Bridal Portraits at Kendall Plantation

I met Katy and her fiance' on the Riverwalk when I shot their engagement pictures.  She told me that her wedding venue was the Kendall Plantation.  

I've been to the Kendall Plantation, and I've driven past it hundreds of times off Ralph Fair Rd.  It's huge, and it's beautiful.  Katy said it reminded her of Terra, the plantation house in the movie "Gone With The Wind".  OMG, it does.  You can almost see Rhett Butler carrying Vivien Lee up the stairs. It's one of those venues that I've always wanted to shoot a wedding at.

Sweet Sixteen in San Antonio

The sun was bright...  too bright really.  Photographers love sunlight... but not when it's shining down from straight up causing strange shadows on the face.

There have been times in my life when I've looked at the bright sun at mid-day, shook my fist and said "I will defeat you!  I will take good pictures despite your harsh light!!"

Sometimes I get lucky and find a little shade, and then sometimes I time the click of the shutter when the harsh sun goes behind a cloud.  

It was also hot... not just a little uncomfortable hot, but Vietnam Jungle hot.  But I can't complain, because my client was wearing a 20 lb gown.  I can't imagine how hot it was... but she never complained. Not once.  By the time we were finished, my shirt was soaked.  I came home and took a cool shower, and anxiously looked at the images.  There have been times when I think I nail a shot, and then when I get it on the computer I'm not happy with it.  This time, I got some shots that I'm proud of.  

The Rubber Ducky Attack

Sometimes I get silly with the camera...
The Duck Attack:

UnPlugged Wedding

The following is a guest blog written by Corey Ann Photography.  I felt so strongly about this, I wanted to share it on my blog.  Re-Blogged with permission by Corey Ann

Corey Talks • Why You Should Have an Unplugged Wedding

POSTED INCOREY TALKS

In the past I’ve blogged about being a photo friendly guest and also about guest photographers but I felt that this needed to be expanded upon a bit more… and of course I have some images to show to support why I think it’s best when the guests put their cameras down.

San Antonio Sweet 16 Portraits

I like to think of myself as a pretty cool dad.  That's why I liked meeting Enrique.  I could tell after talking to him for just a few minutes that he is a Cool Dad.  He wanted to give his little girl a Sweet 16 party, and wanted me to be the photographer.  That meant I also got to do a portrait session with his daughter, Jacqueline.  

Breakfast With Collin

Me and Collin just finished breakfast. We had Frosted Flakes cereal. I think it's important for a little boy to have breakfast with his dad. I got to thinking about it,... I have no memory of my dad at breakfast. He was always gone before me and Steve woke up. I do remember having breakfast with my grandfather. I remember watching him. I wanted to cut my eggs just like him, and put jam on my biscuit just like him. I never want to miss having breakfast with Collin. It's fun... two guys eating cereal and bacon...

How to Photograph a Wedding

People always ask me what the secret is to photograph a wedding. As one of San Antonio's most sought after wedding photographers, who's talent with a camera is matched only by my humble personality... I thought I would share some tips with some photographs from other photographers to illustrate my points:

1.  Keep the use of guns to a minimum.  Even in South Texas, where shotgun weddings are common:

2.  I cannot stress again, the importance of rule #1.  When the wedding party insists on guns, please leave the ammunition at the door:

3.  Insist that no matter how attached the groom may be to his pet, please leave the pets at home.

4.  Make sure that the bride and groom are dressed appropriately.  I always recommend traditional wedding attire:

5.  Always watch out for someone trying to photo-bomb your shot:

Like a cat

Or a horse

An Alpaca

Especially Death

6.  Speaking of horses, remember that sometimes the angle of the shot is very important:

7.  Always encourage the bride and groom to choose good venues, places that are photogenic and visually interesting

8.  Encourage the bride to not let the groom get too excited about the wedding

9.  Even though beach weddings can be very romantic, again I always encourage tuxedos for the men

10.  As a photographer, I try to capture those little candid, emotional moments

11. I try to keep the amount of Photoshop that I use to a bare minimum

12.  Most of all, I remind everyone that this is a happy occasion, and people should have fun, and look happy

Downtown San Antonio Wedding with Mari and John

Mari is the kind of bride that all photographers like to work with.  She's easy-going, laughs easily, fun to be around, and she's always in a good mood.  When she told me the wedding would be downtown San Antonio, I was really jazzed.  I love taking pictures downtown. Visually, it's a smorgasbord of buildings and people.