Captured Keepsakes

Special Moments....

2012-01-22T15:14:00.006-06:00

When I really think about why I love photography, moments like yesterday help remind me of the significance it holds. We had the fortune of being asked to create images of the daughter of a family we've worked with several times now. Karys is a beautiful young lady that came to us for her senior portraits a few years ago. We then photographed her wedding, and now we got the opportunity to photograph her daughter. We have come to know her family over the last few years so we wanted to create something special, a 3 generations portrait. The reason we wanted to do this is because Karys will be leaving for another state with her husband, so mom, daughter, and grand daughter will not be seeing eachother as much. I've learned over the years that we are never guaranteed anything in life, it's precious. We just had some friends lose a family member at a young age. So the portrait below will be one that will be passed down as an heirloom. People never can value a photograph until time passes and things change. As a photographer, I get the honor in creating these precious gifts. I hope people may read this and appreciate the photographs they have and the people that are closest to them. Karly is a bright-eyed, beautiful little girl. If was fun trying to capture her personality. I think mom and dad were worn out by the end of the session. We truly enjoyed the time and are honored that we get to do what we do. Karys, Trevor, and Karly, we wish you a blessed life and that you will grow closer and continue to share the love you have for eachother. You have a wonderful family.... Enjoy....

R&R in the Hill Country...

2011-12-31T15:31:00.003-06:00

We spent 4 days in the beautiful Texas Hill Country. Garner State Park is one of Texas' most popular state parks. You have to reserve Summer camping spots in January (they are booked up from Memorial Day to Labor Day every year). As popular and packed as it is in the Summer, in Winter, the park is almost desolate. This is our 5th camping trip to this remote and beautiful spot. Each morning I'd get up before sunrise, dress warm (due to the below freezing temps), and venture out on a photographic nature safari. Each morning I'd see something different. That's what I love about nature and photography. Anyway, I thought I'd share some of my favorites with any "nature-appreciator". You can view more images on the site (click on the black and white image to see more)... Enjoy... And HAPPY NEW YEAR to everyone.

All Smiles...

2011-12-22T08:16:00.007-06:00

Janelle is a senior at JM... She's a happy, smiley, intelligent, and quick-witted young lady. You know when you are around some people, you just seem to have a good time. Well, Janelle is one of those types that you can't help but laugh and smile in her presence. She wants to study either psychology or cosmotology in her higher educational pursuits. Knowing her, she'll probably start some one-of-a-kind "shrink salon". She'll solve all of your problems and you'll leave refreshed with a smile on your face. Your wrinkles will go away, because you'll laugh so hard your face with get a healthy workout. Enough of my silly stories... Janelle wanted some images with her groovy-fashion, red top with scarf and hat. I thought we could add some pizazz, so we made it snow in our backyard (all 3x3 square feet of it). By the way, we had some help with the snow falling from the sky, or in our case, every direction (kudos Zach). We had to create some good light due to the 90% overcast skies (gotta love dark, dreary winter days), so we broke out the strobes and headed to the haybarn. We finished up inside with some cool BWs and cap and gown images. Janelle is a very special young lady, we are so glad we got the privilege of trying to capture her personality. Hope she enjoyed the session... we certainly did. More images on the site, and click here for a short video of the session. Enjoy.....

UTSA Grad....

2011-12-18T14:46:00.006-06:00

Alyssa is a recent Graduate of UTSA. She was on the dance team there and loves to dance. Her degree is in education, just like her mom. So she wanted to follow in her footsteps. We started with her UTSA jersey. We found this cool tree with orange leaves, so we used it for some totally cool images. We then went inside for her cap and gown images as well as some dance images. Alyssa, congratulation on this wonderful accomplishment and welcome to the education profession.

Gorgeous Family...

2011-11-26T08:17:00.003-06:00

The Calkins family came to us for a family portrait. We've photographed both girls' senior portraits, Kenzie and Lauren, in the past. They wanted something outdoors, so we decided to use the old white fence. I thinks this image is fantabulous. Dad must be proud, three beautiful ladies by his side... blessed man. Enjoy.....

Inspirational Engagement....

2011-11-25T09:39:00.009-06:00

We met Valerie about 5 years ago. We did her senior portraits. Since then we've had the privilege of photographing her family, sister, and now her engagement. The reason this is so special is because of Valerie. Several years ago, she was in an auto accident. She was told that she'd never be able to sit up. Well, by the Grace of God, she's done more than that. She walks, and leads a somewhat normal life. In my book she's a walking miracle and a true inspiration. I don't want to hijack this post, but for those that don't (or better yet, refuse to) believe that God is sovereign, Valerie is living, breathing, clear evidence of His Grace. The couple knew eachother in High School, but the relationship didn't materialize until later. Aaron is in the military. He's about to take his second tour overseas (so those of you who pray, please keep him in your prayers). Aaron and Valerie seem to compliment eachother well. Her sense of humor with his humorous mannerisms seem to entertain, not just them, but those around them too. We hope they like the images... Valerie and Aaron, may this time in your lives be one of true joy, and may God guide you, protect you, and lead you to life full of moments that draw you closer to eachother, and to HIM. Congratulations on this wonderful ocassion. You truly are an inspiration to us. Click here to view a short video from the session. Feel free to leave a comment... Enjoy...

Barbie Pilot....

2011-11-24T11:11:00.004-06:00

Rebekah is our Sr Rep at Randolph HS. She's been the best rep we've ever had (thanks mom). Rebekah is an out-going (when she wants to be), humorous, intelligent, no-shoes wearing, athletic, and beautiful young lady. She wants to study business in college. She wanted us to photograph her with her dad's plane (he's an instructor with the AF). After the details were taken care of, we took some images out on the flight line with the plane her dad instructs other pilots with. The flight suit isn't the most flattering apparel to wear, but Rebekah certainly pulled it off. She has to be the cutest pilot on the flight line. We also photographed at the studio. Her blue eyes really popped with her baby-blue top. And her gorgeous blonde hair really blended with the hay. We finished with her orange, sun dress and jean jacket. Almost forgot to mention she really likes photography, so of course we had to get one image in with that. All of the images turned out fantabulous, I hope she and the fam like 'em. Thanks again Rebekah for doing such a wonderful job for us. More images on the site, and click here to see a short video from the session. Enjoy...

Earned His Wings....

2011-11-21T15:12:00.009-06:00

This past weekend we took a journey down to Del Rio, TX. My nephew Matt just finished pilot training with the US Air Force. We went down with several other family members to celebrate his graduation. Of course I brought my camera. It's funny, being around Matt when he was little, seeing all the things he used to do, and now thinking the Military has put him in charge of a huge airplane and entrusting him to transport millions of dollars of equipment and people, it's hard to fathom. Time goes by way too fast. Some times I have a hard time accepting it, but it's inevitable. I know he'll do a great job and make us all proud. Any way, here's an artistic piece I put together honoring his accomplishment, and the three generations of pilots in the family... Enjoy. Congratulations Matt on a job well done.

Josh...

2011-10-30T16:29:00.005-06:00

is a senior at JM. I had him in one of my classes last school year. Josh's goals in life are to be a firefighter, and live in New York City. I think it's just a matter of time till it happens. Josh's mom told us all kinds of stories (about Josh and family). She does makeup and hair for quite a few people. That's how we got to shoot all the eccentric sports cars (2 ferraris, a Bentley, and a Tesla). We started at a friend of the family's house. After shooting there we came back to the studio and used the garage, Texas flag, and inside the studio. Josh is a wrestler, and into MMA. We did some really cool images with his MMA stuff. I think he and mom will like the images, we certainly do... More images on the site, and click here to see a short video from the session. Enjoy....

Mitch...

2011-10-23T16:25:00.004-06:00

is a senior at RHS. He's a funny, intelligent, and creative young man. He plans on studying sociology in college. He also loves to make music (mixing it on his computer). If things work out, he'll be doing research, helping people, and creating music somewhere in the mix. His friend Eddie came to help out during the session. Really, Eddie was to be the other wrestler (you did such a great job)... Did I mention Eddie has a 900 lb pig that he rides? Anyway, Mitch, was creative with his choices. We used the tree lined forest area, the immaculate sky, the studio, then finished up in the drive way for the wrestling images. I think he'll be pleased. Hopefully mom will too. Click here to see some more images on our site, and here to watch a short video from the session. Enjoy....

Full of Life.....

2011-10-16T13:26:00.005-06:00

Amanda is a Senior at RHS. She came to us through our RHS Rep Rebekah. Amanda is a bundle of joy. She's bubbly, peppy, joyful, and has a contagious spirit. At only 4'11" you couldn't get any more personality, charm, and cuteness in some one 7' tall. The moment she came in the studio, we knew she was going to be a blast to work with... and she didn't disappoint. Amanda wants to help people in need, so after her higher education is finished, she plans on becoming a child psychologist or something to do with helping children and young adults. She definitely has the personality to cheer you up. We talked about her outfits and came up with the roller skates, pink tutu, and headphones. I was excited... it's not everyday you get to photograph someone in an outfit like that. Her second outfit was a casual country girl look. And lastly, she wore her radiant, red dress. We all had a fun time, and the images turned out fantabulous. Amanda, you are a very special young lady, don't ever forget the pencil analogy. More images on the site, and click here to watch a short video from the session. Enjoy....

A Perla of Great Price....

2011-10-14T21:30:00.003-06:00

Perla came to us wanting headshots... She's an aspiring actress. I actually had her in one of my classes years ago. We also did her sister's senior portraits a few years back. I love working with people from families we know. Anyway, Perla is a quiet, somewhat reserved young lady (atleast around us). We photographed in the garage at first, did a few outside, and finished up in the studio. The pics below are two of our favorites, simply stunning.... Perla, you were fun to work with (even though you say you don't like cameras) and we hope these images help land you that leading role in a TV series or movie some day... Our fingers are crossed...

Beauty in Black & White....

2011-10-09T19:18:00.003-06:00

On our recent trip to the Coast I took this image. It looked great in color (before sunrise). I turned it into black and white and it looked phenomenal. The reflection in the retreating water drew my attention. There's something about photographing before the day really begins... it's just a reminder that our Creator knows what true beauty really is. Every day is a gift; time to draw us closer to Him.

AlexaRae...

2011-10-02T15:02:00.004-06:00

...is a senior at JM. She's been a cheerleader since the age of 6, and plans on cheering as long as she can. Her future plans are to attend a major university and study medicine. I think she has the intellect and drive to accomplish her goals. We started in the studio with her cheerleading outfit, then made it out to the trees in her pink dress. We thought the umbrella would add some cute"ness" to the session, so we brought it and the images were some of our favorites. We finished up in her casual attire. AlexaRae and her mom seemed to have a good time, especially when we talked about and showed them the wolf spiders out in the field. More images on the site, and click here to see a short video from the session. Enjoy.....

Baby Boy makes Five....

2011-10-01T06:47:00.003-06:00

Lisa and Eric have been faithful clients of ours for years now... They were blessed with a baby boy two weeks ago and wanted us to document his arrival in the world like we did his two sisters (a few years back). So they brought him out to the studio for his newborn session. Being twelve days old, we'd capture his little features, baby soft skin, new belly button, fascinating eyes look with every bright light, and with his family. His two sisters are just gorgeous (5 and 3 yr old). The funny thing is that all of them looked identical as a newborn. We started outside, then the fierce wind and lightning storm came through so we went inside... there's nothing like trying to capture little children and having them say (every two minutes) "look mom, lighting". Anyway, inside we got some great images and I hope Lisa and Eric like 'em... I'm sure they will, because, "hey, they're of Eric Jr."... Feel free to leave a comment or two.... Congratulations EJ, welcome to this world..... you have a wonderful family. Enjoy.

Jay...

2011-09-04T14:02:00.003-06:00

is a senior from RHS. He came to us from our RHS Rep, Rebecca (that's officially three now, you go girl). Jay is a respectful, talented, athletic, and very mature young man (forgot to mention funny too). He wants to go into some type of Petroleum Engineering Job after college. His dream is to play golf for the University of Oklahoma, then maybe professionally. Whatever the case he wants to play golf the rest of his life, which I know is a certainty. We started out with Jay is his outdoor outfit. We got some great backlit images of him in our front yard. We then used his black SUV in some images with his "famous" pink sunglasses. We finished up with his golfing attire. Jay seems like a well-rounded individual that will make it in life (some people just seem to have it, and he definitely does). Hopefully, Jay and the fam like the images, we certainly do... More images on the site, and click here to watch a short video from the session. Enjoy....

Bright and Sunny...

2011-08-28T12:35:00.003-06:00

Aryn is a senior at JM. I met her a couple of years ago through some of her friends (one of which referred her to us, thanks Ashely). Aryn is an out-going, friendly, and humorous young lady. She wants to be a Pediatric Nurse when she graduates, and eventually get married and have a family. Aryn showed up in her new car (a lime green VW bug). She just got it a few days earlier. She loves it because that's her nickname, "BUG". We started the session down the road at the Dog Kennel entrance. I had the idea of matching her red top with a bright red umbrella and some black rain boots. We then went down to the creek and took some really cool images there. We finished up in her elegant prom dress. We decided to use her lime green bug with her elegant dress... it turned out pretty cool. All in all, we got some vunderbar images, that we hope Aryn will love. Here's a link to see a short video from the session, and here are some images on our site. Feel free to leave comments... Enjoy.

Where there's a Will....

2011-08-21T12:56:00.003-06:00

Will is a senior at Randolph HS. He came to us after seeing some of his friends images we've taken (thanks Rebekah and Jordan). He plans on becoming a Pilot in the military when he graduates. Will is your typical high school guy; into sports, infatuated with girls, and of course not really interested in taking his senior portraits. With the task of making it fun for him, he brought his friend Bailey to the session (yes, the same one Jordan brought for her session). She made Will laugh when necessary, and of course we picked on her. She's a great sport so things went well. By the way, Happy Birthday Bailey... Between Will's stories of crazy things he's done, laughing at Bailey, we got some great images. The highlight of the session was when it got dark, we moved our weight equipment outside to capture the Powerlifting portion of Will's life. He currently holds the record for deadlift on the football team. We love creating cool images that really capture the essence of our seniors, so thanks Will for allowing us to be creative with you. You can see some of the images on our site, and watch a video from the session by clicking here. Feel free to leave us some comments. Enjoy...

Besties....

2011-07-28T21:36:00.003-06:00

Kiah and Kayla are best friends... They are going off to college and are going to be a thousand miles away from each other. So in order to commemorate this new era they hired us to take some best friend portraits. From Kayla's brother Kyle holding the 6x6 scrim over the edge of the barn, to Dad's 1967 ford pickup truck, to the swing, we laughed and joked until our faces hurt. Kiah and Kayla, we wish both of you a blessed and contented future, and we hope your friendship lasts for all eternity. Treasure it, it's a very special gift... Click here to see a short video from the session.... Feel free to leave us some comments. Enjoy...

Miss Jordan W...

2011-07-27T12:15:00.007-06:00

Jordan is a Senior at Randolph HS. She came to us through a friend we photographed last year (thanks Martha). Jordan is quick-witted, funny, athletic, and a joy to be around. She wants to attend Texas A&M University next year and study Business (hopefully I didn't jinx her admission). She brought her friend Bailey (remember us for your Sr portraits) to be her "professional stylist". Between the two girls laughing, making weird noises, and talking about stuff you'd normally hear little boys discuss, we had a fun time. Her three outfits seemed to fit her personality well. From the swing, to the gold chair, the crepe merdle trees, and 7 colorful balloons, to her dad's Harley Davidson motorcycle, we got some great images. Jordan was a blast to work with and hopefully she'll love the images as much as we do. Click here to see more images on the website, and here to watch a short video from the session. Feel free to leave comments... Enjoy....

Trevor and Karys...

2011-07-25T22:03:00.005-06:00

We came to know Karys when we took her senior portraits a few years ago... every time we'd mentioned Trevor's name (during her senior portrait session), she would smile and light up like a snow globe. Well, fast forward to last weekend, Karys's fancy for Trevor was solidified with their wedding ceremony. It took place at her parents' home north of town. It was a quiet, low-key, yet beautiful wedding and reception. Karys is a beautiful and petite young woman. She's quietly reserved, yet when she smiles, it speaks volumes. Trevor seems to be the perfect fit for her. They seem to have fun when they are together, and when Karys looks at Trevor, you know that he's the one for her. The backyard was decorated with candles around the pool, bows on the trees, and tiki torches along the pathway. Our picture making services ended with an antique car as the background of our bride and groom. The day was special, in more ways than one, and it will be remembered for many years to come... Congratulations, Karys and Trevor, may your lives be blessed and contentment fill your days.... may God's Grace govern your marriage... Click here to watch a short video from the special day.... Feel free to let us know what you think, or wish to congratulate the bride and groom in our comments section.... Enjoy...

Noah and Family,

2011-05-30T14:51:00.002-06:00

Noah has to be the cutest, blue-eyed, almost-three-year old, blonde haired, lil' boy, we've photographed. We've been photographing Noah since he was born, capturing his newborn portraits at only a few days old. He had the cutest Dad and son pic I think we've ever taken. A large print of it hangs in out studio. It's been a joy and privilege to watch Noah grow up. Our photographic journey with the Duke family started back with his parents wedding. Noah was funny, he would make these roaring noises and funny faces. He ran out in the fields and did lil' boy stuff. We captured him in all of his personality. Afterwards, we photographed mom and dad together with him, and then individually. The images turned out wunderbar and I think this was all done in record time (1 hour). I hope Matt, Andrea, and Noah like the images... Enjoy.....

Miss Janna...

2011-05-29T05:52:00.002-06:00

Janna will be a senior in a few days at MacArthur HS. I had her in class a couple of years ago. She's a cute as a button, outgoing, creative and intelligent, young lady. If you ever get to meet her, you'll immediately become friends because of her captivating personality. She's all smiles (atleast when I'm around her). Janna will be a great rep for us this year.... We're excited about having her. More images on the site....

A Great Privilege....

2011-05-28T06:16:00.007-06:00

This is our fourth time photographing Scott, Chelli, McKayla, and Hannah (as a family). To reminisce visit their previous sessions: session 1, session 2, session 3. It's such a privilege and honor being trusted to help capture and document the journey of their family. In just a short time, we've seen the girls change so much. Seeing their personalities develop and watching them interact is such a joy. As a photographer, this is why we do what we do. I just hope I never lose this appreciation for being given such a special opportunity. Scott and Chelli, thanks for entrusting us and sharing your lives with us. Feel free to leave comments....

RHS 2012 Rep Rebekah....

2011-05-27T22:27:00.005-06:00

Rebekah will be a senior at Randolph HS at the end of next week. She'll be our 2012 Senior Rep from there. We met her through a senior we photographed late last year (thanks Martha). Rebekah is a bright, smiley, and athletic young lady (not to mention she has killer blue eyes). She plays volleyball for the RoHawks, as well as being a member of NHS, Student Council, and one more group I don't remember. I think she'll represent us well. Thanks again Rebekah, we'll be seeing more of you this year. A couple more images on the site.

Our First 2012 Senior Rep....

2011-05-26T17:23:00.007-06:00

Ashley will be a senior at JM in less than a week. I've had the privilege of having her for two years in classes. She is a very athletic, intelligent, and trustworthy young lady. The reason we picked her is because in two years of knowing her, she's constantly shown us respect, diligence, and an appreciation for life. We love to see these kind of character qualities in young people, it's getting rarer these days. I think she'll be great for us this year. You'll be seeing more of her later in the year. Ashley, thanks for being one of our Reps this year... More images on the site...

A Close-knit Family....

2011-05-25T06:04:00.005-06:00

The Campbells came back to us last weekend for their casual family portrait. We photographed one of their daughter's senior portraits, and did their formal portraits back in January. They are a very close and loving family; one that most people dream about having. The military tends to bring families together, and it sure has solidified this one. Due to weather conditions not suitable for outdoor portraits, we rescheduled for May (when all the family would be together again). They are about to move to TN, so an outdoor Texas portrait was desired. The images came out fantabulous, of course its easy to capture beautiful people (and their outsides aren't bad either ;) ). Just a side note, I got into some poison oak again. This is the second time in the last month and a half. I'm feeling itchy right now. Oh well, the images and experience were worth it.... Enjoy.

Barbie Dollies....

2011-05-18T22:08:00.002-06:00

I think this is our seventh year photographing the JM Dollies Dance Team. I've been wanting to do something different for a while now, so this year we did. We put all of the Dollies in Barbie boxes. They loved it. Feel free to leave a comment or two... Click here to see a video of the session... Enjoy.

Sweet & Sporty Sydnee...

2011-05-08T14:17:00.003-06:00

Sydnee is a senior at MacArthur HS. She came to us from seeing images of one of her friends we photographed last year (thanks Jori). She’s a very intelligent, friendly, and family oriented young lady. After college, she wants to be a nurse and take care of babies in the neo-natal area in hospitals. She’s also athletic; she’s played softball for most of her life, so we incorporated her gear for one of the outfits and got some cool images. When we met for the pre-consultation, Sydnee changed her mind about one of her outfits. I’m so glad she did because she looked stunning in her white sun dress in the flowers (nice choice Syd). We started out with her black outfit and the Texas flag. The black hat just seem to fit her outfit perfectly. We got some great images there (not mentioning what we had to say to get that Sydnee smile to come out). We then went down to our neighbor’s fields and took some images with the flowers (some of my favorites). We had to spray ourselves with bug spray to keep the chiggers off (who said making great images was easy). It was getting late, and since our boys hadn’t eaten, we ordered pizza. What a day, great images, Sydnee got her flowers, and everyone had pizza. Can’t say that wasn’t fun! I hope Sydnee likes ‘em, we certainly do… More images on the site. Click here to see a short video from the session. Feel free to leave a comment of two… Enjoy…

Ms. Rubi…

2011-05-01T14:22:00.004-06:00

Rubi is a senior at JM. She’s good friends with another JM senior we’ve recently photographed. I didn’t know Rubi before the session, but since have come to know her and really like her. She’s funny, well-mannered, and seems to know her direction in life. She brought her friend Joann with her, so with the two of them laughing and telling stories, we got some great images. Rubi wanted to go back by the creek (aka – the poison ivy/oak area), I was reluctant, but ended up making our way back there. Time will tell, hopefully no one got exposed to the nasty little plant (even though Joann picked one up, oops). We got some very elegant dress images by the creek. While driving back there, I spotted some patches of yellow off in the distance. Come to find out, a good size area of yellow flowers were waiting for a subject to be photographed in. While we were there the sun turned hazy, so the light was perfect. The image below is probably one of my favorites from the entire 2011 senior season. There’s something about backlit, country scene images that draw me in. Hopefully, Rubi got the flower images she wanted. We finished up with the swing (battling the all-of-the-sudden wind). We had a great time and got some fantabulous images. Hopefully they like ‘em. More on the site, and click here to watch a short video from the session. Enjoy….

Katie Lady....

2011-04-30T21:26:00.005-06:00

Katie is a senior at Floresville. She came to us from a recommendation from another senior we photographed early last month (thanks Lauren). Katie is a bundle of joy. I don't think she stopped smiling for more than 15 seconds the entire session. When she plays sports, her coaches say she's very deceiving, she comes across as happy, soft, and fuzzy, but as soon as the clock starts, she's the most aggressive girl on the court (of course with a smile on her face). She wants to study rehabing the body at Texas A&M University. After her education she wants to become a physical therapist and do some coaching as well. I smell an athletic trainer/coach in her future. Anyway, Katie was a blast to work with... We battled the wind outside, in more ways than one, and finished up inside. I must say, Katie was so much fun... I bet she could have a good time tied up, hanging in a tree. We love Katie, she's so cute and bubbly... Hope you like'em? More images on the site. Click here to watch a short video from the session.... Enjoy....

A Pair of Queens....

2011-04-17T22:47:00.005-06:00

Lauren is a senior at JM. She’s one of our REPS this year. She is a fun, very family friendly, intelligent, and vibrant, young lady. I had the fortune of having her in one of my classes, and also had her sister too (Hey Savannah!). Well, I guess I can start off by explaining the title. I don’t play poker, but this past weekend, I photographed two Queens. The Homecoming Queen and the Prom Queen. Lauren was the JM 2011 Prom Queen. She was so excited. Her dress was out of this world. We got an early sneak peek before everyone else did on Saturday night. Lauren wanted some images that reminded her of Taylor Swift, so we headed down to the creek. The images turned out great, and I got into some poison oak (I’m highly allergic to it, Thanks Lauren… hehehehehe). On Sunday, Lauren returned to finish her session. I must say she was glowing after winning the Prom Queen title. We photographed on the swing, in the fields, and finished up inside. The images turned out fantabulous. I must say, I love the Olson family. Mom, Dad, sister Savannah, and Lauren are so much fun to be around. Did I mention Savannah bowing down at Lauren’s feet (servant girl) and Dad taking a picture of himself in front of the Texas flag? Way too funny… The session was fun for all… More images on the SITE. Click HERE TO WATCH A SHORT VIDEO FROM THE SESSIONS. Enjoy…..

The Few, The Proud, The Homecoming Queen...

2011-04-15T21:00:00.010-06:00

Danielle is a senior at JM. I've had the fortune of having her in two classes over her four year, high school tenure. She's a positive, upbeat, joyful, and person-you-want-to-be-around, young lady. She always has a smile on her face, and a warm greeting waiting for you every time she sees you. She is also the JM reigning Homecoming Queen. She wants to go to college, but might have a stint in the military beforehand (in the Marine Corp). Whatever she decides to do in life, I know for sure, she'll succeed and make a difference in the world. Our session was originally scheduled for a Saturday, but was switched to Friday (due to her Prom), and then we switched it from afternoon, to early morning. The weather started out warm and humid, within minutes of starting, the wind picked up and the temps dropped a little. We battled the wind the rest of the session. We were taking images in a flower field, when Danielle quietly told her mom something bit her. She got stung by a bee. It was in one of the flowers and when she sat down, it stung her. She's a tough cookie, didn't even bat an eye (probably the future Marine in her). The session went a little long (due to the wind, and of course slow me), but we got some great images and had a good time. Some more images are on the SITE, and click HERE TO WATCH A SHORT VIDEO of the session. Enjoy....

Ms. Jordan...

2011-04-10T11:21:00.004-06:00

Jordan is a senior at Judson HS. We've photographed two of her cousins, so that's how she knew about us. Jordan is a well-rounded, very intelligent (ranked 4th in her class of over 600), and fun, young lady. She doesn't know what she wants to do when she gets done with school, but she knows she wants to help others (I'm sure she won't have a problem finding a job with that objective). She plans on attending a University in East Texas and play soccer there (forgot to mention that she's also athletic). Anyway, Jordan was a lot of fun to work with. I think we broke her smile along the way, but hey, when you're having fun and laughing, while you're getting really cool and pretty pictures taken, it's just a little side effect. Jordan had some really cool outfits. My favorite was the white sun dress and jean jacket. I'm biased when it comes to sundresses and jean jackets. We have access to a field that has some kind of greenish, yellow plant that covers about an acre, so of course we used it. Some of my favorites are from that location. We made our way around the property, and our neighbor's too. In the end, we got some fantabulous images that Jordan and mom hopefully like. Jordan, I hope your mouth muscles recharge by tomorrow, because it would be a shame to not show off that million dollar smile.... More on the site, and click here to see a short video from the session.
Enjoy....

Snowboarding in Central Texas….

2011-04-09T11:05:00.001-06:00

Zach is a senior at Wagner HS. He is a character. Very out-going, up-front, and absolutely loves the computer gaming world. But the story of the session was his passion for snowboarding. His dad is in the military, so he’s been all over the world. Skiing and snowboarding in Europe tops the list. He wants to study medicine and become a pharmacist later in life. We incorporated his gaming passions in the first part of the session, then got to his snowboarding talents. Funny thing is we’ve used our trampoline for several fun jumping shots with seniors before, but I never had someone on a snowboard use it. Zach seems to know how to work that board pretty good. The only set back was that the outfit he was wearing was a warm, winter suit. This is hot Texas. Zach’s a trooper though, so we made it through the session unscathed. We finished up in his hip-shirt and jeans. We had a great time, and the images turned out way cool. More on the site, and click here to watch a short video from the session. Enjoy…..

Strawberry Blonde and Freckles…

2011-04-03T10:28:00.003-06:00

Kate is a senior at Floresville HS. She’s athletic, very down to earth, and fun to be around. My favorite types of images are ones that include freckles… I think they’re what represent us, marks that distinguish us, no two alike, yet represent the evidence of a creative & unique design by our Creator. Kate was a blast to work with. Her happy, smiley, and personable personality just draws you in. Did I mention she also has style? Her dress was absolutely gorgeous, not to mention her stylin’ shoes. I love the dresses that have texture, ruffles, etc… and when it’s form fitting, I think they are totally glamorous. Kate wants to go to school and study nursing… I think she’ll be perfect for that type of work. Her mom was so cute and full of personality. Kate says she’s always upbeat, positive, and encouraging… Why can’t we have more people in this world like that? I can see where Kate gets it from. We had a great time, got some fantabulous images, all the while sharing life with two individuals that seems to enjoy the journey… Man, it’s refreshing hanging out with people like that! Hopefully, Kate and mom feel the same way? More images on the site, and click here to see a short video from the session… Enjoy.

Goldielocks and the Sr Portrait Session…

2011-03-27T13:51:00.001-06:00

Kenzie is a senior at Judson HS. She’s a swimmer on the Rocket team and good enough to earn a college scholarship. We photographed her sister about 3 years ago, so they came back this time for her senior portraits. Kenzie is all about smiling, being happy, and of course swimming. It was hard to get any images without her smiling, that’s just the type of person she is… of course we got a couple though. The day started out cloudy, but quickly made it’s way to hazy sun. The temps got into the lower 90s so she was pretty hot… good thing for rice paper (to pat the sweat of the face). We captured images all over the property, as well as two of our neighbor’s property. From an ivy laden wall to blue bonnets, from hot outside weather, to a night time swimming pool shoot, I almost felt like it was Goldielocks and the three bears… too hot, too cold, hopefully when she left she was just right…. Hehehehehe. I love that I can do this (adding my simple sense of humor in it to boot). We got some great images, that I know Kenzie and the fam will like… More images on the site, and click here for a short video from the session… Enjoy.

Not a Pet Photographer, but.....

2011-03-21T17:34:00.004-06:00

These have to be the cutest pictures ever of the newest member of our family, Maddie. Couldn't resist not posting these.... Hope she brings a smile to your face and brightens your day, like she does ours....

Musically Inclined...

2011-03-20T12:35:00.004-06:00

Lance is a senior at Runge HS. Runge is a town between here and Victoria, TX. He went to a local HS here in SA, but moved his senior year. From a senior class size of 700 to 26 means major adjustments, but Lance has seemed to handle the transition well. We photographed him in his tuxedo a few weeks ago, because of his HS prom being the next day. He came back yesterday and we finished the session. Lance is musically gifted, and wants to use his passions and talents to either teach music, or perform for others. Did I mention he loves to play Lacrosse? We finished up the session with his gear… The images turned out really cool, and we had a good time… More on the site. Click here to see a short video from the session…. Enjoy.

You Know What They Say About Small Packages...

2011-03-19T09:19:00.002-06:00

...good things come in small packages, well, Nicole certainly attains to that. Nicole is a senior at Churchill HS. She’s a joy to be around; bubbly, silly, well-grounded, and of course cute as a button (all 4'11" of her). Her smile grabs your attention and draws you into her cute and fun personality. I must say her family is one hard not to like as well. Anyway, Nicole picked out three outfits that seemed to fit her well. We started on the swing (even though it took a little longer than expected – remember we work slow!) and got some fantabulous images. We then went back into the studio to capture her in her cute black dress with the dream light. These are some images that truly stand out. She brought some of her shopping bags to help her express her deep desire to shop (typical girl, hehehehe). Did I mention her pink and black boa? Truly stunning and glamorous… We finished up with the car outside. Nicole was a bunch of fun to photograph and I think she had a great time (especially trying to come up with 5 adjectives to describe herself – 5 takes? C'mon ;) ) Nicole is truly, a beautiful young lady, inside and out. I know she’ll be a thriving influence in her career as an elementary school teacher… More on the site. Click here to see a short video from the session…. Enjoy...

Evan B...

2011-03-18T09:21:00.001-06:00

Evan is a senior at Johnson HS. He’s pretty simple, yet very intelligent. He plans on attending Texas A&M in the fall. His area of study is Engineering. We photographed his sister a few years ago, and she came with Evan to the session. We also photographed his family a few years ago (that's how they know us). Mom wasn’t picky, her specific request was, “As long as you get one with him smiling”… Well, we got some pretty cool shots of him. I think we captured his personality. The close-ups of him are our favorites, plus the vertical black and white image (see below) was my #1 fav. Evan and the clan seemed to have a good time, and the images turned out to our liking as well. See more on the site, and click here to see a short video from the session… Enjoy…

Athletic Bean Dip (South Texas Style)....

2011-03-07T21:48:00.003-06:00

Lauren is a very athletic young lady from Floresville. Her nickname is "Bean Dip". She plays volleyball, basketball, and softball... Unfortunately, her HS athletic career was cut short a few weeks ago with a knee injury... She's definately a trooper... Hurt knee and all, she was game for anything. She had this out-of-this-world, peacock dress (with feathers and all)... so we started with this outfit. We played a little, then incorporated the peacock feathers... boy, did we have some fun. Her smile is perfect for her future profession, (yep, you guessed it, dentist)... Afterwards, she put on her fuscia, patterned dress and we went outside to a blooming peach tree... the pink flowers were almost as gorgeous as she was. Some of my favorite images came from this location.... We wrapped up the session with her black Hummer.... We waited for the sun to set and captured some really cool images... Lauren was a blast to work with, she is a fun, outgoing, and has a smile that knocks your socks off... Hope mom, g-ma, and Lauren like the images... we certainly do... More images on the site, and click here for a short video from the session... Enjoy...

Nadine's Quinceanera...

2011-02-27T07:46:00.004-06:00

We had the fortune of photographing Nadine's Quinceanera portraits last weekend. She chose the Japanese Tea Gardens, here in SA. Here dress was a brilliant light green, which went well with the green in the area. It's hard to believe she's only 14 yrs old... She'll celebrate her 15th, late next month... Enjoy...

Maddie...

2011-02-26T10:49:00.003-06:00

It's been almost five years since we've had a dog, but yesterday we got Maddie... She's a Cockapoo (cross between a cocker spaniel and a poodle)... The boys are lovin' every minute of her... Played this morning outside and got some images... Hopefully, she brings us many years of wonderful joy and companionship...

A Rodeo Ropin' Beauty...

2011-02-13T15:04:00.006-06:00

Keyla, pronounced KEE-LA, is from West Texas (over 300 miles from here). I know we’ve been blessed when someone drives that far to have us capture their portraits. We photographed her sister, Kolby, a few years ago, so we have experience working with the family. Keyla is a Country with a lil’ City, Fashiony yet Down-to-Earth, young lady. She’ll tell you like it is, very bold, but yet there’s a child-like innocence to her. She still watches Sponge Bob (was I supposed to mention that?). West Texas living tends to delay the depravity that living in the city tends to have on people. Maybe that’s why they are so easy to like. Anyway, Keyla wanted images that were different from anyone else’s, so that’s what we gave her. We photographed outside in the tall grassy fields, then came inside and did some in her rodeo outfit. She’s an avid roper, actually earning a scholarship for it. Did I mention tough? A few years ago, she had a riding accident (broken bones, the big one was her jaw), the Good Lord healed her up, with no noticeable scars, and she was back at it in no time. We then proceeded to the San Antonio Missions. Mission Concepcion was our backdrop for most of the rest of the session. Just think, that Mission is hundreds of years old. We finished up a block away, at a little convenience store. It had a mural painted on the side that was so cool, so we incorporated it into some images (some of my favorites). The session went a little long but Keyla persevered and we got some fantabulous images… ones that are like none we’ve done before. Keyla, hope you like’em. More images on the web, and click here to see a short video from the session (to see the 720pHD version click here)…. Enjoy….

SNOW DAY.....

2011-02-04T16:02:00.003-06:00

That's right, snow day in San Antonio, TX... It was only about 1/4" but it covered the house, walkways, roads, with only patches in the grass... Snow is snow, so we got up early, when we found out that schools were closed we played in it all morning... Of course pictures were taken, come on, how often does it snow it South Texas? Below are my two favorites... The sunrise was absolutely gorgeous (since we haven't seen it in a few days), and the one of Colby is my #1 favorite.... By 11 am most of the snow was completely gone... Tomorrow, temps are in the 60s, so we were blessed with a little surprise and a day off from school....

Imaging USA in SA 2011....

2011-01-17T22:20:00.006-06:00

Spent the last two days at Imaging USA (a photography convention). There was so much to see, learn from, it just blows your mind. Highlights were: looking at the award winning images from photographers all over the country, products, products, products... gadgets, gadgets, gadgets, and of course seeing and learning from some of the top people in the business... I loved these new floor/background rubber mattes (unbelieveably real looking), the selection of photo albums, and of course the products related to photography. I think the highlight of the convention was watching Clay Blackmore and Stephen Eastwood photograph in the Canon booth. The simple props and lighting were incredible. I'm going to have to practice these techniques and add them to our repertoire (did I spell that right?)of style. I did take the CPP exam while I was there... I think I passed (fingers crossed)... Imaging will be back in SA in 2015... enjoyed it...

Special Dinner Guests...

2011-01-15T22:21:00.004-06:00

We had the privilege of having Jim and Joel Grimes over for dinner the other evening. Joel is a commercial photographer (better yet, photography artist) from Arizona and California. I've admired his work for a few years now. His brother Jim is a firefighter in Tuscon, AZ. We talked photography, Joel shared some of his funny photography stories, while Jim shared stories of he and Joel growing up. The best part was when they shared their faith with us. I'm not one to hold people in high esteem, like many do with famous athletes or celebrities, but Joel and Jim are the real deal; authentic through and through. I feel so blessed to have had the opportunity to get to meet and know them, and now when I see Joel's work, or learn a technique or two from him (he's beginning to teach around the world more and more now), I know the story behind the scenes... I'm truly touched and inspired...

A Close-Knit Family....

2011-01-15T22:08:00.003-06:00

The Campbell family came in for a portrait session a few days ago. We photographed Emily a few weeks ago for her senior portraits, and mom, being one to seize an opportunity, scheduled the family session with us too. You never know how fast time goes by until all of your children are grown up and moved out. Being a military family, they truly know what it means to be there for each other. When families move every 3-4 years, the only constant they really have is eachother (the family unit itself). They seem to be a really close and loving family, it definately shows when they talk and laugh together. We had a good time and the images turned out great. It's always a privilege to help capture the different stages that families go through as they journey through life. Thanks Campbell family, for allowing us to take part in your journey...

One Year Later....

2010-12-29T18:28:00.010-06:00

It's hard to believe it's been a year since her birth. I remember going to the hospital and seeing her for the first time last year on Christmas day. We did her newborn portraits just 10 days after she was born. Aryana just celebrated her first birthday, so we had her back for her one year portraits. She's a spittn' image of her dad, and very, very full of life. The session went well, got some really cute stuff and I know her mom and dad will love 'em. Here are a few from the session... Enjoy...

Wolves, bees, and a furry lil’ creature...

2010-12-21T11:40:00.007-06:00

Emily is a senior at Randolph HS. She’s a beautiful young lady… I mean beauty comes from within, and her outsides definitely match her insides. She’s witty, funny, and caring. She wants to be a therapist when she finishes her education. She plans on attending Carson Newman in Tennessee in the Fall. The title of this entry seems a little bizarre for Central Texas, but it’s true. We were in our neighbor’s field and I almost stepped on a rabbit. He let us get pretty close to him, so I named him Peter (cottontail hopping down the bunny trail). While Emily was lying in the grass, several baby wolf spiders seemed to like her so they crawled under her fancy top. Like a tough chick, she calmly allowed mom and sister to evacuate the little critters. While we were in the front yard a bee just so happened to land on her head. Mom, graciously pretended to comb her hair and shoo it away, and Emily didn’t see it until it flew off. She is deathly afraid of bees, so mom’s valiant attempt to quietly rid her hair of this bee worked perfectly. The fun culminated with Emily is her gorgeous dress (one of my favorite pics, see below). I think Emily and the gang had a great time, and we got some fantabulous images. More images on the site. Click here to see a short video of the session. Enjoy….

Family Portrait Time...

2010-12-12T22:37:00.003-06:00

It's that time of year... The Slate family portrait... We had a hard time deciding on what to do, so Michelle rounded up the clothes, I picked the area, and we were off... Of course photographing your own family is difficult enough, so I had on my patient pants... I had an idea before we went, M wasn't thrilled at the idea... However, after numerous trys, we ended up doing my idea, and it was the one we picked... Please leave us a comment or two and tell us your thoughts...

Lady Law Law....

2010-12-05T12:59:00.004-06:00

Martha is a senior at Randolph HS (thanks Bailey)… I guess everyone wants to know why the title? Well, Martha loves, I mean absolutely loves, Lady Gaga. She also wants to practice law when she’s older. So why not combine Lady Gaga and a Law Attorney into one? She is funny, happy, bold, and full of personality. I’d also say she’s very photogenic. We started inside with the photobooth images, then went outside to our neighbor’s house and used his fence and field. We then captured some images with her favorite thing to do, reading books. We finished up with the car and some Gaga Hair images inside (see below). Martha brought her friend, Rebecca, with her and she helped out. We did take an image of Rebecca and Martha wearing cowboy hats that is so stinkin’ cute, but Martha would kill us if we posted it so you’ll just have to use your imagination with that one. The images turned out fantabulous and Martha, Rebecca, and Mom had a good time. There are some more images on our website, and click here to watch a short video from the session. Enjoy…

Fun in the Fall with Friends....

2010-11-28T13:30:00.004-06:00

Some of our dear friends were in town for the Thanksgiving weekend, so we had them over yesterday. Khrista wanted some family portraits, so we did a short session with them outside in the fields. Several images were definately keepers, and we all had a fun time, frolicing, fellowshipping, and just chatting. Their two children are so adorable. One of the things that really stands out about them is their appreciation of photography. They get it... understanding how valuable these fleeting moments captured on paper/digitally really are... It's always nice being around those whose gratitude surpasses yours....

Catching the last rays of the sun on a crisp, Fall day in South Texas...

Cuddling up with the fam...

Tell me this isn't the cutest lil' boy in the entire world, and those baby blues....

What Makes Holidays Special...

2010-11-26T20:38:00.002-06:00

Family time is what makes the Holiday Season so special. We had the fortune of photographing the Larocca family today. Jenn called us back in the Summer and wanted to schedule a family session over the Thanksgiving Holiday weekend. It's hard to imagine that time has already passed, and the session is already over. Anyway, Jenn wanted a professional family portrait session because they never had one done before. We photographed her son, Owen, earlier this year so we had already worked with her. The family consists of Mom and Dad Larocca, 4 biological sons and spouses, 10 grandkids; totaling 20 members in all. It's so wonderful to see how one family turns into other families, then get together to share in one big family... sounds funny doesn't it. Anyway, we ended up photographing 23 different people during the session, my light power source went out during the 2nd family grouping, but thanks to 75 feet of extension cord, and a local ice machine, it all worked out. The images turned out really nice, and I'm sure the families will love 'em. Here's one of the entire Larocca family... Thanks again, Jenn, for the opportunity to create this priceless heirloom... a.k.a. Captured Keepsake....

America's Next Top....

2010-11-24T19:11:00.007-06:00

Sarah is a sophomore in HS... She is starting out in modeling and acting. She came to us wanting a good headshot and body shot for promoting her modeling/acting ambitions. She's headed to Florida in December for some kind of competition, and hopefully our images help her achieve her goals... By the way if you're ever in La Vernia and you stop by to get a Slush from the local Drive In, you might just see her on roller skates serving you.... Below are a few from the session. Best wishes Sarah....

A Life Above Par....

2010-11-21T11:49:00.005-06:00

Phillip is a senior at Johnson HS. He’s witty, determined, and a seemingly honest person. He’s on the golf team, and most of his time is spent playing golf. He plans on attending a university and studying to become a doctor. Specifically, a neurologist. Phillip wanted to incorporate his love for golf into his session, so that’s what we did. We started inside, with some natural light portraits… then made it out to the shaded tree area. One of my favorites from the session was one in his lettermen jacket. We then shot some with the car and open fields. We finished up with his golf attire. Got some really cool images outside with the overcast sky in the background. Phillip seemed to enjoy the session, and we got some really great expressions and images. Click here to see some more images on our site, and here to watch a short video from the session… Enjoy.

Taylor...

2010-11-14T14:08:00.002-06:00

... is a senior at JM. I had the fortune of having her in one of my classes a few years ago. I also had her sister. Taylor is a fun, cute, and witty young lady. She is in the journalism department at our school, and wants to study law in College. Taylor wanted to have her sister in some of her images so Lindsey, came home from College for the session. We started out with the photo booth session, her sister seemed to bring out the funny side of Taylor and we got some very funny faces, and a lot of laughs. We then made it outside. The weather was perfect, so we used the great light to capture both of them at their best. As we were walking back, I kept seeing opportunities, so we’d stop and take some more images. After two more outfit changes, we wrapped up the session with some wonderful sunset light. From laughs to getting freightened by a butterfly, we had a great time and captured some uber-cool images. Some images are on the site, and click here to see a short video from the session… Enjoy….

Future Star....

2010-11-07T15:12:00.002-06:00

Patty came to us needing some promotional acting images. I had the privilege of having her as a student many moons ago. We ran into her at a wedding we recently photographed and one thing led to another.... Patty is a very outgoing, fun, and vibrant young lady. She needed a headshot so we started in the garage. It's the best lighting there is. And fortunately, when we had our home built, I planned the garage entrance to be North facing (for that very reason). Patty's brother is an aspiring actor and when she went with him to a recent outing, the agency asked if she had any desire to act. Maybe she'll be the next America Farrar (did I spell that right?)... I'm so out of the loop..... Anyway, the images turned out great and my favorite (below), is simply stunning... If her career ever takes off, I can say, I knew her before fame came her way.... Patty, we wish you well, with your feet on the ground and keep reaching for the stars.....

Lauren U....

2010-10-24T11:59:00.003-06:00

Lauren is a senior at Clemens HS. She's a quiet, reserved, and determined young lady. Lauren wants to move some where cold after her education is finished. She said she loves the cold environment. Colorado sounds great, doesn't it? Of course she will have to invite us up to visit. We started the session down by the creek with her very chic outfit. We then made it to the car with her very stylin' red top with zebra-striped skirt. We finished up with a spectacular sunset and some field captures. Lauren seemed to have a great time, minus the mosquitoes (of course we had the ever-so-popular non-greasy repellent). Lauren, hope you enjoyed the session, and like the images... we certainly do. Click here to see more on the site, and here to watch a short video from the session. Enjoy...

A Beautiful Fall Day with Shea....

2010-10-17T13:20:00.002-06:00

Franshary (Fran-Shar-rie), or Shea, her nickname, is a senior at JM. She's a very out-going, fun-to-be-around, creative, and talented young lady. She's in choir and has a smile that will light up a room the minute she enters. She wants to sing or teach singing when she starts her career. Did I mention she can sing? I mean really sing! Mylie Cyrus' got nothing on you Shea....she'll have to "Climb" up to your level... hehehehe... I may have you back just to sing to us again. Anyway, the session was fun, it was hard not to smile, because her's was so contagious. We started in the garage, made it out to the flower beds, then the haybarn, garage wall, field, car, and finished inside. We got some way cool images with her guitar. I hope she likes 'em? More images on the site, and click here to watch a short video of the session. Enjoy...

The Beautiful Texas Coast in October

2010-10-11T21:38:00.010-06:00

We just returned from our Bi-annual trip to the Texas Coast. We saw an abundance of wildlife (dolphins, jellyfish,numerous kinds of birds and fish, not to mention a coyote). The water was really calm, waves only 3 rows, and temps were great too. The scenery was beautiful, very green with a ton of small sunflowers. The only downside was the mosquitoes... I think they should be called the Texas state pest. All of the island's stores were out of Insect repellent (had to drive to Wally World to get some). Fortunately, on the way the sunrise was spectacular by the bay bridge. Got some cool shots there. Most of the images below were taken with a point-and-shoot camera (who says you need a fancy camera to take cool images?). Leave us a comment or two if you like the images.....

Brad & Christa's Wedding

2010-10-02T14:25:00.005-06:00

The wedding day finally arrived, and what a beautiful day it was... The weather was perfect, the couple looked fantastic, and we were ready for some great image making. The couple chose a beautiful Church in the Hill Country. The views are breath-taking. We got some great images before the ceremony of Christa and her bridesmaids, as well as Brad and his crew. The ceremony went on without a glitch. Afterwards, we took the new Mr. & Mrs. up a hill behind the church and took some of our favorite images. The reception followed with a Hill Country flair. We had a great time, and the images turned out fantabulous... Here's a short video of the day... Congratulations Brad and Christa, may your marriage be a lifelong journey of joy and discovery. Enjoy.

Model Couple...

2010-09-05T11:47:00.005-06:00

We are privileged to be photographing Christa and Brad's upcoming wedding at the end of this month. Brad is in the reserves (he just returned from the Middle East) and planning on going back to school to finish his degree. Christa is working her way up the corporate chain with a national company. They wanted some fun, outside images for their engagement portraits. As the session went on, I just kept telling myself, "Wow, these guys look like models". I wonder what their children will look like? Anyway, we had a good time, and Brad survived the duration of the session. Hope everyone likes 'em. We are looking forward to being part of their wedding day. Enjoy...

Don't Mess with Alexis...

2010-08-28T20:08:00.002-06:00

...just like Texas. Alexis is a senior at JM. She's a very intelligent, athletic, and determined young lady. She wants to pursue the medical profession when she graduates. The one thing you should know about her is that she’s a mixed martial arts competitor. You don’t want to mess with her. Alexis wanted pictures with the car, and then wanted to really do some cool images with her martial arts outfit. We started early in the morning, which was extremely nice for this time of year. It was a whopping 69 degrees when she arrived (that’s unheard of for South Texas in August). We started out in the fields with her fantabulous multicolored dress. We then made our way to the car. We stopped in the garage, then used the old door, and finished up inside with some way cool MMA action images. The session did go long, but Alexis hung in there and proved her worth. The images are out-of-this-world. I hope she likes ‘em. Even if she doesn’t, I certainly do. If anyone needs a bodyguard, that could double for a beautiful date, Alexis is your choice. More on the site, and click here to see a short video from the session. Enjoy….

McKayla...

2010-08-15T14:42:00.003-06:00

is a senior at JM this year. I had the privilege of photographing her sister last year, and had both of them in one of my classes a few years ago. McKayla is the outgoing, talkative, dance to her own music, one of the family... She's very intelligent and plays soccer... She plans on attending a local school when she graduates and is not sure what she wants to study... Her clothing selection seemed to cover the gamit... A beautiful black dress, a cute and colorful sun dress, and then a soccer outfit. It was hot, but she was a trooper... We started inside with her soccer gear, then made it out to the trampoline for the elegant, jumping images... which turned out way cool... We then used the swing, the black car, our new Texas flag, an old door, the field, and finished up back inside with her books and made a cool soccer image... She had been hiking at Enchanted Rock earlier in the day, so I don't know how she survived our session, but she did.... We all had a great time, and the images turned out even better... More images on the site, and click here for a short video from the session... Enjoy...

Mister Owen....

2010-08-08T08:16:00.004-06:00

Owen is 7 yrs old... His mom was in town and decided to call us for a portrait session... She has taken his portrait every year, and wanted to get his 7th year portrait before he turns 8. Owen is a funny, animated, and vibrant young man... Did I mention he's got an arm on him? He kept making faces and posing like a WWE wrestler... forgot to mention him flashing the hook'em horns sign... We had a great time with him... His big brown eyes really pop in all the images.... I think his favorite part was picking up all the pennies... His mom plans on coming back in November for an entire family session... Here are a few images from the session.... Enjoy....

Where there's a Will.....

2010-08-07T20:51:00.003-06:00

there's a way... William is a senior at JM. I had the privilege of photographing his brother a few years ago... He is an extremely intelligent, athletic, and determined individual. I can't believe what some of our seniors do. For instance, he's a football and baseball player, has a job, and belongs to the PALs group at school... when does he have time to study? And yet he is ranked in the top 20 in his class... (that's 18 out of about 650 students). He wanted some images with his truck, some cool formal images, and then we got to have the real fun.... he's an athlete so we did some ultracool images with some sports equipment... then his relaxation time is spent playing video games (specifically Call of Duty). So we went all out and made some ubercool images with his combat gear... We had a great time and the images turned out fantabulous... Hope he and mom like 'em... More on the site, and click here to watch a short video of the session... Enjoy...

Big Bend NP...

2010-08-05T12:46:00.005-06:00

We just returned from a trip to Big Bend National Park here in Texas. I took two of my boys and two of my nephews. From tarantulas to javelinas, steep mountain hikes to 107 degree temperature canyons, we had a great time... and many stories will be told for years to come... Did I mention a skunk walking under two of our chairs, while we were still in them? Anyway, I hope my boys and nephews will remember these times for the rest of their lives, and maybe even take their children out there some day too.... I love the outdoors...

Here's a image driving down to Rio Grande Village... That's Mexico in the back.

Here's an image from Lost Mine Trail... the lighting was phenomenal...

Miss Jenna...

2010-08-03T16:21:00.003-06:00

Jenna is our niece… she just graduated from high school in Florida back in May. She came to spend some time with her favorite Aunt Michelle (and Grandma Joyce) a few weeks ago. She's quiet, very helpful and honest, and is a healthy eating, athletic young lady. She plans on attending Florida State in a few weeks, probably majoring in Biology (I think). Since I just so happened to be married to her favorite Aunt, I thought, “pretty girl, off for the Summer, why not take some images of her (I might even call them Senior Portraits)”... Hehehehe… Anyway, she wanted flowers so we went to the Botanical Gardens… I must say, I’ve never seen it this pretty in years… Of course the weather was wacky… First, we had to let a rain shower pass by, then we walked the grounds made plans for cloudy shooting, then right when we get ready to start, the sun comes out! Plan B…. the images turned out really cool, and she really liked ‘em…. Since she was here for a couple of weeks, we had another session as well… the great benefit of being related to us ;) So now that she’s back in Florida, and I’m back from Big Bend, I put together some of the pics in a slide show… I hope she likes them, we certainly do…. Click here to see more on the site, and here to watch a short video from the sessions…. Feel free to leave comments (we always enjoy reading them)… Enjoy….

1 Statuesque Bride + 1 Rickety Old Bench =

2010-07-25T12:07:00.004-06:00

We had Christa out to the studio yesterday to take her bridal portraits... We've had the privilege of taking her Senior Portraits a few years ago, and are again blessed to be asked to photograph her wedding... Her wedding is in September, so you know what that means, really hot weather for bridal portraits... The funny thing, or should I be honest and give credit where credit is due (to God), is that it wasn't really hot.... As she drove up there was a huge (I mean huge) set of dark clouds to the Southeast of us... And it was thundering really loud.... the wind picked up and I thought, "this is going to be interesting". To make a long story short, it passed over quickly, cooled the temperature down about 10 degrees, and kept a cool steady breeze... you couldn't have asked for better weather... Thanks Lord (for the millionth time). Anyway, this is the only preview we can show, due to the nature of the portraits (I know you'll understand), you can't be showin' bridal portraits to everyone before the wedding... where's the ettiquette? Getting back to Christa... She's a tall, extremely beautiful young lady... when she was all dressed up, she was exquisitely gorgeous... Her sister kept saying, "you look so grown up"... I love my job... The only image I can show is her shadow, in case anyone was wondering what this is....

Towards the end of the session, we put her on an old bench we've had for a while now... About 5 minutes into this placement, the bench began to slowy move... We stopped, made one or two adjustments... I made the comment, "well, if it breaks, we'll all get a good laugh"... 1 minute later, "Kaboom", it collapsed, bride and all.... we all were laughing so hard... Christa, you are truly a good sport.... anyway, here's a pic of what it looked like afterwards... and no, it wasn't because of her, it was just old.... we got some great images, and we all had a great time.... Christa, can't wait to see you again for your engagement (and meet the lucky guy)....

Ms. Bailey....

2010-07-16T11:47:00.006-06:00

Bailey is a senior at Randolph HS... She heard of us through a senior from there that we photographed last year... You know you've heard that good things come in small packages, well, it definitely holds true with her... She seems to have a good sense of humor, is considerate of others, and definitely loves her daddy... Of course she loves her mom too (they seem to have a close relationship), but she's a daddy's girl... Go Tigers!!! Bailey will have the privilege of representing CK at Randolph HS this year... We know she'll do a great job for us... Bailey seems to have a good eye for fashion... Her first outfit really brought out her incredible blue eyes... The haybarn was really hot, so we took a few quick-cool-off-with-my-manual-fan-technique breaks... and the pictures really popped... we took a few with some sunflowers, then went to the creek... (did I mention the machette?) We finished up with this totally cool outfit for the car... I don't watch much TV but a few of the images reminded me of those movies where the woman is walking in slow motion, wind blowing her hair, and everyone is staring... They turned out fantastic.... hopefully Bailey and mom love these, I definitely do.... More on the site, and click here to watch a short video from the session... enjoy....

Kristy and Eric....

2010-07-14T10:50:00.005-06:00

...are getting married this September. I photographed Kristy's sister's senior portraits earlier this year, they loved the images enough to come back. Eric seems like an easy going, mild-mannered, and loving individual... Kristy seems like a loyal, funny, and dedicated young lady... They wanted outside images, so we planned an early evening session... We started in white by the garage wall, then changed outfits for some low-key studio images, then made it back outside (after a sweat break) and used the Crepe Merdle trees for the background (did I spell that right?). We finished up with their brown and green outfits... Kristy and Eric seem to get along really well, and we think they will enjoy starting a family and cherishing life's moments together... A couple more images are on the site.... Thanks you two for choosing CK for your engagement portraits....

Talented Young Man...

2010-06-29T20:01:00.005-06:00

Aaron is our last 2010 senior… he called us back in early May… and since we had a busy June, a couple of days ago was the only time we had available… It was kind of nice, because everything was so relaxed... no worries about getting images before graduation, and all the things that go along with that... He graduated from FBA in May… He’s a soccer player, plays the saxophone, and is a Christian young man. He’s going to go to school in Kansas this Fall… The session was fun, we got some real smiles out of him (no, I’m not revealing our “get them to smile” secrets), and got some fantastic images. He wanted to emphasize his soccer abilities, so we did some action shots, as well as trying to replicate a famous soccer player on a video game cover… it turned out pretty cool…. We then got some with his instrument, and did some outside in the fields, and with the car. I think Aaron enjoyed himself, even if we did go a little long… More on the site, and here to see a short video of the session….. Enjoy….

Back from PPO School...

2010-06-26T21:00:00.003-06:00

Just returned from PPO School... had fun, learned some new things, and made some new friends... while I was there I made an image of one of St. Gregory's staff... His name is Brother George.... He's the school's photographer... Anyway, I met him last year, so we knew each other... I told him of my image concept and he was game for it... After capturing the images and doing some CK PSing, it all came together... I entered it in the photo contest they have at the end of the school, but it didn't win... However, the crowd loved it, and that's what really mattered, creating an image with impact.... I titled it "Secret Weapon".... Enjoy....

Last day in Puerto Rico....

2010-06-14T15:49:00.003-06:00

For the last week we've been exploring the gateway to the Carribbean, Puerto Rico. From a Rain Forest to several boat rides, beautiful beaches to the Mall of the Americas, Old Spanish forts to a 500 year old city, we had a blast... The image posted below is from today... we were in El Yunque National Rain Forest, it's the only tropical rain forest in the US Forestry Service... Anyway, on the hike down to La Mina Falls, I ran across a lizard on a tree... the lighting wasn't ideal, so I opted to silhouette it.... I think it's really cool... From sounds of the Coqui Frog and numerous waterfalls, to the smell of fresh rain in a green tropical rain forest these are memories I'll take with me as we leave.... If I find time later this month, I might post more images... Enjoy...

Jaclyn...

2010-06-05T21:36:00.006-06:00

is a senior at JM. I had her in one of my classes this past year... She's bold, straight-forward, and when you ask for her opinion, prepare yourself for a reality check... Yep, she's not afraid to tell you like it is... Kinda reminds me of me... hehehehe.. Anyway, she's gonna be one of our Model Reps this year and I know she'll do a great job... by the way, ANF has nothing on her, this of course coming from a second hand photo shop.... (inside joke)... The image posted below was one I've been wanting to do for a while now... she came to me and showed me a pic she had on her cell phone, and wham... I knew she was the one.... I'm sure you'll be seeing more of Jaclyn throughout the year....

Miss Lauren...

2010-05-30T13:23:00.002-06:00

…is one of our 2011 Senior Model Reps from JM this year… I had the privilege of having her and her sister in one of my classes in the past.. I got the privilege of meeting mom yesterday for the first time, and the only thing I can say is now I know where these girls get there respectfulness, academic drive, and all around easy to like qualities from… Lauren will be a 2011 senior in a few days, she’s also a cheerleader… She is very impressionable when you first meet her, kinda quiet, but shows her genuiness pretty quickly…. I look forward to working with her throughout this next school year… I know she’ll do a great job for us….

Dollie Dance Team....

2010-05-17T18:34:00.003-06:00

Every year we get the opportunity to photograph the JM Dollie Dance team... We've been doing this for the last 5 or 6 years (I can't remember, it's what happens to you when you get old, as they tell me)... Anyway, the girls get excited and pick partners and show us their posing ideas... most are really creative... We take a nice headshot, then do the fun partner pose.... Anyway, I thought I'd post one this year.... Click here to watch a video of the session.... Enjoy...

Spring Time Family...

2010-05-16T06:41:00.010-06:00

Scott and Chelli are great friends of ours... and their girls are absolutely beautiful... This is our 3rd time photographing them in the last year... Photographing small children is a challenge... I have so much respect for those great children photographers, they have little secrets that most don't know exist... We started outside... unfortunately the flowers had grown up so high, that placing the girls in the flowers would've hidden their entire bodies in the grass... so we opted for a sky image (see below)... kind of looks like it was taken on a beach somewhere.... we then let the girls play on the trampolline, then changed outfits and headed for the car, which turned out really nice.... then finished up in the studio... I know Scott and Chelli were a little frustrated, but I'm certain the images will prove the session worthy... Enjoy...

Third Time's the Charm....

2010-05-15T12:22:00.002-06:00

Sarah is a senior at Reagan HS… she came to us from a referral from a senior we photographed last year (thanks Lauren). She’s headed to TCU in the fall, wanting to study either business or education (I think)… Anyway, she’s bright, very social, and very anti-mosquito… hehehe The title of this blog is because we got the privilege of photographing her three times. The first, due to bad weather, we photographed in the garage and studio…she needed a head shot and body shot for the sorority process she’s going through for TCU. Then we rescheduled her to come back and finish, but one of her friends couldn’t get off work, so we just photographed her in her second outfit. Finally, last Wednesday, the friends all showed up and we had a great time…. I must say Sarah, you sure pick fun friends. Trying to fight 20-30 mph winds was a chore, especially when all 4 girls had long hair…. Anyway, we accomplished the mission and all of the images turned out fantastic… Even the one with mom in the picture (hehehehe)…. We hope Sarah likes the images, we certainly do…. More on the site, and click here to see a short video of the session…. Enjoy…

Shelly....

2010-05-02T10:51:00.003-06:00

is a senior at East Central HS... She found out about us through a senior we photographed last year (thanks Jessica)... Shelly is a fun, cute as a button, and a spontaneous, young lady. She wants to go to that school, you know, the one that teaches how to gigs frogs... anyway, she wants to become a dermatologist... We started out with her cute white top and blue jean skirt... The garage, and the fields were the setting for some wonderful images... we then did her cap and gown outside on the swing (that was a first for us)... She then put on the elegant black dress (which made her look spectacular) and we photographed her along the tree line of our house... she finally changed into her fabulous blue-bonnet blue and off white dress... we started on the drive way, and finished up in the yellow flowers.... We had a good time, and Shelly was still smiling afterwards.... The images turned out wunderbar, and I hope she likes 'em.... I certainly do... More on the site, and click here for a short video from the session.... Enjoy....

I just have to mention how grateful we are to have such wonderful clients, and to be blessed by God to be able to do this... I can't express how thankful I am that the Lord has trusted us with the opportunity to share in the lives of others with such a special occasion.... Thank you all, 2010 seniors, for allowing us this blessing and privilege....

R&R on the Waterfront.....

2010-04-24T20:26:00.005-06:00

This weekend we took our annual pilgrimmage down to the Coast... It's the first trip we've taken since Dec. I've been looking forward to it ever since Spring Break (since we didn't get to go anywhere)... Do you ever wonder what God was thinking about when He makes a sunrise? Everyday it's so different.... Anyway, there's something about sitting on a beach with the wind blowing in your face with no one around... You have the entire beach to yourself... Then that wonderful orb starts to surface and with camera in hand (well actually on a tripod), you fire off a few shots, and some times you just get lucky (with a little preparation, it happens more often)... I used several split neutral density filters on the camera to balance the light... of course there's a couple of minor things I did in PS.... Just wanted to share....

Jessica E...

2010-04-20T21:55:00.005-06:00

Jessica is a senior at Randolph HS… she came to us through our RHS Rep Shannon (thanks S)… After graduation she plans to move back to Ohio and study to become a nurse… Jessica is funny, talkative, and (as she says) random… We ran into some weather problems during her session, so we ended up splitting it into two separate days of shooting… We started at a bridge about 7 miles from here… That’s another story in and of itself… Traffic, cars zooming by, M scared to death, and severe overcast were only a few obstacles in our way… After the bridge, we made it to the park… millions of yellow sewage flowers (that’s what I call them) covered the heavily wooded area…. Jessica’s pink top fit right in… We then came back to the studio and did some hooded sweatshirt images inside and finished up with her on the swing (some of my favorites)… we called it a day, then met up a week and a half later… This time we were met with sunny skies and no wind… out in the fields, Jess wore this blue cool top with jeans… we then made it to the bluebonnets, and finished up with her laying in the grass… In her final outfit, we decided to use some spectacular yellow flowers across the street… As the sun began to set, we laughed and enjoyed Jessica’s interview… I hope she likes the images, I sure do… More images on the site, and click here to see a short video of the session…. Enjoy….

Macenzie....

2010-04-10T21:44:00.004-06:00

Macenzie is a Senior at JM…. I’ve had the privilege of having her in one of my classes last year… Macenzie is a soft-spoken, intelligent, athletic, and well-rounded young lady… She wants to get a degree in education then teach at the High School level and coach soccer. I don’t see anything standing in her way… Macenzie wanted images from the creek, the swing, and the field… So we started down at the creek, we then made it to our neighbor’s Indian Paint Brush flowers… there were blues, purples, and yellows too… When then borrowed another neighbor’s field of purple and white flowers… there was also an old fence there that we used… The swing was next, and we finished up inside the studio on white….. I had photographed B-Stadium about a month ago with Macenzie in mind…. So I made a composite that turned out really cool…. We got some really good images and Macenzie seemed to have fun too…. More on the site, and click here to see a short video from the session…. Enjoy…

Amy....

2010-04-04T11:18:00.002-06:00

Amy is a senior at JM…. I never met her until our preconsultation, but during the session I got to know her a little… She seems reserved & respectful…. Her smile is one that surpasses most; when she does, it’s like a magnet that draws your own mouth up at the corners…. She wants to become a veterinarian, and from what I’ve seen, I expect people to be bringing their animals to her in the near future….. We planned her session to start down at the creek… the leaves haven’t fully come in yet, but it was still beautiful…. I had a hard time maneuvering into the right spot, and eventually fell in… it was pretty funny… Forgot to mention the snake in the water (Amy didn’t even flinch), well, that’s why we didn’t get any images with her feet in the water…. We made our way down to the shallow part of the creek and got some fabulous images there…. After an outfit change, we used the studio for some high-key images… then finished up back at our neighbor’s house (thanks Debra and Troy) with the flowers and rose bushes… The images turned out wunderbar, some I absolutely love…. So after, a quick swim in the creek (falling in), our studio light burning out and stinking up the place, and a snake in the water, I’m sure Amy will be remembering this day for a long time to come…. Click here to see a few images on the site, and here to see a short video of the session…. Enjoy….

Totally Tonya....

2010-04-03T10:13:00.003-06:00

Tonya is a senior at JM… She’s one of my CK Reps this year… I had the privilege of having her in one of my classes last year… She’s a PAL, and a very good student…. She has a good sense of humor and wants to study animals is Africa, becoming the next Jane Goodall…. I don’t know if she meant that or not (like I said sense of humor), but I’m sure she’ll succeed at whatever she does… Tonya wanted different images… so that’s what we gave her…. We borrowed a field of oak trees and bluebonnets from a fellow country livin’ neighbor… I came up with this idea just for her… Tonya wore this beautiful white, long-flowing dress in the oak tree area… when I took the first image I knew we had something special… my wife said, “wow, she looks like Halle Berry” (hopefully that’s a compliment, at least for looks sake)…. We then moved to the bluebonnets (I mean an entire field of them)… Tonya stepped on a sticker and had it in her foot for a while (I won’t mention how she asked her mom to get it out ; )….. Anyway, we then went into some of the thicker oak tree area, and tried lighting the area up and have smoke flow through the backlit sun light…. Unfortunately, it didn’t work out (Tonya, you might need to find another way to test the direction of wind flow from now on, hehehehehe)… We still got some good images of her in her cool satin red dress… Forgot to mention the mosquitoes…. I know Tonya will never forget those… Tonya then wanted to sit and hang in a tree… we found the perfect limb and captured those shots too…. We finished up in the studio with the cap and gown traditional images… From stickers, to mosquitoes, to almost falling out of a tree, I think Tonya had a memorable experience… and got some fantastic images to boot…. Oh, forgot to thank Phillip for coming out and helping out…. Hope you learned something Phillip… click here to see a short video from the session, and here to view a few more on the site…. As Tonya would say, “Peace Out” ; )

Kathie....

2010-03-30T06:11:00.004-06:00

is a senior at JM... I've had the privilege of having her in two of my classes... She's quiet, humble, a very caring person... Kathie is one of those very deserving persons that cares about what she does and puts others before herself... Imagine that, a teenager thinking of others? Anyway, we started in the studio taking the classic Cap and Gown image... we then borrowed our neighbor's property with a ton of light purple flowers... got some fantabulous images there, then we used the car with her black dress.... All of this in a matter of two hours (a record for us).... My wife commented on several of her images that they were her favorites from this entire year.... Kathie, you better like these or else.... or else I'll have to tell me wife that she has bad taste.... hehehehehe More images on the site.... Enjoy....

Stylin' Jessica F...

2010-03-28T13:32:00.004-06:00

Jessica is a senior at Reagan HS… we had the privilege of photographing her sister a couple of years ago, and was fortunate enough to see Kayla at this session… Jessica seems well grounded and has a great sense of humor… oh yeah, forgot to mention her great taste in colleges too (get your guns up) Texas Tech. We started off the session with her cool lime green shirt… we used some of the backlit green grass, then made our way to the front yard (full of all types of wild weed flowers)… She then changed in to her black top with tourquiose earings and necklace and headed to the haybarn... We finished up with her fabulous Ed Hardy shoes, cool shirt with vest, and rhinestone studded hat with the car... Her images turned out really cool…. I hope she likes ‘em, I do….. Click here to see more on the site, and here to watch a short video of the session…. Enjoy….

Poncho....

2010-03-27T09:08:00.007-06:00

Poncho is an old friend of the family... He used to work for my father-in-law, before he passed away 4 years ago... He is the same age as my FIL would've been, 81 years old, and still working hard every day.... He came from Mexico and worked hard labor his entire life.... I never thought I'd see him again, and the other day, he just showed up... He had lost something, so he came back here to see if he might find it... Good fortune had it, he found it... He stayed here a couple of days and cleaned up my MIL's yard and helped with ours.... While he was here, it brought back memories of days gone by.... It made us think about Grandpa Fred sitting in his chair watching Poncho clean the yard... I thought, I have to photograph him one last time... so I did. When you look at his image, look at the lines on his face... every one on them tell a story, every gray hair has a reason... His eyes show a life lived appreciating the simple things.... His hat is the most intriguing thing to me... it says "America's Best", even though he would never say this and many would not agree... he definitely is what's made and what makes this country great.... It's not the sports hero, or the famous politician, or the successful business man; it's the hardworking immigrant that treats people with respect. When I think of Poncho, I think of a simple man living a grateful, appreciative, and hardworking life... It makes me appreciate my life so much more, and cherish all the memories I have of the past.... Some people see growing old as a bad thing, I see as a privilege and honor.... You only have so many days on this earth... Poncho lives them in a simple manner... not clinging to material things, or getting caught up in modern-day stresses, showing kindness and gratitude to everyone he comes into contact with.... He is an example to me at what true humility really is... I know some day, I'll see him again and we'll rejoice....

Mason and Pepper....

2010-03-23T20:19:00.005-06:00

Our neighbor was walking her dog, Pepper, when my boys saw her... Of course she's gonna let Pepper play with three young boys (they'll wear him out so he sleep like a baby)... Anyway, the boys played with Pepper running, throwing a football, and chasing the dog around our front yard... The flowers were everywhere and it was so much fun watching the spastic, hyper, little dog play, chase and be chased by our boys.... Mason, our youngest, was off in the distance... he decided to start running which triggered Pepper to chase him.... I caught a few frames of him running with his tongue out (Mason and Pepper) as well as some of him just being a uninhibited 3 year old.... Moments like these are fleeting, so that's what makes them so special... Times like these make you truly appreciate God's gifts..... Had to post this, 'cuz it's so cute..... Enjoy...

Chris and Bobbi....

2010-03-21T21:37:00.005-06:00

Chris and Bobbi are seniors at Judson HS... Chris just so happens to be our nephew, so we know him very well.... Bobbi is his girlfriend of several years... They both want to study some type of Law, so they might just be the next Starsky and Hutch, or Hawaii Five-O duo.... The weather was in-and-out sun, but it was chilly... the wind was blowing at a constant of 20-25 mph (my favorite type of photographic weather, NOT)... anyway, we used Chris' motorcycle for some images with him... found a non-windy area for Bobbi, and did the majority of images inside..... Hope they like 'em... More on the site, and click here to view a short video from the session.... Enjoy....

Simply Leslie....

2010-03-20T08:21:00.003-06:00

Leslie is a Senior at JM… I’ve had the wonderful privilege of having her in two of my classes over the years… and she has shared many of her life’s experiences with me… She has to be one of the closest friendships I’ve ever had with some of my students… one that I know will last forever…. Leslie is sweet, simple, and cute as a button (pardon the old analogy)… Her smile can light up a room the minute she enters… She wants to become a teacher when she finishes school, most likely 3rd or 4th grade… We started inside with a low key setup… We got some great headshots of her…. We then made it out to the car, did some different angles and got some really fashiony, cool images… While we were out there, Leslie noticed a small patch (I do mean small) of bluebonnets on our property (unfortunately the section we planted hasn’t come up yet or at all this year)… so she quickly changed into her blue flowery dress and got some cute images there…. We then made it to the front yard and I think truly captured Leslie’s personality there…. She was playful and energetic and those images were my favorites from the session… I know she’ll love the images… They turned out fantabulous…. Click here to see a few from the session on the site, and here to watch a short video from the session…. Enjoy….

All-American Girl....

2010-03-19T12:10:00.004-06:00

Makenzie is a Senior at First Baptist Academy… She’s an all around wonderful young lady… I had the privilege of photographing her sister and few years ago, as well as her family in the Fall of ’08…. She wants to be a doctor when she is older, and I don’t have any reservations that it would come to be…. She extremely bright, athletic, and has this natural beauty about her…. We started out with her lettermen’s jacket inside, then went out to this tree that has similar color in her outfit… She then changed into her fabulous white and yellow dress and we did some backlit images…. Headed to the swing… then on to the track… Makenzie is a track athlete… When I saw her run up the runway to get an action long-jumping shot, I was like, “wow, this girl’s legit”…. We did some running on the track images as well… I had fun with this session, hopefully Makenzie and mom did too…. Click here to see more images of the site, and here to see a short video of the session…. Enjoy….

Photogenic Allison....

2010-03-18T08:07:00.002-06:00

Allison is a Senior at JM… I had the privilege of having her in one of my classes a few years ago (even though she probably said 20 words to me all year)…. She’s a natural beauty, fun, very photogenic, and absolutely loves America’s Top Model show (“give me that Tyra B look”) hehehehehe…. She wants to attend college and study interior design (it certainly beats serving chips and salsa ;) … Her fashion sense tells me that designing and creating would suit her well…. We started in the studio with the Dream light (by the way she's the first person to only jump once, she nailed it the first time, Yeah!), then did a couple of headshots… We then made it out to the swing, where I put everyone to work holding scrims and reflectors (thanks mom and sis’)…. Allison then changed into her white dress (for dad) and we photographed out front in the field of tiny white flowers… I think she really loved that part… we finished up outside with the car… I hope Allison had a good time, I know her sister was ready to leave (Erin, you’ll be coming back so you better be nice :) ….. just kidding…. The images turned out way cool, and I think she’ll be pleased…. I know I am… Click here to see some more images on the site, and here to watch a short video of the session…. Enjoy…

Vintage Arianna.....

2010-03-17T07:45:00.005-06:00

Arianna was a bunch of fun... She's a Senior from Yokum (about two hours East of here)... She loves vintage things... She has light auburn hair, lightly complexed skin with beautiful auburn freckles.... She's well-grounded and seems to have a wonderful personality... She wanted to wear her grandma's stylish black dress... so we incorporated the car as well as a vintage camera that I have with it... The weather was rainy and slighly windy... we took a break when it started raining, then went back outside to find the sun shining for about 20 minutes...after that we had to recreate the sun so we used a powerful monolight for the camera image... The clouds were amazing, so you know I had to use them in some of the images too... We then used a budding tree out front, then went inside and finished up with her enormous collection of record albums (yes, that's right, vinyl records complete with player)... We had a great time, and I'm sure she'll love the images... I certainly do... Click here to see more on the site, and here to watch a short video from the session... Enjoy....

Spring has Sprung...

2010-03-12T20:05:00.003-06:00

Spring is not officially here yet, but the trees are bursting with color.... I took this outside of our home the other day and wanted to share... Spring time is such a wonderful time of year, especially knowing Summer is to follow (yeah, out of school, vacation, etc...)... Anyway, the smells of the budding trees is such an aroma that it refreshes the soul.... Now, I hope I can incorporate some of these into our portrait sessions....

A "Call to Duty" Beauty....

2010-03-07T12:20:00.003-06:00

Aimee is a senior at JM… I’ve had the privilege of photographing two of her sisters in years past…She’s quite different from most girls her age (that I’ve been around)… most girls are into clothes, shopping, and hanging out with their girlfriends… Aimee would rather be right in the middle of a Call of Duty game, in battle, and communicating with people in some other state or country of the world… Wow, technology has come a long, long way since I was a kid… I guess growing up with three sisters you have to find your individuality… Aimee certainly has…. We started off with her fabulous black full-length dress (she wanted everything inside), so we put her against one of our scenics…. She then changed into her black sweater, and did some close-ups… one of them was phenomenal…. She then changed into her casual outfit… and along with that we incorporated her addiction to video-gaming…. She loves the war games, especially Call of Duty… For such a petite, pretty girl, her appearance can be deceiving: she’ll shoot you down in a heartbeat, if you’re on the wrong side… Hehehehe… Anyway, we had a blast, her sister and mom certainly did too… her images turned out way cool… I really like ‘em… hope she does too…. Click here to see a few more images on the site, or here to see a short video from the session…. Enjoy….

Cece's Pizza....

2010-02-28T14:35:00.007-06:00

Couldn't resist....if she were a pizza, she'd have to be a deluxe (she's well-rounded)... Cece is a Senior from JM... I had the privilege of having her in one of my classes last school year... She's extremely intelligent, well-mannered, and an all around great young lady... She told me that she wants to attend that school where all the Aggies go, but I'm not going to hold that against her.... ;) We started off the session in her casual outfit... she had these sunglasses that were so 80s that we had to use them in a photo.... Her mom called them aviator glasses, but these were way too cool for pilots (hehehehe).... She then changed into her fabulous blue dress and we took some images on the swing, around the barn, and in the field... I made her laugh when I told her to look at me with her eyes (inside joke)... we finished up with her very fashiony white dress.... we used our neighbor's blooming tree next door, then grabbed a few images with the car with a full moon... Cece is a fun girl.... and I know she'll never forget her experience with us (especially the stickers on my bootie). Here are a few more images on the site, and click here to watch a short video from the session.... Enjoy.....

Iraan.... (they) ran so far away....

2010-02-22T08:36:00.005-06:00

They couldn't get away.... I'd just could resist using a little 80's song humor... Brad and Kenna are from West Texas... there's just something about West Texas people that I love... Genuine, authentic, real.... Brad is very humble, quiet, and respectful young man... He's a 3 sport letterman, and will probably go to college somewhere here in SA. Anyway, We started with Brad in the morning... We did some studio images with all of his three sport jerseys... I won't mention the dunking the basketball shot, you'll have to ask him the funny thing that happened... we then went outside and captured him in two other outfits.... We finished up at the Middle School down the road with his track uniform and hurdle... these are by far some of my all time favorites... Click here to see more images on the site, and here for a short video from the session...

Kenna, what can I say? She loves attention (not in a bad way)... she loves having fun.... It wasn't difficult photographing her... We started with some images with her brother, Brad.... then we did some flower (weeds) images that matched the purple in her dress... We then made it into the garage for some she wanted... we then changed into her fabulous flower dress and captured some with the car and high-key in studio.... She was a blast, and the images weren't too bad either ;) Click here to see some more on the site, or here to watch a short video from the session.... Enjoy...