Austin wedding photographer - Crystal & Ben

After Crystal & Ben's engagement session tonight, I had to take a sneak peek and start editing! Here are two of my favorites. One is a little more avant-garde than my usual, but I'm *trying* to step out of my comfort zone!

Austin Wedding photographer - Kiddos!

Kids. Gotta love 'em! This darling flower girl was distracted during the father/daughter dance. More fun from Steve & Liz's wedding to come soon! Check out the preview below.

Remember to visit after January 1st to vote for your favorite bride & groom photograph from 2009! (The bride and groom that has the favorite photo will win a $100 visa gift card!)

Austin Wedding Photographer - Steve & Liz (Part I)

I have always loved photographing behind the scenes. I guess I felt that, often, that's where some of the best moments happened. Steve & Liz's wedding was so much fun behind the scenes!
Here are just a few of my favorites. (I'll be posting photos of the ceremony and reception later.)
Remember to visit after January 1st to vote for your favorite bride & groom photograph from 2009! (The bride and groom that has the favorite photo will win a $100 visa gift card!)

Austin wedding photographer - Bianca

When Bianca and I met in September, we realized that she is getting married at the same place that my husband and I had our honeymoon two years ago.
I think she was a little nervous about not having been there, but I have no doubt in my mind that her experience will be as amazing as ours. I've been excited to post some of her photos from her bridal portrait session, but I wanted to wait until I wouldn't give the surprise away to her fiance!
Bianca really liked the Japanese Garden at Zilker Botanical Gardens, and it's one of my favorite spots too! Enjoy!
Remember to visit after January 1st to vote for your favorite bride & groom photograph from 2009! (The bride and groom that has the favorite photo will win a $100 visa gift card!)

Austin Photographer - Jennifer & Christian Engagement

It's kind of difficult to write about this bride because we have so many childhood memories together! -From silly Halloween costumes, to lip-syncing to Blind Melon ... I'll never forget how Jennifer got me a necklace charm in the shape of a camera as a birthday present in high school! (Shocking -- I was crazy about photography then, too!)

It goes without saying that Jennifer is a special bride to me. It was really wonderful now to capture Jennifer and her fiance, Christian, together. I love how Jennifer's eyes light up when she looks into Christian's eyes. She gets this adorable smile on her face, and you almost get those butterflies in your stomach when you see it.

They were such troopers, too! It was unusually cold during the photography session in my hometown of El Paso, and they braved the cold. Here are some of my favorites -- enjoy!

**Come visit the blog again soon! I'll have a gift certificate for the bride and groom with the favorite photo from 2009, and you can vote for your favorite photo! I'll post this on January 1st, and voting will take place throughout the month of January.**

Austin photographer

Here's another precious toddler from my visit to El Paso. Her eyes and pigtails are too cute!

Austin photographer - Lindsey Family

While visiting my family for Thanksgiving, I photographed the Lindsey family and their two dogs. I met the Lindsey family about one year ago to photograph their adorable son, who can brighten anyone's day with that precious smile. Here are a few of my favorites from the photo session.

Melissa & Shane

Many brides often ask me, "Should I have kids in the wedding?" Really, it's a personal choice, but after Melissa and Shane's wedding, I would definitely encourage kids at every wedding. Each wedding has its own incredible, genuine moments, but I believe that kids bring a special spark to the event.
With all that said, my favorite moment from Melissa & Shane's wedding was in the second to last photo. Melissa & Shane were among many couples dancing at the end of the evening, and I loved this special moment between the two of them. To me, this is how I view Melissa & Shane as a couple. They share private, very sweet moments together when they think no one is watching. What a great wedding! (The decorations and everything else was AMAZING, too! To see more, please visit the gallery on my website under Portfolio > Weddings II > Melissa & Shane. This post showcases my favorite - you guessed it -- moments from their very special wedding.)
Happy Thanksgiving!

Crystal & Allen

One thing that I absolutely love about my job is telling the story of the couple's wedding day. Along with that, I love capturing the personalities and the idiosyncrasies of the bride and groom. Crystal & Allen are so expressive, which made it a ton of fun to photograph them! (Not to mention that they are sweet, adorable, and a blast to be around!) They were married at the Plantation House, which made for an incredible Fall wedding. Congrats, Crystal and Allen!

The Growing Trend

I like the fact that the images of a photojournalist have a classic quality about them. The images are, for the most part, unaltered from the original photograph. They are timeless.

However, I've noticed a growing trend where photographs look extremely different after using textures and/or filters in Photoshop. Many photographs are altered to look saturated, or made to look worn and old. By popular demand, I thought I would try some of these Photoshop effects myself.

(This would have been a HUGE no-no in my days while working in newspaper. I can even hear the voice of one of my former professors, Rita Reed, telling me not to alter the photos! I sometimes cringe at doing this. But, I have to admit, some of the images look really neat. Trendy? Yes. Cool? Yes. Timeless? ... debatable.)

I have included a few samples of some Photoshop effects below. Let me know if you like it, and why or why not.

If you'd like some of these effects in your wedding photographs, just let me know. I'll be more than happy to put some of them with your collection of images, but I'll always include the unaltered photograph.

Is "Thriller" more popular than ever?

With Michael Jackson's movie "This is It," and Halloween coming up this weekend, I started thinking about the popularity of the song "Thriller."  I find that the song is being played less at weddings and other big events. What do you think?

Kathleen & Matt's Vows

With Kathleen & Matt's permission, I wanted to share some incredible vows. Their vows were personal, touching, hilarious, and very memorable. 

(View some of their wedding photos below.)

Spike:. Matt do you take Kathleen to be your wife?

Matt: I do.

Spike: Kathleen, do you take Matt to be your husband? 

Kathleen: I do.

Spike: Matt, do you promise to always take Clovis out at 3 a.m, to share your cereal even when it hurts you to do so, to show Kathleen you love her beyond the words “I Love You”, pack the tent when it’s raining, not ask big questions before Kathleen’s had her coffee, and never, ever buy fat-free half-and-half?

Matt: I do.

Spike: Kathleen do you promise to always support Matt in his dreams and to give him the extra pillows before he falls asleep insuring those dreams will be more pleasant? And do you promise to keep your sense of adventure, see Sherlock through his old age, and continue to work on your biscuit making skills?

Kathleen: I do.

Spike: Do both of you vow to continue to pursue your shared passions together and with joy, to travel, take time to enjoy nature regularly, try new things, avoid bears and spiders, learn new things, and work together for causes you believe in and never stop being silly and playful?

M & K: We do.

Spike: Matt, please repeat after me.

Matt: Kathleen, today I vow to honor, respect, and love you always. And I promise to always bring you a napkin at every meal we eat together.

Spike: Kathleen, please repeat after me.

Kathleen: Matt, today I promise to honor and respect you always and to, always leave room for your dreams, and make you great coffee every morning.

Kathleen & Matt

Kathleen's matron of honor commented during her toast that, "Kathleen REALLY is the nicest person you'll ever meet." So true! Kathleen & Matt are so incredible -- they are the kind of couple that everyone wants to be best friends with.
Their ceremony, and their vows, were the most personalized, intimate vows I've ever heard. (With their permission, I may see if I can put them online later.) Their love reminded me of the feeling you get when watching, "The Princess Bride." Just true, wholesome, real love.
Kathleen & Matt's wedding took place in Lukenbach, Texas. There aren't words to describe how cool this place is -- every detail is perfect for "laid back ole times." I will definitely have to make another visit there soon! Congrats, Kathleen & Matt!

Melissa

Blast from the Past

I have (slowly) been organizing my photography archives throughout the past few weeks, and I stumbled upon some of the photographs from my White House Photography internship through the Eddie Adams Workshop. Here are a few photographs, and feel free to check out the actual photos I took here. In the first photo, that was me navigating the craziness of the press pool in the Oval Office. What great memories!

For all Brides looking for a wedding photographer

This is a great article to read for anyone who is looking for a wedding photographer.

Steph & Patrick

I remember thinking after Steph & Patrick's engagement session, "I LOVE my job!" I thought the exact same thing after their wedding day.  

Yes, I love my job more than I could ever describe in words. But Steph & Patrick are the type of couple that make you love your job more than you ever knew was possible.  

I don't know if it was their incredible sense of humor, their calmness on the big day, or just the insane amount of fun throughout the evening. 

What a wedding. What a couple.  

Here are just a few quick photos, but there are more I'll post in the coming weeks, so check back soon!

Bonnie & Ryan

Bonnie & Ryan have been together for seven years, and have known each other for about thirteen. It's an understatement to say that their love is one-of-a-kind. What fun it was to photograph their wedding day! Their wedding took place at the beautiful El Paso Botanical Gardens at Keystone Heritage Park. Here's a quick preview of some of the photos from their day.

Robert & Family

Robert

Pablo

Precious Pablo was one week old when I photographed him. He has this incredible natural hair style! As his mom put it, "It looks like he just got his hair cut yesterday!"

Amanda & Josh

Amanda & Josh's wedding reception was one that I wished didn't end. What a blast! Here are a few of my favorites.

Lucy & Juan

Every time I hear the Beyonce's song, "Halo," I now think of Lucy & Juan. During their wedding reception at the Summit, the song came on, and the look the two had in their eyes was unforgettable. (By the way, "Halo" wasn't their first song - they danced to Sade's "No Ordinary Love," which was an incredible choice and perfect for them.) There are a few more photos here.

Ambulance Chasers

I recently photographed the Ambulance Chasers for their upcoming album "Will Work for Money." The back area of the parking lot at Ardovino's Desert Crossing had some really neat stuff to work with, like the old, rusty truck.

Hip Hop

Lucy & Juan preview

Here are just a few shots from my time with Lucy and her close family members as they prepared for the big day at Barragan's.
Thanks to Lucy's mom for bringing the yummy cinnamon toast to snack on!

Last three for Tiffany & Raul

I already posted a few photos of Tiffany & Raul's photo session for their one year anniversary, but I wanted to add these three. The sky was amazing that evening, and it made for a perfect setting. (The first photo is my computer background right now. I just love Tiffany's earrings and how they caught the light.)

Memories from my former days in dance

I used to dance at The Dance Factory when I was younger. For the record, my leaps never looked like Becca's. They were more of a hop in the air, rather than the leap. Becca was so great to work with, even after her legs were sore from a challenging new dance move.

Avoiding the rain.

Just minutes before this photo was taken, Ross and I were hiding out underneath the golf carts, hoping that the sprinkling rain would disappear for this particular shot.

sand blasted

I recently photographed Ross for a golf portrait. Talk about a polite gentleman! We had fun as I was blasted with a little bit of sand.

Anniversary

Romantic Stroll on the Green

Gorgeous eyelashes

Linda & Matt

Linda and Matt have to be two of the sweetest people you will ever meet! Here are just a few photos from their wedding. More to come soon!

Precious little Brenden

I recently photographed Brenden with his parents and family when they came in town. His mom says that his hair sticks up in two different directions, and she calls these his "angel wings." So cute!

Steph & Patrick

I am a firm believer that laughter is one of the most important things in a relationship, and laughter is something that is definitely not lacking with Steph & Patrick! Their easy going personalities made their engagement shoot tons of fun, and I cannot wait for their September wedding! (Check out the heart-shaped rock that Steph found below.)

Salsa!

I love trying new things out, especially when there's cool light. Here are two from this weekend's wedding. There are many more to come because this wedding was phenomenal! I'm not sure which photo I like better, and I'm not even sure if either of them work. Feel free to give me your two cents.

Bobbi & Sean

I met Bobbi & Sean at Zilker Botanical Gardens in Austin. During the shoot, a few onlookers noted that watching them together was better than anything in a movie. So true! What I loved best was how they interacted with each other, and so I'm posting my favorites. Bobbi & Sean were so easy to photograph and natural around the camera. I felt really lucky to photograph such a great couple in an amazing place. If you haven't been to the Zilker Botanical Gardens, I highly recommend it!

Tiffany & Raul

Last night I photographed Tiffany & Raul for their upcoming one year anniversary. They were so patient while I tried out some new techniques. (I'll post those later.) Last night's sky was breathtaking, and I just wanted to share. There will be more updates very soon ...

It's an exciting week ...

My brother and his wife are going to be parents very soon! I had the opportunity to photograph them in Dallas about a month ago. Their dog, Austin, should be photographed for some major dog ads. Seriously, isn't he the cutest?!

Lucy & Juan

This was one of the sweetest engagement shoots! I told Juan to think of the photo shoot as a special date with Lucy, and so he brought her a gorgeous bouquet of roses. They were so easy-going, and I had a ton of fun! I can't wait until the wedding day ...

What a sweetie.

While photographing Lucy and Juan, a little puppy was roaming the area. I had a snap a quick photo. The puppy has the cutest look on his face; I wonder what he was thinking. He was probably thinking, "I REALLY don't want to climb these stairs again!"

Lucy & Juan

What a blast today's shoot was with Lucy and Juan -- I love my job! This is the balcony where Juan proposed to Lucy, and so they wanted to take some of their engagement photos here. (That's the tiny moon at the top of the photo.)
What an amazing couple -- I can't wait until their wedding!
I'll post more photos later.

The feeling you get when ...

Today was one of those days to roll down the car windows, turn up the volume to Coldplay, and enjoy the incredible weather. Somehow, between the bliss of the day, I thought of Patti & Wes, I guess because that was the feeling I had when I left their wedding.
Here are some more photos of their memorable day at the Lancer's Club, as promised! The atmosphere was perfect, and the view of the sunset was stunning. There are a few more photos below this post. Enjoy!

Patti & Wes

What an incredible wedding! Talk about love. Real, deep, true love - the kind that makes every eye tear in the ceremony -- including the photographer's! I'm off to get some sushi with my husband, (my true love) but I'll post more later!

Beth & Lane

Beth & Lane -- what an incredible couple! They were troopers through all the wind, and their wedding was absolutely beautiful.

Two more.

Here's two more from yesterday's shoot. The bugs were out last night, so we worked quickly. Can't wait to try out some more!
I'm really loving the Nikon Speedlight system - things are so easy. I can't wait to shoot more!

My wonderful husband

My husband is a huge cyclist, and I have been wanting to take photos of him with his new bike. (Well, actually, he's had it for a year.) We had fun trying out some of my new photo gear. Of course, I treated him to Cold Stone ice cream after. Today was a great day!

Beth & Lane

Yesterday I kept looking out the window and begging the wind to calm down. It was the day of Beth and Lane's wedding. But the wind prevailed, and it was blowing all through the early evening. My theory is, no matter what happens on your wedding day, the most important thing is that you exchange vows with the love of your life. The ceremony (regardless of the wind) was beautiful. Here's my favorite photo from yesterday. I'll be sure to post more in the next few weeks. Thanks for looking!

Tayton & Scott

Here are some more photos from the recent photo shoot with Mommy & Daddy to be Tayton & Scott. Their little one is going to be so stylish!

Beth & Lane

Tomorrow Beth and Lane are getting married at Grace Gardens. A few weeks ago, we strolled around Downtown El Paso and had fun as Beth and Lance reminisced about their memories together. Beth was such a trooper while walking around in her high heels. (Ouch!) These were some of my favorites.

Evakins!

Eva has many nicknames: Evakins, Evalicious, Eva-diva, Crazy girl ... the list goes on. She's not the type of dog that wants bows in her hair, she LOVES to play, and she has an awesome mohawk when we style it. I took these photos of her this past weekend. Today, I was talking with a bride about her love for her dogs, and decided to post these photos. Here's to all the dog lovers!

Calla Lilies & Rings

Rings from the gorgeous wedding last night. I love calla lilies -- they are so elegant. Much like the couple from the wedding.

The Agony!

I just finished photographing an INCREDIBLE wedding. I usually go home after a wedding and crash, but I just had to start looking at the photos. The couple was so in love, and that makes the wedding really special. This precious flower attendant had spunk! I love all of ger facial expressions -- there are MANY more, but here are just a few. More to come ...

Texture & Tummy

I'm finishing editing a photo shoot of an adorable Mommy-to-be, and I couldn't resist putting this little detail up. I love the detail in her dress -- she has to be the most stylish pregnant woman I know!

Wedding season is here!

Isn't this the cutest touch for bride's shoes? I think you can purchase some at Gracious Bridal.

Mollie's Bat Mitzvah

I recently photographed Mollie's Bat Mitzvah. What an amazing lady! This girl is such an inspiration. Poised. Articulate. Mature. And FUN, FUN, FUN! I love it when you learn something from someone that's younger than you. Thanks, Mollie, and congratulations!

Frank Zona & Urban Edge

I recently photographed Frank Zona of Frank Zona & Urban Edge. What a fun shoot! Frank was great to work with, and the band is incredibly talented. Check them out at Ardovino's Desert Crossing on Friday, April 10, 2009.

Ardovino's Desert Crossing

I stuck around at Ardovino's Desert Crossing after photographing a great jazz band, Frank Zona & Urban Edge, for their new CD release. (Photos of the band to be posted later.) I'll definitely be heading back to Ardovino's soon for more photos.

Check out my books!

Best Cupcakes in West Texas

Cupcakes by T has the absolute BEST cupcakes! They not only look incredible, but they taste so good. This one is pink lemonade. Just delicious!

Check it out!

My portfolio is currently featured on the "photos" section of SlideShare.
Here's the link: http://www.slideshare.net/category/photos

Eva. My (new) precious pup.

My Sunday run

Sunday runs are my favorite because that is the day that city closes Scenic Drive off for six hours for runners, cyclists, families, and pets. It's paradise. On days like today, I fall in love with this city all over again. ...And the light wasn't even good!

Jessica & Ben

I recently photographed Jessica and Ben's marriage in El Paso, Texas. What a fun couple! These are a few of my favorites from their big day.

Meredith & Brendan

Nice Light

Proposal

I recently photographed a proposal in Memorial Gardens. The ring was hidden in a rose, and the rose had a tag on it with the girlfriend's nickname. It was a very romantic, original proposal, and a ton of fun to shoot! Here are some of my favorites.

Twilight Tour El Paso

Trauma Tour