2009 August | Austin Wedding Photographer- Sweet Caroline Photo

Monthly Archives: August 2009

08.30.09

New Orleans: SWPB Adventure

New Orleans was awesome! The SWPB group founded on Flickr united in New Orleans a couple weeks ago to share ideas and tricks of the trade. I mentioned some of the trip a couple posts ago but here are the pictures to back it up now :)
We had some really great attendees at this workshop and I have learned so much from the online flickr group. Christine Tremoulet from Houston helped use figure out some good SEO for our blog, Mark Parker from Birmingham brought up a good discussion about networking, and Ryan Brenizer from New York taught a bit about how to have a good consultation with a client and a few new lighting techniques. Ryan is considered to be one of the top 20 wedding photographers in the world according to WPJA, so it was quite an honor to be working with him… and hanging out with him on Bourbon street ;)

engagement couple in New Orleans streets

Christine hooked us up with some models to shoot an ‘engagement session’.

engagement couple in New Orleans streets

photographers in New orleans street for workshop
as you can see, there were quite a few of us roaming the streets.

lighting workshop photo of engagement portrait
This was part of the workshop and is one of my faves. Mine is a single shot while Ryan Brenizer did a multiple exposure shot of this pose that turned out awesome- check it out here.

engagement portrait in the french quarter with workshop

engagement portrait in New Orleans lit with video light
these 2^ done with a simple video light.

bridal portrait in New Orleans at Le Richelous hotel
The next day we had a fellow wedding photographer that happened to be gorgeous, model for us. Both shots were taken at the hotel we were staying at- Le Richelou

warm and cold tone lighting bridal portrait in New Orleans
A dark alley way- a great place to take a bride ;)

Notice that someone was holding a (warm tone) video light on her while Ben & I set up a (cold tone) flash- which created some interesting colors.

New Orleans skyline with bride, Lyenette

last but not least the skyline of New Orleans.. the end!

Sincerely, Your Austin Wedding Photographer- Sweet Caroline Photo

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08.27.09

Austin Engagement session: Jacqueline & Billy

Recently I have noticed quite a few people searching for ‘cool places to shoot engagement photos in Austin, TX’…. well, if you look around, MOST places are cool to shoot engagement photos in Austin. So many cool textures, structures, colors- cannot pick a better place for portraits, really. Jacqueline suggested to meet up at Progress Cafe on 5th st. and San Marcos st., after checking out the area via Google Earth, I approved, not having actually been there before. The day of the shoot (today), Ben & I showed up 30 minutes early to drive around and get a plan of where we wanted to shoot, there were tons of cool places. So during the shoot we just ended up wandering around hitting up every spot we thought would look cool in a photo.

Ok to the shoot. I am going to start off by saying I am very jealous of Jacqueline and Billy- they are moving to Scotland in just over a week for grad school. They are a really down to earth couple that wants to do good things for this world. We were nervous that we weren’t even going to be able to shoot today though and with them leaving so soon, didn’t know if we were going to get another chance. It was POURING at 6pm when we met up… then 10 minutes later there was not only one rainbow… but TWO. How perfect, this shoot was just meant to be!
Jacqueline and Billy will be back to have their traditional Scottish wedding January 2nd, :)

ok ok… just one more thing about this shoot. Ben & I have recently been trying to work together more often, because when we do, we have more chances to do some awesome new things- he helped with lighting in this shoot but also put together a cool little video and set the music to one of the couple’s (as well as mine) favorite bands, Radiohead.
We will be working together as much as we can in the future and will soon be offering a package that includes the both of us, two professional fine art wedding photographers that have great chemistry and together attempt to create photographs like no one has seen before…. did I mention? We will also be including videography. :)

jacqueline and billy kiss in the water reflection

jacqueline and billy kiss underneath the double rainbow

jacqueline and billy kiss against cool colored wall

black and white jacqueline and billy kiss in reflection

jacqueline and billy in between two eighteen wheelers

jacqueline and billy standing in a colorful garage-way

jacqueline and billy waiting for a train that doesn't exist in Austin

jacqueline and billy looking at each other sweetly

jacqueline and billy sitting at an abandoned train stop

jacqueline kicking her heel as she kisses billy under and arch

jacqueline and billy kissing

jacqueline and billy walking the train tracks with Austin skyline in background

jacqueline and billy sitting at doorway one and two

Jacqueline laying on billy with eyelashes in focus

jacqueline and billy kissing against fence with engagement ring in focus

jacqueline and billy at progress cafe with green and red wall

and here’s the video created by Mr. Ben Godkin!

Sincerly, Your Austin Wedding Photographer- Sweet Caroline Photo

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08.19.09

Surprise Wedding! Lyanna & Whet

Lyanna & Whet are soooooo sweet, like in every way. I’ll have to explain the ’surprise’ part of this wedding, many of Lyanna’s relatives thought she was planning to have a huge wedding in November where all family and friends were invited, but the couple had different plans. They preferred to have a very small 20 person wedding, so they invited people over for an ‘engagement party’ but as soon as they arrived they received a note stating that they were actually going to get married… Ben was at the house catching some of the reactions on video, so I will have that posted soon. They got married in one of the cutest chapels I have ever seen at Parker Lane United Methodist Church and had a nice little reception dinner in Moonshine Grill’s Sunday house. Lyanna’s Mom, Connie, made the cake as well as all the flower arrangements and did an awesome job. Instead of going all out on centerpieces and a 6 tier cake they decided that they would rather spend the most of their wedding budget on a 2 1/2 week vacation to Paris, they left yesterday so I hope they get to see these while they’re there. I’m so excited for Lyanna and Whet (although sad that they’re moving to Houston)… I’m just really glad that Ben & I could be apart of their wedding day.

bride looking in mirror

bride getting ready

guests finding out about the surprise wedding

the letter the guests received

bride informing people she's getting married today

bridal shoes

bride's dress and bouquet

bride's invitation to wedding via text

bride curling hair

bride putting dress on

bride walking down the isle with father

groom seeing bride for first time

overall view of bride and groom in church

bride and groom kiss

close of bride and groom

bride and groom watch same day slide show

this was my first time to do a same day slide show and I have to say I will probably do more in the future. While everyone was settling down at the restaurant, Ben sat in the car and uploaded the images of the bride getting ready and the ceremony, we put the slideshow to one of the their favorite songs and it turned out beautifully.

macro shots of rings in champagne and bouquet

bride dancing and mother of bride laughing

guests laughing

groom dipping bride in street

bride and groom jumping

bride and groom standing in doorway

bride and groom cutting cake

food and cake from wedding

bride and groom exit with flower pedals

bride throwing bouquet

bride and groom in carriage

bride and groom and the photographers

Lyanna insisted that we all get a picture together and I’m glad she did, this one is a keeper!

Austin Wedding Photographer- Sweet Caroline Photo

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08.16.09

Austin Wedding Photography: Loren & Derek

I had a blast at this wedding despite the 100 degree weather. Loren & Derek are just down right cool people. Since they decided to see each other before hand it gave my second shooter, Francis Joseph, & I plenty of time to get some cool group shots out by Butler Park. The bouquets were beautiful!! They all had feathers in them and were made by The Enchanted Florist. The cake was also awesome, it was a “cheese” cake… pictures below will explain this made by Coco Paloma. Last but not least the band was very hip and classic- it fit Loren and Derek’s style perfectly, they are definitely worth checking out The Kris Kimura Quartet. I also have to give mad props to Stephanie the ‘best woman’ for making all the dresses, I LOVE that color blue and they all looked terrific together. One last credit! I have to say that having a wedding planner is a huge help, not only to the bride & groom but for me too! I didn’t have to think twice about rounding up family for the group shots Jessica from Something to Celebrate was on it. I think everything worked out wonderfully and I wish nothing but the best for Loren and Derek.

Food by Dagar’s Catering.

get it!? cake to look like cheese! I love it.

Austin Wedding Photographer- Sweet Caroline Photo

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08.15.09

Austin Engagement Session: Diana and Keegan

Okay- I’ve been in New Orleans for the past few days hanging out with some awesome wedding photographers, including (but not limited to) Ryan Brenizer and Christine Tremoulet. About 25 of us wedding photogs from San Francisco to New York City decided to meet up and network, share tricks of the trade, and be nerdy. I had a blast- not to mention Ben & I got to pose for a faux engagement session. We also took a few couples and a bride down to the French Quarter for some evening/night shots. Pictures from all of the above as soon as I catch up on my blog posts…

Alright- now to the real point of this post. Diana introduced me to a cool new place where her fiance, Keegan, and her first met- Quarry Lake. I had no idea this place even existed until Diana suggested we shoot there, I’m always down for new places so of course I agreed! I had a great time getting to know them both and was really touched to hear of how Keegan proposed. After a triathlon, which I believe was also on Diana’s birthday, a bunch of their family and friends were at the finish line holding signs saying ‘will you marry me?’…. how cute!
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Austin Wedding Photographer- Sweet Caroline Photo

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08.09.09

Sneak Peak: Loren & Derek’s wedding!

Just wanted to post a sneak peak of Loren & Derek! More to come soon, I have a few more shoots to post here as well!
AustinWeddingPhotography-Loren&Derek