Richard Parker Photography - Blog

Hannah's first sledding experience!

2011-01-12T18:06:00.003-06:00

A few days ago we had about 3-4 inches of snow. Hannah and I decided to take advantage and hit the slopes at the local park. Considering she just turned three I thought she did pretty well. The jury is still out on who enjoyed themselves more: Me or her. Take care and stay warm everyone!

Andy Irons 1978-2010

2010-11-09T10:41:00.005-06:00

As I get older I am witness to both the most amazing miracles and tragedies alike. A few weeks ago the surfing world experienced one of the latter as surfing legend Andy Irons died from "Dengue Fever". Andy (for the non-surfers) was a 3 time world champion who was extremely passionate and talented. He could throw huge tantrums when losing or gush in admiration of a fellow competitor. He always seemed to be honest and forthcoming of his thoughts and feelings. My thoughts and prayers are with his family, wife, and unborn child. Although I have never met the man, his death has been hard to stomach for me. I am trying to take what I can from this tragedy which at the moment although it may sound cheesy to some, is this: That I live every day as my last by loving my God, my family, my friends, and even perfect strangers like God intended.

Colton's Run

2010-10-28T09:14:00.004-06:00

This last weekend Trace and Dena put on an awesome race to benefit Colton's scholarship program. I was real impressed and proud of my family for doing such a bang up job. I also want to thank Jay for taking my place in the race so that I could take a few pics and the Durant Fire Department for allowing me to climb up... the tower truck to grab this image of the start.

Brian and Lisa Norton

2010-04-27T11:08:00.007-06:00

Congratulations Brian and Lisa! Thank you so much for letting me be a small part of such a special day.

Headed South

2009-09-16T10:31:00.003-06:00

Well I am headed to the valley for some photo shoots this week. I still have Saturday afternoon available, so if your interested, please contact the studio so we can set you up. I just wish there was going to be some surf!

Settling in

2009-07-16T14:38:00.003-06:00

Hey everyone!

Page, Hannah, and I are still trying to get settled. There is so much involved in relocating! That being said, I don't have internet established yet, so I have not been able to retrieve any emails sent to the office. For the meantime, I have set up an email address (richard@richardparkerphotography.com)to go straight to my phone if anyone needs to get in touch. Sorry for any inconvenience, but I hope to get this resolved by the start of next week.

God bless,

rp

Mixed Emotions

2009-06-15T10:13:00.004-06:00

Hey Everyone! My familie's schedule has been extremely crazy the last month or two, so the blog has been lacking. However I could not avoid keeping everyone up to date with our latest situation. It appears that we are going to be moving to the DFW area this July. Page has been accepted into a speech theraphy program with Texas Woman's University in Denton and in order for her to continue with the program, involves the whole family moving to that area. I am extremely excited to move the business to an area that is very close to my heart (I did get my photography degree from UNT in Denton after all). However, I would be lying if I said I am not going to miss the valley. I have established so many great relationships here and I appreciate all of you who have trusted me with your memories. I also know I will miss the beach and all the great food, but that gives us a reason to come back and visit frequently.

For those of you who are considering booking with us in the coming years, please don't hesitate to keep us on your short list. Because it is farely easy for us to get down here and I have family down here, I will not be charging any traveling fees for the weddings we book in the valley.

We want to keep in touch with all of you, so if you would like to call or email the studio with your contact information, please don't hesitate to do so.

Pretty darn funny

2009-03-06T13:12:00.004-06:00

I saw this video on David Jay's (another phenomenal wedding photographer) blog and I had to post it myself. Take a look if you are not in too much of a hurry. I'ts pretty funny and ufortunately I have been guilty a time or two of taking for granted what a great world we do live in myself.

Happy Belated New Year Everyone!

2009-01-30T15:40:00.007-06:00

O.K. I know that I told you guys that I was going to try and be a little more consistent with the blog entries but....... that's not happening. Let's just say that getting better with the blog is one of my resolutions for the new year (it may be more realistic than losing weight anyway). I have thrown in a few cool shots from the last couple of months. We have had a ton of cool people come through the doors in 2008 and I am excited for the coming year to see who I might get to meet and photograph. May everyone's 2009 be the best year yet! Andy and Kelly's wedding is this Valentine's Day and it should be a lot of fun.

This little girl was part of a family photo session and decided to take a moment to enjoy the finer things like kicking back in the grass.

Ragan and Chris were inspired by one of my shoots back in 2006 and decided to try downtown Brownsville as their engagement shoot destination. They didn't have any problems making it their own as you can see.

Kenneth Saxon is a concert pianist who doubles as a professor at the University of Texas in Brownsville. If you would like to hear him play, join the crowd...... right now I think he's touring in Japan.

Newborns are a trip! Check out Aiden enjoying a killer toe stretch.

Gualberto and Rocio were super nervous when we first started, but about half way through you would have thought they were born to be photographed.

Richard Parker Photography featured in "the knot"

2008-12-09T09:40:00.009-06:00

We have been so busy lately, that I have let the blog entries slip. So to those of you who follow the blog I apologize, but I am going to try and catch up in the next few weeks.

Many of you who have spent any time around the wedding industry know about "the knot." If you are a new bride or are looking for ideas for a wedding in the future, it is one of the more popular wedding magazines across the country and has plenty of articles and photos to wrap your brain around. Because it is one of the more regarded wedding publications in the country, we are really pleased to announce that one of our weddings was featured in the Spring/Summer issue of 2009. This is a huge honor and we couldn't be more excited. Congratulations to Margaret and Buddy who I know are as ecstatic about the article as we are. Above is the cover and the feature.

More shoots and entries to come.

Cool Surprise

2008-10-10T13:16:00.002-06:00

I got a cool phone call last week from the Brownsville Herald (the local newspaper) saying I had won the reader's choice award for favorite portrait photographer. I didn't even realise there was such an award so I was naturally surprised and elated. For those of you who voted I would like to thank you very much. It made my week for sure.

Happy Birthday Hannah!

2008-10-08T19:08:00.001-06:00

Today was Hannah's Birthday. We had a small party with both sets of grandparents and mom and dad. I certainly hope she had as much fun as we did.

Hannah seems to have an infatuation with ducks so as you can tell ducks is what she got.

Hannah assessing the mess she had got herself into. Probably not the last time either.

After we got her cleaned up it was time to conquer the small mountain of presents. She was definitely up to the challenge.

Valley Wedding Pages Feature

2008-09-30T14:15:00.002-06:00

The Valley Wedding pages is a local wedding guide that is well known to most of the vendors as a top notch publication. As well as being printed on fantastic paper, it is extremely easy to navigate for our local brides and has a lot of great information for a time when there are a lot of questions. In the past the Valley Wedding Pages has used their own resources to provide a cover image. Recently though, they decided to start featuring local photographers for the cover and I was super excited to get the call that they were interested in some of my work to be the first. It is a great honor and I really am proud to get one of our brides on the cover of such a great magazine. Above is the image they chose.

Still trying to get caught up!

2008-08-29T15:11:00.005-06:00

Since Page, Hannah, and I got back from our latest trip to Oklahoma I have been desperately trying to get caught up with everything. The move to the new office has been quite an adventure as well, but when it is all done, I know it is going to be worth it. We have also added a new gallery to the website that features some of my maternity and baby photography. So check it out when you get a chance. Above is a picture of my girls in front of the new office. Have a safe and fun labor day weekend everyone!

10 Days Left

2008-08-21T20:00:00.002-06:00

There are only 10 days left to save $2,000 off of your wedding package. If you have a wedding in the coming year there is no better time to save money than right now. We have never offered a discount of this amount before and we want everyone to capitalize on the savings if possible. Feel free to call or email with any questions or to book your date.

We have a new studio!

2008-08-20T09:00:00.000-06:00

We have a new studio! Better than the old one if you can believe it. Some of it is still under construction, but we are real proud of what we have so far. Pictures and directions on the website are soon to follow.

Early Booking Incentives

2008-08-04T08:20:00.003-06:00

Yesterday we attended the Mcallen Bridal Show which was another huge success. We met a lot of great people and had a really good time talking with everyone. Originally we had told everyone about a special Richard was going to run for the first 10 couples to book post show. We have decided to sweeten the deal up a little. Richard Parker Photography is now offering an unprecedented savings to encourage couples to book early for their wedding dates in 2008 and 2009. We will be offering a savings of $2,000 off of all our packages for the rest of August. In September the savings will still be an impressive $1,500 off all packages. In October the savings will drop to $1,000 off and finally November $500 off. These savings again are to encourage early booking for the coming year. Richard does not book over 24 weddings a year. As soon as those spots are taken then he will not be taking any more clients for 2009. Moral of the story.... book early for the best deal and an assured spot for the coming year.

-Page Parker-

Thank you

2008-07-09T14:18:00.002-06:00

I would like to take this opportunity to thank Anahi Navarro and Chuck Turkington for helping me in my time of need. I had to leave town immediately upon hearing of Colton's passing and these two photographers stepped up and helped cover one of my weddings while I was gone. These two photographers are a credit to our profession and I will be forever grateful for their selflessness in helping out one of their own.

Colton

2008-06-17T13:22:00.001-06:00

Last week my family encountered one of the worst tragedies possible. My nephew Colton passed away suddenly from a coronary condition. He was only 10.

Colton had a way about him that made him so unique and special. He was the king of catchy one-liners which our whole family uses nearly every day. He was extremely shy and easily embarrassed, but had a great wit and could make you laugh at any given moment. He loved sports, playing video games, and competition in general. Colton had an amazing smile and although it was nearly impossible to catch (especially on camera) it would truly light up the room. I loved Colton and we will all miss him dearly.

After hearing of Colton's passing for some reason this passage kept coming into my head. It is from Matthew Ch 18 verses 1-5 NIV

At that time the disciples came to Jesus and asked, "Who, then, is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?"
He called a little child, whom he placed among them. And he said: "Truly I tell you, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. Therefore, whoever takes a humble place—becoming like this child—is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven. And whoever welcomes one such child in my name welcomes me.

Please pray for my family. As you know it is not hard for those who pass, but those who are left behind to mourn their loss.

Night/Water Engagement Shoot?

2008-05-29T17:18:00.005-06:00

When I consulted with Erin and Dante about their engagement shoot they mentioned that they were drawn to my night shots but were up for anything. So after we picked the McAllen Convention Center as our local I started to try to think of how we could change it up a little. So what was the solution.... add water of course. I asked Erin and Dante to bring an extra change of clothes because we might be getting damp. Damp was an understatement in that by the end of the day there was an all out water fight and I was lucky to come out of it only half drenched. We had such a good time and the shots were all time. Here are just a few.

John and Robin

2008-05-21T17:01:00.007-06:00

Another amazing wedding! I can't begin to explain what a blessing it is to have a job where I get to meet so many great people. On top of that... I get to be part of a once in a lifetime event that usually has so much love and emotion that you can feel it in the air.
John and Robin were no exception. They treated me as one of the family and I imagine that we will probably hang out in the future as friends. Here are a few pics from their special day.

Great shoes!

She looks ready to me!

Having the experience myself I can tell you that one is hard pressed to find a cooler moment then when your soon to be wife locks her eyes with yours as she is coming down the aisle.

The reception at Los Ebanos was beautiful and we found a nice shady spot to shoot some of the formals.

Yeah.... it was fun.

Page and Hannah

2008-05-15T10:25:00.000-06:00

A baby's laugh is pretty contagious. Check this little clip out and see if you agree.

Buddy and Margaret

2008-04-24T09:16:00.010-06:00

This month has been so busy and so much fun. Buddy and Margaret's wedding had absolutely amazing weather, which was great since it was an outdoor wedding. Here are a few pics from the day. I included a few fun details and the food which tasted as good as it looked. They even had a grill top with food geared towards the kids.

Something old.

Something new.

Only Dads and Daughters know what that look is about.

Beautiful day for a beautiful ceremony at Los Ebanos.

Buddy and Margaret getting a giggle after the ceremony as she tries to collect her emotions unsucessfully. I love weddings!

This pizza was for "the kids," but I seem to recall a few seasoned individuals at the grill top.

Amazing cake. I'll try to post a link to the maker as soon as I find out.

I'm not allowed to come home without a piece of cake for Page, but this one almost didn't make it. You can see why.

Margaret whisked her grandma into this private room so that they could have a moment before she and Buddy left.

Changing it up.

2008-04-01T11:06:00.000-06:00

Every now and then I get a chance to take a break from my wedding and maternity work to do something a little different. This time the chance came by the request of the advertising firm Breeden MCcumber. We spent a Sunday afternoon shooting stills for some print ads for Inter National Bank. They also shot some commercial footage with our models and it was really interesting to see how that process played out. Below is a glimpse of what it was like on set and then a couple of the ads in their final form. I think the photos make you want to open a checking account. Don't you? :)

A Day at the Zoo

2008-03-18T07:45:00.005-06:00

When John and Robin mentioned doing their engagement shoot at the zoo I got really excited. For one, I love to photograph new locations. But I really love when couples come with ideas of how to make their pictures unique to them. Robin is also probably the most considerate bride I have ever met. When we have gotten together to discuss the wedding she is always considering how something is going to affect her guests and their time. Needless to say I am really looking forward to their wedding. Here are a few more pics from the other day.

Too long since last blog!

2008-03-06T10:28:00.002-06:00

Wow it's been over a month since my last entry! Whoops! As you can imagine, adding a newborn to my already hectic schedule, has allowed some things to slip through the cracks. One of those things has been the blog. Everything has been great though! Having a child is an amazing thing. Even though a baby causes severe sleep deprivation and can take you to the edge of your sanity at times, somehow it always seems well worth it. We have also been a part of some terrific weddings and the couples I have come to know lately are a true blessing to my life. I'm going to end this entry with one of my favorite excerpts from the Bible and promise to try and keep up with the blog a little better.

"The most important {commandment}," answered Jesus, "is this: 'Hear, O Israel, the Lord our God, the Lord is one. Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.' The second is this: 'Love your neighbor as yourself.' There is no commandment greater than these."

Good Tennis - Great Humanity

2008-01-23T08:56:00.000-06:00

Page and I really love watching tennis. For those of you who don't know, tennis has been dominated by a man named Roger Federer. Not only is Roger a fantastic tennis player (without a doubt one of the top 3 of all time) he is also an amazing human being and never has a poor thing to say about anyone. This was evident when a reporter recently tried to get under Roger's skin at a post match interview mentioning a competitor's comments. Check out Roger's response.

Djokovic this week claimed Federer was not as dominant as he once was, particularly after being taken to 10-8 in the fifth set of his third-round match against Janko Tipsarevic.
"This is the way you're supposed to think out there. You are not coming here to lose in the first round," Federer said of Djokovic's comments.
"You're coming here to hopefully do well and then win tournament if you're one of the top 10 guys. That's reality. That's nothing new. That's not cocky. That's confidence. That's just a normal tennis player."

-austrailianopen.com

I have a lot of respect for someone with as much composure and class as Roger Federer illustrates on a daily basis. Tennis along with just about any career comes with its highs and lows, but it's how you carry yourself "on and off the court" that matters. For this reason, Page and I find it easy to cheer for Roger Federer and his quest to be the best in the game.

Michael and Ysa

2008-01-14T11:46:00.000-06:00

Another great wedding last week! Michael and Ysa's wedding went off without a hitch and it was a true pleasure to be involved. The reception was held at the Cimarron in McAllen and the staff and decor were top notch. On top of it all Ysa's aunts made some homade cookies that were unbelievable (it is real hard to watch what you eat when you are a wedding photographer.) Her are a few pics from the day.

Brides dresses continue to impress. Ysa's was no exception

I like this shot pretty well. I grabbed it as Ysa was leaving the house for the church.

The Cimarron had ultra cool staff and decor.

I have never seen a dance floor as packed for the duration of a reception. From two to eighty two these people new how to cut a rug. This shot was kinda fun. The length of exposure lets you almost feel like your there experiencing the action.

iphone review

2008-01-08T14:02:00.000-06:00

Despite my notorious reputation of mistreating my cell phones, Page finally gave in and got me an iphone over the holidays. This thing is everything people say it is and more. I can get email, Internet, google maps (and google world), take photos, keep track of my appointments on the calendar, listen to music, watch movies and podcasts, and oh yah.... make phone calls. I got my first mac a couple years ago and have been in love ever since. Eventually I imagine that all our computers at the office and home will be from apple. This phone is quickly becoming something I feel lost without. If you have been thinking of getting one of these, don't hesitate any longer..... They are cool.

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

2007-12-30T15:26:00.000-06:00

So many presents...... So little sleep.

This shirt speaks the truth about most grandchildren I think.

First off, I need to send out a quick apology. I realize that I have been slacking on the blog lately. Between the family holiday escapades and normal work related deadlines I have found it hard to keep you guys updated. So........ Sorry!

Now that I have that out of the way, I must say that 2007 has been one for the books! I have had the pleasure of being part of some very special weddings and I would like to thank all of the couples (who I now consider friends) for allowing me to share and document they're special days. I am also now a proud father of a beautiful little girl, who is just plain amazing. Every day with her is a new experience and being a parent is truly and awesome endeavor.

All this being said, I doubt very seriously that 2008 can be any better than 2007, but I am looking forward to it none the less. God has truly blessed my family and with him by my side "it's all good." Page, Hannah, and I would all like to wish everyone a very Merry Christmas and a happy New Year. God bless.

Frigid temps and good surf.

2007-11-26T17:51:00.000-06:00

This time of year brings some occasional cold fronts and most people including my wife head for the covers and crank up the heater. I on the other hand, was on my way this weekend(at 5:30am) with a buddy to enjoy the frigid wind and waves that our first strong cold front had delivered. If you can brave the cold temps, the fall and winter months can bring really good surf with nobody else out.

The outside break had some bombs, but it looked better than it was.

The middle sand bar this year seems to have really come together and is delivering some absolute gems.

Yah....... it was that good.

The high winds had blown this buoy in from the gulf and I thought it looked pretty cool. If you look close you can see yet another barrel in the background.

Re: Passing on a Prayer Request

2007-11-06T09:41:00.000-06:00

I got an awesome phone call yesterday. Some friends of mine that put on a local surf report wrote about a man named Mike that had recently found out about a brain tumor. The tumor was going to require surgery and Mike's situation looked pretty bleak at best. I felt the need to pass on the story and the prayer request on the blog.
The phone call as it turns out was from Mike! He wanted to let me know that he had made a full recovery and was heading back to work today. He was really appreciative of all the prayers and good wishes.

It is so awesome to see God at work! Not often do we give God the credit for the miracles that he provides every day. Most of the time they are so subtle that you may not even notice but every once in a while you get a doosy like this one.
I am so happy for Mike and his Family and I appreciate everyones prayers for them. I'm sure the Lord does too.

Happy Halloween!

2007-10-31T17:25:00.000-06:00

As you can tell below, Hannah can hardly contain her excitement over her first Halloween.

She's a one armed, orange and white striped ghost? I don't know, but its pretty cute.

Happyzzzzzzzzzzzz. Halloweenzzzzzzzzzzzz. Everyonezzzzzzzzzzzz.

October has been busy!

2007-10-26T14:40:00.000-06:00

As if my baby girl being born was not exciting enough, I have also been blessed to be part of some wonderful weddings this month. One of them was in the King Ranch, which up until now, I have only had the pleasure of driving past on my way north.

Michelle was a stunning bride and was up for almost anything. This was evident when I didn't even get a hesitation upon suggesting that we pull in to a nasty back alley to shoot this shot. Turned out pretty cool, huh.

Two people madly in love, sunset in the Kings Ranch, closest family and friends......... what more do you need? Jacqueline and Michael's answer - Nothing.

Everyone is at home and doing well.

2007-10-17T12:26:00.000-06:00

These pictures were taken on the 10th and are a little deceiving. It appears that everyone is getting plenty of sleep.......... not the case, I assure you.

Hannah's sleep style resembles her daddy's unfortunately for her.

The package said that the pacifier was for newborns. You could dispute that by looking at the pacifier to face ratio in this picture.

Hannah is here!

2007-10-09T10:48:00.000-06:00

Well after being fashionably late (1 week) Hannah has graced us with her presence. The Lord has blessed Page and I with a beautiful little girl. She was born on Monday October 8th at 2:44 pm. Check out the pics.

Page's mood changed significantly after the epidural.

She's a little messy but still pretty cute!

Dr. Gabriel (a true pro) and new family.

Hannah's first moments included poking, prodding, weighing and more. Although she was most uncomfortable, dad didn't show much mercy as he clicked away.

Wife and daughter. How did I get so lucky?

Wow.

Passing on a prayer request.

2007-10-01T09:31:00.000-06:00

The following statement was written by a friend who puts on a local surf report. If you have time please include Mike and his family in your prayers and feel free to write them if you want to.

So... had the privilege of teaching a high school basketball coach how to surf recently, his team just made the state finals, got a box of championship tshirts and even a pair of team nike court shoes from the guy, he's pretty proud of his team I'm sure, and I'm guessing they are plenty stoked on him. Well, his name is Mike, 6'+++, big ol' boy, always wanted to surf. So he gets a few waves, pretty dang clumsy I must admit (sorry Mike) but thats to be expected for a guy in his 40's that's never surfed, but he got a few, and was stoked as any grom. He wouldn't quit emailing me about what a great time he had surfing... but its such a refresher to hear about some one's "first time". One email said that he bought a bunch of Indo Boards for the team for training...go figure. I think it was for him. Well, today his wife calls, said Mike never stops talking about surfing, but during his lesson, he felt really clumsy and uncoordinated, and so he goes to his doc for a checkup and tells doc that he felt like he couldn't keep his balance. Doc does a catscan... and Mike finds out he has a massive brain tumor. His wife called me today from the waiting room to let us know he was going through an 11 hour brain surgery. I'm not sure of his prognosis, she said he had paralysis and to pray for him. So, if any of you have a moment say a prayer for Mike, or a word of support, here's his email .

Making some time for surf.

2007-09-27T16:34:00.000-06:00

We have been blessed to have some really fun surf the last week or so. I managed to break out the camera on one of the smaller days to grab a quick pic of my buddy Rob. Rob did a great job of showing all the fishermen there that Port Mansfield is good for something besides fishing.

Studio Tour on the Website and Blog

2007-09-19T15:44:00.000-06:00

Well..... I don't think that anyone is going to be knocking down the door to have me host a tv show anytime soon. Regardless, the studio tour has been added to the video section of our website. Feel free to watch the amateur at work.

ASP World Title Still Up For Grabs

2007-09-18T17:10:00.000-06:00

With the number one and two ranked surfers being upset in the last competition at Trestles the world surfing title is still up for grabs. The next competition starts this week in France! The time difference is pretty severe, but if you get bored late, you should check out the action.

Hannah Update

2007-09-05T08:53:00.000-06:00

Hey everyone! Here is the latest view of Hannah. She kinda looks like a scary snowman to me. If you can't make her out don't worry. It only took two people pointing and 10 minutes for me to see her.

Drawback to living on the Coast

2007-08-20T09:38:00.000-06:00

I really love being "On the Border by the Sea" but..... living on the coast comes with the occasional scare. New Orleans still hasn't fully recovered from Katrina two years ago. So when a storm comes barreling through the Caribean you can only pray that your home, family, and friends will remain safe. Here is what the latest scare looks like.

August Bridal Show

2007-08-07T11:01:00.000-06:00

It was another great bridal show put on by Maureen Caballero! I came a little short handed this time around which actually turned out alright because I got to talk to everyone first hand that came by the booth. I also really enjoy talking to all the other great vendors out there. Fidel and Jesse from El Rio wedding guide were across the aisle which was cool since one of our photos was on the cover of their magazine this time around. They were also nice enough to watch the booth a few times when I had to make a break for the restroom (too many Red Bulls). If anyone still has questions feel free to call us or shoot an email our way.

This is going to be one crazy wedding!

Jesse looks pretty tired but still manages a smile.

Richard Parker Photography on the cover of "El Rio"

2007-08-06T23:06:00.000-06:00

I am constantly striving for excellence in photography and for my clients, so it is nice when you are featured in an editorial or grace the cover of a publication. This time around we are on the cover of the "El Rio" Wedding Guide. Pick one up when you get a chance. They are free!

Website Update

2007-08-01T10:38:00.000-06:00

Our website has a new video feature! Right now there is a clip from the "Wedding in a Week" and we hope to have a studio tour and other videos loaded soon.

Lunar Eclipse?

2007-07-27T15:05:00.000-06:00

Nope. It's not an eclipse.

It's my wife and unborn child in all their glory. Pretty cool huh. October is just around the corner and I realized that I had not really taken any good belly pics. Here is one of our favorites from this session. Hopefully Page will forgive me for the planetary reference to her stomach. Love ya babe!

I am blessed!

2007-07-16T14:12:00.000-06:00

I know I have said it many times but I can't say it enough. I am extremely blessed! This summer I have been around some of the coolest people ever. It is such a blessing to constantly be surrounded by couples who are so in love that it spills over and fills the hearts of those around them. I love my job.

I was asked to speak to the South Padre Island Rotary Club last week and I would like to thank them for their hospitality and interest in photography. I had a great time and would be honored to go back again. The questions that I received have led me to consider doing a workshop for local enthusiasts. Check back for details.

As I mentioned yesterday the bun(Hannah)is still cooking in the oven(Page) and everything seems to be going just fine. I have to say that there is nothing like someones first unborn child to keep them on their knees. In that regard I have to thank little Hannah because my relationship with God has strengthened just because I have been talking to Him more consistently. I think we tend to forget how powerful and helpful prayer is to us. Not in the sense of getting things that we ask for, but in the fact that an open line of communication gives us a better sense of who we are, where we are in our lives, and a real peace that only comes when talking to the Almighty.

One only needs to watch the news for just a few moments to understand how blessed each and every one of us is. I will continue to be thankful for all of the undeserved grace that is showered on me and my family every day.

A Great Summer So Far!

2007-07-15T13:34:00.000-06:00

So far we have had a very busy but very good summer. The only thing that has suffered is the blog. Because of my crazy schedule I have neglected my blog and I have been hearing about it from friends, family and clients so..... sorry guys. I will try and do better.
Quick update:
Page and I had another doctor's visit and little Hannah seems to be on track in her development. The other thing that is on track is the home improvements. The pink color that eminates from Hanna's future bedroom is nearly blinding and the final touches around the rest of the house are getting taken care of. God bless.

House Renevation = Headaches and Heartaches

2007-06-08T14:22:00.000-06:00

Page and I have spent the last few month trying to renovate our home (which is over 100 years old). In February we were all pumped being on a high from watching some of our favorite programing on HGTV and the DIY network. Now that we are in to our fourth month of fixing and have been without a kitchen for three weeks our excitement has turned in to exhaustion.
Our normally clean house is constantly covered in sheet rock dust with a wonderful hint of paint fumes. Those of you who know me well know my weakness for fast food but I have to say that even I am growing tired of takeout.

As always there is light at the end of the tunnel. We hope to be done in the next three weeks and expect it will be done four weeks after that (inside joke for those of you who have done this kind of project before.) God bless.

Texas State Surfing Championships

2007-05-25T12:30:00.000-06:00

There will be thousands of people headed to the beach this weekend due to the Memorial Day holiday. If you are one of those thousands and are looking for something different to do, you can head to Isla Blaca Park where the Texas State Surfing Championships will be going on Saturday and Sunday. The TGSA competions are always a lot of fun and showcase a lot of talent.

The first heats will be in the water at 7:30am.

It's a girl!!!!

2007-05-10T15:16:00.000-06:00

Well........................

It looks like I am going to have my hands full and Page is finally going to have a full time shopping buddy. We are super stoked to announce that we are having a girl!!! Time to go pick out what shade of pink is going on the walls.

Everyone has been asking whether I wanted a boy or a girl. My response has been "It doesn't matter... He or she is going to be a surfer either way."

"Wedding in a Week" wrap up

2007-05-09T15:01:00.000-06:00

Needless to say, the "Wedding in a Week" was one of the coolest weddings we have had so far. Click here to see how Lisa and Stephen's fantastic week ended.

Billabong Pro Teahupoo

2007-05-04T12:28:00.000-06:00

If you guys are bored you can check out the pros surfing one of the biggest, heaviest, waves around. The Billabong Pro Teahupoo is the WCT's third event of the year.

Personal Pics from New York

2007-05-03T14:57:00.000-06:00

Even though we had some crazy deadlines and a tight schedule, Page and I had a few moments to take for ourselves in New York. Here are a few personal pics from the trip.

Nice view huh! This was from our hotel overlooking Central Park.

This was looking back at our hotel from Central Park.

This is the infamous Times Square. It's much more impressive at night but I only grabbed a photo during the day.

Looking up at the Rockefeller Building.

This is one of my favorite pics of the trip. It is a view of St. Patrick Church amongst the skyscrapers with a sign on the cab that says "Never Hide."

Awesome wedding!

2007-04-27T13:53:00.000-06:00

The "Wedding in a week" was a huge success. I had so much fun, I can hardly call it work. If you missed the show this morning you can watch it on the web on the CBS Early Show web site. Check out the Early Show on Monday to see the surprise Colin has for Lisa and Stephen. I will put some pictures on the blog and website later.

Broadway Surprise

2007-04-26T09:10:00.000-06:00

Page and I caught a broadway show the other night. We went to see "Chicago" and it was unbelievable. During the intermision we were browsing through the Playbil and to our surprise, we noticed that the lead actress (Bianca Marroquin), grew up right here in Brownsville. You always have to go out of town to realise what a small world it is. Page and I are truly proud of Bianca. She has reached the very top of a job that has no shortage of competition or talent. Next time you are in New York you should check her out.

Change of plans

2007-04-19T09:15:00.000-06:00

The "Wedding in a Week" has been postponed until next week due to the unfortunate incident at Virginia Tech. Look for the wedding to take place next Friday morning on the CBS Early Show. Our hearts go out to all the families and friends of those who were lost. God bless

Wedding in a Week?

2007-04-13T16:01:00.000-06:00

Is it possible to put together a wedding from start to finish in a week? It is if your Colin Cowie. Colin is one of the world's best event planners and he is showing it again this coming week. Colin and The CBS Early Show have teamed up to give Stephen and Lisa the wedding of a lifetime. I was chosen to take the photos for the event and I have to say that I can hardly contain my excitement. The wedding is going to be in Central Park in New York City and it should be a blast. If you want to stay abreast with what is going on with the couple, tune in to the Early Show every day next week. I will try to update my blog every day that we are there.

Los Fresnos High School Speech

2007-04-12T10:36:00.000-06:00

I was invited to speak to the technology students at Los Fresnos High school last week and I have to say it was a blast. I was blown away at all the interest in technology, photography, and business. Both the staff and the students were very accomadating and gracious and I would be glad to go back any time.

So much to do. So little time.

2007-04-11T19:04:00.000-06:00

I just realized that I have been neglecting the blog. We have been crazy busy getting caught up since I have been out of town so much lately. Here are a few pics from the Vegas trip.

Dad showing me how it's done!

Our hotel.

Kinda cool pic of the Belagio

My buddy Mike Colon in action at WPPI

Can you tell which one is the model? Nice shoes Mike!

WPPI in Vegas

2007-03-28T14:51:00.000-06:00

Hey everyone! I am out of town this week in Vegas for the WPPI convention and trade show. So far it has been a lot of fun. I have seen some friends that I have'nt seen in a while and for the moment I am ahead at the tables. I will be back next week and hopefully have a few picks from the trip.

Tieing the knot

2007-03-23T12:43:00.000-06:00

We have joined forces with the knot! The knot is one of the leading magazines and websites for information on weddings. Many of our clients come from out of town or are doing destination weddings. Taking this in to consideration, I decided to increase our marketing to include the rest of Texas. It is an exciting step in the growth of our humble little business and I am looking forward to our future with our new partner.

Click on the link below to check us out at the knot

The Knot: Local: Vendor Details

Be back next week

2007-03-15T09:21:00.000-06:00

Hey everyone! Page and I have been in Oklahoma all week. The weather has been great and we have really been enjoying ourselves. I will try and get back to all of your emails and phone calls on Monday. God bless.

Life can change in an instant.

2007-02-26T18:43:00.000-06:00

This is what my instant looked like.

Page is awesome!

2007-02-14T12:10:00.000-06:00

This being Valentine's Day and all, I thought I would take the time to say how awesome my wife is. In addition to being a great spouse, she is a phenomenal teacher, she speaks German (and a little Spanish), and is going back to school for her Masters. She loves God, her family, and me, despite my "work hard and surf harder" lifestyle. She is my inspiration and I thank the lord every day that a bum like me could end up with such a great partner.

Happy Valentine's Day everyone!

Oh yeah. She's pretty too!

South Padre Island... our little paradise.

2007-02-07T13:41:00.000-06:00

Here are a few pictures from South Padre Island this morning. As I was taking them, I couldn't help but think of what my friend Stan Hulse says every time I ask him how he is. His reply is always "Just another day in Paradise." Well said.

A view from Port Isabel.

I'd like to say I had both hands on the wheel but...

Thanks, God!

2007-02-01T12:28:00.000-06:00

As you guys might know, the weather has been less than picture perfect the last few weeks. The forcast for last weekend did'nt look any better, but with my clients (and new friends) Scott and Nicole coming in from Austin, rescheduling wasn't really an option. As God would have it, the weather cleared up long enough to give us some outstanding light and some great photos. I always pray before each shoot that I might capture great moments and get good shots, but it was an unexpected blessing to get the change of weather as well. Thanks, God!

Scott and Nicole are an awesome couple and I am really looking forward to they're wedding.

Teddy

2007-01-30T11:01:00.000-06:00

Page and I have a new member of the family! His name is Teddy (for his resemblance to a teddy bear) and he has a ton of charm. With a great attitude and cuteness to spare, a lot of people think we got him at the pet store. However, Teddy is an ex inmate of the Brownsville Animal Shelter. If you are in the market for a new dog or cat the "pound" is the best place to start. I was astonished (and saddened) at the amount of good looking animals they have that need a home. We could have easily been happy with a dozen different dogs, but in the end decided on the teddy bear. If you are interested in getting an animal from the shelter I have included the contact information below.

City of Brownsville Animal Shelter

416 F.M. 511

Olmito, TX. 78575

(956) 544-7351

McAllen Wedding Fair

2007-01-23T16:23:00.000-06:00

Another great show in McAllen! The census showed there to be over 500 brides at the show and judging by the quality of my voice today we talked to a good percentage of you. I just wanted to say that we had a great time and met a lot of cool people. If you didn't get to talk to us or you forgot to ask a question, please don't hesitate to call or email. God bless.

Better Brownsville

2007-01-16T17:27:00.000-06:00

I had the privilege of attending an event put on by the Brownsville Chamber of Commerce last week that was really interesting. It was called "speed networking." The event basically gave business owners and/or business presenters a chance to meet and network together. Each business had 60 seconds to tell the others who they were and what they did in the community. Many of you are probably saying at this point "who cares!" but it was a real inspiration, to me, to see so many people excited about making Brownsville a better place. Although I had to leave early for a previously scheduled appointment, I was real impressed to see a positive glimpse into our future here "on the border by the sea."

December Photo Tip

2006-12-04T13:50:00.000-06:00

Composition is one of the things that many times can make the difference between a good photograph and a bad one.
Most people are taught at some point, that whatever you are taking a picture of, should be in the middle of your picture. In some cases, especially when taking a snapshot of friends and family, this centering idea is a good one. There are many other occasions though, when centering your subject, is a bad idea. Next time you pull out your trusty camera and find yourself wanting to take a picture of that pretty flower, try putting the flower in different places in your viewfinder. Then take a picture like you normally would. After you get them developed or printed, place them side by side and see which one you like the best. I'll bet it's not the one with the flower in the middle.
Below is a picture of some hay bales in Southern Oklahoma. Placing the bales just off center to the left, made for a more interesting composition than if they had been right in the middle.

You should have been here in the morning!

2006-11-14T08:49:00.000-06:00

Some surfers have said it, but we have all heard it. "You should have been here in the morning!" or afternoon, or whenever you were not there to validate it. Fortunately for me, I happen to have pictures to prove it. These pictures are from last week at Boca Chica. For about an hour, Boca was about as good as Boca gets. I hate to say it but.... YOU SHOULD HAVE BEEN HERE IN THE MORNING!

Grand Opening

2006-11-13T14:51:00.000-06:00

Our grand opening of the new studio was a huge success! We had over 100 family, friends, and brides (past, present, and future) show up. If you missed it, come see the new place when your in the neighborhood.

The food was catered by Cobbleheads and it was amazing. Joe Kenney and his team treated everyone like royalty and if you have an event that needs top notch food and service this guy should be the first person you call. www.cobbleheads.com