R & J Studios Blog

Valentine's Day 2012

noreply@blogger.com (R and J Studios) — Tue, 14 Feb 2012 16:05:00 +0000

I don't think it's a secret that I don't much care for Valentine's day. But that's not to say I don't care about celebrating love. It's just that... I kind of think today is a fairly lame excuse for couples everywhere to spend a whole lotta money on sweets and jewelry and dinners and stuffed animals and whatever else to try and show the other person you love them (and then not do those nice things throughout the year). I mean, shouldn't you do that every day? You know, with goodbye kisses before you leave for work, big hugs when you get home, little love notes left in unusual places, flowers for no reason at all, or just plain enjoying each other's company cuddled up on the couch? Ah, but who's to say we can't have a little bit of fun with the kiddos? Valentine's day in elementary school was fun. I still have my mailbox from third grade, filled with valentines cards from all my classmates. And it was an excuse to bring cookies and cupcakes to school and ditch the books for awhile (which we loved any excuse for). So with all that said - Happy Valentine's Day. May you celebrate love however you know how. We love all of you. Thank you for starting our year off wonderfully!

Monday Mishmash / 13

noreply@blogger.com (R and J Studios) — Mon, 13 Feb 2012 23:49:00 +0000

How 'bout that...I'm bringing Monday Mishmash back on the 13th of February and this is Monday Mishmash post #13. Ha. I'm a dork for pointing that out. I make no guarantees that I'm actually going to post every Monday...but hey, i'll do what I can.

Banquet / Saturday night was the Cy-Creek Cheerleader banquet. My sister invited me, so I said ok, and then promptly found out it was at Dave & Buster's. Is that the norm these days? My goodness, 10 years ago, in my equally if not larger highschool...our band banquet was held in the school cafeteria. It was all good tho, I had almost 18,000 coupons left over from our bachelor/bachelorette party and I was finally able to spend them. I got a blender. Happy belated wedding present to us!

Burritos / I'm fairly certain that if photography ever stops workin' for me, that I could become a secret shopper for Chipotle. I love it so. Justin's a freebirds kind of guy (eh). But we tried Bullritos for the first time every yesterday (only because Jimmy Johns was filled to capacity), and I'll say, I dig it. The meat doesn't have as much flavor as Chipotle (I like spice, what can I say), but they use a different cheese and have the option for a wheat tortilla. Oh, and the chocolate chip cookie was super delish. Chipotle is still numero uno, but I think Justin and I have found a compromise with Bullritos!

Rain / Seriously...it's crampin' my style. And my grass better be green this summer because of it. On top of having to reschedule sessions...it's just not very inspiring (although I can see how it could be to some folks). I suppose I wouldn't frown on it so much if it would just stop teasin' me. It's been raining like every other day, and only allowing me to enjoy my clean black car for a single day, all while leaving us with a roller coaster of temperatures. It was sleeting yesterday, and it'll be in the 70's tomorrow. Yes, really.

But on that note - check out the one day my car was clean (yesterday)!

Have a good week y'all!

PS - don't forget about the giveaway, going on NOW!

Baby Maclaren / Houston, TX Newborn Photography

noreply@blogger.com (R and J Studios) — Fri, 10 Feb 2012 23:19:00 +0000

Heather & Jarrod's beach maternity session is definitely one of my most recognized sessions. Baby's gender was a surprise until the delivery - and now here's Miss Maclaren! So so precious. I'm very very excited to be documenting her every 3 months until her first birthday! Today was supposed to be her 3 month session, but this super sporatic rain storm blew in last night and soaked all my plans. So what better day than to get her newborn session on the blog?! Look for a sneak peek of her 3 month session in the next week (and i just KNOW it's going to be grand!) Here's some favorites from November...taken just in time for Thanksiving and Christmas.

Mom's classroom decor is the very hungry caterpillar, so this was AWESOME!

Make sure you capture this special time some way, some how. Contact me below if interested in letting me do it for you.

It's a portrait session giveaway!

noreply@blogger.com (R and J Studios) — Tue, 07 Feb 2012 17:30:00 +0000

Around this time last year, we celebrated new year's engagements and gave away a bridal session. This year, we're celebrating our own growth and your support over the last year!

We just hit 700 fans on facebook (are you one of them?). Thank you all for making that happen. You're the reason I'm able to give one of you this precious gift of photos again this year.

This giveaway is open to EVERYone. For any session type. There's no excuse for those family photos you've been putting off. If you're undecisive on whether to do a maternity session or get back in your wedding attire...I'm making the decision for you. Maybe your child has a birthday coming up or you didn't get an engagement or bridal session with your wedding photography package. Perhaps you just want a session all about you so you can update your social media profile photos. Oh yes!

I find myself recommending locations for your sessions a lot of times. And while I don't mind at all, and do have my favorites, I like to ask you to think of a special place with more meaning to you if possible.

So here's how to enter the giveaway!

I want you to think of where you want your picture taken, and I want you to tell me why. Maybe it's family land or the place where you had your first date. Maybe you've just seen a spot in passing and thought it was pretty. Wherever it is, I want to hear about why it's special to you and how great it would be to have your session there. Email me your story now!

What you win: a 1 hour portrait session, online gallery, 1 11x14 print, and up to 15 digital images on disk

Fine print: Session must take place in greater Houston area. Out of towners may enter, but by entering, you agree to pay travel to your location, or come to Houston for the session.
Session to take place by July 31st, 2012.

What are you waiting for?! Send me your entry!

Entry deadline is February 25th, 2012. Winner announced on February 29th, 2012.

Can't wait to hear your beautiful stories!

R & J Studios on Pinterest!

noreply@blogger.com (R and J Studios) — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 14:05:00 +0000

No, I'm not JUST jumping on this Pinterest bandwagon...the truth is I've had an account for months. It's just that prior to yesterday, I think I had a whopping 5 or 6 pins because I just didn't get it. It seems the primary uses are for "pinning" recipes (I hate cooking), do it yourself crafts and home decor (I told you interior designing would've never worked), and piecing the latest clothing trends together (ha! i just bought my first pair of skinny jeans like 2 months again). So the first time I logged on, I just laughed and forgot about it. I was on twitter yesterday and happened to catch a quick convo between Reggie & Jeremy about pinning when it hit me like a ton of bricks. You folks out there are pinning like crazy. You're using it to plan your weddings. Everything from the decor, to the cake, your dress, and your shoes. You're picking out the types of photos you want to have of yourself. And decorating your baby's nurseries. Or finding new ways to display photos in your home. You're taking all the things you LIKE and putting them in one single that you can access from any web enabled device. It's the exact same thing my teacher had me do in graphic design class, except I had to print things out and keep them in a binder because pinterest wasn't around yet. I still have that binder. I still look through that binder. That binder holds my own favorite things that I've designed, and magazine spreads, and patterns, and inspirational photographs. I'm taking that binder digital y'all!

Before the binder, I had a completely unorganized list of favorites in internet explorer. At least the binder had dividers! But alas, I'm going to post some favorite photos of my own. Favorite photos of others. Crazy ideas I wish I'd have been the one to think of. Weddings I never could have dreamed of. Shoes...sweet shoes. Fashion I wish I knew how to pull off. Home decor that I love for when my house gets remodeled in a couple of months. Heck, I might even try some recipes! If you're my bride, I want to see your wedding come together! I can't think of a good reason NOT to be on pinterest. It's just as good of a networking tool as facebook. Goodness I was on a social networking roll last night too. I added a pin it button to these blog posts, so you can share them easier (I found out some of you had been sharing anyway...rock on!). I fixed the facebook like/share button. And I finally made a custom twitter background. I don't know what got into me, but I like it. I just hope I didn't set the productive bar too high too early in the year. LOL! February is off to an awesome start and now I'm blabbin' too much.

Have a good weekend y'all!

The Mareks & Family / Pearland, TX Photography

noreply@blogger.com (R and J Studios) — Tue, 31 Jan 2012 18:54:00 +0000

This family is ah-dorable!!! Oh my goodness, having them in front of my camera back in December was such a pleasure. The weather threatened to rain on our parade, and it did in the beginning. We waited it out in the car for a few minutes, and chose to march on since other family members would be meeting us there later. So glad we were able to proceed and capture these! Sara & Donnie make some super cute offspring that really enjoy having their picture taken! We did have one little dude who was a bit shy, but as always, it worked out just fine. Thanks for being amazing y'all!

Sheri & David are engaged!

noreply@blogger.com (R and J Studios) — Mon, 30 Jan 2012 01:24:00 +0000

Raise your hand if you think I go overboard on my same day/next day sneak peeks? Now raise your hand if you think it's a bad thing. Doh! Sometimes I just get so excited! I met up with Sheri & David in the museum district yesterday morning. I knew we were going to have fun but we had a bah-last!!! Sheri was initially concerned about the cold, but I reassured her that we had taken our own engagements on the coldest day of 2008 and that yesterday was a good 30 degrees warmer than that. So I kept her coat around my waste just in case, and let her stand in the sun whenever possible. And David kept rubbing her arms (and legs while they were sitting) to keep her as warm as he could too. So sweet :) We'll be shooting Sheri & David's wedding in April, and I'm now looking forward to it even more. Sheri & David - thanks for braving the cold, listening to me get tongue tied from talking too fast, and for knowing just when to get go from serious to silly. See you again soon!

What a way to start 2012 engagements! We want to capture your love on camera too. Contact us below for more info.

Happy Birthday Liz!

noreply@blogger.com (R and J Studios) — Fri, 27 Jan 2012 16:12:00 +0000

You've seen Liz grow up on the blog the last few years. Today, she turned 17. I'm so proud of her. She's been the best model turned assistant this last year :) I wish we didn't live an hour away. Liz turned her facebook account off today for who knows what reason...but she should know better. I can just harass her here. Tehe. I don't have the same childhood memories with her that I have with our middle sister. Blame it on the age difference, or the fact that we usually lived with my grandmother while she lived with Mom. But I've tried hard since I could drive & work to make up for all that lost time. I can't wait to see what the future holds for her! Happy birthday Elizabeth Ann!

Koshy Family Photos / Sugarland, TX

noreply@blogger.com (R and J Studios) — Thu, 26 Jan 2012 18:49:00 +0000

I love family photos. I love family photos that include the furry members. I love family photos where everyone gets dressed up just for a day at the park. Man, mom's top was awesome! I'm sure baby's outfit was just as cute, tho we never actually got to see it because it was so cold out. That's ok. The flowers on her coat were perfect. I really enjoyed the black and white edits from this session, perhaps I was inspired by their clothing selections. The Koshy Family contacted me last minute to set up a mini session for Christmas, and I'm so happy I was able to work them in. I'm even happier that these photos were the result.

Sophia - 1 Year Old! / Part 2 - A Lollipop & Balloons

noreply@blogger.com (R and J Studios) — Fri, 20 Jan 2012 17:22:00 +0000

Was Part 1 cute enough for you yesterday? My goodness..all the pink, the mess, the facial expressions...I thought for sure she'd be all pictured out. But oh no. We made another stop before calling it a day, where Sophia enjoyed playing peek-a-boo with balloons and tasting more sweets! I hope the next year flies by, because I can't wait until she turns two!

T

Sophia - 1 Year Old! / Part 1 - Cupcake Smash at Sugarbaby's

noreply@blogger.com (R and J Studios) — Thu, 19 Jan 2012 21:18:00 +0000

Because this session was SO awesome (I mean, just look at her cute face!), I had to break it into two parts...hich works out fine since we went to two spots. While I'm sad that Sophia's first year sessions are coming to a close, I'm so thankful that I got to be the one to photograph her for a full year. Remember her 9 month session at the pumpkin patch? Her personality was just starting to show and seeing how much more it had developed three months later was so exciting! She was laughing and smiling and making her famous monkey face. And when she would reach up towards me or grab my finger, I was silently thinking "she likes me! she really likes me!" I think I can speak for Sophia when I say this was the funnest shoot of her yet! Think the cupcake had something to do with it? ;) For the first part of the shoot, we met up at Sugarbaby's Cupcake Boutique. It's pretty much the cutest bakery in town, and made the perfect spot to spend Sophia's birthday.

Stay tuned for part 2. The blog is going to be overloaded with cuteness!

For information regarding a cake smash session for your little one, please contact me below.

Bayou Wildlife Park / Alvin, TX

noreply@blogger.com (R and J Studios) — Tue, 17 Jan 2012 19:23:00 +0000

Before 2011 came to a close, we went to Bayou Wildlife Park in Alvin, Tx. Considering I've lived in the area for 15 years and even graduated from Alvin High School, I couldn't believe I'd never been before. Yes, it's a little more expensive than the zoo, but helloooo, you don't have to walk. And they have kangaroos. And tons of animals that are NOT behind cages that you get to feed out of a bucket. The camels will even take the entire bucket from you. We asked a couple of our mustang buddies to join us, and we all showed up...IN our mustangs. What a site to see. I had my newly washed black one with Christmas mods freshly installed. Phil brought his bright red 2012 Shelby GT 500. and Ben brought his never dirty blue '06. We got there before them and just watched from afar and laughed like crazy watching them inch down the road while dodging deer & llamas! I was a little sad I didn't get to see the ginormous rhino 'cause he was eating...so I guess that just means I have to go back!

This is my favorite photo of the day, and I took it with a very clear intention of turning it into black and white.

On our way out...taken through my windshield!

Candice & Jeremy's Wedding / Missouri City, TX

noreply@blogger.com (R and J Studios) — Mon, 16 Jan 2012 16:06:00 +0000

Candice & Jeremy were married in October at Heaven On Earth in Missouri City, TX. It really is a gorgeous place. I even toured it as an option for our wedding! This post may be past due, but I make it a point to blog all our weddings...and you've already seen Candice's beautiful bridal portraits! The guys over at SignatureEvenTx did a super great job rockin' the reception and even danced with Jeremy. Would love to work with those guys again (hint hint!) ;) Thank you for letting us be a part of this special day!

Dad was watching these moments happen... so sweet!

Yaaaay Married!

I told you the DJ's were awesome!

These lovely ladies have been together since junior high!

The Morrison Family

noreply@blogger.com (R and J Studios) — Thu, 12 Jan 2012 19:12:00 +0000

I was blessed with some super awesome maternity sessions in 2011, and Micah & Rick's was one of them! When they contacted me for some Christmas potraits, I couldn't wait to meet their beautiful little girl! Makena was wide awake and did so great in front of the camera. We took this opportunity to keep her in her familiar surroundings, consisting of their spacious backyard and furry family members. They are such a good looking family! Thank you Morrison Family for letting me share this exciting time in your lives with you again!

I'd love to capture your family's memories too! Please contact me below for more information.

Mallory & Chad / Fall Portaits in Pearland, TX

noreply@blogger.com (R and J Studios) — Tue, 10 Jan 2012 18:15:00 +0000

These two lovebirds should be pretty recognizable to you all at this point! Between the wedding and engagement and zoo trips, you almost know Mallory & Chad as well as I do! We had a session in the fall that I just recently uploaded to Facebook, because I didn't want to spoil Christmas cards. So now it's time to introduce you blog readers to Bailey & Bruiser! Bailey's a ball of fun and Bruiser is pretty much the most photogenic doggy I've seen. I love including the furry members of the family in photos!

We also took a few of Mallory & Chad without their furry kids, because I don't think they've had any taken of them since they were married :)And also because I can't pass up the chance to photograph Mallory's beautiful blue eyes.

This wasn't *exactly* what I planned - but it's pretty funny!

Bailey:

Bruiser:

I'd love to photograph you and your family - of all shapes, sizes, and species! Contact me below for more information.

Olchesky Family / Sugarland, TX Photography

noreply@blogger.com (R and J Studios) — Tue, 03 Jan 2012 19:06:00 +0000

These folks were at our wedding, back when they were only a family of three. They're our neighbors, and Dad and Justin compete on xbox games like Call of Duty & Forza. We've been to their house for dinner and drinks and check on their cats when their out of town. Logan's baby pictures never go unnoticed in the house, but I think that was the last time family photos were taken. Sophia was born a few months ago, and I had the privilege of snapping their first portrait as a family of four!

Logan's usually so shy! Imagine my surprise when he wanted to give me a hug and take a picture with me!

Happy New Year!!!

noreply@blogger.com (R and J Studios) — Mon, 02 Jan 2012 13:55:00 +0000

This new year's eve was the first time we'd done fireworks in a couple years. We spent pretty much double what we had planned on them...but I told Justin it was ok since we were on a burn ban for the 4th of July. So that makes us even, right?

Only in Texas will the humidity be bad enough to mess my hair up THAT much on New Year's eve.

Don't try this at home folks.

Our friends: Phil, Kelsie, Kevin, & Ben. Between the 6 of us, we own more than 10 mustangs. More than. I lose count.

Have a great 2012 everyone! I can't wait to share it with y'all. Thanks for a great 2011!

Cy-Creek High School 2011-2012 Cheerleaders

noreply@blogger.com (R and J Studios) — Wed, 28 Dec 2011 13:45:00 +0000

High school football season is officially over. Manvel lost the state championship :( and I got to attend Cy-Creek's last game of the year back in November. I was able to attend 3 home games this year just like I had hoped to, yay! It's a long drive over there with horrible traffic, but seeing my baby sister involved in one of my favorite memories of high school is so worth it. Except well, I was IN the bleachers giving the cheerleaders something to dance to ;) I've had the pleasure of photographing many of these young ladies outside of the football games, and can't wait to do so again! Thanks for always being fabulous girls, and welcoming me on the field like I'm one of you! :)

Girls/Parents - if you'd like a copy of any of the photos, Liz gets a cd of the photos, or you can email me below so I can send them to you. Go Creek!

Sylvia & Neil / Sugarland, TX Wedding Photography

noreply@blogger.com (R and J Studios) — Wed, 28 Dec 2011 02:31:00 +0000

Sylvia & Neil were married at First Colony Bible Chapel in Sugarland, TX. I posted a few photos the day after their wedding, and well, I feel like showing you a few more. As I said previously, things went off without a hitch, and as I watched them walk around and mingle with guests towards the end of the reception, you could tell how much everyone cared for them and vice versa. There was no dj, no dancing, just a slideshow and great toasts to focus on what the day was truly about. It was a sweet day filled with love, prayer, & happiness and I feel blessed to have been a part of it.

Ahhh I just love toasts!!

Merry Christmas!!!

noreply@blogger.com (R and J Studios) — Sun, 25 Dec 2011 13:30:00 +0000

Yes, we have a Charlie Brown tree this year. But I've also got hot chocolate from my Keurig (with mini marshmallows!), whiteout in my scentsy burner (mmm!), and holiday tunes shufflin' on iTunes to get me in the Christmas spirit. Christmas is my most favorite holiday of all! So far, I've gotten more than I could've dreamed this year - all of you! (and this super cool camera necklace that Brandy mailed me from Florida! :) ) I hope Santa treats you all wonderfully. Merry Christmas y'all!

Before & After #34

noreply@blogger.com (R and J Studios) — Sat, 24 Dec 2011 14:06:00 +0000

Today's post is featuring a photo from the session that hit the blog yesterday! Photographer to photographer, I know she can appreciate the behind the scenes work that goes into the photos. Plus, I just think the photo is adorable!

Canon 50mm f/1.2L @ f/2.2, ISO 640, 1/320 sec

Click "read more" below to see the before photo!

The before photo is a little cool, and little too centered. So I cropped and warmed in lightroom, and added a bit of magic in photoshop to make it whimsical and fun!

If there's a specific photo you'd like to see as a before & after - shoot me a message below!

Laura & Jaycee

noreply@blogger.com (R and J Studios) — Sat, 24 Dec 2011 01:25:00 +0000

So I think my relationship with Laura went something like this: I "liked" her photography page on facebook because she was photographing people I knew, we have a bunch of mutual friends so she requested to be my friend, she "liked" my page on facebook, we "liked" each others statuses and left some comments and become e-friends, and many many months later, she decided she needed to get out from behind the camera, and get in FRONT of it with her little princess! I was excited! I thought her little girl would be used to having her picture taken, but she was not on the same page as me that day. Maybe it was the cold, I'm not sure. But Laura's exact comment after seeing the photos was "awesome!!! thank you again, a million times! i know she is a mess, but i'm amazed at how you can't even tell! ;)" And well, that's my job! It was a challenge, which makes me even happier with the final outcome. Thank you Laura!

Laura said this picture on the right was her to a "T" - so I know the shoot was a success!

Families are my favorite! Contact me below and let me capture yours. :)

Second Shooting the Coonfield Wedding at Ashton Gardens - Houston

noreply@blogger.com (R and J Studios) — Wed, 14 Dec 2011 16:36:00 +0000

Krystal of Ever After Photography invited me to shoot this awesome wedding with her! I jumped at the chance when she asked because well - I wanted to see what the other roll of photographer was. You know, to not have to get the must have shots. To use different lenses. And see what Justin sees on a wedding day. (ok ok, and it's because Ashton Gardens is a gorgeous venue!) It was such a great experience, and one I certainly hope I get to do again! Thank you Krystal!

And another thanks to the bride & groom, Leslie & Chris, for being SO welcoming! Judging from their emotional and sweet toasts, I know they are like that all the time, and everyone they know is blessed to have them in their lives. It was a pleasure to be there. Congrats y'all!

Please go check out Krystal's favorite photos on her blog, here.

Here's some of mine.

Heffernan & Labbe Family Christmas Photos / Humble, TX

noreply@blogger.com (R and J Studios) — Tue, 13 Dec 2011 21:26:00 +0000

Portraits of yours and your sister's family make a GREAT gift for your mother! That's what these ladies are doing. Originally, it was just a session with one sister for Christmas cards, and then they decided to give me double the fun. And I'm not complaining at all. I had such a great time photographing their kids and giving the littlest ones piggy back rides. We photographed siblings and age groups and girls and boys only and all sorts of combinations! And they did such a great job with their clothing selections. If you need any inspiration for what to wear and how to coordinate your session, look no further! H & L Families - thanks for sharing such a fun morning with me!

Family sessions are my favorite! Contact me below to set up yours today!

Smith Family Christmas

noreply@blogger.com (R and J Studios) — Mon, 12 Dec 2011 16:59:00 +0000

I love love love getting client Christmas cards in the mail! 1 - I love that they care enough to include me, and 2 - it means I can finally show you their Christmas family portraits without ruining the surprise for anyone! So say hello to the Smith's again! They brought more fierceness than ever to this year's Christmas session, resulting in my new favorite photo of them below. Click read more to check out their super cute 2011 Christmas cards.

Christin said they'd done red cards too many years in a row and to design something different this year. This is what we ended up with! I love it because no one else has it! :)

Please let me know if you need any help designing your own cards of any kind!

Merry Christmas y'all!