Chubby Cheek Photography Houston, TX Natural Light Photographer bio picture
  • chubby cheek photography is FULLY BOOKED for regular and mini sessions through AUGUST 2013...but keep an eye on Facebook page i just might be offering two separate mini session events this summer :)

    and did you see the newest session ccp launched, the "all about me"sessions...its pretty fantabulous check it out HERE.

    a little about copyright: all images, text and content are copyright to chubby cheek photography. While I appreciate any Facebook or pinterest love please be sure to keep the images linked back to my site for proper credit. Also please know it is ILLEGAL to copy and save my images to your hard drive for any reason. Plus it's bad karma and who wants that following them around, yikes!

let your light shine…spread your sparkle… the woodlands tx child photographer

over the course of the crazy holiday rush i found happiness in the mantra SPREAD YOUR SPARKLE…weird?!  yes.  but i have to admit the concept behind it inspires me, it brings me comfort, and it just plain ol’ makes me happy. as you know the last two years i have slowly narrowed down my business focus, i have spent more of my time shooting what i love most, children with some family shoots sprinkled in here and there. i have spent more of my time appreciating what makes my heart happy, and what feeds my soul, the magic of your moments YOUR REAL MOMENTS, along with the sparkle and magic of childhood.   i am captivated by the unique and SIMPLE way children “see” the world…the carefree way they spin, twirl and giggle through their days.

This year will be spent doing MORE OF THIS!

more of what fans that flame of passion inside of me,

more creating WITHOUT ABADON or fears,

more living and loving every moment of my life for me and my family,

more relishing in the NOW.

This year is about making every moment count, spreading my sparkle

capturing little sprinkles of laughter and sunshine for YOU

showing you YOUR SPARKLE

and just how bright and beautiful your moments are.

Together we will fill our days doing what we love the most…

February will set the beginning of my 6th year in business!  WOW i have no words for this journey, where i have been and where i am going other than to say THANK YOU.  thank you to the very first “real” client i ever had who found me on google and took a chance on me, this feb i will photograph her six year old son.  thank you to every one of you that continues to take a chance on me, who trusts me with your moments.  i am forever grateful!

Let’s spread our sparkle this year!!!!

 

 

Heidi - I love it! Congratulations on the start of your 6th year. We all need a little more sparkle in our lives!

letter to my daughters ltr.3 …the woodlands tx child photographer

some of you may remember THIS POST from a few months back…well i have been given a second chance to be a part of something special…a second chance to be held accountable…like i said in that post today is a new day, a fresh start and chance to make right what went wrong yesterday.  EVERY SINGLE DAY is a lesson, learn from it.

So as you will see i have joined a circle of incredible women and am forever grateful to be a part of this.  these women speak my language.  they FEEL every moment of their lives, the good, the bad, the frustrating and the so happy you can’t catch your breath ones.  AND THEY SHARE THEM.  these letters will move you through a range of emotions and be prepared if you are like me and you cry at songs or commercials you will prob shed a tear to two.  As you will see our lives are so very different and so very awesome in our own ways, in fact we are located all over the world..but we all share one simple common thread, we love our baby girls with every ounce of us.  and after all i can’t imagine a better thing to share.

 

after you read my letter please follow the circle…start by heading to my sweet friend Debbie of d*light photography based out of New York.  Her daughter 7 year old daughter Jo is such a wonderful reflection of the incredible mother she clearly is and the beautiful way she “see’s” light will surely draw you into browsing through her blog.

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if you have followed this blog for any sort of time you would know that i have always written letters to my girls randomly but always on their birthday’s…well THIS WAS HER LETTER last year funny i feel like it was just yesterday that i wrote it but sadly or excitedly it was a year ago.
my addi b.
and just like that,
in the blink of an eye
you
were
six.
every year i could write the same things, “this year has been a year full of growth, a year full of change…” but the truth is that is exactly what being “you” will be every single year and its an unimaginably good, great , wonderful thing!!!  You were our first baby, the one that took us from a husband and a wife to a mommy and a daddy by simply “being here”.  Each step we take with you is a new one, a path we have yet to carve out and walk down.
 This year we joined the ranks of the rest of the world, that has to do things after 330,  has summers off, sets their alarms 5 days of the week and floods the parks/movies/stores over spring break…this year you STARTED SCHOOL!  What a transition it has been for me, i am pretty sure i sniffled a little every day i dropped you off until halloween.  You on the other hand have this uncanny ability to never be sad, scared or unsure at the same time that i am internally struggling with you growing up.  Just as we expected you took this new “responsibility” of being a KINDERGARTNER with such strength and grace and an eagerness to learn more and more.  At this point you can read any and everything we put in front of you.  I love watching you read new words or new books, i can “see” it, i can see the thought process, see you mouthing out the letter sounds silently and then i can see that MOMENT, the exact moment you realize what the word/s actually is!  The sheer excitement and pride of “getting it” is written all over your face and mine!  Funny, as much of you and your way of learning that seems to come from me you also have so much of daddy in you.  I always thought you would be one or the other, a reader/writer, or a math whiz…and well yet again you have suprised me and seem to not only excel at both but really enjoy both!  yay you!
As for your everyday, you still wake up grinning before you even open your eyes…you are almost always HEARD before you are seen, with your insane addiction to talking and or singing but usually both at the same time, ha!  with the addition of long school days, its often difficult to keep you awake must past 7 but we shoot for 745:)The length of your legs make it so hard for me to get you upstairs to the bed and i may have to pause half way up but gosh darn-it i am not ready to admit i can’t carry your sleepy snuggly warm little body anymore.  I have always thought it but lately it seems so many people observe it bc i have had so many random people tell me that they can tell you are such a protective big sister.  I will give some credit to your type a know-it-all personality but i have to say your love for her is so evident, it just radiates from you.  You always put your sister in front of you in any line, you take her by the hand any chance you can or walk with your hand on her back leading her around, you sleep with the light on because she wants it on even though i know you secretly hate it…gosh i could go on and on.  but ya know what baby girl i could go on and on about so many wonderful parts of you!  Being your mommy is truly the most incredible blessing and gift i can imagine.  But i will admit being your mommy has sent me on emotional roller-coaster over the past 6 years.  I cry a lot, and its always in a good way but my heart aches for a repeat of the memories we have made, while my brain is constantly looking forward to the amazing moments that await us, all while trying to engrain every second of the RIGHT NOW into both!  I love you my sweet freckles and know each year i think life with you just can’t get any better but every year, every day, is better than the last.  I AM SO PROUD OF THE AMAZING LITTLE PERSON YOU ARE my angel baby.
xoxo love you
mommy
ps for your birthday this year we did things a little different rather than have one of my annoying over the top parties, we did nothing but CELEBRATE YOU baby girl!  everyone came to us and we spent the entire weekend doing what you wanted, eating what you wanted, sleeping where and when you wanted…gosh my sweet freckles you are so loved!  all of that sugary sweet love you give us just comes right back on you.  love you all the way to jesus

letters to our daughters, december. | a beautiful life photo - [...] every member of this circle has something so special and beautiful to share. their love, their words, their images, are incredible. i have found such a kindred spirit in shalonda chaddock. she has a wonderful soul that shows up all over her words and her images http://www.chubbycheekphotography.com/blog/?p=5244 [...]

Sarah c - Sweet girl I just love having you in our circle!! Your letters are amazing but more than anything the love you have for your girls just speaks to my heart!! You are such a blessing!!! Happy Birthday to your sweet princess!!

Life with Kaishon - So beautiful : )
Happy Birthday to your baby!

Debbie Wibowo - Shalonda, first happy happy birthday to your sweet girl. What a really wonderful way to celebrate her birthday. What more a girl could ask for except doing and eating everything she loves? :D Love the 5th image as it really shows how she really enjoyed the celebration.

mim - Never fails you can always make me cry with your writing. You were always an awesome writer even when you were a little girl yourself.
I am so proud of the Best Mom you turned out to be.

amy grace - shalonda, your love is effusive. it has such life that it could jump off the page. the words you share – i know them. you possess such a beautiful, sincere openness, and the enthusiasm about every part of her is one hundred percent. i want to reach through your pictures and words and hug you both. you are planting these amazing seeds for her, friend, and she will know they are there waiting, all the time, all her life.

Sara T - I love that you cover every aspect of your sweet 6 year old. I think you speak so much truth about moms and that your heart “aches for a repeat of all the memories”. It is why we do what we do and that is the forefront every time we wake, sleep and dream. Taking a chronological visual history is so so important. You want to be able to remember everything that is special about your sweet birthday girl until it hurts. Beautiful letter for your birthday girl!

Amy Lucy - My little girls will be 6 soon, so much of what you wrote resonates with me since our girls are at the same stage. I love the way you celebrated — by doing whatever she wanted for an entire weekend. I just know she certainly felt so very special and loved. Beautiful, Shalonda!

Kirsty - This is so perfect – and a little bittersweet as my big girl soon turns 7! I love how you celebrated her for her birthday and did all her favourite things – what a wonderful way to show a little girl just how loved she is

the magic of the season… – chubby cheek photography the woodlands tx – tomball tx child photographer

after doing this for years for myself and with my girls (don’t worry the cheeks girls 2012 version will be up this week but you can look back at old ones on the blog) someone else wanted one…

its it magical?!

Niina - You have such a gift to photograph beautifully but naturally the magic of the childhood!

admin - ummmm nina best compliment ever as that IS truly my goal, thank you

Kristen - They’re absolutely fabulou and YES you did capture the “magic” that is Caroline!!! Thanks again!!!

Erica - I am so impressed by every one of your photos. I wish I had talent like that. Stunning photos! Fantastic capture of childhood!

Katie - WOW thats amazing!!!! Would u be willing to share what settings your camera was on for these shots?? These are incredible and the colors are so vivid!!!

Beth - Absolutely, positively MAGICAL in every way!!!! Adore!!!!

Dawn - Stunning!! You captured such a gorgeous moment in childhood!

angela - I’m not even kidding when I say these are my very favorite pictures of “Christmas” I’ve ever seen! I’m going to search your blog for your other christmas pictures. But please oh please share how you capture these. I’m not a professional but I do have a T3i to capture beautiful images of my kids. What were your settings if you don’t mind sharing? and if you do…I understand that too.

THANKS!

Molly Davis - Oh, I am sooo in love with these images. I wish you could share how for me to try and achieve this “Christmas” look. Especially for my own two girls! I’ve just started my own little photography business in the last year and I know I have a long way to go, but figured how else could I get started other than just simply starting. Do you offer online mentoring? I love you work and want to strive to offer a similar style here in NC.

squeeeeeeaaaaallll… tomball tx child photographer | Chubby Cheek Photography Houston, TX Natural Light Photographer - [...] A-D-O-R-E this family!!!!  they were referred to me from my fab “little red” this was the last time you saw her but you have seen her oh so many scrumptious times and will see her again soon at saltwater [...]

daydream one on one mentoring… – mentoring photography business – chubby cheek photography

so i haven’t really discussed the daydream one on one mentoring sessions since i launched them way back here and even then i didnt say much about them….i had just launched them, i knew it was something i wanted to do but sometimes what you WANT to do and what you LOVE to do are not the same thing…i mean i am not and have never been a teacher by trade, but what i did know is that THIS is my passion…every.single.aspect of it.  I know i “Do” things a little different, i thrive on “the different” ,on the “new”, on the “element of suprise” and on the ” LOVE” for all of it pushes me.

well having done several of these now this year i thought id give a recap of how they have been going…

you can see several of our shoots on this blog but a few can be seen HERE and HERE

the shoots are nice and lots of fun BUT this is NOT the main point of these sessions with me…

my goal when i decided to offer this was to really move the attendee’s, really get their creative juices flowing from a photography perspective and a brand perspective, really TEACH them the “business” side of this business!  editing and even shooting to a certain extent is a personal thing, its YOUR STYLE, and while i truly walk them through MY brains during a shoot (i.e. which lens, settings, set up, how i interact with the clients, my thoughts on composition, my thoughts on whats next in the shoot, and even MY EDITING) that isn’t the “CAKE” of these sessions, its just the ICING on the cake;) again, my goal is to help them create a brand, a mark in this creative industry, and help them find that passion again, not just run a photography business.

well i can honestly say watching these girls grow, see’ing their brands evolving with a timeline of plans we set forth for them has been more than i could have ever imagined it would be.  I AM HUMBLED!  humbled that my thoughts, my experiences and my encouragement has truly helped them and bring out that passion once and for all!  gosh does this even make sense?!  hahaha…

so as i am posting some of the images (a real sneak peek will come soon) from the most recent daydream one on one mentoring session, i just wanted to say thanks to these wonderful women who have trusted me, and have inspired me right back:)

and to those of you interested in a daydream session…as a sweet little christmas present for yourself:)…email me right away:)i will be offering a jan session after all, and of course due to my own crazy schedule can only offer a handful of these this coming year, plus i am considering opening up one date where i will TRAVEL TO YOU!!!!!  yep thats right I WILL COME TO YOU FOR A DAYDREAM SESSION, interested?

to wet your whistle here is a sneak SNEAK peek:)

 

Mellisa Pendleton - Just beautiful!!!! I would love some info on this PLEASE ;)

Jennifer Elmore - I would love info on this also. Dates and prices please. Thanks

Frida - I would LOVE that! Interested in date and prices! This is just what I been waiting for!

Brandi - So stunning!!!

Frida - This is just what I’ll been waiting for! I’m really interested in price and date!

Jessica - Thank u so much for sharing all that u know. This mentoring session was everything I hoped for.

Tanya - She is gorgeous!!!!!!!

Mary - Do you do mentoring for total hobbyists? Just shooting, without all the business stuff?

Teresa - The combination of the star and glitter photo… WOW!

Abbye Buchanan - I would really love to do a mentoring session! I would love info. on price and dates please.

Theresa - I am definitely interested!

Christina Ramirez - What level of experience is required. You’re work is simply beautiful.

giggles, galore…. bellaire, tx child photographer | Chubby Cheek Photography Houston, TX Natural Light Photographer - [...] of visiting with ms esther and pretty wonderful dallas photog this past weekend when she booked a daydream one on on mentoring session with me…and let me tell you…it was won cuuu-rraaa-y day cool day!!!  we had a blast chatting [...]

Toni C. - I would love more information on your daydream 1 on 1 mentoring sessions. My creative side..silenced for a long time by life in motion finally found a home in photography… my passion for CREATING now has a voice! As you speak about your love for this art, I feel your words & I really feel that guidance from someone with your talent could help me achieve my aspirations of REALLY starting my own business. I’ve been photographing..(and getting paid) for about 3 1/2 years but I’ve been hesitant to put it all on paper and make it real. Thanks for being such an amazing inspiration :)

letters to our daughters…(letter two) lifestyle photographer houston tx

 some of you may remember THIS POST from a few months back…well i have been given a second chance to be a part of something special…a second chance to be held accountable…like i said in that post today is a new day, a fresh start and chance to make right what went wrong yesterday.  EVERY SINGLE DAY is a lesson, learn from it.

So as you will see i have joined a circle of incredible women and am forever grateful to be a part of this.  these women speak my language.  they FEEL every moment of their lives, the good, the bad, the frustrating and the so happy you can’t catch your breath ones.  AND THEY SHARE THEM.  these letters will move you through a range of emotions and be prepared if you are like me and you cry at songs or commercials you will prob shed a tear to two.  As you will see our lives are so very different and so very awesome in our own ways, in fact we are located all over the world..but we all share one simple common thread, we love our baby girls with every ounce of us.  and after all i can’t imagine a better thing to share.

after you read my letter please follow the circle…start by heading to my sweet friend Amy Lucy Lockheart | Minneapolis Photographer  her twin babies are beyond divine and she writes to them in such a way that i truly feel like they are my neighbors, ha. 

                                                                                                     ……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..

also you can read the first post from last month HERE

“Laughter is timeless. Imagination has no age. And dreams are forever.” – walt disney

My sweet freckles and my little squishy,

We just got back from a whirlwind, surprise trip to Disneyworld!  Yes i have been planning this trip for 9 months, and believe it or not i kept it a secret!!!  (someday you will know more about my utter distaste for secrets and surprises and you will know how hard this one was for me to keep, ha)  While i could write about how we had the time of our lives, or how exciting your first plane ride was, or even how i sat on the curb for 3 hours using a camera bag, waterbottle and a bag of cheetos as placeholders just so that you two ladies could have the most perfect seat in the house for the light parade and fireworks over the castle….i wont.  I mean we seriously have a flip book of pictures documenting every second of our trip ( i think daddy took almost two thousand;)).  while all of that was wonderful and we have stories upon stories to talk about for years to come, the part of our trip that struck me the most, the part that crumbled my heart into a million little pieces was the magic of it all through your eyes.  Im not sure i can really put into words the way your face lit up when you saw who or what was coming around the corner on the next float, or the way you both instinctivly threw your hands in the air and twirled and laughed til your bellies hurt when we walked onto mainstreet and it was magically “snowing”, or even the look on your faces when you met the princesses, or the gasps when you saw yourselves in the mirror all “fancied” up after the bipitty bopitty boutique.  But what i do know is that in your own words “your dreams come’d true” this past week!  And THAT baby girls is what you do for me!  every day living life and see’ing the world through your eyes is a dream come true for me. 

 I want you to know baby girls,  that life is about having dreams and living them…

it’s about making your own magic and spreading it to others

see’ing the glass as half full

and knowing that somedays are not just a mess but a beautiful mess, you just have to look a little harder

but just know when you need a little help jumping over that puddle or see’ing the beautiful through the mess, daddy and i will always be there…we will always do what we can to continue make all of your dreams come true.

keep dreamin’ babies, love you

- mommy

chubby cheek photography

elizabeth - so so touching, i can imagine what it must have been like for your little girls to see their first real princess. i’m teary for you.

amy grace - shalonda, i love how you are able to distill what is really precious about life, so easily, so accessibly. i remember disneyland with my girl and my mom, when she was four. your words, and these joyful images really brought the feeling of it back to me. the advice you give them is so perfect, and it is yours. it is a piece of you. there is nothing happier than watching our babies be happy. it just does not get better. you did such an amazing job of capturing the trip, their eyes, the wonder and laughter. such a pleasure to get to know your beautiful spirit xoxo

Sarah C - I am the same exact way with secrets!! Kudos mama for being able to keep this one! I wouldn’t have made it phew! LOVE these images. You can really see the wonder and enchantment. I just adore every single one! You are such a beautiful soul and I know I have said it MANY times but you really just blow me away!! Such a special post sweety. Thank you for sharing with us all!

Sara T - What a beautiful, wonderful, surprise! What an awesome and amazing trip! We are headed out to a Disney cruise in Feb and these just make me want to go back to the Magic Kingdom, instead. They are so colorful and magical! You are no doubt you will win the best parents in the world award from those lovelies! Perfect memories! Definitely a trip of a lifetime. Gorgeous images.

Emma Wood - Oh how adorable your images are of your sweet girls. This is an experience that they will treasure forever, I know. Childhood is so magical and you do such an amazing job bringing this into their every day. <3

Debbie W - Love your advice to your daughters in this letter, Shalonda. Dreams keep alive. I can imagine their surprised faces, maybe with their jaws dropped…lol. You have given the one of the best gifts in a real experience and in your word of advice.

Kirsty - So perfectly magical and what amazing memories for the girls – as a big fan of travelling I love how you make it about the memories and the magic of the place and the feelings, even more than about the place itself – they will remember how all of this made them feel and your beautiful words and pictures will keep that alive for them forever. And PS I’m so impressed at you keeping a secret that long – I couldn’t!!

aditi aggarwala - Beautiful words wrapped with amazing pictures. Am speechless & teary eye after reading this post !

Val Spring - Oh their little faces and closed eyes while hugging the princesses, is just way to precious and perfect their very dreams coming true. They will keep that feeling in their memories and hearts for the rest of their lives. How amazing that you were able to keep that secret for 9 months!!! Wow I don’t think I could keep it for more than a couple of days haha! Beautiful, touching letter and images!

Rashmi - Love the letter Shalonda and the photographs that go with it.. I can just see how much they loved the trip to Disney. My letter is about showing love through actions.. and you did just that… planning a trip and keeping it secret, making sure every little detail was there so your daughters would have a magical time and they did! That is what I loved best about Disney too.. watching my then-4 year old, tapping her feet, eyes full of wonder, watching Mickey dance at the castle. This is the gift of children… the ability to see the world through a whole new set of eyes. :) xo

lacee - What I would give to take photos like you!!! You truly make life MAGICAL!!!

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