Gratuitous Bug-and-Flower Time!

After shooting a portrait session for Joey at the Fort Worth Botanical Gardens, I did what I love to do-- ran around the place scouting for pretty flowers, lovely bugs, and all things tiny to capture with my fabulously wonderful macro lens.

Sweet like candy to my soul is the macro. There are literally tiny things EVERYWHERE that we never get a chance to see up close, and the macro lens allows me to find those things and share their beauty with you. I squeal inside with delight when I see a butterfly swirling around a bright flowery bush, because I know that with enough patience, that bug will land and I can get a picture of its fantastic wings. Dragonflies and bumblebees are worthy targets as well... or any other bug I happen upon that doesn't scare the daylights out of me.

Don't even get me started on flowers. I wish I had 900 frames, and could line my walls with macro floral shots... but alas, I don't live alone, and not everyone has the high bright-popping-color-tolerance I do...

So I keep on snapping away, and rotate the prints out now and then. One of these days... ONE OF THESE DAYS... I will have a room devoted to nothing but the insanely fascinating artistry of nature. God's hands at work.

Michelle + Kyle... Getting Married!

Michelle and I go way back... way back to my days of being single, Aggie Happy Hours, Kay's and the Firehouse... days of being young and maybe just a little bit crazy (sorry, Pat Green, I stole your song line).

I'm happy to say that she's getting married this weekend to the love of her life, Kyle. I'll be attending as a guest (score! Don't have to work!), but promise to capture a few beautiful moments to share before I dance the night away on the arm of my handsome husband. Nothing like returning to Aggieland for a visit... I might even stop by campus and photograph a little bit of nostalgia for myself.

I'll have her bridal portraits to share soon as well, but can't reveal until after the big day.

For their engagement shoot, we headed over to Discovery Green (I'm becoming a regular at this location-- everyone falls in love with the big colorful walls) before it got too terribly hot... we did well! Best wishes to the beautiful bride and handsome groom this weekend... can't wait to celebrate with you!

I did manage to get THE shot during this session, the shot that every young single Aggie dreams of... awww... Michelle and Kyle's Aggie rings together with the engagement ring. WHOOP!

Alma & Stevan in the Park

You may recognize Alma & Stevan from their wedding that was blogged about back in April. The following session was a post-wedding shoot, which they opted for when time constraints kept them from scheduling engagement portraits before the wedding.

It was a beautiful cool evening downtown. With the wedding planning over and the two of them having settled back into the everyday grind, this was a welcome outing for some silly fun-- in wedding garb! They were so happy and relaxed as they toured the park hand in hand, smiling, giggling, maybe even a little bit of dancing and prancing here and there : )

These are the kinds of shots that are often difficult to get on the actual wedding day, since there's such a tight schedule to keep and so many of your family members and friends are demanding your attention... not to mention brides and grooms are in "my head is spinning!" mode. Planning more relaxed session afterward is an excellent way to grab those shots you wish you'd had time to take on the wedding day!

Emily and Mike... pretty pastels!

Emily and Mike were married at the Hotel Galvez in late March. I met Emily's family for the first time at a bridal fair in Galveston last August, and it was great to see everyone again on the day of the wedding!

What a beautiful day it was-- the sun was shining, sky was blue, and the Veranda Room was full of beautiful light. Emily and Mike's choice of a bright Tiffany-Box blue and tropical orchids for their wedding decor worked so well with the pale, butter-yellow walls at the Galvez. Combined with the crisp light linens and bouquets, it made for a fresh spring palette.

Mike and the guys opted for vintage-inspired tuxedos and some pretty unusual shoes... you'll have to scroll through the images to see. The ceremony brought an air of formality, but as the night wore on the tone of the event evolved into a very laid-back breezy speakeasy feel.

Many thanks to Haley of En Vogue Events for her expert coordination throughout the day!