Padre Photography

Holiday Magic

January 7, 2010 in Places | Leave a comment

Luke and I spent the holidays in Bucks County and Philadelphia, PA and New York, NY. I’m still editing the photos of picturesque Bucks County and Philly but wanted to post a few photos from our adventures in Manhattan.

New York is truly magical around the holidays. The city is all lit up and twinkles and there are more exciting things to do and see in the city than at any other time of year. Luke and I were only in the city for three days and spent our time gazing at the tree in Rockefeller Center, fulfilling my dream (ever since I was little and saw “Annie”) to see the Rockettes at Radio City Music Hall, had brunch at Bobby Flay’s Mesa Grill, dinner at Mario Battali’s Lupa and saw West Side Story on Broadway. We walked through a snow-covered Central Park and went shopping at FAO Schwarz and Tiffany & Co on 5th Avenue. We walked across the Brooklyn Bridge on a sunny day and under the arch at Washington Square Park and rested our heads in a lovely room at the Waldorf-Astoria.

If you ever have an opportunity to visit New York during the holiday season, Luke and I highly recommend taking it. We had so much fun and the city is really, really beautiful and less crowded than we thought – including the airport (JFK to Austin direct).

This time of year

November 6, 2009 in Composition | Leave a comment

The holiday season has arrived. I came across some fun, colorful and festive photos in my portfolio which illustrate the Rule of Thirds. This principle of composition is simple: divide a frame into thrids (horizontally and vertically) and position the subject or points of interest in the intersection of the sections within the grid. Generally, following this rule makes for a much more interesting photograph.

Below: Poinsettias, A stairwell on the Square in Georgetown, Texas, Trick-or-treat, Reflection of a Candy-cane Ornament and a Hot Cup of Coffee

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Northern California

October 7, 2009 in Places | Leave a comment

This Spring, my husband Luke and I returned to San Francisco and Sonoma Valley to celebrate our wedding anniversary. Northern California is truly one of our favorite destinations.

On our first trip to the Bay Area, we spent most of our time in the city. This time around, we spent 2 days in the city full of activity. We had brunch at the Buena Vista at Fisherman’s Wharf , spent the afternoon gazing at the Golden Gate bridge and driving through scenic Marin County and attended an evening performance of the San Francisco ballet at the War Memorial Opera House. The next day, we had breakfast and picked up some Scharffen-Berger chocolate at the Ferry Building and attended a matinee performance of Wicked the musical at the Orpheum theatre before driving to wine country.

In Sonoma Valley, time is a luxury. Each day was unplanned and care-free. For the second year in a row, we stayed at the rustic, charming Beltane Ranch Bed and Breakfast in the heart of Sonoma Valley. Our days were spent on wine tastings at small, family vineyards in Dry Creek Valley, indulging in spa treatments or hiking at Jack London and Sugarloaf state parks. For our anniversary, we packed a picnic lunch and spent an entire day at the breathtakingly beautiful Point Reyes National Seashore.

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Wedding of Rebecca and Rusty (Part II)

September 30, 2009 in Events, Weddings | Leave a comment

Rebecca and Rusty’s wedding was a dream. Both the ceremony and reception took place outdoors, on a terrace overlooking a scenic park shaded by oak trees (the venue is Austin Ranch in Grapevine, Texas). Guests included close friends and family which set a relaxed tone for the entire event. Hours before the ceremony was set to begin, the bride, groom and their parents and even the officiant and his wife hung decorations and arranged flowers – making every detail of the wedding personal and perfection. In place of a traditional book, guests signed a Family Tree which is a great keepsake for Rusty and Rebecca. In place of a bouquet, the father-of-the-bride presented Rebecca with a beautiful corsage afixed with a gorgeous antique jeweled broach – something borrowed and something blue. Best wishes to Rebecca and Rusty!

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Wedding of Rebecca and Rusty

September 6, 2009 in Events, Weddings | Leave a comment

Yesterday, I had a great time photographing Rebecca and Rusty’s wedding in the darling city of Grapevine, Texas. I couldn’t resist posting a preview of this family affair. Rebecca is confident and kind, Rusty is amusing and delightful and together, they are a couple head-over-heels in love and well on their way to living the life of their dreams.

More to come!

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Northern California – An Introduction

June 4, 2009 in Places | Leave a comment

Last Spring, my husband Luke and I spent 8 fantastic days in San Francisco and Napa Valley. We were celebrating 10 years since the day we first met during our care-free college days and boy, were we in for a memorable vacation. The area is breath-takingly beautiful and there are a million fun things to do. We explored a majestic redwood forest, toured wineries, shopped and dined in San Francisco’s finest, indulged in spa treatments, enjoyed home-cooked meals at a quaint Bed and Breakfast and took-in amazing views of the city skyline and Golden Gate bridge.

It’s become our special place and we hope to return year after year. We were lucky enough to visit for a second time last month (which I’ll write about and post photos of soon, I’m sure) for our 5th wedding anniversary. If you’re thinking of visiting San Francisco, Napa or Sonoma Valley – for those of you planning a wedding, it’s perfect for a romantic honeymoon - leave a comment or drop me an email. I did a lot of research and planning and would be happy to share the details of our trip.

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Wedding of Whitney and Jeremy

June 2, 2009 in Events, Weddings | Leave a comment

Whitney and Jeremy’s wedding took place at Reunion Ranch in Georgetown. The groomsmen were dressed sharply in silver tuxes, it was really fun to see the groom, his twin brother and nephew prepare for the celebration. The ladies gowns were sweet, tea-length in a lovely shade of satin which caught the light and mirrored the natural green of the trees and grounds surrounding the hall.

Austin receives the most annual rainfall in the month of May and this Saturday was no exception. The rainfall was steady and soft when we arrived but grew stronger as the ceremony approached, moving the ceremony indoors under twinkle lights and in front of a two-story limestone fireplace decorated with romantic candles.

The bride was breathtaking, her hair was swept up and a beaded, fingertip veil fell softly down her back. She wore a stunning gown with a silver lace overlay, the gown sparkled and was incredibly elegant. Whitney’s smile was the most beautiful of all.

The ceremony was followed by a reception of dinner, desert, champagne toasts and dancing. The Father-Daughter dance was so sweet and the bride’s brother was an exceptional dancer, evident by the photo of him upside down on the dance floor. The many younger guests at this wedding all enjoyed dancing, cake and saying good-bye to the bride and groom with bright, fun sparklers.

Congratulations to Whitney and Jeremy – enjoy the honeymoon!

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Wedding of Tasha and Travis

May 15, 2009 in Weddings | Leave a comment

Oh happy day! My dear sister Tasha was married last Fall in the incredibly romantic setting of the Messina Hof vineyard and winery in Bryan, Texas. As a bridesmaid, I didn’t have a lot of time to take photos but couldn’t help capturing some of the details.

The bridesmaids wore long, red satin gowns which were so elegant for the outdoor setting in the vineyard and an evening reception. Tasha’s bouquet was entirely deep red roses, accented by delicate white roses for the remaining floral arrangements. Tables were decorated with creamy, glowing candles, red rose petals and place-cards made of natural cork from the winery.

The atmosphere of the day was full of joy and the entire event was all about family, friends and celebrating the couple’s bright future.

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Wedding of Xtine and Steven

May 14, 2009 in Weddings | Leave a comment

Xtine and Steven – April 2009 – Austin TX

Xtine and Steven chose the grand, all-inclusive Mansion on Judges Hill in downtown Austin for their Spring wedding. The ceremony was held in the beautiful courtyard lined with trees and a balcony. The Bride and her Father descended the stairway from the balcony for an unforgettable entrance to the ceremony, then walked down the aisle where the groom, bridal party and officiant awaited.

This wedding was infused with the culture of Asia and Latin America to reflect both families. Bright red lanterns decorated the courtyard, light blue hydrangeas and elegant white calla lilies in the floral decorations added softness to the scene. The reception was held in a large ballroom overlooking the courtyard and the bride and groom visited each table to welcome their guests and make everyone part of the celebration. Xtine changed into her mother’s wedding gown for this portion of the reception then changed into a sweet, shimmery gown for dancing. The cutting of a beautiful tiered cake and tearful, joyous champagne toasts followed a sit-down dinner before the bride and groom exited the reception in front of the mansion. Congratulations Xtine and Steven!

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Wedding of Amy and Craig

May 7, 2009 in Events, Weddings | Leave a comment

Amy and Craig – March 2009 – Austin TX

This wedding was recently featured on Style Me Pretty. Style Me Pretty is one of the best resources for wedding planning, inspiration, ideas and references for vendors (check out the Little Black Book of wedding vendors, too). Thanks again to Abby, the site creator and a friend of mine from younger years, for introducing me to the readers of Style Me Pretty. I visit the site daily to see what’s new. The Real Weddings posts on the blog are my absolute favorite because they tell a story. To see my work on Style Me Pretty was a thrill.

On to Amy and Craig’s wedding…..

Both the outdoor ceremony and reception took place at Starhill Ranch in South Austin. The ranch consists of several re-stored buildings which have been re-located to the site, including a house for the bride and bridesmaids to relax and get ready, a “saloon” for the groomsmen, a chapel perfect for small weddings, a barber shop which serves as an office for the ranch owners, a large house with a porch overlooking rolling hills where dinner was served and a dance hall with old wooden floors for perfect dancing. Essentially the wedding took place in a charming little town where everyone knew one another. As the night wore on guests were outside under string lights enjoying the beautiful night, chatting on the porches of the buildings, ringing the bell in the chapel (a favorite for younger guests) or inside on the dance floor.

Craig wore a beige linen suit and groomsmen wore brown suspenders and boots. The bride, Amy, is very laid-back – she wore a gorgeous, floor length empire waisted gown with cowboy boots underneath and her hair down and loose with a single flower on one side. Throughout the day she looked relaxed and absolutely stunning. I’ve honestly never seen a dress like hers and the jewelry she chose made it even more unique. The bridesmaids bouquets were bright wildflowers of different shapes and heights and really popped against their blue dresses.

The groom, Craig, is a musician, evident by the amazing Bluegrass band which performed at the reception and had everyone up on their feet, dancing and having a great time. Dinner tables were decorated with wildflowers in glass cola bottles and a packet of seeds guests could take home and plant in the garden. In one of the bridal party photos, everyone is holding a glass bottle full of homebrew made by the groom’s family especially for the wedding. In place of a bride or groom’s cake, guests enjoyed delicate pink and cream cupcakes.

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