January 25th, 2010
I’d never shot a Vietnamese wedding before…and boy! It was such an amazing event! Traci & Denton said their vows in front of friends and family at Christ Incarnate Word Catholic Church and followed that with a master blow-out reception held by Kim Son at the Fountains.
So…what sets apart a Vietnamese wedding, you ask? Well, for starters everyone, and I mean EVERYONE, gets a chance to christen the couples brand-spankin’ new union with some sort of special ritual that in all likelihood involves a) an alcoholic beverage, and b) a special trick. This “induction” into marriage, if you will, had Traci and Denton doing everything from cherry kiss acrobatics, to having the bride juggle a raw egg from one pant leg to the other while the groom was still wearing said pants.
One of my favorite shots shown below, pictures Traci handing the egg back to its owner just after completing the amazing feat. Her expression makes me giggle in earnest. Incredibly, this little number brings new meaning to the phrase “egg on your face”, though miraculously there was no such spillage at this wedding. Kudos to Traci for “not cracking under pressure.” ;o)
But enough of my silly egg jokes! Aside from being a gorgeous event, I loved this wedding for its wonderful sense of family. It is so heartwarming and uplifting to see families come together so seamlessly in a celebration such as this. A great time was had by all and it was most definitely a beautiful and festive occasion to remember. I felt honored to help capture it.
I had a blast working with you guys!
Kudos to the following vendors who shared their talets for this event:
Posted in Marriage | No Comments »
January 19th, 2010
Happy New Year to all! 2009 wrapped up with much hustle and bustle. So here I am celebrating a whole new year, a brand new blog site and a great award.
I know, I know…some vendors say this is just a marketing ploy from WeddingWire. But I take it as a great compliment to be recognized for giving great service to my brides. A big thank you goes out to all of you who submitted feedback for me in 2009, making this award possible. I’m really excited to be counted amongst the winning vendors, and more so for a second year in a row!
Here’s to a rockin’ 2010!
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August 30th, 2009
Dear Kimmers,
These past fours years have been nothing short of a big ride! Who would have thought that a stint in crazy town would have bloomed into one amazing friendship! We’ve said it many times, but I can’t help but continue to marvel at the great things this beautiful life has for us if we just choose to see them. Your friendship is truly one of those fantastic blessings. And I’d do crazy town all over again just for that.
And now that you embark on this fantastic journey, I am so very proud of what you’ve done and cannot wait to see what comes next! Because I know in my heart that you are on to some ridiculously fabulous things.
Thank you for your friendship, for your loving and adventurous spirit that keeps me inspired and searching to enrich the colors in my own life. Thank you for being my cohort in “getting lost on purpose” and injecting me with courage and a zeal to keep pushing to reach everything I want in life. You are one, beautiful human being and I love you so much.
The west coast better get ready! Happy travels, my friend!
Posted in Lifestyle, My Journal | No Comments »
August 30th, 2009
Let me tell you, few people can tell a love story like Laura and Dallas can. Depending on who you ask, it all started with country booty dancing – or the lack thereof. L&D are college sweethearts. Though she turned him down on the first request to that infamous country booty dance, her heart went all aflutter not long thereafter. And to prove that old adage that opposites attract, this is a match made in heaven. Because her chewing gum phobia can only be equaled by his love for a juicy mouthful of gum balls. ;)
But seriously speaking, Laura and Dallas are just about the epitome of that gushing, eyes all-a-glimmer, sweaty palm, tummy flipping, kind-of-love. And if there ever was any question, and you find yourself asking: what does that look like, exactly?
Well……………..it looks a lot like a guy gazing at you like this:
Right before he does this:
And all you can do is close your eyes, brace yourself on the nearest static object, and feel the earth move a little beneath your feet. *insert sighs here*
Laura & Dallas, I thoroughly enjoyed meeting you and capturing your love on camera. Thank you for sharing this time with me! I could not possibly have enjoyed it more. Witnessing this kind of magic is the very best part of what I do. I hope you’ll keep in touch when you are both done with school and back in Houston. Have a fantastic senior year!
Here are some other favorites from the day ~
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August 5th, 2009
One of my very favorite things about what I do is getting to see a family grow. I was so honored when my good friends asked me to document the birth of their daughter. This is Glory…at just one week old!
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August 2nd, 2009
What you are about to see are the two, most happy people on the planet!
At least you’d think so to look at their session photos! They really did smile, giggle, and laugh the whole way through our session! I spent a very hot, Texas morning out in Hermann Park with these two…and BOY! Are they a heckuva lotta fun!
I cannot wait for the wedding!! Because if they can make a sweltering hot photo shoot this fun, there’s no tellin’ what will happen when you throw in a party!
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June 17th, 2009
I had the great pleasure of meeting Angela at the beginning of this year. With her birthday on the horizon, Angela decided to embark on the unfamiliar journey of commissioning a personal photographer. Her birthday gift to herself (a concept I completely endorse, of course) would be a tailor-made set of photographs.
We should all give ourselves a b-day gift every year! In fact, I even wrap my own for the sake of thoroughness. But I digress.
To my great delight Angela found me with a search on Google and we soon sat down to chat about her photo session and learn more about each other. Her warm personality quickly captured my admiration and in this quiet and gentle person I saw a glimmer of excitement that immediately infected me as well. Oh, the possibilities!
When the day came we had our lifestyle session on location in Downtown Houston. Whatever nerves she had, she soon overcame and I witnessed something very special: I got to see the real Angela. No longer shy and quiet, she laughed freely at my dumb jokes, posed like a super model and just came out of her shell entirely.
Today, she sent me an amazing note of thanks. Her words touched my heart and continue to inspire me. Once again I am praising all of the goodness in the world for making our meeting possible – Google gods included ;). Angela, you are the one who deserves the thanks. You took a leap and you flew. I am honored to have been a part of this experience.
Posted in Lifestyle | No Comments »
June 3rd, 2009
Tiff & Matt had a gorgeous sunset wedding at the Hidden Palms in Santa Fe, TX. Here’s a sneak peek at some of my faves!
The award for most lively person I’ve ever met goes to Molly, Tiff’s sorority sister. I wish I could bring her with me to every wedding. She’s a total hoot!
A really great mother-daughter moment. Tiff surprised her mom and it got a little emotional. :)
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May 30th, 2009
life·style pho·tog·ra·phy noun.
Photography re-creating real life situations in a controlled setting. Lifestyle photography is one of the most popular and consistent types of photography in the market today. Lighting is generally bright, airy and quite natural looking. There are many commercial applications, including magazine editorial and advertising usage.
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lifestyle_photography
Here comes the disclaimer…I can only speak for myself. That out of the way, I believe there is a difference between a Portrait Photographer and a Lifestyle Photographer. I strive to be the latter…and then strive some more.
Now, I prefer the natural moments, which are referred to as Photojournalism. But I know that, on occasions, a beautiful and very real moment can be fostered (if not created). For me, a picture taken is like an unfinished canvas. Sometimes there are elements that would be left behind if said photograph weren’t carefully nudged in the right direction both before and after the shot is taken. And usually (with emphasis on the usually) a straight camera can only do so much in capturing the vision of my mind.
I am currently working on an edit for a couple of shoots I did while in Seattle and Vancouver, BC. To show you what I mean, here’s an example of a shot pretty much straight from the camera:
and then the finished product after that little, loving nudge previously mentioned:
***On a side note, this example can also serve to answer why it takes about 10 business days to get your finished photographs from me.
As with all art, it is all subjective. I can only tell you what it’s like for me. I can’t really give much insight on how it is for others because as artists we all see and produce in different ways. If there is one thing I know for sure is that I will never stop learning, and as the old adage goes, there’s more than one way to skin a…well, you know. There are no wrongs or rights – just a peek behind my particular lens. ;)
Posted in Lifestyle | No Comments »
May 28th, 2009
One of my favorite blogs – TheWeddingMarketingBlog.com – just put up a post blasting an interview with Jenny Lefcourt, co-founder of Bella Pictures.With the state of the economy, or at any other time for that matter, I can completely understand the need to save money and spend wisely. But the suggestions given during this interview seem like a disaster waiting to happen! I’ve worked a lot of weddings, and while replacing a DJ or band with an iPod set-up may seem like a good idea in theory, in my opinion it’s a liability.For one thing, a reputable DJ has a license to publicly play/distribute music – which is always copyrighted. For another, I have seen many-a-DJ save an event from utter boredom and ensure that it’s nothing shy of a successful shin-dig to battle all others. Will your iPod do that? Or will it possibly alienate half your wedding guests with a set play list? Additionally, a DJ is more than just an iPod with a voice, and oh yeah, a brain and heartbeat. He or she is quite often the director of your big day, and especially if you are not hiring a dedicated, on-sight personal coordinator I would be very hesitant to cut this expense for an iPod. Shop around, ask friends, in big cities like Houston the choices are almost limitless. The DJ suggestion is just the tip of the iceberg on the lunacy. Next comes the brilliant idea to can your florist. While you could quite possibly make your own centerpieces, as suggested by Jenny, you also have to think about what this will cost you in added stress and time, not to mention ensuring availability for certain flowers at the supermarket. Because let’s face it -there’s little chance you’ll be getting the Ag license enabling you to shop where florists do…and even they have to order ahead of time. Do you have the ability to put yet another responsibility on your to-do list? Flowers have a natural shelf life and while you are also needing to coordinate hair, make-up and all other last minute details that are a part of every wedding, the last thing you need to do is be chipping your nails on floral wire. Perhaps a better suggestion is to visit your local supermarket and chat with the on-staff florist…more affordable and a good way to avoid missing your wedding due to a guaranteed panic-attack.My favorite part of the interview, though, is the very beginning where Jenny plugs Bella Pictures like there’s no tomorrow. While I agree that you should not skimp on the one thing that will stay with you for posterity, I don’t think that paying a company who can’t/won’t ensure who will actually be sent to photograph your wedding is the best option. Nuff said. That alone gives me the jitters.The bottom line is, re-search is the key to planning a great wedding at a good price. There is a cost in everything…whether that is measured in dollar bills or stress and heartache, the choice is yours. Don’t be fooled by bad advice.
Posted in Helpfulness | No Comments »
