Family Portraits in Las Cruces: Emma at the Corn Maze!
Posted on November 2, 2009
Sunday night we met Emma and her parents down at the Mesilla Valley Corn Maze for some portraits! Emma’s mom Julie really wanted some shots of her in the pumpkin patch, playing around; and some family portraits as well. The Corn Maze is such an excellent place to go for portraits – even though there’s an admission fee, it’s well worth the price! There’s tons to do, an amazing pumpkin patch, and a new maze design every year.
The first thing we did is hop on the hay ride out to the pumpkin patch! You wouldn’t believe how many pumpkins they still had out there – must have been 10,000 of them! We had so much fun taking shots of Emma as she went from pumpkin to pumpkin, judging which one was the best, finding the biggest, and generally having a great time. Then we loaded back up on the trailer and headed over to the corn maze itself! We got some really cute shots of the family, and of Emma in the maze – she’s so dynamic and full of life!
We shot around the grounds a little bit, and while we took some photos of her parents together, Emma went and got her face painted at a nearby booth – you can see the result – a beautiful butterfly! What a perfect choice for such a sweet free spirited little girl!
Then it was time to say goodbye – but Jason and I hung out for a little bit and had some roasted corn, it’s the best!
Thanks guys for such a fun shoot!
Roz
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Mayfield Senior Portrait: Thomas!
Posted on August 26, 2009
Ok, somebody call GQ, stat. Our last senior, Jessie, told her boyfriend Thomas she was getting her senior photos done with us, and he wanted to have his done as well – so we met with Thomas and his dad in the studio, and booked his session for this last Monday. Thomas is super nice, and a real gentleman. Jessie told us about a location she and her friends had gone out and shot some photos at, so we decided to check it out, and do some of Tom’s photos there. We drove out to the valley after we’d done some stuff in the desert near the studio.
It’s chile time of course here in Las Cruces, and the smell of roasting chiles was taunting all of us while we were shooting. I have never craved green enchiladas so bad in my life. When we just couldn’t stand it anymore, and the impending thunderstorm just got too close, we packed it up and headed back to town. You’d almost think the session was being blessed – we saw the most vivid double rainbow over the city as we drove back up to the mesa. What a wonderful way to end our day! Here’s some of Tom’s photos!
Roz
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Mayfield Senior: Jessie!
Posted on August 23, 2009
It has been super busy around here with seniors lately, and I admit, I have been swamped with editing and shooting, leaving me so little time to blog! But, I loved Jessie’s session SO MUCH that I decided to go ahead and blog it today – a mere day after we shot it.
So we took Jessie out to Organ, one of our favorite places to shoot – there’s a ton of just funky old things and places out there that are perfect for senior portraits. Jessie’s boyfriend Tom came out with us – his session is tomorrow – because he and Jessie wanted some photos of the two of them together! They are smokin’ hot let me tell ya! Jessie’s mom came along as well, and we tramped around Organ and Las Cruces for most of the morning. At this building in Organ, we saw the craziest thing – thousands and thousands of bees had been trapped inside this abandoned building, and their carcasses were all piled up at the window sills. Disgusting! I hate bees. But we braved the outside of the building for some awesome shots.
Jessie is an accomplished violinist at Mayfield high – so we had to get some shots of her playing her instrument, and there is no better backdrop than our own Organ Mountains. Pretty soon though, it got too hot to bear, and we packed it up and headed home.
Can’t wait to shoot Tom’s session tomorrow, and we wish you both the best of luck in your senior year!
Roz and Jason
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Las Cruces Wedding: Rebecca + Thomas
Posted on July 14, 2009
We’re back from vacation, and I’m finally ready to blog Rebecca and Tomas’ wedding from July 4th! First, let me say, what a gorgeous wedding this was! The entire event was held at Las Cruces’ own Farm and Ranch Museum, and had a western theme. Simply gorgeous, with the Organ Mountains in the background. The Farm and Ranch Museum is such a wonderful venue, we love shooting there for any occasion – but weddings are so special there!
Before their ceremony however, Rebecca and her bridesmaids had their hair and makeup done by the unmatchable Rob Crawford of Crawford Studios. Rob does SUCH a fantastic job on brides, and always gets their hair and makeup just right! We love working with him, and our brides are always so very pleased with his work. Rebecca was no different – Rob did his usual stunning job for each member of the bridal party, and Rebecca’s mom as well. It was a morning filled with laughter and tears.
As usual, the bride was the last to have her hair and makeup done, so that it would be as fresh as possible for the ceremony – but right before Rebecca had her hair done, she came down with an AMAZING case of hiccups. I rarely make an appearance in photos here on the blog, but Jason took some photos of me trying to cure her hiccups with my amazing concentration trick. We were all laughing so hard – and it WORKED! We got rid of them just like that. If you ever get a case of the hiccups, come see me, and I’ll show you the trick!
Thomas and Rebecca did such a wonderful job with the details for their wedding – her dress was to die for, her shoes were stunning, and her ring…. oh the ring! What a gorgeous one Thomas picked out for her. We couldn’t help ourselves with the detail shots as usual. Barb at Barb’s Flowerland handled all the flowers – if you’re looking for a great florist, this is who you go see. Rebecca’s flowers could not have been more amazing. And they smelled even better. Rebecca was walking in front of us at one point, and the flowers smelled so good as she carried them in front of her!
By the time the ceremony started, it was already pretty warm outside, but thankfully, there were bottles of ice cold water available for all the guests as they entered the plaza at the ceremony. We could not have asked for a more gorgeous blue sky, and the ceremony was just beautiful.
After the ceremony, we took some time around the museum grounds to get some great shots of the happy couple, and some beautiful bridals of Rebecca. Then it was time to get the party rolling!
The party lasted long into the evening, with friends and family enjoying themselves and clinking their glasses to have the couple kiss whenever they felt like it! The shot of Rebecca dancing with her dad makes me tear up a little when I look at it, it was truly a special evening.
Congratulations Thomas and Rebecca, we wish you a happy new life together!
Roz
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Las Cruces Wedding: Ed + Darby
Posted on May 25, 2009
Our second wedding this Memorial Day weekend was Ed and Darby’s, here in Las Cruces. The girls got ready at the bride’s house just off Foothills; the guys were just a loud shout away at Encanto. From the moment we walked in, we knew this was going to be a fun group; the groomsmen started a competition to offend Roz (which continued throughout the evening), while the girls were drinking champagne and reading Cosmo at Yoli’s. Barb’s Flowerland did an amazing job with Darby’s flowers and the groomsmens’ boutineers.
Ed and Darby elected to have a first sight, which let us shoot most of the bridal party photos before the wedding. Ed was a tad delayed by his Boxer puppy Sasha, who hopped into the car when the guys stopped by his place for a few last-minute items and did not understand why she couldn’t come to the wedding too. Darby of course looked stunning, and Ed’s face lit up when he first saw her sitting on a bench in the Kent Hall courtyard, where the scene was set for a gorgeous ceremony.
After a lot of really incredible portraits, and a minor incident involving some dead tree branches that were in my way (I triumphed eventually, but it was a messy victory 
, Darby and her maids headed to another building while the guests got seated. La Cella Bella provided music to set the scene, then segued into the Wedding March as Darby entered, preceded by the wedding party. There were sprinkles of rain for luck during the ceremony, but the shining sun kissed the raindrops into molten gold. Afterward, we shot a few more sunset bridals (Darby’s cathedral-length veil provided options Roz just could not pass up), then everyone piled into the limo for the short drive to Old Mesilla and Josephina’s Old Gate.
Josephina’s was decked out to the nines with garden lights and black-and-white linens that turned the gardens into a New Mexican fairy-tale grotto as twilight descended. Soft music and happy conversation blended with birdsong; I completely forgot that we were just off Mesilla Square! For dessert, Darby and her maids created a delicious chocolate mousse, topped with garden-fresh berries and served in cups of milk chocolate.
After dessert, the party really got rolling. The guys broke out cigars, while the girls tore up the dance floor. Around midnight, Josephina’s was shutting down, but the party was still going strong, so the bridal party hopped into the limo and rode over to El Patio. Roz and I tagged along, and we got some more excellent images of everyone at the bar before we called it a night.
Ed and Darby, you guys had one of the prettiest weddings we’ve ever had the privilege of participating in. We’ll give you a shout when you get back from Hawaii!
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Las Cruces Wedding: Allison + Anthony
Posted on May 24, 2009
All you need is love…. all you need is love…. love is all you need….
This Saturday we were so privileged to photograph the wedding of Anthony and Allison, who are both huge Beatles fans! We were so excited about their wedding – we knew that all the music would be The Beatles, and there were also lots of other little details, as I’m sure you’ll see, that had our shutters clicking away in sheer delight!
First, I met Allison over at Crawford Studios, where Robert Tellez did his usual fabulous job with Allison’s hair and makeup. Allison had brought in a magazine photo that she really liked, and Robert wasted no time getting straight to work! Her makeup and hair were flawless, and they stayed that way all day long! Allison’s Maid of Honor, Melissa, also had her hair done at Crawford Studios, and looked equally fabulous. Time was running short however, so we rushed over to the brides parents house, where we got her into her dress!
Meanwhile, Jason was hanging out with Anthony and his parents at their house not too far away. As usual, things were a little more relaxed for the groom – they even broke out the guitars and had an impromptu jam session with Anthony’s dad! When they were finished jamming, Anthony had to get not only himself, but Allison’s little yorkie Hannibal ready for the wedding! Hannibal was starring as the ring bearer, and was quite dashing in his little tuxedo.
We all met up at the NMSU Botanical Gardens just outside Mesilla. Despite the fact that we’ve been having a week of on again – off again rainstorms, it couldn’t have been a more gorgeous day. The gardens were almost magically spring-like, with the birds chirping, the slight dampness in the air, and everything so fresh and green. Allison’s choice of blues, creams, and the brilliant colors of peacock feathers accented everything perfectly! Her bouquet, done by Barb’s Flowerland in Las Cruces was just perfect! The look on Anthony’s face when he saw his bride for the first time was priceless! It was an absolutely wonderful ceremony, ending with a butterfly release and many cheers for the newlyweds. After some quick bridals at the gardens, we were off to the Stan Fulton Center at NMSU, overlooking the stadium for the reception!
At the reception, the couple showed a slideshow, set to their favorite Beatles songs with their favorite snapshots and photos from their lives before they met, and while they were dating. After some very emotional toasts, it was time to cut the delicious looking cakes from Si Bistro! We were so excited, because we knew beforehand that one of the themes that the couple were trying to work into their wedding decor was Dia de los Muertos, and their cake toppers were skeletons dressed as a bride and groom! We loved them, original things like that really make a wedding special! We wish you both the best in your new lives together!
Roz
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