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Sam & Hilary - Gorgeous Hamilton Pool Engagement

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I first met Sam & Hilary at Cherrywood Coffeehouse - a setting that seemed to suit them well. Sam & Hilary are a perfect compliment to each other - Hilary tends to be outspoken and charismatic while Sam is easy-going and a little more laid-back. I got to know them even better as we drove down to Hamilton Pool Preserve to take their engagement photos - here's a few images from our day. Click to enlarge.

Sam & Hilary were troopers - they hiked across uneven terrain, climbed up and down rocks, and braved falling into the water just to get the shot! An especially big shout-out to Hilary, who did the entire thing in heels.

Having never been to Hamilton Pool before, I was in awe - nature is pretty awesome sometimes. The rocky walls and gorgeous pool provided a perfect backdrop for some sweet, romantic portraits.

Everyone gets a turn to kick their feet up and kiss! The wide shot of the pool and Sam & Hilary on the rocks is one of my favorites from the session - a nice quiet moment when Sam & Hilary were taking in the beauty that surrounded them.

We left Hamilton Pool and went in search of lunch. While chowing down on Torchy's, I realized I had forgotten to get a ring shot! No matter - this image is proof that you can take a lovely ring shot even in the parking lot of my favorite taco place. This unique and gorgeous ring is made with gold quartz and came from Crystal Works in Austin, TX.

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ATX: Humans of Austin that Responded to My Craigslist Post - Sam

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I'm super excited to announce a new mini portrait series! After feeling like a lot of the more common photography projects didn't mesh with my passion for capturing people and their stories, and feeling inspired by Humans of New York, I decided to visit the one place that has everything - Craigslist.

Humans of Austin That Responded to My Craigslist Post (no catchy acronym, sorry!) was born. Instead of photographing people on the street, I wanted to photograph them in their element, with a 30 minute mini session and go a little bit more in-depth about their feelings for the city they live in. Sam Turner, an ex-human of New York herself, was the first to volunteer. Read more about her and her passion for fitness below.

Sam Turner is a personal trainer and plant-based nutrition coach and has been an Austinite for 3 months. Previously an inhabitant of Brooklyn, she moved to Austin for better job opportunities. 

As fun as she is tough, Sam is the right personal trainer for "people who want to get their asses kicked!" She provides guidance that's accessible for people of all fitness levels. "Baby steps! It's unrealistic to think you can go from eating Taco Bell and sitting on the couch all day to only eating salad and exercising for hours."

Sam, a soon-to-be yoga instructor, loves the Austin vibe. "There are a lot of new energy in Austin from people moving here that are working on getting their lives going," she said. Sam would also like to see Austin grow. "Since there are so many new people here, a lot of them aren't making the effort to connect to Austin. There needs to be an effort to get new people invested in their communities."

Looking for a healthier option? Hit up Sam's picks - Bouldin Creek Cafe for the vegan breakfast tacos, Juiceland for a mid-day pick-me-up and Wheastville Co-op for hard-to-find health foods.

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Shane & Jennifer - Taco Truck and the "Best Bar in the World" Engagement

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I traveled to Houston to photograph Shane & Jennifer at their favorite bar - just a short walk from their apartment. When Shane told me it was the best bar in the world, I had to be a bit skeptical - but after seeing Shane & Jennifer having a good time drinking beer, playing corn hole, and eating tacos from a food truck across the street I became a believer! I am so excited to photograph their Wes Anderson influenced wedding in September - here's some photos from our shoot - click to enlarge.

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ATX: Around Town (New Lens Edition)

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Over the last 10 days I rented a a new lens to try out - the 70-200mm f/2.8 IS USM lens. I shot with it every chance I got - and fell in love. Here's some of the results:

Sasha, the bride-to-be from this engagement shoot, agreed to be my first test subject. We went to the Hope Outdoor Gallery, a super cool repurposed art installation on Baylor Street- it's basically a wall of graffiti. The colors and shapes got turned into a dreamy bokeh to serve as a backdrop for our portrait session.

I also was able to shoot part of the Austin Fashion Week event. There are so many talented independent designers! Of course, my main interest was the wedding gowns.

M.E. Shirley

Romey Roe

Romey Roe

G.I.A.N.

Adrienne Yunger

Adrienne Yunger

Adrienne Yunger

Adrienne Yunger

Ragg Dahl

After being bribed with bubble tea, Anjanee, one of my friends, volunteered to model for me for a quick mini shoot to work with some interesting lighting situations. She has such a gorgeous smile!

In the last couple days of my rental, I used the lens in day-to-day photography - miscellaneous shots of Austin, some wildlife, and a walk by Lady Bird Lake. All in all, I was really happy with this lens and will likely be purchasing it in the future.

Tyler & Sasha - Artsy Picnic Engagement

Sasha and Tyler have what everyone is looking for - a best friends kind of love. A loyal, stick by your side through thick and thin kind of love. The kind of love that everyone can see when they're in the same room. Sasha and Tyler were a pleasure to photograph and it was wonderful to capture their natural interactions - laughing at each other's joke, taking a quiet moment to appreciate the other, and the many kisses they exchanged. Click to enlarge photos.