Rasy Ran Photography

Alvin and Niki's Wedding - Richardson, TX

2012-02-15T15:31:00.000-06:00

Alvin and Niki held their wedding reception at Caravelle in Richardson. The venue was decorated with vivid reds and whites, and flowers displayed throughout the reception. I met the two through a mutual friend of mine, Brian, who is Alvin's younger brother.

I started off the coverage photographing against a backdrop they provided with standalone lights of Alvin and Niki with guests, and made prints that night, which the guests could take home (you can see example in the post).

After everyone was settled in and started mingling, Alvin's father thanked everyone, and certain guests by name for recognition:

Alvin's mother was one of them:

The MC made an announcement, and introduced the best couple of the night:

Promptly after, the band opened up with their first song:

While dinner was being served, it's customary in the Asian culture for the bride, groom, and immediately family and friends to go table to table, thanking them for coming and share a small toast:

Sometimes it doesn't end at a toast for certain tables though. One person had the groom play a game where he has to find his wife down the line - blindfolded!:

Soon, it was time for their first dance, and I have to say, they looked very happy together:

And now we have an open dance floor!:

In-between the dancing, it was time to cut, eat, and serve the cake:

Alvin wasted no time opening, and sharing the champagne with Niki:

Niki made a brief announcement that whoever catches the bouquet, had to get married on the spot (jokingly, of course):

I suppose some are always ready:

And now back to dancing festivities!:

Some of the details throughout the night, including the prints I mentioned earlier:

Alvin, Niki, thank you guys for bringing us out and letting us photograph your special day. May your days as husband and wife be filled with happiness!

Rasy Ran Photography

College Park Center

2012-02-03T11:26:00.003-06:00

I photographed the ceremonies and the doubleheader basketball games against UT-San Antonio, all revolving around the newly opened College Park Center on Wednesday. Check it out here at Arlington Texas Magazine.

Creative Series Interview

2012-01-25T18:14:00.000-06:00

Hop on over and take a look at an interview I did with one of my good friends, Laura Sliva, for her Creative Series here.

Mandi's Bridals - Morton H. Meyerson Symphony Center

2012-01-23T16:32:00.000-06:00

Click here to enter the password to view Mandi's bridals

Ashley's Bridals - The Woodlands, TX

2012-01-17T15:02:00.000-06:00

Click here to enter the password to view Ashley's bridals

Alvin and Niki's Pre-Wedding Shoot

2012-01-09T12:53:00.001-06:00

I hope the holidays have been good to everyone. 2011 was a great year -- made even better after completing my first, full year as a full-time freelancer after college!

I was requested to take photos of Alvin and Niki for their wedding that will take place next month. We shot on the last day of the year, on New Year's Eve, at the Dallas Arboretum, and the weather couldn't be more perfect. They wanted to display a large print at the reception, and decided for a couple's shoot.

We started in the middle of the walkway leading up to the frog fountains, and made these two photos:

As we made our way through the gardens, I had them pose for a back-lit photo filled by one of my off-camera flashes:

I wanted to go for a cleaner backdrop here, and just used a simple shadow:

A detail of Niki's ring. It's interesting to see how couple's change up their hand holding when you ask them:

We went down past the big hill and shot on the theater grounds, and I took these images:

Alvin suggested that they also liked candid photos -- here's one I took during the shoot:

We moved onto a wrapping stairwell, and took some formals, along with a kiss at the end:

Here's an great example of when you tell your client(s) "test shot," and you noticed how naturally relaxed they are:

This was another great example of some of the poses that came natural to them towards the end of the shoot, after having done them earlier in the session. I didn't have to direct them for this one, and I enjoyed how that translated:

Alvin, Niki, thanks for bringing me along and being open and thorough with your ideas and suggestions! You guys were a pleasure to work with and modeling only came natural -- I can't wait until the wedding day!

Rasy Ran Photography

Christkindl Market, Arlington

2011-12-14T14:52:00.001-06:00

Take a look at the coverage I did of Arlington's inaugural Christkindl Market for Arlington Texas Magazine:

Rasy Ran Photography

Logan, 1 week

2011-12-08T12:51:00.001-06:00

This past weekend I got to spend time with Katie and Ben's newborn son, Logan, whom I must say was awesomely named after Wolverine from X-Men. I went and photographed their then 1-week-old in their home, and made some portraits of their first child. Here are some that I took during the session.

The shoot was pretty straightforward, since he was very cooperative, and looked content most of the time (what's not pleasing about that?):

Then I went for details of the feet. Though they look bigger in the photo, the toes are the size of small peas!:

We shifted him to the side for this horizontal:

Katie was brought in to shush Logan, as he was briefly crying, and it calmed him right away:

Their black Labrador, Roscoe, wanted a photo too:

We moved the session into the nursery, and took some photos there. Mother and child was what came to mind first:

Then brought in Ben (and Roscoe) for this photo:

Logan was placed on the changing station, which in its own design makes for a simple photo:

Katie, Ben, congratulations on the new addition to the family. It's a always a treat to see you guys, and getting to photograph the growth of your family.

Rasy Ran Photography

Two Recent Restaurants

2011-11-30T15:03:00.001-06:00

Take a look at couple of restaurants I recently photographed, Olenjack's Grille and Potagér, for Arlington Texas Magazine, here and here:

Rasy Ran Photography

Chad's R1 Raven

2011-11-12T13:00:00.001-06:00

A couple of nights ago I photographed a Yamaha R1 Raven Edition that belonged to a friend of mine, Chad, which was a nice change of pace. It was a night shoot, so a tripod was necessary, and I brought a couple of flashes triggered wirelessly to light the bike.

The first spot we went to was a small business district off Interurban Street in Richardson, with its solid-colored buildings, it served as a simple environment:

A detail of the dual-carbon fiber Akrapovic exhaust:

And the main decal on the side of the motorcycle:

We went to The Shops at Legacy, and photographed on top of the parking garage next to the Angelika theater in Plano, and made these:

As I said earlier, it was a nice change to go from my typical daylight shooting of human subjects, to night shooting of an inanimate object. Thanks Chad - try to stay under the speed limit :P.

Rasy Ran Photography

The VanKirks

2011-11-09T17:08:00.002-06:00

I recently finished another family session in Denton. I met Tessa and her family, who were introduced to me by Carrie, and her sister-in-law, Stephanie, also attended with her son Aiden. While the weather clouds looked stormy and had a fifty percent chance of rain, the clouds parted and drifted away during the session, and came back towards the end. We started at the square, and moved to our second location, Old Alton Bridge, for the second half:

The stairs at the courthouse always make for great formals:

And here is one of Stephanie and Aiden:

Shortly after the initial formals, I had the kids play around the courthouse, and on the courthouse for some candids:

Isaac underneath tree limbs:

Stephanie and Aiden sat down for this shot, and Stephanie displays her affection here:

I took an individual of Cooper:

And Aiden as well, hugging mom:

We walked away from the square towards Sweetwater, where Kevin and Tessa actually had their first date, so I did another family portrait with the two of them kissing:

The wooden backdrop made for some nice, clean lines:

On the otherside of the Sweetwater storefront was this dark window accented with red and yellow paint:

We moved from the square to Old Alton Bridge, and took the remaining photos there. With the recent storm clouds acting as a diffuser, and the approaching sunset, it gave me a great window of light that only lasted for less than half an hour.

The families wanted some photos of all six of them together, and here's one of them:

Then I moved onto some individuals on the bridge:

And then [part of] Tessa's family, as Isaac was busy playing on the bridge!:

Thanks Tessa, Kevin and Stephanie, for the chance to meet you and your wonderful kids. I look forward to the next session.

Rasy Ran Photography

The Greer and Horsch Families, and Pumpkins

2011-11-02T13:56:00.000-05:00

Recently, I was brought along to document the Greer and Horsch family on their outing to the Dallas Arboretum. Unfortunately, Carrie was out sick and couldn't make it, but sent superdad (as he termed it) along with the boys. You may remember Andrea and her family as I went over to their home to photograph Oliver's first birthday earlier this year. They are friends of the Greers and came along as well, making this a fairly simple dual family shoot.

I photographed a formal of the Horsch family early in the beginning:

After the group mingled for a bit, the kids went straight into play-mode. Here's a photo of Jack and leading the adults:

And Nate taking the first smell of the flowers:

We stopped on a stairway to grab individual photos of Jack, Nate, Sam, and Oliver, respectively:

Then when we got to the pumpkin houses, I made some quick portraits due to the large crowds:

Oliver did pretty well climbing through the batches of pumpkins:

The Greers peer through one of the window panes of a pumpkin house:

I suggested everyone to check out the hay bale maze setup they have annually as well:

We started to make a trek to the other side of the arboretum, to where the kids typically play, here's a shot of Paul and Sam on the way:

The first stop was at the wagon, with Nate looking out:

Then we made it to the smaller houses, fit for the kids to run around in, and that's what happened:

And a tree too:

Thank you Carrie, Paul, Andrea, and Corey for bringing me out on a nice Fall day and keeping up to date with your family's growth.

Rasy Ran Photography

Ashley's Senior Portraits

2011-10-26T15:09:00.001-05:00

A good friend of mine, Ashley, wanted her graduation photos done at Denton Square, so we spent a better part of a Sunday mid-morning photographing them. She plans to go into teaching in Texas, and I couldn't commend her more for that, as educators always have my support.

The natural progression flowed from starting at the center with the courthouse to branching out and taking advantage of the textures and stairwells around the square. I noticed I was more vertically-inclined regarding orientation during the shoot, so this set of images make for a longer post in nature.

The courthouse always provides a nice central location, and the antiquated stairs gave a nice contrast to her dark outfit:

We stopped in front of doorway and photographed this, which was taken with an off-camera remote flash:

When she changed into her second outfit, the green gave a stark contrast with her hair, so I decided to go with a headshot:

Sometimes the backdrops can be unplanned, as in this instance, I shot this in a parking lot with her sitting on some building materials:

We moved to the mural on the side of Recycled Books, Records, CDs, joining her with her alma mater, UNT, as she sports a second green top:

Towards the end, I wanted to get another headshot, this time lying on the grass:

Then, comes the cap and gown:

Congratulations, Ashley! College is nearly done and over -- you made it!

Rasy Ran Photography

Fall Update and Chris and Mandi's Engagements

2011-10-21T14:36:00.001-05:00

My apologies, blog world, I have neglected you far too long. I have been sorting out various sessions and events, preparing for them, photographing them, and finally now get a chance post what I've been recently shooting in the next few days. Also, I recently began freelancing for Arlington Magazine, a new start-up! You can view my first article and photos here.

At any rate, onto Chris and Mandi's downtown Fort Worth engagement session!

I initially met Chris through our appreciation of cars, and we periodically kept in touch since we went same school, UT-Arlington. When Chris contacted me about providing coverage of their wedding, I couldn't be happier for them.

We started the session on Sundance Square and photographed around the DR Horton Tower:

When we stopped for this photo briefly in front of the parking garage shutters, there was an elderly woman who patiently waited on the other side in her whisper-quiet Mercedes. I just wanted to point out some of the things viewers don't think about when seeing the finished product:

We walked north a couple of blocks and I had them stop at one of the nearby courtyards for this shot:

We also photographed at the Fort Worth Water Gardens, which made a nice retreat on an early Friday afternoon:

After the session in the gardens, I had them follow me as we drove to Trinity Park, which is always welcoming to walking:

They sat at a bench so I could get this shot of Mandi (it was actually the third bench, the sun kept interfering with her eyes, yikes!):

The ontrast of their hands and jeans with a detail of the ring is always a nice touch:

Oh, I forgot to mention, they are committed Stars fans. I wanted the photo to express a bit of their relationship, and more of their following:

Right underneath the Interstate 30 overpass along the Trinity Park trail, there were individual colored columns that wanted photos in front of, so I snapped away:

Chris and Mandi had their first quasi-date (as Chris termed it) at Mijo's in Pantego, a restaurant that serves tasty Mexican food, and they decided to end the session with a few pictures there:

The date of their wedding!:

And I'll leave the session with this photo! Photos of food, not to mention enjoying it, always ends on a good note at the end of a long session (who doesn't love food?):

Thank you Chris and Mandi for rescheduling with me due to inclement weather, and for working with me throughout the whole engagement session. You two looked beautiful together -- I look forward to Mandi's bridals soon, and the wedding at T&P!

Rasy Ran Photography

How My Dog Inspired Me Into Pet Photography

2011-08-01T10:19:00.120-05:00

After Rochelle and I took Sheva home a little over a year ago, she has been family ever since. My experience with pet ownership started with feral cats who quite literally walked into my life and home.

Though, I have to say, having a dog is...different. Dog owners can relate, they can be extremely loyal, bring you up when you are down, want to go everywhere you are, and instill a type of unconditional one-way love you experience when you walk through the front door.

If we didn't see her sitting patiently, yet eager when we grabbed a leash to try her out at the Richardson Animal Shelter, she may have been somebody else's dog.

The fact being, she was somebody else's dog for two years, and then dropped off at the pound because she wasn't a excellent purebred.

If it wasn't for that happening, I wouldn't have cataloged pictures of her, with people, with the cat, with other dogs, and share that same camaraderie that pet owners possess. While I love my cat and past cats equally as much, it provides a different view on a pet's life who was once feral and showed up one day, and another who was abandoned simply due to their genetic makeup.

It is that bond that I want to understand and share with the world, the warming emotion that is evoked only by your pet(s) when you see a picture of them.

Should you be serious about preserving your pet(s) in photographic form, I can be there. I'd like to provide the candid coverage in the simple comfort of their home and/or at their favorite retreats. I'm starting at an introductory rate that will only last a limited time.

I look forward to not only working with you, but your smaller company.

Rasy Ran Photography

Taos, New Mexico in 2011

2011-07-08T15:18:00.002-05:00

This year's annual trip to see Rochelle's grandmother in Taos was probably the most relaxing. I've been there each year for the past three years, and this year we actually didn't do too many outdoor activities. We did, though, bring two patient dogs with us. One, being our 3-year-old black Labrador, Sheva, and a dog for her grandmother, a cream colored six-month old Shepard mix.

With the record wildfire in Los Alamos beginning to spread on the day we arrived, it eventually led to cancellations of many outdoor sights and sounds later in the week. The lack of activities didn't really bother me personally, since I took so many overdue naps, I lost count. That was something I almost never do back home, and it gave me a chance to unwind.

I was always fascinated by these power line crossings on Interstate 287. In the 12 hour trip there, this is the only time they cross the road:

Our good friends Jay and Kayla were road tripping up to Utah, and stayed in New Mexico for a couple of days during their journey. They wanted to stop in Taos to say hello and have us document their vow renewals alongside the West Rim of the Rio Grande Gorge - a beautiful location for two beautiful people, congratulations!:

Here is a collection of seashells, left on an edge, we found on the way back from the trail. A sign of a distant offering:

We visited the Mabel Dodge Luhan House and took our furry friends with us:

Here's a shot of our friend who watched as Sheva played in a nearby water stream:

Later during the week, the fire worsened, and affected my respiratory system a bit when I read outside. Here's a shot of the sun that was peeking between all of it:

You can see the gradations of smoke to non-smoke as you go further back:

And that was pretty much our trip. Even though we didn't travel up, down, and side to side around Taos, it was, as I said previously, the most relaxing:

Thanks again, New Mexico. Until next year.

Rasy Ran Photography

Kiran and Jake's Wedding

2011-06-21T17:02:00.002-05:00

A good friend of mine and former colleague, Aisha, introduced me to Kiran and Jake, who held their three-day Pakistani-American wedding around the metroplex. Kiran and Jake held their first day at Roma Palace in Garland, then at the Omni Dallas Hotel at Park West for the second day, and closed their wedding weekend with a brunch at the Worthington Hotel in Fort Worth. The wedding was colorful and ornate, and executed very well.

I wanted to start the entry with a few details of Roma Palace; and here are some that caught my attention:

While guests were mingling and making their way into the venue, I took some candids:

Jake makes his entrance to the venue from outside:

And then inside:

Kiran's nephew stands at the front of the line with the group that is accompanying her into the building:

Jake waits briefly on the chair pictured in the first image:

Here, you can see a selection of the decor that rests upon the ground and stage:

Kiran makes her entrance, as her entourage of family members follow suit:

And then helped onto the stage with assistance from Jake:

I wanted this image to focus on just the colors and decor, rather than their faces. You can see that the colors of the wedding worked well here:

The two are then dressed, fed, hugged, and conversed with:

Two chairs are placed at the opposite end of the room, as the final ceremony of the night consisted of dance performances put on by friends and family alike:

On the second day at the Omni Hotel, we started off with environmental and detail shots again:

Kiran and Jake were ready shortly after we got there, as we blocked off some time for some portraits and a relaxing period before the wedding:

We can't forget the henna:

Then I moved to taking some bridals which continued to the presidential suite they were staying in:

As guests were packing the front hallways of the ballroom, the fruity drinks and appetizers accompanied their social gatherings:

Both groups make their separate entrances under the archway, and here they are in a diptych:

Their wedding officiant briefed the audience in English about the passages he was going to read in the Quran about the sanctity of marriage, and then read them natively in Arabic, which I thought was pleasant:

The rings were exchanged and dinner went well underway:

Celebrations moved to the cake table, sliced, and served:

Kiran and Jake shared the stage with sisters of the bride and groom who shared details of their memories in their speeches. They were sweet and sentimental:

When I saw this image in the editing process, I wanted to include it just for the clothing contrasts, and it was taken during the speeches, too:

Jake is then briefly guided by Kiran's father in signing the marriage certificate:

Did I mention there were a lot of pictures being taken through their wedding?

The third day took us out to the Worthington Hotel in Fort Worth. The celebrations here were lighter, since it was a short brunch, but it was nice to way to wind down for everyone partaking in the wedding:

I made this spot a location for most of the formals early on, and had a nice long walkway when I used the telephoto, here:

The two met and greeted with more family and friends that arrived at the hotel:

During the brunch, I wanted to make a few final portraits of Kiran and Jake, so I asked for their time, and we went outside:

Kiran shows some of Jake's family her henna after going back inside:

I wanted to close with a shot of the rings next to the delicious, sweet cake that was served:

Kiran, Jake, and everyone that was involved, thank you all very much for being a part of this and working with me to make the wedding coverage streamlined. I really appreciate you guys for bringing us out there, until next time!

Rasy Ran Photography

Emily and Zach's Wedding at the McKinney Cotton Mill

2011-06-08T16:16:00.006-05:00

Emily and Zach's wedding at the McKinney Cotton Mill was fantastic. The details like the décor, cupcake cakes, and even the shades supplied for the bridal party all defined them very well. The wedding showed a playful mood, yet held serious and sentimental tones at the right times. Here is a collection of images from their special day:

Sarah, whom you may recognize from her wedding last year, was Emily's maid-of-honor. They got ready at a hotel not too far from the venue itself:

Zach and the guys got dressed at the Westin Stonebriar Resort in Frisco, where the newly weds stayed after the wedding:

While Rochelle stayed with the girls, I stayed with the guys, and we got our share of details:

The girls wait the lobby before heading out to the cotton mill:

Emily eagerly puts her dress into the truck:

At this point, the guys were nearly done at the hotel, and they try on the shades:

Zach gave each groomsman a personalized flask, which I thought was nice:

Emily and her helpers tend to the dress while getting ready at the cottonmill:

When both parties arrived, I spent the time taking speedy portraits, since I didn't want them exhausted before the start of the ceremony:

Boutonnières were pinned onto the men, and boy, too:

Here are some shots of the reception, which displays a quaint, western theme:

In the final moments before ceremony, the marriage license is signed by the officiant, Emily peeks at guests filing in and signing the guestbook, and Trevor fills in the background on keyboards:

Emily sheds a few tears and peeks around the corner before heading down the aisle:

At the front, Emily is given away, as Zach joins hands with his wife-to-be:

A shot of the nice, open sky backdrop on a Summer Saturday:

Prayers have been said, the verses read, and vows exchanged -- now comes the ring fitting and kiss:

Emily and Zach leave the ceremony as husband and wife:

The bridal party retreated to the office of the cottonmill to cool down and relax before taking some more photos:

We went back out to the ceremony site, which was cleared by now, and took the last bit of formals:

The bride stands out just a bit:

Emily and Zach make their entrance into their reception together, as one:

After guests have settled in and mingled for a bit, the formalities of the wedding called them to the cupcake table, where Zach smooched her with one:

Then re-located to a spot near the DJ, Melody Gualtiere (whom I must say was exceptional), as Cody and Sarah gave their heartwarming speeches:

It was time for Emily and Zach to open up the dance floor with their first dance, followed by their parents:

A few of the details we caught throughout the wedding:

While the dancing was well underway, a brief period was set aside for the planned-results of the bouquet and garter toss:

And then back to dancing (and singing), incited by Journey's "Don't Stop Believing":

All things must come to an end, and when it did, they had these three-feet-long sparklers make their pathway to the end:

Emily, Zach, and everyone involved, thank you all very much for helping, smiling, and doing everything in-between to make the day a memorable one. Congratulations, Mr. and Mrs. Wilson!

Rasy Ran Photography

Beth and Michael's Fort Worth Wedding

2011-06-03T15:10:00.000-05:00

Beth and Michael's Fort Worth wedding was a special one. Hosting it at the YWCA filled with close friends and families made it all the better. She was one of my mentors at The Shorthorn, the college newspaper which influenced the journalistic style I shoot with presently, so I looked forward to their day almost as much as they did.

I started photographing Beth and her bridesmaids at ULTA in Ft. Worth at their studio setup in the back:

Denise, her maid-of-honor, gets make-up applied before heading to the YWCA:

A pair of heels Beth brought:

As dog treats were set out in front of the reception area for guests to take home, Beth snacked on the human kind:

Down the street at the Embassy Suites where the men are getting ready, Michael has to use the lobby computer to print out wedding vows - a minor emergency:

Beth gets some assistance with her hairdo:

Then adjusts in the final tweaking stages:

With time to spare, we made portraits of her, and the two together - still can't see each other just yet!:

By this time, the sun was shining immensely through the reception area, and I wanted to photograph their cake back-lit by it:

Friends and family await the descent of Beth and her father as the ceremony is set, as they wait atop the stairs:

Then make their walk together down the aisle:

For the ones who couldn't make it to their special day, a rose and card occupied a few seats up front:

The ceremony was simple, sweet, and short:

Post-ceremony, Beth embraces her brother, whom she said she thought wouldn't show, but did. A very touching moment:

The newly weds are announced in, and make their way into the reception area:

Many hugs and kisses were given:

Food was collected onto plates, and tacos were toasted with (a regular occurrence that happens between the Michael and Beth whenever they have them, I learned):

Beth's father gave the only speech, detailing them as a couple, their history, and how their personalities worked together:

After the speech, Michael and Beth whisked themselves away to the cake table, where it was time to make the cut:

Then back to the dance floor, to have Beth's story of the couple read by the DJ, and open it up with their first dance:

The DJ had all married couples early on the floor and played the game where each couple is increasingly called out by the length of their marriage, until one remains -- 36 years!:

There was lots, and lots of dancing:

Then paused a brief moment for the bouquet toss:

And resumed dancing the night away:

Beth, Michael, and everyone involved, I cannot thank y'all enough. It was a pleasure to meet old faces and greet new ones. I wish you guys the best, and enjoy the married life, Curries!

Rasy Ran Photography

Two Wedding Teasers

2011-05-30T12:42:00.000-05:00

After a whirlwind of a weekend covering two weddings, I'll definitely be capitalizing on the relaxation time Memorial Day brings. I wanted to show a few quick teasers before I do though! Respective blog entries for each wedding will be posted soon.

Friday, I was given the pleasure to photograph Beth and Michael's Wedding. Beth and I took this portrait shortly before the ceremony started at the YWCA in Fort Worth:

Beth and her farther stood atop the stairs before making their way down to the ceremony on the bottom floor:

When the newly weds made their way to the bridal suite before the reception, Michael was shown what was "something borrowed":

Early into the reception, the DJ read Beth's story of how Beth and Michael met, with Beth periodically basking in the details of her writing:

On Saturday I photographed Emily and Zach's wedding at the McKinney Cotton Mill - and here they are, together on their day in the ceremony:

I rounded up the group, after relaxing a bit, for some group formals at the ceremony site:

A detail of the rings on the Bride's cupcake plate:

And a shot of Emily, the bride herself, dancing the night away:

Stay tuned!

Rasy Ran Photography

Beth and Michael's Engagements

2011-05-18T16:30:00.002-05:00

Beth was one of my former mentors at my old college newspaper, The Shorthorn, who helped shape me into who I am today, so when I was approached about photographing her and Michael's wedding, I know I'm in for a grand time. We agreed to meet up at the Fort Worth Botanical Gardens for their engagements, where it was Beth's first visit, and Michael's in the last ten years. We strolled throughout the gardens, and basked in the unpredictably nice Texas weather.

I had them stop at the seating area on the Texas Boardwalk. I understand most guys don't run their hands through their significant other's hair in this position, so I told Michael to pretend like it was petting one of their dogs to evoke some laughs:

We can't forget a detail of the symbolic commitment!:

Across a pond was a bench that had a nice open area around it, and I took this shot:

We found a tree carved with hearts into it, and I wanted to get a photo of them next to it:

We found another tree, or at least an existing piece of one, and took couple and single portraits:

Michael, the gentleman he is, helped Beth cross from one end to the other in the Rock Spring Woods section of the gardens:

There was a nice tree in the woods, so I filled them frame with just the three of them here:

After I made this shot at the top of the Trial Garden, Michael said how he's now a pro at forehead-kissing, which made me smile:

Lastly, the journalists they are, they brought along a copy of the Star-Telegram to use as a prop:

Thank you Beth and Michael! I'm glad we got to photograph together at the gardens, and I will see y'all soon enough at the YWCA in Fort Worth!

Rasy Ran Photography

Ben's Seniors

2011-05-13T17:27:00.000-05:00

I photographed Ben, an aspiring pre-med, college student to-be at Downtown Plano this past weekend. It was a pretty simple and straightforward session. As shy as Ben is, he's pretty easygoing, and quite talented at the violin.

We started at Haggard Park, which is small, but just what we needed for the part-green, part-urban look he wanted:

I had him stroll around the nearby pond and stop for a few shots, here:

We crossed the street to make this image in front of the Farmer's Market:

And then I had him bring out the violin and displayed some of his skills while I went to work:

I photographed Ben as is, without the strings, to end our photo session:

It was a pleasure to work Ben, and his sister, Amanda, throughout the clear Sunday afternoon shoot.

Rasy Ran Photography

Ariane and Victor's Wedding

2011-05-10T11:52:00.002-05:00

Ariane and Victor's wedding at the A&M Gardens in Azle was a beautiful one. The gardens were nice and open, with nothing but the clear skies and the setting sun as their backdrop. It was simple gathering of people for the two who committed themselves together on their day, and you couldn't ask for more.

As some of the staff, friends and family were helping set up the reception site, we got started with Ariane and Victor getting ready in their respective suites:

The garter is slipped on:

Before the ceremony, dad removed the veil to see his daughter's face before accompanying her down the aisle:

With friends and family filling the rows of chairs at the ceremony, it comes near a close, as the pastor hands each a ring for the two to fit. Then the kiss is made:

The newly-weds make their exit as husband and wife:

I caught Ariane peeking through the curtains of an entryway where her and the bridal party waited post-ceremony:

In-between the ceremony and reception is when I generally use the time to take formals, and here is one that I made:

After the guests filled themselves with dinner, the dancing started! Victor and Ariane opened the floor with their first dance - soon followed by the guests:

The dancing was stopped briefly for a break and then cake cutting! Despite much coercing from nearby friends to smash each other's faces with cake, Ariane and Victor kept it at the feeding part:

When we went back to dancing, one of the groomsmen and Victor shared a moment too. It was what the best man waited for all night, so naturally, I had to get it!:

Some of the details throughout the day:

The speeches were memorable. The maid-of-honor had one written out which detailed her friendship with Ariane and Victor and how she came to knew them as a couple. The best man spoke how Victor treated him like a big brother since childhood and felt honored on congratulating him and Ariane:

Before the night was almost over, they had to pick who was going to get married next of course!:

When the wedding came to an end, they made their exit towards the white Mercedes they left in, and shared their final kiss at the venue:

Thank you so much Ariane, Victor and company for bringing us out there to document the wedding. We enjoyed our time there, and hope the married life brings you more love and joy than you could ever imagine.

Rasy Ran Photography

Ariane and Victor-Married. Sneak Peak!

2011-05-08T14:14:00.002-05:00

I had the pleasure of photographing Ariane and Victor's wedding this past Friday. Look for a full-length blog in a few days!

I had a wonderful time and it was a joy to see them so happy with one another!

Rasy Ran Photography

The CK Boys

2011-04-18T15:18:00.002-05:00

Clark and Colt are brothers. They wore matching outfits, carry the same initials, and exchanged kid-like feedback off each other throughout our session. It was a nice, simple session that started in the Grapevine Botanical Gardens and finished at the nearby train depot. Here are some of the images that were made:

The CK boys and I started at the main fountain. They kept circling it, so I had to keep moving so I can be at the opposite side!:

After following them en route to look at some of their favorite sights, koi fish, they glanced over the chain - from where Clark reacts:

Then it was time to explore the park itself. Like all photoshoots, I wanted to let the kids explore and give me a sense of direction for the shoot, because I didn't want to constrain them to just formal poses. They wanted to cross the bridge, and I just asked for their attention for this photo:

Here, Colt breaks away from Clark in an open space, and another photo shows the two walking in unison:

We stopped for a formal towards the end of the gardens:

Shortly after, we came to a playground, where Colt pronounced each letter:

When we arrived at the train depot, Clark took a natural-liking to sitting on top of a train trailer:

Colt focused his attention to the sounds of the nearby train, which was picking up passengers headed to the Fort Worth Stockyards:

I wanted to end the post with a photo of the two of them looking outward:

It was a pleasure to work with these two, and can't wait for the next time I get to document them!

Rasy Ran Photography

Oliver and his Birthday Friends

2011-04-13T16:14:00.001-05:00

Last weekend I was commissioned to photograph Oliver's first birthday and his great friends. The opportunity came from Carrie, whose family I've photographed before, mentioning that some friends and their little ones are coming into town and wanted casual, candid photos.

Photographing five families simultaneously is no easy task, but The Shorthorn taught me to always work on my feet, so I took nothing for granted. The shoot took place at Carrie's friend's home in Fort Worth, and served as a beautiful backdrop to work with:

I largely worked outside, as the party moved from indoors to outdoors early on. Instinctively, I wanted to get a shot of that transition:

The kids, like Ellen here, spared no time in getting to the playground and the nearby bounce house:

The wind wanted to play too:

The birthday boy himself cheesing, with the brother in his own bouncy world:

It wasn't every kid for themselves, there was sharing too!:

Come time for Ollie's first birthday song and cake-to-face smashing, I could tell he was excited:

Some of the good company that was present at the party:

…And the playing continued!:

Sam pausing for a moment before heading down the slide:

The craziness that ensues inside the bounce house:

Jack sliding, while looking at the camera of course!:

The net didn't stop Charlie from seeking out the camera too:

When an unexpected guest arrived up top, all the kids made sure to remind the parents:

When everything started to wind down, you can't help but open a cold one - only when you're old enough of course:

Thank you Carrie and your great company for having us over. I'm glad to have met everyone, and I can't wait for the next time!

Rasy Ran Photography

Jordan and her American Bulldogs: Bam and Jema

2011-04-09T13:04:00.002-05:00

I had the pleasure of meeting Jordan and her two American Bulldogs, Bam and Jema, for a photoshoot at Breckinridge Park last weekend. After learning that it was the first park outing for Jema, left in the first photo, we learned what worked and what didn't. She was definitely energetic as a her bigger brother, Bam, and followed his actions as he's been out before.

If you haven't been to Breckinridge Park before, I just want to say that it's a very large park with fields, meadows, and a lot of trees. We didn't utilize the entire area because I didn't want the dogs to wear themselves halfway through the shoot.

We started out on the fields on the northwest side and worked our way into the park. I had them stop for a few formals first:

Knowing they are young, healthy dogs, I wanted Jordan and the two to make use of the fields:

Here, Jordan stopped briefly during the session for a one on one moment with Bam:

As a dog owner, this shot makes me pretty happy, because the presence of dog leashes would have interrupted the open space. It was only a few months ago that Jordan started training them without leashes -- she's pretty good!:

We stopped on the bridge for a few pictures, and I thought this candid of Bam, attentive as ever to the passers-by, exemplifies his outgoing personality:

I saw during the shoot that Bam can jump pretty high, but after seeing Jema's display here, I'd say she's more graceful:

A display of Jema and Bam knowing that "sharing is caring":

Before the photoshoot started, Jordan's mother told me she wanted a picture of her daughter and the dogs in a bluebonnet field. After some researching, I found this spot was conveniently located five minutes away, in front of the Fujitsu complex in Richardson, and made for a beautiful picture:

I cannot thank Jordan and her wonderful company enough for coming out, assisting at times, and for making this a pretty straightforward shoot. Until next time!

Rasy Ran Photography

The Wright Family in 2011

2011-04-06T15:30:00.002-05:00

If there's one thing I love, it's watching a family grow through photographs. I photographed Emory when he was one-year old at the Dallas Arboretum, and again at The Great Pumpkin Festival; like a parent would say, "kids grow fast!" Kecia and Blake brought me into their home in Keller to commemorate Emory's 2nd birthday.

I set up the studio backdrop and lights in the playroom, but before I did, I wanted to take a photo of this. The arrangement of their name coupled with the variety of characters was untouched:

Emory went in for a kiss from mom during reading time:

The recently turned two-year old proudly displaying his number:

A green chair complemented the blue quite nicely; I left the modeling to Emory:

After rolling out the gray backdrop, I got a photo of them all laying down, and it turned out great:

I wanted to end the blog with a photo of Emory being raised in the air, because I kept laughing when this happened and liked how carefree he looked -- just like how every session should be:

My sincere thanks to the Wright family for letting me continue to document their growth. Here's to many more!

Rasy Ran Photography

The Hargroves Family

2011-04-04T11:12:00.001-05:00

The Hargroves recently welcomed their second child, Teagen, and wanted photos to commemorate. The props you see in the following photos all belong to them. I want to remind to past and future clients to contribute ideas, props, and anything that is special and particular to them on a photoshoot.

Teagen kept sleeping after we placed him on top of the pillows. I joked how he'll be adjusting to this as his new bed instead of a crib:

Trey and Tiffany suggested cradling him with the blanket, so they held them up carefully and I made this photo:

You may recognize the stool from the sneak peek blog; it served as yet another spot for the newborn to sleep:

When Teagen woke up, he looked pretty comfortable He was placed in a woven basket with a couple of antlers they brought along:

Here, Tiffany displayed the love and affection between a mother and her child:

I wanted to end the post with the family together; Tristan moved in to kiss his new baby brother:

It was a pleasure getting to meet and work with The Hargroves. I look forward to future sessions!

Rasy Ran Photography

Sneak Peek

2011-03-27T19:25:00.002-05:00

I just wanted to show a couple of teaser images from two family sessions I photographed this weekend. Look for more images within the week or two!

Rasy Ran Photography

Emily and The Cotton Mill - Bridals!

2011-03-26T11:45:00.006-05:00

I want to show Emily's bridals without having to password-protect the post, but a certain someone can't see it! The password is the month the wedding is taking place - I have faith the fiance won't type (or have someone type) the password for that matter :-).

Enter Password

Cedar Waxwings and Happy Hour

2011-03-02T17:06:00.000-06:00

Being in the office regularly, I'm used to hearing the house windows being thumped by my black Labrador, Sheva, wanting to play outside - then I heard it while she was resting in the middle of the room.

Odd.

I look straight outside, up, then down and see three stunned Cedar Waxwings on the floor of the back porch. I'm not a bird hobbyist, but I when I researched these types of birds (from which I learned of their name to impress you on first reference), I ended up reading how they flock together for berries from one source to the next. After calling off local animal services when they flew away and joking with them, a worker explained how the berries apparently create a drunk-like state which makes the birds more accident-prone.

They say "it's happy hour somewhere," and it's not limited to humans!:

Rasy Ran Photography

Once Upon A Mattress

2011-02-11T17:55:00.001-06:00

My former high school, Berkner High School, is holding a musical titled, "Once Upon a Mattress", and is based on the story of The Princess and The Pea. There are three showings, and I was fortunate enough to photograph their dress rehearsal before their first showing Thursday. There are two more showings, one tonight and one Saturday, both at 7:30 p.m at the high school. The musical was entertaining, and want to thank everyone for the colorful opportunity.

You may view and order pictures of the musical here:

http://rasyran.com/onceuponamattress/

Rasy Ran Photography

Baby Will

2011-01-18T12:24:00.000-06:00

I present to you, Will. Dainty, comfortable, and sleepy as newborns come, he was no exception. I photographed in his parents', Julie and James, open and simplistic home - where the environment helped me execute simpler images, and got to meet their five animal friends.

Will relaxed himself and started to smirk while in this position:

When I first saw him, the first attribute I noticed was the amount of hair, a trait I can relate to:

The dining area was one of my favorite places in the home, and I knew I had to get a photo of it and Will together:

Dinah, the charming sheltie, was very photogenic with the new addition in the household:

We moved into Will's nursery, where he displayed comfort of being wrapped up, but moreso when next to mom and dad:

Though he couldn't wear adult-sized boots, it doesn't mean he could be supported by them!:

We can't forget his own pair he'll grow into:

A closer family round-up made this photograph. I wanted Will to be the focus here, while giving slight hints of the parents' expressions:

The photoshoot ended with bedtime, but not without some company!:

I want to thank Julie and James for inviting me out to their home to photograph their lovely first child, and I look forward to many more celebrations.

Rasy Ran Photography

Some of my 2010 Wedding Favorites

2010-12-29T19:31:00.002-06:00

Nearing the end of year, I wanted to post up some of my favorite images that hold sentimental value to me, with the wedding images in no particular order or rank. I also wanted to give a glimpse of what goes on in my head, the thought process, and my own reaction to each one.

The first image is from James and Jamie's wedding. The two of them are at the altar listening to a good friend close the ceremony with the song, and seeing numerous cameras taking video, I wanted to incorporate the two in the image:

In this image, Shannon had just finished putting on her dress and was walking around the house to get a feel for it before finally heading out for her and David's wedding. The anticipation after trying on numerous dresses for any bride-to-be and the feeling of wearing the dress for a bride on her wedding day gave me goosebumps when I look at this photo:

When Thomas and Lily were surrounded by many people I am friends and went to high school with, it felt like a high school reunion and wedding combined for me. This particular image of the two kissing on their first dance puts a smile on my face each time I see it:

Matt and Vanessa had a beautiful sunset wedding around a gorgeous house. When I caught a genuine smile from the two of them on their walk to the reception, I actually clinched my fist together and said, "Yes!" to myself when I saw the image preview on the back of the camera:

Some of you may recognize this image as it's been blogged before, but I wanted to share it again as I just love it. Lauren and her mother had made their final stop before heading into the church, and when I stepped out of the limousine with the bridal party following after, there were two people that didn't follow right away. When I composed, this was the moment I photographed with my eyes before my camera:

Travis and Jen are a young couple who were definitely meant for each other. And in this moment, I got them walking to the car post-ceremony. They had this model-like walk which exemplified how they greatly carried themselves throughout their wedding and didn't over exert themselves:

Bobby and Sarah's wedding was a gathering of two huge families. When everyone stood the first time during the ceremony, not everyone composed themselves right away - one of them leaned her hand forward almost as in disbelief (in a good way). The significant feeling of "is this reality?" hit me when I immersed myself within families and friends of who wanted to be there, was there:

The last image from Kelly and Vincent's wedding shows that while people play an important role in the images, I don't forget the sights and sounds where they held their special day in. The Wildwood Inn was a beautiful venue, and I when I see this image, I am reminded that I can always take a moment to enjoy the wedding with my own eyes first:

I want to thank each and every client, friends, and family for helping me continue to photograph and be a part of their life - on their most special day. I look forward to the possibilities and positive outlooks 2011 will bring, and the start of a new decade!

Rasy Ran Photography

KJ's Senior Portraits

2010-12-06T18:13:00.000-06:00

KJ heard of me through a good friend, Kevin, whose senior portraits I photographed a couple of weekends ago. KJ is almost no different - appreciative of past and post-modern architecture well enough with plans to study it in college. If I happen to see him in a crowd of people down the road, it won't be difficult to spot him, as he stands at a 6'6" - a whole foot taller than me.

The downtown session started outside the Dee and Charles Wyly Theatre, where the walkway and high sun played a nice part in this photo:

We walked towards the Meyerson Symphony Center, and then across the street to photograph against one of the murals in a cultural center:

KJ's mother, who was in attendance, suggested one of the circular benches. While I try not to direct a whole lot and let things unfold naturally, I always welcome feedback from others:

The Dallas Museum of Art's Sculpture Garden was a stop during our session:

After KJ changed into more semi-formal clothing, we continued photographing on a courtyard outside Stephan Pyles:

KJ was a very good model, and I hope he finds success in the architectural world - which influenced me to end with these images:

Rasy Ran Photography

Rhubarb

2010-12-01T13:06:00.001-06:00

I made this video for my Intermedia class a few months ago, and wanted to share it. The video had me break down visuals to the more simpler components of colors and light we sometimes take for granted.

The artist statement is on Vimeo, have a look:

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Rasy Ran Photography

Kevin's Seniors

2010-11-29T21:30:00.003-06:00

Kevin has some pretty nice plans over the next four years - leaving Texas to study architecture and business in Arkansas. We photographed throughout Downtown Dallas last weekend, which became more of a casual stroll, and the scenery complimented his artistic background nicely if I say so myself.

We started on the steps of the First United Methodist Church, and this was how he naturally sat. When asked if he modeled before, he laughed and said this was his first time:

Then we stopped in front of a gray garage door, where I wanted to get a gradient blend of tones and even lines for this photo:

On the flip side, I had him pose in front of this stark yellow wall for some intense contrast:

Kevin is also an avid guitar player, having played since the 6th grade, he cherished the Martin guitar that was brought along for the photoshoot:

We made our way to the courtyard just outside the Chase tower, and photographed more poses along with details:

The second to last stop was near the exit of a parking garage, but no worries, the exit was closed and locked!:

I photographed my last set of images with Kevin standing in the Winspear Opera House's fountain - a beautiful finish for a future architecture student:

The photoshoot was very simple and streamlined for the both of us. I really enjoyed working with Kevin, and hope to continue in the future!

Rasy Ran Photography

Emily and Zach's Engagements

2010-11-21T21:02:00.002-06:00

I photographed Emily and Zach's engagements in Gunter, north of Dallas, last weekend. They are good friends of mine, and you may remember when I was there the night Zach proposed to Emily.

Zach and Emily are baseball fans, so it was only natural to start off in a baseball field:

We moved onto the bleachers, where I framed them with a nearby railing:

Emily wanted a detail of the ring with the baseball in the grass, and the photo could not be more simple and beautiful:

During this detail, we went into the dugout, for more warm earth tones in the background:

Then I stepped back for some more framing, and a small detail with the baseball:

We moved to a field down the road, and I had them play with each other.

First they trailed through a field:

Then spun on a merry-go-round:

Bumped into each other on the swings:

And lastly, down the slide-it was pretty funny to see two grown-ups go down!:

I look forward to being there to photograph their wedding next year!

Rasy Ran Photography

Ashley and Brandon's Engagements

2010-11-05T17:09:00.006-05:00

Ashley and Brandon are an amazing couple who came up from South Texas to Dallas for a weekend getaway, and their engagement shoot. They are great friends of mine and we had dinner at Chuy's in Uptown Dallas to spend time to catch-up - where the night session began afterward and resumed the next morning!

Photographing a night engagement session is uncommon, but I still definitely looked forward to it. Here, I photographed them through the windows (which would be open if it wasn't so cold!). That specific location generally opens up all their windows if the weather's nice enough and it used to be a maintenance garage:

Strolling around downtown, we stopped to get photos of the ring, and of themselves, with holiday lights, car lights, and neon lights lighting up the atmosphere:

We went to a more secluded place, and sought a more intimate look:

The next morning, they met up with me and went to Downtown Plano to continue their session. I spotted a walkway with an interesting collection of shadows and had to use it:

This is how you know Ashley and Brandon know they're a couple - they have their own special hand hold:

Downtown Plano offered nice and simple backdrops, you really couldn't ask for more:

Making a stop by the nearby farmer's market, I had them play around with some of the pumpkins:

If you've been to downtown Plano, you've probably seen the decommissioned train built in the early 1900s, which that used to run from Plano to as far as Waco. The Interurban Railway Museum maintained it and they graciously let us photograph in the museum and train:

We ended their session at Galatyn Park, near the Eisemann Center, and photographed on the field:

I wanted to end the blog entry with a photo from the night before, as I thought the power of the eyes was the most memorable and captivating image:

I cannot wait to photograph their wedding, and look forward to it next year!

Rasy Ran Photography

Lauren and Keegan's Wedding

2010-10-28T16:54:00.010-05:00

Lauren and Keegan's wedding, (you may remember them from their engagements here), was a spectacular one to be a part of! They held their ceremony at the Sacred Heart Catholic Church and reception at the Richmond House in Richmond, TX.

I began photographing them at the Gallery of Salons in Sugar Land, where Lauren and her bridesmaids got their hair styled and ready before the big occasion:

The gallery was also in season and ready for Halloween, if you make note of some of the decorations:

One of the bridesmaids smiles as Lauren gets her hair done:

As Lauren said it best, "no pain, no gain!"

Here, I framed Lauren through a part of the door opening:

As we neared completion of the hairdo, there was feedback from multiple people, and I wanted to reinforce that image with the numerous focal points in this image:

We arrived at the Richmond House so the ladies could finish getting ready - and get Lauren into her white dress:

I photographed Lauren around the house, and she was nothing short of elegant:

I couldn't forget the rest of the gang, too!:

When we arrived at the church, Lauren took a minute with her mom to share her last moments before entering:

Everyone lined up, and Keegan is all eyes down the aisle:

The priest joked how it the wedding should have been a commercial for Maybelline, because Lauren's mascara was holding great through her tears!:

As time flew past, the ceremony came to an end, but not before the grand kiss and exit from Mr. and Mrs. McIlvaine:

When I arrived back at the Richmond House, guests mingled with the newly wed, and their cake topper provides a nice detail:

Of course, there can't be a Texas wedding without boots and a hat!:

A few of the details that caught my eye that day:

It was time to cut the cake, and toast to the best couple of the night:

The dancing of the night stood out greatly. It started with Lauren and Keegan, and then moved onto the Grand March. For those who don't know what it is, couples are to line up and make their way through the house, separate upon re-entry, and re-join on the third go around with a tunnel at the end. It symbolizes a couple's unity, and commitment to each other in life. They finished with a dollar dance, to give each guest an opportunity to spend time with Lauren and Keegan:

I photographed the guys later that night, and more importantly the gifts for each one - with their name personally etched:

Lauren's interpretation of the bouquet toss was a traditional one, but Keegan, he just turned around and threw it!:

All good nights must come to an end, and the two made their way to leave on Keegan's new Harley:

Mr. and Mrs. McIlvaine, I wish you only the best in your future, and I thank you for letting me be there that day!

Rasy Ran Photography

The Kilpatricks and The Flower Mound Pumpkin Village

2010-10-25T16:08:00.014-05:00

After a whirlwind of a weekend in Richmond, TX for a wedding (also including a tornado that crossed Interstate-45 less than 10 minutes from where I was!), I'll be posting images of a shoot I made last week in Flower Mound. The wedding images will follow in the next blog entry.

I met the Kilpatrick family on a sunny and clear day at the Flower Mound Pumpkin Village, and wanted to show a few images from the time we spent there.

I couldn't help but look at the color-coordinated boots the children wore:

The whole family gathered on the bales of hay for a portrait:

Gabrielle posed in a barrel cart amidst the lines of pumpkins:

Gavin followed suit, as well:

Gabrielle decided to pull her younger brother and sister, Gavin and Morgan, along:

The trio pet and fed some of the livestock, after riding a few nearby ponies:

The hay ride was a nice and quiet end to the day, with Gavin curiously peeking over the railing, backlit by the sunset:

I had a great time with the family, and want to thank them for coming out to Flower Mound! I look forward to documenting their kids in the future!

Lastly, I wanted to leave with a sneak-peek of an intimate moment between the mother and the bride from the Richmond wedding a couple days ago:

Rasy Ran Photography

Emory and The Great Pumpkin Festival

2010-10-13T10:38:00.006-05:00

Emory and his parents, Kecia and Blake, spent a warm afternoon at the The Great Pumpkin Festival at the Dallas Arboretum. This wasn't the first time I've photographed them. Emory was just as lively as I last remembered him.

I had Emory sit in-between a few pumpkins, coupled with the wood-stringed fence, for this photo:

Then we saw how graciously he would hold an individual pumpkin:

Emory went "night, night" on a pile of pumpkins:

We left the festival area momentarily and transitioned to another area of the arboretum - so Emory had more room to run between mom and dad!:

Emory was changed into his Halloween costume, a pirate, and I don't think I've seen a better looking pirate in my life:

The last image, a beautiful one, is one of the whole family in a very-pumpkin house:

I'm glad they continued to work with me and I cherish each time I photograph them.

Rasy Ran Photography

The Zody Kids

2010-09-27T10:12:00.002-05:00

Last weekend, I spent photographed morning session with the Zody kids. I can't believe it's been nearly a year already since I last photographed them last November! Mackenzie and Blake were the stars this time around, and I had them model for me around River Legacy Park in Arlington.

I let Mackenzie pose for me on a nearby tree:

We moved to a a swing set, and I made sure to capitalize on the nice, sunny weather:

And naturally, her brother, Blake, joined in:

Mackenzie looked beautiful with the blue tutu, and I wanted to get a detail of it:

The blue details didn't stop at the waist, though:

They closed in for a more intimate embrace as they sat in the same chair together:

Mackenzie and Blake were troopers for walking all the way to the nearby bridge - where Blake rewarded me with a genuine smile:

I had an amazing time with them, and look forward to documenting their growth over the years!

Rasy Ran Photography

Thomas and Lily's Wedding

2010-08-14T15:13:00.007-05:00

I have known Thomas and Lily since high school, and to see them together on their wedding day was nothing short of spectacular. You may remember them from their engagement session here. They had a wedding ceremony in Vietnam earlier this year, and celebrated with just a reception at Caravelle in Richardson.

I spent a little time with them as the two got ready in their home. Here, Thomas socializes on the phone, and helps a groomsman get ready:

A collage of photos hang on the wall as Mason, Thomas' nephew, gazes at the camera:

And then gets help with putting on his wedding attire from a groomsman:

The bridesmaids' bouquets lay strewn on the table:

Lily puts on jewelry for her big day, which are given by Thomas' family. This Vietnamese custom is seen as a sign of wealth that his family will bring to hers:

We made a trip to Prairie Creek in Richardson to photograph a few formals, and I have to thank everyone especially for braving the summer heat!:

Thomas helps Lily down as they arrive at the restaurant - and are introduced as "the best couple of the night":

The couple took the stage and thanked everyone for attending:

Next, they are told to show their love to the world, by performing a kiss while spinning:

After everyone settled down after dinner, it's a cultural custom for the bride, groom, and their parents to toast at each table - but food can be involved too!:

Some of the little details that caught my eye:

The two then cut their cake, which sat in the middle of the stage for all to view:

As was as the toast:

And then they jumped into their first dance with a slow song:

The dance floor lit up throughout the whole night:

It was a fantastic wedding, and I'm very glad I was able to be there.
Congratulations, and cheers to your new life, Thomas and Lily!

Rasy Ran Photography

Vincent and Kelly's Wedding

2010-08-06T17:17:00.020-05:00

Vincent and Kelly celebrated their wedding at the Wildwood Inn in Denton. I photographed it with the help of an assistant, Layla, last weekend, and was glad I could be there for their beautiful day of celebration.

The front of the inn showcased European styling in its architecture, which generally encompasses tall windows spaced evenly:

One of the bridesmaids readies her dress:

While Kelly couldn't keep hands off her dress!:

Kelly applies makeup in the bathroom:

Vincent arrives, and speaks with some of the guests that arrived early. I then took him and the groomsmen out for a few photos:

Kelly reacts to a joke, while her mother does what they do best, look after their children:

Once all the guest were seated, the rear doors slide open, introducing Kelly and her father down the aisle:

Kelly mother tried pretty hard to hold back the tears:

After articulate words were spoken, with a few jokes in between, Vincent slides the ring onto Kelly's finger:

The newly wed share a moment with the wedding party in the hallway after the ceremony was finished:

While the reception was quickly being set up, I brought the party to the front to try some poses:

Everyone started settling in, corks came off wine bottles, and the sounds of disposable cameras set on each table filled the air with its clicks:

A couple of views showing how the inn and its terrace stays cool by the surrounding trees:

A detailed shot of the rings next to not one but four wedding cakes!:

And a few more details:

When it came to the toasts, the stories were nice - albeit a few embarrassing moments particularly for Vincent, but they were still very kindhearted:

Vincent and Kelly were all smiles as they made the first slice of their cake:

When the dancing started, and I used the rear sliding doors as a framing device here:

Before Vincent's grandmother left for the night, she gave the couple an antique quilt. Normally, I thought this was something she made herself or was passed down through generations, but I was wrong. I learned that it was started in 1899, but never completed by another family. The grandmother then found it in an antique store and then finished it. I don't think they'll be picnicking with this anytime soon!:

Kelly shows her ring during a conversation:

Vincent joined some of the guys in celebrating with cigars outside:

Vincent and Kelly had the bouquet and garter toss outside, too:

When their special day came to a close, bubbles flew through the air, and the two briefly made their exit - and turned around because they stayed at the inn!:

I wish them only the best of luck, and sincerely thank Vincent and Kelly for bringing me out on their day!

Rasy Ran Photography

David and Shannon's Wedding

2010-07-24T20:54:00.007-05:00

David and Shannon chose to hold their wedding in Frisco at the Frisco Heritage Center. The wedding had charming and quaint atmosphere - a very welcoming feeling I can always appreciate.

Shannon's wedding and exit dresses hang next to each other in the fitting room:

Angie Williams laid out make-up palettes in preparation of Shannon and her bridesmaids:

One of the bridesmaids checks the back of her hairdo with the aid of two mirrors:

Shannon has a heart bracelet with a locket, which has been used in past generations for weddings, put on in the fitting room:

Lisa, Shannon's mother, smiles while helping Shannon get ready for her wedding day:

We brought David over from the church next door for a side by side shot. I smile when I get the opportunity of taking this type of image since they can't see each other until the wedding:

Shannon takes a peek outside the house while guests arrive:

Finally, it's show time! Everyone is at the church, music is playing, and Shannon enters. All rise, and David is all smiles:

Soon, as fast as time flies, the ceremony nears the end - without a hiccup. David and Shannon pour salt during the salt covenant ceremony:

As they make their way down the aisle, with their backs kissed by the sun, they catch smiles and cameras:

The two make a re-entrance to the church for post-ceremony formal portraits:

The Frisco Railroad Depot reception setup was very elegant, and definitely inviting:

The newly wed meet and greet at each guest table in the depot:

When it came to speeches, they were short, sweet, and sincere (how's that for alliteration?):

Their wedding cake, dropped off by Cake Kreations, was sliced and served:

One of the guests works her penmanship by signing a framed easel they had in the front:

After photographing numerous bouquet and garter tosses, I tend to predict that couples toss them in nearly the same spot. Whether it's a secret collaboration between the two or just pure coincidence, I at least have photographic evidence to substantiate my claims:

A detailed image of all the detailed imagery:

A before we all knew it, their special day has come to an end! The guests sent them off with seeds, shouts, and applause:

Rasy Ran Photography

Shannon's Bridals

2010-07-18T23:20:00.004-05:00

After having shot David and Shannon's wedding yesterday, I wanted to show some of Shannon's favorites from her bridal session - now that I can! We spent the day located on her wedding site, the Frisco Heritage Center. The center was a beautiful location, and we started at the Crozier-Covington-Sickles House. Shannon and her mother, Lisa, kept joking about how the house is haunted, and nothing has happened to my equipment or photos so far (knock on wood).

We shot upstairs and did some mild arranging to focus on just Shannon and the couch:

Then we moved to the nearby windows for some radiating light. She ended up choosing this photo as the canvas to display during the ceremony:

The hallway provided some nice distance and details, too:

Shannon had went back to the dressing room to try on her veil:

We located to the Lebanon Baptist Church next door, where the ceremony was held, and these are some of the ones Shannon picked out:

This last shot was outside the Log Cabin:

Shannon did an awesome job on her bridals, and I cannot wait until I post her wedding photos!

Rasy Ran Photography

Enter New Mexico (again)

2010-07-16T17:50:00.009-05:00

I went to New Mexico to visit Rochelle's grandmother twice the past couple of years, and this year was just as welcoming. The high-elevation town of Taos sits nearly 7,000 feet above sea level, much higher than my hometown of Dallas, which is only about 400 feet.

The thinner oxygen levels got to me, as expected for any Texan flat-lander, but I grew accustomed over the week we stayed there. Rochelle and I went with my brother Sothea and his girlfriend, Helena, and provided a nice getaway for them as well.

Fully aware of spotty cell-phone service, Rochelle referenced the Rand McNally:

Traveling west-bound, there wasn't much to see, and then I remembered the long trains:

When we reached Taos, we were presented with virga, rain that looks suspended in the air and fails to touch the ground:

At the Fourth of July parade, there was plenty for Sothea and I to document:

We also made the 3-mile hike to Williams Lake, which was a good workout on the legs sitting on 11,000 feet above sea level. Here, trees are marked with a blue circle to indicate the path of the trail:

A trip to the hot springs on the bottom of the Rio Grande Gorge allowed for some relaxation time:

The Taos Pueblo had stray dogs all around the tourist hotspot. This was photographed on the
on the side of the St. Jerome Chapel, which Ansel Adams photographed in 1942:

Vendors at the Pueblo were selling fried bread, an item that should be a staple here in Dallas:

Rochelle poses for a photograph as Helena becomes her arms:

At Tsankawi, there are cave dwellings where some of the natives used to live. It's mesmerizing how you can't hear any nearby traffic, people, or sometimes even wind when you go to places like these in New Mexico. Pure silence. Here, I took a photo of the two before I climbed a ladder:

And another when we were exchanging various rocks and arrowheads we found:

The Vietnam Veterans National Memorial in Angel Fire reminded me how many people came from New Mexico to fight in the conflict. They have expanded their memorial recently to include a library and eventually will build a garden:

The last night in New Mexico brought us back to the Taos Pueblo to watch the 25th Annual Pow Wow, which attracted viewers from all over the world. I spent a little time and got some portraits as well. A night of many festivities, was the proper way to end it:

Rasy Ran Photography

Bobby and Sarah's Wedding

2010-07-01T20:09:00.008-05:00

If you recognize this duo, they are one of the nerdiest couples I know! They maintained a calm and quirky mood, and definitely enjoyed their wedding to say the least. The Holy Family Catholic Church served as their ceremonial site, and we spent the rest of the night at the Victoria Country Club.

Before it all, I caught Bobby playing a few rounds of liar's dice with his groomsmen - to pass the time, and work on his bluffing skills:

I took them out, as quickly as the Texas heat could do the same to us, for a few groups photos in front of the church:

Meanwhile, Sarah gets ready in the foreground, and a prayer is held in the dressing room:

As time seems to fly at every wedding I shoot, soon it was time for Sarah to be walked down by her father:

The interior of the church was very roomy and wide:

Russell, Bobby's father, reads from the altar and commemorates his son's marriage:

Sarah slides Bobby's wedding ring onto his finger, as the flower girls watch from their row:

Post-ceremonial portraits followed promptly after:

We then resumed festivities at the country club, with many sights, most notably the groom's Death Star-inspired cake:

Seemingly unsure how to cut the cake, Bobby stabbed, elbowed, and then earned a well-deserved kiss from Sarah for his bravery:

At the reception, the newlyweds made it clear to celebrate an uncle's birthday, for which he thanked them:

Guests started to each toast Bobby and Sarah - sharing their words of wisdom, embarrassments, and overall heartfelt anecdotes:

Bobby didn't mess around when it came to the first dance, and they got grandpa involved at the first dip:

Sarah's grandparents were celebrating 60 years together, which is a feat in itself:

Bobby easily became the center of attention on the dance floor, showcasing his vocal range with help from Queen's "Bohemian Rhapsody", and garter shooting skills - without using the holstered Nerf gun:

Bobby and Sarah stand side by side while surrounded by candle-holding guests during a rock power-ballad:

Since there was a recent fire ban, they were limited to rose petals and Nerf guns, and I think it worked out perfectly!

Their wedding was a blast, and carried a very sincere, and playful quality that puts a grin on your face when you saw them on their wedding day. I wish them the best of luck, and couldn't be happier for the drive back from South Texas!

Rasy Ran Photography

Travis and Jen's Wedding

2010-06-16T14:31:00.007-05:00

You may recognize Travis and Jen from their engagement I did earlier this year, and if you've been following my blog, you can see that I gave it a redesign - two things I'm very excited about!

Their wedding was beautiful, and even more was the couple themselves. I spent the first part of the day at the Heard-Craig Center For The Arts photographing Travis and the groomsmen, and then Jen and the bridesmaids.

I attempt to separate Travis from the groomsmen, but they kept giving him a hard time!:

Jen had no problem walking in unison, posing, and just all around being a natural:

We took a short break in between sessions while Jen and the bridesmaids each get their bouquet:

Jen summed up Captain Planet, "with our powers combined":

Jen readies herself before the ceremony, and I loved this faint detail of her veil:

Nearing the end of the ceremony at the Community North Baptist Church, Jen and Travis pour salt during the salt covenant ceremony:

Travis and Jen share an impromptu kiss outside the church:

Jen steps into her ride to head to the Heard-Craig Center gardens for the reception:

Before they made their entrance, I took some photos of the two:

The pair dance perform their first dance on stage:

A composite of some of the details throughout the wedding:

Jen tosses the bouquet, which landed in the hands of some pretty fierce competition!:

All good things had to come to an end, and the two had to thank and say goodbyes to their guests:

Their wedding was an amazing moment to be in, and I'm glad I was there to photograph it!

Rasy Ran Photography

The Roberts Family

2010-06-04T18:00:00.007-05:00

Lorena, John, and their son Gavin definitely braved the Texas summer weather this past weekend. We photographed at the Fort Worth Botanical Gardens, and these are a few of my favorites:

I had the trio start at the nature trail:

And then mom and dad got Gavin walking when we were on the boardwalk:

I don't think there was a moment when Gavin wasn't smiling in the presence of my camera:

After we went into the Rose Garden for a bit, I had Gavin relax at a nearby bench:

Gavin relaxed pretty well on the grass, too:

I snapped a few group formals, and loved this one:

I had a great time with the family and I cannot thank them enough for enduring the heat!

Rasy Ran Photography

James and Jamie's Wedding

2010-06-01T10:25:00.010-05:00

James and Jamie's special day featured American and Korean traditions throughout their wedding. They held the ceremony at New Song Church in Carrollton, and celebrated their night at the Sushi Awaji Japanese Restaurant in Irving. Some of the images that follow are my favorites throughout the day.

The floral arch stands ready on the stage before the start of the ceremony:

Jamie's grandmother gets her face padded down while Jamie, front, gets final touches done as well:

I wanted to get the rings on the decorative ring pillow while still encased in its colorful box:

A portrait of the beautiful wife-to-be:

Here, her best friend from New York takes a photo of Jamie as a guest peeks from the doorway:

James, displaying accolades he's earned in the service, greets each family member and friend that entered the church:

A guest signs the guestbook:

James waits near the doorway before heading into the sanctuary:

Then it was Jamie's turn to go!:

She then gets walked down the aisle by her father after everyone's anticipation inside the sanctuary:

Jamie slides James' ring onto his hand:

And then the kiss:

A closing song commemorated the marriage of the new husband and wife:

Jamie hugs her mother-in-law before exiting down the aisle:

The couple eagerly wait to thank each guest that came to the ceremony:

After they were done with the first half, they make their way towards their limousine and share their first kiss away from family and friends:

When I arrived at Sushi Awaji, I couldn't help but notice the simplistic decorations and foods:

The cake was cut, fed, and kissed around:

The next few images showcase the Korean tradition, where the newly-wed dress in lavish clothing, and appease to friends and families for gifts that will symbolically flourish over their marriage:

But there were a few tumbles because of the large clothing!

The wedding was an absolute success and I was glad to be there to document their wedding day. I only wish them the best!

Rasy Ran Photography

Thomas and Lily's Engagements

2010-05-24T20:35:00.007-05:00

I photographed Thomas and Lily's engagements around Downtown Dallas. The two seem like an inseparable couple, and we wandered until we ended up at the Dallas Museum of Art's Sculpture Gardens.

The pair go in for a kiss in front of a school bus:

Thomas kisses Lily's forehead in front of a store sign:

The DART train leaves the station as they pose in the seating area:

They stopped in front of a scaled-down model of downtown:

Pigeons fly out of their way as soon as the two make their way towards them:

A simple photograph displaying their affection for each other, and the ring of course:

Thomas and Lily stand in the stairwell:

This aged and painted garage door complemented the urban look they sought:

The two peer through one of the sculptures at the DMA's Scupture Garden:

The closing photo:

I enjoyed spending part of the day with them, and can't wait until their wedding day!

Rasy Ran Photography

The Burgess and Pone Family

2010-05-21T16:42:00.014-05:00

The Burgess and Pone families are an amazing group of people. They wanted me to capture them spraying each other in the face with silly string - a terrific idea in my opinion. They suggested starting at the mural site off of Silo Road in Arlington, and I thought the colors of the walls complemented their personalities.

Jasmine gets carried around in arms:

They took turns to see who could stay on the side of a mural the longest:

It wasn't long before someone fired the silly string and set off a war:

Yalonda picks through her hair halfway through the first silly string fight:

Their dogs weren't safe, either:

Jasmine stands amidst the carnage:

We visited a pond near their home in Mansfield. Here, Ray walks with their great dane, Amadeus, into the sun:

Jasmine, ready as ever, stocks four cans of silly string into her pockets for the second battle:

They paid homage to Ghostbusters, and initiated the fight by centering their cans into the air:

Alonzo looks for his next victim as Maggie retreats in the background:

Georg was closed in and surrounded:

I had them gather together for an impromptu group portrait:

And a more formal portrait:

Ray dances after Maggie brought some music for them to dance to:

Georg poses with his dog, Ciele:

As personable as they were as a group, I wanted to photograph their individual personalities as well:

I enjoyed photographing them, and want to say that I didn't mind getting caught in the crossfire as well. I could easily see the energy this family had from the moment I met them, and look forward to working with them in the future!

Rasy Ran Photography

Jen and Travis' Engagements

2010-05-11T18:23:00.004-05:00

I spent an early afternoon last week with Jen and Travis for their engagements in Flippen Park in Dallas. They suggested the location, and I thought it worked perfectly for the two.

The couple started out dancing in the gazebo in the middle of the park:

Jen moved onto an alternative mode of transportation, Travis' back:

They took a break on a nearby bench as the ring glittered in the sun:

Here, Travis was trying to protect Jen from the imaginary bees:

Jen wades her hand through the fountain:

We made sure the road was clear of traffic before crossing:

After talking a stroll through the neighborhood, they embrace a kiss in front of a cross:

The exit photograph in front of a garage door:

I had a lot of fun and I cannot wait until I photograph these two at their wedding during the summer!

Rasy Ran Photography

The Advocate

2010-05-04T23:11:00.009-05:00

The last entry into The Shorthorn's Spotlight series, The Advocate. I followed drawing senior Georg Burgess as he talks about his homosexuality, acceptance, and humanism.

http://www.theshorthorn.com/static/soundslides/2010/theadvocate/index.html

Rasy Ran Photography

Bobby and Sarah's Engagements

2010-05-02T15:01:00.007-05:00

Yesterday morning we had the pleasure of photographing Sarah and Bobby's engagement photos. The couple currently live in New Orleans, but have family in the area, and thus were able to meet us in Frisco to take their photos! As Sarah had told me she and Bobby were "really nerdy," I spoke with a library official to secure permission to shoot their photos at the Frisco Public Library, and it was a fantastic location.

Here Sarah and Bobby share a kiss in front of the building:

We spent a lot of time in the children's section, which had these cool chairs and colorful walls. Bobby pretended to quiz Sarah as though she were on a talk show:

Up in the adult section, signs warned is to be quiet. It was a fun challenge to direct using only whispers and gestures. Here the couple reads a book together, and Bobby pretends to tutor Sarah:

This next shot was one of my favorites. I told Sarah and Bobby to each pick a biography of someone they admired. After a few choices, these are what they settled on:

I liked this smile of Sarah's that you can see just beyond Bobby's silhouette:

We thought the title of this book explains itself:

The Frisco Public Library was housed inside a city municipal building, and was 4 stories tall. Here Bobby and Sarah look up from a few floors below:

Then the two went down to the bottom floor, and I stayed up top. I admire them for their courage; it probably looked (and felt) strange to dance around with the photographer out of sight, but Sarah and Bobby kept on regardless, and I loved this resulting set:

I loved framing through the various bookshelves:

and here again through the library doors:

Once back outside, we took a few more shots on the grounds. I liked the juxtaposition of sitting and standing here:

a closeup of the happy couple:

And here's a parting shot:

We had a ton of fun on this shoot! I love finding new and meaningful locations to shoot, and am definitely looking forward to Bobby and Sarah's wedding in Victoria, Texas later this year!

Rasy Ran Photography