Don’t forget to update your blog reader too!

When they say that love knows no bounds, this fabulous couple lives it! After dating for a while, Jeanette followed Aaron up to Ohio because these two lovebirds are inseparable! Now who’s idea was it to fly down to Houston and have a wedding in August?    (Just kidding, guys!)

You can tell these two are sooo in love!

This one may be my favorite from their session… (but I don’t want to commit because with these two, there’s so many adorable photos!)

Aaron designed her engagement ring with their birthstones in mind to make it truly unique. Great job Aaron!

We found these silly umbrellas, so we took a “peek-sure” with them.    (hehe!)

Hat tip to my good friend Christine for the idea of the repeating chairs at the Miller Outdoor Theater (even though the seats are totally different now)!

This one may be my favorite too… they’re such good sports!

For our last shot of the night, we got a perfect blue sky and the little, tiny moon suspended in the air… (its okay, you can make fun of me… I know I’m a dork.) 

Thank you Jeanette and Aaron! I’m looking forward to your wedding this weekend!

]]> http://kellyniemannphotography.com/blog/2009/08/jeanette-and-aarons-engagement-session-hermann-park-houston-texas/feed/ 1 http://kellyniemannphotography.com/blog/2009/08/jeanette-and-aarons-engagement-session-hermann-park-houston-texas/#utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=rss http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/KellyNiemannPhotography/~3/T100ApVSCe4/ http://kellyniemannphotography.com/blog/2009/08/chelsea-and-jasons-wedding-vargos-houston-tx/#comments Sat, 08 Aug 2009 00:31:51 +0000 Kelly Niemann http://kellyniemannphotography.com/blog/?p=1156 Chelsea and Jason are quite an adorable couple! They met over two years ago at a tent at the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo Cook-Off. Immediately hitting it off, these two are now wed!

They had a fabulous wedding at Vargo’s Restaurant, and below are some of my favorites of their wedding!

Vargo’s did an awesome job of decorating for their stellar wedding!

Chelsea’s beautiful Watters Bride lace dress!

She found these cute stick-on crystals for her shoes!

Two of the most adorable and animated flower girls ever…

On her way out with her dad…

Right this way…

Doesn’t Jason look so stately holding the boquet?

The boys and their matching socks (so silly)!

I *love* peacocks… and at Vargo’s, there are plenty of them! We found this guy who was the perfect poser! And so majestic!

Chelsea’s mom dances to Hanna Montana with the girls…

Ring shots!

The yummy cake…

Who likes to party?

Did you really need to search that far, Jason?

Finally, the rose petal exit!

Thank you, Chelsea and Jason for allowing us to capture your big day!

Congrats to Jill and Kevin!

Michelle and Stan are a super cute couple who are so much in love!  They were brave and willing to try anything!

Michelle and Stan met in a super-cool way… At ballroom dance classes!  Of course, they had to show off some of their moves!

Puppy love at it’s finest. 

We asked two poor security guards to hold up a towel to block the sun for this next one.  Engaged couples always have it easy getting help from strangers. 

Next, they changed clothes and headed down to Town Green park in The Woodlands for some more dancing…

Thanks Michelle and Stan!  I can’t wait for your upcoming bridals, Michelle!

Rebekah and Ryan’s reception kicked off with their heartfelt first dance.

Showing off the rock…

… and Rebekah’s gorgeous eyes.

Ryan’s grandmother baked the groom’s cake herself!  It was a family tradition that she made a fruit cake.  It was very yummy!  Photo by Christine Tremoulet.

I always love the bouquet and garter toss.

Boys fighting over the garter… (his lady must have been watching!)

I’m not sure what’s happening here…   Photo by Christine.

Bekah dancing with her sister-in-law.

What a team!

An electric kiss… Photo by Christine.

Tears of joy. 

Thank you Rebekah and Ryan!  Your wedding was so much fun!

Flowers by: Christina of Fresh Blooms of Houston

Reception at: The Houstonian Hotel, Club, and Spa with the help of Tony Garcia

DJ Services by: Robin Janson of Rock n Robin

Showing the goods

Ryan’s grandfather officiated the ceremony.  Before everyone arrived, he was reading over his verses.

Stained glass.  Photo by Christine Tremoulet.

Shoes!

Rebekah is such a classic beauty.  Her pearls totally complete her wedding ensemble.

Last minute gloss

The guys heading out.  Photo by Christine.

Rebekah and her father smiling as they watch the flower girl head down the aisle.

Christine captured these next two of a laugh at the altar and the processional.

I love this one!  All the excitement and emotion immediately after the ceremony!

While I was shooting formals, Christine found a fun angle

I love big bridal parties!

Reception photos coming tomorrow!

They knew each other in high school, but it wasn’t until after Nic served our country in the Marines and attended Texas A&M that they met again, fell in love, and the rest is history. 

Fun on the playground!  (Isn’t Lindsey a natural?)

Some swinging silliness!

This one is my favorite.  In black and white, it just pops!

The sun finally peeked through the clouds to give us some nice rim light to highlight their love…

In this last one, Nic wanted to show off his Aggie ring. 

Thanks Lindsay and Nic!

]]> http://kellyniemannphotography.com/blog/2009/06/lindsey-and-nics-engagement-session-bouroughs-park/feed/ 4 http://kellyniemannphotography.com/blog/2009/06/lindsey-and-nics-engagement-session-bouroughs-park/#utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=rss http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/KellyNiemannPhotography/~3/1FpHXfDC1lQ/ http://kellyniemannphotography.com/blog/2009/06/mandys-bridals-the-galleria-houston-texas/#comments Thu, 04 Jun 2009 12:30:18 +0000 Kelly Niemann http://kellyniemannphotography.com/blog/?p=1079 Now that Mandy is married, we can now unveil her fabulous destination bridals!

Mandy, a Corpus Christi native, found her dream dress here in Houston, and since she fondly remembers visiting the Water Wall with her grandmother as a child, that’s where she wanted to have her bridal session.  Technically, you’re not supposed to photograph professionally there because it is private property, but we quickly snuck in while the security guard was perusing a nearby parking garage.  What can I say?  I’m a rule breaker… 

Next, brave Mandy hiked across the Galleria area in her dress to a nearby office park.

I *love* her dress!  And the brooch was her own add-on, but it goes perfectly with her wedding dress!  What a unique way to make your dress one-of-a-kind!

As I laid in duck poop and Mandy’s mom was all around silly, we were able to capture some photos of her beautiful laugh.  (I always recommend bringing a close friend or family member to bridals so they can help fluff dresses, carry stuff, and act silly!)

My brides have the most amazing eyes!

She wanted a photo to show off her fun, leopard print flip flops.  Isn’t she adorable!

Thank you, Mandy!

The boys…

After the formal posed photos, we decided to go for something a little more fun. 

These two got along better than any siblings I’ve ever seen!

Sadly, this is probably one of my favorites.  I love great silly photos!

We had to get a quick shot of the little one’s grandparents since they haven’t had a photo together in a while.

Finally, we  got a handsome photo of Officer Downing in his Sheriff’s uniform.

Thanks for having me at your home!  It was great capturing your family together!

]]> http://kellyniemannphotography.com/blog/2009/06/downing-family-portraits-tomball-texas/feed/ 0 http://kellyniemannphotography.com/blog/2009/06/downing-family-portraits-tomball-texas/#utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=rss http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/KellyNiemannPhotography/~3/lKi4fi2qfy0/ http://kellyniemannphotography.com/blog/2009/05/cans-for-comments-food-drive/#comments Wed, 27 May 2009 20:10:02 +0000 Kelly Niemann http://kellyniemannphotography.com/blog/?p=1105 Last holiday season, many of my fellow photographer friends participated in “Cans for Comments”, a food drive where for each comment on their blog, they donated one non-perishable or canned food item to a local food bank.

Since I was late to the boat before Christmas, and since need knows no season, I decided I’d make up for it this summer by running Cans for Comments from Memorial Day to Labor Day in 2009.

My goal?  To donate at least 500 food items to the Houston Food Bank by September 11th.  But I can’t do it alone, I need your help!  So what do you need to do?  Leave me a comment!  About anything, about nothing… on a new blog post, or find an old one.  Don’t stop with one comment, leave a few!  Stop by every week and comment on new posts.  We’ve got 105 days to get those 500 cans, so comment away!

And since no blog post is totally complete without a photo, here’s one from Tricia and Nathan’s Day After session last fall at the 1940 Air Terminal Museum.

Holly captured this shot of Vanessa’s fabulous shoes and dress.

On this one, I love how the bridesmaid’s crossed arms break up the photo and bring your eyes in toward Vanessa.

Vanessa anxiously checks her flowers last minute before her walk down the aisle.

A burst of laughter in response to one of her bridesmaids.

Congrats to Vanessa and Jonny!

Bustlin’ up.

Ring shots!

The first dance…

Vanessa and her dad had a very emotional father-daughter dance.  There was not a dry eye in the whole place!

Mother-Son dance

The cake got just a wee bit messy!

This was probably my first wedding where EVERYONE got on the dance floor and danced the WHOLE NIGHT!

And boy, do they know how to get down!

For a nice closing shot, the bartenders let me stand on the bar to get the group coming in for “last call.”

We went to a nearby park in the Windrose neighborhood for their session.

The guys (and mom)…

The girls with dad…

I guess he’s looking for something in his cousin’s ear… 

And the families….

… followed by some play time with the little ones.

I think he had something really important to say. 

On Saturday I shot a lovely wedding, Sunday morning was a fun loving couple’s engagement session, and on Sunday evening, a beautiful, hazel eyed senior…

To celebrate all this craziness, I’m giving a sneak peek!

During the ceremony, Robby and Courtney share a smile as the priest made his 7th remark about having kids.

While it was storming outside, that didn’t keep us from getting some sweet photos of the lovebirds…

This is the view  Amruta and Satyajit get to enjoy every day out their window!  [me = jealous]

I cut though some buildings (this one being a former mattress factory – turned lofts) with this adventurous couple to find the best spots.  I loved the walls and the raw wood framing the windows, and even though I didn’t have a flash on me, we made it work. 

How’s this for some straight-out-of-camera goodness?

I *heart* the ground…. and Meghan’s gorgeous eyes!

Chelsea has an awesome wedding blog where she talks about tips, ideas, and planning her wedding!  Be sure to go check it out!  Do you have a wedding blog?  Let me know!

For their session, we started downtown at the famous tile wall across from the Alley Theater.

I  have so many favorites from this shoot, I can’t pick just one!  This is definitely one of the tops!

Talk about brave!  It was a looong way down!

Meet Tucker!  Tucker is their adorable little chihuahua.  He’s so cute and sweet!  We grabbed Tucker and walked over to Sesquicentennial Park.

He is such a good poser! (I’m still talking about Tucker here, but Chelsea and Jason aren’t too shabby either.)

What would an engagement session be without me throwing Chelsea and Jason down in the grass?

Chelsea has the most amazingly beautiful eyes!

After that, we headed on down to Houston’s City Hall where a few azaleas were still in bloom.

Ring shot! 

We walked across the street to Tranquility Park for some more skyline shots…

… some silly shots…

… some seriously hot and sexy shots (fingers in his hair = awesome)…

… and finally some thing sweet.

Thanks Chelsea and Jason!  I’m looking forward to your May marriage!

Just a tid bit about the way I shoot, I always try to get the standard posed photos (the classic ones that mom always likes and expects) out of the way quickly at the start of our sessions…

… they’re beautiful and simple…

… but I have to get them out of the way at the start, or I start getting so quirky and having so much fun, I’ll totally forget about them otherwise.

This one (and every single photo that follows)?  Not what momma expected. 

Pink toenails = soooo adorable!

Nina had these adorable wooden fans that she was giving as gifts to the guest at her wedding.  Such a cute prop!

By the way, I love it when clients bring personal items to a shoot.  It makes their photographs even more unique and special!

That orange blob in the back = a homeless guy still sleeping in an orange hunting jacket. (It was after 11 am at this point.)

By the way, HUGE props to Nina’s mom and sis for assisting me through the entire shoot.  Here, they were holding up a large diffuser, helping to soften and diffuse the sunlight.

LOVE this!  Nina’s so hott!  And the awesome sun flare through the wisteria makes everything a little better.

Yet another one of my favorites…

You might think I’m pulling your leg, but these two are ALL Nina.  I asked her to stand under the wisteria, and then she started spinning all on her own.  She’s a total natural!

Thanks Nina – my super-fun senorita!  I had a great time!

- Kel

These two world travelers picked a random place on the map, and are planning to tie the knot in Vancouver, BC, Canada.  But for now, they’ve decided to have their engagement session close to home… right in front of their home in the Galleria!  They walked to this fun little park where they usually take their dog for his runs, but this time, dog-free, for some fun couple’s photos.

Is this a girl who knows how to match her colors, or what?!

One of my favorites…  Jenn and Jeff are so cute and comfy together! (And I like how the azaleas complement her shirt.)

Goofy shots!  (ignore my foot at the bottom of the screen… sometimes you get that with a super-wide angle)  :p

My FAVORITE!  love, love, love, love, love, love…..

After staying close to home, we stopped by the Williams Water Wall in the nearby Galleria for the second half of their session.

These two were wet, totally wind blown, but that wasn’t going to stop us!

I really like these two… I also love brick walls. 

Juxtaposition against the Williams Tower.

I love the reflection of the clouds in the tower, surrounded by the puffy, white clouds in the sky…  Stick a smokin’ hot couple in the foreground, and it gets even better.   :p

So a requirement of having me shoot your engagement session, you must lay on the ground at some point.

Okay, not really a requirement, but I should consider making it one.  

rawr!

Finally, before calling it a night, we decided to mix it up just a bit.

Thanks Jenn and Jeff for rocking your engagment photos with me!

-Kel

They’re another of my fabulous couples that have been together for a long time (over 10 years), and are finally tying the knot!

On top of these two being utterly charming and fun, they have some hilarious names when put together…  :p

And now, on with the show:

I love this shot…  Definitely one of my all-time favorites.  I love the anxious anticipation.  

Getting some help from grandma…

After everyone was dressed and ready, we whisked Tanya outside for some quick bridals.  She was looking hott!

hehe…

Look at that mischievous smile.  Another flower girl up to no good. 

Congrats to Mr. and Mrs. John Cocking!

It was dark outside by the time their ceremony was over, so we got creative, using lights that were to light the outside of church!

Finally, some brilliant ring shots!  Gardenias and green spider mums…  love ‘em.

Thank you Tanya and John!

We went downtown to Sesquicentennial Park in downtown Houston to take advantage of some of the scenery.

Overlooking Buffalo Bayou, I love the reflections of the orange colored trees in the water.

My favorite from their session.  This photo is sooooo Greg.  :p

We headed over by the Aquarium for some goofy shots… in a tree.

Back by the Wortham Theater, we stopped for some shots with the awesome Houston skyline.

My confession: the tilt in this photo is because I was lying on the ground, trying to avoid sticking my head in the bird poo covering the ground.

I still love this wall!

Thanks Emily and Greg!  Your wedding today was absolutely gorgeous!

Let me start with the backstory…

Taylor grew up in Pasadena, TX but has lived in Tyler since college.  She wasn’t completely familiar with Downtown Houston or many of the surrounding areas, so we started this session not knowing exactly where we were going to shoot.  We decided to head to Hermann Park (I had another totally awesome bridal session there that morning) but we were unable to find a parking spot.  We headed back up toward the museum district, parked at the First Presbyterian Church of Houston‎, and decided we’d find somewhere around there to shoot.    We took a few photos in front of the church, and then walked a little.  In front of the Contemporary Arts Museum and across the street from the Museum of Fine Arts Houston is the Lillie and Hugh Roy Cullen Sculpture Garden at the MFAH (as I was later informed by Laura Burlton, an knowledgeable friend and fellow photographer who I ran into twice that day).  Taylor instantly recognized it when we approached, and fell in love.  So that’s where we shot her session. 

She had a beautiful cathedral length veil (my absolute favorite).  The wind gusts kept catching it.  But that made for some fun shots for me!

The next two photos embody my philosophy of “never stop shooting”.  Taylor’s veil caught the wind and she was trying to catch it, unaware I was still snapping away.      (I don’t know which one I like more!)

Gorgeous green eyes…  I am so lucky to have the most beautiful brides in the world.  Seriously.  I *love* my job!

We were heavily watched by the security guards to make sure we didn’t get too close to any of the sculptures.

You never saw this photo.  I’m just sayin’.

Taylor’s mom helped me with this gorgeous off-camera lighting.

This was Taylor’s favorite sculpture in the garden.  So I stuck her on the ground in front of it… in her wedding dress.  I love my fearless brides and their fearless bridals!

If you were gasping at the thought that she would lay on the grass in her wedding dress before her wedding, she was lying on a big clear paint tarp so she wouldn’t trash her dress.  I’m sneaky like that.  :p

We were debating what the sculptures were…  Regardless, this is another one of my favorite photos!

Finally, after the sun had set, the smooth, creamy light shows off Taylor’s soft skin and bright eyes.

Ducks were approaching and Colin wanted to make sure we didn’t scare them away.

How could anyone resist those beautiful brown eyes?

Soothing a hungry baby…

Doesn’t Kyle have the most handsome eyes?  (I know I already said that, but doesn’t he?)

Colin cubed.

Here’s a happy Kyle with a tummy full of food:

Since the proud parents didn’t have a photo together since their wedding, we took a couple of quick photos. 

I’ll be heading up to Oklahoma in June to photograph their wedding.

We started their session in a semi-abandoned junk area in Tomball.

There were some chopped up telephone poles lying on the ground, so naturally I had Holly and Chase stand on them. 

Soooo hot and steamy!

Loved the spray painted drainage pipe… and one smokin’ hot couple!

While we thought we had hit the mother lode with a totally awesome location, the property owner showed up and asked us to leave.  She thought we were crazy for wanting to shoot in their trash dumping area…

I have the goofiest and most fun couples ever!

It was a little chilly outside (yes, Houston in January does get a wee bit cool), but Holly braved it in her adorable tank top and showed off her toned arms. 

My favorite from the session… the very last photo I took. 

Anyone else notice how adorably cute Chase is?  He’s actually Chad’s cousin, and the two both carry the “Niemann’s” handsome gene. 

Thanks Chase and Holly!  We had so much fun!  We’re looking forward to your vineyard wedding in June!

Chad and I spent this year’s flying to Las Vegas and enjoying a romantic dinner at Red 8 in the Wynn. We didn’t come just for Valentine’s, we’re here for WPPI, the annual Wedding and Portrait Photographers International Convention and Trade Show at the MGM Grand.

We get to attend some awesome classes to learn new things about lighting, Photoshop, art, business, marketing, leadership, posing, vision, storytelling, and much more. We also have the opportunity to meet and speak with our vendors and labs, and checkout new products and other offerings to offer you, our clients and friends.

We will be a little slow responding to phone calls and emails this week, and we won’t be able to schedule any sessions or meetings until or return on Friday, but if you need anything, don’t hesitate to leave me a message or shoot me an email.

Thanks!
Kelly

Just the girls…

Everyone wanted to love on Miss Kayla!  (She’s so adorable, who wouldn’t want to?)

At first, Kayla wasn’t so sure about her photoshoot, but she warmed up quickly.

Such a happy girl!

We started off their engagement session at The Woodlands Waterway…

I *heart* sunflare!

My favorite from the session. They’re so freakin’ adorable!

More cowbell… er, sunflare!

Next, we walked over to Market Street in The Woodlands.

There were kids behind them playing, but like perfect lovebirds, they stayed focused on each other.

My new goal for each session: to have people lay in the road. (I’m just kidding… mostly.)

Thank you Alexis and Chris! And thanks for laying in the road, even with the on coming PT Cruiser!

On January 1st I shot a wedding of some long-time lovers… they’d been together for over 12 years!  Tanya and John had a wonderful little ceremony in a charming church and Tanya’s cousin, Dawn, put a wedding announcement in Houston Chronicle.

In fact, I even received a phone call while on vacation from one of the editors of the Chron wanted to verify that those were really their names…  (Keep a look out on the Tonight Show with Jay Leno!)

While I was also out, I received another call from the videography company that filmed Teresa and Rick’s wedding, and they used my photos to create a slide show set to music for the couple.

http://www.teresaandrick.com/slideshow.html

You can also click on “Love Story” to see the video of their wedding and to see some of me “in action” (as Rob from “Don’t Get Married Without Me” explained).  I’m not sure if that’s a good thing or a bad thing…  I seem to be laying on the ground, standing on furniture, or holding the camera high above my head in most of the video I’m in.  :p

More blog posts coming soon!  I’ve got 19 in the queue!

Here are a few of my favorites:

The family chose a photo very close to this one for their photo Christmas cards.

Hanging around…

This little guy was a hoot to photograph…

This is one of my favorite family photos ever!

The kids were checking out something in the water…

So I slid under the bench, hovered my head over the water, held out the camera at arm’s length, and captured this little gem.

This family was so much fun to photograph!

Finally, Dad and his boys.

Thanks Burson family!

Max knows I’m up to something.  He’s on to me… 

Check out this cutie pie!

He has the most precious expressions:

A perfect backdrop…

I love playful families!

Little Max was ready to go home and ride his bike at this point, but I had to capture his pouting face.  When I showed Chad the photo, he said, “That’s how I looked in most of the photos I took as a kid.”  Of course…  :p

Thank you, Pam and Max, for playing in the leaves with me!

I hope everyone had a great Christmas, New Year’s, and holiday season!  Here’s another awesome family photo session from Thanksgiving weekend, when the entire family was in Houston and traveled from Florida and Pennsylvania.

We drove down to League City for the photography shoot and went to the beautiful Helen’s Garden.  We arrived early and had free range of the park.  By the time we left over an hour later, there were at least 8 other photographers shooting various kids and families there!

Below are some of my favorites from the session…

Grandma and Grandpa w/ the grandkids

A fun aerial shot (sometimes I don’t know how I keep my feet out of the photos when I hold the wide angle lens over my head…)  :p

Tickle time (always brings the cutest smiles)!

These two were getting a little chilly… so they put on their parent’s shirts!

Soooooo adorable!

(but they still look adorable in their Christmas dresses – and Kyle in his sweater!)

This session was a surprise for the grandparents of the grandchildren in their Christmas attire.

As some of you may know, I have been going to school for a loooong time.  Sadly, I graduated High School 8 1/2 years ago.  I’ve been taking courses at my local community college part-time through the years while working, running this business, trying to be a good wife, etc.  Well, I finally finished my final course last week to “graduate” with my associates degree.  I’m not sure what I’ll do now (my choices are to continue on to get my bachelor’s in… something, or have a life ), but I’ve got my 2 year degree and a measly 3.6 GPA, and no one can take away that “accomplishment.” :p

In other news, I’ve joined a “Biggest Loser” style weight loss challenge with some other wedding photographers over at www.fitphotographers.com.  Come check us out, and cheer us on with some comments!  Don’t look back too far, although.  I’ve got my “before” photos on there that I’m not too proud about.  The good news is that so far, I’ve lost 7 lbs!

We went to Meyer Park for the photo shoot where it was quite chilly, and little Jacey was so cold, but truly adorable when she shivered.

Kid kisses are the best!

This one is my favorite!

Jacey’s going to be a big sister soon! We had to add in a little maternity photo of the future-newest member of the family…

Check out Jacey’s adorable pants!

This is her “I’m really, really cold” face. :p

I love getting shots of kids playing!  It gives me the chance to capture their biggest smiles and the  cutest expressions.

Thanks guys!  Even though it was chilly, Chad and I had a great time!

Tricia and Nathan are an awesomely cool couple from Chicago. Neither have ever lived in Houston (although Nathan had a brief stint living in the Texas panhandle – we don’t talk about that), these long time lovers decided if they were going to officially tie the knot, they were going to make it unique, and random.

While it was all but snowing at their home in Chicago, these two were warming up with their marriage vows in near 80 degree Houston heat.

Tricia and Nathan were getting ready at the beautiful Magnolia Hotel in downtown Houston.

One of the little flower girls set up her stuffed animals to keep a watch on the city below.

I love calla lilies! (They were in all my bridesmaids bouquets from my wedding.) Tricia made her flowers extra special by bringing back oak leaves from Chicago (dipped in glycerin to preserve them) as a unique filler .

Tricia was hiding away getting dressed in the closet.

Holly assisted me for their wedding and captured this lovely photo of the boutonnière.

If you can’t tell by now, I *love* wedding shoes.

… and on to the elevators.

The Magnolia’s lobby is awesomely beautiful! We stopped to capture some bridals with that Old Hollywood glamor feel.

Isn’t she absolutely stunning?

They had an intimate Buddhist wedding ceremony at the Rothko Chapel near the museum district and the University of St. Thomas.

They don’t allow photographs inside the chapel, so here’s everyone emerging, and Tricia still wiping away her tears!

Holly captured this one in front of the broken obelisk with a bit of sun flare!

The reception was held upstairs in the super swanky restaurant, Gravitas, in midtown.

Tricia and Nathan created their own centerpieces and hand-decorated masks for each guest.

Guess who even had a mask… :p

By the way, this was one of THE best cakes I’ve ever had! Pumpkin spiced cream filling or something… I just called it “good.”

And finally, some ring shots (with Tricia’s meticulously decorated pumpkins)!

A few weeks later, this cool couple threw another party in Chicago for the guests that weren’t able to make the trip down to Houston. But hey, who needs an excuse to party?

Ceremony Location: Rothko Chapel, w: www.rothkochapel.org

Reception Location: Gravitas Restaurant, w: www.gravitasrestaurant.com

Flowers: Flowers by Janice, w: www.flowersbyjanice.biz, e: flowersbyjanice@sbcglobal.net, p: 281-467-4625,

I’ve known Nancy for about a 4 years now, and with both girls away at college, we had to wait until summer to find a weekend where both girls were back at home.

Every girl needs a goofy dad…

Yes, even if they’re this goofy.

Feets! :p

Kadie shows them how it’s done…

… and now we’ve got everyone jumping!

This is probably one of my favorites of the family. I love it!

Nancy and Phil on a stroll

Back at the house we had to include the dogs because, after all, they’re family too!

All the girls!

Nancy and Phil had this home built less then a year ago. I love the porches! It’s an awesome home!

Before we left, we got a couple shots of Alex on the piano (she’s quite good!) And because I love details…

(added 11/10:) I was going to make this post short, but I lied awake last night thinking about her, and although my memories are just a fragment of her long life, I wanted to share.

I remember how she introduced me to the gooey goodness that is Cadbury Creme Eggs, which my mom told me I wouldn’t like….

I remember picking my Grandma up on Sundays on the way to church Downtown. On the way there, she’d complain. On the way back, she’d tell us how much she enjoyed us picking her up.

I remember my Grandma holding up a pack of her cigarettes and telling me, “Don’t ever do these” as she lit the one pursed between her lips.

I remember the stormy night my sister was born. My parents dropped me off at Grandma’s house and we stayed up late together in anticipation of the good news.

I remember the day my Grandma collapsed in the Wyatt’s Cafeteria and was rushed to the hospital. They discovered she had an aneurysm, but she beat the odds and survived. She was one tough cookie. When she got out, she’d forgotten that she’d ever smoked.

I remember how each Christmas and Thanksgiving she would say, “Y’all better be nice to me. This may be my last Christmas!” She said that each time we got together for the last 10 years.

We’ll miss you this Thanksgiving and Christmas, Grandma. We’ll miss you telling us its time to take you home. We’ll miss you.

Here is a listing of my available weekend dates for the remainder of the year for family, kids, and engagement session photographs. I will try to keep this updated as the dates fill.

Sat 11/15

Sun 11/16

Sat 12/20

Sun 12/21

Sun 12/28

**********************************************************************************

Update 11/4:

11/23, 11/29, 11/30, and 12/14 are now booked. Thanks!

I’ve found a renewed obsession with my wide angle lens lately to incorporate the landscape and sky into many of my photographs. I love the little arbor…

Then we went over to some old farm equipment for some more posed photos.

Kayla is such a stinkin’ ham. (She gets it from her mom.) :p

But an adorable ham.

I’ve had this kick with laying on airport runways or roads lately…

Here’s the middle of the street.

We all know who’s boss. There’s no need to hide it.

We saved a little sunlight for some romantic photos of Lauren and David together…

What can I say, I always seem to bring out the best in people. Its a gift, I suppose…

Thank you guys! I hope to see you again soon!

This lovely couple is finally going to be spending some time together after being apart. One is from Vancouver, BC, the other attending school in Connecticut (both by way of Shanghai, China). So, yes, apparently people do have destination weddings IN Houston!

Regardless, here’s the Houston leg of the tour for this absolutely gorgeous couple!

Arriving at the church…

Rock star wedding shoes:

Such a beautiful bride! Isn’t she absolutely stunning?

(She thought I was silly for standing on a chair, but whatever…) :p

The church was so pretty! Flowers everywhere! (and I love flowers!)

Lighting the unity candle…

… and exchanging the rings.

This was Pewin’s traditional Chinese dress that she wore for the reception. It was so detailed and beautiful!

Their reception was held at the Remington restaurant in the fabulous St. Regis.

Toasts!

These two were so sweet! This was literally, their first dance.

As you can see, they needed a little help getting closer… no, closer… even closer you two!

I love these close, emotional shots! And their bright Chinese wedding attire makes it feel even warmer.

And now, for a little faster song, Pewin rocks out with her dad…

Finally, some totally kickin’ ring shots!!!

Thank you Pewin and Xiaolei (and Teddy and Ming too!) for allowing me be a part of your special day!

Vendors:

Ceremony: Lakewood United Methodist Church, Cypress, TX

Reception: St. Regis Hotel, Houston – The Remington Restaurant

Well she’s 6 months old now! 

We headed out to Spring Creek Park in Tomball for a quick family session to get some adorable photos of this tiny red headed beauty!

Momma and her little girl… the first is my favorite. 

Look at her amazing blue eyes!  And that fiery red hair!  Soooo cute!

Child sessions definitely have a special place in my heart… especially when the kids are this cheerful!  

She’s such a happy baby!

Thank you Tricia and Angela!  Y’all both look so cute in purple!

We started out in Cinco Ranch. They have awesome ponds and waterfalls everywhere and they totally complement this fun couple’s cool personalities.

I adore these sweet and tender moments!

Oh, and we’re totally going to pretend that there was never a “stay off the rocks” sign… because if there was, we totally ignored didn’t see it.

After the neighborhood park, we went to the La Centerra at Cinco Ranch shopping center for some more unique locales.

See? I even make stores under construction fun! (Okay, Vanessa and Johnny totally make it awesome, but I can take a wee bit of credit, right?)

Right next to LaCenterra is this lovely lake. I couldn’t have asked for more perfect light.

And I never asked them to kiss… but who needs my permission, right?

These two will be tearing up the dance floor at their wedding! Check out those moves!

Thanks you two! I can’t wait for your wedding!

For my blog (and for sharing, fun, and sometimes silliness), I host the photos I post on here on my flickr account. Flickr had an area called Explore and shows some of the best photos based of what they call “intrestingness” and… well, they can explain it better than I can.

Since I’ve posted the below photo last Sunday (up until right now) I’ve had 4,867 people view the photo, 334 people mark it as a favorite, and 95 people comment. On Sunday, September 28, 2008, I had the #1 photo on flickr. I’ll have more from Mark and Jackie’s wedding (and subsequent day after / trash the dress session) later, but for now, let me show off.

Phillip is active duty Navy, currently stationed in Virgina Beach, VA. One of my best friends since Jr. High is also in Virgina Beach right now with her man in the Navy, so we got to compare notes.

I’m feeling rather rebellious today, so instead of going in chronological order, I’m going to start off with one of my favorite images from their wedding.

The little flower girl was ready for her role while the groom anxiously awaits his bride.

I love this look she gives him at the altar!

I love these tender moments!

They had such a beautiful wedding cake! (yummy too!)

After the cake, it was time for more dancing!

Rose petals for the exit…

I’ve been incredibly busy lately with a burst of summer weddings, lots of traveling (3 out of state weddings), and now families getting ready for their joyful Christmas Cards.

While I love each and every family, couple, and client I meet, I am getting a little busier than I would like. I feel I need to give each and every client (and their images) special attention.

With the start of the new quarter on 10/1/08, we are going to increase our session fees for family portraits, engagements, and bridals and take on fewer clients per month. Also, due to increasing costs from our lab, prints and albums will be increasing too. Our wedding packages will be restructured to handle these additional charges and will increase as well.

For those of you who have already paid your session fee and signed a contract, don’t worry, nothing changes for you. For those of you who have been on the fence or waiting, now is the time!

It is almost time to be planning for your photo Christmas cards!

Since I’m a photographer and not a designer (well, not a good designer ), I’ve decided to focus on what I’m good at and leave the rest up to design professionals.  I’ve purchased these beautiful and customizable templates from designers at Beyond Red and Green.

Front:

Back:

Card prices are in addition to session fees. Prices are listed as follows: 

Contact me today to schedule your session!

I haven’t shot in downtown Houston in quite a while.  Many of the parks, including the new Discovery Green require a fee for each session.  Well, Rachel and Rob decided to brave it and instead of heading to the big parks, we started our session at the outdoor cafe across from the Alley Theater.

I love their tiled walls!

We found a little area to get some shots with the iconic Bank of America Center behind them…

After a few shots there, we headed away from the pavement and down to Sesquicentennial Park on Buffalo Bayou.  This was actually my first time shooting down here, but it is now definitely one of my favorite places in Houston!

Playing with desaturation and some textures in the best light ever.

This has got to be my mostest favoritest photo EVAR.  (I’m a dork, I know.)      

Total Hottness…  :P

… followed by silliness…

… and love.

Thanks Rachel and Rob!  Y’all were so much fun!

I really enjoy senior sessions because you get to work with some young, beautiful, and intelligent students, and Erika was certainly no exception.

When we first arrived, Erika and her mom told me that they loved this photo on my website:

I love that photo too, but I am partial. (She’s my little sister!) Erika reminds me soooo much of Kristin (liking similar movies, plays, games, ivy league schools :p ). For the record, much to Chad’s dismay, Kristin is starting her second year at The University of Texas at Austin because it’s relatively local, and because of their awesome Geo Sciences program.

But enough about Kristin… this blog post is about Erika! So here’s some of my favorites, plus some photos of the whole family!

Doesn’t she have such beautiful eyes and long lashes!

While we were inside, we had Erika’s younger sister join her for some sisterly shots.

We headed outside for some nice outdoor shots in the family’s lush backyard. This fun shot below is the one she chose for her high school yearbook! Doesn’t she have gorgeous hair?!?

Then we grabbed the whole family for some fun and unique family shots!

Thanks everyone! It was a… splash!

- Kel

Little Evyn is a girl after my own heart.  I too was bald until the age of 2, but little Evyn wears it so well with precious little curls in the back!!

She truly adores her Mom and Dad, so we got lots of family shots of this wonderful close family.

Molly also wanted some photojournalistic style photos for their home, so we we had lots of fun creating unique, one of a kind images.

Enjoy!

Isn’t she the most adorable thing ever?  Plus, we found a boat, of all things, and got some fun shots playing in our lake of grass. 

Silliness is best viewed large. 

This one may very well be my favorite…

Doesn’t she have the most gorgeous blue eyes?

This little girl loves bugs.  We told her there was a bug on my camera and she wanted to see for herself!

What’s that gator got in it’s mouth? (It ended up gobbling up lots of grass, rocks, and a sippy cup!)

Chad picked up a camera and helped me out.  While I was so enamoured with little  Evyn’s activities, he got this wide shot of the whole family.

Finally, I have got to get me a polka dot table.  Look how fun these are!

Thanks Molly, Travis, and Evyn!

I’ve been behind in my blogging, so blog posts from past edited sessions are going to be coming out of order in the next month or so, but I thought I’d start with a personal one.

Since Chad has been second shooting with me more and more frequently, we needed to have a back-up camera for each of us. So instead of buying an additional back-up, we just decided to upgrade his camera.

Chad got himself a(nother) brand new Canon 5D. But when Chad isn’t commissioned to second shoot with me, you’ll see me at weddings dual wielding, looking like a small pack mule.

Without further adieu, here is Chad unveiling my his newest toy (and doing it while looking like a total dork).

Yes, a total dork.