Free Holiday Music for Thanksgiving

Hello Everyone!

I hope you are enjoying your Thanksgiving. While I awoke way too early today, I saw this offer and wanted to share it with you. If you click on this link, you can download free - for the next 48 hours - 8 holiday songs from some of the greatest names in the music industry! How cool is that? I'm loving the Harry Connick, Jr. track.

I will be officially closed today as Jeremy and I attempt to cook our first real turkey. But never fear - we bought the one with its own 1 800 help hot line. 

Happy Turkey Day! 

Inspired by...

I'm inspired by many things - the world being one. Yes, it's a big world. But the world starts with what's right in front of you. If you let me, I'll wander around for hours just following the things that visually intrigue me.

Yesterday, I decided I needed a little wandering time. So I grabbed my camera and walked out the door. I had no idea where I was going but I didn't need to. I just followed what I saw.

Here are some of my visual wanderings.

Thanks for looking! Have a wonderful Friday! ~Heather

Fizzy, Whirly, Wonderfulness!

I had the most wonderful experience last night! I went to a seminar! ...huh? Yes, a photography seminar.The Austin leg of The Free To Succeed Tour by David Jay and Jasmine Star. Sound fun? I know, I felt the same way going in. "These two are great photographers. I'm sure what they say will be helpful, informative, and educational. Can't go wrong with learning a new thing or two."

What it turned out to be was one, big eye (and heart) opener. I can't say I ever cried at a seminar before, but I'll admit it, I cried during Jasmine's talk. It just hit me - a deep connection to one of her experiences. It resonated with me so much, that tears just came. It totally took me by surprise. Is this still a "seminar"?

What began with DJ and Jasmine's encouragement and simplistic yet profound insight continued to follow me throughout the night. I didn't get much sleep. =) I couldn't help it! I was so excited and anxious and ...everything all at once! I could feel things buzzing in me that hadn't "buzzed" in a long time and I didn't want that feeling to go away.

So I am writing this post for me. To keep me honest. To keep me real. What I learned from DJ and Jasmine is something I want to take into my photography and beyond. It's a new way of thinking and living. And I really want to remind myself over and over again just how this fizzy, whirly wonderfulness feels - until I can make it my own.

Thanks for listening to me. =) I appreciate it. If you happen to be a fellow photographer/ creative mind, check out the tour site for the city nearest you. If you're able to get to one of their seminars, go! It was the best thing I've done for myself and my future in a long, long time.

(I'd like to say hey to the ladies I met last night! Grace from Corpus Christi and Courtney from beaubaby right here in Austin. I hope you came away with as much inspiration as I did. Keep in touch!)

A Little Design for your Holiday Weekend

I will be out of the office from tomorrow through Monday. Any emails and messages I receive during that time will be answered when I return on Tuesday. I hope everyone enjoys their holiday weekend. I know I'm going to. =)

If you're looking for a lil diversion this holiday, why not swing by Snippet & Ink. They're an awesome wedding design blog like no other. These ladies are always coming up with unique and fun "inspiration boards" to base your wedding around. I love to pop in every now and again to see what they've come up with. Here are some of my recent favorites: Carnival Ride, Sweet Tarts for Sweet Hearts, Retro Picnic, Cinco de Mayo, and Sunshine Fix. I just love their names!

Enjoy your Memorial Day weekend (browsing) everyone! ^_^ I'll see ya on Tuesday!

~Heather

Wedding Season Approaches

Wow, these last two weeks have just flown by. I've been busy working on several projects. One is almost ready to go while another is still being tweaked. I'm quite the perfectionist so it may still be a bit until they're unveiled. But when they are, I know my clients and my readers here will really appreciate them. ^_^

I've also joined a social network called, "Twitter". Basically, I've installed a little text box at the top right of this blog where I can type in what I'm doing whenever I want. Jeremy introduced it to me and I'm trying it out. It's actually kind of fun updating it. Who knows, it might just become my new online addition. hehe =D

Jeremy and I have also been gearing up for wedding season. We're kicking things off next weekend with our very first Austin e-session. I'm so excited! Then the following week, we'll be jetting off to Washington DC for a very awesome wedding. Is this really my job? lol... Yeah, it is. Don't get me wrong, I do actually work - a lot. But it's so worth it to meet cool people and help them capture their most important moments for them - all while being creative! I'm so grateful to the couples that allow me to do what I love and I thank them for it!

This is going to be a great year so stay tuned for all the latest and greatest!

(Our new) Home Sweet Home

Home. It's something I've been pining over these last few months. It's also what I've been hinting about in some of my previous posts. We've been waiting and hoping and biting nails - on pins and needles even! And now, we've finally found a place to call home - Austin, TX. It was touch and go there for a while, but I'm happy - and relieved to say we are now officially Texans.

We moved into our new place this weekend after a few months of temporary living quarters. =) I won't post any pictures of the mountains of moving boxes and the battle scars of sharpie ink. They'll be gone soon enough. I hope... But just image this: sunny skies, 78F in April, and no sign of winter blahs! Farewell, East Coast. Hello, Lone Star State!

We're loving life here in Austin. There's a thriving artist community, a retro vibe with some neat eat-in theaters, live music and concerts, SXSW, rockin' sushi runs with awesome people, parks, rivers and lakes, a cool city skyline, rolling hills and plenty of green trees. It's not how I pictured Texas to be at all. FYI - I used to listen to the old Lone Ranger Radio Drama tapes as a kid and that was basically how I got my idea of Texas. ^_^ It's so summer here. Temperatures have gotten to 91F with healthy mixture of humidity. (90% - that's healthy, right?) Still, we wouldn't trade our new hometown for anything.

On the photography side of things: our internet, email and phone are all up and running. We're looking forward to booking our 1st local wedding - in Austin. Yay! =) So if you're from the Austin area or know someone who is planning their wedding here, we're available for consultations and couple portrait sessions. We already have a few couples interested which is really exciting!

If your wedding is in Maryland, DC, or Virginia and you're thinking - shoot! They moved! Never fear. We'll be back off and on in 2008 for our current wedding clients. So if you'd like to meet with us then, let me know. I can travel all over the US (and the world) for weddings and portraits. Just tell me where you'd like to have your wedding or session and I can create a travel quote for you. Being here in Austin makes my travel times shorter and the country just a little bit closer. Just one of many reasons why I love Austin - our (new) home sweet home.

3 years ...(and a day)

Yesterday, I awoke to a torrent of rain. I thought it was ironic. Three years ago, I had awoken to the same rain gusts - hundreds of miles away. However, the morning's rain didn't stay long. The sun broke over the clouds by afternoon - exactly as it had done three years to the day - April 4, 2005.

I remember that day so clearly. It was truly the happiest day of my life. I think Jeremy feels the same way too. =) Can you guess what happened three years ago (and one day)?

Happy Anniversary to us! hehe... I was so happy at our wedding and completely stress-free (even though there were plenty of things that didn't go exactly according to plan). But because I knew that us getting married that day meant we would always get to be together, I was fine with whatever came my way. We'd still be married at the end of the day!

We played hooky yesterday and spent a special anniversary lunch at a new favorite (in a new home town) - Mikado's. The music was hip. The setting: hot, moody, and a little sultry too. Seriously, what I wouldn't give to do a photo shoot in there! I was talking to Jeremy about it throughout our meal. Jeremy, can you picture a boudoir shoot over there on that lounge sofa with that spot light? Wouldn't it be awesome? It'd be HOT! And of course, the food was yum~mmy! Jeremy approved of the tempura fried, pound cake wrapped-ice cream. ^_^ (Random thought) You know the weirdest thing yesterday? The color scheme at Mikado's was in our wedding colors. Even the actual texture of the bridesmaid's dresses were part of their wall decor! Weird coincidence, huh? Or maybe it was a diabolically genius plan of Jeremy's to surprise me and re-decorate the restaurant JUST for our Anniversary?! lol... (Jeremy said he didn't do it though. Shame, that would have been crazy romantic - or just plain crazy.)

Hopefully we can extend the anniversary celebration through this weekend. Three-day fun (anniversary) fest! Woot!

To Jeremy: Happy Anniversary, my love! These three years went by way too fast! But that's ok. I know we got plenty more to enjoy - so bring them on! I can't wait! ^_^ love, Heather

Wishing everyone a day(or weekend) of love with someone extra special!

~Heather

WPPI 2008 Recap!

It's been a week now since the crazy awesomeness that was the WPPI (Wedding and Portrait Photographers International) 2008 convention. I'm trying to let everything soak in. It really is information overload while you're there. But the experience and knowledge you get is so worth it! I left Las Vegas bursting with ideas and drive!

This year, I took tons of pictures so I could remember everything! I don't know about you, but my photographs have started to replace my memories - or at least they're strengthening them and staving off my age-prone amnesia. I'm so glad I did this because I met a lot of great people that I want to remember and keep in touch with! Also, I want to bottle up everything that lit a fire in my soul and challenged me to create beauty in the humdrum of our every day lives. When I feel a rainy day coming on, I'll just open up the lid (or photo folder) and let the ideas run loose! I tell ya, being there was like breathing pure oxygen. I didn't want to leave, but Jeremy said I had to. So did the security guard. ;( Why can't I stand in line for next year's convention now? lol

Our trip began with a few firsts for me - sharing a plan ride with a dog! I didn't know you could bring them along with you, but there he was! Cute, cuddly, adorable, and extremely well behaved! (The other first was an impromptu portrait session at 33,000 ft.) ^_^

This year, attendance was up around 11,000 photographers! As you can see, it made for some fun times in the mosh pit ...er, I mean, the trade show line.



Our first night there, they began with a program called, "Young Guns". The name implies 12 young pro photographers who are leading their fields with unique and awesome styles in their photography.

Here's Jose Villa. He and the other "Young Guns" decided to add some spectacle to the night by sporting cowboy boots and hats while re-enacting the "toy pop" gun fight at the WPPI corral! :)



Here are the Young Guns (from left to right): Ryan Schembri, John Solano, Mike Larson, Gene Higa, Lori Nordstrom, Jesh De Rox, David Jay, Catherine Hall, JB & DeEtte Sallee, and Jim Garner. (Check out that sweet smoke effect!)



Young Guns group pics! Yay! That right one leads me into one of the most amazing people I've ever heard speak or even met! See him in the middle? That's Mr. Jesh De Rox (pronounced "rocks").



I had the amazing privilege of meeting Jesh several times throughout the WPPI. He's an incredible person to be around - genuine, giving, super-talented and truly one of a kind!



His talk the following night focused on being yourself! We've all heard it. But has it really hit us? We all have something to give to the world and if we aren't ourselves, the world misses out on what we could contribute to it. By us all giving and sharing, we lift everyone up. That's what his newest project is about - Upward Spiral. He wants to find amazing people and give them an "innerview" (yes, inner not inter). We got the chance to watch a sneak peak of his first one with singer, Amy Seeley. It was very personal and touching. I can't wait to see more and I'd encourage you to check it out once the project goes live! (Oh yeah, we also talked about photography too. ^_^ But as artists, photography is just our medium. What we want to say with our photography is really what's important.)

Miss Amy Seeley. I've loved her songs since I first heard them play on Jesh's site. We're treated to surprise live performance during Jesh's presentation. WOW! It was so surreal and beautiful! If you have never heard her, please check out these links! She really is a gifted artist!
Amy's Website
Amy's MySpace Page

One word: Yummy! Can you believe this is what Vegas calls a 'candy apple'?



While we're on the topic of food: Le Burger Brasserie has the best chicken burgers this side of the strip!



Remember how I was raving about the trade show and the awesome albums they have? Well, I wasn't disappointed. This is Cypress's cute mini album! I know I showed a pic of it previously. But this was the first time I got to flip through one myself. When you pick it up, you just wanna say, awwwwwwe! Cypress's handmade albums and luscious fabrics are to die for! I'm so glad I'll be offering these albums this year!



This was our view from our room! Check it out! We were so high up, we could see all the way to Paris! hehe... (the Paris hotel anyway)



Sexy. Chic. Right outside the burger pub!



Besides taking away all of the good memories, tips and tricks from this year's show, we also brought home a new lens! Jeremy was kind enough to be my test model =D Seriously, this is one rockin' lens!



Thanks for looking through my pics! I hope you enjoyed them! I'd also like to wish you a Happy April Fool's Day. I tried to think of something fun I could post about today, but I'll I could come up with was making this blog EXTRA HUGE! Bwhahahahaha! April Fool's! ...no, seriously. Thanks for stopping in! Have a wonderful Tuesday everybody!

~Cheers!
Heather

The whirlwind has left the building!

We're back! (finally)

Jeremy and I are exhausted from our trip to Vegas. It was even more wild and crazy than we could have imagined - but in a good way. :) My head is spinning with images and ideas and we're both just trying to process them all now. Oh yeah and our images too. *hehe* I will be making a bigger post with pictures soon. But I wanted to write in and say we haven't forgotten about you guys. I am so excited by what I learned at the WPPI and I can't wait to share my experience with you!

Easter snuck up on us this year. We didn't have time to dye eggs sadly =( but we did manage to snag some easter sweets - in particular, those awesome Cadbury creme-filled eggs and a few packs of the traditional Easter delight ~ Peeps! The eggs didn't last long (of course) however, I did manage to catch this scene.



Me - "Jeremy, these peeps are sooo cute! Hold one so I can take a picture!"
Jeremy - "I have blue sugar on my fingers."
Me - "That's okay. It's pretty. Now turn him. That way. OK, more... more."
*click*click*click* (I look down to check the view screen)
Me - "OK. Now I want you to... Jeremy, where's the peep?"
Jeremy - "maawhheee, hewwahh... immmaah... mooowoohhfff..."
=}

Have a wonderful Monday everyone!
~Heather

We're off!

I'm so excited! Jeremy and I have been waiting months for this weekend to come. Can you guess what's happening? We're off to Las Vegas!

Nope, we won't be gambling. And we probably won't have time to take in any shows - though I've been really curious about Cirque du Soliel's KA & LOVE productions. So what WILL we be doing? For a whole week no less? Wait for it... *drum roll*

It's time for the 2008 Wedding & Portrait Photographers International Convention! *CHEERS*

Last year was our first time and it was a week long of one incredible experience after another. I believe 10,000 photographers made it to Vegas from as far away as Australia! And everyone we met was so open and helpful and encouraging. There's such a wealth of giving, talented, and extraordinary photographers gathered together. The creative verve is so energizing and revitalizing! I can't wait to go back now and meet our old friends plus make a bunch of new ones! I'm looking forward to seeing Jose Villa, Jesh De Rox, Gene Higa, Joe Bussink, Mike Colon, Jerry Ghionis, Jules Bianchi, David Jay, and so many more! Everyone in the wedding photography industry will be here and we will be having an absolute blast! :)

Oh, I also get to peruse the greatest of all Photographic trade shows! A trade show may not sound like fun, but just the new albums that debut here each year are worth a day trip to Vegas. (Yep, I love albums!) I'm also looking forward to the surprises I'm sure I'll stumble upon. I know there will be many! I can't wait to hunt them down and bring them back for my clients!

I'll be keeping the blog posted as the convention starts rocking! And of course, it IS Vegas. I may just have to play hooky for a few minutes and capture Sin City in all its splendor! I can't just post pictures of convention rooms here, now can I? =)

Wish us luck! One week of Photography bliss/overload, here we come!

~Heather

P.S. All of our emails and calls will be checked daily. So leave us a message and we'll get right back to you!

Welcome, Baby Zimmy!

I awoke to a pleasant email today. =) Joanna and Justynn, one of our previous couples, welcomed a new member into their family this very morning: Zimmerli Ezra Ross Mayo. I was lucky enough to see some of his first photos and he's quite the charmer. ^_^

Congratulations, you guys! I wish I could be there to photograph his first days but I'm sure Nana and Papa already have that covered. ^.~

To Baby Zimmy: I wish you a world full of happiness, joy, curiosity, and many, many sleep-filled nights!

Cheers and Congrats!
~Heather

The Future's Looking Bright

I love this image I got of Jeremy this past weekend. Can you guess what we were up to? Hint: Changes are a' comin' and we're very excited! =)

Stay tuned...

~Heather

Happy Love Day!

I want to wish everyone a Happy Love Day! If you've found that wonderful someone, I hope you will fall in love all over again today. Remember that flowers and chocolates aren't what make people fall in love. Was it his eyes that drew you in? Was it her laugh that captured your heart? These things first brought you together so celebrate them! If you haven't found that Mr. or Mrs. Right, no worries! Why not celebrate the love you do have in your life? Think about the people who show us love every day: parents, children, friends, sisters, brothers, mentors, collegues - even pets (they love us oodles). Why not take a moment to thank them? I bet it would totally make their day!

I challenge everyone not to let their Love Day stop at the flowers and adorably stuffed teddy bears. When you have love in your life, embrace it! Cherish it! Celebrate it!

As for me, I would like to thank my sweetie and hubby for his love - of which I am in awe of daily. Without you, my life would not be the same. :) Thanks Jeremy!

Happy Love Day! ^_^

(photo by Jose Villa - a super awesome photographer!)

New 2008 Collections

Goodbye, 2007! Today marks the official debut of our new collections - circa 2008! What's the difference? Well, lots!

First big news: we are now accepting weddings through 2009. That's right, everyone that has asked me about their 09' dates can now contact me to reserve your wedding and get a copy of your 08' rates before the 09' ones come out. ...lol Thank goodness those are still a year off!

Second big news: wedding negatives are included in all of our collections. We have four of them now(instead of three) - and also what we call base coverage. This is our standard coverage for every wedding and this is where we give you the wedding negatives. ^_^ Base coverage is included in all of our pre-made collections. But it can also be used as a starting point to create your own custom collection. If you are interested in hiring us for your 2008 or 2009 wedding, email me soon to receive your own custom quote.

I'm really excited to announce our cutest parent album ever! Look at this adorable 5x5 (mini) album! It's made exclusively in Japanese silk with a wide range of colors to choose from. And it can be created with traditional matted or flush mount pages. With its twenty images, the mini is the perfect length to give to your parents or even to yourself as a brag book!

(photos courtesy of cypress albums)



We first announced our online slide shows this past fall. This year, copies of the slide shows can be purchased on DVD for home viewing - complete with their own custom case :)

In 2008, our albums receive a re-vamp. The original any size album now becomes four: 5x5, 8x8, 10x10 and 12x12. We will continue to offer our custom album option - where you can choose your album's size and shape. Albums come standard with the silk bookbinding covers (but you can still have the option to have them made in leather, suede, (new) acrylic, or metal). We will also design your flush mount album by the number of images rather than the number of pages. This way, we can design the best album for you without being confined by a limited amount of space to tell your story.

I love creating albums for our clients. To me, an album is just as important as the pictures themselves. I'm that in love with albums! It is my hope that by offering four new sizes, everyone can create their first family heirloom. Seriously, everyone should have an album to remember their wedding day :) Oh, and these albums aren't just for weddings. Engagement albums, bridal portrait albums - whoa! Your pictures can look hot in these - especially when I design them! Does anyone remember that amazing 10x20 titanium beauty at our show last fall? That was an engagement album, ladies!)

If you are interested in seeing our full 08' collections and options, email me here or through our website's contact form and make sure to include your wedding date.

If I may stray off topic in this last bit, I'd like to give the movie, The Last Mimsy two thumbs up! I got to see it last night and, although I wasn't expecting much from it, I actually really liked it. It's whimsical, it's fanciful, it's in Seattle, and it's a neat twist on a classic tale (another favorite of mine). I love movies that encourage you (and children) to use your imagination and forget the humdrum of our everyday known world. And there's some great humor too! My favorite line of the night, "I haven't eaten in 8 hours." "It's called sleeping." ^_^ Don't expect all of the movie's mysteries to be answered. I guess it's like it's own modern fairytale in that way. Some things should just be believed and enjoyed. Oh! And the bunny's cute too.

~Cheers!

In need of a giggle?

I've been slacking a bit in my blogging. So I'd like to dedicate tonight's post to everyone out there who needs a giggle. And I'd also like to preface this video with this disclaimer: I do not support the biting of children's fingers nor support the children doing the biting. But I do find myself laughing at this baby's reactions to his brother. The way he chuckles gets me every time. ;} You know the baby's really the one in charge! Diabolical genius baby, lol. I do love the simple things that children do to amuse themselves. I try to keep up my childish musings as much as I can. But I promise - I won't bite.

Click here to watch the video!

The Holidays Part 3

After Christmas, I traveled up north to Eureka, California to visit my mom's family. It's a beautiful drive up through redwoods and hills/mountains. It flurried on the way (which is rare) but I didn't stop to shoot it. I'd seen enough snow in Maryland. ^_^

Our base camp was Grandma's house. With all of the endless trays of fudge and cookies and candy and cake (and an xbox for the kids), I think all of the family was there 24/7 enjoying the food and fine company.

This is my Grandma. I've wanted to take a portrait of her for so long.
I really love how it came out.


This is Grandma with my cousin Cassie.

Enter the willing model!

Cousin Liz in quiet repose.

The quiet didn't last long...

This is the brawl that ensued after trying to take a portrait of all the kids/cousins.
We're such a loving bunch. ^_^ It's ok though - these three are siblings.

This is the small apple orchard in Grandma's backyard. I had been wanting to have a shoot there but since I'd arrived, it had been raining and raining without end. So with a constant drizzle coming down and everyone being stuffed with holiday leftovers, what were we to do? Why, have an impromptu apple picking/photo session in the rain, of course!

Jump!


Cassie! More apples!

Liz, come join the fun!
I had to climb a very wet and slippery tree to get this good laugh.

Cousin Steph gave us moral support. Such a brave soul!

Grandma's backyard is magical. With an apple orchard, a bamboo forest and an amazingly old, distressed barn - it's a portrait photographer's dream to shoot (with some willing subjects, of course). ^_^ Cassie! To the Bamboo!

Did I mention she's a cheerleader? She posed herself!

Cousin Logan got pulled into the shoot too. He was awesome - tromping into all of those soggy apples and leaves without a single complaint. ^_^ Logan, you rock!

The GQ pose.

And this is my aunt Susie with her daughter, Cassie. Yes, I got her mom into the shoot too. Such a photogenic pair! She's also the mother of all 3 brawlers (see picture above). How does she do it?

----------------------------------

As always, my trip ended way too soon. I'm so glad I got to see everyone in the short time that I had. I hope it doesn't take another two+ years to meet up with everyone again. At least, there are pictures to remember the fun. I'm such a strong believer in capturing the memories because there's never enough time in the end. But there's always pictures! ^_^

Until next time!
~Heather