Allen, Texas Engagement Portraits: Paul & Kristen

On Saturday, I met up with Paul and Kristen to shoot their engagement portraits. They're a little over halfway through a rather long engagement, and by the sounds of it, very ready for November to get here already. It's obvious these two have a very loving relationship. At one point during the session, they apologized for their PDA. I couldn't help but laugh. If PDA is acceptable anywhere, it's certainly acceptable at your engagement session! They met in their days at the University of Texas at Dallas, which is my own college as well. If I were an Aggie I would holler a "Whoop!" of solidarity here, but I refuse to throw down a Comet "Whoosh." Then again, my lack of school spirit has a lot to do with why I'm not an Aggie...

Like a few other couples I've worked with, Kristen and Paul are very involved in Ultimate Frisbee. The first time Kristen met Paul, he was actually playing Ultimate in a halo brace, thanks to a recent car crash. Her response to that was something along the lines of, "What an idiot," but thankfully they got off on a better foot a little later in their time at UTD!

Paul is someone that I've known of for many years, but to my knowledge, had never actually met until this weekend. He's the younger brother of one of my sister's good friends from high school. He went to high school and college with my brother. Kristen was actually just drafted onto my sister-in-law's Ultimate team, teaches at the same high school as one of my husband's friends, and when I added her on facebook, we had some unexpected mutual friends. It's a small world, and I'm glad to have finally met them!

Rockwall, TX Engagement Portraits: Rachel & Stuart

I was chatting with my friend Jesselyn about what she was doing to help a friend with wedding planning and she mentioned that they needed engagement portraits ASAP for their save-the-date announcements. I think we were talking on a Thursday or Friday and I mentioned that I was free that weekend, and boom, the bride Rachel and I started planning an engagement shoot only a few days out. I met them out in Rockwall near Stuart's home on a freakishly cold and windy Sunday morning, considering the 70° F weather we had enjoyed throughout winter up until that day. The wind was especially cold blowing off of the water of Lake Ray Hubbard at "The Harbor." We shot there for a bit, took a hand-warming break at Starbucks, and then moved onto old downtown Rockwall. I love just about every little old downtown I've encountered in Texas, and Rockwall's is no exception. There are always interesting textures in plenty, which is perfect for portrait sessions.

Rachel and Stuart are a silly duo, so I don't want to misrepresent them by only sharing the more posed or serious shots from the session. Look for plenty of silliness below, and know that the images shared here only scratch the surface! I got along so well with this couple; I'm actually hoping to grab dim sum with them sometime soon. It's always awesome when clients become friends.

    
    







    

    

    

    

Sneak Peek: Wyatt's Newborn Portraits

On Sunday, I drove out toward Denton to capture some photographs of a brand new Culpepper baby. I've photographed them three times before as a family of three, but now they are four (not to vaguely reference A.A. Milne or anything). Marshall and my husband Opie have been friends since long before I came into the picture, and now they work crazy hours together for the same company. It's nice to see him for something more pleasant than engineering co-working! He and Paige are such devoted parents. Kayla and the newest addition Wyatt will want for nothing.

Wyatt wasn't too keen on this whole photo shoot idea, but I outwitted him and caught some keepsake images anyway. Kayla loved on her little brother in the breaks between showing off her dance moves and trying to feed him with her doll's baby bottle.

Enjoy these few images while I edit the rest!

Sneak Peek: Rachel & Stuart's Rockwall Engagement Session

I got a message from a friend late last week that one of her friends needed engagement portraits done "like yesterday." Happily I was free much of this weekend, so I got in touch with the bride in need, and we knocked out her and her fiance's engagement portraits but a few days later. Rachel and Stuart are sweet, goofy, and have a sense of humor that works pretty darn well with mine. Rachel and I spent far too much time quoting "Young Frankenstein" at one another on the drive between Rockwall's "Harbor" and the old downtown square. Rachel & Stuart are tying the knot this summer in Mexico; I have no doubt a great time will be had by all!

The cold weather we've been spared so far this winter hit us hard this morning. I couldn't feel my face or my hands for most of the shoot, and good grief, the wind was biting. Rachel & Stuart were good sports about it though, and we got some great photos. The mid-shoot Starbucks break definitely helped! I hope you enjoy this little peek at their portrait session. More to come soon.