I Heart Photography

New Blog Site

2010-04-07T07:31:00.000-07:00

Hello Everyone!

I just wanted to write a quick note that I have recently moved my blog over to a new site. Here is the link, and please subscribe so that you can be updated with new photos and fun!

www.iheartphotos.com/blog

Thanks!
Mel

A Change of Light

2010-03-31T15:25:00.001-07:00

It's Spring in Austin and the lighting is GORGEOUS! I love a change of season....for so many reasons, but there is nothing like a change of lighting.
Rebecca is getting married this summer in Salado. I've had so much fun getting to know her and her wonderful fiance Chase....they are so very sweet together, and I look forward to photographing their BIG day.
I love everything about this photo shoot...Rebecca you look absolutely AMAZING! :)

Brett & Jessica: Sneak Peek

2010-03-31T07:48:00.000-07:00

I had a great time getting to know Brett & Jessica this past weekend at Jo's coffee shop! This sweet couple met on 6th St. by the Chugging Monkey on New Year's eve....so really we already have a lot in common. ;)
We hopped around to various places on Saturday to get a little of everything. We started at the coffee shop, since the two of them recently became big coffee drinkers, and then we stopped by 6th st. to at least capture that atmosphere as well! At the end of the shoot, they wanted to do a little fishing, so needless to say we had a lot of fun.
I'm very excited for their July wedding in Houston this summer...it's going to be a GREAT time.

What a Doll!

2010-03-26T09:19:00.000-07:00

Meet little Miss Sloane Taylor! She was welcomed in to the world on February 12th by her beautiful mother Katie and her wonderful dad Rick and big bro Finn. She is absolutely beautiful and already full of so much life!
I was able to capture some sweet photos of her and can't wait to watch her grow and get to photograph her again sometime soon!

Mr. Roley Poley

2010-03-25T15:30:00.000-07:00

Oh I can't tell you enough how much my nephews mean the world to me, they will put the the biggest smile on my face and make me laugh in just the simplest of ways. I've been visiting my sister and her family for a few days in San Antonio, and it's been so nice to spend such quality time with them all. Aidan is 4 years old now, and my heart melted when he told me how much he has missed his "aunt Mel", and that he was SOooo happy that I was visiting. :) We watched "UP", ate ice cream, and I went to sleep with Aidan, and let me tell you I almost ended up on the floor both mornings. And as for Maddox at 7 months old, I have to say he is the sweetest and calmest baby ever. His smile and laugh has changed so much since the last time I've seen him, but he's still Mr. Roley Poley, and a chunky little thing at that! :) And my dear sweet "super hero" sister...OMG, you have your hands full! You are the most amazing mother though, and you inspire me in more ways than one. Thank you for having the most precious little boys in the world so that I can be the best auntie to them! I love you all to pieces.

One Love

2010-03-24T18:41:00.001-07:00

Melissa & Karl are absolutely MADLY in love with one another, and it's absolutely adorable. These two love birds are getting married on Saturday, June 12th in Bentonville, Arkansas.
We had such a great time taking their engagement portraits in Ochos Rios, Jamaica at Carey & Michael's wedding weekend. The "colors" alone are truly awesome, but the love for each other is what makes the pictures so special. Seeing Melissa and meeting Karl was so great, Karl couldn't be any more sweeter and is so in love with Melissa, and I know she feels completely the same about Karl! I want you two both to know how much I wish you all the best in life.

My Coney Island Love

2010-03-24T12:41:00.001-07:00

Playing dress up is something my best friend and I could NEVER get tired of, even at the age of 27! Rebecca & I grew up together in the same small town of Mountain Home, Arkansas and for the most part in the same neighborhood just down the road from one another. We have some of the funniest childhood memories together that to this day we still laugh about our awkward and wild adolescent years. But soon, my parents moved my family to the big world of Austin, TX and my last visit with Rebecca was when we were 16 years old and she came to visit me. But as life happens, you loose touch and you always wonder and think about that special person in your life and where they might be...
7 years later, I moved to NYC to start an internship with Corbis, I was soon to find out that Rebecca was moving there too, she was to start her masters in art therapy at Pratt.
As soon as we saw each other in Union Square to meet up for happy hour, we soon realized that we had very similar lives and interests and nothing much but "time" had really changed.
I feel so lucky and blessed to have a friend like Rebecca in more ways than one. For the past 4 years since I've moved back to Austin, we have planned trips to see one another, and as soon as we get home, we turn around and book our next visit. Our time with one another can never honestly get any better. We strongly believe that she and I are connected in so many ways and yes there may not just be one soul-mate in life, but we do know for sure that we are truly soul-mates.
Rebecca, thank you for being one of the most amazing individuals that I have ever had the opportunity in life to know. I hope you truly know how much you are appreciated in life, by not just me but by all the hearts that you touch daily. You have a gift with people, and I hope that you will always know this. You are so truly beautiful, both on the inside and out, and if you EVER forget this, I hope you look at these photos as a reminder to yourself. I mean, look at you, you are gorgeous and so much fun to be with! Thank you for letting me capture your true beauty in one of our most favorite places in the world together.....Coney Island.

Let's get together and feel all right

2010-03-23T07:03:00.001-07:00

There was a lot of love on Carey & Michael's wedding day. Best friends becoming family, families growing even bigger, a newly engaged couple, and a 5 year wedding anniversary. Saturday, March 13, was a very happy day for everyone!
Carey & Michael got married at the Sandals resort in Ochos Rios, Jamaica. The wedding and reception was absolutely beautiful, and the entire weekend was so much fun.
I wish you two all the happiness in the world, and I'm so honored that you both asked me to be such a huge part of your wedding celebration. I hope that you enjoy and cherish these photos forever.

Seriously...this might be the funniest picture ever!

Mother Mary Comes to Me...

2010-03-21T18:35:00.000-07:00

One of my favorite rituals of my catholic faith is the Rosary. Of course growing up, I NEVER understood what exactly the rosary was or even what it really meant. Honestly, I use to dread hearing the rosary, because all I could remember was how it went on for what felt like forever.
I finally came to understand a little more about the rosary, and I learned to find my zen and peace within it.
Right now, I'm spending a lot of time with "my" own dear mother, which reminds me of some funny advice she would give me when I couldn't sleep at nights, she said to say the rosary and I would fall right asleep. I honestly do that now, and about 7 "Hail Mary's" into it, I'm sound asleep. Unfortunately the last few nights that I've tried to fall asleep, I have drifted off into other thoughts and feelings that are running through my head and heart. So for now, I will keep my mother Mary close to my heart and remember my all time favorite quote in life, and hope that I can find the same peace that it has given me in my past.
"When I find myself in times of trouble, mother Mary comes to me,
speaking words of wisdom, let it be.
And in my hour of darkness she is standing right in front of me,
speaking words of wisdom, let it be."

unraveling the threads

2010-03-20T10:01:00.000-07:00

Life is extremely mysterious, and sometimes I absolutely LOVE & HATE this. My life seems to be unraveling so fast that I wake up hoping and praying that this is all a huge nightmare. But it's not....and I have to learn to deal and cope with what is going on in my life every day, and to be honest it's one of the hardest challenges I've ever been dealt in life. I know that I will get through this with time, my family and friends and strong faith.
I feel as if all my emotions and thoughts are about to explode and I don't know where or what to do with them all or who to share them with. After spending a week at my lowest and not being able to do much of anything, I've decided I have to move on and continue to live my life no matter how disruptive it is right now. I have to take all my feelings and emotions and get them out....out of my head....out of my heart....and through my camera. I believe at this point that this is the only way I know how to share and to accept and deal with what is going on in my life, and at the same time... try to let others in. But I warn you to be patient with me as I am very fragile at the moment.

My "BIG" baby brother

2010-03-10T08:44:00.000-08:00

Anthony is my little bro that we call "Tony Bob" and he is graduating high school and going off into the big world!!
It's almost a little surreal to think about, I can still remember my mother sitting us down to tell us she was pregnant with him. We were going to have a "baby" in the house. I can remember always wanting to be the one to go up to his nursery after he had waken from his naps, and he would be the happiest little thing in the world. I also have some of the funniest memories from my childhood with Anthony. For example one that my girlfriend Rebecca and I talked about this past weekend. We were babysitting Anthony at the time, and we were in 8th grade and neither one of us could drive, BUT we wanted to go pick up a pizza anyways. So, we decided that we would take my dad's work truck and just put Anthony right in the middle of us with NO carseat, just buckled at age 3 or 4. What in the HECK were we thinking.... yeah we weren't, and sorry Anthony that was just one of the bad babysitting skills I had back then...hahah.
In the mean time, I graduated high school moved off to the DFW area, and never really got to "grow up" with him.
I realized some things when Anthony and I got to have some fun and do his senior portraits... only 3 more years until you'll be a broke college student who can drink and your big sister can take you out for drinks! No but really, I want you to know that I love you unconditionally, and I know that we haven't been the closest over the last few years, but that's just because I'm all over the place, as you know. :) But really, I want you to know that I'm SO proud of you for growing into the young man that are you. These next few years you are going to find yourself, and the only advice I want to give you as your big and free spirited sister is this....Live life to the absolute fullest. Love yourself more than anything and keep God and your faith close at all times. Be genuine and sweet to others, and never expect too much from anyone, you will only be let down. Oh and be HAPPY, girls love a happy guy! :) And if you EVER need anything in the world, you know that I'm just a phone call away.
Now go have the BEST of times in college, and remember to have fun but do well! I love you little Tony Bob!

A Beautiful Bride

2010-03-09T11:34:00.000-08:00

Only 2 more days until we're all on our way to Jamaica for Carey and Michael's big day! My sweet nephews Aidan & Maddox are going to have a NEW aunt Carey. There isn't another person in the world who I'd rather share my precious nephews with! Carey & Michael are getting married this weekend in Ochos Rios Jamaica! We all are so excited for their special day and to get to have a little fun in the sun together. Carey, you look absolutely radiant, you seriously could not look more beautiful and happy. I'm so very excited to get to document one of your most special days. Congratulations and welcome to the family! :)
Thank you for Andrea for being my awesome assistant and wonderful sister, and so happy that I got to snap a few pictures of Carey and the boys!

Totally Inspired

2010-02-25T20:46:00.000-08:00

I had the amazing opportunity to take a photo workshop by Jessica Claire at her home in the Orange County this past week. The day was absolutely inspirational. The room was filled with such fun and talented photographers eager to learn and get to know each other.
Lindsey and Braedon were our beautiful and absolutely wonderful models for the day. Their love for one another shined through in every photo!
Our photo shoot was styled and designed by so many fabulous vendors. Thank you to those for making this day so much fun! And thank you again Jessica for all the genuine inspiration that you gave to us all.

Workshop: Jessica Claire, http://www.jessicaclaire.net

Stylist: Duet Weddings, http://www.duet-weddings.com/

Flowers: Kate Holt of Flowerwild http://flowerwild.com/

Models: Braedon & Lindsay Flynn, http://www.braedonsblog.com

Cake: Erica O'brien, http://www.ericaobrien.com/

Linen & pillows: La Tavola
http://www.latavolalinen.com/
Rentals: Classic Party Rentals (flatware and cake table)
http://classicpartyrentals.com/
Rentals: Badia Design (Spanish door, iron screen, Moroccan poufs)
http://badiadesign.com/index.jsp
Plates/glassware: Anthropologie

http://www.anthropologie.com/anthro/index.jsp
Invitation: CEVD
http://cevd.com

Sneak Peek: Nina & David

2010-02-11T09:21:00.000-08:00

Here's to another amazingly in love military couple! Nina & David are both in the US Army, and got married a couple of years ago. They never had the chance to have portraits taken of the two of them, so this past weekend we met at Mayfield Park in Austin, TX. Once again, the beautiful winter lighting set such a romantic mood for their intimate photo session. Their love for eachother shined through in every photo, they were such naturals in front of the camera.
Thank you both for all you do for our country! It is greatly appreciated....

My Love....

2010-02-07T16:47:00.001-08:00

Today is "our" 2nd year anniversary!
I met Chase four years ago on New Year's Eve on 6th and Trinity. Funny thing is I was moving to New York City for the next 6 months for an internship, but not even New York could keep me away from him.
It was love at first sight...... and then before we knew it we were standing side by side saying our wedding vows.
The only thing was....nobody ever tells you how hard marriage can be. You only hear about the good times and all the great big love stories.
I'm even blindsided a bit, because all I ever photograph is "LOVE".
By being married for the past couple of years, I've learned a whole new meaning of love and what it actually means to love someone with all your heart.
I'm a very lucky girl to have someone as special as Chase in my life. My life wouldn't be complete with out him. :)

These wonderful photos were taken by a dear friend: Mackenzie Rollins Photography @ Mackenzierollins.com. Thank you for making these special memories for us. There is nothing more romantic than pictures in the rain at Central Park. :) :)

Sneak Peek: Amanda's Bridal

2010-01-31T17:45:00.000-08:00

Amanda is one dedicated bride! Today we had her bridal portraits at the Laguana Gloria and the high was 34 degrees. It was one cold photo shoot! BUT, as you can see, the cold winter lighting rocked and left us with nothing but absolutely beautiful portraits.
Amanda you look absolutely stunning!

Fayetteville Arkansas "SPRING" Photo Sessions

2010-01-27T15:11:00.001-08:00

Hi Everyone! I hope everyone is doing great! :)
My sister & I will be heading up to Fayetteville on the weekend of April 9th, 10th & 11th. I had so much fun doing some portrait sessions this last fall, and wanted to do it again.
I have 5 sessions available. Please email me at Mel.Ferro@gmail.com or call 512-674-5992 if you are interested in booking a session with I Heart Photography. Also, to check out my portrait session prices, please visit my website at www.iheartphotos.com. Thanks so much!

The Perfect Winter Wedding

2010-01-25T15:32:00.001-08:00

These two are very special friends of my husband & I.
Photographing Ben & Laura on their wedding day was so much fun. They are both so down to earth and absolutely in love one another. Even with the freezing temperature, their wedding was beyond perfect for the two of them.

Just a touch of red

2010-01-25T08:20:00.000-08:00

Shelley and Shawn said "I DO" this past Saturday at the beautiful Chapel Dulcinea in Dripping Springs.
These two could not have asked for a more beautiful January day. The lighting was gorgeous with a 70 degrees breeze in the air. It was truly lovely. The happiness between these two was absolutely radiant!

Carey & Michael's Engagements

2010-01-23T05:31:00.000-08:00

Happy New Year! Sorry I've been a little MIA in the past month. Since the holidays I've been working like crazy on my new "I HEART PHOTOGRAPHY" website! It's up and it will be updated every month hopefully. :)
But now, back to blogging!

This couple is a special couple to me, Carey is like a sister and Michael, well he's my brother in laws older brother. Lucky for Carey and my sister Andrea, not only are they best friends from their childhood, but they get to be sister in laws. As we all know, having a friend as a sister in law is a pretty amazing thing.
Carey and Michael probably couldn't be any more different in their fashion senses. Carey is a fashion buyer for Dillard's and Michael is in the restaurant management world. Two completely different ideas on "what to wear". Carey loves glam, and Michael would like to be in a t-shirt and shorts all day. The contrast between the two of them is very cute.
These two lovebirds are getting married this March is Jamaica and we all can't wait for this day to roll around soon. Stay tuned for their wedding pics in a couple of months as well!

Little Moments

2009-12-23T13:37:00.000-08:00

There comes a time in life when you realize you're getting older and time isn't slowing down, and in fact, holidays and major life events sneak up on you faster than you could ever realize.
It's little moments like these that I'm so thankful you can freeze and hold onto forever.

Shay & Erica

2009-11-22T20:33:00.000-08:00

You may recogonize these two.....Shay and Erica got married a year ago this past October and Shay is the designer of my awesome logos for I Heart Photography and the Fotobooth can see all of his awesome design work at Shay Isdale Design.
They are the owners of two wonderful dogs name Santino and Sobe! Today we went to the Taylor Square and had a great time laughing, catching up, and taking some beautiful photos of their sweet little family.

Just a few of my favorites....

2009-11-22T11:11:00.000-08:00

I just LOVE "The Schwarz" family portraits. This morning's lighting was so nice and at first quite eerie with the fog. Once the fog lifted there was a nice Texas fall lighting that we got to play with. These are just a few of my favorites from this mornings family photo session. Finn is almost 4 years old in December and he will be a big brother to his little sister come early February. He's just so precious with his big blue eyes and his sweet personality.

Sneak Peek: Rebecca & Chase

2009-11-16T13:17:00.001-08:00

You couldn't wipe Rebecca's smile off her face if you tried! She was so excited for their engagement session, and I know after a while even Chase got into it. I told him he would! :) These two are getting married this coming June in Salado, I know their wedding is going to be absolutely gorgeous!

A Beautiful Fall Wedding Day

2009-11-16T07:42:00.000-08:00

Heather & Ryan got married this past Saturday at the beautiful Winfield Inn, in Kyle, Texas. The weather was absolutely perfect which made the lighting simply gorgeous. Heather was quite a bit nervous at the beginning of the day, but as soon as she walked down the aisle and was standing next to Ryan, I instantly noticed how she was at ease and so genuinely happy to be standing next to her husband. The ceremony was lovely and they even had some guests hooting and hollering from behind!

Trenton & Sean say "I DO"

2009-11-09T07:24:00.000-08:00

Trenton & Sean got married on Saturday, October 3rd at Three Points Ranch, which is now possibly my new favorite Austin Wedding Venue. Although, the weather was quite stormy with lots of rain, Trenton was the calmest bride I've ever met. The wedding could not have been anymore fun! We even had "Fotobooth" set up in one of the awesome air streamers, make sure to check out those fun photos too!
Thank you Trenton & Sean for asking me to be a part of yalls special day. I could not have had more fun!

Mr. & Mrs. Holland

2009-11-08T18:33:00.001-08:00

I just love down to earth brides like Lainey! Brides like her are why I love my job. I met Cory and Lainey last July during an "expecting" photo session. She was about 2 weeks away from having her darling little Harper. Almost a little over a year later I was photographing their special day. Congratulations Lainey and Cory, you two have the most beautiful family. Thank you for letting me be a big part of your day!

Love Birds

2009-11-08T15:55:00.000-08:00

Ben is one of Chase's best friends, he was a groomsmen in our wedding and Chase is going to be his "best man" in December.
Ben met Laura a few months before Chase and I got married. Laura and I hit it off instantly and we love to get together on double dates!
I think Ben & Laura are one of my favorite couples. Maybe I'm biased because I know them so much more than the others, but the happiness between these two is totally out of control. Ben is the sweetest to Laura and she just adores him.
Their portraits are so sweet and fun, I love the way both of their personalities shine through in every photo!
Congrats again you two love birds! Chase and I cannot wait until yalls December wedding. :)

The Guthrie's in Gruene

2009-11-01T09:30:00.001-08:00

I met this cute family in Gruene, TX last week for their family portrait session. Caleb & Ashley were so much fun to photograph! These two go to rival schools where Caleb plays football and Ashley cheers. Caleb was such a good sport for taking photos and Ashley OF COURSE was made to be in front of the camera! This family is adorable....

Katie & Philip

2009-11-01T06:23:00.001-08:00

I had such a great time getting to know a little bit about Katie and Philip during our scattered rain photo shoot! The rain made for some extremely nice lighting which really made for all the fall colors to pop. Katie and Philip have been married for 5 years and wanted to do some portraits with their awesome golden retriever "Murphy". Murphy was simply gorgeous, in fact, I loved him so much I went home and explained to my husband that I just HAVE to have one soon! Murphy did such a fantastic job for the photo shoot and I love that you can really see the love between this happy family.

Sneak Peek: Laura's Bridals

2009-10-22T08:14:00.000-07:00

I love getting the chance to photograph my friends. Laura and Ben are getting married December 5th at The Winfield Inn. It was my first time to visit this venue, and I don't think there is a better place for these two to get married. It's so dreamy and fun and VERY down to earth just like the two of them! I loved photographing Laura, she's so naturally beautiful and I just love the simplicity of her bridals, they match her personality perfectly. I can not wait to photograph the two of them together on their December wedding day!

Celeste & Brent's Sweet Wedding Day

2009-10-19T15:10:00.000-07:00

Celeste and Brent met at work and believe it or not had their very first date at my wedding! :) Celeste's mother and my mother in law are good friends.
I loved photographing this wedding, so sweet and so very intimate, as all weddings should be!
Celeste wore a vintage wedding dress from a vintage/antique store in Bastrop, Texas. She wanted to have her early 60's dress for her wedding day, and she pulled it off perfectly.
The lovely couple is off to Greece for a two week honeymoon! I wish you two the best, thank you again for letting me be a part of this amazing day.

Enchanted Engagement

2009-10-11T08:22:00.001-07:00

I met Laura & Joseph for the first time at our engagement photo session out at Enchanted Rock. They both had this "perfect" idea planned out for their pictures, and the scenery was gorgeous. I really enjoyed getting to know the two of them and learning a little bit more about how they met and about their upcoming wedding in San Diego. Thank you Laura & Jo for letting me capture these beautiful portraits of the two of you. Best of luck with everything!

Sneak Peek: Amanda & Kraig's Engagement

2009-10-09T11:03:00.000-07:00

Amanda & Kraig met in Austin and had their first date at Maudie's at South Lamar! These two love birds are absolutely PERFECT for one another. I had a such a great time being around the two of them and learning more about their relationship during our photo session together.
We started our shoot in Austin, and afterwards headed to Amanda's grandparents farm house to take a little boat ride and more. I couldn't be more happier with these beautiful photos that captures their "love" in so many ways.

Sneak Peek: The Orlicek's

2009-10-06T16:55:00.000-07:00

Meet the Orlicek's! They just welcomed their cute little son Eli into their family in late August. This happy family was super sweet to photograph. Little Emily had been practicing on her "cheese" and looking back at the photos her beautiful smile resembles her mom and dad's so much. :) We did their photo session at "Old Main" at the University of Arkansas where Ashley and Mark met one another, the scenery was so perfect.

It's Your Birthday!

2009-10-04T15:32:00.000-07:00

OH MY GOSH! I have seriously never laughed as hard as I did during a photo session.
Addison Kate turned 1 years old on October 1st, and today we did her "cake" photos. Her mother Katie got her the most adorable turtle cake, because her little nickname is "turtle". Not a second after we set the cake in front of her, Addison decides to put her entire face in the cake, and not come up for seriously two minutes. We were dying laughing at her. She was in heaven with this cake, she absolutely loved every bit of it!
Happy Birthday to the sweetest little girl!

Sneak Peek: Mr. Bojangles & Rusty

2009-10-02T17:17:00.000-07:00

This was my last photo session during my Fayetteville, Arkanas photo shoot weekend, and I have to say it was the PERFECT way to end my weekend. The weather was beautiful and there is nothing better than the "War Eagle" scenery which brought back memories of my mom and grandma headed to war eagle every year for their big craft fair. :)
Suzanne, Allan, Mr. Bojangles, Rusty & I had a great time during their photo shoot. I think their is nothing better than photographing pets and their owners! Mr. Bojangles & Rusty were adorable together, they both have such fun and well behaved personalities, not to mention how sweet and adorable they are too. They did so great during their photo session!

Sneek Peak: Little Braxton Blagg

2009-10-01T06:58:00.000-07:00

This little boy is dear to my heart! This is Braxton Blagg, which happens to be Brody & Sarah Blagg's baby boy, and my dear friend Ross's amazing nephew! He is the sweetest little thing ever. I got the chance to photograph him while I was doing some photo sessions in Fayetteville, Arkansas. We started at the square and then moved to "Old Main" on campus for some of his Christmas portraits. Braxton will be 1-year-old the day before Halloween! He's such a happy baby! :)

Sneak Peek: Cali & Evie

2009-09-30T21:16:00.001-07:00

Cali & Evie are sisters, and they are seriously such beautiful little girls. I photographed the two of them on Saturday on the Fayetteville, Arkansas square. Although Evie was very camera shy, I think that her little personality shined through her photos. And little Cali was just loving the camera. We finished our photo shoot at the ice cream parlor which was a lot of fun!

Sneak Peek: Bennett & Ella

2009-09-30T19:33:00.001-07:00

Bennett & Ella are absolutely precious. I had such a fun photo session with these two little ones this past Saturday, in Fayetteville, Arkansas. The weather was absolutely perfect.
Bennett is such a great big brother to his little sister Ella. The time I got to spend with the two of them was very special, I could tell they are more than just brother and sister, they are best friends.

Mike & Dana's BIG Day

2009-09-23T17:10:00.000-07:00

Mike & Dana got married on September 5th at "Celebrations" in Highland Village. Their special day was awesome! Both of their personalities definitely shined through with all the decorative details including the fun candy bar. I believe they celebrated their wedding like all weddings should be done! PARTY and have the time of your life! Congrats again you two! So glad I could be a part of your special day.

On Old Smithville Road

2009-09-23T13:34:00.000-07:00

This family was sweet and fun to get to know during their "Flatonia" Texas photo shoot. It was a humid day here, but we had some beautiful lighting to work with. Grandpa & Grandma have lived on Old Smithville Road for 37 years now. I absolutely LOVE these portraits that were taken out on this beautiful land!

Maddox Alexander's Newbies

2009-09-20T07:45:00.000-07:00

Yesterday was the first time to see little Maddox since his birth. My heart melted getting to hold him again. He has changed so much in only 3 weeks, he now weighs 9.5 lbs.
I like to believe that he was pretty excited to see me too, he even decided he did not want to miss out on any of the fun, so he pretty much decided to stay awake through out the entire photo shoot, this called for many breaks and lots of eating for Maddox. He is such a little sweetie pie! Here is a sneak peek. . .

Beautiful, beautiful, beautiful. . . Beautiful boy

2009-08-31T10:52:00.000-07:00

I got to experience one of the most beautiful things in my life this weekend. I had asked my sister only a few weeks into her pregnancy with Maddox if I could photograph the birth, well the part that the hospital will allow anyways. We had been planning on this for months, so when this weekend arrived, I packed my swimming suit and everything else I was told to bring. Andrea and I had plans to go to the movies, take Aidan swimming and more, that is my sister for you. She's the only woman I know who has more energy than she knows what to do with.
I was woken on Friday morning with a text message from Allan saying to bring my cameras, Andrea might be going into labor. I packed my stuff as fast as I could, and headed to San Antonio. Andrea's midwife had told her to eat breakfast and rest and to see how she feels by the end of the day. I don't know if "rest" is Andrea's vocabulary, so we laid on the couch and talked and caught up about things going on in our lives, soon enough, the contractions came on again, and I went to wake up Aidan from his nap, while she called her midwife. Her midwife told her to come in before the office closed for the weekend. Andrea called Allan (he was in class) and we all got in the car to see what was going to happen next. Yep, turned out she was dialated to a "3" Lois, her midwife, told her it was going to be tonight, but because she wasn't in major pain yet she should go walk this baby out and drink lots of fluid, so what did we do? Well took Aidan to Chucky Cheese and played a few rounds of mini ski ball, then headed to Jason's deli for dinner and soon we were on our way to check into her hospital room. I called my mom to come down, because we for sure thought it would be by midnight that Maddox would arrive. Well we were REALLY wrong. Instead we had a wonderful slumber party in her room. She stayed dilated to a "7" for hours, even the midwife seemed surprised. Maddox wasn't ready to turn over, oh but soon enough at 11:00a.m. the next morning he did, and when he did, it all happened so fast. All along I knew I would be in the room ready to document this major event, and even I was a tad nervous to be in the room to see my sister in this much pain. I'm a fainter....so I had warned her that I may have to step out and not be able to do this. Well things sure did go a little different as planned. Knowing that I couldn't photograph anything until after the cord was cut (by the hospital law) I was prepared to stand by my sister's side. Oh but Andrea's midwife Jan had other plans for me, she told Allan to grab a leg and for me to grab the other leg, we were to hold it the entire time and push it back to her when she started to push with the contractions. So I was ready to see this baby come out. Apparently I turned a bit white, and Andrea (between nerves and contractions, said to me you don't have to do this, i know you weren't expecting to) I froze and said, NO, i want to do this, still not sure i was going to be able too. I stared into my brother in laws face for what seemed to be forever, but then he said, "did you see his head" and knew this was my chance to actually watch my first birth. I took a deep breath and witnessed the MOST beautiful part of life. Watching Maddox take his first breath, made tears pour out of my eyes. He was finally here, and he was so beautiful.
Maddox Alexander Braxdale weighed 7lbs and 13oz, and his final arrival time was 12:38 on August 29th.
I couldn't be more happy for my sister and brother in law and my sweet nephew Aidan, they are truly blessed to have another addition to their family.
Good luck sis with all those boys! :)

Joy & Salem

2009-08-09T19:01:00.000-07:00

This couple is too cute! I met Joy & Salem on Saturday for the first time for their engagement shoot. They drove in from Lubbock and were ready to start shooting EARLY, which only made me love them more! I had a great time getting to know the sweet couple and can't wait to photograph their big day next May!

Southern Charm

2009-07-27T12:24:00.000-07:00

Sarah & Aaron's wedding day was extremely sweet. They got married on the Fourth of July at Sarah's parents house, in the very small town of Toler, Texas.
This was such a fun-old-fashioned wedding with so much southern charm! Sarah & Aaron's personalities shined through in every way! I wish you two peace and love forever.

My Amazing Sister

2009-07-13T12:59:00.000-07:00

Sometimes I find it so hard to believe that my sister has a 3 1/2 year old and another little boy named "Maddox Alexander" on the way! Seriously, time is moving a LOT faster now that I'm older.
I'll never forget 3 1/2 years ago when she called me and I was driving home from class in Denton when she told me she had some good news :) and then told me she was pregnant, I had to pull over because I couldn't stop screaming and was so happy that I then couldn't stop crying! The day she called me to tell me she was pregnant with Maddox it was her crying this time :), he was a bit more of a surprise, a good one of course, but needless to say I can still remember sitting at Jiffy Lube when I got the call, and all I can remember is me smiling from ear to ear and telling her that it will all work out and be great, and that this is how life happens....
Aidan is probably one of the biggest loves of my life. I could have never imagined having this love for anyone until he was brought into this world, it changes your life forever. I can't even wait until September 3rd gets here to meet Maddox!
Andrea and I are 4 years a part, and she has always been the best big sister ever. She just has that "big sister" quality.... she's always been the protective and nourishing one too. To be honest, we probably could not be any more different from one another, but after all these years we finally just "get" one another.
My sister is an amazing mom. . . and again one of those things that I simply sit back and observe and hope that I can be as good as a mom as she is one day!
I just have to say to my sister that I love you and you are so beautiful both on the inside and out, and that you are a HUGE inspiration to me, thank you for always being here for me. . . i've always been able to count on you and I truly feel that we understand each other more and more the older we get. xoxoxoxoxo

Big City Wedding

2009-06-28T20:25:00.001-07:00

Megan & Aaron tied the knot on Saturday, June 13th, in Dallas, Texas! This wedding was amazing, both elegant and a lot of fun. It was nice being back in the Dallas area, I even had my good friend Jake there to assist me for the evening. The ceremony took place at St. Thomas, which was a gorgeous Catholic church. The reception that followed was held at the "Empire Room" which I believe was on the 49th floor in downtown Dallas, which had an amazing view.
It was such a special evening for the two of them, and I know they enjoyed every minute of it.
Thanks again you two for having me be a part of your big day! Congrats again!

HEARTACHE

2009-06-27T18:16:00.000-07:00

I'm not good at this. . .not at all. My heart aches for my dear friend Cheryl who lost her daughter Kelsey this past week. Nothing in this entire world can prepare you for this kind of pain. I have so many thoughts so much to express. . .but i can't. Not now.
These are portraits of Cheryl and her other sweet daughter Marissa that I took almost a year ago. A relationship between a child and a parent is one if not the most powerful relationship of a lifetime. I reflect back on these photos and think of my own family and want them to know how much I love them always.
Cheryl, I love you, thank you for being my dear friend and my mentor. You don't deserve any of this. You mean the world to me and more. You are a very special person, Kelsey was so lucky to have a mother like you!

Chris & Kurt. . . and Parker

2009-06-27T16:37:00.000-07:00

Chris and Kurt are so in love! They got married last fall in Portland and shortly after, Kurt left for war. He is home for 2 weeks, and Chris and Kurt plan to spend every second together and of course with their very sweet dog "Parker".
I realized how much I admired these two after their photo shoot. Kurt's a soldier in Iraq. . . who has a "BEAUTIFUL" wife, which he only get to see when he is on leave. I admire his strength and courage to do what he does to protect his country and I admire Chris for her constant support and being his biggest fan. You two are amazing, and I can tell that your love for one another is endless. Thank you Kurt for protecting us all!

Mike & Dana

2009-06-15T08:40:00.000-07:00

It is always fun to reconnect with old friends! Mike & I worked for the NT Daily together while attending college at UNT, we for sure had some good times :)

Mike and Dana are getting married in September and I'm looking forward to documenting their BIG day! We met in Denton yesterday for their photo shoot, it was nice to catch up and meet Dana too! They are absolutely great together, and so in love! I look forward to their wedding in a few months.

Fayetteville Arkansas Photo Sessions

2009-06-09T20:32:00.000-07:00

Hi everyone!

I hope this blog finds you all enjoying the nice summer! I am excited to be heading up to Fayettville Arkansas later in September, and the way time is flying, it's going to be here before we know it! I will be there from September 25th, 26th & 27th. This is a great time of the year for family portraits, children portraits or whatever your heart desires! It's a nice start to getting holiday cards ready and great portraits always make for the perfect gift. If you are interested in booking a portrait session, please call me or shoot me an email at Mel.Ferro@gmail.com. This is the perfect opportunity to update the family photos and get ready for those holiday cards!

The sessions are $250. I will be collecting a non-refundable deposit of $75 to reserve your spot. I will be shooting in the early mornings and late afternoon/evenings for that beautiful, natural light. The sessions will last about 1 hour. One 8x10 print of your choice is included along with a non copyrighted DVD and an online viewing page. I also have a variety of custom photo cards designs that is included. Please check out www.iheartphotos.com for more, and feel free to email or call me if you have any questions! Feel free to forward this to anyone who might be interested. Sessions are limited so don't wait!