Terrell/Moffett Wedding: Diboll, Texas

I had the pleasure of photographing one of the sweetest couples recently in the little town of Diboll, Texas.  If you don't know where Diboll, Texas is, chances are you drove right through it on highway 59.  Diboll will always have a place in my heart, as it is where my father grew up and a place where some of my family still reside.  This sleepy, little town is home to the lumberjacks and Temple-Inland and can be found just a few miles south of Lufkin.  Jonathan and Jennifer had a lot of fun that day and their tables at the reception were adorably decorated with all their favorite things. Right now they are in Colorado for their honeymoon...jealous!  I should have stowed away in their luggage because the sites and photo ops are abundant in the Rocky Mountain state.

I Heart Faces Photo Challenge: Back To School

I wasn't a winner last time but that won't discourage me, I am back with another entry in another I Heart Faces photography contest!  This week's theme is "back to school" and I couldn't wait to post a pick of my own little Cobybear headed to his first day of pre-school.  I Can't wait to see the other entries and to find out who will be the winners!

I Heart Faces Photo Challenge: Beautiful Eyes

Thanks to a fellow photographer, I just learned about this great contest from I heart faces.  This is my entry into the contest which is focused on "beautiful eyes," and I think this girl has a stunning pair!  I can't wait to enter many more of their weekly contests and if you are into photography, you should too!

Sneak Peek: Edwards' Reception: Houston, Texas

I feel blessed once again, to have been asked to photograph another couple in love!  This gorgeous bride is someone whom I have known since elementary school and through the power of Facebook, we re-united once again.  It was obvious Erin and Michael were such a happy couple, as their faces couldn't hide their love for one another throughout the evening.  The wedding reception took place at 7 Riverway at the beautiful Omni Hotel.  Everything about the evening was very reflective of all the Galleria area has to offer.  Several weeks before, the couple had said their "I do's," in the tropical state of Hawaii....a destination wedding I would loved to have photographed....ahhh a girl can dream!

Sneak Peek: Dalton & Balderas: Bridal Portraits

Following the wedding ceremony, we loaded up and made a trip down to Galveston, Texas to photograph the bridal portraits for the new Mr. and Mrs. Dalton.  We had a blast and found some very cool places for this urban themed shoot.  Galveston never ceases to amaze me with its variety of locations available to the portrait photographer. 

Sneak Peek: Dalton & Balderas: The Wedding Ceremony

This past week, I had the pleasure of photographing Stephen and Xochitl's wedding at St. James Catholic church in Spring, Texas.  I have known Xochitl since we were kids and after meeting Steve, I couldn't think of a nicer couple and I really enjoyed the time we spent together.  I hope to photograph more of their sweet family in the very near future.  The challenges of photographing a wedding are many, but with a bride and groom like these two, it couldn't have gone better.  I learned a lot and feel I made a small splash in the world of wedding photography and hope to do it again soon!

Kemah, Texas: The Boardwalk

Being that this weekend is the upcoming Kemah Crawfish Festival, I thought I would post about the city and share some of my favorite pictures I have taken there.  Although, not as big as the crawfish festival in my hometown of Spring, it is still a fun time to be had by all.  This is a project where I stepped out of the box and wanted to work on long exposures using the tripod.  So I thought, what better objects to capture at night with long exposure than moving and whimsical carnival rides?  I think I could do it better now, with the knowledge and growth I have achieved in my photography, but I was still quite proud of the results that I achieved.  If you are looking for a new adventure in your photographic journey, doing long exposure photography on the boardwalk is a great place to start.
     I will absolutely be back! Be prepared though, people get both weird and curious about your camera on a tripod!  They will either think you are working for the park and taking pics for advertising, are a journalist, or they might even come up to you in a sketchy sort of way and ask "Did you photograph me? I didn't want to be photographed." That is the reaction one, somewhat off-putting guy who looked as though he could have been a member of the group Nirvana, said to me. Most people however, will love to strike up a conversation with you!  So go out, have a good time at the festival this weekend and remember to bring your camera and capture the sights and colors of the boardwalk.

League City: Bluebonnet Mini-Session: Children

I was so glad the month of April was finally here to do some stunning bluebonnet sessions.  I had been given a tip and also read on another blog that there was a great field of the official flower of Texas right here in League City.  Unfortunately, the bluebonnets were not in their prime and probably due to the heat and lack of rain, they were starting to disappear.  The evidence of people who had come before us was still very visible in the flattened mounds of the flowers.  This made me sad and we tried to leave as little impression among the blooms as possible while we were there.  There's nothing more unfortunate than getting to a site and realizing people were not as considerate as they could have been with the fragile flower and thinking about the people who would come after them to photograph the same scenery.  I feel blessed to have even gotten these great pics I post now. I hope to see many more in my area next year, but if there aren't, I'm sure I will be making a trip out to Brenham.

Sneak Peek: Jessica, Hunter & Erin

I always love the chance to get out of town and have a fresh location to photograph in.  This session took place in Lufkin, Texas and is with my dear family members, Jessica, Hunter, & Erin.  I hope to photograph them again soon and take advantage of more historical scenery which the rural area of East Texas has to offer.

Sneak Peek: Casen

I had the pleasure of photographing a long time friend's son, Casen this past week at Mercer Arboretum.  This is a great place in my hometown of Spring, Tx. I can hardly wait to get back over there and take more pics!

San Jacinto Monument

Need more places to photograph?  The San Jacinto Monument and Texas Battleship are great places for photography.  Don't think you need a fancy lens either to get great shots.  All of these were taken with a "kit" lens, 18-55mm.  All you need is a good eye for composition and a beautiful sky as your backdrop.  This is a great place to take kids or take an out of town family member who has a strong interest in history.  The site is amazing and I highly suggest you pay to see the movie shown within the walls of the monument, which gives you detailed information about the battle of San Jacinto.  There is a wonderful observation deck at the top of the monument which allows you to see the battleship.  Explore, photograph, tour and learn about Texas history and the men and women who lost their lives protecting this state.

Film...A dying art?

Although film is still very much alive in the world of fine art, it is a fact it is becoming more and more scarce.  In 2007, I opted to take a photography class where I could learn film photography and developing in the dark room.  We had a choice between digital or film and I jumped at the chance to do film since I hadn't done it in high school.  There has been nothing more educational with regards to learning proper exposure, dodging, burning and how to develop for printing processes.  I can testify to the fact that the availability of film has become dramatically limited in the last couple of years.  By the time I was finishing up my semester, I had already had to switch to buying the black and white from another store 3 hours away or online as my previous vendor could no longer guarantee their supply.  If you ever have the chance to take film photography, DO IT! Spending hours in the darkroom was both fun and relaxing and schools have become just about the only place you can have access to one.

Sneak Peek: Jordyn: Aka: "Baby J"

I had such a good time photographing Jordyn this morning, her mommy Stephanie is one lucky girl to have such a cooperative baby. Jordyn is a gorgeous girl and I hope these photos do her justice.  I can't wait to photograph her again when she is ready to sit up for us.

Galveston, Texas

Before I began photographing people on a regular basis, I photographed the world around me.  I always picture that this is how most photographers start out.  When you first begin, you start thinking there is nothing interesting to photograph where you live. But after you learn to view the world as the camera views it...you realize there are beautiful images waiting to be captured everywhere!

Galveston is a wonderful place for capturing anything from nature to architecture, to people and everything in between.  Even your next ferry trip can be a photographic adventure as was mine on this day.  Take a drive to parts of Galveston you haven't been before.  For me, it was Bolivar Peninsula, a place ravaged by hurricane Ike.  However, this lighthouse has stood the test of time and managed to make it through several huge hurricanes.  I hope you enjoy these as much as I enjoyed taking them.

My Favorite Subject

Following my first blog post, I decided to re-live some of my photography and post my favorites from my last several photo shoots.  This will at least keep photography on the brain until my next shoot this week.  Coby is my son and of course my favorite subject, but he is a difficult one!  This was a quiet moment I captured of him...one of few. 

My First Blog Post...

Well, it's official...my new blog is up and running!  Kara Rice Photography is well on it's way and I am enjoying getting all my ducks in a row with regards to creating my business and web presence.  I hope that you will continue to check back often as I plan on offering sneak peaks of my portrait sessions, other photography I have taken, and editing tips and tricks on how to improve your own photos. 

Thanks to Ms. Stephanie Dubois for creating my super, cute logo and soon I will be sharing my new website and other materials we will be creating for Kara Rice Photography.