Jenny and Xavier, Schreiner Park Vow Renewal

In the midst of the devastation being wreaked by Hurricane Harvey, recently, I set out to Schreiner Park in Kerrville, Tx to shoot a wedding vow renewal and create some professional portraits for Jenny and Xavier. Although our hearts were breaking for our fellow Texans in our beach towns and Houston, and ALL of the areas affected by this natural disaster- this vow renewal was a joyful moment in the midst of chaos.

Jenny and Xavier had a very casual wedding ten years ago, and for various reasons, they decided not to have a photographer that day "which we regretted immediately," she told me. "We will always have the memories of our first wedding, but memories have a different kind of detail than a photo. I have always wished we had a beautiful wedding photo to frame for the wall, or to display on the mantle, but we made the wrong decision," she said. So, these photos were very important to both of them.

During my three hour drive to Kerrville, I crossed my fingers and prayed for a brief respite in the persistent rain, as they were hoping to recreate the day as close as possible to the original. Luckily enough, it cleared up just before the outdoor ceremony began, and they were able to go barefoot in the outdoor amphitheater, just as they did the first time around (although this time their feet got a bit muddier, haha!). Jenny reconstructed the her original wedding dress into new one, and even sewed Xavier a bow-tie out of the extra material.

It's no secret that marriage can be rough, but when my husband and I look back on our own wedding, we always use the word "perfect," to describe the day. Looking back on photos of our day, I am reminded of the promised I made to him, and the promises he made to me. I am reminded that we agreed to stick together, no matter what, and I can literally SEE that "perfect" and giant love that we knew (and know) can make it through anything. We can literally SEE how happy we make each other. I am elated that Jenny and Xavier now have wedding portraits of their own to hang on their wall, and remind them daily how special their love is.

( P.S. click the photos to see their love even larger!)

Dark Beauty Editorial, "Veiled."

Who's gearing up for Halloween? 

I love doing costumed shoots, dark themes, and headdresses... and this time I made the headresses myself! I'm very pleased with the results. Of course, when you have an amazing makeup artist like Susan, and amazing models like Madison, Ayla, and Stephanie, the photos are bound to come out awesome, no matter what the headdresses look like, haha. (Seriously, these ladies are legit- hit them up if you need makeup or models. I've linked them for you. For Madison, contact Debby.) Anyway, now that I've tried my hand at these, I'm itching for more. The creative juices are flowing!

Thanks to Beau Nu Magazine, who recently published these photographs in their "Dark Beauty," issue. Be sure to check them out on Facebook, and if you'd like to purchase a digital or print copy of the magazine. You can preview this issue or any of the previous ones on their Magcloud site. Enjoy!

P.S. Click the images to see them larger. :)

Maternity Photoshoot with a Mexican Flair!

Has it really been over a year since I made a blog post? I suppose that is what happens when you are a stay at home Mom.

But...

We did it!

We finally put the little guy in daycare!

Hopefully, this means you can expect a lot more from me, from here on out. I have tons of free time for marketing, editing, blogging, and all of that jazz, now. I'm so excited to share my work with you, again!

This is my friend and client Claudia. If you are familiar with my work, you may have seen her before. I was thrilled to be able to capture this special moment in her life. Claudia is always beautiful, unique, and genuine not only during every photoshoot, but in everyday life. She makes me laugh, she is incredibly supportive of everyone around her. She is patient, kind, and always positive. I can't wait to see her be the amazing Mom I know she will be!

Since this shoot was pre-daycare days, I took Logan with me. Claudia's husband Ted was a wonderful entertainer for Logan, while we worked. He will be a great Dad, for sure. Logan adored him.

We also had our friend and professional makeup artist and hairstylist Fabian Alejandro Diaz on site with us. He is responsible for this gorgeous headpiece, as well.  Thank you Fabian!

I hope you all enjoy these photos as much as I enjoyed taking them.

The Sun and The Moon, Fashion Photoshooot

I am so excited to share this new work with you all!

I have been using my 50mm a lot lately, instead of my 24-70mm that I usually use, and the softer images are really resonating with me. One of my favorite parts about this shoot, is that I was actually able to capture my model, AND the moon! How cool is that?

I love the coolness of the post-sunset images, in contrast with the warm sunset images, and the way the intense and warm makeup plays so well with both types of light. Our makeup artist, Monica Estrada Saldana, killed it with the bright colors, and Katelynn was the perfect model for this shoot.

Can you believe this was Katelynn's first time modeling?!?!?!?!

I can't either! She is a total natural, and I can't wait to shoot with her, again.

Mikailee Alton always makes impeccable clothing, and this dress is as beautiful as ever.

Lastly, here's a shout-out to Veronica, for the flower headpiece; I hope I did it justice, and the photos make you happy. You were there with us in spirit.

ENJOY! ( please click to see bigger, it's worth it)

Mr. and Mrs. Lacheta!

I'm back with another wedding, folks!

Congratulations to Nathan and Rachel Lacheta! They got married at the sweetest little place in Spicewood, Texas- Stonehouse Vineyard. This was the perfect place for a small, intimate, brunch wedding. Not only was the vineyard itself beautiful, but I saw at least three peacocks roaming about, adding a certain ambiance to the venue. And the wine? Delicious! I tasted a few, while scouting the location with my bride, and ended up taking home a bottle of the Cabernet, it was so good.

Anyway, though I'm just now posting these, this wedding took place last month, during ALL. OF. THAT. RAIN. we had. Also, it took place from 11:00am to 1:00pm. So, as my fellow photographers can only imagine, I spent the week prior to the wedding beseeching Jesus for a day that was cloudy (bc we all know the sun, at noonish, is NOT our friend), but praying, also, for it not to rain. To my absolute delight, He complied- making my job so much easier!

Here is a peek into their day.

Top 5 Wedding Photography Tips for Brides and Grooms

Recently, I had someone ask me what my wedding photography looked like. My style is pretty edgy when I am shooting fashion and portraits, and they were curious if my wedding photography was the same way. They wanted a softer look.

My answer?

When I shoot weddings, I shoot a LOT softer, and a lot more natural. I don't do a lot of editing, because I want your photos to reflect the true nature of the day. I also don't do a lot of editing or put a lot of filters, or follow current editing "trends," because I don't want you to look back one day and think, "ARGH! These are SO 2016! Look at that editing, haha!"

Let's leave those kind of comments for your wardrobe, hair and makeup. ;D

All joking aside, though, while your look might be outdated at some point, there are a few things you can do to ensure that your wedding photos will always look amazing.

Top Five Wedding Photography Tips for Brides and Grooms:

1. Light matters. If you choose to be photographed getting ready, choose to get ready in a room that is large, well lit, and free of clutter. If possible, choose a room that is lit with lots of beautiful natural sunlight. The same goes for your ceremony- choose a venue that is well lit. Lots of natural light is always best! Natural light does not have the icky yellow or green hues of some indoor bulbs, chandeliers, etc. Also, natural light eliminates the need for flash, which can be distracting during the ceremony, as well as cause undesirable shadows.  
If your ceremony is outdoors, choose to have your ceremony just after sunrise, or just before sunset, when the light is nice and soft- not too harsh. Harsh sunlight blows out backgrounds, and creates undesirable shadows on, and under the face.

2. Consider having an "unplugged" ceremony, by politely asking your guests to set down their cameras, cell phones, ipads, and other electronic devices while you exchange vows. This will allow them to fully appreciate the moment! It will also ensure that instead of seeing a bunch of ugly devices in your photographs, we see the beaming faces of your happy guests. Additionally, it makes it so much easier for us professionals to get the best shots, without tripping over Uncle Al, whose intentions are best, even though he is standing right where we need to be.

3. Make that kiss last! You wouldn't believe how many times nerves get the best of people on their wedding day, and they go in for that moment we've all been waiting for.... and peck. Pecks happen in a fraction of a fraction of a fraction of a second. They are so hard to catch! So, take a deep breath, and try and hold your kiss for at least two Mississippis. This will give us plenty of time to capture the moment. The same goes for the bouquet and garter tosses.
 
4. Light up the dance floor. So often, receptions take place in very very dark places. While the DJ's spotlights and strobes are way cool, they sometimes create funky colors and shadows where you don't want them. Also, there are times when the strobes aren't flashing, and it's difficult to see you in the dark. Ambient light will keep us from playing hide and seek, so that when you lean into each other for that special moment, we won't miss it.

5. Share your secrets. We love it when you sneak in a high five before your kiss, or you send a surprise goat down the aisle with your rings, or you present each other with something special... but we want to be ready for it! Those little moments truly make your wedding unique, and we don't want to miss them. So tell us your secrets... we can keep them!


OH, and you didn't think I was going to let you leave without seeing photo, did you???? Here are some photos of Sarah and Towne, that are not yet on my site (click photo to see larger). For more photos and weddings, please visit www.crowderweddings.weebly.com. ENJOY!

So, what am I doing?

Since I promised to be a better blogger, I figured I'd better make my way over to this site, and write something. It's difficult keeping up with the blog, when I don't have a lot of new work to show, but I want you to know that I AM working... I'm just taking a little bit longer with each shoot.

Ok. A LOT longer.

 It took me a few years to get the fashion out of my system, but I finally did (did I really just say that?). OF course, I still love it, and always will, but for the last few years something has been missing from my art... something personal.

For the first time in a long time, I am making work that is solely from me.

So, what am I doing?

Right now I am working on building sets and installations with my own hands, and then photographing them for the final piece. The series that I am currently working on centers around a handmade white wooden box, large enough for a person (or perhaps a few persons) to fit inside. This body of work, titled "Walls," deals with the idea of self, in space, using repetition, multiples, and many or much.

I think I am going to keep this project under wraps as I continue it, however, I'd like to share the first two images, so that you can see what I'm up to. As I move forward with more pieces, I will keep you involved by sharing "making of" videos or photographs. However, you'll have to stay connected, to find out when and where the series will be unveiled (and I hope you do!).

I'm sure that most of you have seen this first image, Snag, which was shown recently at Bihl Haus Arts, as part of the On and Off Fredericksburg Studio Tour (or you may have seen it on Facebook!).

This is the first time I am sharing the second photograph in the series, Biography.

I am currently working on the third installation in the series. Here is a little sneak peek of what is going on in my studio right now. All I have to say so far on this is "Thank goodness I'm not superstitious!"


If you'd like to follow this project and/or stay connected, please enter your email in the box at the top right of this blog. This will notify you by email when I create a new post. For inquiries, etc. please email me at jennifer@stretchphotos.net.

Thanks!