Technically the 12 Days of Christmas don’t begin until Christmas Day … however, because I know all of you are going to be busy enjoying the holidays and time away from the office and computer during that time period (like I plan to do as well), CMP’s 12 Days of Giving is starting a bit early … as in Monday, December 13th!

What is CMP giving away, you ask? Well … the specific daily gifts are a surprise, but the total value of all 12 days worth of gifts is nearly $1,900.00! Just the last two days combined gift value is $900.00!

So … don’t forget:

… drop by DAILY to enter (i.e. comment on that day’s post) to win. Posts will be live as of  12:01 am CST each day — and the deadline to enter is 8 pm CST that evening. Winner will be announced before 10 pm CST each evening — my dear friend random.org will help select the winner each night.

… tell everyone you know to drop by and enter to win!

… limit one prize (aka gift) per person/household to be fair — I want to spread the Christmas cheer all around!

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Miss B loves music … so the records were quite fitting as a session prop this time around …

Peekaboo … I think we did a lot of peekaboo-ing during this session!

Got to bring out the unicorn again … which Miss B absolutely loved!

I have more sessions in the queue awaiting blogging but because of some holiday related giveaway posts and other year-end posts, I will try to get them blogged early in the new year … so leave Miss B some comment love as her images wrap up the last of the 2010 client session posts!

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Due to having to obtain the photography permit for the Riverwalk area (which I have to specify the date/times/areas to be used), the latest date to book one of these appointment times is by Tuesday, December 22, 2010 …

Because I’m not local to San Antonio to provide an in-person ordering session or hand deliver orders, an all-inclusive session fee + digital files + wall print deal is available …

30-45 minute session along the San Antonio Riverwalk (will meet in front of the Alamo)
1 outfit, up to four people (due to space constraints along the Riverwalk area!)
      — Great for seniors, couples, families, or maternity sessions — these slots are not available for infant/toddler sessions due to time and safety constraints.
Within 2-3 weeks, your 5 day ordering gallery will be launched with 15-20 photographer selected and basic color edited images …
     — you’ll receive an image credit to redeem for your favorite 10 5×7 sized digital files on disc (with a personal print reproduction release) + (1) 11×14 CMP Signature Line Wall Art Print.

Cost: $450 + tax
(a la carte value for session, products, and permit fee: $650-750)

Appointment times are … Sunday, 1/16/11 @ 8 am or 9:30 am

If both of these slots fill, I may have (depending on my schedule that weekend) the ability to add in one more session on Monday, January 17, 2010 in the New Braunfels/Gruene area …

To book … click the contact link below!

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From both myself and the elves behind the scenes that help me run CMP, hope all of you here in the USA have a wonderful Thanksgiving … and don’t get crushed in the Black Friday mobs tomorrow!

PS … Check back on Monday for details on a January 2011 destination session deal!

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Bit of background info for those that don’t know him in real life — he was a four year regional qualifier and two year state qualifier in powerlifting at Athens High School and received one of the Texas High School Powerlifting Association scholarships his senior year in addition to knocking out a 405 lb deadlift at that year’s state meet. Did I mention he was in the 114lb weight class? He’s currently attending an area university studying for his dream job …

(and yes, this post is a bit more image-heavy than normal …)

Since he had just gotten this shirt and tie (along with a suit) to wear for a recent presentation, I made him wear part of it again (he would have done more than throttle me if I’d made him change into the whole suit midway through the session!)

Oh dear … here come the goofy faces … at least he cooperated with me for half the session this time!

The Rock meets the Spock. Can you smell what the Spock is cooking?

… I’ve been wanting to use this spot for awhile and wouldn’t have had to resort to off-camera lighting (by way of car headlights) if a certain food establishment would have gotten our dinner we picked up on the way to here cooked a bit faster … so I was glad I got one good image since the sun was already below the horizon!

Since 21 hasn’t been the greatest year of his life, it would be great if you all would please make his birthday and leave Robby some comment love wishing him a much better year ahead! 

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Behind the scenes, aside from shooting sessions and editing them, the following has also been underway both photography/business ownership-wise and otherwise since the beginning of September:
… signed up for an online (non-credit) class in which I’m behind on, but I’m enjoying it! 
… launched a revamped version of my pet portraiture portfolio
… working on revamped portfolio sites (yes, sites) for the CMP portrait portfolio
… redesigned marketing materials for both sides of the portraiture business, which I ordered en-masse. That was a painful evening money-wise
… forgot to wish my best friend a happy birthday on her birthday at the end of September, at least I shipped her gift to her earlier in the month!
… sent my primary camera body off for repair due to focusing issues … and had to correct all the setting changes made by Canon when it came back (can we say major headache).
… read a lot of books
… had way too many headaches to keep track of, especially in September
… spent more hours staring at a computer screen than doing anything else, including sleep.
… and some other stuff that my brain is way too exhausted to remember at this point.

… and a photo from the archives …

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… as in Randy & Melinda’s third session with me since I started as well as the fact their family grew to three (human) members as of this past spring with the birth of Miss Emma.

Recently while they were in town visiting family and friends, we met up early one morning to capture the three of them together before they had to head back to Oklahoma again. Here’s just a few of my favorites from their most recent session …

Meet Emma … I could have cropped /cloned Melinda’s hand out of this image, but I figured it would be better that you all know that she was being held in place and not in any danger …

Love those rosettes they’re both wearing as well as their well coordinated outfits!

While Randy isn’t a UT-Austin alum, he is probably much more a Longhorn fanatic than I am. I’m gonna go out on a limb here and say that Emma will be a UT-Austin Class of 2022 grad (or if she follows in her daddy’s footsteps, a UT Austin School of Pharmacy Class of 2024 grad)!

So cute … *cough*perfect Christmas card image*cough*

Seriously, even the grouchiest person alive couldn’t help but smile at this image …

I’ve officially titled this image “Bevo: Drop and give me 20; Emma: “Sir, yes sir!”

I’d love to say that I captured Emma’s first solo steps at the ripe young age of seven months, but umm … sadly nope. Seconds after this shot gravity kicked in and she took a header with all three of us diving to catch her

Those eyes … I do believe they’ll be breaking plenty of hearts in no time at all …

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To show that family is who you make of it — it doesn’t have to be about blood, its about opening your doors and hearts to provide love and support for someone else in need of it, whether through hosting an exchange student or being a foster parent.

Thanks again to Larry, Jessica, and Ana for a great session!

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Trystan …

…and Willow

Thanks Trystan & Willow (& their mom Lacey) for such a fun session!!

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Now folks, tell me, does she look fabulous or what?

The 2010 take on this image (first one in the post) … neither of us knew of anyone that would/could meet up that Saturday morning to fulfill Stacey’s vision of a glamour vintage image complete with a classic car. And then, while we were taking portraits a couple hundred feet away, in backs up this awesome little derby car! Her mom went right on over and talked to the owner who let us use his “little ‘ole car from high school” as one of the best props ever

Love this shot — as humid as it was, we were thankful for the breeze, but it was mostly causing problems hair and outfit wise for Stacey. Not in this image — when one of my assistants saw it on my computer screen when I was narrowing down images for final edits, he immediately pointed out it was a modern twist on the Marilyn Monroe shot. So I’m thanking Mother Nature for helping me create an unexpected image! And, yes, the sky was that blue that morning …

Smokin’ hot …

And to wrap up the session, we ventured to an unlikely locale to use the entrance gates as Stacey loved the architecture …

Thanks so much Stacey for allowing me to document this major moment in your life … and for bearing with me while I shot this session on day five of a killer sinus migraine!

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According to the state comptroller’s office in Austin, CMP turned three years old today, September 15th! So … in celebration of another year in business, I’m extending the Mini PLUS Holiday Special until all remaining mini spots on November 6th & 13th are full!

Don’t forget, if you know someone that’s expecting later this fall or early next year, there are two Bump Mini Maternity session dates still open (October 23rd and December 4th). These sessions are set up as an all inclusive collection + session fee deal, no additional purchase required!

And … since its CMP’s third birthday, a third bonus — I’m opening up a limited number of session dates/times between now and mid November and the first weekend in December as Early Bird Specials (children, tweens, and senior sessions only)! Why an *early bird* special, you ask? Well, in 2011, those will be the only portraiture options that CMP will continue to offer, so get in while you can snag a great deal!

*the above image is now the profile image for the Christina McCall Photography Facebook page — I figured an actual image, not the front of my business card, was well overdue. These are just a few of my favorite client images captured since the spring … one of which will debut on the blog fairly soon! The refreshed watermarks will be explained in due time … I promise

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