Shannon's Bridals

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)

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

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