CATEGORY portraits

Sara and Edwin are getting married this summer with a reception at Texas Old Town in Kyle. They spent a lot of time dating around Texas State University Campus, and the San Marcos City Park is especially dear to them. It has great photo opportunities for a natural outdoor look. Their excitement was infectious as they had only become engaged just days before. Congratulations to you both!

The W family got together in Austin for the holidays with their mother for a quick visit and photo shoot we were able to quickly cram in the day after Christmas! They were so happy and smiling the entire shoot, easily giving genuine reactions and smiles.

This family chose the gorgeous location of their Westlake church on a drizzly dark December day instead outdoors as planned near their Bee Cave home. The indoor conditions were much like shooting a wedding, but the bright and white interior made it light up so well. Their kids were active and giggly, both a challenge and a blessing. Formal shots are easier with quiet subjects, but the personality that comes through when kids are silly is always fun!

I’ve always thought renting a house or a string of hotel rooms for a reunion would be so much fun, rather than keeping a huge house all year to host everyone every so often. Plus you get to choose gorgeous and serene locations, which is exactly what this family did over the Thanksgiving holiday in a villa in southwest Austin near Dripping Springs, TX. They laughed a lot and were great listeners and quick, so we got in a lot of sets with the the full and smaller groups and couples in spite of the quickly fading early winter sunset light.

Dripping Springs, TX has so many great rustic, historical, and natural photo back drops, and I love shooting there! This family recently bought the dream home there and loves the quaint atmosphere of the place too, especially this historic cabin near the famed “dripping springs” themselves. Their kids were so well behaved and fun, and the parents so relaxed (or so it seemed to me, not a harsh word to anyone). Sometimes shooting families is so challenging because the tension level can be so high, but the more relaxed, the better the photos! The kids were giggly and playful, and that combined with such beautiful people made the shoot so smooth.

Time flies by: when I showed up to this family shoot, the newborn that I photographed was already a 2-year-old toddler running around and beginning to talk! Their boys and those gorgeous eyes were full of fun and personality, and my skills to capture artistic and natural candid moments were put to the test as I got to just follow the little ones around as they played. I always appreciate easy-going and laid-back parents because it helps bring the emotion of the family through in the photos. Plus they chose great wardrobe colors and back drops near their house and nearby preserve areas in southwest Austin.

The E family drives past these cabins in the Spanish Oaks neighborhood in Bee Cave, Texas frequently and sees all their buddies with family photos in front of them, so this year is their turn. Getting ready for the holidays with the whole family smiling in one shot is the holy grail of family photography, and with young children is difficult that it’s incredibly rewarding. I love working with families, the interaction with the parents and playing with the kids, and children of these hobbyist photographers knew the drill and did a fantastic job.

Cosima & Jonathan were married in Germany several months ago, and had an American ceremony at Vintage Villas in Lakeway, Texas to celebrate their multi-cultural families in classic style. The event was simple and elegant with beautiful friends and family. The couple was so easy going and likable with great senses of humor, and as they relaxed into the evening it was fun to watch their tender moments with each other and family as they said good-bye before a move to Florida. Thank you for having me there, it was such a fun wedding!

I have been with this precious family since maternity photos for her first child. These were taken at their home in Spicewood, Texas. Certainly I hope this won’t be the last session with this gorgeous group of people: even their dog smiles well. This is their fall holiday card, 6-month baby, 3-year toddler shoot: multi-tasking!

Another gorgeous henna maternity belly art masterpiece by Michelle Pulsifer of On the Spot Body Art! She had to remind me to go set up the studio as she was nearing completion because I became completely mesmerized watching how quickly this intricate artwork appeared! A beautiful client set it off and was so fun to work with. It was like having our own live doll to play dress up with: girls never grow up, even when we become mothers!

Michelle Pulsifer of On the Spot Body Art needed some new faces to display at events highlighting a new product she’d like to use more. She’s also working on tribal inspired designs for older customers. After setting up the backdrop and all the lights for the models, I had Michelle snap a photo of me (yup, it’s me there at the end) for my first time under the brush! This brings up all sorts of interesting copyright issues, so it’s a good thing we’ve become such close friends!

Kim and Landon were married a week earlier in his hometown, and came back to Austin for a local reception at Old Settler’s Park in Round Rock. Second receptions are always fun and low key, and the bride and groom are always so much more relaxed. It was great to see the families again and share in this whimsical Western-themed event.

This gorgeous little family was in town visiting from Europe and had a photo shoot at the Spanish Oaks cabins in Bee Cave with their adorable daughter and another on the way. Mom used to work as a candy developer with a food science background, and raided Big Top Candy for fun and colorful edible photo props. I love using props, but especially when the families bring items that really convey a part of their family identity. Good luck on the upcoming addition, and hope you have fun finishing off all those props!

I’ve known Kim since she was about the age my oldest daughter is now. Seeing her step out of the restroom at the Texas State Capitol in downtown Austin dressed all in her white wedding gown was an other worldly experience! I realized in a few short years that will be over after just blinking, my own daughter will be ready to be getting her bridal portraits taken. I can only hope she finds as much happiness as Kim has found with Landon. Thank you for letting me be part of this time in your life and share in your beauty and joy!

This gorgeous couple definitely made the most of their day with some of the best silly facial expressions I’ve seen yet! Of course, only those that showed their intense devotion to one another that is the flip side of their intense senses of humor! During our consultation I asked if they wanted to forward any links to favorite wedding photos so I could get an idea of what they like, and Chris said, “We didn’t look at any other web sites but yours. Your personality had us hooked!” So my honest sarcasm for once hasn’t bitten me in the butt. When I met their friends I fit right in. A great laughing group with so many inside jokes like Charlie’s Angels and the “claw,” all the time they spend together was obvious.

They chose the beautiful outdoor Chapel Dulcinea in Driftwood, TX with a reception following at the Salt Lick BBQ Garden Room. Of course they were generous enough to feed me at my favorite restaurant. Best to the both of you on this next phase in your lives together, and thank you for having me a part of your wedding.

Kim is the daughter of some long-lost friends of ours (lost all the way in north Austin!) who made the trek to see me (all the way in south Austin) at the Salt Lick Cellars garden and vineyard in Driftwood, TX for an engagement shoot to her college sweetheart Landon. With a great easy-going attitude and dry sense of humor the shoot was a lot of fun, and a bit of a walk down memory lane. My oldest daughter is the age Kim was when she used to babysit for us, and suddenly I see how fast the time has flown! Congratulations to you both on your next adventure in life, and all that stress you gave your parents during your early teen years seems to have proven worth it. Can’t wait to see you in your dress for your bridal!

I love following a couple through several months and several sessions with the “triple threat” of engagement, bridal, and wedding portraits, getting to know them and creating photos that show off their unique personalities and relationship. Ruth and John, you are both beautiful and easy to work with, chose gorgeous locations like Springhill Event Center in San Antonio for your sessions, and actively created your photo experience. I enjoyed working with you and for you, and thanks to my second shooter Soobum Im for capturing me capturing you. Congratulations on your wedding, I know your marriage will be blessed!

Dripping Springs has some fantastic central Texas landscapes for photos, and the Highpointe community has a beautiful pond, trail, and park path system with gorgeous photo ops. The only thing that could make it better is a gorgeous family to go in it! With two incredibly happy smiling boys, we spent a lot of time trying different sets and poses because they were so cooperative. Here are some of my favorites.

Oh, Jessie, you had me laughing as much as Krystal, which makes taking photos difficult! When the camera wasn’t shaking with my mirth, I caught a few serious moments and especially enjoyed the intimate exchanges of tenderness when the two of you forgot we were watching. The only sad part was driving home to Austin because I thought we would be moved into our new home in Kyle, TX near the venue in San Marcos, TX and that 45-minute drive felt a lot longer than the 15 I was planning on last fall when we booked. But who cares? I got such a kick out of attending and documenting your wedding. Huge congratulations to you both, and you will certainly enjoy life together even more now that you are together forever.

We’ve been following Baby McD and his family since his mommy’s maternity session, and he is now almost 3 years old (I can’t believe it, but I have a daughter the same age, so I guess I have to). He just welcomed a baby brother into the world! It’s uncanny how much they look alike, I felt like I stepped into a little time warp at first glance of this new little one. The mood of a first-time mom and a seasoned pro was very different this time around, as big brother kept us company playing and laughing most of the time. When his dad distracted him by inviting him to watch the drag race on TV, he bid us farewell saying, “I have to go watch the dragons racing!” This baby was also exceptionally calm, spending long periods of wakefulness just chilling out. I stayed after a bit to teach mommy how to use her various baby slings, and the duck in water saying comes to mind. What an adorable little fellow!

I get a lot of calls from San Antonio event organizers saying they can’t find anyone who does print-on-site events from a San Antonio provider, and even though I am sure there must be some, I very much enjoy working in both Austin and San Antonio since I live just about in between the two. This April Fool’s Day saw me at Our Lady of the Lake University in downtown San Antonio at a student mixer. We did a few serious shots in their fancy duds, but of course everyone had far more fun using the photo booth props, getting down to the karaoke music, and acting like, well, fools!

Beautiful Ruth booked the San Antonio Mission national park for her bridal, and what an amazing opportunity to shoot there with a such a beauty. Her unique dress and cathedral veil created a dreamy mood with the quiet stone cathedrals behind her. I loved her quiet but quirky sense of fun, and the exchange of ideas we both had for shots we wanted to capture was custom photography at its best. Good luck on your upcoming wedding, I can’t wait to be there!

This sweet 6-month-old is the cutest perfectly chubby little girl I’ve seen in awhile. She is the classic little beauty, very happy and fun to photograph. Her mom had some great outfits and accessories picked out to enhance what nature already gave her. Capturing this age can be difficult if they’re not sitting up yet, but she was strong and happy to lay on her chest and smile away at us.

Expecting another new baby, my long-time client opted for a body art maternity session with Michelle Pulsifer of On the Spot Body Art. A tree of life, a wrapped package, a gorgeous twist on the cliche heart hands on the belly pose, and a koi pond henna tatoo mixed in with some traditional maternity poses. We spent half a day with all the artwork, photos, and making beautiful art together.

Barbie and Ben with their boy-girl twins are expecting a new little sister into the house very soon! We almost didn’t make this maternity photo shoot appointment because she spent the night before in the hospital. They have a gorgeous Volente home outside Austin with a jungle-themed great room, and it was so fun to get into character with the rain forest animals so the prints can be displayed around the space they hang out as a family. The body art was provided by Michelle Pulsifer of On the Spot Body Art. Congratulations on your upcoming arrival to your beautiful family!