Real life Photographs

Life is like a box of chocolates and.....

Fri, 03 Feb 2012 13:50:07 -0600

you really don't know what your going to get. Life has been moving faster than normal and I am trying to cruise along with a smile. So many things have happened since the last time I blogged. I was in Playa del Carmen, Mexico photographing a wedding for a week in December and I fell in love with this part of the world. I actually called the airline the night before my flight home to change my ticket and I chickened out. I could sell all of my belongings and pack up my swim suit and camera and move there in a heart beat. I of course need to learn Spanish first, so for now I will stay stateside and dream of my palm tree beaches and coco locos. Photos to come of course.
On the more personal note, this year has started off with many new blessings as we are all flying high with the birth of my third nephew Nathan. He was premature almost 5 weeks and in the hospital for a good week before he came home healthy and happy. I am in love and take every opportunity to cuddle with this little guy. He will be over-photographed for sure.
On the business side of things Real life is stronger than ever. We are booking so many weddings for this year and have changed our prices and products and finally working smarter versus harder. I am in the process of updating my website which should be live soon and am very excited about.
As I embark on my birthday weekend, I have been thinking of all the things that make me smile ear to ear. My family, my friends, my adventures and of course Charlie. One of my best friends gave me the ultimate in foot wear for Christmas and I leave you with a few funny photos I took in a break from the computer the other day.
Until next time,
Anna :)

Cars, cars and....

Sun, 20 Nov 2011 20:52:59 -0600

a very busy Anna, but I am not complaining. :) The last few months have flown by and am amazed that the holidays are almost here!! So what have I been up to? Well, aside from photographing weddings, families, babies and everything in between I decided to take a week long trip to Atlanta, GA to the headquarters of the Professional Photographers of America. This past year I hit a wall and decided that instead of my photography degree I should have gotten a business degree (most photographers who own their own business realize this at some point). So instead of going back to school, I went to the next best thing and took a crash course in business taught by the amazing staff at PPA and my head is still spinning from the week. I realized there were things I needed to fix and things that I was actually doing right :) So the next year is going to be super amazing for Real Life photographs San Antonio, TX and Telluride, CO. So much more to come.
So I will leave you with this collection of funny photographs from a session I photographed on Saturday. One is what would have been my reaction seeing my dream car (in black of course) and the other is the dream car. A 1999 Acura NSX, it was too cool to see a bride get out of it for her photographs also. Got to love San Antonio!
Anna :)

The Burke family

Mon, 24 Oct 2011 16:31:08 -0600

The weather is finally cooling down enough for San Antonio families to venture outside for portraits. The beautiful Burke family met me very early in the morning to capture their growing brood. It was such a joy to work with you all, I hope you cherish your images.
Anna

Kaycee + Aaron

Thu, 08 Sep 2011 12:53:52 -0600

For those of you that have had the chance to meet Kaycee you know that she is someone who is both beautiful inside and out. Kaycee and her amazing husband Aaron asked me almost five years ago this October to photograph their Holiday card and I have been doing so almost every year after. We usually come up with some amazing and quirky ideas but this year we kept it simple and classic. Kaycee and Aaron are my friends and my family and to be able to document parts of their life together all these years makes my heart smile.
P.S These pictures were taken all within a mile from Kaycee and Aaron's house in Ridgway, CO.
Anna :)

Rockin' Hearts Round-Up

Tue, 16 Aug 2011 17:19:21 -0600

I had the absolute pleasure to photograph the Rockin' Hearts Round-Up benefit for the Children's Bereavement Center of South Texas. We had such an amazing night filled with great food, great drinks and wonderful music by Emory Quinn. This was the first annual event and the money that was donated by ticket sales brought the organization to its goal for the year. This event was such a success that I hope to be able to photograph next year. I have to gloat just a bit here, it was so cool to see my logo in print along side all of the other sponsors. It is a beautiful feeling to give back to such a wonderful organization with such an amazing mission.
Thank you to all the wonderful attendees, volunteers, and employees of the center. You are all making a difference.
Please check out the link to view all the images and enjoy a few below.
Play Slide Show
Anna :)

Ashley + Emilio engaged

Sat, 23 Jul 2011 23:04:40 -0600

This week I took on what was probably the most enjoyable photo shoot to date. Ashley and Emilio are getting married this December in Play del Carmen, Mexico and they asked me to photograph their engagement session at their families ranch just outside of San Antonio. It was a far enough drive that we all stayed the night and had a sunrise/ sunset portrait session. Whew, is all I can say :) Ashley is so talented and creative and came up with so many ideas. Here are just a few of the many images from the two day shoot. Enjoy!
Anna :)

Jacob's first loose tooth

Thu, 21 Jul 2011 12:03:18 -0600

A new milestone for Mr. Jacob happened this week, a loose and lost first tooth. For a few weeks now a very cautious Jacob (5) has been wiggling a loose tooth too afraid to yank it out. With a little help from his parents and a lot of help from a bottle of anbesol, last night the tooth finally came out. I am so happy that I had a chance to photograph him with his crooked, hanging on by a thread tooth and then today with all the excitement of the tooth fairy visiting last night.
Anna :)

Who says a little rain on your wedding day is bad luck?

Wed, 20 Jul 2011 17:43:15 -0600

This past Saturday Kaycee and I photographed an amazing wedding in beautiful Telluride, CO. Katie and Tom were married at the top of the mountains and the weather held out for the entire ceremony and then.... the rain came and went and left us with the most beautiful rainbows. Congratulations to Tom and Katie!!! More photographs to follow.
Anna

Dog days of summer

Sat, 25 Jun 2011 19:06:12 -0600

Photographing dogs has quickly become one of my favorite past times. It seems I am always camera in hand photographing my friends four legged children and it got me to thinking....I should offer pet photography for my clients. So for a limited time I will be offering pet portrait sessions. Please contact the studio to book your appointment today. Here are just a few examples of some sessions I have been working on.
Anna :)

Leila + Seth are Married!!

Thu, 09 Jun 2011 11:15:02 -0600

Leila and Seth were married last month at Club Giraud in San Antonio, TX. I have to be a little biased when I say that Leila was one of the most amazing brides I have ever seen. Leila has been my dear friend since middle school and what a complete honor to watch Leila grow into such a beautiful woman and see her marry the most amazing man ever. This wedding was so much fun for me because I not only got to photograph all the before photos, but I also go to change into a pretty dress and be a guest at the reception. Thanks to Kaycee for making that all happen. Well this is a pretty big post, there were so many images. Enjoy!
And to our sweet friends Leila and Seth, we wish you all the love and happiness!!!
Anna and Kaycee :)

Life is good

Mon, 23 May 2011 21:45:58 -0600

and here are two reasons why....Dyllan is 7 years old now and about to finish up his first grade year and Jacob just turned 5 years old and will be starting kindergarten next year! My adorable nephews are growing up so fast. It was pulling teeth to get them to take this picture, and after the session (fondly looking back) that's my favorite part.
Enjoy life!
Anna

Noel + Eric Avant Garde

Tue, 17 May 2011 21:22:11 -0600

In true destination wedding fashion Kaycee and I begged (didn't take to much arm twisting) Noele and Eric to do a day after shoot. I mean we were in Hawaii for crying out loud. We both wanted to get a different feel from wedding day (check out the wedding images on the post below) and we found this amazing little area close to the hotel. We ventured all over pleasing both visions Kaycee and I had. We had photographed so much by the water already on the wedding day so we were really excited to give them some fun variety. We love doing a day after shoot because the images are much more relaxed and we really get to have some fun. If you have not booked your Avant Garde shoot, please do so by calling the studio.
Here are some of my images from the day.
Anna

Noele + Eric get married

Sat, 14 May 2011 15:40:51 -0600

Kaycee and I met Noele and Eric three years ago at Marco and Loren's beautiful wedding in Napa Valley, CA. Noele was the maid of honor and then just dating Eric. One of the things Kaycee and I love about destination weddings is spending so much time with the entire wedding party. Photographing all the little events that make the weekend so special really bonds you with the group. Noele knew instantly after that weekend that she wanted Kaycee and I to photograph her wedding to Eric we finally had the honor to do so this past February in beautiful Maui, Hawaii. The wedding took place at a beautiful ocean front plantation and the weather was perfect. Noele and Eric are the sweetest couple and it is pretty evident in their first meet down the isle. This crew (all traveled from Seattle, WA) really know how to spend some time on the dance floor and after dinner there wasn't one person sitting down. Kaycee and I even got out on the dance floor. We are so lucky to have clients that are also our friends and Noele you and Eric are great friends. We wish you so much happiness.
Hugs,
Anna and Kaycee

Great Gatsby Party

Tue, 26 Apr 2011 17:01:27 -0600

My dear friends Leila and Seth had a great Gatsby themed engagement party a few weeks ago and I not only got to attend this very small affair, but got to dress up and enjoy the festivities. A small group of friends gathered at a gorgeous ranch south of San Antonio, TX for dancing, champagne cocktails and a bit of croquet. Leila and Seth have taken this garden, Gatsby party theme all the way to their wedding day which was this last Saturday. Pictures to follow, but for now please enjoy these fun images.
Anna

Marina + Brian

Sun, 20 Mar 2011 13:24:06 -0600

Marina and Brian had a small destination wedding in Telluride, Colorado this winter. A very intimate group of family and friends came all the way from San Francisco, CA for a week full of skiing and wedding festivities. I couldn't think of a better way to spend a winter vacation. I love the mood of a winter wedding and this one pulled out all the stops. A pre-wedding party complete with hot cocoa and a sled ride up the mountain to the Gorrono Ranch where the wedding ceremony was. Inside the scene was set with a crackling fire and candles everywhere. The tables were dripping with flowers and silver and the food, well was nothing short of amazing. These Californians loved to party and the dance floor was always full thanks to the amazing DJ Harry and a western themed photo booth rounded out the evening.
Thank you to Marina and Brian for an amazing evening ( I can't say that I have ever taken a snow cat down the mountain at the end of a wedding night before).
We wish you the happiest of years to come.
Anna and Kaycee