Scot and I headed out to Ashton Gardens a few weeks ago for Vicky and Robert’s big day. The weather was awesome and Vicky and Robert were a joy to hang out with! They were very excited to be getting married, which is always a great place to start! Here are some of my faves from their day — Enjoy!

peace.

Scot captured the above and below images, which is why we keep him around.

Some details for you to love on…

Their intimate first dance.

Possibly my favorite exit/limo/leaving shot…

Wow. By the look of this post you’d think we shot the entire wedding in black and white! I assure you we got some amazing color images as well! I just really loved the feel of all these in rich, warm B-W!

Probably the very first thing you notice upon arriving in San Miguel de Allende is the wonderfully amazing spectrum of color! The city envelopes you as you drive in to town in a blanket that rivals Joseph’s coat. Everywhere you look you see buildings, vehicles, people and clothing in such rich and vibrant color! Here, once again, is a taste of my time in San Miguel for your enjoyment.

p.s. — Ashley, I promise I’m not stalling on your wedding images! Just trying to keep your appetite whetted while I wrap them up! And mid-July brides, your images should be complete this next week! Happy times!!

peace.

This next place is closed on Wednesdays, I think.

I should point out that as I prepared for my trip, I checked the weather daily leading up to my departure. Every day for more than a week it showed thunderstorms or mostly cloudy skies. Enter: wedding day - not a cloud in the sky and gorgeous blue was all we could see! It was the same way on Sunday for our day-after session. As I left Monday to go to the airport, the heavens opened up for another straight week of rain! It was amazing!

This building in the next image is La Parroquia, Church of St. Michael the Archangel. It is the central cathedral in downtown San Miguel. The original structure was built in 1683 and the final building with add-ons and spires was completed in the 1880s. It’s an amazing architectural specimen, and is still in use today, as you’ll see below.

I know I called this post “The Colors of San Miguel”, but I really liked the feel of this one in monochrome.

I have no idea whose wedding this is. The church was open, so I went in; and I’m a wedding photographer, so I kinda couldn’t help myself.

Until next time…

A week ago I returned from Mexico after an amazing weekend with Ashley and Ryan and all their closest friends and family.  While I was there I was able to steal away for a couple of photo-excursions and capture just a taste of this wonder that is San Miguel de Allende.  This is another of many posts highlighting this beautiful place; this beautiful culture; this beautiful people.  Please enjoy.

peace.

This kid cracked me up — a truck goes by me and I hear “HEY!  CAMERA!!” and I look up to see this::

These last two images were really moving to me.

Monday morning I woke up at 3.50 for a six o’clock flight. Sadder than the fact that I awoke earlier than God was the fact that I was leaving San Miguel de Allende, quite possibly my new favorite place on earth. I shot almost 6000 images while I was there, so look for more than a few of them over the next couple of weeks. Until then, enjoy these few from San Miguel and Ashley and Ryan’s amazing wedding!

peace.

This may be my favorite image from their wedding! (I only have about 4000 wedding images to choose from!!)

And here are a few from our day-after session downtown.

Check back soon for more from this amazing trip!! Good things to come!

My good friend Matt turned 30 a couple of weeks ago and his wonderful wife threw him a surprise party. Here are some pics of all the fun! Enjoy!
(btw :: it was a themed dress up party — no, all my friends do not typically dress like this…)

peace.

The birthday boy.

10 bonus points if you can guess the theme…

The Dixie Chicks dropped by…

There was a costume contest and here are the winners::

We’re not sure if Reid actually knew it was a costume party — I think he came straight from the double-wide…

Some people were a little obsessed with their own costumes…

But my new friend Justin was the only one man enough to actually wear an animal!

By the way — Justin is an uber-talented photographer! Go check out his work here!

So what does it mean when some guy is reading redneck jokes from the microphone and the couple down front starts giving each other high fives?!?

Here’s one big heapin’ helpin’ of the fun::

Here is another of the bridal sessions I shot last spring. Kerri and Jake were married last weekend at Ashton Gardens, and it was quite the party! Look for more from their wedding in a couple of weeks. Until then, enjoy these from Kerri’s session.

peace.

The light was gorgeous!

I love Kerri’s “bridal magazine/supermodel” look in these!

I met Charlene and David Monday night at Lakewood Yacht Club in Seabrook. We had a blast shooting on and among the boats in the gorgeous coastal-Texas late-afternoon light. Charlene and David have known each other since high school, where she was the gorgeous cheerleader and he was the good looking athlete that she just didn’t have time for.

“I knew him in high school, but didn’t like him at all” Charlene recalls. “I went to one of his parties once and the only thing I said to him all night was to ask him where the restroom was!”

But after going off to college and a brief stint in New York (which ended by David going up there to “get her and bring her back”), the two realized that they were much better together than apart — so here we are! They will celebrate their marriage this October in the Sugar Land area, but wanted a different and unique look for their engagement photos. I’m hoping we got what they were looking for!

The setting of this shoot reminded me of some of my friends in Florida, Rae and Wes Leytham, who spend quite a bit of time at the Pensacola Yacht Club; either making amazing photographs or sailing on their boat. Hope the tribute is appropriate, guys!!

I had a near-impossible time narrowing down favorites from their shoot, so get ready to see a lot of images! Enjoy!

peace.

It was a gorgeous blue-sky afternoon!

I’m pretty sure that this is as close to warm, buttery, yummy California light as we get here in Texas!

This next is definitely a favorite of mine from this session…

Definitely another favorite…

Can I have three favorites?? I think I’m allowed, right?

Okay, I may be pushing it on the favorites tab — but I really dig the above and below images too…

I love the way she looks at him

Just a quick follow-up post from our most recent Wallis excursion. Enjoy!

peace.

These next two shots are in honor of and in tribute to Jessica Claire.

We have recently added another dimension to the already-full-service studio563 experience! Lindsay Claire, our rockstar photo-chick-extraordinaire, has brought the fun, sensual, mysterious, and more-than-just-a-li’l-bit sexy Boudoir Session to our 563 family of sessions. If you are unfamiliar with boudoir sessions, they are the extremely high-class, sexy, playful shoots that make a fantastic wedding gift for any groom-to-be or a perfect anniversary gift for any lucky man!

Ladies, if you are currently planning your wedding or have an anniversary/birthday coming up, give your husband/future husband a gift he’ll never forget! We are also offering custom flush-mount, leather-bound albums containing your favorite images to complete your gift! Contact studio563 today and schedule your session!

**Check out Lindsay’s amazing Boudoir work here!**

peace.

A while back a very good friend of mine called me up and invited me out to a rodeo he was hosting at his dad’s ranch. Mike has been roping almost as long as he’s been walking, so I knew it would be good fun. But then he told me that this rodeo would be a benefit for his son who is severely handicapped. I knew I had to do everything I could to make it out there.  I was able to go and see them and shoot off a few frames, but couldn’t stay for all the action, as it was on 06-07-08, and I had to leave to go shoot Ashley and Andrew’s awesome wedding.  Afterwards, I spoke with Mike and he told me that through silent and live auctions and entrance fees, they were able to raise over $30,000; much of which was donated to medical research!  Here are some of my shots from the warm up section of the rodeo.

peace.