Oh, Say Can You See...

Last night, my family & I met several of our dearest friends at the Bricktown Ballpark in Oklahoma City for a RedHawks game (the RedHawks are a minor league baseball team). Honestly, we weren't there for the game, the peanuts or the Cracker Jacks, we were there to hear our good pal, Dennis Neal, open the game by singing the national anthem.

Dennis had to audition and be selected to sing. Competition is pretty fierce because there are only a few spots available. But anyone who's ever heard Dennis sing knows that it was a no-brainer for the committee to select him. He can belt out some serious tunes and he did last night, for sure!

He had his own "fan club" section:

My DH waiting for the events to get started:


Let the games begin...

...but first, would you please rise for the singing of the national anthem?

Sing it, Dennis!

Job well done, my friend!

Born on the Fourth of July

Meet Camden, most commonly known as "Boomer" (those of you from Oklahoma can guess why). He is four years old and was born on the fourth of July. He thinks that the elaborate Independence Day fireworks shows are in his honor. Just wait until he finds out the truth--cakes and candles will be a real let-down!

Megan Franks at Four Seasons Photography specializes in on-location portrait sessions for children. Children tend to enjoy outdoor sessions and are more relaxed in a non-studio atmosphere. Contact Four Seasons Photography today to schedule your session at the unique location of your choice!

Call Me!

My voice mail recently "ate" some messages before I had a chance to listen to them or get phone numbers. So if you have recently tried to contact me, give me another call, please!

Mr. T: Round Two

Mr. T (or Tanner Tot, as I like to call him), had a not-so-swell session a few weeks ago due to bad weather and a skipped nap. Round two went much better...

Total Lunar Eclipse: My View

My neighbors must think I'm crazy.

I ran out of the house in my pajamas at 6:30 a.m. this morning with a camera in hand. Then I ran back inside & appeared again with a different camera.

My husband had called to tell me to grab my camera because the eclipse was taking place. I had just watched the news and they were talking about it, but for some reason, I thought it was already over.

So, ever the obedient wife (lol!) I ran outside with my camera....but I had the wrong lens on. So, I went back for my l-o-o-o-o-ng lens and this is what I saw...





As you can see, I missed the "total" part of the "total lunar eclipse," but it will do.

For the photographers out there: this was much harder to shoot than I thought. I had my 70-200mm 2.8 VR lens on & cranked it wide open, but still had to hand-hold it with a SS of 10 & my ISO cranked up as far as it would go (1600 on this particular camera). Then I had a hard time finding anything to focus on; it wouldn't focus on the moon or even the tree in the foreground. I'm just surprised it turned out at all. I expected it to be a total blur, especially since I tend to be really shaky at times (thank goodness for VR!).

I took my 5-year-old daughter out to witness the event since she got up early, but she wasn't nearly as impressed as I was.

She thinks I'm crazy, too. :)

U.S. News & World Report Meets Makenna

Our neice, Makenna, who was born with a heart defect recently completed her third heart surgery at the ripe-old age of four. This time, a U.S. News & World Report reporter followed her progress at the Texas Children's Hosptial in Houston.

The actual print version of the story will not hit newstands until next Monday (I think), but the web article is available for viewing along with some spectacular photos. I will caution you that there are some surgery photos included that are not for the squeamish or for young children.

You can read the article here and view the photo gallery here.

It's so amazing to see what we can do with modern medicine!

By the way, Makenna is doing quite well! :)

Hitting the Books

Today, I became a college girl again. I can hardly believe it's been ten years since I stepped into a university classroom! Saying it aloud makes me feel so old!

I always promised myself and others that I would return to school once my kiddos were in school. The time has come and I made the leap....and I like it! The classroom has always felt like "home" to me. I'm naturally inquisitive and I love being challenged and stretched and learning new things.

Even though I felt old stepping back into the college classroom, I was blessed with two different gals who were sweet enough to make me feel as young as I do on the inside. After "interviewing" one another, a girl in my first class told me that I don't look old (after I told her I felt old, having been out for ten years). Then, as I was leaving my last class, a girl asked if I lived in the dorms or commuted. How SWEET! I will love her forever! :) I thought it was an excellent way to start and end my first day, don't you?

By the way, even though I am taking a full class load, I will still be booking sessions!!

Grace

Miss Grace would have been perfectly content to spend the entire morning with her little tongue sticking out of her mouth. I think she is aspiring to be a puppy dog! :)

Megan Franks at Four Seasons Photography specializes in on-location portrait sessions for children. Children tend to enjoy outdoor sessions and are more relaxed in a non-studio atmosphere. Contact Four Seasons Photography today to schedule your session at the unique location of your choice!

Life's a Walk on the Beach

Here's another variation on my favorite: the walking away shot! These are my daughters and I love the way the footprints & shadows turned out in this one.

Back 2 School

It's that time again! We shipped our kids off to school this morning and the little boogers were glad to be headed that way. The youngest is still in Pre-K where things are pretty fun, but evidentally, the eldest has forgotten about homework. Who knows how long those smiles will last before transforming into whiney, pouty faces?

Foot Fetish

If you saw yesterday's post, then after this one, you will begin to think that I have developed a foot fetish! I haven't, but I ran across this picture of my sister's feet when I was sorting through beach photos & I just thought it was cool. Her toes are such a cute shape and I like the composition of the image. Besides, it reminds me of calmer days, soaking in the sun and the mud, completely carefree....

Scenes from the Beach

I'm back! I'm not sure whether I should say that with enthusiasm or sadness, but I'm back!

This was our third annual trip to the beach (South Padre Island in Texas, to be exact) and it didn't disappoint. I got an great tan, ate whatever I wanted (which included plenty of donuts!) and got to spend time with some of my most favorite people in the whole wide world!

This was our t-shirt for the week. Yes, we ARE goobers, but we can't help ourselves. Besides, don't you think the design is awesome? It was created by yours truly, after all! And it does serve a purpose: when we split up at a mall, it makes it really easy to locate the crew! :

Here are some photos from the week:

First off, we left on our adventure at 4 a.m. (hence the darkness). I was already bored so I started playing with my camera. These are street lights in the wee hours of the morn. It actually turned out pretty cool....if you can get past the bug splotches on our windshield. Ewww....



Did I mention that it is a 12 hour drive & I get extremely bored? :) Here is my self-portrait via the side-view mirrors on our vehicle. I thought it was pretty neat that the water tower ended up in the shot!

Palms, palms everywhere!

Our escape route to the beach!

What's a beach vacation without a sand castle?

We jouneyed to the north shore of the island this year to collect larger sea shells; the southside beach only has tiny shells.

Every tropical vacation deserves a beautiful hibiscus flower! I was surprised at how quickly the flowers faded. This one bloomed one day & dropped off of the bush by the following afternoon.

A room with a view: the rear view from our condo.

A colorful beach umbrella: pretty AND indespensable! Portable shade is a "must have" for beach leisure.



Me & my homies (a.k.a. "my daughers") soaking up the surf & sand.



*Sigh* Beach: I miss you! See you soon! :)

Out of Office Reply

I will be unavailable this week (August 6-10) as I will be busy planting my hind parts on a beach & soaking up the sun....AT LAST (I thought vacation would never come)!

I will do my best to return all voice mail messages and e-mails when I return to the office on August 13. Thanks!

Ravishing Redhead

Meet Mallory: she's belongs to a family that happened to get a healthy dose of "beautiful" genes. I'm not kidding! Not only is she "purdy", but she is sweet, a smartie and downright funny. The best part is (and I can say this because I've known her for a while now): she's beautiful on the inside,too!

I seriously had too many favorites from her session, but I've tried to narrow it down to only a few. If you want to see more, you can see her entire slideshow HERE


This is pretty funny... We decided to take a picture with her old pickup (her friends are always giving her a hard time about it), so we found this old Mobil station. Wish it was still open! I'd give ANYTHING for 58 cent gas! :)



Megan Franks specializes in creative and fun on-location portraiture for seniors. If you are a grad-to-be, contact Four Seasons Photography to discuss your options for unique senior portraits. Let the real you shine through! Contact Four Seasons Photography today!

One of Those Days: Mr. T's 6 Month Session

Monday was a classic "one of those days." You know the kind: the stressful days where everything seems to be working against you?

I headed to Texas for a few photo sessions when storm clouds are gathered all around us. "Is it supposed to rain today?," I ask my hubby who quickly replies, "Yep." "Is it supposed to rain in Texas?," I ask as little beads of sweat begin to line my forehead. I, of course, had not checked the weather forecast. Wanna know why? BECAUSE IT DOESN'T RAIN IN TEXAS IN JULY. It just doesn't, at least, not at the end of July. The forecast for July always includes plenty of little sunshine illustrations & temperatures with triple-digits. (I should have known that the weather is in a rule-breaking sort of mood because for the first time in like twenty years, they haven't even reached 100 degrees in north Texas this summer.)

My nerves are beginning to get a little frazzled as I am driving through southern Oklahoma in a downpour, but the sun breaks through as I get closer to Texas. WHEW!

All of the sudden, I notice a sign pointing me to my destination...a sign going the opposite direction as my vehicle. I decide to trust the highway crew and follow their lead. "Hmmmm...nothing looks familiar on this road that I've driven a thousand times. Why is that?," I wonder. I soon find that I somehow missed my turn (maybe I was preoccupied with the blinding shower of rain) and was off track by probably 35 miles. Yay, me! Frazzled nerves? Check. High blood pressure? Check.

I barely make it to my destination in time for the shoot. It is an outdoor shoot. I am thankful that there are some clouds in the sky to filter the afternoon sun. I hop out of my vehicle to start scouting locations, and--I kid you not--the minute that I stepped outside, tiny raindrops began to fall!!!!

The rain passes and we start shooting. Enter third obstacle of the day: Mr. Solemn Face. Mr. T is a happy kid. I know it! I've seen him smile time & time again. But this day, he was not interested in smiling nor making eye contact nor humoring the adults in his life who danced and make funny faces and groveled on the ground seeking his attention. Nope, not interested.

Not interested.

Well, MAYbe....? Nope, still not interested.

I might be interested. Nah, I'm more interested in this bike.

I'm interested in getting out of this chair!

What's up with you weirdos? Why are you making those dumb noises?

Yep, it was one of those days.

Hey--Mr. T's still cute as a bug, even if we didn't get much of a smile out of him!

Here's one for mom & dad:


What a picture perfect family!