Photography joy

One of the advantages of being a photographer is the blessing you enjoy from the subjects and landscapes you photograph. I enjoyed one of those blessings several weeks ago when the mother of a former student contacted me about taking senior pictures of her daughter who will be graduating from Texas Tech very soon (Go Red Raiders!).

Meet Nikki. Nikki is one of a multitude of former students who have made their way to a bright and promising future through my classroom. The smile you see here is always present. She lights up any room she enters.

Needless to say, I am very proud of her and what she has accomplished. I guarantee any one who hires her will be truly blessed with her brilliance, devotion, and dedication.

God's Palette

November 2009

I love the autumn season. I agree...the freshness of the new greens that appear every Spring are inspiring and welcome, but the brightness of the explosion of oranges, reds, yellows, golds, browns, and greens are just beyond description. I don't know why this year is any different, but I am seeing trees turn new colors that have never been anything but green. Maybe it was the early cold spell that we had in October. Whatever it was, I hope it continues because the colors are just out of this world. We normally have to travel to the mountains or Hill Country to see such a palette of God's rich colors. I thought I better go out and shoot some pictures before they disappear. I hope that you enjoy them.

If you want to see more autumn landscape photography, go to http://www.ballphotography.smugmug.com/ and view the Landscape Photography gallery.

More Senior Shots

I have been teaching for the past 28 years. I am very proud of all my students. One of the joys of teaching is learning all about these young people and watching them review their dreams, set their goals, and set their future direction. It has become equally satisfying in having the opportunity to take their senior pictures. Here are a few:

My goal is to show the senior from their hearts and souls. Laura is a country girl at heart. Taking her pictures around her home place gives you the opportunity to see her as a complete person.

Zach is a young man who is all about athletics. He is an outstanding football and basketball player. And he spends every spare moment with his horses.

James was one of the few boys that I have shot for senior portraits. But there was nothing to be nervous about. He knew exactly what he wanted and taking his pictures was a delight. Show casing his guitar was important.

One of the exciting parts of this shoot was the location...we shot the pictures in my grandfather's old barn.

Johnny wanted a traditional shot for his senior portrait, so following my photojournalistic style, this was quite a stretch. But I am very pleased with the result.

Reese Family Shoot

Family shoots are really special to me...and this family is super special to me. My grandson is a part of the National Kidney Foundation and he and his mother (my daughter) have been chosen as Honorary Chairmen of the 2009 Kidney Walk. These pictures were shot to use on the promotional posters.

While we were at the park, Camden discovered the ducks. He loves ducks. They feed the ducks every chance they get. In fact, he is so meticulous in feeding the ducks that he lays one kernel of corn on the ground at a time. And he is very careful to make sure that they are spread far enough apart so that every duck gets his/her fair share. So I couldn't help myself in capturing this special moment.

Haney-King Wedding

What a wonderful couple and excellent opportunity to document their special day. I met this fine couple through her mother and daddy. We shot some engagement/save the date shots before Christmas. It was then that we began talking about their wedding and they asked me to shoot their wedding.

The ring bearer didn't mind having his picture made with the bride. But he wasn't quite as cooperative when it came to that "kissing stuff." But he made it and survived.

We run two cameras to make sure that no opportunity for a special photo is missed. The flower girl was excited about the job she had to do but it is clear to anyone that sees this picture that she was in awe of the beautiful bride.

Senior Shots of Brooke

Brooke is a very special young lady to me. Her grandfather and mother worked for my husband and I in our retail store. Her mother was an outstanding baby sitter to my children and they were in her wedding. Now Brooke hopes to babysit my grandchildren when she goes to college. So you can only imagine how proud I was when they asked me to shoot her senior pictures.
As you can see, Brooke is extremely photogenic and it was really easy to get fantastic shots. She is also very particular about what her portraits will look like. No problem there. I love shooting at different locations and most people are often surprised when they she where I take them. I love seeing the expressions on their faces when they say, "You took that where????"

Welcome to my photography blog

It is with great pleasure that I welcome you to Ball Photography's blog. I want to share my passion of photography and show you samples of my work, hoping that you will call when you need the services of a cost-efficient, caring photography and videographer. My son, Blake, joins me in wedding photography so that all aspects of your special day is covered.

I guess you could say that I've inherited this passion from my dad. I can never remember a time in my life that he was not taking pictures of people and activities, documenting faces and activities that others never thought about. Of course, my childhood is well-documented. I also remember opening the china cabinet doors and sitting in awe at his camera, one of those old fold down type cameras. I couldn't wait to learn how to use that camera. Unfortunately, I never did. But I couldn't wait to own my own camera. With the birth of my two children, I had the perfect excuse. I taught and advised the school yearbook for twenty-five years. It was my goal to document everything that occured through the school district to make sure that every historical moment was recorded on film. Even though I no longer advise the yearbook, I continue taking pictures of football and basketball games, proms, banquets, and competitive events.

I finally made the decision to branch out into semi-professionalism after being asked to take photographs for weddings of former students. I tried my hand at senior pictures and love it. Then several friends asked me to take family photos. My new love blossumed. I take a photojournalistic approach in taking photographs. It is my goal to document each and every detail of a wedding, faces of children and students, and capture the emotions and love shared with engaged and newlywed couples. Please view my full portfolio at http://www.ballphotography.smugmug.com/. The portfolio gallery requires no password. You may contact me for more information at espuela2@caprock-spur.com