I wanted to post this last week but just didn’t get around to it.

Anyway, Valerie and Scott got married at the beautiful Chateau Polonez.  While it was a scorching hot and humid day, the atmosphere inside was perfect and it was an incredible event.  I know they had worked hard to make it so - and everything turned out beautiful.

Valerie got ready and looked incredible.

She and the girls enjoyed a few mimosa prior to the ceremony.  I think it helped put everyone at ease and keep them refreshed!

Scott, in the mean time, got himself looking like a very happy guy!

The ceremony had a beautiful backdrop of the lush gardens accented with beautiful floral arrangements from Special Arrangements.

The newlyweds enjoying a loving moment before the party started!

And then the celebration started.  It went by so fast, but they certainly enjoyed their first dance.

Some cake…

And a kiss to make up for the “in your face” approach to eating cake!

They left to a shower of bubbles.

It was a pleasure to be a part of your wedding day and I wish you two the very best as you embark in your life together in the northwest!

I photographed Valerie’s bridals over a month ago and can finally share them as her wedding was last night.

First, let me say that she was amazing.  I have known her mother (a fellow local photographer) for several years and Valerie is just a sweetie.  We photographed the bridals at the Chateau Polonez - the same venue her wedding took place at.  Incredibly gorgeous venue and we took advantage of both its indoor as well as outdoor locations.

I will be posting some images from the wedding later in the week, but for now, let me share some from the bridal session.

And finally my favorite from the entire session.  One of those that you just can’t plan.  As Valerie was getting in front of the weeping willow tree, the wind picked up.

Come back in a few days to see some from the wedding - which was a fun event!

Well, these two finally did it.  What an amazing day.  I’ve gotten to know Mayra and Marcos well during our meetings, the engagement session, working on their Guest Signature Book, and just chatting and I’ve got to say that it was an amazing day.  Let me thank them, their parents, family, and friends for welcoming me and treating me like they did.  I felt as if I was with family all day long and I am very grateful for that.

So, here goes their wedding day in pictures.

The day started with Mayra going from beautiful to STUNNING.

Marcos had a bit of help to get himself looking pretty darn dapper too!

Then it was off to the church.  The wedding took place at the beautiful St. John Vianney Catholic Church. 

Mayra had a few things to complete - like getting into her spectacular dress.  Then it was just a matter of waiting for the ceremony to start.

Now, we have to remember that it is a wedding and a religious ceremony but as photographer I am always thankful for churches that have beautiful light and this was among the most beautiful I’ve ever photographed.

I have to give special thanks the maid of honor for calling me over and forcing me to break the church rules as it allowed me to get this beautiful shot of Marcos gazing at Mayra.

The newlyweds!

This was one of the most fun bridal parties I’ve ever had the pleasure of working with.  We went back to Marcos and Mayra’s house for a few photos.

Which included a group hug…

Then it was on to the PARTY!  The beautiful Omni Houston Hotel at Westside for a fun evening.

Mayra and Marcos enjoyed their first dance as husband and wife.

A bit of cake…(notice the knife!)

Everyone danced…

Then the surprises started.  First it was Marcos doing a “strip” to the tune of Etta James’ “You Can Keep Your Hat On”…

A twirl after the “strip” and dance…

Then it was the mariachi band.

When the night was over, the newlyweds headed upstairs.

Thank you again, Mayra and Marcos.  It’s been great getting to know you and it was an honor to be a part of your wedding day.

Oh, and thanks to Shena Cherian of Desi-gn for a great job keeping everything moving along!

You may remember Mayra and Marcos’ engagement session from my blog post on April 7.  Well, their wedding is this weekend and I wanted to share a couple of pages from their Guest Sign-in Book.

Mayra and Marcos ordered a gorgeous 11×14 print of their favorite photo from the session - shown below.

In addition, they also ordered a Guest Sign-in Book.  These books are beautiful and have a minimum of twenty pages.  We select the images for the book, digitally lay them out allowing enough room for guests to sign during your reception, and have it printed in a beautiful hard bound book.

The following are a couple of the spreads from Mayra and Marcos’ book.    Each spread is two side-by-side pages with each page being 8.5 x 11 so when you open the book you have an 8.5 x 22 space for images and signatures.  Mayra and Marcos also chose an upgraded clear cover for their book - a solid plexiglass front cover that shows off the first page in the book!

These books are a wonderful addition to an engagement (or bridal) session and are a gorgeous replacement for the traditional sign-in book.  You have a beautiful, hard-bound book with all your favorite images from the session, all your guests best wishes, all serving to add to your wedding day memories.

So, just something to showcase and if you are interested in adding a book to your session, just let us know.

This week saw me continue my education.  My commitment to delivering the best possible photographic products and customer service includes continuing education and I’ve had the absolute pleasure of learning from some of the best. 

This week, that tradition continued by attending the “Two Views” seminar with Joe Buissink and Yervant - two of the top wedding photographers in the world.  Two different individuals.  Two different approaches.  Two different styles.  Two views resulting in the same outcome:  incredible quality of work and very satisfied customers.

While they are different, they both share the same passion for quality, customer service, improving the industry, and capturing outstanding imagery during weddings.  While they “are” different, I think they are very much alike.  While Joe takes a more “documentary” approach, Yervant takes a more “fashion” approach.  The thing is, they both catch the key moments and emotion - differently.  Joe mentioned a wedding they both photographed.  When Joe asked the bride about the images, her response was “Joe, your images made me cry while Yervant’s made me smile.”  Different, but the same.  That’s what weddings are about:  emotion and capturing those moments so the memories can live on forever and re-ignite that emotion when you see the images.

They shared openly everything they had.  Joe’s ”moments”.  Yervant’s incredible style and “sexy” approach.  They shared their very different roads to success.  They shared how they run their business.  They shared personal stories.  They photographed a bride, explaining what each looks for.  They “developed” those images, explaining what they seek.  The outcome was incredible.  The passion they both have came across loud and clear.

What an opportunity to finally meet two giants of the industry that I had spoken with in the past via cyber space but never had the opportunity to meet before - OK, I had the opportunity to meet Yervant while in Tampa earlier this year but passed on it so I could mentor an aspiring photographer and pass on some of my knowledge.

Joe, Yervant, thank you for everything.  Look forward to chatting with you again in the near future.  Most of all, thank you for sharing your passion.

L to R:  Joe Buissink, Jesus Tirso, Yervant.  Photo courtesy of my friend Roy Krisanto.

This week was a bit crazy - which is why this post is so darn late!

When I started the blog I told myself I’d post at least once a week and I’d try to include photos with every post.  This past week was tough since I couldn’t use photos from my two sessions last week.  Why?  Well, they were bridal sessions and the dresses are to be kept from the prying eyes of the groom-to-be.  Let me just say that I had a great time shooting with Valerie and with Jeniffer and I am VERY happy with the results.  You’ll get to see them in June right after their wedding!

So, not only was I busy with two bridal sessions but I also went back up to Fort Collins, CO, for a couple of days.  Upon my return I found myself processing print orders for Andrea and Giff’s wedding, for Mayra and Marcos’ engagement session, and for my local frame shop.  Yes, that’s right - the same place where I do all my mats and framing work sold a few of my “fine art” prints.

So, with that as an intro, let me share them with you.

So, there you have it.  These were printed on gorgeous metallic paper and someone is going to really enjoy them!

By the way, Jeff at Creative Framing and Mirrors has been kind enough to provide me with gift cards that I will be including with all future print orders as a way to thank you for your business and encourage you to get some high quality frames for your photos.

This past weekend I finally had the pleasure to work with one of my friends.  I traveled up to Dallas to assist my good friend Mark Ellis of JosephMark Photography.  I first met Mark a little more than a year ago and he’s become a good friend - someone I go to for advice and just to chat.  We have been wanting to shoot together for a while and this was actually the first chance we had.

I must say that shooting with someone else is one of the best ways to learn.  You see how someone else works, how they approach things, how the pose the formal portraits, how they handle the bride and groom, how the select and light the locations.  I learned so much - and enjoyed being able to talk with Mark for a while afterward (we were up until nearly 2:00 AM talking!)

Anyway, enough writing.  With his kind permission, I will share a couple of my favorite photographs - from a second shooter’s perspective!

Katie - off a mirror while Mark was taking formal portraits.

 The rings being blessed during the ceremony.

Their beautiful cake.

Their first dance - and they did a great job mixing a traditional dance with a salsa!

The best man’s toast - which was one of the funniest I’ve ever heard.

Their exit.  As the second shooter, I was able to stay behind and capture a very different angle - something that is only possible when you have two photographers!

 Finally, the lovely Lakewood Country Club where the wedding took place.

My thanks to Mark (and Joe and Steph) for giving me the opportunity to work with him.  It was an absolute pleasure, a learning experience, and I look forward to doing it again in the future.

I traveled to Ft. Collins, CO, this past week and made some time to go out and enjoy the location.  Let me tell you, it is a gorgeous part of the country.

Here are a few photos from that trip.

Horsetooth Mountain Reservoir, just west of Ft. Collins.

A walking trail near the reservoir.

A self portrait off some street art in Old Town Ft. Collins.

Sculpture at a plaza in Old Town Ft. Collins.

I had a chance to make a very quick visit to Rocky Mountain National Park which is about one hour drive from Ft. Collins.  Amazing natural beauty.

Some elk enjoying the beautiful weather.

Me, enjoying the fine weather!  ;-)    I had a Suzuki XL7 SUV as a rental and the hood became a good tripod for this shot!

Some of the stunning vistas.

A panoramic shot - this is made up of three photographs “stitched” together.   When printed, it will be about 12 inches tall by about 30 inches across

The weather was beautiful - but not quite good for a picnic.  Maybe on my next visit!

You may remember Shelley and Brian from their engagement session earlier this year (time flies).  Yesterday was their wedding and it was just as expected:  a CELEBRATION.

 The day started off with a drive to Bellville, TX, where the ceremony was taking place.  It was a gorgeous day for a wedding - and the BP MS 150  bycicle ride.  Yes, I got to share the road with the riders who who were in the beginning stage of their Houston to Austin charity ride - and having lunch in Bellville.

Once there, the ceremony took place at the beautiful little chappel of Sts. Peter and Paul Catholic Church.  Here’s an “infrared” photograph that showcases it.

Once everyone arrived, things started to move fast.

 Shelley and the girls got ready…

As with most traditions, she made Brian wait…(get used to it, Brian!)

The ceremony was lovely.  Shelley was a bit emotional and stumbled through the last part of the vows - but they made it just fine.

We took advantage of the beautiful weather and church grounds to get a nice formal portrait of the newlyweds.

Then it was on to the Hilton Garden Inn Houston Northwest for the party they had all been waiting for.

Shelley and Brian made a grand entrance to the Beastie Boys’ “Fight for Your Right (to Party)”.  It certainly set the tone for the rest of the evening!

The dance floor quickly filled as Terry from A+ Music on the Move  played everyone’s favorites.  Just as we thought it would settle down a bit for the couple’s first dance - they kicked it off with MC Hammer’s “U Can’t Touch This”! 

They slowed it down some for the formal first dance.

Followed by a very emotional father-daughter dance.

Cake cutting - notice how Brian cleans up after himself when eating cake!  I think Shelley has been teaching him well!

The best man provided some great guidance on making a marriage successful - reminding them that it’s all about give and take.  He gives, she takes.

Then it was non-stop dancing the rest of the night.

And it was all capped off with a bubble send-off.

Shelley, Brian, it’s been an absolute pleasure to work with the two of you and I wish you the very best.  You have been a blast!

I had an incredibly fun time with Mayra and Marcos (and Princess and Winnie) this past week.   They wanted some photos in bluebonnets and did great finding a nice little patch right in town.   They brought Princess and Winnie along for a few shots.  Princes had a great time running around and Winnie - well, she’s a bit “height challenged” so she hopped around in the tall wildflowers!

Anyway, Mayra and Marcos were a blast.  It was a warm day - mid-80s and sunny - and we started at about 4:00 PM.  You couldn’t tell.  They were tickling, poking, hugging, kissing…well, doing what people in love do!

If this session is any indication, I think their wedding is going to be incredible!