HEATH & KALEE's SUNSET LAKE ENGAGEMENT

A lake, a cowboy hat, a beautiful sunset ... Does it get any more Texas than this? :)

Before any kind of shoot, I like to send off suggestions. Like what to wear, or what to bring to make the pictures feel more like a date, best time to shoot, depending on the photos we are trying to achieve etc ... It does not mean in any way shape or form that you have to follow my suggestions, nor will I be offended by you saying props isn't your thing, or neutral colors isn't your vibe.

I really do believe your photos should be a true reflection of who you are. So if vibrant colors is what you are all about, BRING IT ON!!! Sometimes though, clients, especially new clients, want advice and guidance and I always love to help out. Kalee & Heath did not really have ideas for their engagement photos. So I helped them out and this was the result. A cheese board and bubbles picnic lake for their first look.

Followed by some pictures including their dog, because that was really important to them.

And then we ended the shoot with a second more relaxed outfit for both of them and I did much less posing and really let them be playful and enjoy sunset without intruding too much, besides the photo were they are laying down on the deck :) Definitely made them pose for that one!

HOW CUTE ARE THEY?

We ended the day with a glorious sunset, and truly Texas sunsets have been pretty spectaculr.

Pro Tip: if your other half doesn't love photos and/or outfits changes, layering is always a good option to make the transition more seamless, wether changing hats, shirts, cardigans, shoes, layering a flannel or jacket, there are ways to get creative and having two looks without making it too cumbersome. Heath only changed his shirt and his hat for the second part of the shoot, so it was a pretty easy transition for him and kept him in a good mood, or maybe it was the bubbles.

Either way, it worked out!

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Maria and Sean in Paris

I bet this isn't what you expected when you read Paris in the title :) this is Paris, Texas, not Paris, France. And this is Maria and Sean at their beautiful home in Paris.

Maria and Sean are lucky to live in the country, surrounded by nature and horses. Yes my dream life basically.

Maria is also a photographer, which can sometimes be a little intimidating. But we had so much fun and they let me get creative with their Jeep after the sun went down, which was really cool.

I also got to snap a few portraits of Maria in her second outfit right before the sun went completely down, and there are some of my favorite portraits to this day, and not just because they include my favorite animal :) but because she is so gorgeous and such a sweet soul.

Thanks again Maria and Sean for allowing me to capture some memories for you and ride your horses too :) Best ending to a shoot EVER!

PS: you don't have to let me ride your horse when you book me for a shoot, but you do have to allow me to love on him/her

PS2: I will be wearing riding pants just in case :)

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Jummy + Chris's Ten Year Wedding Anniversary at Eisenhower State Park

I met Jummy thru a friend at a boat party. We immediately clicked, so when she mentioned in conversation that her 10 year wedding anniversary was coming up, I had to highly -highly- HIGHLY - encourage photos to celebrate.

Jummy and Chris are avid travelers and also share a love for national parks and nature, so they chose to have an outdoorsy anniversary shoot. They were traveling to Zion earlier in the year, but my traveling calendar didn't work out to meet there, but luckily Texas is such a large state with such a diverse eco system, from desert to forest, to mountains, to swampy lakes, that if you are willing to drive a few hours, you can experience a lot.

We met at Eisenhower Park, a Texas state park that overlooks Lake Texoma and the state of Oklahoma . I had been there once and loves the mix of wooded areas and rocky beaches.

Jummy and Chris didn't mind getting a little dirty, even in their fancy outfits. We hiked a bit, we explored the beach, we listened to music and danced, and ended the day at Fossil Ridge Drive enjoying sunset. It was a really fun way to celebrate their anniversary and create memories.

Does it mean you have to wait until year 10 to take anniversary photos? Nope, not at all, there is no magic number to celebrate. Sometimes the first year of marriage is tough, and you want to celebrate getting thru it together. Or maybe that first year felt like 12 months of honeymoon and you want to celebrate that. Or Maybe year 3 is special to your marriage.

I mean, if you have the budget, and a partner who loves photos, TAKE PHOTOS EVERY ANNIVERSARY :) I would, but then my husband might leave me 'cause he doesn't love photos like I do :) Marriage is compromise, right?

Happy Anniversary Jummy and Chris !!!

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