I am humbled by the experience had this past weekend.  Approximately a year ago I was asked to be the event photographer for a special weekend, the “Brides Against Breast Cancer Weekend“.  I was not sure what it was about, but I knew I wanted to be a part.  I mean, really….who doesn’t want to stomp out cancer?  I volunteered and it was one of the best experiences.  Brides and bridal shops donated fabulous dresses to be sold at prices that were a steal!  (We are talking about thousand dollar dresses sold for a couple of hundred…wow!)

Here in South Texas, we are in the middle of our wedding season and calendars are booked out the kazoo, days/hours off are seldom, and us wedding folks live and breathe glitz, glam, and fabulousness.  With all this said, it was amazing how many of us “wedding vendors” took time to dedicate to giving back. Everyone organizing the event was a VOLUNTEER.  Pablo Vasquez, was the organizer of the entire event and such gratitude is owed.   Some of the vendors at the event included the following…. Bisli (gorgeous flower arangements and a warm happy smile), San Antonio Weddings magazine, San Antonio Wedding Guide, Granberry Hills Event Center, and many other vendors whom I would call friends and experts in their field.

There is so much greatness to have and share.. go take a piece of it, it will warm your soul.

Here are some images to share…

“The Eyes are the Window to the Soul”

What exactly does this mean?  I know it is a proverb, but I can’t help but to wonder how the famous quote, which is used ever so often, came to be.  I have always been a “huge talker”, in fact, sometimes hubby says I talk way to much.  I never have problems with striking up a conversation.  I love to talk, I love to listen, and I love to look into people’s eyes so that they know I am present and with them in that moment.  What I have realized is that not everyone is like me….not everyone talks with their eyes.   Not everyone realizes that there eyelashes are about .5 mm apart from one another, or that the iris looks like a netted sponge, or that tiny red blood vessels squiggle through the whites of their eyes.  Yes, this is strange..I know.  Who knows, maybe I am fascinated in eyes because of all my schooling as I became a biologist in both my undergraduate and graduate school careers, but I think it is more than that, I think eyes are a window to the soul.  I am fascinated.   The contact people make with their eyes… how they smile with their eyes, how they blink, all tells a story… a story of what is inside.  A story of who that person is, how they think, how they feel, and how they treat and perceive others.   I hope my eyes always have a welcome sign and help me tell my story because  I love life.

I take pictures of fabulous people.  That is what I do for a living.  Countless times, the fabulous-ness has to be found and it is sought after in the eyes.  My shutter gives a happy click when my clients smile with their eyes.  I can’t explain it, I can just see it.  One of my cheerleaders told me about a contest on “eyes” in photography.  I love me some freebies and have decided to upload these three.  Their eyes (and souls) are smiling at me.

In the shutter clicking world we have been very busy!  Whew!  My little finger is click-clickin’ away!  Spring and Summer is traditional wedding season in South Texas.  Literally, every single day is filled with a little bit of lovin’ from brides and grooms, bridal fairs, photographer colleagues who wanna share, and so many opportunities that come my way.  I am blessed.

Today I sent out my monthly newsletter to share a little of our world.  Please let us know if you would like to be part of our list-serv!  To view our entire newsletter sign up to be a friend on FACEBOOK by typing in the following address into your address bar:

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I often wonder where the hours go, the days go, the weeks go…..you get the point.  It is wedding season in our world and busy.  In fact I may get carpel tunnel syndrome in my “shutter clicking finger” (if that is possible).  Sometimes I feel really guilty about my lack of blogging, but those of you who know me realize that my world is fabulous and crazy busy.  Sometimes it ends up as a choice, “hummm….Gina, do you want to blog post or do you want to call a bride and discuss some ideas, paint tiny toe nails on my daughter, or tell my husband that I love him”…. most of the time I choose the latter…sorry bloggie friends.  I swear I just love way to many things.

One of the things I love is the San Antonio Weddings Magazine.  They spoil me with sweet comments, act as cheerleaders, and share my fabulous brides with others….this posted on their blog today….

I usually know exactly what I am going for.  I am definitely a perfectionist and look at tiny details as if they were bigger than big.  However, when it comes to an upcoming ad that will run in San Antonio Weddings Magazine in 2010-2011, I am baffled.  I am not sure which layout to pick.  I like each layout for a different reason, but can’t pick a single one.  Can you help Me?  A, B, or C?

I have a special little client that rarely finds an opening on my calendar for her very own photoshoot.  She is sweet and loves flowers, painted toes, curls, lip gloss, chocolate ice cream, and lemonade.  She is my best little person, and anytime I try something new she is always the guinea pig on my new photography adventures and regardless of the outcome, tells me, “Mommy, I love you more than that”.  I am not sure what the more than that is, but I know I love her more than that.  Chad and I could have never asked for anything better than our sweet Alyssa.  This spring I reserved a Saturday for a photoshoot for our best girl.  One simple request she had, “Mommy, we have not had blue bonnets in Texas since I was 5 and I want my portrait taken in the blue bonnets”.  I am a photographer who aims to please, so we hit the road, ice cream custard in hand, searching for the perfect spot for her perfect photoshoot.  It is spring in the Lone Star state and flowers adorne every knook and cranny along our state highways and open fields.  We found our perfect spot to run in our cowboy boots and dresses, roll in the flowers, and pretend that tomorrow or yesterday did not exist.  We live life in the present, each minute better than the last.   We feel blessed every single day, and we celebrate having our good Lord watch over us.

We celebrate this Easter Sunday giving thanks to God.  Thanks for….. well everything.

I told her to smile at me with those gorgeous eyes of hers, laugh from her belly, and rock it like it was nobody’s business.  Lauren stole the show that day.  Every passerby, even other brides who were getting their portraits at the same location, could not take their eyes off of her.   The beautiful white gown, the super fabulous hair, and the hint of red lipstick … she carried herself with glam, style, and grace.  Lauren is stunning.

I absolutely love everything about Lauren, inside and out (I tell her that all of the time).

I am thinking about using one of her images in my marketing campaign this coming year, what do you think?  Which one is a fav?

I am back and have a new fold in my brain (if possible cause I might be to old to be gettin’ some new folds).  Scientists say that the number of folds you have in your brain determines your level of intelligence.  Well, I got some intelligence this weekend  Some photography light intelligence.

I am back from a phenomenal workshop that included me, my camera, a single light, and the super fab Zack Arias of the One Light Workshop.  I have been following Zack’s work for over a year and loved the mood he creates in his images.  I want to give my clients those same moody images that a simple pop of light can give.  All of Zack’s workshops are filled up within a day or two and lucky me I was able to be on the list when he strutted his strobe into Austin, Texas.  He is clever, fun, down to earth, and OMG such a great teacher.  He had so much patience with all of my kazillion questions.  I am, and have always been, a note-taking fool…the girl who should wear a pocket protector and carry around every type of post it note created.  Yep, I am one of those….the girl who sits in the front row and wants clarity to everything.   I won’t even tell you what time we started or what time we wrapped up, because well, you might think, “How in the world could anyone take pictures for that long”.   Believe me, with Zack’s knowledge it did not seem like enough time and each click of the shutter, I learned or practiced something new.  And to my fellow blog readers, I have to be honest, I am sooooo not a “flash” type of girl.  I love natural light (and still do), but realize the importance and necessity of sometimes having to use flash because that beautiful buttery light is not always available.

Here are a few from my shutter clicking journey….

For some reason it seems I often come across individuals in the wedding industry whom I seem to take a liking to mighty quick.  Barry of Heavenly Caterers in San Antonio, is no exception.  I call him chef Barry and he is my friend, and not because he is one of the best chef’s that walked the earth, but just because he is himself,  a genuine man of great talent and awesome spirit.    I love it when I am at the same venue as Barry because he always manages to greet me with a hello and often makes me feel like I am the best picture taker ever.  Warms my soul.  Barry always saves me a plate of my favorite fixin’s and fills my belly with some tasty hors d’oeuvres , savory main course dishes, and sweet desserts.  Makes me feel like Pavlov’s doggie right now, just thinking about that fresh grilled steak and shrimp.

This past month I was the humbled and lucky girl who was the  featured photographer at La Fontana Event Center’s Open House and Barry was the featured chef.  I just had to take a few clicks of my shutter for others to see how wonderful his dishes looked.  The dishes on display were so beautiful, I thought they were fake.  To my surprise every morsel was real and tasted just as good as it looked.  So… I’ll give you some inside scoop, if you are looking for some great food for your special event, give him a call (210.385.3085).  He can give you and your guests a belly full of love.

Today I was eating a ham and cheese sandwich, wanted to blog stalk a little, and came across a posting that asked how confident are you as a photographer.  Hummm…. I don’t think I have ever thought about that.  I think that right before I go to a photoshoot I have a few butterflies dancing around in my belly, but I think they are doing the happy dance.  I hope the day never comes that I am not giddy with excitement about capturing people’s stories.     I love and admire so many other photographers work and hope to one day produce such brilliant images as them (so in no way do I think I am even close to being the overall expert at shutter clicking).  But what I do know what brings me some confidence, it is I knowing my clients aka…my soon to be friends…aka…my supporters.

I always make efforts to have a conversation with those wonderful people I put in front of my lens.  Yes, I like to talk a lot, but I also like to get to know people a lot.   I want to hear their story.  Not long after I get to talking/emailing/texting with someone, I begin to visualize their idea of the perfect picture for them (mind you each couple, each bride, each mommy’s perfect idea is so very different).  But, because I take the time to know my clients, I know that when the day comes, I will have the confidence to make them a beautiful time keeper we call a photograph.

Here are some of my new found hippy-chick  friends.  Their mommy was a model and I think in this case, the apple does not fall far from the tree.