I've started this blog post and then left it for a couple of months now. The truth is I wanted to write it on New Year's Day. A sort of new year new me post. But I put it off because it's hard for me. It's hard for me to announce that I'm scaling back on something that's been a big part of my life for more than 14 years.
The truth is that I will no longer be pursuing wedding photography as a primary stream of business for Lisa on Location. There I said it. I've toyed with the idea for a few years and I've gradually reduced my advertising and promotion of weddings.
Some of you who have been following me for a while may be suprised. But those of you who know me well know it was in the works.
It's not that I don't adore my couples and their families. I've met some amazing families and couples in the past 14 years. Many of them have become friends and regular clients. But I'm no longer as young as I once was. When I started shooting weddings I was in my mid 30s, in the same league as many of my brides. Now I'm more in the same league as their moms. It's not that I'm that out of touch with brides. Truthfully, good, classic photography is timeless and I don't think my style is out of date or that today's brides aren't interested in quality photography. They are! And I will continue to book weddings on a very selective basis. Returning clients who I've worked with before. Referrals from friends and long time associates will always be considered.
So as I pull back from weddings I've been reminiscing about all the weddings I've photographed. I counted more than 365 weddings. If you put them all together that's an entire year if I shot one every day. I've been highlighting them on my Lisa on Location Instagram feed wishing a happy anniversary to each and every one of my couples.
The past few months with my reduced wedding load I've been enjoying quite a few weekends off with my family. Over the past 14 years I've photographed weddings on my birthday, mother's day, father's day, New Year's Eve and New Year's Day, Labor Day, Memorial Day, Independence Day, Black Friday, Easter Saturday, Halloween, Good Friday, Valentine's Day, my husband's birthday, my kids birthdays. I've missed family reunions, birthday parties, concerts with friends, parties, networking opportunities, festivals, movies, and date nights to photograph weddings. It's been an amazing as well as challenging and grueling time. I like to tell wedding stories and I've been told I should write a book about them. Like the time the gift table caught on fire. There was the time that brawl broke out amongst the groomsmen. Those times the Spurs Coyote showed up. The time the grooms cake ended up all over the grooms head. The time the police escorted an unruly guest out. Meeting all the Mariachi bands and the talented performers who work the wedding industry and my close relationship with so many other vendors. I remember all the times people fainted from the heat during weddings. And all the drunk shenanigans I photographed can fill an entire volume!
But despite all those fun memories, I do appreciate the time I've been able to spend with my husband and my family now that I've cut back on weddings.
Lisa on Location Photography will still continue to focus on families, headshots, underwater photography, event photography and senior portraits. I love those areas and will invite you to take a look at my extensive portfolio of those.
And also lately I've found that the photography jobs that bring me the most joy are those where I work one on one with women. So I'm putting most of my effort and all of my advertisting into boudoir and pinup. I welcome you to follow me at Secrets by Miss Lisa. You'll see that I'm incredibly active on my Instagram feed. And I'd love to invite you to my close knit group of women on Facebook in my VIP group (only if you're a woman).
It's a little scary for me to write this because I hate to let go of a steady stream of revenue. Being a sole proprietorship is a challenge, especially in a world of uncertaintly. So I ask for your support. If you've ever been touched by my photography please tell your friends. If you've admired my work but haven't pulled the trigger on booking a session, consider doing it soon. I always welcome referalls and I'm happy for any love you can send my way!
Lisa On Location Photography
Thursday, March 3, 2022
Wednesday, October 20, 2021
Celebrating a Decade of Bras for a Cause with Some Tears {New Braunfels Event Photography}
It's been a decade since Bras for a Cause started celebrating women and raising money for the people of our community who are fighting cancer. I've been with them for all but that first one when it was still very small and experimental.
A few years ago I noticed that a lot of the photos they showed on the screen during the slideshow when they introduce the honorees were not very well taken. Most women submitted grainy cell phone photos or dark or out of focus images. I thought I could make a difference for these women if I gifted them a session for themselves so they could have nice images to share during the slideshow, but also so their families can have nice images of them. The wonderful ladies at BFC jumped right on and got William Edge to volunteer to give the ladies a makeover before their session.
Ever since then I've been welcoming the honorees into my studio with their hair and makeup looking fresh and pretty and feeling good about themselves. Getting a makeover and a photo session is a pampering experience and many of these women have never had that experience.
It also gives me a chance to meet them and get to know them so I'm better able to photograph the event by focusing on them and their families and friends.
It also has introduced me to some really good friends. I've stayed in contact with most of the women and consider many of them my friends. One of them is even one of my close book club buddies now!
This blog is actually about a week later than I wanted to write it. I needed to gather my thoughts to discuss something with you that I had a hard time with last week.
They showed a memorial section at Bras for a Cause last week and some of the images of women showed who have since passed away in the past couple of years were my images. Seeing these faces on the big screen one after the other was like being told an old friend passed away. And then hearing that another old friend passed away. And another. Somehow I'd missed the news on these women and seeing their faces hit me hard in that moment. I held onto my camera and tried to put myself back into the moment. I had a job to do. I was supposed to be photographing the slideshow and the audience reaction to the slideshow but it was hard to focus through tears.
I had to pull myself togetther.
Fortunately, most of the women I've photographed for Bras for a Cause are survivors. They fought cancer and they're in remission. But as you probably know, once you fight cancer, the fight continues for the rest of your life. You're always at risk for a return.
These are some of this year's honorees that I had the honor of photographing in my studio.
Each and every one of them is a beautiful person and a beautiful soul. I can't wait to see the friendships with each of them grow.
Lisa On Location Photography
A few years ago I noticed that a lot of the photos they showed on the screen during the slideshow when they introduce the honorees were not very well taken. Most women submitted grainy cell phone photos or dark or out of focus images. I thought I could make a difference for these women if I gifted them a session for themselves so they could have nice images to share during the slideshow, but also so their families can have nice images of them. The wonderful ladies at BFC jumped right on and got William Edge to volunteer to give the ladies a makeover before their session.
Ever since then I've been welcoming the honorees into my studio with their hair and makeup looking fresh and pretty and feeling good about themselves. Getting a makeover and a photo session is a pampering experience and many of these women have never had that experience.
It also gives me a chance to meet them and get to know them so I'm better able to photograph the event by focusing on them and their families and friends.
It also has introduced me to some really good friends. I've stayed in contact with most of the women and consider many of them my friends. One of them is even one of my close book club buddies now!
This blog is actually about a week later than I wanted to write it. I needed to gather my thoughts to discuss something with you that I had a hard time with last week.
They showed a memorial section at Bras for a Cause last week and some of the images of women showed who have since passed away in the past couple of years were my images. Seeing these faces on the big screen one after the other was like being told an old friend passed away. And then hearing that another old friend passed away. And another. Somehow I'd missed the news on these women and seeing their faces hit me hard in that moment. I held onto my camera and tried to put myself back into the moment. I had a job to do. I was supposed to be photographing the slideshow and the audience reaction to the slideshow but it was hard to focus through tears.
I had to pull myself togetther.
Fortunately, most of the women I've photographed for Bras for a Cause are survivors. They fought cancer and they're in remission. But as you probably know, once you fight cancer, the fight continues for the rest of your life. You're always at risk for a return.
These are some of this year's honorees that I had the honor of photographing in my studio.
Each and every one of them is a beautiful person and a beautiful soul. I can't wait to see the friendships with each of them grow.
Lisa On Location Photography
Thursday, July 1, 2021
Ocean Month Inspired my Latest Personal Project {New Braunfels Underwater Photography}
June was National Ocean Month and I wanted to do something that was eye-catching to illustrate the pollution of our oceans. If you follow my work you know I love memraids. And most of my images are of beautiful, colorful, happy mermaids. I thought this time I'd switch it up and illustrate mermaids who were not happy. Why would they be happy about the destruction of their world?
It was heartbreaking to create these images, especially the first two because they use my favorite mermaid model, my own little girl. She has actually gotten tired of modeling for me lately so it took some convincing. I told her the concept and she only agreed because she supports my purpose -- to draw attention to the pollution of the seas. But it was difficult for me to tell my daughter to act dead. To put that blank look on her face and pretend she was killed by the pollution around her. She performed well, although I had to remind her several times to stop giggling "dead mermaids don't giggle," I'd say.
The rest of the images were willing underwater clients who supported my message as well. I'm going to continue working on this project in the future so, hopefully, next June I'll be able to put some more out there. The more people see it, the more they'll hopefully be inspired.
Lisa On Location Photography
It was heartbreaking to create these images, especially the first two because they use my favorite mermaid model, my own little girl. She has actually gotten tired of modeling for me lately so it took some convincing. I told her the concept and she only agreed because she supports my purpose -- to draw attention to the pollution of the seas. But it was difficult for me to tell my daughter to act dead. To put that blank look on her face and pretend she was killed by the pollution around her. She performed well, although I had to remind her several times to stop giggling "dead mermaids don't giggle," I'd say.
The rest of the images were willing underwater clients who supported my message as well. I'm going to continue working on this project in the future so, hopefully, next June I'll be able to put some more out there. The more people see it, the more they'll hopefully be inspired.
Friday, June 11, 2021
In This Case, Better Late is Better {New Braunfels Wedding Photography}
When COVID hit last spring it threw the wedding industry into a tailspin. A lot of brides and families were devastated when their venues shut down and weddings were canceled. Some have been able to hold their weddings a little later at the same venue. While others, like Jordan and Kyle, decided to change it all up and make it more them.
This beautiful couple was supposed to be married on April 4 last year. But they got word just a couple of weeks before that the wedding could not take place at their venue. They decided to cancel altogether and just elope. But as the weeks went by and COVID got worse and worse. They found that those plans weren't going to happen either.
Fast forward more than a year later. Jordan and Kyle were finally able to tie the knot. But they did it in a low-key, backyard way.
They gathered just the people who are closest to them and said their vows in Jordan's parents backyard. They even had their little Dog of Honor and Best Dog take part in the festivities.
The evening was full of homemade pot luck food, coolers full of sodas and plenty of fireflies. It was the perfect kick off to the summer where things get back to normal. I was so happy to be a part of it!
Lisa On Location Photography
This beautiful couple was supposed to be married on April 4 last year. But they got word just a couple of weeks before that the wedding could not take place at their venue. They decided to cancel altogether and just elope. But as the weeks went by and COVID got worse and worse. They found that those plans weren't going to happen either.
Fast forward more than a year later. Jordan and Kyle were finally able to tie the knot. But they did it in a low-key, backyard way.
They gathered just the people who are closest to them and said their vows in Jordan's parents backyard. They even had their little Dog of Honor and Best Dog take part in the festivities.
The evening was full of homemade pot luck food, coolers full of sodas and plenty of fireflies. It was the perfect kick off to the summer where things get back to normal. I was so happy to be a part of it!
Lisa On Location Photography
Friday, May 28, 2021
Congratulations Class of 2021 {New Braunfels Senior Portrait Photographer}
I love getting a chance every year to meet so many seniors and photograph their sparkling personalities.
Last year turned into a bust and I had so many cancellations from seniors because the end of the year happened right around the time of the shut down. It was a scary time for the class of 2020. The class of 2021 had a year like no other but they made it through.
Here are just a few of my favorite images from this year's senior class. Congrats class of 2021!
Lisa On Location Photography
Last year turned into a bust and I had so many cancellations from seniors because the end of the year happened right around the time of the shut down. It was a scary time for the class of 2020. The class of 2021 had a year like no other but they made it through.
Here are just a few of my favorite images from this year's senior class. Congrats class of 2021!
Lisa On Location Photography
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