And That's How The Boy Floated Away {New Braunfels Family Portraits}

Every year I vow to take on the traditional Christmas Card Photo early. I intend to have them ready to go by early November and send them out by Thanksgiving. It's with that thought in mind that I hit the park with my family in the middle of the heat of August when nobody else wanted a photo session and I had plenty of space on my calendar for our session. The grass was dead. It was 100 degrees. The kids were cranky. Jayme was cranky. Mommy was cranky. You don't see the photo that resulted from that session and you never will. It looked like crap.

So we waited a couple of months to retake it. The wedding season hit us and loaded me down with long days and a full calendar. Then the Christmas card season started and any available time was filled with other families and their Christmas cards. But a last minute cancellation the day before Thanksgiving worked in my favor. I grabbed the family (who was in a relatively good mood what with not having school and all), grabbed a dozen balloons-- not an easy task at all in HEB the day before Thanksgiving -- and we hit the park for the Blaschke Family Christmas Photo Session -- take 2.

Jayme thinks I should guard my secrets and how I did it like a magician guards their tricks, but I'm okay with sharing. Here's my secret. The Boy's not really being carried away with balloons. Shhh. Don't tell anyone. He's sitting on a ladder. Shh, don't tell Jayme I told you. The only magic used here was Photoshop CS5 -- and my mad skills. Some of my younger fans were a little concerned that I would let The Boy float away like that and asked me "what would have happened if he got too high and you couldn't reach his leg." I wanted to answer, "we had a slingshot and some pebbles. We could get him down." But, alas, fearing a visit from child protective services, I revealed my secret to them, just like I'm revealing it to you now. Fear not for The Boy. He is safely at home and at this very moment tormenting his sister with a giant novelty candy cane.

I'm already formulating our family photo for next year. But rest assured no animals will be harmed in the making of our cards!

Lisa On Location Photography

If The Boot Fits.....{Austin Commercial Photography}

I got a call a couple of weeks ago from the University of Texas at San Antonio, who heard about me via Texas State University -- who I've worked with in the past. The first thing I heard from her was "I've got a job for you, but it's not a wedding." That's okay, I'm skilled at all sorts of photography, I began to tell her. She said she needed photography for an annual report they were putting together and they'd like me to travel to Bastrop to photograph the Texas Boot Company -- a store celebrating its first year in business this week. So my assignment -- if I chose to accept it -- was to photograph a boot store in the town in which I was raised.

I was happy to make the road trip and spend some time in a nifty boot store then have lunch with my mommy. What a fun morning! I met with Marc, the owner of the Texas Boot Company, who set about giving me a tour of the industrial space that was formerly known as Greosenbeck Furniture -- the place I got my dining room table.

Within minutes I found the Aggie boots I'd been searching for a couple of years. I found some super-cool hippie chick boots that seemed to have my name written all over them. I got out my iPhone and started making my Christmas wish list. And I'm not a "boot person." But yowsers! This store could make me one real fast!


Marc showed me boots that were designed in their store to match a wagon that held a display. He showed me a special room they made for fun events like concerts and lunches and benefits. He showed me a dress worn by Sandra Bullock and boots from the Civil War that a customer gave them for display on a miniature cotton bale. He showed me the head of an elk that someone gave them; a bejeweled set of spurs; the $500 boots made of elephant hide; the boots made of shark skin that if you scratch it and sniff it, you can actually smell the shark; and the stuffed bobcat-- the only thing in the store that's not for sale.


Marc and his staff were friendly and offered me booze at 9 a.m.! Many a shoppers came in and partook of their offer of Shiner and Lone Star as they shopped for boots and western wear on a weekday morning in the heart of Texas. So thanks for showing me around, Marc! I took notes. Here's to hoping I see those hippie chick boots under my tree on Christmas morning!

Adrienne and Marcus {San Antonio Wedding Photographer}

Last week I shared with you my unexpected adventure, how I was called away from shooting a wedding reception and sent scurrying by Lisa to photograph a surprise marriage proposal in Gruene. I've heard wonderful feedback about the "Gruene suprise," but I have to tell you about the other half of the story--the wedding I was assisting Lisa on at the time. Adrienne and Marcus were a wonderful couple getting married in one of the chapels on Randolph Air Force Base, and one of the happiest couples I've ever met. They were simply overjoyed to be getting married. Neither Lisa nor I had ever shot a wedding at Randolph before, and didn't know what to expect (we'd attended their fantastic air shows in the past, but that's hardly the same thing, right?). We needn't have worried. Other than checking in with the guard posts at the entrance, the wedding was just like any other, although the number of criss-crossing roads and traffic circles makes it incredibly easy to get disoriented and lost if you're not careful!

Remember how I said they were incredibly happy? Take a look at the photo above. Tell me Marcus isn't on top of the world. Just try. That is one joyful man! And if you think he looks like he's about to burst out singing, you wouldn't be far off base. The man has a fantastic voice: He serenaded Adrienne as she came down the aisle during the ceremony, then picked up the mic during the reception to sing a fantastic song during the single greatest father-daughter dance I've ever witnessed.

There were too many highlights of the day to list them all, but anyone who has followed this blog knows that I am very partial to infrared wedding photography. Black and white infrared wedding photography always gives dramatic, high-contrast images (if you know what you're doing). More challenging is false-color infrared wedding photography, because infrared isn't a "color" that we can see naturally. When it works, though, it's lovely and ethereal--just like our happy newlyweds. I'd like to say my images transported Adrienne and Marcus to an otherworldly realm of marital bliss, but I can't. Those two were well on their way without me!

Lisa On Location Photography

Why I Never Pray at Weddings {New Braunfels Wedding Photography}

I'm a praying girl, I'll admit it. I believe we make our own situations and God helps those who help themselves so I don't pray for everything under the sun. But I pray for my ability to handle everything under the sun that's thrown my way. I say my God-blesses and my thank-yous with The Boy every night: "Thank you God for not making me a zombie baby," "Thank you God for not letting vampires come into our house unless they're invited," "Thank you God for not letting Polka Dots the beagle eat my hamster that time he tried to bite through the cage." You get the idea.

But one time I never pray, is when the minister or priest at a wedding tells us to. When he or she says "let us pray" and all heads go down, my camera goes up.

I was shooting a wedding a few weeks ago that I wasn't hired to shoot by the bride or groom, but by the venue. It was spectacularly decorated so they wanted some nice images for their own gallery and an album to show their potential clients. I was happy to help them out and photographed the wedding as a spectator, staying out of the way of their hired photographer.

But I wanted to share the above image and tell you why I was able to capture this moment. I caught it because when the minister said "let us pray" and all heads went down (including the head of their hired photographer, who was a very nice lady and an excellent photographer as well) the groom gently kissed the shoulder of the bride, and she smiled. It was the most tender moment of that day, in my opinion. A moment that was totally private between the groom and bride. All eyes were closed in prayer so everyone missed it. Except for me.

I do pray for the couples who marry in front of me. I pray their lives together are long and happy. I pray they bring beautiful, loving children into the world (if they want children). I pray they are able to argue with respect for each other and still put their marriage before their differences. I pray they remember the happiness of their wedding day and that their love for each grows with each passing year. But I don't do it when I'm told to. I never have been one for following orders.

Lisa On Location Photography

A Gruene surprise {New Braunfels wedding photographer}

One thing about working with Lisa is that I never know what exciting adventure lies just around the corner. Take this weekend for instance. We're at a wedding on Randolph Air Force Base (Lisa will blog about that directly) where I'm assisting her as a second shooter, as usual. In the middle of the reception, Lisa gets a message on her iPhone from someone wanting to hire her for a job. Curious, she steps out to return the call. When she returns to the reception a few minutes later, she tells me "Pack your gear--you're going to Gruene!"

It was important that I get to Gruene ASAP--Scott, a student at Texas A&M, had bought a ring and was at that moment driving in from College Station to spring a surprise proposal on his girlfriend, Tracy. They'd had their first date at Gruene Hall back in May, where they'd seen Gary P. Nunn perform (do they have great taste in music, or what?). Scott was going to propose to Tracy in front of Gruene Hall, and wanted us there to photograph it. I'm telling you, folks, the man is a born romantic. And he's got a great sense of theatrical timing, as well!

Tracy, for her part, was stunned and taken completely by surprise when Scott got down on one knee and proposed. To her credit, she didn't hesitate an instant before answering with an enthusiastic "Yes!" They're a beautiful couple, obviously in love. I wish them all the best, and am happy they invited me to be part of this special moment in their lives!

Lisa On Location Photography

I'm a Big Girl and I Can Cry if I Want To {New Braunfels Wedding Photography}

I never cry at weddings. Ha! I used to be able to say that. I used to be able to say that I stay totally unbiased and on the job and professional that I keep those tears in check and push on through. But last Saturday when the father of the bride walked into that choir room at the First Protestant Church in New Braunfels and choked back tears as he took that first look at his daughter in her gown, well let's just say some of us with and without a camera in our hands were bawling like babies.

I pulled it together though. The mother of the bride asked me "Lisa, were you crying too?" "No," I replied, "I think a gnat flew in my eye. Yes, that's it. There was a bug. There are bugs all over the room."


The water works kept coming though. The bridesmaids made their way down the aisle with tears flowing and scrunched up noses. Tissues were being pulled from everywhere. The sounds of sniffling filled the air as the bride made her way down the aisle on her daddy's arm. "Gosh darn it," I thought. "I said I wasn't going to do this again."


But I proudly made it through the wedding with my mascara intact! It was a beautiful ceremony and the bride was so sweet and good-natured. There was a boo-boo with the bridal bouquet and she thought she wouldn't have one for her walk down the aisle. She was perfectly calm about it and her mom and bridesmaids pulled one together without a hitch. Her real bridal bouquet did show up in time for the event, however. Her garter was missing as well but a friend made a speedy trip to the store to pick up a replacement. It was all good and okay with this easy going lady. She's a winner and the groom is so lucky to have found her. And I was lucky to a be a part of this beautiful wedding. Thanks so much for having me! And I promise, no more tears from me! At least not until next time!