R & J Photography - The "Blog"

Oakwind E Session

2010-03-12T08:09:00.002-06:00

We recently had the opportunity to shoot at one of our favorite locations Oakwind in Alvin Texas with an amazing couple. Chelsey and Shawn were real troopers, it was cold and windy. Special thanks to Hayley of Eclipse Photography for her assistance, an extra pair of hands is always welcome...

Tandra & Brandon

2010-02-28T07:52:00.002-06:00

This weekend I had the honor and pleasure of photographing my good friend Tandra's wedding. She and Brandon are WONDERFUL people... I know you hear a lot about high school sweethearts, but they have been together since middle school... true love can last a lifetime... Here are a few of my favorites from Saturday's loving event... Best wishes to you both!!!

New Website LAUNCH

2010-01-14T19:09:00.002-06:00

Today we have launched our completely redesigned website at http://www.rjphoto.net/

Wedding in Willis

2009-09-27T14:17:00.016-05:00

Last night, I had the honor of helping a friend (Joe Heiliger) by 2nd-shooting a wedding with him. His usual assistant was not able to attend with him at the last minute and I was glad to help. I've known Joe for a few years now and it's always fun to work to work together when we can.

Last night's wedding was for Kelsey & Cody. They picked a beautiful location, one that I hope to have the opportunity to visit again sometime. It was quite a drive but Shepard Hills Estates had a lot of photo opportunities that were hard to pass up and a lot more that we just didn't have time enough to get to.

Arriving at 4:30, we had just a little over 2 hours until the ceremony was to start. That gave us plenty of time to get detail shots of the facility, get some of the "getting ready", and do most all of the formals of the bride's and groom's families separately. They had large blended families on both sides, so the extra time was greatly appreciated.

The ceremony was an outdoor wedding, set up simply and beautifully at the gazebo with tea-light candles lit around the garden. During their ceremony, they chose to do a sand ceremony instead of the unity candle. I have seen the sand ceremonies becoming more and more popular recently and, personally, I love it. To blend the sands, symbolizing the blending of the couple, and to show that they can never again be separated... awesome!

The reception followed in a beautifully decorated hall with lots of personal touches that the bride and her mother made. The colors were chocolate and tiffany blue and elegantly used. The reception was, again, simply beautiful.

Kelsey and Cody, if you read this, please know that I was honored to be a part of your day! Such a young couple and so full of love for each other!! And Joe, thank you SO much for inviting me to help!

See You At The Pole...

2009-09-24T19:51:00.002-05:00

See You at the Pole™ is a student-initiated, student organized, and student-led event. That means this is all about students meeting at their school flagpole to pray—for their school, friends teachers, government, and their nation. See You at the Pole™ is not a demonstration, political rally, nor a stand for or against anything.

See You at the Pole™ is scheduled annually on the fourth Wednesday in September, which this year was September 23 in 2009.
At L.V. Hightower (Missouri City , TX) this year we began our SYATP at 0630 with just a few students listening to the Word of GOD...
Also on hand was on of the Fellowship of Christian Hurricanes members who played a few great songs and led the group in Praise and Worship.
GOD's presence was all around the school today... Thanks for all of you that braved the cool and early morning to Worship HIM... See you all next year...

Mazel Tov!!

2009-09-07T01:36:00.016-05:00

About a month ago, we received a referral from our good friend Olyn at DJ Specialists. He had a family needing photography for a Bat Mitzvah. They had experienced a bad situation with another photographer and needed help in a hurry - their event was only 2 weeks away! We explained that this was our first Mitzvah but that we would be honored to be of assistance to them.

For those of you who are unfamiliar with Mitzvahs, they can often be multi-day events. We first met with Lexi and her parents for portraits on that Friday evening at the synagogue. Next, we spent most of the next day with them, first covering the service. Lexi had been preparing for the biggest day of her life for 6 months and we were all extremely proud of her as she read scriptures and her Torah portion. After the service concluded, a luncheon was served at the temple in honor of Lexi and her Mitzvah partner. And finally, later that night, was the part that Lexi had been anticipating the most - the party at Cafe Adobe!!Lexi, I know that you and your friends thoroughly enjoyed yourselves as you stomped on the bubble wrap and danced your hearts out. Remember this time in your life always and know how proud you make your family and friends. Mazel tov!!

~ Kathi The Gummy Bear Dance:Olyn, interacting with the kids:

Maggie & Kyle

2009-09-06T14:04:00.003-05:00

A few weeks ago, we had the privilege of photographing the wedding of Maggie & Kyle. They came to us through our friend Audry at Events by Audrey and we were honored to be a part of their special day!
Getting married at the Westchase Hilton, Maggie & Kyle chose to keep their wedding and reception all in one location. As Maggie is Chinese, the couple decided to observe Chinese traditions as well as American customs. Keeping their event at one location made it easier on their many out-of-town guests as well on Maggie as she changed into 3 different dresses throughout the evening. At one point in the evening, the guests were treated to a traditional Chinese Lion Dance - too cool!

The flowers were provided by Carmen's Florals and the cake was provided by Cakes & Culinary Creations.
A few more of our favorites:

If you would like to see more of Maggie's & Kyle's special day, feel free to check out their images in our proof gallery at http://rjphoto.net/081509/.

Rheanna - Modeling

2009-08-23T17:24:00.008-05:00

Enjoyed an early morning modeling session with our good friend Rashaan's daughter Rheanna...

This young lady has the right attitude to go far in the industry... and the fact that she is beautiful and fun to work with doesn't hurt at all.. thanks Rheanna, it was a pleasure to work with you...

Rocking at New Hope Church

2009-08-23T06:30:00.006-05:00

Last night I had the honor and privilege of photographing my good friends Ben Donnelly and Niccole Liston as they performed at New Hope Church.

The band was amazing as they always are. The crowd enjoyed the beautiful voice of Niccole as she sang "Grace Flows Down" and Ben brought down the house singing his huge hit "Mighty King". Here is a version of the song you can all enjoy. Stay tuned for the upcoming album...

Thank you GOD for giving them the talent to sing the sounds of your word so well...

Alondra & Marden ~ August 1st

2009-08-03T22:00:00.001-05:00

This past weekend we got an early start at Demer's with our good friends Alondra and Marden. They chose a morning wedding to avoid the Houston summer heat.

A nice feature of the Smith's wedding was to observe one of the current trends of the Unity Sand Ceremony...
The flowing sand and blending of the colors in the Unity Sand Ceremony symbolize the bringing together of two lives into one. Some couples prefer to leave a small amount of sand in their respective container to show that even though they now function as one, they remain individuals. The two sands symbolize everything that the bride and groom have been or will become in the future.
The blending of the sand represents the union not only of them but their friends and families as well. The separate sands once poured into the unity vase can never be put back into their separate vases. They are forever entwined just as the lives and loves of the bride and groom.

Thanks guys for letting us be a part of your special day...

Alondra & Marden - Part 2

2009-08-03T20:42:00.004-05:00

A couple of weeks ago, we had the good fortune of meeting Alondra & Marden. Being hired to photograph their engagement portraits, bridal portraits, and wedding day, we were excited to be a part of this special time in their lives. We posted their engagement portraits shortly after meeting them and promised to post the bridal portraits and wedding day images soon. Now that Marden has seen Alondra in her dress, we are happy to share a few of her bridals from that stormy day:

FREE Portraits....

2009-07-28T13:28:00.002-05:00

For the month of August we will be offering a Back to School Special of $50. Each $50 session includes a one hour on location session with online proofs, web images for use on Facebook, MySpace etc... and a $50 print credit which can be applied to you your order... Call today to book your session as slot are limited.

Thanks for your support..

God Bless

Rob and Kathi

Alys

2009-07-21T00:08:00.003-05:00

We have been friends with Alys for 20-something years. We've been there with her through the good times and the bad, photographing her several times along the way. In fact, the very first time she worked with Robert, she met him at a park and, opening her trunk, tells him "I hope you don't mind that I brought a prop!" Ummmm... he didn't mind until he saw her python. Over the years, Alys has worked her body to the limits to compete in various fitness contests. At almost 50 years old, she still looks amazing!!

Alys, it was awesome, as always, to see you again! Let's not wait so long to get together again though!!

Lisa & Rick

2009-07-20T23:23:00.005-05:00

We are always honored when couples hire us to photograph their wedding. We are even more honored, however, when the bride and groom are close friends. We have known Lisa & Rick for years and were ecstatic when they announced their engagement. It was a long time in the making and could not have happened to a better couple!

We met them for an engagement session a few months ago, just before we closed our studio. The weather had been bad that day, so we met them at the studio. The bad weather didn't stop us from having some fun though! Here are a few of the images from that session:

Getting closer to their big day, Lisa and her mom met me at Oyster Creek Park in Sugarland for a quick Bridal portrait session. Wearing make-up and a dress for only the 2nd time in her life, Lisa made a beautiful bride! She didn't need much make-up - she just glowed!!

Finally, the much anticipated date arrived - July 10, 2009. Lisa and Rick were married at Joe's Banquet Hall in Alvin, TX. Her father officiated the ceremony and her brother Chris escorted her down the aisle. Surrounded by their closest friends and family, Lisa & Rick enjoyed a beautiful wedding and an awesome reception. Laughs were shared, hugs were exchanged, and - at the end of the night - bubbles were blown as they sped away to a long awaited honeymoon.

Lisa and Rick, congratulations to you both! Thank you for inviting us to be a part of your day!

Alondra & Marden - Part 1

2009-07-20T22:56:00.009-05:00

Recently, we were contacted by Alondra & Marden about photographing their wedding. They have been planning their special day for the last year, after knowing each other for only a couple of weeks. They formed an immediate connection from the beginning and knew that, for them, it was absolutely the right decision. They are getting married August 1st and we couldn't be more excited for them!

Meeting with us last week, we started with a quick Engagement portrait session. Images from the session are below. When booking the session, I offered to do it at Oyster Creek Park in Sugarland. Little did we know at the time that it was the same location where Marden had proposed. How cool is that??

Later in the week, we met Alondra for a quick Bridal portrait session too. We have gone weeks with nothing but hot, nasty weather and yet, trying to shoot her bridals,we spent the entire session racing the rain. We got creative with our locations though and pulled it off, getting some beautiful images along the way. Marden, know that you have a BEAUTIFUL bride! We won't spoil it for you and post her Bridal portraits yet, but come back soon and we'll share more.

Alondra & Marden, you are truly a remarkable couple! We are excited to be a part of your day and are looking forward to capturing that special time for you!

The rain in the distance as we hurried to finish the Bridal session:

Selina & Israel

2009-07-12T12:11:00.003-05:00

A couple of weeks ago, we received a frantic email from a friend that works in the office at our church. A couple that belongs to our church had planned to renew their vows after 10 years of marriage. Israel, however, travels a lot for work and if they were going to do it, they had to do it quickly before he got sent overseas again. In their haste to pull everything together, they had been unable to find a photographer that fit the style that they were looking for. After talking with me, however, and viewing our website, we knew we had made a connection. And new friends.

During our phone interview, Selina expressed the desire to get some portraits made of her and Israel, as well as some new portraits of their children, to display at the reception. We only had a week to pull everything together that she wanted, but... we did it!

For the family and individual portraits, I met them at their house. They had wanted to do them outdoors, but the weather wasn't cooperating. We had a good time though, in spite of the weather. They have 3 adorable boys that were awesome to work with! The youngest, AJ, even got a fresh haircut for the event. He bragged most of the time that I was there that he got it cut "just like Ben's!" He said he wants to be just like Ben when he grows up - too cute!!

When the day of the ceremony finally arrived, we joined Selina and Israel, along with their family and friends, at New Hope Church. Their boys did an awesome job of standing as attendants and Pastor "B" officiated the ceremony. Afterwards, they headed to Las Rosas for some fun, food, and fellowship with family and friends.

Selina and Israel, thank you for allowing us to be a part of this time in your lives! We were honored to be allowed to capture these special moments for you!

~ Kathi

Ben Donnelly Band

2009-07-12T10:13:00.004-05:00

Recently, a friend from church invited us to come see him play with his band and take pictures of a performance that they were excited about. The Ben Donnelly Band had been invited to perform at the Chick-Fil-A restaurant in Pearland and we couldn't be more proud for him!

Arriving at the concert, we were worried that they might have to cancel. It had not rained in weeks and suddenly, about an hour before Ben was to take the stage, the skies opened up and poured. Chick-Fil-A was awesome and gave them time to dry out their equipment. The concert may have started a little late, but they still drew a huge crowd and everyone enjoyed the music!!

Special thanks to Chick-Fil-A for inviting the community to worship with the Ben Donnelly Band! Thank you, also, for the outstanding work that you are doing to raise awareness for Living Water International !

Ben and the band:

Ben and the folks from Chick-Fil-A:

Getting Married?

2009-06-24T12:15:00.004-05:00

Click the image to see it larger...

We offer many custom options, payment plans and over 20 years wedding photography experience... Give us a call today or email us at weddings@rjphoto.net

Diva in the making...

2009-05-18T23:33:00.004-05:00

We have known and worked with Briauna since she was little. Her mom is our original "Diva" but Bri is a model in the making and has claimed her own title of Diva as well. Recently, she won every category, including the Supreme Queen title, in a beauty pageant and we couldn't be more proud!! We haven't seen her in a while though, so we decided that a photo shoot was long overdue and met her at one of our favorite spots today. The images shown here are just a few of our favorites. And Diva, as you read this, know that we love you to pieces!! And we hope that you enjoyed having time to play with us every bit as much as we enjoyed it... Just do us all a favor and stop growing up so quick!!

John & Irene - April 24, 2009

2009-04-27T00:05:00.011-05:00

Robert and I attend New Hope Church in Manvel, TX. A couple of months ago, one of our pastors approached us, asking if we would help him and his fiance with some Engagement portraits and then talk about their wedding needs.
This is a 2nd marriage for each of them, so we also did a session with their new blended family.
Images from both of these session were then used in their custom guest book.
We were excited to be a part of John's and Irene's special day! Photographing the wedding of a pastor of a large church, however, we knew that we might need a little extra help so our friend Chris Kemski of Parkway Photography came along to help Robert and I make sure that we could provide the coverage needed. Thank you for all of your help, Chris!
The wedding day started out well. It was beautiful outside and everything inside was coming along nicely. The bride and groom were both pretty relaxed and eager to get to their vows. Irene and the girls were mostly ready when they arrived, but John and the boys got ready at the church. To make their day even more special, John's dad officiated the ceremony and their 5 children served as attendants. Jay, Griffin, Olivia, Julia, and Elena did an outstanding job and even had their own vows to repeat during the ceremony, promising to help their family be strong and grow together.After the ceremony, there was a small reception at the church for all in attendance. Realizing that the beautiful afternoon weather had turned into a torrential downpour outside, most of the guests enjoyed a little extra time to congratulate the newlyweds and socialize.
Coffee was provided by Starbucks and cake was served for all present.The wedding party, family, and some of John's and Irene's closest friends then proceeded to Joe's Banquet Center in Alvin, TX, for a really nice dinner reception. The room was relaxed and the food was good. It was a special night for John and Irene and they both glowed as they went from table to table thanking their guests for being a part of their day. Towards the end of their night, they shared a first dance together and then a special moment as their new family joined them in a group hug to finish their dance.John and Irene, thank you for allowing Robert and I to be a part of your amazing day! We were honored that you invited us to share with you and witness this special time for you and your new family! To view the entire wedding click here...

KSBJ & Michael W. Smith

2009-03-18T18:09:00.003-05:00

Chick-Fil-A and KSBJ (Houston's Christian radio station) bring various recording artists to our area monthly for "Brown Bag" concerts that are free to the public. Today, to celebrate their 10th anniversary of their "Enter His Gates" program, they invited Michael W. Smith to give a concert. There was a HUGE turnout and we had a really good time. A little sunburned, but good time nonetheless. Thank you to Chick-Fil-A and KSBJ for the opportunity!!!

Today's M.C. - Tim McDermott, KSBJ's General Manager:

The crowd:

And the star of the show, Michael W. Smith:

Keila and AB

2009-03-17T21:03:00.006-05:00

OK... It's been a while since we've really done any serious blogging, but we have some fresh stuff to share that we are excited about. A couple of months ago, my niece referred one of her best friends to us for her wedding photography coverage. Keila and AB ended up booking us to do both their Engagement Session and their wedding and we were honored to be invited to share in this important time in their life!

First, we met them at the Woodlands Mall a couple weeks ago for their E-Session. They chose to do their session at the spot where AB proposed to Keila - I thought that was SO romantic! The three images below are the favorites that they chose to use at the wedding for their framed signature matte:

THEN came the big day - last weekend, Robert and I had the pleasure of witnessing the event with all of their friends and family. They chose to keep it small and intimate afternoon affair, again very romantic. Robert doesn't always shoot with me these days, so I really enjoyed his help this time. Between us, we worked hard to capture all the details and all the moments. He's still processing much of the wedding day images but here are some of our favorites:

A romantic moment overlooking the lake:Their first dance...
Details...The Hands...

A Day in the Flowers

2009-03-06T08:46:00.008-06:00

The wildflowers are coming! The wildflowers are coming! We are starting to see SOME wildflowers pop up - bluebonnets, Indian paintbrush, Indian blanket and pink evening primrose. It is still just a bit early, but if the warm weather stays, the next few weeks should be great for wildflowers.

Stay Tuned for more about our annual "Day in the Flowers" sessions...

YES, we did!

2008-11-07T11:50:00.002-06:00

Change CAN Happen! Thanks to all of you who helped us support Barack Obama in his fight to the White House... FINALLY, the people have a say... No more GOP, business as usual! Things are about to "CHANGE" Congrats Barack!

Happy Halloween

2008-10-31T03:23:00.001-05:00

Just wanted to take a moment to wish all of you a HAPPY HALLOWEEN