Front Porch Family Portrait Fridays!

Have you ever had the opportunity to go through boxes of old family portraits?  Yes, this can be a chore, but there are always pictures that you come across that stand out or are special to you in one way or another.  


In the last year, I have had several such opportunities and I find I most enjoy those images that not only have family members in them, but that in a single picture manage to capture a moment in time.


What I always notice is how incredible it is to see how our past generations lived, what our family members looked like in their younger days, how they dressed themselves and what their prize possessions were.  It's even interesting just to see the items they surrounded themselves with and how they adorned their homes. So over the weekend I began to search for some old family portraits online and i found a great blog that I would love to share with you (but alas, I accidentally closed the page rather than copying the name of the blog or the address).  The blog was just what I was looking for. 

Here are some of the images that intrigued me based on the details they carried about the individuals, the family units and their homes.

In the midst of all the things that keep our lives so busy, isn't it nice to just sit and enjoy a family get-together out on the front porch?  Isn't it rejuvenating to relax outside and feel warm spring breezes and smell the new trees and flowers as they become new again?


Let's get together this spring and summer to capture some timeless images for you and your family to share with YOUR future generations.  I'll come to your home and we'll do a mini-portrait session right on your front porch.  We'll showcase your family from your very own front porch and show future generations what life was like in your day.


Front Porch Fridays will begin March 18th and run thru the summer.  If you've got a family, I've got a Friday, but hurry there are only 24 possible dates and between wedding rehearsals and family events, these will go quickly.  


Contact me today to book YOUR Front Porch Friday!


Sessions are just $100 and include my time and travel, professional editing, your images posted into your own personal web page from which you may view or place orders AND a bonus of $25 towards wall art of your choice. 


(Additional fees may apply if your front porch is outside of Allegany County.  Wall Art bonus has no cash value and will be void should you choose to forgo using it.)

Jenna & Ryan Married!

I did 4 weddings in October, each bride wanting the perfect fall wedding.  All of them got beautiful weather but Jenna and Ryan had by far the most beautiful day and the best fall foliage backdrop.  And, WOW did the bridesmaids dresses pop against the gorgeous fall leaves.  It was a lovely day and I had great fun with this family and their friends.  Here are a few of their favorite shots.

Have you had your Ritas this week?

Have you had your Rita's this week? 

I bet you think I'm crazy for even saying that.  Yes, I know it's snowing outside but can I tell you... I was heading home to spend some time with my family and I thought "It's a perfect evening to go grab some Rita's and hang out by the fire with my family."  It's cold outside but our houses are a warm yummy place to share some super tasty treats!

By now you know that we have a brand new Rita's in LaVale.  I stopped by there just before Christmas in hopes of catching my Godson at work. (It's his first job)  To my surprise, I happened to stop by on the evening that the CEO of the whole Rita's franchise was visiting with the owners.  I thought, 'you know it's very cool that he's here' and I sat with my daughter for a while and sort of observed the situation.  Then I thought, 'What the heck.  I'm a photographer, I have my camera with me and its the CEO.  I bet they would enjoy having a picture with him.'  Sooo, I went to the table where they were meeting (I really did) and I introduced myself and then asked if I could take a couple pictures of them and their staff with the CEO.

As it turns out, I didn't get to see my Godson, he didn't work that night, but I got to meet the owners of Rita's, John and Terri Dudiak.  They were lovely people and the CEO was very nice as well.  It was a cool visit.

I have a confession.. That visit to Rita's in LaVale was my very first taste of a Rita's and now I'm totally hooked.  I love my ice cream but now I find myself craving the stuff.  It's just so cute and clean and they change their flavors every week.  This evening I stopped and got a nice surprise, buy 2 quarts get 1 free!  Well who is turning that down? Yeah, um.. not me.  I got Chocolate, Cheesecake and Birthday Cake.  All were awesome... but that stupid Birthday Cake.. it's totally addicting.  It's rediculous how good it is!  It's clear I'm going to have to discover a flavor that my family doesn't like so I don't have to share! haha :)

Oh and if you stop by, you gotta say hi to my Godson Ryan.  God Bless him, he will even pose for super cheesy pictures.  I love that boy!

Seriously.. get your Rita's.. its a perfect treat!!  Enjoy :)

Mother Daughter Fire Fighter Portraits

I spent a SUPER FUN day with Katie & Karleigh doing family portraits.  The girls brought some fun props including Katies fire fighter gear and we played a lot!

These were some of my favorites! Thanks girls :)

Kaitlyn & Mike Engaged!

Recently I spent some time with one of my fall brides, Kaitlyn and her husband to be Mike.  We climbed mountain canyons, did deathdifying acts and tried to break Kaitlyns ring finger (yep.. the wedding ring one) but we had fun!  After that was all said and done we realized HULLLOOOO she had this incredible field of flowers like .. oh.. 10 feet from her house!  Of course we had to go there too. :)

Kaitlyn and Mike... Thanks for an adventurous day and best of luck for a beautiful wedding.  See you in just two weeks!  I can't wait :)

Win a FREE Photographer for your 2011 Wedding !!!

You know her and if you do, you love her.  Shelly Smith Leister of Hyndman, PA is an amazing woman who has recently been diagnosed with Breast Cancer.  Most of us know and love someone who suffers from some form of life sucking cancer so I know you know Shelly's struggle. 

Shelly is a friend of mine.  The moment I found out, I knew I had to do something to help and it had to be something really fun that would engage you and get you to help her too.

SO here it is.  To all you Brides and Grooms to be for 2011, I am offering you an incredible opportunity.  

A FREE 8-hour wedding photography package.  Here is what you will get:

*  8 hours of professional wedding photography

*  A fun, professional photographer 100% dedicated to capture your amazing day.

*  Professional Editing of your images

*  All of your images loaded up onto my website for you and your family to view and or purchase (no purchase necessary)

*  A beautiful personalized proof box with 100 - 4" x 5" proofs

So how do you get in on this amazing deal?  Its so easy you won't believe it.  You simply purchase a raffle ticket and as a VERY SPECIAL BONUS and THANK YOU for your support of TEAM SHELLY I will give you a FREE Engagement Session which is worth the value of the ticket you purchased.

There will be ONE Raffle Winner.  Tickets are on sale beginning right now and will be on sale through February.  Why February?  Because I want to make sure that all newly engaged couples from this coming Christmas and Valentines Day get to be in on this offer.  There is no limit to the number of tickets you may purchase to try and win your FREE Wedding Package.

The prospect of a FREE Wedding Package is the same cost as all those Cash Bashes and Gun Raffles that you already take chances on and this cause is absolutely worth your gamble!  Skip one Cash Bash this year and spend your money on the cause of helping a woman who is beautiful inside and out fight the battle of her life.  Buy your raffle ticket today and help Shelly Leister Fight Like a Girl!

This is a win win raffle.  Remember:  You get a free Engagement session just for purchasing a ticket. (That's $125 value!)  You can't lose!  Those gun raffles don't give you free ammo just for trying!  These raffle tickets would even be a great Christmas present.  For $100 you could end up giving someone their wedding photography for free.  How cool would you be then!  If you are giving this as a gift, I will even give YOU a free 1hr family session instead of an engagement session so that you, too can take advantage of this great offer.

Raffle Tickets are $100 each.

Contact me today to get yours and be sure to pass the word to everyone you know.  Share this Raffle with your entire list of family and friends, REPOST to everyone on your Facebook and My Space pages, Email, Twitter, everyone you know and work with.  You know so many people who know people getting married or who have themselves helped fight the battle of breast cancer.

Here is the Facebook page for TEAM SHELLY.  Join the group and get to know Shelly personally and follow her in the battle that you've just helped her fight.

http://www.facebook.com/?sk=fl_10150277186700228#!/group.php?gid=147710485240799&ref=ts 

Your support is so greatly appreciated!  Thank you for at least giving this offer consideration and God Bless you if you give.

100% of proceeds after the first $100 will go to TEAM SHELLY

Check out my website today to view my wedding portfolio:

 http://www.KirstenDixonPhotography.com

Our Soldiers Are Coming Home

I am so thankful to see that our soldiers are coming home.  I can't even imagine how those of you with soldiers coming home feel, but I can be there to help you remember how incredibly touching your reunion was.  Don't miss the chance to capture those emotions on film.  You will be so overcome by love and emotion during your homecoming that you may just hug your soldier and keep that camera in your hand... I can be there.  I can capture your blessing for you at no cost at all. This is my gift to you, our military and their families.  This blessing comes to you through an organization that is very dear to me (Operation Love ReUnited) and it would be my great honor to be there to capture your celebration of this day.  Please contact me if this is a service you can appreciate.


Below is some text copied from the Operation:  Love ReUnited website http://www.oplove.org/index2a.php to familiarize you with these sessions.

**Please understand, Operation: Love ReUnited sessions are for deploying, depolyed and returning military families. Many of our photographers offer seperate pricing for military members if you are interested in family portraits. Thank you! You can also find more information HERE.**




Introduction To The Program:


If you have ever been through a military deployment, there are no words to explain how hard it is to send the father or mother of your children off to some foreign, dangerous land, leaving you all behind…. Alone. It’s indescribable to watch their faces light up as their mother or father comes up the stairs of the airport after months, possibly a year or more, of not hugging each other. Emotions fly through the main lobby, it’s so very good to have them home. Your base’s Family Support Squadron will help you with your deployment. But the last thing on your mind when your wife or husband arrives home after a 4 to 18 month tour, is capturing all this love– on film. Most people are so overwhelmed with emotions they forget to simply point and shoot the camera they are grasping of their child’s first hug, or that single tear of relief from a mother being able to hold her twenty year old son again. With the help of Operation: Love ReUnited and local photographers near your base, you can.


The Operation helps those long months go by a little faster. It’s designed to capture moments that you will never remember. It’s art. It’s love. And it’s all made possible by artists wanting to give something back to those who make the United States what it is, and ask for nothing in return- but to come home.


If you are a member or family member of the United States Military, and are interested in having very special and touching images with a patriotic edge taken of you and/or your family before a deployment or during, and at your reunion, please contact a photographer in your area now. You will receive a substantial package as a gift in appreciation for all you have been through as a military member. The package will always include a 4x6 album of pre-deployment images, such as a child’s hand clasped in his parent’s with the faint glimpse of a BDU sleeve, a marine in dress with his family, a salior with his parents right before departure, or a child playing dress up in combat boots and a helmet. The album will be sent to the deployed soldier by the photographer, at no cost to you. Also with your package, all session fees will be waived. Your photographer may have a designated package or other options for Operation: Love ReUnited participants at their discretion with a signed model release.


About Pre-Deployment & Deployment Sessions:


OpLove Pre-Deployment & Deployment sessions help you say goodbye and cope with being away. Anyone who has had to see their husband or wife, son, daughter, sister or brother off to war knows how hard it is to watch them walk away from you. Our photographers are part of the program as volunteers. They feel your pain, many of them being military spouses or family members themselves, they want to listen, they want to help ease your worries, they want to do what they can to help you through this deployment, and we do that with photography. Your initial session will be either with your spouse before he or she deploys dressed in their dress uniform or BDUs for most of the session, or if you find OpLove after your loved one has deployed, your session will be done without your loved one keeping a patriotic theme that could include dress, hats, BDUs, boots and other military gear, but they will still experience all the love & benefits that OpLove has to offer.


About Returning Sessions:


When your loved one comes home from a deployment, the last thought on your mind will be your camera. Most people are so overwhelmed with emotions, they simply forget they are holding it in their hand. Once you find out about the time your loved one is to return from his or her deployment, please let your photographer know. They will want to accompany your family to the welcoming home of your spouse or loved one, and capture that first glimpse, that first embrace, and all the love that surrounds every person who walks off that plane, into their families arms. From this session photographers have the choice of presenting you an album and/or a CD of images.


**Please note that orders may be requested. Pre-deployment sessions in which the deploying spouse is participating, should include their military uniform, dress or BDUs, being worn for most of the session. Some images may be taken in civilian clothes but please understand that this program does not focus on traditional family portraiture. If an OpLove session takes place and the spouse has already been deployed, the session should keep a patriotic theme including military gear such as hats, uniforms, boots, etc.


Sessions are limited to clients up to two times per year per deployment upon schedule availibility. Both sessions may be completed by different photographers, and are of the clients responsibility to schedule. "Rainchecks" are up to the photographers discretion and are not of their requirements. Photographers are NOT required to offer all types of sessions. Three types of sessions are made available; Pre-Deployment, Deployed, and Homecoming/Reunion. Only two (2) may be acted upon per client per deployment per year.

Crohn's & Colitis Scrapbooking Fund Raiser

I am hosting a 12 hour scrapbooking event to benefit the CCFA (Crohn's & Colitis Foundation of America).


The Active Network (the company I work for) has selected this Charity to work with on mulitple nationwide events.  Many people who work for or are associated with our company have been affected by these life sucking diseases and this event is one of many that we are putting together in an effort to raise all that we can for the CCFA.


PLEASE JOIN ME in this special event!

My Favorite Senior: Ryan

I cannot believe time has passed so quickly.  It seems only yesterday I was standing in the front of a church being given the great honor of becoming God Mother to this sweet, adorable little boy.  I can remember him being the cutest little thing standing only a tiny bit taller than the chair he was on while he tried to pop bubbles at his uncle Andy's wedding.  All of his life he remained a good kid with good values and I am so proud of him.  Until my own children grow up, this now young man with a drivers license will always be my favorite Senior.  I love you boy.

SENIOR SPECIAL.. TWO WEEKS ONLY!!

Book your Senior Portrait Session by July 29th and

receive $50 off !!

Sessions must be scheduled for weeknights in August to qualify.