i’m alive. barely breathing. trying to recover from strep throat and lost in editing hell. no, it’s not really hell but it feels like it sometimes. i’d rather be out shooting and doing the part of this business that i love. i get sick of being stuck behind the computer but such is life. and who am i to complain. i could be in the unemployment line right? i won’t complain.

putting the finishing touches on a wedding, a rockin senior session and an engagement session….plus working on the quarterly sales taxes that are due tonight at midnight.

i’m not complaining.

happy monday!

on occasion there are perfect days. they are random and fleeting but they do occur. today was one of those days. i’m not even totally sure how to consciously comprehend it.

i’m not sure that perfect is really so much the appropriate term for it. because, really…how perfect can it be when your 1 year old slings lasagna across the room or better yet leaves a trail of poop after descending from the bathtub and roams aimlessly through the house as mommy is searches frantically for a few more starbucks receipts hoping that the chai tea latte addiction will in fact single handily lead to a loss on this years tax return.

i digress.

there are days….

when the sun shines.

when coupons for save $30 off your purchase of $75 or more come in the mail.

when you get to share coffee with a friend.

when people tell you your work is good.

when you make someone smile.

when you get embraced wildly by not 1, not 2 but all 3 of your kids.

when you get to contemplate the decision of the bachelor with your mom.

when you have another awesome session with another fabulous senior.

when the taxes are done.

when you get to make a double batch of brownies with your daughter and let her lick the spoon.

when you really feel like you are complete, in every single way.

on occasion.

it happens.

a couple weeks ago i got to hang out with another amazing family. (i so love my job)

carrie called me several months ago to book a family session and was referred to me by another good friend and local photographer Sandi Hicks.  i was super excited when Carrie said she wanted to have the session at her house. i love it when i get to go into a families house and get to hang out with them. everyone is sooooo much more comfortable. the kids are totally into it since they can run around and play and it doesn’t feel like you’re doing a photo session.  it’s much more laid back. if we need to stop we can. if the kids need a snack, ok. if they want to answer the door w/ their favorite megazord in hand…awesome.

that’s what it was like w/ the quails. little james wanted his megazord nearby….totally ok. we started outside and then worked our way inside. the kids totally rocked. carrie and big daddy james rocked. it really made me enjoy photographing families again. it was really quite effortless. no need to make any of them look good….as they are all flippin’ gorgeous. (i so love my job)

carrie, james, hope & lil’ james-thank you for inviting me into your home and letting me get a little glimpse of your life!

i loved the next shot because lil’ james found a rollie-pollie and he was completely enamored with it. i love watching kids experience things like that. i mean, rollie-pollies! you gotta love ‘em!   

seriously, is it no wonder their children are adorable? i told you! gorgeous!

meet anne.

she’s a ray of sunshine. and i’m not even kidding people. i’ve known the chica for 4 years? is that right anne? and i promise you….PROMISE you i have NEVER seen the girl look anything but gorgeous and glowing. she’s like a petite little ball of goodness. it’s sickening really, now that i think about it. after 4 chai tea lattes i don’t even come close to being as chipper as this chic. she is seriously all sorts of goodness.  love her.

and the girl has the patience of a saint because we did this shoot over 3 weeks ago and i’m just now getting to post these.

i had so much fun during this shoot. i think we spent the first hour sitting in her floor talking and then i was like, um…i guess i should take your picture eh?

thanks for opening up your home to me annie girl. you are a greek goddess and i so love you! congrats to you, dave, will and avery!

that’s what it’s like after i shoot a wedding. i’m finding it much more exhausting than i ever imagined. the sheer build up of it is incredible. i’ve told people before…i’m just as excited about a wedding as the couple. the planning and preparation. it’s all overwhelming. i spend time planning and researching and finding inspiration before i shoot a wedding. i don’t just show up and shoot it. the night before is spent getting my gear ready, formatting CF cards, charging batteries, making sure i’ve got back up EVERYTHING and trying to cram it all in a bag….cuz i don’t like walking in like i’m setting up an entire studio. then there is travel time, getting there early and the actually day of shooting. most days are 8 hours of shooting. which doesn’t seem like a lot….but when your frantically running (usually behind …because let’s face it…in weddings nothing is ever on time) your in a constant time crunch and your mind never stops. your trying to interact and let people feel comfortable enough to be themselves around you ….and at the same time trying to let them know what/where they need to be for a shot. there is about 5 minutes to eat…maybe. and the whole time your eating you feel like you’re missing something. it’s just a mind scramble. after the wedding the real work begins. sifting through hundreds of thousands (yes, i’m serious) of images to choose the absolute BEST that tell the story like you watched it unfold. hours behind the computer doing the necessary editing. i’m not complaing. i say this all just to shed light on the fact that to photograph a wedding is so much more than just showing up w/ a fancy camera and pressing the shutter button. it’s alot of WORK.

but so worth it.

saturday was a wedding day. it was incredible. but yes, exhausting. i got the time today to recoup and recover and you’ll have to stay tuned in the next couple days to see a few sneak peeks of the amazing couple i spent time with on saturday. it’ll be worth it!

this is jennifer. jenni. the “other” ms. jennifer. she goes by them all.

jennifer is celebrating the fact that she is graduating w/ a degree in education this may. yup. just one month away. woot! she will be teaching kindergarten…..BA-RAVE BA-RAVE woman! i couldn’t even hang as the room mom last year in Brooklyn’s kinder class. um, no. i could handle 12 4 year olds anyday…..22 five year olds….hopped up on ABC’s and popcorn words, yea so not about that.

but jennifer…she’s a natural. i was excited to get to get some shots of her to celebrate her graduation.  i had found the most amazing church ( thanks to jana ) it was old, abandon and gorgeous. i’m working on a whole series of churches so it fit perfectly into the mix.

anyway…w/out further adieu here is the gorgeous ms. jenni from the block.

congrats girl!

got the chance to hang with another great senior from BCS a couple weeks ago. i so love this group of kids. they are all so level headed and fun to be around. i love that. tyler has plans to attend utsa for a business degree and then he’s on to seminary. awesome. he brought his guitar to his session and i was amazed. found it hard to concentrate on doing my job because he has such a natural pure voice and a confidance about him as he plays. it was quite cool.

congrats & best wishes tyler!

i know i said i was going to post pics of the new do but tyler is far more interesting so this is what you get today!

my camera is in my car right now or i’d have it out for a self portrait.

2 weeks ago i went in to get a hair cut. i’ve been in search of a good stylist for 6 years. i’m not kidding people. 6 years. that’s how long i’ve been in the never ending abyss of bad hair. i finally gave up and just grew my hair out and only went in for a trim every 6 months or so. but i wait….and wait….and wait……until my hair is pulled into a ponytail 24/7 for about 3 weeks and then i know i need to get it cut. NOW. there is no time for an appointment. there is no time to seek out the perfect stylist. so, i guess the 6 years of bad hair is really my own fault.

i digress.

2 weeks ago i couldn’t take it. i headed in to get a few inches cut off…which was going to be drastic for me.

i walked out w/ 6 inches cut off. 3 inches more than i wanted and 3 inches more than i had given permission for. it was a horrible, horrible day. but i’m not focusing on the ugly past. i am moving forward.

today. i found a little slice of heaven. right down the road from me. and all i have to say….is….

David Beckham is so going to marry me.

woot!

I was honored to get to photograph the wedding of the daughter of one of my dearest friends, Traci.  Tara & Alex had a gorgeous ceremony at the Bright Shawl downtown San Antonio. Bride & Groom were looking hot and were nervous and giddy and emotional and excited and it was awesome to watch the entire story unfold and to be there to capture it all for them.

Congratulations Tara & Alex!