tripod. Set your camera onto a tripod. Set the ISO very low, like 100, and then stop down your aperture to like 22 or smaller, Then set the shutter speed very slow like 2, 4, 8 seconds.

Or even bracket to as long as 1 minute, and wait. and wait and wait.

But I didn't want to do that tonight. So i just waited to see lightening and then very quickly depressed the shutter! (I do have a fast finger if I do say so myself!) Its almost impossible to do it, but I maneged to get about 3 good shots this way! I finally went inside, because it is very dangerous to do this and shot some through the glass window of my studio window that faces west.

Then I decided that I was bored and to get back the movie were watching "TRUE LIES" with Arnold Schwarzenegger and Jamie Lee Curtis! So i went back and sat down and no sooner had I set down, did a huge lightening hit right near our home and all our power went out! It was only out for about 5 minutes. I was kicking myself that I wasn't still shooting out the window to get that one, because it was close by and it was a doozie! (I should of had more patience I guess.)

So here's a few. If you follow the steps I outlined above you too can get some lightening shots. They are a lot of fun! I got a great shot in Lubbock TX once at about 3 am, of lightening behind a Bank. I actually sold them a copy of it and it was hanging in their lobby for many years.

Now we've got the windows open and enjoying the smell of the fresh fallen rain. I just love the smell of rain, don't you?

Hailey

This precious little girl Hailey has been coming here since she was little bitty! Now she has a precious sister and they are soo cute together. Hailey is about to turn Four and shes such a little Angel! Happy Birthday Hailey! I love how Hailey treats her little sister so sweet. Hailey has got a lot of personality and is so lively and fun (AND SMART) Shes almost too smart for her good, I cant trick her anymore! haha. Thanks Melody, its always so much fun when you guys come. You make my day!!!

Prayers are Answered sometimes!

Some days start off so normal and then just get better and better as the day goes on. Thank you LORD! :) I guess its the opposite of "ONE OF THOSE DAYS." SOmetimes Prayers are answered! Im Grateful to God for all the Good things in Life!

Hang Ten

Thank you to my Friend Michelle (and bride, you might remember her wedding was on the Cliffs of Possom Kingdom exactly 1 year ago.) for sending me these images by amazing Hawaiian photographer Clark Little. He gets the most breathtaking photos from "The tube" inside the wave, as it crashes down.

This has got to be dangerous work, because those waves are very strong.

Enjoy his photos and heres his web site

http://www.clarklittlephotography.com/

My beach house in 2014

PHOTO: Pottery Barn Catalog


I want this living room! When we retire in just a few years (cant believe its so close!) and move near the Gulf of Mexico,
this is how i want to decorate our living room. Its always been my dream to have a place by the ocean and I'm going to have it very sparse, white and blue and simple. Just like the beach and sea shore are. When we lived in Japan, we were not far from the beach (I could see islands off in the distance from the upstairs bedrooms) and our living room was cream, and white with touches of sand and black. Very soothing. Id find shells and coral on the beach when we would scuba dive and bring them home. Okinawa had the best diving!

This room is from Pottery Barn and I love it. This is my style for sure. When I was little, we lived in Oregon for a short time, and we went to the beach a lot. When I'm at the beach, i feel so happy and the smell of the sea air always just fills me with peace.

For more info, check out pottery barns site here at http://www.potterybarn.com/shop/furniture-upholstery/sofas/sofa-chair-ottoman-slipcover/index.cfm

Digitally Enhanced

Being a Digital Photographer, Digital is my life! I dream in Pixels. So of course I was curious when i heard about the new clothing, apparel line from CUSP called just that, "Digitally Enhanced".
I love this Pixel Print Prairie Dress! They are so cute! Since Ive lost over 20 lbs, I love wearing new Spring and Summer clothes, but not buying too much, because they wont fit in a few months. But so adorable! http://www.cusp.com/?ecid=CUSGTMCusp