William at 4 days old

What a treat for us, little Will brought his parents Geoff and Jasmine along for his itty bitty baby session. Geoff is an Army officer and serving our country fighting in Afghanistan. He is home for a very short leave and heads back in just a few days. His tour will be up in 3 months and we can't wait to hear the news that he is home for good. Jasmine looks wonderful and has glow about her. I think she is enjoying being a first time mom. She has a few challenges right now....baby William, husband deployed and finishing her law degree at the University of Texas at that same time! Jasmine will graduate in May. What a sweet new family.

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Rodeo Austin 2011

Vicki and I attended the Rodeo again this year. We always have a great time watching all of the action, ropen' and riden'. Those cowboys really have to work but I think the most fun is the mutton bustin'. This year a young lady, all of 7 years old, won the gold buckle. What a riot. I have added a few photos of the cowboys hard work but I think I was laughing too hard to shoot any of the mutton bustin. After the rodeo and during the set up for the concert I ducked out to see if I could find anything to shoot. There were a few spinning things out there so I shot them. This year the concert entertainment was supposed to be Blake Shelton but he had to do some TV stuff and was replace by LeAnn Rimes. I thought she did a great job, really talented.

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

 

Jill and Keith

Jill and Keith were married at the very big First Baptist Church in Georgetown. Jill was escorted down the aisle by her brother and carried memories of her father in a locket pinned to her bouquet. It was a special ceremony that united the two of them as well as their children. Then off to one of the most beautiful backyard receptions, ever. Family friends opened their home, provided a simply awesome meal, wine from the families very own vineyard (just feet from the house), and a super fun grooms cake that honored Keith's profession as a fire fighter. The cake was a masterpiece with flames and dry ice smoke. Homemade, frozen lemoncello was used for toasts and a piano provided the music for the evening. It was a very lovely evening, the Central Texas weather cooperated and guest enjoyed a stunning reception. I think Jill is going to have a hard time returning to her job with Austin Radiological...but wait - she gets to work from home! I think she has the best of both worlds, plus a wonderful new family!

 
 
 
 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Kate turns 1 year!

We got an early start celebrating Kate’s birthday! She turns 1 year on March 16th. The birthday hat was really not her thing, but the cupcake sure was! We have really had a good time with Kate. She is such a good girl, smart, learns quickly and has been a wonderful companion for Mark; who works from the house. We have also met some wonderful dogs and owners taking her to training. Paul and Tracy with Unleashed Unlimited have been terrific and Mark has been dedicated to teaching her. Happy Birthday, Kate!

 
 
 
 

 

 

Avoid wedding photography blunders

After a break for holidays and vacations, J. Mark Photography is back full swing with Spring wedding season. We haven't blogged on our tip series, recently... so with weddings gearing up, this is a perfect time!

1) Build in time for photography

As a general rule of thumb, you should probably allow about 1 ½ hours before the ceremony for pictures. Thirty minutes for the groom with groomsmen, then thirty minutes for the bride and her girls which leaves 30 minutes for the guest to arrive. Give your photographers plenty of time for pictures before the ceremony. Your photographers are really good, but they can't create "time". This is the one day in your life that you need to be really organized and tell everyone your expectations. But, wait.... we are not finished! We still have family, the whole wedding party, and you as a newly married couple. These need to be taken immediately after the ceremony. You want to get to your guest as quickly as possible, so to tell your family not to leave! We promise...you won't be sorry! Don’t forget to give a copy of your schedule to the photographer, your wedding party and your family members. The key is to get everyone on the same page.

2) Create a list and on-deck-circle

We talk with every couple about this topic and it is so important, we even have this in our agreement. Get together a list of " must have" photos. This is going to take some time on your part but it will definitely pay off when you see that you have all the images you wanted. We know all the standard groupings, bride with parents, groom with parents, but if YOU have a list and someone you have appointed getting one group ready while one group is having pictures taken, the process will go much faster.

3) Have you talked to your photographer, lately?

The days leading up to your wedding can be really hectic. You confirmed the food, your cake, the limo, the DJ, the flowers.... But rarely does a couple call us to confirm their photography! Why is that? We hope that the reason is pure confidence! But, your wedding photographer needs to know what you want. It is pretty well proven that mind reading does not work! This is why communication "before" the wedding day is very important. Be sure to share your wedding day schedule, ceremony events and reception timeline with your photographers. PS. A picture is worth a thousand words and surfing the web is free. Spend some time looking at wedding photography - see something you like? Send us the link or sample!

4) It is raining and you have planned an outdoor wedding

Before the wedding establish your rain plan. Work with your venue to find a good indoor spot. If the forecast calls for rain, purchase cute and colorful umbrellas for pictures of you and your groom making the best of the weather! J. Mark Photography has never had a rain out (knock on wood), but it could happen. What we like to call "informal" formals is a great option. Space may be limited, but we can always find a way to have everyone randomly find places to sit or stand in a room. These make great pictures.

5) It’s hot, sunny and you’re melting

If you’re planning outdoor photos for a summer wedding, you may want to consider asking your makeup artist and hair stylist to stick around until the ceremony or even until you’re done with post-ceremony photos. This way any drippy makeup or droopy tendrils can be quickly fixed by the professionals. As an alternate, you could make sure that a hair and makeup-savvy bridesmaid is on call for quick touch ups! Plan ahead, visit your venue an hour or two before your planned wedding time. Look for shade or a covered patio. Think about fun colored paper parasols.

6) Two members of the family simply don't get along

Anticipate, anticipate, anticipate! It is your wedding day and you would hope the family feud would be set aside. But sometimes it just doesn't. You know your family better than anyone, and you know who is getting along with whom. Make your decision about how you’re going to handle family photos and inform everyone of that decision. If you have your list from tip #2, you can better coordinate family groupings!