Candid Veronica
A rarely updated, yet always truthful photographer's blog
It was a warm and sunny 31 degrees outside. Luckily, the kind folks who work inside the various shops and restaurants in the Bishop Arts District took pity on this bride and offered her (and her wonderful assistants) the chance to warm up. If you haven't guessed already, these photos are of me, Veronica's Camera herself. My co-photographer Jordan took the shots.
I often hear, "That's a really nice camera. I would be lost using it."
That's partially true. You would only be lost for about two minutes--that's it. Cameras aren't difficult, but there is a bit of a learning curve.
In fact, those easy-to-use point-and-click cameras that everyone has can do some pretty cool things, too. The problem is that no one really knows how to use them (which is why they all now have face detection, etc., which isn't without it's flaws, as well).
I want to host a workshop where people can bring whatever camera they have and I'll show them how to work it. It'll be cheap, it'll be fun (organized activities!). I just don't know when it will be. I guess I have to get enough interest before I schedule something.
Well, sort of. Since I'm a photographer, people love to ask me who's shooting my bridal portraits and our wedding. It makes sense. After all, I'm going to be picky.
So my awesome assistant and I shot my bridals. And I really want to post them, but I'm not married yet. And I REALLY want to share them with my favorite person in the world (my one-and-only), but he's the one person I can't show.
This is so hard! But it's only 33 days until the reveal. So be looking for my own bridals soon.
Being a bride myself, I've been a little concerned with things showing through my white dress (like undergarments). White stands out like a lamp. Nude shows. Something blue definitely shows. But red doesn't.
It sounds insane. It sounds really insane. But for some reason, red disappears under white. So if you're a bride, and you want to wear something under your dress that doesn't show, go for a pair of sassy red underwear. After all, who doesn't feel sexy in red?
As I edited the photos from Derrick and Emily's wedding, I found myself smiling. I found myself smiling often.
Because they just look so in love. Revisiting their day on my computer (even two weeks after the event), I could literally feel the energy of their affection.
Perhaps that's cheesy, but I wouldn't have it any other way. Congratulations, you two crazy kids. May your future glow like your wedding day.
Rumor has it that the absolute best present one can ever give his parents is a grandchild. The second best present? Photos of that grandchild.
So when grandchild becomes grandchildren, it's time to get everyone together for a family photo.
I took the Dewbre family's portraits on a sunny Sunday at Riverchon Park in Dallas. I love how they all wore white shirts and jeans. And the little ones did really well (after all, being a model isn't easy).
It's weird staring in to the big, gaping maw of a huge camera. And unfortunately, that weirdness can appear in photos. This is where friends come in handy.
If you bring a friend with you, there's someone to relieve the pressure, make you laugh, and possibly distract you from the menacing click click click of the camera.
If you're a bride, bring your maid-of-honor. If you're a high school senior, bring your BFF. If you're a mommy to be, bring along daddy-to-be or a good girlfriend.
Whoever your buddy is for the day, make sure he/she is someone who can comfort you. Someone who doesn't make you nervous and self conscious. You'll thank them when you see your beaming face in pictures.
Star Hill Ranch Bee Cave, Texas
Admittedly, we were all a little timid about shooting Kristen's bridal portraits on such a gloomy, cloudy, wet day.
But with the wedding quickly approaching, we decided to face the storm.
Kristen chose cowboy boots in lieu of her strappy sandals and we did our best to keep her dress clean (with success, by the way).
The pictures turned out FANTASTIC. The only time she looked more beautiful was her actual wedding day.
Congrats, Kristen. You are Nigel are in for the time of your lives.
Introducing Veronica's Camera Bachelorette Paparazzi Service. Just like in Hollywood, you tip us off 20 minutes before you want the paparazzi to show up, and then we will. You're bachelorette will love it!
We'll enter a club (pending the club's permission, of course), we'll wait outside the front doors, we'll get her exiting the limo. We'll shout questions, we'll scream out rumors (provided by you, of course), and most importantly--we'll capture every moment.
Whatever you want!
Make her night memorable. Contact us via our website for more info.
(Pronounced Caro-leen-ah) Baby Carolina is so precious and perfect, words are useless.
On the other hand, cameras are rather good at interpreting beauty when language fails.
And with that, here's what the camera says about perfect little Carolina on her seventh day.
On September 12, I watched Kris and Mitch get married through the lens of my camera. And I'm very glad I did.
In the hours I spent with them and their loved ones, I remembered why not only weddings, but marriages are so special. You see, they only cared about getting married. Kris didn't fret over teensy wardrobe mishaps. They didn't have to blow the budget on orchids. And the pouring rain didn't cast a shadow on the joy they felt that afternoon.
Every couple should be this happy, carefree, and all-around relaxed the day they get married. I hope I am.
Congratulations, Kris and Mitch. May you share a lifetime of smiles and laughter.
About Kris and Mitch:
They were married in the Worship Center at the First United Methodist Church of Carrollton. This is their first (and only!) marriage which is very cool considering they aren't the typical twenty-something couple. And they had the coolest kids in their wedding.
Little known fact about me: I love pizza. It's my favorite food. It will always be my favorite food. I'd do nearly anything for a good slice of pie.
Which brings me to Olivella's. If you live in the DFW Metroplex, do yourself a favor and have lunch, dinner, whatever at Olivella's. You won't be sorry.
A side note before I begin: I can't believe "incentivising" is a real word. At least according to the New Oxford American Dictionary. Anyway, it's time to start spreading the word about Veronica's Camera. So here's the deal.
Get a friend to use Veronica's Camera and you will get the following FREE:*
One 11x14 print
Two 8x10 prints
2 5x7 prints
Four 4x6 prints
8 wallet prints
Don't you just love freebies?
Want to know the normal rates? Feel free to give me a shout.
*Standard session fees apply. Offer not valid with any extremely discounted service. Blah blah blah.
I've been so eager to post Amity's bridal portraits! But I've a strict policy about posting the bride before she's married. So now that Amity is a wife, I can finally show off her beautiful photos. We got such a variety of shots, it's impossible to pick my favorite. Although I love how her bare feet peek out in a few of the photos showing off her carefree nature.
These were shot in Turtle Creek, Lee Park to be more specific, on a sunny-then-cloudy-then-sunny day.
Once upon a time, I donated some time to the Kiwanis Angel League in Rockwall. From their website: The Angel League is a baseball program for special needs boys and girls ages 4 to 15. The rules have been adapted so that we have no strikes, no outs and every child scores with every hit, even if the ball goes 10 or 100 feet.
To learn more about the Rockwall Kiwanis Angel League or starting an Angel League of your own, visit the Kiwanis Angel League website.
These are some of my favorite pics (from literally hundreds). As soon as I slap my logo on others, I'll add them.
When I took photos of the Rollins family, it was important to me that we shoot at their home. After all, that's where their little family began and continues to grow. So on a semi-sunny day, we hung out in the front yard and got some great pictures.
I ran across some foundation tips for you do-it-yourself kind of makeup wearers out there.
Wear a foundation that's a shade deeper than your actual skin tone.
I know what you're thinking, and I thought it too (at first). But think about it--have you ever noticed that in photos your face sometimes appears lighter than the rest of you? It has to do with reflection of light off of makeup (that's how it hides blemishes). So when you're having your portrait done, even though it might make you cringe in front of the mirror, go a bit darker. You'll be happy you did.
Keep powder off of pimples.
The problem with hiding blemishes is that you usually end up with a tiny cake of makeup that sticks out more than the pimple originally did. So keep your coverage simple. Apply a tinted moisturizer. Then--on the blemish--lightly blend concealer on top of it and out. That's it. And remember--whatever you do--resist the urge to powder.
If you have a blemish that's just too heinous, I can fix it in PhotoShop and no one will ever know.
If you try to pose, you're going to look posed. One thing I always tell a person is to be herself (or himself, depending on the person).
It's pretty easy since most of us act like ourselves for a good chunk of the day.
Take Jordan here. She's a young, angry teenager. But she's also a free-spirited hippy chick. She hates shoes, she has chipped nail polish, and she's currently not cutting her hair so she can donate it this summer.
Jordan didn't try to overdress or act like someone else during her shoot. She just acted like Jordan. And the pictures, just like Jordan, are really fun because of it.
Is there something that's (big word alert) quintessentially you? Sassy shoes? A football? A particular shade of lipstick?
Bring it with you. You'd be amazed how much your favorite teddy bear from when you were five can enhance your experience.
If you get camera shy (and let's face it, most of us do), a prop can give you something else to focus on besides my lens.
Meet Adrienne and Bill. They're getting married soon and needed to practice having a camera in their faces all afternoon. So we went to the Dallas Arboretum. It ended up being an extremely busy day so our little photo session was getting tons of attention and even more walk-throughs! You'd think people would take the extra ten seconds to walk around! Anyway, the pictures turned out great regardless.
