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Professional Headshots

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Acting Headshots Austin

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Austin Headshots

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Wedding Photographer, Wedding Photography, Wedding Tips

Here are my Cake Rules..

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So one thing that no one tells you is how to cut a wedding cake. So when there is no wedding planner it’s usually me explaining to a bride and groom how to cut the cake. I start off assigning them one side of the cake. I choose the side based on lighting and where the guest will be standing. Then I have them cut the cake together, scoop the cake on a plate, and then they take turns feeding each other.  My simple rule is that the bride allows the groom to feed her first if for whatever reason the groom’s hand slips and cake winds up all over the bride’s face. She will get the last laugh. In general, I find the brides are usually the first ones to throw cake. Either way, I tend to look out for the bride’s best interest.
*If you plan on throwing cake you might want to have a bride’s maid standing by with a napkin, a glass of water, mirror and touch up makeup.

Wedding Tips

Photo Booth

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Photo booth
When it comes to photo booths ours is a little different from the rest.  Traditional photo booths have you locked into a tight space, which makes it fairly hard to capture large groups. When we set up a photo booth it’s more like a high fashion shoot. We bring lights, umbrellas and we roll out a seem less backdrop. If you want we can even coordinate your background with your wedding colors. We even have a photographer on hand to help wit posing to shoot you.
I find photo booths are a great way to entertain guests. I tend to think photos booths are better then the traditional table shots. With our photo booth each guest gets a 4×6 print of their photos, you get an album and we place all the images on an online gallery.

Wedding Photographer

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Recently I was giving a friend of mine who’s an armature photographer some advice about a friends wedding he’s been asked to shoot. Shooting a friends wedding is a ton of pressure but is an honor. As a professional wedding photographer there is nothing better then being apart of a friend’s special day. The trick is you have to treat your friend exactly as a client because this is your business. From my experience you can’t simply say I’ll take care of you and that be the end. You have to treat a friend like every other client. You have to sign contracts, answer questions and go over everything. In my opinion you need to go over things more so with a friend then anyone else because you don’t want to have any confusion.
I remember the first time I shot a friends wedding. Everything went perfect except after the wedding when I put everything up on a password protected online gallery. Once you logged on to the gallery with your password the site remembered your ip address and there wasn’t any need to log in again, unless you logged out. I released the gallery, called my friend to get her logged in and then went to bed. When I woke up I had 10 missed calls? The voicemails went from “Sara I have some questions about the online gallery” to my friends husband calling, screaming and cussing at me in the middle of the night. They thought the their images were up on the Internet for the world to see. I pulled the gallery and called them immediately. They didn’t understand the concept of the website remembering their password.  I was really unset and frustrated at the situation. I had explained to them how the gallery worked, had their best intentions at heart but still ended up being a bad experience. 

Wedding Photographer, Wedding Tips

The June Bride

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June should be the most popular month to get married but it’s really not. I guess people associate June weddings with June Gloom. From a photographers standpoint, the gloom acts like a giant soft-box hung from the sky, which provides even, flattering natural lighting.

The longest days of the whole year are in June because of the summer solstice. Which means after a typical sunset wedding you have two hours of magic hour, which is perfect for pictures. If you don’t know what magic hour is.. Read The Magic Hour. The temperature in June is usually the best warm but not hot, cool but not cold.
Another thing to consider most flowers are available in June. A girl friend of mine Hannah from Modern Bouquet told me “I can get any flower a bride wants in June. Which isn’t the case in any other month.”
Typically June seems to be the slowest month for weddings and honestly it’s a little disappointing because it’s the perfect month to get married.
If I were getting married tomorrow…. I’d be a June Bride.

About Me, Poetry

Compromise vs Affairs (its a cute story)

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My handy man Bud was over at my house today doing so miscellaneous repairs.  We were sharing marriage stories. He says “me and my wife have been married for 15 years. The other day I was having a block on the word compromise. So I call my wife and ask her what is the word that is used to describe a couple is trying to work out issues?” She said “AFFAIRS!” (LOL)
He then goes on to say “my wife has such a sense of humor. I really admire the way she can laugh so freely…” I left thinking WOW how sweet he is madly in LOVE after 15years. It’s always

Wedding Photographer, Wedding Tips

One Love…

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One love
The idea of waking up next to the same person for the next 50 years can be a little overwhelming. I’m on a flight right now and across the aisle from me is an elder couple. Watching these two interact with each other is in a way beautiful. I suspect they’ve been together for the past 50+ years. The way they hold each other’s hand during the take off.
One of my favorite wedding traditions is the anniversary dance.  The anniversary dance is when all the married couples get a special dance in their honor. After about 30 sec. into the song the DJ excuses the couples in ascending order, starting with the newly married couple. I tend to cry when he gets past 30 years. I love it when the DJ has to keep going 30 years, 35 years, 40 years, 45 years… At one point there are two elderly couples battling for the title of married the longest.
It gets me every time… To see two people that are madly in love after a million years.  I love it when the cheesy DJ always asks them if they have a special message for the happy couple. They always say with a big she’s always right, short memories and a great sense of humor.
I love weddings…

About Me

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It isn’t the great big pleasures that count the most; its making a big deal out of the little ones.

About Me

First Anniversary

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I Mentioned to Brian that our first anniversary is coming up… and he asks me “Do you remember when you asked me out on our first date?”  I rolled my eyes laughed and said as if I would ever… “Baby? Sara, You don’t remember asking me out? He of course reminds me, that I texted him first, and then I hinted that he needs to take me dinner. Suddenly I remembered the conversation. Funny how our mind have selected memory.

Wedding Tips

House Rules

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When I meet with a couple for the first time and go over wedding details I always ask them about their wedding officiate or church; if they have mentioned anything about photography rules. Its fairly common for churches to have rules of what a photographer can and can’t do during a ceremony. Out of respect for everyone I try to abide by those rules. I actually have it in my contract that The House Rules.
The reason I ask them is so I can plan my shots and work around the rules. Which cameras, and lenses I need to bring. Many times I’ll research the location and find out the available or ambient light in the church. If I’m limited as far as where I can be during the ceremony I’ll look up the layout and try and figure out the best angles. My goal during the ceremony is to capture those blessed moments like a ninja sneaking around.