I have a theory that when it comes to food, there are basically two types of people. On the one hand, there are foodies. People who love to eat and know a ton about it. Urban Dictionary defines foodie as: A person that spends a keen amount of attention and energy on knowing the ingredients of food, the proper preparation of food, and finds great enjoyment in top-notch ingredients and exemplary preparation. Then, on the other hand, there is another type: Fatties. I am one of them. We like food just as much as foodies. We just don’t care who made it or with what ingredients they’re made with. We enjoy eating with foodies because they know where all the good food is, but when it comes down to it, fried calamari is fried calamari is fried calamari.

Meet two of the foodiest foodies I know: Pete (gastronomics) and Melody (gourmet fury). These two met online, not through Match, not through eharmony, and not through hotornot.com….but through their blogs. It’s a pretty charming hollywood romance that can only occur when all the stars are aligned, and since Pete is one of my oldest friends, I’m thrilled to be part of this perfectly rare alignment of stars.

So, check out their incredibly fun, cold, and sweet engagement session in some of Austin’s top foodie hangouts. Needless to say, good laughs and good food came standard.

First up: Peche Austin.

Second stop: Parkside, Pete’s favorite.

Walking around South Congress.

Jo’s Coffee on South Congress

Yep, 37 degrees. Warriors.

So, yea. I can pretty much be persuaded to shoot anywhere under any conditions for 1st class round trip tickets. That, and good people, good burgers, and an opportunity for some great photos! (Really, though, 1st class is a must). Just kidding. In fact, this was the first time I have EVER flown 1st class. And to prove it, I took pictures of every single detail, including the peanuts and my seat number. Ryan, the Executive Platinum client behind the free upgrade, suggested I sit by the window to get a good view of NYC as I flew in…and wow, it was beautiful. Here’s an instragram journal of my flight in:

The lady next to me must have thought I was a noob. But, really, first class was so awesome and the next time I fly, I might just sit down in the first available 1st class seat until someone kicks me out. So, anyway, on to Betty and Ryan’s engagement session. FIrst, let me tell you how cold it was. It was cold. Like, freezing cold. Think, 19 degrees and 10-15mph winds, “feels like 8 degrees” cold. (Those of you in Dallas will scoff at this because we recently experienced “feels like 0 degrees” weather.) Ouch.

So, what does this look like in terms of clothes? It’s not one, but two, layers of thermal underwear (tops AND bottoms), a long sleeve shirt, a long sleeve button up, jeans, scarf, a thick wool coat with a hood, a Texas Longhorns beanie, ear muffs, face/neck mask wrap, Columbia omni-heat gloves, smartwool thick wool winter socks, boots, and 8 packs of 10-hour hand warmers. And it was still cold. But, wait till you see what Betty and Ryan wore for the all-over-town engagement session:

These were taken at the New York Public Library, which is more of a museum than a library. I don’t think you’re normally allowed to shoot there, but we spoke to a really nice security guard and promised we would stay quiet and read some books.

No Flash vs. Flash:

Cafe Lalo. (You’ve Got Mail)

I’ve gotta say this was one of my favorite engagement sessions. Betty and Ryan were so fun, had such great attitudes (despite it being negative 100 degrees outside) and we ate some darn good food. I had Shake Shack for the first time and loved it so much that I ordered a 2nd burger after finishing the first. Drool.

Needless to say, I can’t wait for their wedding at Hotel Zaza in March!
P.S. Special thanks to my sister, Christine, for standing in the cold all day, being our public transportation guide, and being the best sister I’ve ever had. In true New Yorker fashion, she had the least amount of layers on among all of us. Incredible.

It’s been ridiculously agonizing to write this blog post. The first of 2011. I don’t know why. Maybe it’s because of the backlog of 2010 posts I have to tackle. Or maybe it’s the backlog of editing I have to complete. Or the albums. Or the engagements. Or the Black Ops XP I find myself needing to reach. I don’t know what it is, but it’s been painstakingly brutal to even think about writing blog posts. My blog even wrote on my Facebook wall today, pleading with me to give it some love.

(This may have been photoshopped a little bit.)

So, here I am, sitting at my desktop (which I haven’t done in about 2 weeks, thanks to New Year’s in Vegas, a wedding in Houston, an engagement in Austin, and a girlfriend in Dallas), finally wiping off the dust on my keyboard, powering up my mouse, and getting 2011 kicked off right, albeit almost 3 weeks late. Don’t get me wrong; in between the holidays, the eating, and the traveling, I’ve managed to edit, email, and shop rather efficiently from my sofa and my iPad these last few weeks.

But, here we go. I’m ridiculously excited about 2011 and all the wonderful people and places I get to shoot this year! In addition, I hope to take more time to relax, hang out with friends, and work towards a more balanced life. Sounds easy enough, doesn’t it? Oh yea, I also gave up sodas about a month ago. I have to admit though, I showed my weakness one night and went out and bought a Coke. But, c’mon…ONE soda in 5 weeks? That’s a personal best.

Alright, to kick off my inaugural 2011 post, here are some recent images I shot that get me all excited and giddy. PLUS, I’m hosting another contest for all those recently or about to be engaged couples to win a free engagement session + sign in book + gallery canvas print. See below. After these frames.

enoch’s san francisco proposal to yvonne

prardhana and patrick’s engagement session in dallas

allison and aaron’s anniversary session at a jeep junkyard

ursula and nathan’s day after session in dallas

link to the official contest here.

Goodbye 2010!

Hello 2011! (“Ring” in the new year…get it??)

2010 has been an incredible year. So many wonderful moments along with several challenging growth opportunities. After 3 years of doing this, I know I wouldn’t change a single thing. I’ve also come to realize that what I seek most is the challenges. I think when it comes down to it, I am fueled by the creative, fast paced challenge of shooting in new locations, working with different people/cultures, conceptualizing new shots, and the constant opportunity to grow and expand the business of Table4. With 2010 coming to an end, I’m grateful for the moments of joy, many challenges, and the support of family, friends, and clients. I especially look forward to 2011 with a brand new set of challenges, brand new moments, and adding new members to the Table4 family. =)

So, since I’m in a grateful (and giving) mood, I will be putting together an Engagement Season Giveaway/Special. I’m not exactly sure how it will work just yet, but stay tuned all you recently engaged (and about to be engaged) couples!

P.S. I’ll be out of the office until January 5th, so please excuse any delays in returning emails or calls. Have a safe New Year’s Eve and a good weekend everyone!

P.P.S. I just learned how to tie a bow tie! Hello high society!

Susan and Soo’s engagement in Dallas was nothing short of epic. They brought along iconic modern vintage props such as: old black and white photos, fluffy dogs, pearls, Louboutins, Choo’s, classy styling, and a romantic, unrehearsed interaction. These New Orleans natives also bring with them a mysteriously sexy side that I was fortunate enough to witness and capture. I can not WAIT for their bling’ed out wedding with the Queen of Bling herself, Jordan Payne!