Top Banana Photography

I want a Kelly Moore Bag!

2011-02-06T13:34:00.000-08:00

So I've been shopping around for a new camera bag. I've been wanting something a little more light weight and accessible than my main bag. Up until today I was pretty much thinking I would go with the Shootsac. I wasn't exactly thrilled about the idea of dropping almost two hundred dollars on a tiny little sac so everytime I'd sit behind the computer trying to work up the nerve to make a purchase I'd chicken out. It just didn't feel right. Then I came across www.kellymoorebag.com. Not only are these bags more a thousand times more attractive but they aren't nickle and diming people for every little accessory like shoulder pads and straps! I'm smitten with this pretty little number and I can't wait to make it mine!!

The New Kids on the Block

2011-01-24T10:11:00.000-08:00

Meet the newest members of our crew. :) I can't help but smile looking at these little guys and I'm sure your kids will feel the same!

Pam & David

2011-01-19T16:20:00.001-08:00

I met Pam and David last May when I shot the wedding of Pam's BFF. I thought she made a beautiful Maid of Honor, but little did I know she would soon be an even more radiant Mother. Of course everyone knows how tickled I get over bumps and babies so it goes without saying that I was excited when I found out Pam was expecting. I absolutely love getting to see the progression in my clients' lives and I'm eagerly awaiting this new bundle of joy's arrival! While we all wait here are few favs from Pam's Maternity Session...

SPECIAL

2011-01-17T11:25:00.000-08:00

Marixsa & Chris

2011-01-15T20:40:00.000-08:00

I've known Chris for some time now. We met in a math class at UTD almost ten years ago, sheesh I can't even believe it's been that long... Anyway, we've been good pals ever since and recently I've been getting to know his awesome fiancé Marixsa. I think they make a great couple and I'm glad to see my old buddy has found someone to share his life and love of sports with! It really means a lot to me to be able to shoot their wedding in April. Here are a few shots from their engagement session...

Happy Anniversary!

2011-01-09T21:20:00.000-08:00

I met Dianna and Francisco last year when I shot their November Wedding. They are a super sweet couple and I was very happy when Dianna contacted me to set up a session to help them commemorate their first anniversary. Dianna told me how much she loves Dallas so we met up downtown and had some fun gallivanting around. I still get intimidated sometimes being in the city, but lucky for me Dianna is quite the experienced tour guide so I got to take pictures and learn a few things about ole' D-town I didn't know at the same time. I'm looking forward to our next adventure together! A little peek...

2011 Pricing

2011-01-02T00:51:00.000-08:00

Our New Pricing Flyers. Pricing is also listed in the Detail Section of our main website www.topbananaphotography.com

Evelyn & Tony

2010-12-20T18:31:00.000-08:00

This weekend I met up with Evelyn and Tony for their engagement session. I had a lot of fun getting to know more about them. We took some shots in front of the pub where they met and Evelyn told me about how she all but spoiled her own proposal by trying to guess what Tony was planning. Evelyn and Tony are so cute together and I can't wait for their April wedding. Here are a few favs from their session...

It's the Final Countdown!

2010-12-17T12:58:00.005-08:00

I hope you all heard the Rocky music in your heads as you read the blog title. :) Only two more weeks remain in the year 2010! I don't remind you of this to inspire a little holiday panic attack but rather to give those of you planning on scheduling a session in the upcoming year a chance to nab your 2011 session or wedding at our current 2010 rates. Come the first of the year we will be rolling out new services and pricing. All sessions and weddings booked before January 1st will receive our current rates no matter when they fall in 2011. This can mean some pretty serious savings so don't delay email loren@topbananaphotography.com today to take advantage of this offer.

Katie & Billy

2010-12-14T18:38:00.000-08:00

Katie's sister Lauren has been a terrific client for some time now so I was very excited when Katie contacted me at the beginning of the year regarding her December wedding at Level Two. Katie made an absolutely beautiful bride and there were quite a few tearful moments throughout the evening. It was a pleasure to be able to capture and experience such an emotional and magical night.

I'm baaaaack!!

2010-11-03T09:39:00.000-07:00

...in the saddle again! Haha, ok enough Aerosmith inspired ridiculousness. Seriously though, we are back and ready for action. We had a terrific delivery experience and brought home one of the sweetest most easy going babies I have ever had the pleasure of laying eyes on. Thanks to Miss Olivia's demeanor it's been a quick recovery and I am so happy to get back to my other baby, photography! November is already booked up with the exception of couple slots and December is filling up fast(whoohoo!! :P) so if you have been thinking about booking a session now is the time to jump on it. Our pricing will be changing after the New Year so book now to get our 2010 pricing for your 2011 session or Wedding.

And since a blog post isn't complete without a picture I'll sign off with a couple of my little princess...

An Angel is Born

2010-09-22T14:04:00.000-07:00

It's not the first time I've gushed over my absolute adoration of babies and it most certainly won't be my last. I can't think of anything else more precious, beautiful, and full of promise and hope than a new little baby. This is why I jump for joy at the opportunity to capture some of the first bonding moments between a new baby and it's family. I was lucky enough to have such an opportunity just recently with the arrival of little Angel.

Please join me in wishing this family all the happiness and prosperity the world can bring.

If you or someone you know is expecting and interested in having a Newborn Hospital Session please contact me at loren@topbananaphotography.com

Beautiful Bridals

2010-09-02T14:38:00.000-07:00

I heart these photos so much they deserve a post all their own. I couldn't have asked for a better client or location and the proof is in the pudding...

Excerpts from the Whirlwind

2010-09-02T13:12:00.000-07:00

As promised I'm playing catch up to be able to share with you all some shots from the first half of what has proved to be a whirlwind year.

Too many favs for one post :)...

Maternity Leave

2010-06-11T12:57:00.000-07:00

Well as some of you may already know I have been busy cooking up baby number two. So far this pregnancy has proved far more challenging than my first. This coupled with our rather extreme schedule has begun to take it's toll. So we have decided to take a break so that we can all make it safely to the end of this pregnancy and enjoy a little time together as a family before it's back to being busy busy beavers. We will be back starting in November and will be taking on a limited number of sessions through to the end of the year. If you planned on scheduling a fall or holiday session/event please contact me ASAP to hold your spot. In the mean time check back in from time to time as I will be going through and posting highlights from the past couple whirlwind months.

More More More

2010-04-06T10:27:00.000-07:00

Hello everyone! Like always I've been busy busy busy. The beautiful spring weather has me out and about shooting like mad. We just wrapped up a whole bunch of Easter Portrait Sessions that were a complete blast. We were so lucky to have such lovely flowers and absolutely perfect weather. I kept eyeballing the forecast and for a while I was quite concerned that April showers would bring a severely disappointed Loren but as luck would have it that was not the case! I've also been busy collecting all sorts of new lovely props for our newborn/baby sessions. I've got some colorful wraps for those oh so sweet "baby burrito" pics and the pièce de résistance of my recent acquisitions is a vintage wicker baby carriage! My mind is absolutely on fire with tons of new ideas for pictures. I cannot wait to get me hands on these new props and some sweet little babies, it's gonna be magic!

New Products and Goodies!!

2010-03-04T06:51:00.000-08:00

Ok, so enough with the cliff hanger already it's time I filled you in a bit on what's going on. I am super super excited to announce that we have a new printing house on our team and the products we are now able to offer through them are to DIE FOR!! Mini Accordion books, Image boxes, Press Printed Albums and Books, Bound Proofs, Custom CD cases printed on gorgeous metallic paper and much much more. The quality is fantastic. They sent me some samples and this stuff is just amazing. No flimsy cheap cardboard wrapped junk here, no no sir!! You can feel the weight and just how substantial everything is the second it's in your hands. This is very exciting for me because I have been desperately trying to find something just like this. I love that I can now confidently recommend these products to my clients and KNOW that what they get they will absolutely flip over. You are gonna want some of EVERYTHING! :D I know I do! As I build up my collection of samples I will get some examples posted for everyone to see, but to really appreciate these products you need to experience them firsthand so that you will know what I'm talking about when I say these are just phenomenal products. Yay Yay Yay I am doing a little happy dance and so will you once you get your hands on these too.

Changes

2010-02-20T21:22:00.001-08:00

Big changes are on the horizon. I'm just gonna leave it at that for now. Stay tuned.

Hospital Sessions

2010-02-07T20:12:00.001-08:00

I'm pleased to report that I am now offering Hospital Sessions which will include a photo montage video. I think there is hardly anything more precious and worth remembering than the experience of birth. I am so blessed to be able to share such a miraculous and personal time with my clients. It makes my heart swell to think about how the images I create will be treasured and shared for years and years. I picture the little babies I photograph growing up and showing their little babies what they used to look like.
Life is beautiful.

Please join me in welcoming little Sonny Andrew

Busy Busy Bee

2010-02-01T11:22:00.000-08:00

Well, the year has really started to take off. I have been going full steam ahead for the past two weeks and it doesn't show signs of slowing down any time soon. :) I couldn't be more thrilled. Amidst all the shooting and editing I did have to find a second to come chitty chat here on the blog just so everyone will know that I haven't died or disappeared, I'm just busy...really busy. Of course I can't come on here and tell you I am busy and not have anything to show for it so...

A couple of sneak peeks, if you please:

~Gwendolyn & Adam~

When people think of being tough they often picture some big buff dude looking real hard. I'm here to tell ya, tough is being able to stand in a sleeveless, sheer wedding gown in near freezing weather and look gorgeous all the while. Hats off to Gwendolyn for being one tough cookie!

~Mamá Contemporánea~

The chilly weather isn't holding us back now! Yesterday I had the pleasure of shooting maternity pictures for Mamá Contemporánea. She is another tough cookie who braved the cold to get some beautiful shots of her precious bump. She is also an avid blogger with tons of helpful information for moms and moms to be. Check her out at:
http://www.mamacontemporanea.com
Facebook: Mamá Contemporánea
Twitter: @Mcontemporanea

New Year

2010-01-15T08:34:00.001-08:00

It's a brand new year and I am so excited for all that it will bring! It's been a bit of a bumpy start but things are starting to settle back down into the normal swing. The cold weather has kept me indoors more than I would prefer lately. Little L and I have become quite the window watchers. Actually, I have always been a window watcher. My old home in SC had wonderful windows. More than most homes I think. We always had tons of beautiful birds to watch at the feeders. It amazes me how much time I can spend just staring off into the trees. Watching their leaves flutter past each other. Listening and imagining that the rushing sounds are waves of the ocean...Maybe little L is a daydreamer like his mommy.

How cute is this face? I could (and will) kiss it forever!

Our New Friend

2009-12-04T23:13:00.000-08:00

I have been desperately trying to carve out a spot of time long enough to tell you all about the lovely Lottie Fowler and her wonderful business Couture Events by Lottie. I had the pleasure of meeting Lottie at Francisco & Dianna's wedding this past weekend. She has such a caring heart and it shows through the beautiful work she does. Lottie specializes in creating lavish, magazine worthy weddings on even the most modest of budgets. I highly recommend you give her a shout if you or someone you know is getting married. Here are some shots of Lottie's gorgeous handiwork...

Thankful for...

2009-11-27T11:19:00.000-08:00

The Lee's

2009-11-17T18:36:00.000-08:00

Saturday I went to Fort Worth to cover the Lee Wedding. It was a beautifully simple and sweet ceremony, and I am so glad I got to be a part of it all. I hope that the newlyweds are enjoying themselves at this very moment, but in case they are near a computer instead of each other I will throw in a little sneak peek...

Great Blessings

2009-11-11T17:24:00.000-08:00

A new baby is a great blessing. This past weekend I had the pleasure of doing a maternity shoot with Arielle. It was wonderful, a great blessing in it's own right. I made the mistake of not having any maternity pictures done when I was pregnant with my son and so it is especially rewarding for me to do something for someone that I KNOW they will appreciate having later as much as I regret not having it now. Their little one is going to turn this cute couple into one beautiful family people. A little peek to prove my point :)

Trick or Treat

2009-11-05T15:41:00.000-08:00

This was our first year to take the little one trick or treating and I must say it was a complete success. All my worries about him being to little to really enjoy it, or possibly getting too tuckered out and having a meltdown were all for not. It was a blast. Keeping with tradition Liam's first costume was a pumpkin (just like his mommy). He did great, running up to all the houses saying "twick or tweat", "twick or tweat" all the way. Liam is super friendly and makes himself at home easily, so about halfway through the night he started running into people's houses...we are going to have to work on that for next year. ;)

One of the houses we went to had really gone all out:
Yay for people with the Halloween Spirit!

Pictures Pictures and more Pictures

2009-10-22T22:04:00.000-07:00

I am seriously failing at this blog thing. :\ I honestly don't know how some people do it. I barely have time it seems to live my life let alone write about it. I want to, but alas, fail I do. I feel like I have a valid excuse though, I mean I really should be spending much more time on pictures than blogs. Which I have been! Yay! :D

In my blogger absence I had the pleasure of meeting and working with the wonderful Jason McClaren of McClaren Ministries. We did some shots for his website and talked about his wedding services. If you live in or around Plano and are getting married you should definitely give Jason a call.

I also held mini Fall Family Photo Sessions that were so much fun. I couldn't have asked for a better day and all the kiddos were just too cute. I got a great work out chasing after them all which is always a bonus! I still have a few extra pounds of "baby" weight hanging around so bring on the active toddlers, Momma's got calories to burn. :D

Dewdrops

2009-09-01T11:07:00.000-07:00

"Be the green grass above me, with showers and dewdrops wet; and if thou wilt, remember, and if thou wilt, forget."~ Christina G. Rossetti

Little Miss Muffet

2009-08-29T22:02:00.001-07:00

Little Miss Muffet sat on a tuffet,
Eating her curds and whey.
There came a big spider,
He sat down beside her.
And frightened Miss Muffet away!

Life

2009-08-13T11:15:00.000-07:00

Life has been hectic lately. Feels like someone keeps throwing me curve balls. I was hurrying off to a workshop early one morning last week and as I pulled out of my garage, there in the alley was a deceased cardinal. I had to stop and take a shot of it. As I was taking the pic it I thought just how lucky I am to still be here, able to enjoy my life and the things around me. I couldn't ponder the thought too long as to avoid being late, so I hurried on about my day. Later that afternoon when I returned the the cardinal was in a very much different state. However, despite the devastation I still found him to be quite beautiful. So I once again snapped a few shots. By the next day all that remained were a few feathers. Here one day gone the next. Life can be so fleeting.

Here is a shot of the cardinal, hope you enjoy...

Beautiful Babies!

2009-07-27T14:10:00.000-07:00

Hello again, remember me? :P There has been a good response to our current special and as a result I have been one busy but HAPPY beaver! Saturday I met a great new family and they reminded me again why I love what I do. They had the most adorable children. What can I say, I love me some beautiful babies! They were such a joy to work with and in HOT weather no less. I will be adding some of the new pictures to topbananaphotography.com soon. Ok, now back to work...

Thought of the Day:

2009-07-15T08:22:00.000-07:00

Extra Extra Read all about it....Top Banana Photography Gives it Away!!

2009-07-12T20:43:00.000-07:00

So now that operation relocation has been completed we are back and ready for action! To celebrate we are running a SUMMER SPREAD THE WORD SPECIAL ( read that part in your best announcer voice). Check out the Pricing section at http://topbananaphotography.com/pricing.html for details!

Also check out our new listings:

http://www.photographypros.com/digital/texas.php Find Professional Digital Photographers

http://photographers.com/profile/lorenporter/

It's a lovely day in the neighborhood...

2009-06-30T14:37:00.000-07:00

Trying to organize the move has been CRAZY but soon it will all be over and we will be happily settled in the new neighborhood! I have been running around town in the evenings finding new locales and taking shots of interesting buildings and such. Check out some of what I've found in the Miscellaneous section. It's been hot, hot, hot though and I am sure I've lost a few pounds of water weight from my adventures. Well back to the grind... :P

Update

2009-05-26T09:41:00.000-07:00

I have been neglecting my blogging duties...forgive me. The weather finally cooperated and Photos in the Flowers was a huge success!! Thank you to all the families that came out for sessions, it was so nice meeting everyone! The turnout was rather amazing and I am now on the lookout for a larger venue for next year. We won't have too much planned in the way of events for the next month or so since we are going to be in the process of relocating. Even though we have decided to nix the July event I will, of course, still be available for individual sessions. Well I'm off to pack up some boxes...

Well..

2009-04-21T14:55:00.000-07:00

The good news is the weather seems to be back to consistently being warm now. The bad news is that for some reason it is beautiful Monday-Friday and storming on the weekends. I am going to give it a bit longer to see if the weekend following this will be clear, otherwise Photos in the Flowers may have to occur during the work week. We shall see, let's keep our fingers crossed.

Getting Old

2009-04-14T12:29:00.000-07:00

I have been recuperating from the Easter sugar overload... Despite his being less than 2 years old and only having 8 teeth quite a few of our relatives thought that Liam needed some candy in order to celebrate properly. I dutifully helped to dispose of said candy with my stomach and realized Monday just how true it is that you can eat anything when you are small, but not so much when you get older. *sigh*

Spring Spring Spring!

2009-04-06T11:12:00.000-07:00

Spring has already officially begun but it is still chilly chilly outside! Luckily despite all the cold weather the bluebonnets and other lovely flowers have prevailed. As soon as mother nature gets on our side we will run a springtime special: "Photos in the Flowers". More details to come soon!!

Day One

2009-03-30T14:48:00.000-07:00

Finally got the blog setup! Whoohoo! :)