Art, décor, family and photography- it's all part of me!
I still can't believe it- my baby sister is engaged! Ok, so she's far from being a baby anymore, but she is the youngest, as is her fiancé, Justin. We are so, so excited to have him as part of our family, and to see Layne as a Mrs.!
It all went down at sunrise on the beach (nice job, Justin!). I didn't get to capture the proposal, but we arrived just after to meet a very excited Layne and a relieved Justin. Here are a few photos. Congrats you two! Love you!
Haha- does the title get the point across?!? I have been showing some my fine art prints at Culture Clothing for the past couple of months and it is finally time to take them down and make room for new artists. The problem is, I don't have anywhere to put them. So, I'm marking them down and offering them to you!
Here's what's for sale:
"Jinzhou" Metal Prints
These prints are actually printed on metal sheets, and hung with metal studs to give an industrial look. The corners of the prints are rounded and there is a sheen/reflection to the surface. I'd never ordered these prints before and I was really impressed with the quality. The metal was perfect for the contrasty black and whites.
This cluster contains 3 10x20 prints, and 3 8x10 prints- they can be purchased together or separately.
10x20- 80.00 (Regularly 175.00)
8x10- 45.00 (Regularly 55.00)
"Gates" Series
This series depicts images of colorful iron gates found throughout Puerto Rico. I loved the different textures and patterns- there were literally hundreds within a city block. I created 10x10 squares so that they mix-and-match-able and can be hung in a variety of ways. Here is what the display looked like in our store:
I can see these being a pop of color in a room or hung symmetrically in ornate frames. Each 10x10 is printed on glossy Kodak paper and mounted on foamcore. They can be hung alone or framed. I numbered them to make referencing them easier- the numbers are not actually a part of the image!
1 10x10 print- 30.00 (Regularly 45.00)
A group of 3 10x10 prints- 80.00
"V is for Vintage" Print on Standout
This 16x24 print is mounted on standout with a black border, so it does not need to be framed. It has been one of my most-selling prints!
16x24 print- 150.00 (Regularly 215.00)
"The Pixie" Print on Standout
This 8x12 print is also mounted on standout with a black border. I photographed the cameras inside an antique store in downtown San Juan.
8x12 print- 30.00 (Regularly 45.00)
If you are interested in any of these prints please send me an email at lissa.anglin@me.com! Thank you!
Oh my goodness, I was so excited to see Jeff + Becca last week! I got to photograph their amazing wedding a couple of years ago, and had the pleasure of shooting with them again while they were in Lubbock last week. This was such a fun photoshoot- these guys just wanted some new, relaxed photos- I think it's a great way to celebrate 2 years of marriage! I love these two for so many reasons- they both have devoted their time and energy to helping kids- Jeff is a coach and Becca is a teacher. And you can just tell they are so. good. at it. Not only that, but Becca is a photographer herself, and has been putting out some pretty amazing work lately. To top it off, they are just cool. They forgot to pack outfits for the shoot (sounds like me!), so Becca shopped at our store the day before and found everything she needed (cough, shameless plug, cough). Here are a few of my faves from our 9 am session.
Dusty + Lindsey's wedding was another much-anticipated one for me. I absolutely love shooting at Westminster Presbyterian in Amarillo, and from what I had talked with Lindsey about pre-wedding, I knew that she had a ton of sentimental elements woven into the plan for the day. Their wedding was traditional with very personal and fun elements thrown in. It was exactly why I love being a wedding photographer in the South! I've got lots of photos to show you- along with Dusty + Lindsey's comments about their big day.
Ceremony: Westminster Presbyterian Church, Amarillo, TX
Reception: Ambassador Hotel
Wedding Gown: Oleg Cassini
Groom/Groomsmen Tuxes: Men's Wearhouse
Bridesmaids' Dresses: David's Bridal
Florist: Stevens Flowers, Canyon, TX
Cake: The Cake Company, Canyon, TX
Catering: Ambassador Hotel
DJ: Jack Light, DJ Entertainment Amarillo
Video: Lindsay Haworth, 41 Productions
Hair: Megan Johnstone, La Bella
Lindsey's custom made lace garter incorporated pieces from several generations of women in her family. Her baby ring was even included!
Instead of a First Look, Dusty + Lindsey opted to "see" each other from one side of a door. It was definitely one of my favorite moments to photograph. Here's what Lindsey had to say about it:
Lindsey: "We talked about our day, gave each other our wedding gifts, and just laughed and giggled as we nervously prepared for the ceremony. This was so much fun to share a few moments and visit, but not see each other."
Dusty: "My most memorable moment of the day was when Lindsey was walking down the aisle. I had been looking forward to this moment all day. I kept thinking, "don't cry, don't cry..." She walked down the aisle with her dad and looked absolutely perfect. The entire day was something I will never forget."
Lindsey: "Our favorite detail of our ceremony was the "washing of the feet". It was such a sweet time with each other and with the Lord. We did this as a symbol that we both promise to walk humbly together, serve each other, and wash each other with The Word. As weeks have gone on since the wedding, our friends and family have told us countless times how beautiful this act of service was for them to observe. It was also a time of reflection for our friends and family to reflect on their personal relationship with Christ and to pray blessing over us as we began our marriage."
Any advice for future brides + grooms?
"Our advice would be to have a $ Money Dance $. This was the best thing we did at the reception. Our guests paid a dollar, two or more to dance with both of us. By the end of several songs, we had made A LOT of money. We had very generous guests!! :) We used that money for excursions on our honeymoon, a candlelight dinner on the beach, and an afternoon massage.
Also, don't be afraid to incorporate your creativity and ideas into the wedding or reception. We took our favorite foods, ideas, and beliefs to create a memorable ceremony and reception. Step out of the box and make it YOUR wedding. We kept it traditional, but definitely made it "ours"."
Congrats you two!
If you've seen me shooting a wedding lately, you've probably had a chance to check out my second shooter, Shanna, and her adorable baby bump. It wasn't too long ago that we were photographing little Dax in utero- and now it's time for round two! Our good friends, Zach and Shanna, are expecting baby boy #2 in a few short weeks. He'll be named August (Gus for short) Cohen Dietz- and we are all SO EXCITED to meet him. I was excited to capture this family we love before their lives change again. Dax has grown to be the sweetest, funniest, loving little boy and I'm sure he will love his baby brother.
I ALWAYS get so excited when shooting at The Fulford Barn. It is such a beautiful place and was the perfect setting for Brice + Heather's rustic country-inspired wedding. These two have been dating since high school, so it was neat to see such a well-acquainted group of people gather to celebrate a bug milstone in Brice + Heather's lives. The day was filled with lots of sentimental details, and just the perfect amount of pink. Here are some of my favorite images. I also added in some of Heather's comments about the day.
Venue: The Fulford Barn
Wedding Gown: Maggie Sottero
Groom + Groomsmen Suits: Men's Wearhouse
Florist: Dayspring Design
Cake: The Cakery
Catering: Coach Moody BBQ
DJ: David Hodges, West Texas DJ
Hair: Savannah King, Salon Sculpt
Heather gave all her bridesmaids their boots and some funky socks to go with them. Love how they all show off their different personalities!
Loved their First Look- it was so special to watch them both go from nervous, to emotional, to excited!
{Warning} This post has no pictures, only intimate details about my personal life. Haha- read on if you dare. :)
Wow! June literally flew right past me- and it feels like April and May did as well. It's hard to admit that I've been operating in a certain state of desperation for the past bit of my life-- experiencing lots of challenges, changes, and new blessings.
Lately I have been amazed at the amount of change I am swimming in. In almost every aspect of my life, God has given me an opportunity to trust Him.
Photography-wise, I am experiencing some growing pains (which are a good thing- though uncomfortable at times). Since moving my office up to our store, I now have a perfect place to meet clients and work in a focused environment (i.e. no curious toddlers around). The downside is, I moved during the very busiest part of my year-- so though I am in the space, it is not perfectly organized or decorated (Read: visual and cognitive mess). I am constantly going up and down the stairs of my little loft area grabbing find that one piece of packing material I forgot. Of well, more calories burned. :) I am hoping to really make it mine once the cold weather moves in a bit.
I'm also working harder mentally to separate work and home. For the past 5 years I have done a pretty good job of "quitting" work at a decent hour, but now that all my files/computers/gear are in a different location it is a bit more complicated and I have to make sure to really tie up loose ends before I head home, and at the same time not stress if I can't immediately answer an email from a client who is needing something that requires me to be using my office computer.
Overall, I have been so blessed by the clients I have had the pleasure of working for this year. I feel like they teach me something new with each session. They've allowed me to see into their lives and be a part of their most special moments- what a gift. Lately I have been in a constant state of refining my skills and developing my personal style. I have spent more time thinking about the type of image I want to look back on (and be proud of) in 30 years than ever. I have been critical of my technical skills as a professional. I have given my best effort in making every person I am photographing as comfortable as I can. Sometimes, I feel like I am walking on big, wobbly stilts- scared that I'll totally mess up and everyone will know. But other times-- and thankfully more frequently-- I am able to stand on my experience and move forward with confidence.
Now more than ever I am deeply concerned about aligning my business with my priorities. I guess I knew this, but having a child has really changed my perspective on certain things. When I was pregnant with Knox, I constantly heard, "Oh, you have the perfect job to be able to stay home with the baby and still work". It's true- my job is pretty wonderful and flexible. For the first year of his life, we always had a nanny come for several hours a week to watch Knox while I worked (often times quite frantically). First, there was my baby sister Layne- who pretty much taught him sign language and dutifully fed him all our homemade baby food- and then we had Emily, who was ever so patient with his curious and wandering ways. They frequently took little excursions so as to keep the boy entertained. :) It was once Knox turned one that I really started to consider doing a more full-time option for child care. He was beginning to get bored around our little house, and I was starting to wonder if I personally needed a little more structure for my work day. So, at the beginning of June, we started him at daycare. It has been a great experience with the daycare so far. I can drop him off and pick him up anytime between 7:30 a.m.- 6:00 p.m. Monday through Friday, which is very conveninent. Knox adjusted pretty quickly to the new arrangement- only a few sad/angry moments here and there. I have been the worst at adjusting of all! It's been hard to not feel guilt about wanting a separate space to work and not being with him. Until now, I have had a full-time job in a part-time atmosphere, which led to more stress and less quality time with my kid than I wished for. And now, since taking him to daycare, I have more set hours and a little less flexibility in schedule. You can bet that by the time I am finished with work for the day I am SO ready to go pick him up and squeeze him!
Things at Culture Clothing have been crazy good-- as in a little crazy, and mostly good. Working with my husband has been an adjustment as well, but a welcome one. He and our team there are doing an incredible job. They are constantly pulling off things I would have never dreamed up and I am so proud of the effect they are having on the store. We have gotten to meet so many cool and interesting people- I am amazed at the amount of things God can do with one little clothing store. Being that we are still very new, we are working a lot- and very hard. Retail is no joke. It's a constant effort to maintain the perfect experience, and improve on what is already there. I'm so, so glad that this is mostly Shawn's baby- but that he still lets me have a voice. More than anything, I'm excited that other people are excited and that we're seeing repeat customers every week and new customers every day. They bring with them some pretty cool stories and really great clothes!
Our little family has seen it's fair share of travel- Shawn and I were both gone for a week at a time (separately- for church camps) for half of June, and we just got back from a weekend trip to Red River with Shawn's family. So refreshing, but 12 hours in our tiny car = madness. We'll be headed to Borger for my 10 year reunion (eek!) at the end of the month and the immediately after hopping on a plane to Puerto Rico (yippee!). I am a little scared about how our sweet boy will do with the long journey to PR, but so far he has proven to be a pretty good traveler. And I have LOADED up our iPad with more Elmo, Dinosaur Train, and Bubble Guppies videos than you can imagine (his favorite). We also dealt with more sickness this past month than we ever have. Shawn and I both got bronchitis (awful, awful stuff), and Knox has had two ear infections (perhaps this is where some of the daycare guilt is coming from?!? There is truly no reason for me to think that is where he got the infections, but I can just hear people thinking it...ugh). The blessing in it all is that we are all feeling great now, thanks to lots of great doctors and meds. :) So, I am praying our season of sickness is over. Beyond that, I have been reading a lot- Real Marriage, The E-Myth, Adopt Without Debt, and Kisses From Katie. And, I'm not sure I've felt worse about my role as a friend than I do right now. With all the things that I have allowed on my plate, I have not made ample time for my very patient and thoughtful friends, who have relentlessly checked in on me and believed my promises to get together soon. This, for sure, is something I want to see improve very quickly.
And, if you've made it this far, you'll be happy to know that I have Jesus. Clearly! When I sit back and read all the random and worrisome thoughts that I just poured out I get truly overwhelmed. The amazing thing is that I have not drowned yet. Really and honestly, my lately has been too much for me to handle. But thankfully-- oh, I am so thankful-- God has given me a loving husband, family and friends to lean on, and most importantly, He's given me Himself. I have thought this scripture so much lately: "I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world." John 16:34
This beautiful bride got married recently and so I can share her bridal photos with you now! Lindsey has such a bright spirit and great attitude. I had so much fun spending time with her and her Mom the day of her shoot. Enjoy!
There is so much I could say about this wedding- the beautiful venue, amazing details, yummy food...but the thing that has resonated with me most looking back is the way Joe looked at Erin. Of course, she was stunning (that dress!), but no one could deny the excitement in Joe's face as he counted down the minutes until they were finally married. It was what every girl dreams of! Such a beautiful day- full of wonderful people. I'll share some of Erin & Joe's commentary looking back on this post.
P.S. I couldn't narrow my favorites down any more than this. I hope you have a minute, dear blog-reader. :)
Wedding Gown: Watters purchased at Brickhouse Bridal of The Woodlands
Menswear: J. Crew
Bridesmaids: Bill Levkoff
Florist: Dream Bouquet by Rebekah of Houston
Cake: Bavarian Cakery
Venue/Catering/DJ: Ashelynn Manor
Hair/Makeup: Exquisite Reflections
Stationery: Terri Pepper
Hairpiece & Garter purchased on Etsy
Groom's Fingerprint Wedding Band: Brent & Jessica @ Fabuluster
What was the most memorable moment about your day?
Erin: To name one memorable moment out of the entire day is almost impossible, because almost every second of that day was filled with love and memories. From the women in my life surrounding me while I got into my dress to my daddy crying as he prayed over Joe and I when he gave me away. But the most memorable moment had to be the look on Joe's face at our first look moment. It was so sweet and perfect. All the anxious and antsy feelings just disappeared. Plus, it didn't hurt that my man looked pretty stinkin' handsome! Another moment I loved though, for our family, was sneaking away from the reception with Rylee and Joe to go feed and pet the horses on the property. It was such a fun time to have with just us 3.
Joe: Well, I have two moments, because there is no way to choose just one. First, our first look. When I finally got to see Erin, I got emotional. She looked absolutely gorgeous and I could not wait to marry her. Second, when the doors opened and Erin walked down the aisle. It was one of those moments that I will never forget.
Erin gave Joe the "husband list" she made- such a perfect gift for their wedding day!
Favorite wedding purchase?
Erin: My favorite purchase was my wedding dress. I went into the boutique and had something totally different in mind and after working with an amazing consultant, walked out purchasing the first dress I tried on. The vintage feel to my lace dress was perfection and not only fit the wedding, but ended up being everything I ever wanted. Not only did I fall in love with it, but during a Bridal show in January, I won VIP passes to meet Randy Fenoli from "Say Yes to the Dress". When he asked to see my dress, he told me that it was perfect and that it was exactly what he would have chosen for me and for the feel of my wedding! It was one of my favorite moments from the whole wedding planning process!
How awesome is Erin's "naked" wedding cake? It was delicious, too! And the Lemonade bar was genius. They had regular lemonade and you could scoop whatever flavor of crushed fruit you wanted into it.
During the reception we snuck away for a few portraits of their new family. Miss Rylee and my son, Knox, are only a few weeks apart...we are working on the arranged marriage. :)
Any advice for future brides/grooms?
Erin: Completely enjoy the day. Don't let the little things bother you, because something WILL go wrong. And more times than not, you're the only one who even knew! Just be together and enjoy the love that surrounds all those little moments.
Congrats you two!
I was really excited to shoot this session because this is one of my favorite families to photograph. They are laid back, fun, and up for anything. I shot a session with them last year and the kiddos have grown so much! We had a great time wandering around the LHUCA on a lovely Lubbock morning.
This is so them- exactly the type of family portraits I like to make!