January 16th, 2009
I’m not one for resolutions. Not because I don’t believe in them. Well okay, I don’t believe in them. I prefer to call them projects. Or goals. This is because I seem to do better at tackling projects. And projects typically have deadlines. So I guess it’s just a little self-trickery because I’m the type of cat that is results driven. Bare with me.
Anywho, one of my goals for this year is the same as for 2008 – except I’ve resolved decided to kick it up a notch. Said goal is to be more giving and so, to that end, I am awarding one lucky couple with a completely FREE wedding booking in 2009.
I have to say that it wasn’t easy to pick the winners. I had several heart-felt and well written emails from folks who entered December’s contest. The entry requirements weren’t very difficult – just an email with info about their situation and a wedding taking place anywhere within 50 miles of downtown Houston. So when I say “lucky winner” I’m not talking about the great honor of having me as a photographer. I’m talking about using a sorting hat – yeah, like in Harry Potter, but not a dirty-tattered, talking one. Couldn’t find one of those.
So the lucky winners are…..drum roll please…….Crystal Ramirez & Richard Garivey!
I look forward to working with you both! Calendar is marked for August 1, 2009!
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December 23rd, 2008
I love mail. It’s like getting an unexpected present. And I’m a sucker for presents. ;)
This is one of the many reasons that I love Christmas so much — for all the cards I get. But now that we’ve made a big push to go green I don’t get mail all that much. Before, I could count on the bills being in the box for sure. But now, it’s just a few local ads for the most part.
One of my very best friends from childhood lives in Chile. I remember regularly getting letters encased in hand-made envelopes. The best ones were made of cool magazine ads. My friend and I would pick out pages from old magazines and make our own envelopes, matching the paper colors to our finds. It was cool to see the different styles of images accompanied by articles written in a foreign language. Writing a letter was an art form in itself and getting a letter was a treat that would make my entire day. I remember getting home from a long day at school and rushing to the post box to check for the occasional surprise.
With email so readily available, it’s easy to make this form of communication more prevalent than sending post. Now, don’t get me wrong. I love computers and technology. In fact, I’ve said countless times that I can’t live without some sort of gadget strapped to my side. But I sure do miss the days of pretty letters in the post box!
I don’t think I’ll ever get over my fetish of pens and pretty papers, custom stationery, and envelope seals. I have more journals, cards, pens, stickers, and papers than I will ever need, but you won’t find me passing any up if I see something at the store! That’s how special this stuff is to me.
So I love getting letters. And among my favorite are the thank you notes. I got this one from Candice, a recent bride. Stuck in between the pages of coupons from Papa John’s Pizza was this little jewel!
Candice and Adam got married in Cyperss, Texas at the Northwest Forest Conference Center. Their ceremony was at dusk, which made for amazing lighting. Below are a few of my favorite shots from the wedding day.
Thank you Candice and Adam for selecting Plum Tree Studios for your wedding photography! I loved working with you and wish you all the best!
Posted in Marriage | No Comments »
December 21st, 2008
For me, life always comes back to paying it forward. I’ve blogged about this before. Earlier this year I ran my first marathon and donated to cancer research. Very often I have some kind of contest to give back to my supporters and spread a little love. There are always ways to make a difference and we each have the power to do this every day. So, I was thinking about what type of contest I wanted to have this month. It’s been a tough decision because I really wanted to focus on something that made an BIG impact in someone’s life. Especially with all of the doom and gloom that permeates our news of late. I know there a lot of people suffering through a financial crisis that is unlike anything they’ve faced before. But surely, there is hope in the horizon for all of us because if there is one thing I’ve learned in my couple-plus decades here on earth is that there’s a positive outcome to be found in just about everything. After scratching my head continuously these past two weeks, here’s what I’ve come up with:I want to donate a wedding photography booking to one couple in need in 2009. “In need” means that they would not be able to afford me otherwise and that they’re not just looking to save some bucks for that well-coveted beef upgrade. Sure, saving money is great, but this is meant to go to someone who’s current options probably include buying disposable cameras for the guests or having Great Aunt Sue take the photos. No offense Aunt Sue, but you’d have more fun enjoying the wedding day anyway.
With that said, here are the contest rules:
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To enter, send me an email with your story (the why’s are important) and the date, time, and location of the wedding.
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Location must be within 30 miles of the downtown Houston area. Obviously, if you can afford a fancy venue you don’t need to be entering this contest.
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The wedding must be taking place in 2009.
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You can request this for yourself or for someone that you know, as long as either one of you qualifies for the “in need” part.
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Last day to send your emails is December 31, 2008 at 11:59 pm.
The chosen couple will receive a fully complimentary wedding photography package (a $1500 value) which includes the following:
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Up to 6 hours of wedding day coverage
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An on-line photo gallery to share with family & friends
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An on-line slide show set to music (also compatible with Facebook)
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A $150 print credit for any size prints (excluding canvas)
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A DVD of all retouched, high res images with a print release
Here’s to hoping for a BIG impact! Best wishes and blessings for you all! – Patricia
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December 14th, 2008
There’s a slew of great information out on the web. But I came across this really cool site called Elegala that I thought was exceptionally awesome at providing information to brides. It has time lines, checklists, advice for everything from budgets to etiquette, unique gift registries, a vendor directory, giveaways, and a whole lotta details that can really come in handy.
Their motto is Elegant Galas – Made Simple. And they live up to it with a very user friendly, easy to navigate, nonsense-free website. This is what originally caught my eye. As I looked around, I also found some great articles that explain very clearly the many questions that arise when planning a wedding. It’s just a fabulous tool for any bride wanting to get some solid answers and creative ideas, regardless of budget or location, or anything else.
And I simply loved their advice/ideas section on Wedding Photography. As a wedding photographer, I’m certainly of the idea that your photographs are incredibly important. I also recognize that everyone has different needs and Elegala is great in that sense as well. So I was honored when they granted me a spot on their vendor listings.
So there, that proves how amazing they are! ;) But don’t just take my word for it. Check them out for yourself!
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December 11th, 2008
It is a mind-blowing 32 degrees in Bayou City! 32 Degrees!!
It’s got to be the coldest day of the year in our fair city of Houston. On the upside…it’s snowing! And I haven’t seen snow since I bent in ways I thought were impossible to the human body. It was about six years ago and my first time skiing. Let’s just say I fell I whole lot more than I bargained for. Ahhh, memories!
I heard about the snow flurry this afternoon through the interoffice chatter. But I didn’t really see any until I got home. As usual, Matisse was going nuts, ready to pounce on me as soon as I opened the door. His daily ritual consists of pretty much assaulting me and then doing the “Lassie” back and forth through the living room until I get to the French doors to let him out. In this scenario, I of course, would be little Timmy.
One thing that was different today is that he skipped the b-line for his favorite tree and instead doubled back faster than a fur-covered bullet. As he ran over the icy deck I noticed that our lawn chairs were wearing a little cover of white sprinkles. If I didn’t know any better, I’d have thought that Santa was wrapping presents out on our deck today and accidentally forgot to clean up a few bits of Styrofoam before sneaking off. Geez, that Santa!
Behold! Our crazy Texas Snow:
Moving on, I’ve finished setting up Josie’s Christmas cards. She picked a great photo from her session which I thought was fabulous with this festive design:
I’ve just finished Plum Tree’s holiday cards as well. Matisse was such a trooper posing as Rudolph for our portrait (pictured below). That was an adventure all it’s own. Truthfully, as usual he was so good! He’d hold the pose while I focused the camera and then he’d scoot his butt over as I ran over trying to beat the timer. I swear, if it wasn’t for that pesky squirrel making faces at us from the tree, he’d be looking straight at the lens.
I know a certain chattering someone who’ll be getting a lump of coal in their tree stocking. UH-HUH-MM! That’s what you get for making fun of Rudolph! On the other hand, he does pee on your house every day. So I’ll just call you guys even.
Posted in Matisse & Renoir, My Journal | No Comments »
December 6th, 2008
I met Josie and Justin last year when I did their wedding photography. Simply put, one of the sweetest couples I have ever met. Full of life and enthusiasm, they share a love for each other that’s practically tactile. When I heard this year that they were expecting their first baby, Emily, I was just over the moon.
Josie and Emily entered last month’s contest and won a portrait session with me. So we went down to my favorite park Discovery Green last week and had a good ol’ time. There was so much going on around us that little Emily found it hard not to be distracted. From the skaters on the ice rink, to the gigantic Christmas ornaments overhead, to the myriad of colors and sounds, it was sensory overload. But in good way. As I watched baby Emily experience everything with such wonder and fascination, I realized that in her four little months on this earth she probably hadn’t had that much excitement all at once. And through her eyes many things looked new to me as well. That’s just the magic of children.
I couldn’t have been more thrilled to finally meet Emily and catch up with Josie on the novelties of the past year. So much has happened in all of our lives. Once again I found myself in awe of the swiftness of time. The only thing missing was dad Justin, who’s in Iraq. Thankfully, he’ll be home this Christmas. And I look forward to seeing him too in the near future. :)
Justin, I hope you like this show. Your girls are so beautiful and such a joy. I’m so happy that technology can make it possible to cross the globe to share this day with you. Josie, thank you once again for being a delight to work with. And Emily, you are a wonderful sport. It’s like they say, the apple doesn’t fall far, right!
Enjoy your SLIDESHOW!
Posted in Baby Carriage | 2 Comments »
December 6th, 2008
The night before last, I very weirdly had a dream about Norman Reedus. This was particularly weird because I have not thought of or even seen a movie with Norman in it. In…well, I don’t even know how long. Another weird thing, I could not remember his name. So I Googled the one movie that I clearly remembered him in, which coincidentally happens to be one of my all-time favorite movies: Boondock Saints.
Even more weird: this movie came out ages ago. But wait! There’s more! In spite of how long it’s been, just two mere months ago they started filming the sequel. Mind you, I hadn’t even heard about this, even though BDS really is one of my very favorite movies.
Weird.
So now I have his name. For some weird reason I decide that I should Google images of Norman. You know, just to be thorough in the weirdness. Mostly, I find the same 8 images over and over again. He’s really not an in the limelight-kind of guy. Out of curiosity, due to the weird circumstances of it all, I click to see what sites these images are coming from. And POW! Behold one of my new favorite blogs: www.retardedfantasy.blogspot.com
The best part of it all? I happen to stumble upon this blog on THE ONE DAY that the blogger decides to post a beaut of a set list. And just like that, I find one of my favorite new bands: Band of Horses. I’ve been on a BOH trip for the past 2 days! Could this get any better? Or weirder?
I. Think. Not.
Posted in My Journal | 2 Comments »
December 4th, 2008
Well, it’s no secret: I was feeling a little blue yesterday. It happens. Fortunately, I usually bounce back with renewed resilience and this time was no exception. I was surprised, though, at how much quicker the bouncing occurred – but even more so with the why. It was all due to writing in my blog!!
The whole thing caught me off-guard because I’m typically pretty reserved about my private life. Seldom do I share so openly what is on my mind as a result of the emotions muddling my heart. But yesterday I just let go and wrote it down. I didn’t even obsess (as I usually do) about what I was writing. I failed to read it 20 times before I clicking that gloriously orange publish button. It all just transpired very much in stream of consciousness.
It’s as though someone has opened the flood gates and today, the catharsis has been on-going.
I guess yesterday opened my eyes to a lot of things. Number one: I’m pretty reserved and sometimes that hurts me more than I anticipate. Number two: sharing (even with just you, Internet) made it that much easier. And three: I put way too much pressure on myself about what I write in this blog. In other words, I worry that it will be misinterpreted, or that I’m coming off as lame, or that it’s not cool enough – wait that’s the same thing – or that it doesn’t make sense. I could go on because the what if’s are endless.
All of that lead me to this whopper:
For most of my life, I’ve felt like an oxymoron. How can an artist be so darn controlled and methodical most of the time? Doesn’t that make me not an artist? A certain someone once said that I wasn’t one and I never forgot the sting of those words. I suppose that it does help to remember that labels are nothing more than that. And upon further introspection, I resolve that the fact that I am such an oxymoron is just proof by contradiction that I am indeed an artist. By golly, I’m more than that!
I AM: the Self Controlled Artist.
And with that, I’ve once again given myself validation that this blogging thing does really work in more ways than one.
Pfft. Who needs therapy?
Posted in My Journal | No Comments »
December 4th, 2008
What to say to someone you can’t talk to
A question that begs to be released of its rhetorical nature
For there is no answer that can come close to being right
What to do with emotion that has no home to come to
Whether it be love, or hate, or sadness
Sometimes there is no way to relieve the inner fight
I want closure and peace
I want to move forward
To throw in the air all this that keeps me grounded
All that clips my wings and shadows the light
Posted in My Journal | 2 Comments »
November 26th, 2008
So, you’ve heard about the contest change, eh? Here’s the scoop:
I’m going to be hosting all of my contests here on my blog from now on, instead of by newsletter. Every month there will be at least one contest. Some months there will be more…depending on my fancy. ;)
RULES? Just Four:
- Leave a comment on the blog. It can be on a past post or a current one. Each comment equals one entry. Oh yeah, and they’re cumulative. I’m going to randomly pick a comment-writer every time. The more you comment, the more chances you get.
- I’d like to see some sort of effort. In other words, you can’t just comment “hi” and have it count. “Nice photo,” “This post blows,” “Who’s Patricia?” — all valid comments.
- Anonymous comments don’t count. Please, please, please: help me identify you so if you win, you get the goods.
- Some contests may have a specific rule for entry (such as locals only), depending on the prize. These rules will always be clearly posted.
With that said, here’s the WINNER for the October Newsletter Contest:
Mom and Baby GI Jane won most original costume! What did they win, you ask?
They’re getting a free holiday portrait session with yours truly, complete with a CD of the images and 25 photo cards. Just in time for Christmas! Josie, I’ll be contacting you to set up your session. :)
Nobody entered the Ike story contest. So I’ll be using that free microdermabrasion session on myself! Yey! And :( That’s me frowning. But you knew that!
Posted in Grab Bag | 2 Comments »
