Texas Hill Country Destination | Wimberley, Texas

May 29, 2017 in Nature Photography, Travel, Travel Photography

The Texas Hill Country presents wonderful opportunities for day trips from the San Antonio and Austin. I find myself hitting my brakes; locating a safe place to pull over; and jumping out of my car to make a photograph. It is always the same whether it is a derelict peach stand, a funny sign-post, a poignant notice, or a breathtaking vista: I must have repeated this event a thousand times.

This month as my husband and I celebrated our thirty- seventh wedding anniversary we made the trip from our home in New Braunfels, Texas to the vibrant small town of Wimberley. It’s just twenty-five miles from our home and we enjoy all of the amenities that Wimberley has to offer. In 2015 Wimberley suffered a blow when Cypress Creek and the Blanco River flooded in May and then in October of that year. The city has adopted the “Wimberley Strong” banner and the city is rebounding in true Texas fashion. This article from USA Today highlights the spirit of the town and the people that choose to live here.

Hiking along Cypress Creek in Wimberley, Texas.  The area is recovering from floods. — Hiking along Cypress Creek in Wimberley, Texas. The area is recovering from floods.

Celebrating 37 years of marriage to my husband Tom Richardson.

Serenity Farmhouse Inn, Bed and Breakfast and Wedding Venue is tucked away in a lovely wooded area about eight miles outside of Wimberley. We were greeted warmly by the proprietor of the inn and treated to wine and chocolate as we settled in to our bungalow. In the morning our breakfast was delivered to us and it was delicious!

Farmer's Market Bungalow, Serenity Farms bread and Breakfast and Wedding Venue

We were off to hike the Cypress Creek Nature Trail by mid morning. On our way out to the trail we stopped in Annie James Boutique and I found a great outfit for my portfolio show next month. What a great selection. Our hike was fun. It is great to see the area being protected and given the chance to rebound from the flood damage. After our hike we had a snack and made a trip out to Duchman Family Winery for a glass of wine. We had a great visit with the sommelier, and ended up signing up for their wine club!

Bottling and Labeling at the Duchman Family Winery

Please take a moment to check out my travel and landscape photography in my Places portfolio and contact me if you are interested in my Hill Country Places Workshops that will commence in the spring of 2018.

New Braunfels Portrait Photographer | Plan for Mother's Day

May 06, 2017 in Portrait Photography, Documentary Photography, Event Photography

Mother’s Day is just one week away and this is a great time to start thinking about making photographs that will highlight the special relationship between mothers and their children. In 2017, there are cameras everywhere. The cell phone camera has changed the way that people think about photographs. Spontaneous moments snapped on the phone are fun. Who doesn’t love the occasional selfie? However, life captured intentionally with professional photographs that will grace your home in the form of fine art prints and heirloom albums make for the ultimate Mother’s Day gift.

Generational photography is a beautiful way to commemorate Mother's Day.

A generational photo of the women in your family is going to be a treasure for the ages. There are many ways to approach this type of photograph. You can take a more classic and traditional studio photo that will be a family heirloom, or grab a fun candid that shows all kinds of personality and will also stand the test of time for family generations to come. Pinterest is a great source of information and ideas making the best choice of photography session for your family.

An unplanned mother and daughter moment captured by Faces-Places portrait photography.

Be flexible and creative when you consider the kind of photos you want to capture of mothers and children. Some of my favorite photographs are the unexpected moments between mother and child. You can photograph these moments in a formal setting, however a documentary photograph that catches a special relationship is both meaningful and heartwarming. Explore the faces portfolio on my website to see the different ways to approach a portrait.

New Braunfels Documentary Portrait Photographer | Mom's everyday life.

Mother and son antics in the bluebonnets. |  Texas Portrait Photography — Mother and son antics in the bluebonnets. | Texas Portrait Photography

Mom’s also truly appreciate photographs of themselves. I find that most of the time it is mothers who take most of the photographs within their families. It is important to take photographs of your own mother whenever you get the chance. Mothers are often busy and hesitant to take photos as they find it difficult to find the time to prepare for a session. Look for unique ways to capture a moment for your mom.

My mother at a family tea party.  |  Family photography in New Braunfels, Texas — My mother at a family tea party. | Family photography in New Braunfels, Texas

If your mother is a photographer there are many wonderful gifts that can be purchased for her for Mother’s Day. There has never been a time when I haven’t truly enjoyed a piece of photography equipment or a photography experience as a gift.

A sweet moment between mother and daughter.  |  New Braunfels Event Photography — A sweet moment between mother and daughter. | New Braunfels Event Photography

In the month of May contact me. It is time to get a new photograph of a special mom in your life. Happy Mother’s Day!

New Braunfels Travel Photographer | New Camera | Canon 5D Mark IV

November 06, 2016 in Travel

It's great to be back! The whirlwind that has been my life over the past several months has kept me from regularly contributing to my blog, but my photography story needs to be documented and that has prompted me to start writing more regularly.

I have a new camera, the Canon EOS 5D Mark IV. The touchscreen LCD screen is the feature that I enjoy most, but the weight and speed of the camera also contribute to its "awesomeness." There were 4.5 years between the release of the 5D Mark III and the 5D Mark IV and I am pleased that I waited for the release of the new model as opposed to purchasing the 5D III, as I was tempted to do many times. I had to remind myself that "good things come to those who wait!"

According to Digital Camera Review the Canon Mark IV receives substantial upgrades with a higher-resolution sensor with Dual Pixel autofocus, 4K video capture, and upgraded AF system, a touchscreen, improved weather-sealing, built in Wi-Fi, an interval timer and GPS.

A short review of the camera:

https://youtu.be/9FqX6qblyJ8

When you have a new camera there are a few suggestions that will help you become familiar with it:

1. Read the manual. I know in this day and age that there is a wealth of information available right at your fingertips. Google, You Tube and photo classes are all wonderful, but nothing compares to a well rounded understanding of the hardware and software that makes your camera unique. It also forces you to try each menu and button on the camera.

Lost Maples State Natural Area, Vanderpool, Texas

2. Practice with your camera in a non-stressful setting. Give yourself a day to play with the new features. I have found that the only way to really learn photography is to go out and take pictures. When you are shooting the subjects that you love you naturally will spend more time with details. I truly enjoy travel and landscape photography. There is nothing better than taking a day off to spend time with my camera in the Texas Hill Country.

3) Print your photos. I learn the most about my photographs when I print them. I know that I might sound like a throwback to film days when negatives need to be printed to contact sheets for review. However the system works. Technology moves forward but the old fashioned print on paper tells you so much about the photograph that you see on your computer.

When you have a question about traveling in the Texas Hill Country please don't hesitate to contact me. Also, check out my Places gallery to many of the wonderful places to visit in the hill country.

Enjoy your fall travels!!!