Smile With Me

And the other winner is........

2009-12-13T14:19:00.000-08:00

Last weekend I finally was able to put a face to all our phone conversations and met the lovely Amy and Angela. They were the winners of the HRC silent auction donation I had made. Bright, smart, funny and adventurous, they were the kind of people I not only want to photograph but also hang out with. We combined a mix of some their favorite things...the outdoors and coffee. Thanks so much to Brasserie Pavil for letting us photograph inside their fantastic restaurant http://www.brasseriepavil.com/

And the winner is.........

2009-12-03T16:07:00.000-08:00

I donated a silent auction photo session to the MAMMB Halloween Carnival here in San Antonio in October and the winner was this great young man Michael. He wanted to have some family photos taken with his sister Samantha. We shot in some of their favorite places and had a great time, even though it threatened to rain and Samantha was recovering from the flu. It sure didn't hurt that they wee so sweet, funny and good looking. I love smart-alecks and goofs....

2009-12-03T16:01:00.001-08:00

Senior to be

2009-11-25T17:28:00.000-08:00

It's been a struggle to set up a new blog, until then I promise to be more constant here. This lovey senior to be was shot in September, I know shame on me. Happy Holidays everyone!

Tri-Coast Photography Seminar

2009-10-22T16:12:00.000-07:00

Two weeks ago I drove 5 hours down to Lake Jackson Texas to take a seminar on TTL off-camera flash presented by Tri-Coast Photography. Great information, Terrible weather! Poor Cindy the chief "go to girl" for the studio was our de-facto model. We had no great sunset, no bright shiny days to practice overiding the sun with flash, instead, we huddled under the hotel awning and learned the most we could. Can't wait to apply this to my shooting style.

Sengleman Hall in Schulenburg Texas!

2009-10-11T11:16:00.000-07:00

Traveling back from a seminar by Tri-Coast Photography I stopped to visit Sengleman Hall, the historic, newly renovated dance hall/restaurant/beer garden/bakery in Schulenburg Texas. I was nursing a killer Migraine, and in the middle of a 5 hour drive home but was it worth the stop! Glorious!!! I can't wait to return and wish I had hit Polka Sundays (yea, I am that corny). I grabbed some shots with a hand held camera "sans" flash and got a great reception from the staff. I am so sorry I was too burnt out to think to shoot the sweetest hostess and production manager Hillary and Jena. Maybe another time. I did catch Tyson at the bar! Definitely stop if you are on route 10 from San Antonio to Houston, but check the times, they are only open about 4 days a week!

Finally! SHE BLOGS!

2009-04-05T16:26:00.000-07:00

SO!
I am finally settling in to San Antonio and I apologize for not blogging sooner, things have been nuts, and my internet situation is not great...but until I am up and posting portraits, I will try to post some photos of my new home. These were taken along the famous River Walk with my point and shoot.... can't wait to start photographing people, in the mean time, a look at where I live....

The Last Photos in Maryland!

2009-02-20T16:21:00.000-08:00

Yikes! Here are the last photo portraits I will post for awhile. I will be leaving Maryland next week, and will be in Texas about the second week of March. In the meantime, enjoy the beautiful Carrie! Stop by my blog to see my travels as I move across the country.

Goodbye NYC

2009-02-09T17:43:00.000-08:00

I made a crazy one day trip into NYC to photograph my brother-in-law John and sister in-law Mary Anne in the Bronx. I spent the day revisiting John's old neighborhood's from Manhattan's Spanish Harlem, to what's left of the totally Italian enclave on Arthur Avenue in the Bronx. Good food, good fun...just really cold weather.
P.S.For those in the know. John made it perfectly clear that he was posing on the "B" side of the handball courts because the light was better......he actually played on the "A" side.

Nikki and Matt are pregnant!

2009-02-05T16:54:00.001-08:00

This was a quick shoot I did, since I am getting ready to move soon. Nikki and Matt are expecting their first baby, and she was a little unsure of how she was going to look. I think they are adorable,we shot outside behind their house, and even in their great old garage. Can't wait to see if they have a boy or girl!

Oh Boy! Obama!

2009-01-21T14:41:00.000-08:00

Before you look at the photos of Tuesday I have to thank ...

1. Micheal Mitchell of N.Y.C. who, when we were caught in a really awful human gridlock simply smiled at me sweetly and nodded as I grabbed the back of his coat and informed him I wasn't letting go of him until we broke free. Thank you again Micheal....
2. Reverend Jessie Jackson. I know it is an awful photo.....but it was a bit surreal. Reverend Jackson was trapped along with us yesterday morning by the Capitol, and we were able to move forward (about 5 feet) in his wake as the crowd parted for a moment for him and his entourage.

How we were trapped on the same street is beyond me. I clearly asked the well meaning but totally ill-informed volunteer for directions "to the part of the Mall where Non-Ticket holders could stand".
He was probably asking for "the most excellent V.I.P. entrance". Go figure.

p.s if you would rather, there is a video at the bottom of the page...sorry it's so small...it's my first video upload.

Inauguration Trip: Weather Permitting

2009-01-16T16:53:00.000-08:00

So I am heading to D.C. on Tuesday for the "Inauguration Celebration" as long as it is not wet. I just want to photograph the crowd and take part in a moment in history. Don't get too excited, my tickets are just for the train into D.C. I will be milling around outside in the weather with 4 million others at the mall, trying not to drink anything, in case I can't find a port-a-potty. Check back on the site, to see if I made it, and check out some photographs.

Painting with Light

2009-01-10T21:51:00.001-08:00

Can you believe it! I have been photographing without a tripod until recently. Actually I bought a B-E-A-UTIFUL carbon fiber tripod while in NYC. I have finally starting playing with it, and used it to grab this unsuspecting napper over the holidays. I shot a one long exposure, with just a photoshop color change, from the green LED light I keep in my camera bag, to blue. Turns out if you squeeze this mini LED light three times in a row, it will blink. DUH! That's how I got the little star trail. And there I was in the dark, shooting over and over trying to turn it on and off rapidly to get the same effect.....(dumma as**)!

Photographer Mash!

2009-01-05T17:19:00.000-08:00

Lora of LoraJPhotography.com is a blast! She is one of the photographers I second shot weddings for this summer. So when she suggested photographing each other's families for Christmas, I loved the idea.....the down side was the weather. My family's shoot day was so yucky we could not go out on location, and Lora's was the day before Christmas and simply freezing!!!!!! Her husband spent most of his time warming up their youngest at the Sideshow gift shop over at the Visionary Arts Museum. You can see photos she took of their family a week later on the beach, on her blog....they look so much warmer!

I had a great time shooting anyway...but I am not sure her kids would agree.

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Warmest Wishes for the New Year!

2008-12-31T15:06:00.001-08:00

Scooting

2008-12-14T16:26:00.000-08:00

Just a few photos I caught of a great local landscape architect, Eric Blamphin of Barks Road Architecture. I was over shooting a web portrait for him, and coaxed him and the boys onto an old scooter they had. I challenged them to run me over, as I lay on the ground photographing them (I knew they wouldn't pick up too much speed with three of them aboard). I LOVE my clients!

Unconventional!

2008-11-30T17:48:00.000-08:00

Lori and Jeff had an unconventional wedding. Small ceremony, street clothes, big house reception. Very Fun. So.... on their anniversary, we set out to do some unconventional photos.

Fashionista

2008-11-25T16:58:00.000-08:00

I photographed my last high school senior for the year, two weeks ago and am just getting around to posting it because I was out of town. Parson is hoping to go to a fashion design school after she graduates and has this great fluid style that I love. Her clothes, hair and fair completion always add up to a striking statement. She was great fun to photograph. She brought along a little of everything, and her grandmother's suitcase for the shoot. We even incorporated one of her favorite second hand shops into the day.

Sicis in NYC

2008-11-16T16:38:00.000-08:00

I had to pay Homage to Sicis in NYC. If you are there, stop in the showroom for a heart stopping experience. This was the better than amazing....it was mad crazy and everyone should see it! You don't have to have a mosaic fetish to be moved. If the four floors of gallery style design, floating frosted glass stairs, inlaid floors don't mesmerize, the art will. Sicis has been in Milan for years, their coffee table books EVERYWHERE in the showroom, chronicle custom tile work in homes, hotels and metro stops the world over. If the current show on the first floor not your taste, repose to the second floor and browse the tile samples that beg to be tasted!
More eye candy and designers on the third floor. Still not your style, repose to the basement, where you will be regaled with mostly tumbled and natural tile, and classic motifs that are never ending. The flying carpets are just for fun, don't miss the classic back wall samples. To top it off, They were so nice, despite my "just crossed the Brooklyn Bridge" windblown hair, sneakers, jeans and overstuffed backpack. Thanks Sicis for the highlight of year!

FAV NYC SPOTS

2008-11-02T12:04:00.001-08:00

Self portrait with canon sure shot.....

So here are some of the places I was able to hit in my marathon morning free. I was beat trying to cram in all my favorite spots before I had to be back in the expo. I thought I would share them here...The first is the subway, love it or hate it...it can get you there....

I finally was able to revisit the Brooklyn Bridge...the last three trips to the city the weather would not be kind. If you have never done it, it is the best freebie around. Just start on the Manhattan side....much quicker to access the entry point....

Canal Street and Pearl River, the best Asian import store on 477 Broadway. Had to buy these children's rice bowls....couldn't resist!

So, this was my new OMG place....Sicis Showroom on 410 Broome Street....I thought it was a gallery, they have only been there two year (in Milan for who knows) and it was the most amazing and inspiring 4 floors of custom mosaic work ever!!!! It will get it's own post later this week...

Oilly, Anthropology, (some secret Santa shopping)........and then Lunch. If you are SOHO I love Le Gamin 132 West Houston Street....don't blink or you will miss it. Cash only. The food is great!!!! and they are sooo sweet. I LOVED my pine nut and sweet potato salad, $8...not bad for a sit down in the city......

ABC Carpet and Home on W. Broadway down by 17th. Not as resplendent as usual, but who else can meld eastern icons and western holiday motifs with such aplomb! They have 4 great floors, and don't forget the fabric in the basement.

Tinsel Trading Co. on 37th between 5th and 6th. I like M and J trimmings also, but tinsel traders has vintage finds, in the way of trimmings, ribbons, etc... that make it a fun stop

NYC Photo Expo

2008-10-25T15:58:00.000-07:00

I'm just back from the expo, where I got some great new equipment. I had a great time. One of my senior books was made into a floor sample, which was fun to see. I will blog more this week, sharing my favorite places in the city!

April 10: Blossoms and Beach

2008-04-13T16:52:00.000-07:00

I LOVE my clients! I had a senior portrait shoot with the ever SO SWEET Reese, and her AMAZINGLY patient and helpful cousin Rachel (as the all around assistant). We got so many great looks it was hard to choose what to post here!

Fun News

2008-10-19T10:50:00.000-07:00

So I am headed to NYC this week for the Photo Expo, and I received a call this week from Millers/Mpix asking if they could use a book I built of a High School Senior as a sample on their expo table. Neat! Anyway, if you see the book above, it's my work.
We'll see if it makes it out to the trade show floor. I'll post pics of my trip next Sunday!
Have a great week!

More one-light portraits

2008-10-12T19:57:00.001-07:00

Beautifull day, beautifull girl, but not a beautifull sunset. The last three nights the sky has been streaked red. But not tonight! Sigh!

Off Camera Lighting

2008-10-05T16:44:00.000-07:00

Just thought I'd post some off camera lighting I am doing on location. Love this girl!