Thompson Poole Photography

Fun Food Friday :: Il Sogno

noreply@blogger.com (Wendi Poole) — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 18:01:00 +0000

Andrew Weissman you have out done yourself again. I am in love with your new restaurant, Il Sogno, located in San Antonio's Pearl Brewery complex. The food is heavenly and the service can't be beat. I shot the images below for San Antonio Magazine and was so impressed with the food I went back the next day for lunch. I can't wait to go for dinner.

Let's start with dessert first because that's what we all should do. The canolli were amazing. There's a little goat cheese in the filling which gives it a perfect touch of sharpness.

...the most perfect poached eggs

Who can resist chicken and fries? Not me!

And, now back to dessert. The chef made a special batch of canolli just for me while I was working so I just couldn't so no!

When I returned for lunch I had the gnocchi with bologonese and it was out of this world. If you're not yet convinced to give Il Sogno a try then the bestest Tiramisu should. Go! Now!

Wendi

Austin Engagement Session :: Karen and Wade

noreply@blogger.com (Wendi Poole) — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 16:00:00 +0000

I'm always a little nervous when the first time I meet a couple in person is at a portrait session. Building a rapport before a session helps me learn about the couple and helps them have a comfort level with me and the camera. My worries were quickly put to rest when I met Karen and Wade on a gorgeous fall day in Austin, TX. I could not have asked for a more relaxed, laid-back couple. Although Karen admits to not being very into the wedding planning these two are so personable and easy going I'm certain their Charleston, SC wedding will be fabulous.

My favorite! I love the texture of the door especially in b&w.

I really like the graffiti on the lower right corner.

I think they were hoping I was joking when I asked them to sit inside a large concrete culvert that we stumbled upon. This was shot through a hole in the side of the culvert.

Same set of doors from the first photo but in color. Still just as awesome.

Wendi

Spotlight :: Delysia Chocolatier

noreply@blogger.com (Wendi Poole) — Thu, 29 Oct 2009 02:39:00 +0000

I recently had the privilege of combining two of my loves, photography and chocolate. Last week I got to spend some time in the kitchen with the lovely and talented Nicole, owner and chief chocolate maker at Delysia Chocolatier.

Nicole says it all on the Delysia website:
Every occasion and every day should be exceptional. Whether it is a girls' day out, a family gathering or your big moment, there is always a reason for chocolate. It is not just about the chocolate. It is about the way you feel, how you bring friends and family together, and the memories you create.

I couldn't agree more! Nicole's gorgeous handmade truffles are simply divine. A box of Delysia chocolates would make the perfect wedding favor, holiday gift or special treat for your favorite photographer. Place your holiday orders now!!

I'll have a lot more to share with you in the near future. Until then, here's a little tease.

You won't find any mass production at Delysia. Every truffle is handmade by Nicole.

Custom designed chocolates. Yum! Yum!

A beautiful box of goodness.

Wendi

Vacation :: U2 Mini Tour

noreply@blogger.com (Wendi Poole) — Tue, 20 Oct 2009 15:00:00 +0000

Despite his day job in the corporate world, my husband Rick's passion is music and it's a love we share. You might recall we made a trek to Cincinnati last winter to see one of our favorite bands, Over the Rhine. Last week, along with some friends, we indulged in a mini U2 tour, seeing the band in concert on Monday in Dallas and in Houston on Wednesday.

Rick has a funny story about his first U2 concert. It was the long awaited teenage rite-of-passage, his first live concert and his friend’s brother was taking him and his friend to see the J. Geils Band. They arrived late and only caught the last couple songs of the opening act - the Irish foursome, U2. He was hooked and I think he’s seen every tour since!

The concerts were simply awesome. In Dallas we had special tickets and got rail side floor spots, without the all-day wait in line. In my opinion, Houston was a better show. You could tell they were having a lot of fun and just jamming on stage which made for a really cool show.

Take a peek at some photos I snapped.

Dallas

Rick and me before the Dallas show. I won't show the Houston before photos. We look a little scary after waiting all day in the sun.

Houston. I include this because of all the media photographers shooting Bono. I was able to shoot the whole show and still party while they only got a couple songs and then were kicked out. I love relaxed camera restrictions!

The Edge in Houston. If you like music or storytelling you must see It Might Get Loud - a great documentary featuring The Edge, Jimmy Page and Jack White.

Adam Clayton in Houston.

Houston. I loved the Second encore when Bono came out in a LED jacket and swung around on a microphone hanging from the center of the stage. Oh how I was longing for my long lens!

Until next Tour!

Wendi

Featured on the A Regal Affair blog

noreply@blogger.com (Wendi Poole) — Wed, 14 Oct 2009 15:41:00 +0000

When I first met Jennifer Jasiczek with A Regal Affair I knew (hoped!) it would be the beginning of a long friendship. Not only does Jennifer produce stunning events, from intimate destination weddings to spectacular over-the-top Texas affairs, but she is just plain funny and fun to be around. I was thrilled when she asked to feature us on her blog. Thanks Jen!

Texas Wedding Photography - Wendi Poole

Today's Texas Wedding Photographer feature is of Wendi Poole of Thompson Poole Photography. The talent in Texas is amazing. Wendi considers Austin and San Antonio her wedding home base, but recently has expanded into the Houston market. Be sure and visit the Thompson Poole website and blog

You can reach Thompson Poole by calling
Denise Cornell, Owner / Client Relations 512.484.1523
Wendi Poole, Owner / Photographer
Follow them on twitter:
@thompsonpoole (Denise)
@wendipoole (Wendi)
Email: denise {at} thompsonpoole {dot} com

I love your company name, Thompson Poole, how did it come to be?
Thompson is my maiden name and Poole is my married name.

I know this is cliche, but how would you describe your style?
Storytelling. I am a working photojournalist and I photograph weddings like I do any other editorial assignment; I tell the story of the event.

What is your favorite aspect of the job?
Meeting people and watching families come together. I love knowing that the photos I take have meaning and will be cherished and shared for generations to come.

How many people shoot for Thompson Poole?
I am always the lead photographer. We also have a pool of working photojournalists that we use as second shooters.

What is the starting investment for a wedding?
Wedding coverage starts at $4500

Favorite part of the wedding day?
Oh, this is hard. I love it when the bride and groom first see each other. I also like it when the couple leaves the reception and everyone is saying goodbye. And, Dad’s first dance with the bride is always awesome; the way he looks at his daughter is priceless. I could go on and on.

Greatest length to get the perfect shot?
I've been in cherry pickers, waist deep in water and even in the operating room for an open heart surgery -- but not at weddings! For weddings I'll climb, crawl and squeeze into weird places to get that perfect shot...but usually without anyone, especially the bride and groom, seeing or hearing a thing. I love it when a bride declares, 'How did you get that shot? I didn't even know you were there!'

Anything else we should know about Thompson Poole?
I like sweets and baked goods and if you get me talking about food you might regret it.
Jennifer says: I hear you are quite the baker, I accept baked goods any day of the week.

Childhood Ambition?
I grew up in Pensacola, FL, home of the amazing Blue Angels. So first I wanted to be a Navy pilot then an astronaut, but getting eye glasses in high school dashed any hopes of being a military pilot. I then turned my focus to journalism and soon learned that I write like I talk -- ramble, ramble, using a thousand words to describe a moment that could have been captured in just a few. At the urging of my photographer father I picked up a camera and discovered I could capture those same moments in a heartbeat -- in my pictures. I knew immediately I had found my calling and off to Photojournalism school I went. As they say, the rest is history.

Dream Vacation? I love to travel and explore new places. Some of my top destinations are: England, repeat my honeymoon trip to Ireland, Australia, New Zealand, the Bahamas.

Favorite animal at the zoo? I LOVE Penguins!

Can't live without? God, candy, my Husband

Hidden talent? I am a mean pinball player. I bet I could take on Tommy.

Best compliment ever received? This note to one of our brides from her brother made me blush. “THOSE ARE THE BEST WEDDING PICTURES I'VE EVER SEEN!!!! Do you know if Thompson Poole has a time machine so I can have them do my wedding five years ago???”

If you weren't a photographer, what would you be? Let’s see, a doctor, a pilot, a pastry chef. I think that covers it for this week. Check back next week for an update.

Describe your perfect day? Any day I can smile when I wake up and when I go to sleep. It also helps if chocolate and cake are involved.

Contact A Regal Affair for your wedding and event planning needs.
Jennifer Jasiczek
210-563-6705
boutique {at} regalaffair {dot} com

Wendi

Capturing the Moment :: Texas Wedding Photographer

noreply@blogger.com (Wendi Poole) — Mon, 05 Oct 2009 14:30:00 +0000

Sometimes the moment is best told in more than one photo. The photojournalist in me loves it when our brides choose to do a framed series like the ones below.

Wendi

Fun Food Friday :: Bohanan's Prime Steaks & Seafood

noreply@blogger.com (Wendi Poole) — Fri, 02 Oct 2009 14:00:00 +0000

Steak. It's what's for dinner! I had the pleasure to photograph Bohanan's in San Antonio for San Antonio Magazine. There are exciting new things in store for Bohanan's and this month should usher in the opening of their new bar located below the restaurant along Houston Street. The bar is modeled after the great cocktail bars of New York City and will the first of its kind in San Antonio. There will also be a special bar menu that makes me hungry just thinking about it.

Left to right: Clover Club Cocktail: gin, lemon juice, egg white, sugar, raspberry syrup; Bohanan's Signature Cocktail: mescal laced glass, Pernod, sugar, Peychauds bitters in an orange zested glass with an orange twist; Pisco Sour: egg white, fresh lime juice, Pisco Brandy and sugar.

Seared Tuna

Seared Hudson Valley foie gras with braised duck and a cherry brandy sauce.

And then there is steak. Chef Mark Bohanan insisted that I needed to see the raw steak to understand the quality of the meat. So I thought I'd show you both raw and cooked. This is a 16 oz Allen Brothers bone-in filet mignon. Pretty cool to see them side by side.

Don't forget to check-out the new bar opening soon and you might just see me there sipping something delish.

Wendi

Circle H Lodge :: Texas Hill Country Wedding Venue

noreply@blogger.com (Wendi Poole) — Tue, 29 Sep 2009 18:30:00 +0000

We recently had the pleasure of visiting Circle H Lodge, a unique Hill Country lodge just outside Burnet, Texas on Inks Lake. If you're searching for a quintessential Hill Country venue with an incredible lake view for your wedding, look no further. Here's a small sampling of this fabulous place.

The high pitched 47 foot cathedral ceilings, made entirely of wood, are one of the more breathtaking aspects of the home.

Fabulous for portraits!

This is Havana, the owners' awesome border collie, having a little fun in the pool.

Visit the Circle H Lodge website for more info and call Britain, Todd or Rolyn for a personal tour.

San Antonio Magazine :: Single in San Antonio

noreply@blogger.com (Wendi Poole) — Tue, 22 Sep 2009 20:15:00 +0000

Check out the September issue of San Antonio Magazine for a look at the city's most eligible singles. I had a great time hanging out and photographing these folks with the super cool Museo Alameda as our backdrop. Below is a sampling of the magazine's "must meet list." For the complete list and a little blurb about yours truly in the contributers section, run out and get your copy soon before it's off the shelves.

Local bar owner Alex Cabrera.

Yes, that is the beautiful San Antonio Silver Star forward Sophia Young.

Wendi

Bangs

noreply@blogger.com (Wendi Poole) — Wed, 16 Sep 2009 03:50:00 +0000

I rarely do anything with my hair. It's either in a ponytail or hanging long and straight. But sometimes a girl needs a little change in her life. I took the plunge and went for bangs. My 90 year old grandmother said, "You look like a movie star." It doesn't get any better than that!

Thanks Brandan Licatino at Solution For Hair. Great place and awesome guy.

Fun Food Friday :: My Favorite Dessert

noreply@blogger.com (Wendi Poole) — Thu, 03 Sep 2009 19:56:00 +0000

One of my all time favorite desserts, blue cheese cheesecake, can be found at the fabulous Bin 555 in San Antonio, Texas. After begging chef Jason Dady, I got the recipe and it was recently featured in San Antonio Magazine.

I adapted the recipe for a pie baking contest, but sadly I didn't even place in the contest. The judges went with more traditional flavors like cherry and buttermilk, but I still got rave reviews and look forward to making it again soon. This pie (or cheesecake) is especially good enjoyed with a glass of red wine.

Take the plunge! Give this recipe a try and let me know what you think.

Wendi's Red, White and Blue Pie (adapted from Bin 555)

2 LBS CREAM CHEESE, SOFTENED
5 OZ BLUE CHEESE
.75 LBS SUGAR
2 OZ CORN STARCH
1 EA VANILLA BEAN
5 EA EGGS
2 EA EGG YOLKS

CRUST

1/2 LB BUTTER, MELTED
3 C GRAHAM CRACKER CRUMBS

Makes 2 pies.
Preheat the oven to 300F.

To Make the Crust: Mix the crumbs and the melted butter thoroughly. Then pat the crust into pie plates to cover the bottom and sides. Set aside.

For the Filling: Cream together the cheeses, sugar, and cornstarch in a mixer (best in a Kitchen Aid type stand-up mixer). Split the vanilla bean and scrape out the seeds. Add the scraped vanilla bean to the cheese mixture and mix on low. Slowly add the eggs and yolks one at a time, blending after each one on low to medium speed until fully incorporated. Pull out the bean and throw it away. Pour into crusts 3/4 of the way up. Cook in oven on a cookie sheet for 45 minutes or until the pie center doesn't jiggle. (Start checking the pie for doneness every 5 to 10 minutes after 20 minutes until it's done.) Cool on a rack until its room temp then put into the fridge until cold.

CHERRY COGNAC SAUCE

2 CUPS COGNAC (can use Brandy)
1 CUP GRANULATED SUGAR
4 CUPS DRIED TART CHERRIES

Pour the Cognac into a heavy bottomed pot and add the sugar. Cook on medium heat until the sugar is fully dissolved, stirring only occasionally. Cover the pot and simmer for 5 minutes. Add the cherries and stew on medium keeping them on a low simmer for 20-30 minutes. The sauce is finished when the liquid resembles maple syrup. Be careful not to heat too high because you will burn the sugar. Cool at room temp.

Top the pie with the cooled cherries and sauce. Sauce can be chilled in the fridge.

Enjoy!

Wendi

Alabama Wedding :: Will + Ali

noreply@blogger.com (Wendi Poole) — Tue, 25 Aug 2009 15:00:00 +0000

Will and Ali, you rock! I am so glad I got to go home to Pensacola, Florida for a friend's wedding in June. Ali is the sister of Caroline McDaniel whose wedding I featured here. I grew up with the McDaniel sisters and it was so much fun sharing this time with them and their family. I was lucky enough to be a guest, but I just couldn't help myself from shooting too. So take a look at this beautiful wedding in Foley, Alabama.

I'm always searching for the "bigger picture" (pun fully intended), looking for the unexpected shots that fill in the details of the wedding story. This is a great example. A tender moment captured between formal portraits.

If you follow this blog you know I am a bit obsessed with baked goods so you know I mean it when I say this cake by Betty Weber was GREAT. By the way, Betty also made my wedding cake years ago.

Congratulations Will and Ali.

Fun Food Friday :: Crave Cupcakes, Houston

noreply@blogger.com (Wendi Poole) — Fri, 07 Aug 2009 13:24:00 +0000

Cupcakes. They have been the thing for awhile now, but until a few weeks ago I hadn't found a place that does them really well. If you follow this blog you know I have seriously high standards for baked goods.

Crave Cupcakes in Houston, Texas has perfected the art. It is a small store that makes everything right in front of you. I love just about everything I have eaten there especially their gingerbread breakfast cupcake. It's really just a gingerbread muffin, but oh so yummy, and the only time I've had gingerbread that could remotely compare to my own.

If you're craving some Crave, arrive early because they run out of the breakfast cupcakes around 9:30am and don't make more during the day.

The Chocolate Mint tasted like an Andes mint. It's one of the rotating flavors. You can check available flavors using their online schedule.

Box of fun!

If you want to go, just yell at me and I'll be there.

Wendi

Happy Anniversary to Me!

noreply@blogger.com (Wendi Poole) — Sun, 26 Jul 2009 05:18:00 +0000

Seven years ago today I married the best guy in the world, yayness! Here are a couple photos I dug up from our honeymoon. Ahh, the days of film mean it's hard to easily find the images you want.

My huband Rick near Spiddal, excited that it is not raining. If you are a Waterboys fan it's close to the house where they recorded Fisherman's Blues.

Dromoland Castle in County Clare. Wow, this place was awesome and a must stay if you're in Ireland. They offer a variety of activities including weddings (hint, hint) and the whiskey in the rooms is divine -- smooth and yummy.

And who can forget the cute doors and vibrant colors?

We really need to get back there soon. Happy Anniversary to my wonderful husband.

San Antonio Wedding :: Ashley + Daniel

noreply@blogger.com (Wendi Poole) — Mon, 20 Jul 2009 15:00:00 +0000

It's been a long time since I've made a 2:30am Whataburger run. Well I have to say after Daniel and Ashley amazing wedding all I wanted on the way home was some Whataburger fries. This was a wonderfully long, hot and unbelievably fun wedding. The ceremony and reception took place at the beautiful Marriott Plaza Hotel in downtown San Antonio. We all braved the 103 plus degree weather for the gorgeous courtyard ceremony. They rocked it despite the heat and still looked amazing. Then came the fun. This was one big party of a reception. I have to say Ashley rarely if ever left the dance floor. She was having so much fun and it showed. I also wanted to mention that I learned quite a few new dance moves thanks to Daniel's groomsmen -- bowling & double dutch to name a couple. Without further ado check out the awesomeness yourselves.

I just love the shot of Ashley getting ready.

Can we say excited!

And there were tears.

I think we were all happy to step inside to do some portraits.

Let's hear it for the Aggies!

Let's dance. I have to hand it to the DJ, Steve Castaneda from DJ Holtz Entertainment, he was great too.

And dad can dance.

OK, photographer moment, I so love this light it's not funny.

The flower girl found to place to nap around 11. Too cute.

Bubbles.

Ashley and Daniel, you two are amazing and I feel honored to have been a part of your wedding. And next time you're throwing a party let me know and I'll bring my dancing shoes.

I also wanted to send a shout out to Edward Gallardo, the onsite coordinator at the Marriott Plaza. He is amazing.

Wendi

Bridal Portraits :: Southwest School of Art and Craft, San Antonio

noreply@blogger.com (Wendi Poole) — Thu, 16 Jul 2009 15:00:00 +0000

Ashley is a trooper! Braving 95+ degrees for her bridal portraits is my idea of determination. And she looked fabulous the whole time. Our photo shoot was at the at the beautiful and very welcoming Southwest School of Art and Craft in downtown San Antonio. Ashley and her mom were just as much fun as they were at our first meeting. I knew the wedding would be a blast and it was, but more about that in another post. So, wWithout further ado here are some of my favorites from the day.

Mom fixing Ashley's veil. Such fun personalities.

I love this black and white. In technical photography jargon -- it's just kinda cool.

Love the glow of the sun in this photo.

This is really my favorite -- the blue chairs peeking out and that fabulous smile.

Fun photos from Ashley and Daniel's wedding coming soon.

Congrats,

Wendi

Fun Food Friday :: Sandwiches

noreply@blogger.com (Wendi Poole) — Thu, 02 Jul 2009 23:54:00 +0000

It's summer and really hot in Texas. What better meal than a sandwich? I thought I'd share some of the out-takes from my shoot for San Antonio Magazine's dining feature on the top sandwiches in San Antonio.

The Tomato Basil Mozzarella Panini from Texas Farm to Table at the Pearl Brewery. I have to say this one was tasty.

This is the Spinach Chicken Salad at W. D. Deli on Broadway. If you know me at all you know I loathe mayo. The sight and smell of it make me nauseous so this wasn't the easiest thing to shoot. That said, the deli is great. Reminds me of someone's hip grandmother's house. I would definitely stop in for lunch, just not this sandwich.

Shrimp Poboy at Podna's Catfish and Poboy's on Austin Highway. This place was fun. I walked in and the cooks were ragging on each other and I was hit with the wonderful smell of fried food. This sandwich was huge, but because of the presence of that offensive condiment, mayo, I only ate a couple shrimpies. They were very, very tasty. Two, maybe three people could share one sandwich.

Have fun and enjoy your sandwiches. Don't forget to pick up a copy of San Antonio Magazine. There are a lot of cool things in this issue.

Wendi

Neal and Allison One Year Anniversary

noreply@blogger.com (Wendi Poole) — Sun, 14 Jun 2009 23:45:00 +0000

Happy First Anniversary Neal and Allison. You are one amazing couple and I am so glad we got the opportunity to be a part of your amazing wedding.

I hope this past year has been as fun as the wedding and then some. And may the ones to come continually be filled with joy.

Wendi

Fun Food Friday :: Fried Chicken

noreply@blogger.com (Wendi Poole) — Fri, 05 Jun 2009 15:00:00 +0000

Ok, I love Fried Chicken. I'm from the south and growing up I can swear I had it almost everyday. So, In Texas finding that great place for Fried Chicken and traditional southern fair has been hard. Then a few years ago I discovered the joys of Mr. And Mrs. G's in San Antonio. This place is heaven for a southerner. When I worked in Birmingham, Alabama the city was littered with places called meat and threes, which means you choose a daily meat then pick three sides to go with it. That is exactly the description of Mr. and Mrs. G's. They always have a choice of meats and veggies, but I never can sway from the awesomeness of the fried Chicken. It's divine and second only to the now gone (due to Hurricane) Hopkins House in Pensacola, Florida where I grew up. I actually had our rehearsal dinner at Hopkins House for the sole reason of Fried Chicken! That said, I with a crew of photographer friends make special trips to Mr. and Mrs. G's just to get our fix. This was one of those Fried Chicken Fridays from a couple months ago.

Fried Chicken Goodness. You can't forget the awesome black eyed peas and sweet potatoes. Almost as good as the fried chicken.

A Piece of J. Michael Short's Pork Chop.

Part of the photo crew. Mark Greenberg in the center, his wife on the left and Mark Sobhani on the right.

Pie! How can I forget their desserts? They are homemade goodness. I am very partial to the pound cake and the chocolate cake. These desserts look and taste like somebody's grandma made for the church potluck. Delish. How'd that black-eyed pea sneak in there?

I couldn't quite finish it all but tried. Everytime I leave Mr. and Mrs. G's I end up feeling like I just had Thanksgiving dinner. Nap anyone?

Wendi

Angie+Hector :: San Antonio Wedding

noreply@blogger.com (Wendi Poole) — Wed, 06 May 2009 15:00:00 +0000

Another awesome couple! Angie & Hector were married at the Chapel at Cornerstone in San Antonio with the reception at the Doubletree. I had a great time with these folks. Take a look!

The fabulous printed materials including programs and invitations were designed by the oh-so-talented team of Bobby and Kim at Arispe Creative! They also happen to be the brother and sister-in-law of the bride and my friends!

Just before going down the aisle. This is one of my favorite parts of a wedding -- always filled with such emotion and anticipation.

Bobby, the bride's brother getting his boutonniere.

I just love this one.

Cake fun.

A beautiful moment between the bride and her mom at the end of the night.

Ok this is the first time I've followed the bride and groom to their room, but I'm always up for a little fun and adventure.

Congratulations!

Wendi

Fun Food Friday :: Luling City Market

noreply@blogger.com (Wendi Poole) — Fri, 01 May 2009 15:00:00 +0000

It's BBQ time! Today we're exploring one of my many obsessions -- BBQ. Luling City Market in Luling, Texas, in my opinion, is the best BBQ ever. Texas Monthly named it to the Top 5 best BBQ places in Texas in 2008.

Here the meat shines! The brisket is amazing and the sausage -- WOW is all that comes to mind. Another really cool thing about this place is, well, the place. It sits on the downtown strip in Luling, Texas and looks like it hasn't be updated since it was built and that's the charm. With no further ado here is a tour of Luling City Market.

I love the cars that happen to be outside during my visit. Perfect.

Ah, the smoke room. You smell so good after you leave. Note the check sign has been up a long time. This was taken a week ago.

Look at those crazy prices.

That is heaven on a plate and only $1.80 a link.

A real Butcher Block.

Can't forget the pickles.

Sad but true I couldn't finish everything I ordered.

I'll leave you with a photo that looks cool to me.

If you're ever in the mood for real BBQ call me!

Wendi

Girlstart

noreply@blogger.com (Wendi Poole) — Sun, 19 Apr 2009 22:12:00 +0000

Last month I had the privilege (and fun!) of covering Girlstart's 2009 Epanding Your Horizon's conference. Girlstart is a non-profit organization created to empower girls to excel in math, science, and technology. Founded in 1997 in Austin, Texas, Girlstart has quickly established itself as a best-case practices leader in empowering, educating, and motivating girls to enjoy and become more proficient in math, science and technology. Girlstart's Expand Your Horizons conference gives girls an opportunity to sample exciting careers -- from crime scene investigation to dissecting fish and everything in between. Over 300 girls learned about a new math, science, engineering or technology career with the help of some amazing professional presenters and great volunteers.

I love this group and what they are doing. I encourage you to volunteer, make a donation or take one of their Girl Start for Grown Ups workshops.

Dissecting fish. Smelly!

Extracting DNA. CSI is one of my favorite shows so this one was cool to me.

Playing "Cheese or Disease" during the general session.

Learning how to fuse pipe with the gas company.

Learning how to take some one's blood pressure. I always lose count.

Slap games! Remember these? Takes me back to recess.

Wendi

Tyler+Caroline :: Pensacola Wedding

noreply@blogger.com (Wendi Poole) — Mon, 06 Apr 2009 04:06:00 +0000

Last month I had the joy of attending Tyler & Caroline's wedding in Pensacola. Caroline is the sister of my good friend Suzie. We all grew-up in church together and I remember teaching Caroline in Vacation Bible school; now she is teaching math with my mom at my old high school. Go Aggies! Well I had a blast at Caroline's wedding and even though I was supposed to be "just a guest" I couldn't resist shooting some fun shots. The ceremony was at First United Methodist in downtown Pensacola, Florida and the reception was at a really cool venue called My Spayce. I also have to put a plug in for the awesome florist, Wendy Childress of Distinctive Blooms and Botanicals, who did some beautiful work and helped Caroline create her dream wedding. The reception was themed A Night at the Movies and it was beautiful.

Such a cute flower girl and I love the head piece.

Caroline looked liked a classic movie star in her dress. The black and white gives an old Hollywood feel.

I love this one because we got mom and grandmom sitting and Caroline's two sisters standing in the background watching the formal photos being taken. Great example of the advantage of having a second photographer.

I love Caroline's dad and this was just too fun. He was very proud.

If you follow this blog you know I love transportation photos and here's a fun shot of Caroline and Tyler on the trolley going to the reception.

One of the cool floral arrangements.

During the toasts.

Caroline's sister Ali and her fiance Will. They are getting married in June and I can't wait for that one too.

You gotta love feather boas.

Congrats you two!

While in Pensacola I also had the pleasure of meeting Lara Casey, of Southern Weddings Magazine at a Social Media workshop hosted by the magazine. Great workshop and not something I expected to see happening in my little hometown of Pensacola. It is getting bigger and better every day.

Wendi

Fun Food Friday :: San Antonio Magazine

noreply@blogger.com (Wendi Poole) — Fri, 03 Apr 2009 19:11:00 +0000

To celebrate my love of food I'm introducing Fun Food Friday. The first Friday of every month I'll be bringing you all things food. For our debut, I'm thrilled to share my cover (yeah!) on the April addition of San Antonio Magazine. I regularly shoot the dining section for the magazine and this month I was asked to shoot a feature and the Top 10 New Restaurants. Very excited that one of my favorite restaurants, Tre Trattoria made the list.

This is the cover with my photo from Luca. It's downtown at the Fairmont Hotel. Cool restaurant and the hotel has a dog as concierge.

This is inside Luca. Love the light. Luca would make a great place for a rehearsal dinner or bridesmaid luncheon.

I am not a fried fish fan but this dish from Tre Trattoria was very intriguing with a yummy aroma. This didn't run in the magazine but I love the natural light from the sky light.

Gnocchi from Tre and it is awesome. If you go, don't forget the heavenly Almond Italian Soda. Great patio for enjoying this fabulous Spring weather.

Last but not least a dish from Oloroso. How cute is that little quail egg on top?

Bon Appetit!

Wendi

San Antonio Wedding

noreply@blogger.com (Wendi Poole) — Wed, 25 Mar 2009 18:05:00 +0000

Ok, here goes it! I had a blast with these two amazing people. They are a very special couple with really great family and friends. The Grand March was a blast and I didn't get too turned around. Their ceremony was at MacArthur Park Lutheran Church and the reception was at the Knights of Columbus Hall in San Antonio, Texas.

Mirror fun with Amanda (left) and her sister Stephanie (right) having their makeup done. Stephanie has amazing eyes!

Amanda and her mom.

Window light is nice.

Andy waiting for the first look at his beautiful bride.

One of my favorites. Dusk + Street lights = great fun.

One of my favorites. A special father + daughter moment.

Amanda's grandfather leading the Grand March.

I couldn't resist. The flower girl peeking out from the cake table.

Congratulations Andy and Amanda!

Wendi