Bau Pham 1928-2009

This morning my grandmother (in Vietnamese I call her, “Ba Ngoai” ) passed away.

This photo was taken of her last year by my mother while they were doing charity work in Vietnam. (Those bags are filled with food.)

I love this photo and had already enlarged it for framing just a few short months ago. I loved how vibrant, happy, and proud she looked in this colorful image.

My heart is broken for my mother and the rest of my family.

first up: my favorite

kelly’s son harrison made a quick debut.

hello hot mama.

okay. maybe this is my favorite.

peace.

houston, texas - maternity session

i met kelly for the first time when she hired me to photograph a family session last year. to me, there is nothing more flattering when a past client calls to go about another session. she was eager to tell me a couple months ago that she was pregnant and waiting to get “bigger” to do a maternity session. kelly’s one request was to have NOT CHEESY maternity images. “what does one do with those?” she asked. i often ask myself the same question. kelly’s due later this month– can you even BELIEVE how freaking adorable she is!!! i was excited to see her son harrison and how much he’s grown over the course of this last year. and speaking of the course of this last year, i’m amazed at how much my style in post-processing images has changed since last year. (click the link above to see the difference.) kelly and i had so much fun playing around in town– and OH, the trust that this girl has in me. THANK YOU for braving those train tracks. (and putting on a show for the random onlookers! )

so, i think we achieved more fun, less cheese, and certainly no gauze maternity images. look out for kelly and family a few times more this year. but for now, i eagerly await the call of when little baby boy is here.

if you’re on facebook i’m sure you have done this or at least have been “tagged”.
guess i’ll answer here and spare you the tag.  if this is new to your eyes, it just 25 facts about yours truly. i shamelessly love the tidbits everybody has been sharing.

1- i want to blog more. i’m going to try. but i don’t want to blog about lame stuff just “to blog”.
2- at first i thought this facebook tag thing was a little cheesy. i got sucked in though. (see above- determine as needed).
3- i use to like animals- but i think now that my life is consumed with being a
mother i can’t imagine taking care of any more poop. so by default, i don’t really
like pets. especially horses… they have big poop.
4- i do think however one day we might have a dog. and i’ll want to name it
dyson after my favorite vacuum cleaner.
5- i’m seriously behind in printing my family photos. i sometimes get really
upset at myself about this as i lay in bed at night. (ironic -right?)
6- life is good in texas and i LOVE my house and family but will always think of california as “home”.
7- this is the longest i’ve lived -anywhere- since i moved out when i was 18. (i’ve been here 2.5 years)
8- which means just with my husband alone i’ve moved 6 times in our almost 8 years together.
9- i obsessively organize and reorganize things. i’m a huge believer it’s a blessing and a curse.
10- my daughter has severe food allergies and i get anxious when she isn’t around me if i know food will be around her.
11- i started drinking french press coffee about a year ago and can’t imagine ever going back to a drip coffee machine.
12- i can’t watch horror movies or really any “serious” movies…my mind starts to wander and i start to get all panicky.
13- i don’t watch the news. not even the commercials for the news.
14- before i moved in with my husband i had 4 guy roommates named: steven, stephen, brian, and brian. it was always interesting when somebody called the house because you always heard, “which one?” before the phone was passed along.
15- as i get older i’m learning that keeping my mouth shut is sometimes an asset. it’s work in progress.
16- i like to write in lower case when i’m on the computer.and i use “-” <— that a lot. it’s become habit and forget there are times (or people i correspond with) that i should probably write properly.
17- i can’t stand when “stuff” is on the ground. this doesn’t go well with having kids… or a husband. i feel as most of my time is spent just “picking up”. (disclaimer: this statement in no way means my house is “picked up” at all times.)
18- i went to hollywood to be a stunt woman. it was the such a carefree time in my life.
19- my cooking is handicapped because my husband is an amazing chef.  he makes instant pancakes better then me. true story.
20- i flew the trapeze for a couple years after high school.i miss those days but don’t miss the hard, callused and cracked hands.
21- my best friend and i have known each other since age 2, lived next door
to each other, and share the same birthday june 28th. (and ps. she’s getting married!! )
22- i love catching the clock at 6:28.
23- i had NO idea when getting into the business of photography that i would be on the computer so much. it’s like i became a nerd overnight.
24- there is a number that constantly nags me in my life. (high-five if you don’t know me and can figure it out.)
25- i have yet to take a formal class in photography. i’d like to one day soon.

a wedding near christmas.

lisa descended from the stairs to her father.

i love the way lisa is looking at owen.

owen and lisa.

houston, texas - wedding

 since i’ve started my photography path down weddings, i love capturing the grand scale of large in-detailed weddings . but if you know me, you know i have a huge place in my heart for quiet, intimate, private weddings. perhaps because that is how i got married. even to this day if i were to plan it again- it would still be small and quaint. (but with better photography… because ironically- i didn’t have a wedding photographer!)

lisa called me and told me that she and owen were having  a simple, small, and elegant wedding. they had a romantic ceremony at houston’s lancaster hotel (this was the only part that i covered), and then the short guest list quickly went for dinner upstairs. how awesome is that?

lisa and owen, thank you for letting me in our your wedding day and i wish you all the best!

lindsay is stunning without make-up.

but goodness gracious- is a knock out when she’s glam’ed out.(and i love the twinkling christmas lights in the background)

ring shot #1

ring shot #2
(i couldn’t decide so you get 2)

chip from studio 563 came to shoot with me for the day and he nailed the perfect groomsmen shot.

the fairy tale kiss.

rockefellar hall is breathtaking with the holiday decor.

houston, texas - lindsay and jarrod’s wedding

i had the honor of doing lindsay’s bridal session and was blown away with how gorgeous a bride and a person lindsay is. on top of that, her details were exquisite and i’ve been waiting ALL year for their wedding. (literally- we counted the days together) lindsay and jarrod’s wedding was a winter evening wedding so i was thrilled when lindsay and jarrod opted for a “day after” session to get amazing shots of the two of them together instead of trying to squeeze a little photo time of them between the ceremony and reception in the dark. so friends- stay tuned because those are coming up soon and i just can’t wait because they are INCREDIBLE.

lindsay and jarrod- i have enjoyed anticipating all year long with you for your wedding day. i adore the two of you together and enjoyed all the time we have spent together over these past months. xo.

hair and makeup: melanie givens - vogue designs

flowers: rockeflowers

ceremony: grace bible church

reception: rockefeller hall