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Saturday, December 26, 2015

Karma's a bitch...

You know the saying.... Karma's a bitch. 
Ohhhh, not in the naughty bad way - in the way we used the word when I was in the dog world!!! Karma is a sweet pit mix that just happens to be female. She came to the studio to have her professional portrait taken in hopes someone will see it and consider giving her a forever home. She is currently living at Needy Paws Animal Shelter in Clarksville, Arkansas.

Tuesday, December 22, 2015

Molly is Adorable and adoptable

Molly came in to the studio for her Professional portrait. She is currently living at Needy Paws  Animal Shelter in Clarksville Arkansas. I am guessing she is about 10 months old, lab something mix with soooooo cute ears! She has so much energy and was on and off her box until I went to the cabinet and got out the treats. She learned to stay on her box so quick!!! I I think she will be easy for someone to train, full of love, and ready for adventures in her forever home.

Saturday, December 19, 2015

Urijah Santa Baby

This little boy is as sweet as Christmas Candy! Urijah was full of smiles for his 4 month Baby Steps session at Hardgrave Photography.
Hardgrave Photography is a full service photography studio located just 15 minutes from Russellville and Clarksville Arkansas. Certified Professional Photographer - Becky Hardgrave, is well known for her work with  babies, children, and pets.

Friday, November 27, 2015

Stick out Your Tongue


Don't ya just hate it when someone catches you in a photograph with your mouth open, or your tongue out? This sweet girl dog is very regal as you can see in the bottom photo, but just as I started to take the first photo, her tongue came out and it was caught on camera.
So her best "model" shot has two takes because I think the top one is adorable. She was for adoption at Needy Paws Animal Shelter in Clarksville, Arkansas USA.

Monday, November 23, 2015

Betsy the Beautiful Momma

Betsy the Beautiful Momma was abandoned in a field with her very young puppies. She tried to take care of them, but her milk had dried up since she had no nutrition. They were saved, nourished back to health and put up for adoption at Needy Paws Animal Shelter in Clarksville, Arkansas USA

Friday, November 20, 2015

Firecracker can JUMP

    Adorable and Adoptable
    This little Firecracker can jump into your arms, and into your heart. She was for adoption at Needy Paws Animal Shelter in Clarksville Arkansas USA
    I love photographing pets from there every week. They deserve every advantage they can get in getting into their forever homes.

Thursday, November 19, 2015

Watching them Grow up - Hazel and Reid

In this profession, I often have the opportunity to watch as a child changes from a newborn to a young adult.  Both Hazel and her brother Reid started with the Baby Steps program. I remember Hazel's sweet little smiles at her first sessions. I remember her first photo with Santa, and trying to convince her to were her fairy crown when she was a toddler.
Then came Reid, with a completely different personality, but still sweet smiles. So big in his newborn session, and each session during his first 14 months he changed so much.
These children are precious to me. I know years from now, they will not know me as well, and will be standoffish like all kids get with strangers they only know once a year. But the hugs, smiles, and giggles I get to capture now will live on in my memory and even more important - live on for generations to come in the photos I was able to create.



Monday, November 16, 2015

Don't Cry - You can come Back!

I love photographing kids. Sometimes they really make my day!  Sometimes  my day includes tears, which is usually just the opposite. In the photo above one of little boys wanted to stay with me.
At Halloween, we always open up the studio for a few hours for free professional photos for community kids and this little girl didn't want to leave me, so I stopped and carried her out to the parking lot.

Sunday, November 15, 2015

Look Here Kitty Kitty

    Meow Meow Meow - this sweet kitty is so cute and available for adoption at Needy Paws Animal Shelter in Clarksville AR. Cats are a little more challenging to photograph than dogs, but totally worth it, and the Animal Care Specialists that bring them are so patient with all of them too. It was a treat to get this image!

Thursday, November 12, 2015

Take me Home to my Childhood

I grew up in the country. I rode a school bus down dusty roads, idolized the older kids, and loved when I got to go their houses.  Jewelletta was my cousin's friend, an older girl, basketball star. Her stop was at the end of the dirt road, next to Tater Hill.  I used to play in her neighbor's creek, catch crawdads, wade around with pants rolled up. It is a great memory.

So a few weeks ago, I get a call about Senior photos. The mom's name was Jewelletta, a name I had not heard in a long time. But this kid was from Shiloh, so it couldn't be the same person. The more we talked, I though she sounded familiar. Then when we made plans for the location, I was so excited!! I was going back to a wonderful childhood place to photograph Josh and his family at his Grandmother's place close to Tater Hill.

Jewelletta was the same as I remembered, and her son and husband was great to work with. Josh has a great dry sense of humor - the kind I can connect to. What special photos these will be as they are passed down through the generations with the family property in the background.




Monday, November 9, 2015

Tutu Cute

This little sweetheart was such a good model. Annalee loves to dress up in her tutu, but can definitely keep up with her big brothers.


Saturday, November 7, 2015

Lowrider Perks UP

    Adorable and Adoptable Lowrider was not sure he wanted to perk up his ears for his profile pic, then (as often happens at Hardgrave Photography) a Tigger toy went flying through the air and Lowrider was ready to play. He is for adoption at Needy Paws Animal Shelter in Clarksville Arkansas USA

Friday, November 6, 2015

Karlita's Quinceañera

Karlita was so beautiful in her formal Quinceañera dress. She wanted to do both indoor and outdoor photos. When it came down to ordering her wall portrait, her and her mom were torn on which to order. On one hand, the outdoor was what some of the other Clarksville girls were getting from part time photographers, so Karla wanted to be like them. On the other hand, the studio images were stunning, classic, and different than everyone else's.
Which would you have chosen?



Saturday, October 24, 2015

Too fast for me now!

Happy 2nd Birthday Slade!  Take a look back at this video from your 9 month Baby Steps session. You were just crawling then, not so fast as you are now. I hope your 2 year old birthday is filled with excitement and you keep mom on her toes.

Sunday, September 27, 2015

Carsten is THREE today

ONE TWO THREE, how could it be that Carsten is THREE today? Looking back on his newborn Baby Steps session, he was so sweet and tiny. Now he is a big boy, keeping up with his brother as much as he can.

Friday, September 25, 2015

Mi Ultimo Día - Living Life Good!



If I had to pick only one Spanish song, this would be it. To live life like it was my last day. To remember to say "I love you" to the people I love. To not worry so much about the future, that today is wasted.

Ok, so in no way are the words or melody similar, but the message reminds me of the country song "Live like you were dying". 

Have you told your kids you loved them today? That is the easy part...but have you told your mom or dad that you love them today?  I don't do that every day - and I should. What about your brothers and sisters? I never want to lose someone without them knowing that I loved them, even if we don't agree.

Tuesday, September 22, 2015

Happy Birthday Camila

Camila - when you came in for your newborn session 2 years ago, you were so tiny and cute. Each session you brought more and more personality to the camera. And today you turn TWO! Happy Birthday Camila

Monday, September 14, 2015

Adalyn and Emma


Can I brag on my sister's grandbabies? I am pretty sure I can since Adalyn, the 4 year old told me that she gets all her cuteness from me....
This is a big deal, considering she was three years old before she would have anything to do with me. Both of these precious girls are so important to our family, and I can see both of their parents in each one of them. Ady looks so much like my nephew, and makes the same expressions and movements that he does. Emma is a little more like her momma, with her laugh and smile.
I don't have grand babies of my own - and that is OK FOR NOW- so I will just brag on the kids that call my sister Grandma.



Friday, September 11, 2015

Two year old Excitement!

Happy 2nd Birthday Josué Eliás! I am so honored to not only photograph Eliás, but to have taken his mom and aunt's senior photos, and now his baby brother and sister. I hope his day is filled with excitement...well just being two can add excitement to any household!

Thursday, September 10, 2015

Razorback Red baby, now a BIG Fan

Remember this little Razorback fan FOUR years ago??? Avery Rose, you were just beautiful wit your red black and white fan gear. Now you are a beautiful Big Girl. Happy Birthday!

Wednesday, September 9, 2015

Matthew and Mommy


    Matthew and Mommy
    I love photographing kiddos from past seniors. My clients are a part of my life, and to get a sweet glimpse of their life changes from time to time is really special. Trakia came to get her senior portraits when she was a senior at Dardanelle High School, then came back to model during a special get together of the Arkansas Professional Photographers Association. Now she is in college, raising her beautiful son, and is a super mommy. 

Tuesday, September 8, 2015

The "Right" time for Senior Photos

Are your ready for a Senior Special at the perfect time for Senior pics? 



You haven't seen many ads from me this year about senior photos. There is s reason for that, not that I don't LOVE senior sessions - I DO!  I love the creative opportunities as a photographer, the diversity in personalities, the connection to this generation, and the revealing of gorgeous images to the seniors and their parents.
I agree that there are a few advantages to that, but let's face it - summer in Arkansas is Hot. More and more seniors want to wait until it cools down. And I totally agree. September and early October gives us the beautiful summer colors and fall wildflowers without the sweltering heat. It also gives parents a little gap in the budget before paying for graduation expenses like cap/gown and Christmas shopping takes over. 
Senior pictures should give you a glimpse into who you are, your own beauty, not what social cliques assign you to be. It should also be professional, beautiful, lit correctly, and with enough direction in your posing to make sure you look your best. (Who really knows where to put your hands or your hips?). But not so posed that it is unbelievable.

 Here it is - book your prepaid senior session in September and receive a $100 credit toward your portrait collection. 

Sunday, September 6, 2015

Little Cowboy

Terry is just too cute for words. At 4 years old, he has his entire family (and his photographer) wrapped around his finger. I first photographed him two years ago for his 2 year old formal portrait. I got this one during his family's recent session.

Saturday, September 5, 2015

Night Blooming Cereus

    Night Blooming Cereus 















    This plant blooms for only one night, and this particular plant has not produce a bloom in 30 years. My friend Diann called me and told me the story of her grandmother's plant, and the tradition her family had if all loading up in their pajamas to go see the plant bloom and smell the wonderful aroma of the bloom. I love hearing stories of childhood memories and traditions. Plus the fact that someone could keep alive a plant for that long when I can't even keep one alive a whole year intrigued me. So I went, and waited, photographing every 10 minutes or so the progress that took about 2 hours. Not birth photography, but bloom photography.

Friday, September 4, 2015

Welcome Back Baby Lillian

Another "Welcome Back Baby"  - Lillian. And another baby with a sweet two year old sibling - we just finished Eloise's 14 month session 10 months ago. We love our babies and their families. After 5 sessions of visiting and photographing, I have gotten to know them like friends. For this reason - I give a free Baby Steps Program to every sibling to a baby I have photographed. I  have had baby number 4 in two of my families, and getting to see the other kids come in with their new sibling is just a big bonus for me!!


Sunday, August 23, 2015

Happy Birthday Talan

Happy fourth Birthday Talan!!  where did time go? in a blink of an eye you went from this sweet baby at the studio to a Big Girl. I hope your day is filled with fun and excitement!