Hello friends!

Exciting news: this is officially my lost post on this blog because my blog has moved! The whole team here at 563 got a blog face lift. The new blogs have bigger images, a much more user-friendly comment section, and are overall just cooler!

Be sure to check it out!!

And for those of you that may have an RSS feed or this page bookmarked, be sure to update those to see the latest and greatest happenings of studio563!

I just couldn’t get over the way she looked at him. Several times throughout their wedding day, I found myself amazed with how much passion I saw in her eyes every time Joyce looked at her groom. That kind of passionate look that when you see it, you can tell just how much love and devotion is felt. It is undeniable that these two not only love each other, but Joyce and Kefentse share so much respect, understanding, and admiration for one another. You can literally see it in their eyes.

These two had an amazing and heartfelt ceremony at the always lovely Ashton Gardens. Shortly after, everyone headed to get some food, some cake, and started gettin’ down on the dance floor. Joyce and Kefentse laughed, danced, celebrated, but all the while, Joyce never stopped looking at her groom with that same incredible passion.

After you check out my favorites from this awesome wedding, be sure to head over to Chip’s blog to get his take on the day. He did a killer session with the bride and groom right after the wedding was over and you won’t want to miss that!

Oh yea, did I mention that Joyce was GORGEOUS?!

Chip grabbed this one and I dig it

This right here…this is the look I was telling you about. Love it!

There’s that look again!

Joyce, Kefentse, I was an absolute pleasure! Love and blessings to you both

Before I get into the loveliness that was Brandy and Charles’ wedding, let me just say how excited I am to be blogging again! The holidays and the start of the new year are always a busy time and unfortunately this year, my poor blog seemed to take the hardest hit. However, I assure you loyal followers (and by that I mean my mothers) I will be back to regular updating! With that, I give you Brandy and Charles!

Just before the holidays kicked into gear, Craig and I headed out to Cypress Chateau for Brandy and Charles’ wedding.  Though it was the first chilly weekend we had here in Houston, the small breeze and the amazing light set the scene for an awesome sunset ceremony. Once the sun went down and the party started, Brandy and Charles spent the rest of the evening dancing, smiling, and celebrating their love.  Here’s a few of my favs from their day!

Gorgeous!

A last minute zipper check before the ceremony

These next two might just be my favorites from the day. I told you the light was incredible!

Earlier this week, I met up with a few of my newest friends and fabulous Houston photographers at the Catalina Coffee shop in downtown.  We did lots of chatting, drank some coffee, then headed out for some much needed stretching of the proverbial legs. As we walked around Washington Ave, we used each other as models (like any good group of photographers would do) and got a few shots to update our web profiles.

The gang consisted of:

Rebecca-Linh Rodgers
Brooke Schwab
Akil Bennett
Clint Shuttlesworth
Danny Heinlein
Marco Wang
and another 563er Craig.

Crew, it was a blast! Can’t wait until next time!!

Since 2008 is quickly coming to an end, I took some time to reflect on this year. As a studio, we shot a lot of incredible weddings and I am so thankful I was able to be a part of some of them. I took some time this afternoon to go back through all the weddings I was a part of and pulled my favorite images I shot over the year. It was fun to be able to look back at the many images captured and decide which ones would make my favorites list.  I pulled details, brides, couples, funny moments, tender moments; anything that struck my fancy as a notably cool shot from the year!

I’d be remiss to not mention the fact that I realize I have been a bit negligent to my dear old blog lately.  As the holidays are now in full swing, (and so is the Houston “winter” weather…and by that I mean 70’s one day to 40’s the next then back to 70’s again. It’s a terribly vicious cycle!) I have been shooting a little less, and spending more time with family. I promise once we get settled in the new year, I’ll get back to my former, less sporadic blogging habits.

For now, enjoy my selection of favorites!!

Some details I love!

A few bride shots…

This one just had to make the list. Being that I am a proud Red Raider alumnus, this moment has a special place in my heart. You see, Cody’s groom is an Aggie and in this image he is finishing singing the Aggie War Hymn. Instead of giving the proper whoop and a gig ‘em, sweet Cody threw her Guns Up and it really made me smile

These are all my favorite couple moments…

I’m sure you’ve noticed these two have popped up quite a few times in this post. Michelle and Mark not only had a great sunset shoot, but they were one of the coolest couples! I absolutely adore these two!

These last three are my Top Three  from the year. When getting this post together, I pulled a bunch of images into a folder. From that folder I picked these three to post last as they are my favorite three. I realize now, looking at them one after another, the couples in each image are sharing a very similar moment. Perhaps it’s something in the way a bride and groom share moments like these that I so love, but these are, nonetheless, my favorite images of this year.

3. Rocio and Adrian

2. Yulia and Alan

1. Nicole and Mike…I don’t know if it’s the lighting, the tenderness between Nicole and Mike, the color, the couple, or all of these combined, but I can’t look at this image and not smile. I simply L.O.V.E. it!!

Can’t wait to ring in the new year and get my favorites of 2009 list started And to all you faithful blog readers out there…Happy Holidays, Merry Christmas, and a very blessed New Year!!

Dear Mom,

I know you’re reading this because you’re the only person who checks my blog four times a day and I love you for that. Today, however, I need you not to look any further. You see, Erica and Nathan had me take some pictures of them that they would like to give you for Christmas. So, to keep the pictures a surprise, I need you to grab your mouse and click that little red ‘X’ up in the corner of your screen and not look at this post until after December 25th. Ok? Ok, Thanks!!

My sister, Erica, and her boyfriend, Nathan, asked me to grab a couple pictures of the two of them that they could give to family as Christmas presents (if you didn’t already realize that from the note to my mother above. Now seriously mom, quit reading this!!) Since both of them are teachers, we used their week off of school for Thanksgiving as the perfect opportunity to get outside and grab a few pictures. They brought along their furry four legged children to get in a few of the shots as well.

Here’s a bunch of my favorites!

This is Walker. He is a bit of a spaz!

Layla was a bit more camera shy than Walker, but we were able to get her in a few

I love these next two!

Just because we could…

I would really love to say I’m one of those photographers who nails the technical side of photography every time, but I’m just not. In fact, 99.9% of photographers are not. In this case, I was trying to take a picture of Erica and Nathan and got about 6 pictures just like this of them in focus. Walker was so far away from us that I didn’t really notice he was in the background the whole time I was firing away. Then, on the last one I snapped, I missed and back focused; it wasn’t until I was thumbing through these today that I realized what Walker was doing way back there in the background. Sometimes, in cases like these, I don’t mind missing focus because it makes for such a good laugh. Good boy Walker, good boy

I love my job. I know, I know I say that all.the.time, but I really do. I enjoy being constantly surround by smiles and laughter, brides who are nervous but can barely control their excitement, grooms who seem collected but are really doing cartwheels on the inside, I just love it. All of it. It’s not always an easy job, but it sure is fun. One of those not-so-easy days was the Saturday Charlene and David got married. You see, that Saturday also happened to be the day that Megan and Wayne got married. Our studio was all booked up that Saturday and a bit short handed, so Chip and I stepped up and shot 2 weddings. Back to back. For 14 hours straight. Though by the time I got home I could barely feel my feet, had a bit of an aching back, and didn’t want to lift my camera to my face again for a week, I couldn’t have picked two better weddings to have on the same day. Both Megan and Wayne and Charlene and David made what could have been the longest day of my professional life, an incredible day. I feel so fortunate to have been a part of two amazing weddings with four amazing people. And since you have already met Megan and Wayne, let me introduce Charlene and David!

Charlene and David were married several weeks ago at the beautiful St. Laurence Catholic Church followed by a killer reception at the Sugar Land Marriott. Shooting weddings almost every weekend, you see a lot of customs, traditions, and unique styles that are a part of each wedding. Charlene and David’s wedding was at the top of the charts for unique style. From Charlene’s gown, to the tuxes with coattails, to 24 person wedding party, to the surprise quests at the reception, their day was simply amazing.  Chip and I were honored to be just a small part of it all.

I couldn’t pick just a few favorites from this wedding, so I put up a whole bunch of favorites! Enjoy!

Charlene looking absolutely amazing

All the lovely ladies

All 19, yes 19, of the gentlemen

I really liked this church…the sanctuary was gorgeous

A little dip action during the kiss

These are the ’surprise guests’ I mentioned earlier. Charlene and David thought they’d hire a few belly dancers to come preform at the reception.

After a beautiful wedding day, I headed over to Hotel Zaza with the newlyweds to grab a few more pictures of them as bride and groom.  We had such a great time. By this point in the day, Megan and Wayne were able to relax because the wedding was over, they were husband and wife, and they were t-minus 20 hours from Hawaii! They had also become comfortable enough with me and my camera to let loose and take some great images. Enjoy!

We had fun in the chairs…

Now this shot was a specific request of the bride. She saw something similar in a magazine and wanted to replicate it…so we did

This one makes me giggle and I love it!

In my previous post I mentioned that Wayne is quite the accomplished musician. I wanted to get a few of the two of them in front of this piano, but Megan had other plans. This one really cracks me up

He had to sneak in there and show her how it’s really done.

Then we headed outside for just a few more

One of these next three is my favorite, I just can’t decide which one!!

Megan and Wayne are awesome. Seriously, these two are just great. I first met them a few weeks before their wedding to go over some details of the day. They were telling me all about their intimate ceremony they had planned followed by a great lunch at Ouisie’s Table. They also told me that after it was all over, they wanted to spend the last hour of our time together in and around Hotel Zaza getting some great pictures of just the two of them. Ahh, a photographer’s dream! So, not only did I have an awesome wedding to look forward to, I had a super cool bride and groom who wanted to take some time to get some super cool pictures. I knew their day was going to incredible.

And incredible it was. From the emotion of the ceremony to the intimate setting of their lunch reception at Ouisie’s, their whole day was perfect. They got to spend time with the ones they love and celebrate their love for each other. Then, to add to all the greatness, we got to take some time to get some amazing shots of them being them.

Megan and Wayne: Thank you. You treated Chip and I as friends and not just your photographers. It was such an honor getting to know the two of you and being able to document such a incredible moment in your life together. I hope you had an AMAZING time in Hawaii! Many blessings to you both

Be sure to check back here in a day or so to see the images of these two from Hotel Zaza!!

So I mentioned she rocked, but did I also mention she was gorgeous?!

Megan’s dad stepped up mid-ceremony to preside over the vows and the ring exchange.

Chip grabbed these next two and I think they rock.

Wayne is an extremely talented and accomplished musician who has had a long and successful career in the music industry. Before the meal was served, he wanted to sing a song he wrote for his bride. I think the look on Megan’s face says it all..

Many of my loyal blog readers know that almost 6 months ago I was married at Briscoe Manor in Richmond. Now, anytime I get to shoot at Briscoe and work the the super cool ladies behind the scenes out there makes me very happy.  When I found out Kristi and Chris were getting married at this beautiful place, I knew I for sure would be heading there with Craig to shoot one awesome wedding.

Kristi and Chris are just a great couple. Their love for one another is palpable, but so is their desire to have a great time. With only a few tears here and there, the ceremony went off with out a hitch and the reception that followed was nothing short of a rockin’ good time. The champagne was flowing, the band kept the dance floor packed, and Kristi and Chris celebrated their love for one another all night long!

As always, here’s a few of my favorites from their day!

I love me some Briscoe Manor!

Reading a letter from his bride…this is always one of my favorite moments to capture

Like I said, there were a few tears

Craig caught these next two and I think they’re awesome.