Looking for a photographer who can capture your family in the most unexpectedly wonderful ways? Then Three Smudges Photography might be for you. For almost seven years, photographer Haley Webster has offered intimate, stress-free photo sessions for Houston-area families, and she finds art in the ordinary.
The lifestyle photographer specializes in capturing candid moments in clients’ homes and familiar outdoor surroundings. A mother of two, she’s in tune with what families are looking for — and it’s not the posed portraiture of yesteryear.
“It’s about the moments,” she says. Sometimes it’s not even something I’m aware of, but you capture a twinkle in the eye or an expression. My photography is about catching the moments as they happen, as organically and honestly as possible. It’s personal.”
Photography has always been a creative outlet for Webster, but she never considered it as a career path. In 2005, after losing both of her parents, she decided to take a year off from her job as an elementary school teacher to take film classes at Glassell School of Art and do a photography apprenticeship.
One year quickly turned into four, and in 2009 Three Smudges Photography was officially launched. (The name, by the way, is inspired by the marks her three Springer Spaniels leave on her home’s picture window.)
Though she specializes in families, children, and babies, she also does sessions for what she calls “extended family members.”
“I’ve had several people hire me to take pictures of their animals,” she says. “I had a lady hire me to take photos of her dog in the bluebonnets. We did some beautiful photos!”
This flexibility coupled with a sharp price point have made Three Smudges Photography a popular option for families looking for more than a yearly portrait to slap on holiday cards.
“There are all kinds of occasions that people forget about,” she says. “It’s important to document these things, and everyone should have access to beautiful photos. Great photography doesn’t have to be ridiculously expensive.”
It also doesn’t have to be one-size-fits-all. Webster offers flexible packages and sells JPEGs to clients, complete with a printed release (practically unheard of in the photography biz).
Three Smudges Photography serves the Houston area within 20-25 minutes of Highland Village. For more information, visit www.threesmudges.com or call 281-731-9381.
Webster takes photos of families in and around Houston.
