I realize this is shameless self-promotion, but my sister (who is a very talented cake and cookie decorator) has entered a contest and if she wins she gets a trip to Disney World.  I’m posting this here in the hopes that if she wins, I can take all the credit and guilt trip her into taking me with her, since I have never been to any Disney ANYTHING (I was so neglected as a child..).  SO, do me a huge favor and head on over to this link:
http://www.cookiedecoratingcontest.com/vote/?id=BF8C4CD8-1E0B-C910-EA7FA
D598FC6A684&utm_source=vfm&utm_medium=email

If you love me, you’ll cast your vote for “Candy R” (it’s the cookie that looks like a north pole mailbox).  You don’t have to register or submit your e-mail or anything, just click on her cookie, and then submit your vote.  If she wins and takes me with her, then you all can take all the credit and guilt trip me into bringing you back souvenirs.  Everybody wins!

PS :: You can vote both Wednesday AND Thursday, so if you happen to be blog surfing on Turkey Day, feel free to cast your vote for her again, and then you’ll get double the guilt trip.  Woohoo!

As I’m sure you guys can tell from my major lack of blogging lately, I am really, really, REALLY busy. I currently have two weddings and three engagement sessions waiting to be edited right now, not to mention a huge slew of holiday album and print orders to finalize, plus at least 13 different sessions waiting to be blogged. My To Do list is very literally two pages long in Word.. Holy cow. So, if the blog seems a bit sluggish these days, it’s just because I am trying to keep from drowning in a sea of beautiful images.. Not a bad way to go, if I do say so myself. I have some awesome wonderful amazing bits of business news to share, not to mention a huge slew of delayed Humpdates, but for now my client’s photos have to have top priority. I’m taking a temporary hiatus from T4P, Humpdates, and T4B until all of the current orders and proofs I have in front of me are fulfilled and delivered, which will probably take about two weeks. I will still be posting regularly, it just may not be as scheduled as it has been. Please bear with me, I have some fantastic sessions I can’t wait to blog in the coming weeks. I swear my clients get hotter and hotter every day!!

In the meantime, here are a few from Erin’s bridal session. I’ve been wanting to share this one so badly, but I had to keep it under wraps until her and Adrian’s wedding, which I’m happy to say went flawlessly. These were shot at Erin’s aunt’s house, which I’m pretty sure is the most beautiful house I have ever seen. You should have seen the ceiling… Ridiculous. Not to mention that Erin is just a natural model, and she falls into a pose so gracefully and perfectly.. Made my job super easy! Here are a few of my faves:

Tips for Photographers (T4P) is a weekly feature where I talk about a cool tip that I think will benefit my fellow photographers. For more T4Ps, click here!

I recently discovered a new product that I am in love with and I want to share with you guys. As I’m sure you all know, I use Forbeyon albums and adore them, and a local woman has created the most amazing slipcovers for them! Her name is ChrysQ, and she’s the wife of very talented local photographer Ben Quintanilla. Her slipcovers are not only really cute and fashionable, but they’re also extremely well-made and reasonably priced. If you’re looking for a way to upsell your albums, an inexpensive thank you gift to give to your clients, or just a gorgeous, chic way to package your albums, ChrysQ’s Luxe Slipcovers definitely hit the spot. Here are some images I stole from her website:

This is the slipcover I have.. It’s so beautiful!

I adore this one as well.. Damask is so hot right now!

This one might be my favorite of all the fabrics:

And this one shows off another option that ChrysQ offers, the fabric-covered buttons. I think this just looks so classy and sophisticated.

Here’s the best part - She can even do custom orders! That means that if you have a fabric that perfectly matches your branding, she can create gorgeous slipcovers specifically for you. What an amazing marketing idea! To see all of her current swatches and get pricing information, check out her website at www.chrysq.com.

…Unusually awesome, that is!!

I am pretty used to my clients coming to their sessions with props or location requests. Lots of people want to shoot at places that are meaningful to them, which I recommend, and they want to include things that symbolize a part of their relationship, which I also recommend. However, never in my life did I expect to use the words “live fish” and “hospital” and “engagement session” in the same sentence. I can now thank Rebecca and Eric for making that moment possible for me.

Eric and Rebecca are pretty stellar for a number of reasons, but they’re extra special to me because they are unique, and they’re willing to go that extra mile to make their photos special. Literally - Rebecca ran a 5K the morning of their session! And while she was doing that, Eric was out fishing so he could use two poor unsuspecting little swimmers as props for their session. Talk about dedication! And to top things off, they ended the session with something I always dream about but can never convince my clients to do: they hopped in a waterpark and got soaked! The story is much better told in images than in words, so here are some of my favorites of the day, starting with some shots in the lobby of Hermann Memorial Hospital. (PS :: Did I mention they’re both drop dead beautiful?)

Rebecca and Eric, you guys will always and forever be two of my favorite clients because you are just so gosh darn unique, and you’re up for anything! I’m happy to say that no animals were harmed in the making of your engagement photos, and please tell your darling puppy not to give me any more heart attacks by disappearing into the seaweed. Love you guys, can’t wait for the wedding!!

The “Grand Exit” is essentially the time when the reception has come to a close, and the guests line up outside to wish them well on their honeymoon and life to come, usually symbolizing their goodwill in the form of throwing something at their faces, such as rose petals or confetti. I have seen a lot of interesting grand exits, ranging from kazoo playing to sparklers (a big favorite here in Texas) to bubbles to wands with long ribbons tied to the end. I love these grand exits because they give the night a sense of “conclusion” and allow everyone to feel like they said goodbye to the couple without all having to line up and actually say goodbye.

Unfortunately, most grand exits come at the very end of the night, around 11-12, after most of the guests have grown tired and headed home. I’ve seen more than a few weddings where the only people left to send off the couple were their parents, wedding party, and a few intoxicated guests. Even worse is when there isn’t a grand exit planned at all, and the reception just fades off into the night, with tired guests wondering whether they should stay and wait for a big send-off that they expect but may never come.

The best way to ease this situation, other than having a short reception, is to do your grand exit earlier in the wedding day. Here are a few different options you can consider:

The first option is to have your grand exit as you walk down the aisle. Up north, it’s common for small paper cones filled with rose petals to be tied to the backs of the chairs during the ceremony, so that guests can shower the couple with the rose petals during their first walk as man and wife. This is great because the flower-filled cones serve as pretty decorations, as well as serving a more utilitarian purpose.

Another option is to have your guests gather outside of the church after the ceremony and line the pathway to your car, so that as soon as you are done with family photos, you can walk out the church and be showered with (fill in the blank with your favorite throwable party favor) from your nearest and dearest. Obviously, this option works best when you do the majority of your photos before the ceremony, so that your guests don’t have to wait too long.

Finally, there’s always the old standby, the “fake exit.” Usually couples who do this option choose to do all the major reception events - first dance, garter/bouquet toss, cake cuttings and toasts - as soon as dinner is over. Then the guests line up and do the “fake exit” just as they would normally do it, except that the couple doesn’t actually leave for good. Typically they go up to their room and change into something a little more comfortable, and come down to dance the night away with their more party-oriented wedding guests.

For those of you who want the experience (and awesome photos) of a grand exit, but don’t want your guests to have to wait until midnight to send you off, these suggestions might help ease the burden on you, your coordinator, and your guests. Enjoy!

Tips for Photographers (T4P) is a weekly feature where I talk about a cool tip that I think will benefit my fellow photographers. For more T4Ps, click here!

I feel like every week I answer three or four questions from other photographers regarding their pricing, and my answer for all of these photographers is always exactly the same. It seems like everyone I know is making the same mistake in their pricing, simply picking arbitrary numbers out of thin air without any regard for cost, taxes, and profit. I got a little tired of giving the same speech over and over, so I’ve decided to put everything I have ever learned about pricing into one comprehensive guide.

I spent all weekend working on this, and it truly is special to me. I hope that it is helpful to you! You can download this guide on this page. Let me know what you think!

I know there are a lot of happy people and a lot of disappointed people out there.. I am a bit of both, myself. I started the campaign season supporting Obama, then switched to McCain as I studied the issues and each candidate’s background more. Although I did cast my vote for John McCain, I would be lying if I said I was upset to see Obama elected. He’s a good man, a very inspiring leader, and obviously a very historic candidate. I am glad that we have finally broken this barrier - now we just need to get a female in that office! (Just kidding - Issues people, not demographics!!)

I shot some photos at an Obama rally for a local paper a few months back, and I absolutely love them, so at the very least I am glad to have an excuse to post them again. Congrats to Obama, I wish him the best of luck in the next four years and I hope - for all our sakes - his term is peaceful and prosperous!

In related news, can I get an AMEN from all the people who are glad to see this election come to an end?? I feel like this race has really brought out the nasty side of many people, and it has been very disheartening to see.  I am glad that now that a choice has been made, we can all move on and be friends again :)  Although I did enjoy my free election donut.. Yumm…