The SENIOR year of high school is such a fun time.  The pathway of success is leading to so many adventures!   I am excited to help our area high school seniors celebrate this special time in their life by documenting a little bit of who they are at this point in their journey.  I am lucky to have at each of our area high schools, a junior/senior who shares timeless images with friends and in doing so gets some free goodies of their own.  Lately it seems that our reps love to have their own “senior rep cards” and I oblige…. such beautiful kiddos!

If you know of a high school  junior or senior who would like to be our studio representative, please send them over!

It is one of my favorite times of the year, the start of school.  I think I have loved the start of school since I was a 5 year old kindergardener.  There is  just nothing like packing your school box, labeling all the supplies, and unzipping a brand new backpack.   Oh yea, and the shiny first-day-shoes are second to none.  So with school in session, it is time to bring about the 2011-12  High School Senior Photoshoot Campaign!  This is what I give my reps (for FREE of course):

-Fashion photoshoot
-Acordian albums
-Prints
-Cards

With that said, if you or someone you know is a Junior/Senior High School cutie in the San Antonio area (San Antonio, Boerne, Schertz, and New Braunfels)  and loves school, send them my way!  This year, I only need 3 more reps and senior sessions are booking fast!

I guess I am now considered a Texan, I mean… we have been here for about 8 years.  I love Texas (BBQ, piggy tails on my girl, boots, cowboy hats, and a riverwalk).  I remember the first we we came to San Antonio to scope out the city we fell into a huge rainstorm and ended up witnessing a flooding event.  Schlitterbahn was even closed due to flooding!  Eight years later the rain seems to have forgotten us in “hill country”  San Antonio and we are missing and longing for some of the watery goodness.  When it does rain in Texas, this is what we get….umhummmm….I’m gonna go do a rain dance.

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I have an awesome computer for photography editing, I heart Apple (Mac Pro).  But every once in a while I help it out so it will always be nice.  These events involve me  moving files off of it and onto the external holding drive.  I somehow seem to love every family, person, pet, etc. that my camera captures, have such a hard time deleting files,  and feel as if I need to keep each image forever.  In my moving around of files today I came across the “J-Family”.  I photographed this little cutie pie (who happens to have the sweetest and most amazing parents) since she was only days old and now she is a beautiful toddler.  The other day I saw a pic her mom posted on Facebook and could not believe how big she is and how quickly time flies.  Seeing this helps me reiterate the fact that the best camera… is the one in your hand, the one that is able to capture memories for you and yours, because before you know it….time passes us by.

Today was not a day I loved.  Today I started to allow Oliva to be cared for by someone other than myself.  I don’t really understand why it breaks my heart to do this but it does.  I honestly missed her slobber on my new dress, diaper changes, and cries that screamed “feed me now”. Even though it was only for a couple of hours, I missed her and not so sure if she felt the same (she seemed to be having a great time).  I try to convince myself that back to working full time is what I have to do, it is what I love, it is a passion.  I will repeat this cheer when it happens again on Thursday.

I often tell new found friends that call or email me about photography services that the most important thing they can do is hire a professional photographer to capture images of significant times and events in their life.  A professional photographer is able to tell a story, a complete story that uses no words but evokes so many emotions.  I am not sure why God gave me the gift to learn about shutter speed, aperture, lighting, etc., but I sure am glad he did.  For with my camera I am able to stop time for a moment and that moment will be a treasure forever.  When you work with a professional photographer, you will be granted elements to treasure.  One of my custom designed products, that most clients elicit, is the lay flat leather album.  Ummmm…..it is devine, beautiful, and quite frankly breathtaking.  I have made a mental note, several times, to share a glimpse of one of these beauties, so here you go my friends…. some samples of treasures.

Venue:  Nelson City Dance Hall
Location:  Boerne, TX

I am a lucky girl who is able to often see and capture passion between two individuals.  Kevin and Ursula are passionate not only about each other, but also about life.  Their sunset wedding in the beautiful Texas Hill Country captured the hearts of many as they exchanged wedding vows in front of friends in Boerne, TX.  Onlookers easily realize that they make love seem so easy, simple, intense, and long lasting.  I can only say thank you to them for including me in such a special time in their life.

We are lucky to be humans who have been created to live life to the fullest and sometimes make difficult decisions.  This is where I have been.  I loved the frequent emails from clients, online friends, and blog stalkers who have missed my presence on this World Wide Web, however I had to make a decision to embrace myself in a little bit of a miracle.  I have still been ever so busy with weddings and photoshoots, and have so much to post, but wanted to start with a picture of me (some weeks ago) to document our blessed life and where I have been.  Our sweet Olivia is now here and life is in full swing (along with lots of diapers, cuddles, and hugs). I have so much to post and beautiful brides to share…. stay tuned!

Hugs~

Gina

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.