Signature Collections Photography Blog

Out with the old and in with the new!

2010-07-20T00:47:00.004-05:00

After over a year of thinking about it and putting it on the back burner, we finally updated our blog!! Our new blog can be found at www.signature-collections.com/blog .

Let us know what you think! We are super excited! Our new blog even has its own iPhone icon when you save our blog address to your iPhone homepage. Try it out! It's super cool!

So please make sure to update your bookmarks as we no longer will be posting here. We hope to see you on our new blog!

-Lizbeth

beautiful outdoor wedding...

2010-07-14T16:32:00.010-05:00

Summer wedding season is in full swing, and last week, we shot the first of three weddings that we have lined up for the month of July.

Meet Robert and Elizabeth! They celebrated their nuptials at the gorgeous open air event center, La Placita . It was such a heart-felt ceremony and I have to admit that I got teary-eyed more than a couple of times.

Here's a glimpse into their special day....

-Lizbeth

the Guevara's

2010-06-22T23:17:00.004-05:00

Meet the beautiful Guevara family! I first photographed this bunch a little over two years ago when they were expecting their first bundle of joy. Fast forward to a couple of weeks ago and we have a beautiful glowing mommy-to-be and a very excited daddy and big brother.

We started off in the studio and then headed outside for some family fun photos in the sun. Here are some of my favorites...

Anyone that knows me, knows that I'm a fan of candids. These next ones are my absolute faves!

-Lizbeth

the Garmendia's!

2010-06-09T23:54:00.002-05:00

A couple of weeks ago, I shot the family session of fellow photographer friends, Gerry and Angela Garmendia. I had so much fun with them. They brought along their little dog, Ginger, which I happily re-named Snails by mistake! Angela had so many great ideas for what she wanted and I was so happy to oblige! Here are some of my favorites...

Here's my absolute fave of the bunch!

This next one is so Angela and Gerry!

-Lizbeth

2010-06-02T22:37:00.005-05:00

Had lots of fun shooting Ben and Amy's engagements. They were suggesting all these ideas for their wedding photos and we hadn't even shot the engagements yet...but man am I looking forward to their wedding with the ideas they had. First lets enjoy the engagement images in which they both just looked amazing.

They look awesome in this one...

eleven days old

2010-05-23T22:46:00.002-05:00

I have been so blessed these past few weeks with the opportunity to photograph so many beautiful newborns! Meet baby Isabella! At eleven days old, she gave us an awesome stretch of sleep for some pretty amazing images. Jason and Liliana, thank you so much for trusting me with your little one! Here is a peek into their session...

-Lizbeth

shooting together again...

2010-05-11T22:19:00.003-05:00

A couple of weeks ago, Omar and I shot the super fun family session of fellow photographer, Carmen. This session was so much fun. Not only was it our first session shooting together since last summer, but it took place at sunny South Padre Island. It meant so much that Carmen and Danny chose us to capture their beautiful family and it felt so good to be back at Omar's side, doing what we both love. Here are some of my favorites! Enjoy!

-Lizbeth

adoring love..

2010-05-09T23:40:00.002-05:00

A couple of weeks ago, I had the most meaningful session of my career. It was an honor when I was called upon Liz and Jeremy to capture their beautiful daughter, Gabriela.

Baby Gabriela is a true angel from God. She was born with a condition called Zellweger Syndrome. And for the past seven months, she has been defying all prognosis. Through amazing strength, love and faith by many friends and family members, baby Gabriela continues to amaze us every day.

Not a day goes by that I don't think of her. And I feel truly blessed to have been able to capture the adoring love that Liz and Jeremy have for her. Here is a glimpse into their session...

-Lizbeth

nine days old

2010-05-06T23:29:00.002-05:00

Boy have we had a rush of newborns through our studio the last couple of weeks! It's been amazing working with each and every one of them. Meet baby Isabella. She was nine days old and such a cutie pie! She gave us a long stretch of sleep towards the end of the session and we were able to get these amazing images. Luis and Star, thank you so much for trusting me with your little one! Enjoy!!

-Lizbeth

12 days old

2010-05-04T20:25:00.002-05:00

Meet baby Julianne! At just twelve days old, she was as tiny and as cute as can be. I'm not going to lie, she made me work for every image I got. She fought me on every hand, foot, finger and toe that I tried to move. But alas, I finally tired her out enough to get some amazing images for mom. Here are some of my favorites! What a beauty!!

-Lizbeth

The "I Do" Wedding Extravaganza

2010-05-03T19:11:00.004-05:00

Thank you so much to everyone that showed up yesterday at the "I Do" wedding extravaganza! It was such an amazing event and we met so many wonderful couples!

Here's a glimpse at our booth set-up! Omar did a fantastic job at building it!

-Lizbeth

Kamila's Fabulous 15th Birthday Celebration

2010-04-30T20:58:00.003-05:00

Two weeks ago, our associate, Sally, and I shot the fabulous 15th birthday celebration of Kamila. It was such an amazing party and we had so much fun capturing this beautiful family!

Thank you for trusting us to capture such an important day in your lives. Here is a glimpse into Kamila's day...

-Lizbeth

Come see us at the "I Do" Wedding Extravaganza!

2010-04-28T08:52:00.003-05:00

Omar and I want to invite you to come see us this Sunday at the "I Do" wedding extravaganza at the McAllen Convention Center from 11AM to 6PM. We will have some of our latest work on display, including Omar's latest wedding album creation. We look forward in meeting you!

13 days old

2010-04-27T09:03:00.003-05:00

Meet baby Palacios! Just thirteen days old and oh so sweet! This little one put up a fight in the beginning. My studio was just too interesting to go to sleep! But once he did, he did not wake up through the rest of the entire session. I must have tired him out because he did great.

So here he is in all of his sweetness! Oh, and check out the head of hair. I love it!!

Lots more babies coming your way and a super cool 15th celebration, so stay tuned!

-Lizbeth

The Valley Wedding Social & Events Magazine

2010-04-26T11:15:00.004-05:00

Make sure to pick up a copy of the Spring 2010 Valley Wedding Social and Events Magazine! We are super excited to share that our work is featured on the cover! Congratulations to Carlos and Vanessa Garza! We shot their wedding in the fall of 2009. Check out their two page feature in the magazine!

nine days old..

2010-04-24T00:11:00.002-05:00

I had an amazing session with Baby Garcia. At only nine days old, he gave us an awesome stretch of deep sleep. I was very excited about this session because it was the first newborn session since getting back from my trip to visit Kelley Ryden. I am so thankful to Elizabeth and Carlos for allowing me to try some new posing. Here are some of my favorites. Enjoy!

-Lizbeth

Meet the Ochoa's!

2010-04-19T22:14:00.002-05:00

They are one of the coolest, most hippest families I've met. Mom and dad are just so wonderful and down to earth, and their kiddos were so cool and fun to work with.

We took them out a few weeks ago and shot a super cool urban shoot for them. I love this set! Here are some of my favorites!

-Lizbeth

Eric & Chelsea

2010-04-08T22:37:00.002-05:00

We've got quite a few weddings booked for next year already, and last week, we did the engagement shoot of a couple who is scheduled to wed at the gorgeous Quinta Mazatlan next March. Meet Eric and Chelsea! They are one of the cutest and tallest couples I've met!! They both must be over six feet tall! You can imagine, at 5'-3", how short I felt standing next to them both and Omar, my 6'-4" tall husband at their clothing consultation. Ah, but alas, we can't all be super-model tall in this world :)

Here are a few of my favorites from their shoot! Enjoy!

-Lizbeth

giddy parents to be..

2010-04-05T21:21:00.002-05:00

I had such an amazing time with Elizabeth and Carlos just a few weeks ago as we documented their first pregnancy. They were so happy and I could see the love they shared for one another in every glance and embrace. It was a very endearing and sweet session. Carlos had Elizabeth laughing throughout the entire session. I have no idea what he was whispering in her ear, but I got some very genuine moments out of them. Here are just a few of my favorites. Enjoy!

-Lizbeth

my inspiration

2010-03-30T23:01:00.002-05:00

I have been following the work of Kelley Ryden for the past few years. She is a true icon in the world of newborn photography. From her amazing newborn posing, to her flawless editing, I admire every aspect of her work. This past weekend, I had the privilege of attending one of her baby posing classes in her hometown of Omaha, Nebraska. I, along with fourteen other photographers, experienced first hand, the amazing ability and precise technicality of both Kelley Ryden and her sister, Tracy Raver. It was an experience I will never forget!

Here are a few images that I captured during the workshop!

-Lizbeth

Kamila's Urban Shoot

2010-03-21T22:05:00.002-05:00

Next month, we will be shooting the 15th birthday celebration of Kamila. She is one of the sweetest, and coolest teenagers you will ever meet. Last week, we took her out for an urban shoot. She was such an amazing sport. Let's just say we had to traverse through some treacherous terrain to get these shots..and she did it in designer sandals and heels!

Here are some of my favorites..

-Lizbeth

Otis & Sally

2010-03-17T23:42:00.005-05:00

This was a very special wedding for us. Especially me. This was the wedding of my little sister Sally. It was very difficult for me to shoot this wedding because I was emotionally attached. It was hard shooting through the blurry view finder because of watery eyes. I almost broke down during the father and daughter dance. All I could think about is my little Bella getting married. I am excited to have gained a little brother in all this. Otis is a good man and I am sure he will be a great husband to my sister and a great father to their children. Here are a few images of their wedding day.

-Omar

Sally's Bridals...

2010-03-08T18:08:00.003-06:00

We shot the amazing wedding of Otis and Sally this past weekend. But before we post images from their special day, we want to share a few of Sally's bridals with you.

She really loved the rustic feel found within some of our images, so we took her to some of our favorite rustic locales. Here are some of my favorites...

and here is her absolute favorite! (mine too!)

-Lizbeth

Gorgeous mommy-to-be...

2010-03-03T21:29:00.004-06:00

We've had lots of bellies and babies come through our studio these past couple of weeks and we wanted to share one of our latest maternity sessions with you. Meet Lyra and David. They are truly one of the sweetest couples you will ever meet. I had an amazing time photographing their excitement, happiness and love they share for their soon-to-arrive bundle of joy. (We really have the most wonderful clients in the world!) We started off in the studio and then went outdoors for a little colorful fun. Here are some of my favorites!

-Lizbeth

meant the world to me...

2010-03-01T23:17:00.003-06:00

Meet the Anderson family! I was so humbled when they contacted me to photograph their newest bundle of joy, Owen. Not only because this would be their second session with me, but because they were willing to drive all the way from Houston down to the valley just for the session. It really meant the world to me. And I hope that the moments we captured that Sunday morning will be cherished by their family for a lifetime. Here are a few sweet moments from their session. Enjoy...

-Lizbeth

tickles and giggles

2010-02-25T21:14:00.002-06:00

Meet the Morales family! I have to admit that I had a really great time shooting this adorable trio. The entire session was filled with laughter and giggles. And I was able to capture the love that this family has for one another through their genuine interactions between each other. Here are some of my favorites!

I just love the way Joey is gazing at Zulma here. As they say, a picture is worth a thousand words...

and this is one of my absolute favorites. I love the emotion in this one!

Lots more coming your way soon! Till next time!

-Lizbeth

Otis and Sally - Part 2

2010-02-22T16:19:00.002-06:00

Two weeks ago, we did the urban portion of Otis and Sally's engagement shoot. We had such an awesome time at some of our favorite signature spots as well as several new ones! And in seeing these two interact with one another, I gained a real understanding of the mutual respect and love that they have for one another. Congratulations again! We love you!

Here we are at one of my favorite spots to shoot. You don't know how many requests we get for pictures at this wall! And yes, it really is blue in real life!

We shot the following one in the dugout at the Edinburg Roadrunner's Stadium. Otis played baseball for UTPA all four years of college, so this place holds a special place in his heart.

and last but not least..one of my personal favorites from the bunch...

-Lizbeth

Baby C.C.

2010-02-17T18:59:00.005-06:00

I've been dying to blog these, but I've been waiting for the announcements to start hitting the mailboxes before I did. Well the wait is finally over!

Our dear friends welcomed their newest bundle of joy a few weeks ago. Meet baby C.C! We had a magical newborn session with this beautiful little sleepy head. Congratulations friends, she's absolutely beautiful!

-Lizbeth

The RGV Kids Calendar - Cover Shot!

2010-02-15T23:13:00.003-06:00

Here it is! We've made it to the cover shot of the 2010 RGV Kids Calendar! Amber totally rocked this image! She knew exactly what I was going for and I love it!! She looks awesome!

We're looking forward to next year's calendar. Stay tuned on our blog for announcements and information regarding the casting call auditions.

And here it is! Enjoy!!

Clothing provided and selected by the awesome staff at Kids Gap, La Plaza Mall, McAllen, Texas.

-Lizbeth

The RGV Kids Calendar - December

2010-02-14T13:37:00.002-06:00

Welcome to the final month of the RGV Kids Calendar Release tribute! Meet Luke! He is representing the month of December. Luke was an absolute sweetheart to work with. He has one of the cutest expressions ever! I totally love this shot! I think the teddy bear adds a unique element to it.

We'll be unveiling the cover shot tomorrow so stay tuned! Enjoy!

Clothing provided and selected by the awesome staff at Kids Gap, La Plaza Mall, McAllen, Texas.

-Lizbeth

2010-02-13T16:59:00.001-06:00

Welcome to the baby of the bunch! Jorge is representing the month of November in the 2010 RGV Kids Calendar! He was all smiles during the shoot and gave us some awesome material to work with! I can't help but smile everytime I see his adorable face! Here's his selected image for the calendar. Enjoy!

-Lizbeth

The RGV Kids Calendar - October

2010-02-12T22:30:00.002-06:00

Welcome to one of the coolest shots in the 2010 RGV Kids Calendar! Representing the month of October is Ian! He totally completed the look that I was shooting for in this image. Everything about it, from the location to the edgy clothing was accentuated by his awesome look. I'm telling you...we had some of the most amazing kids to work with on this project!! Add this one to one of my favorites as well!

Clothing selected and provided by the groovy folks at Kids Gap, La Plaza Mall, McAllen, Texas.

-Lizbeth

The RGV Kids Calendar - September

2010-02-11T21:39:00.002-06:00

Meet Andrew! He is representing the month of September in the 2010 RGV Kids Calendar. I have to say this is one of my most favorite images from the lot. Don't get me wrong, I LOVE all of them, but there's something about his expression, the sunglasses in his hands, the mood of the clouds and the yellow airplane that are just captivating to me as a whole. Thank you to the McAllen Miller International Airport for allowing us to shoot with their amazing airplanes!

Clothing selected and provided by the fabulous folks at Kids Gap, La Plaza Mall, McAllen, Texas.

-Lizbeth

The RGV Kids Calendar - August

2010-02-10T22:11:00.002-06:00

Oh Serene, Serene! You are a photographer's dream! Meet our representative for the RGV Kids Calendar's month of August. Talk about a natural! She needed virtually no direction from me when it came to posing. As a matter of fact, she composed this frame herself...enjoy!

Clothing selected and provided by the wonderful staff at Kids Gap, La Plaza Mall, McAllen, Texas.

-Lizbeth

The RGV Kids Calenar - July

2010-02-09T19:09:00.002-06:00

We're halfway through our RGV Kids Calendar release tribute! Meet Isaac! He's representing the month of July. A huge thank you goes out to the McAllen Miller International Airport for allowing us to shoot on location.

I just love the resulting image of Isaac. He looks super handsome in front of that plane! Enjoy!

Clothing provided and selected by the awesome staff at Kids Gap, La Plaza Mall, McAllen, Texas.

-Lizbeth

The RGV Kids Calendar - June

2010-02-08T20:19:00.003-06:00

We've made it to the month of June! Meet Emma! Words can't describe enough how gorgeous and sweet this little girl is. She was very shy, but her innocent expressions could captivate anyone. And check out her gorgeous red locks! To die for people! To die for! Here's her selected image! Enjoy!

Clothing provided and selected by the awesome staff at Kids Gap, La Plaza Mall, McAllen, Texas.

-Lizbeth

The RGV Kids Calendar - May

2010-02-07T17:35:00.003-06:00

Meet little Camila! She is representing the month of May in the RGV Kids Calendar! Camila has a spunky personality, with the most beautiful twinkling eyes ever. The shoot concept was very fitting to her character and she was a joy to work with. Take a look at the selected shot! Enjoy!

Clothing provided and selected by Lauren Anthony Couture, McAllen, Texas.

-Lizbeth

The RGV Kids Calendar - April

2010-02-06T23:11:00.003-06:00

Meet Amber! This brown-eyed beauty is representing the month of April. We shot this at a local park on a very, very chilly afternoon. I have to give Amber much credit, because although we were all freezing in our coats while she was in her skirt outfit, she hung in there and gave us this incredible frame!

Clothing selected and provided by the wonderful folks at Kids Gap, La Plaza Mall in McAllen, Texas.

-Lizbeth

The RGV Kids Calendar - March

2010-02-05T17:28:00.002-06:00

Meet beautiful Tianna. She is representing the month of March in the RGV Kids Calendar. I had such an amazing time photographing her. Not only is she stunningly gorgeous, she had one of the bubbliest personalities of the bunch. She was pure joy to work with! So here she is!

Clothing selected and provided by the wonderful folks at Kids Gap, La Plaza Mall in McAllen, Texas.

-Lizbeth

The RGV Kids Calendar - February

2010-02-04T20:53:00.003-06:00

Meet Claire! This beautiful, sweet girl is representing the month of February. She really was a sweetheart to work with. Very shy and quiet, and when it came time to shoot, her sweet innocence was wonderful to photograph. This is one of the sweetest pictures in the bunch and I love it!!

Sweet as candy! And very fitting for the month of February!

Clothing selected and provided by the wonderful folks at Kids Gap, La Plaza Mall in McAllen, Texas.

-Lizbeth

The RGV Kids Calendar - January

2010-02-03T22:41:00.003-06:00

Late last quarter, I was given the wonderful opportunity by Maritza Hamill, owner of RitzMill Marketers, to shoot the images for the first RGV Kids Calendar. I had such a blast working with all of the kids in the calendar. I want to thank Martiza especially for trusting me with this project and giving me pretty much free reign over every aspect of every shoot.

The calendar was released last week, and as a tribute, I will be dedicating the next twelve days in introducing each calendar month on our blog.

So here's little Miss January! Maddie was SO MUCH FUN to work with! At two years old, which happens to be one of the hardest age groups to photograph, she made the photo shoot a breeze! She was so bubbly and just so cute through the entire session. We got so many great frames, but this is the one that made the calendar...

What a doll!

Clothing selected and provided by the wonderful folks at Kids Gap, La Plaza Mall in McAllen, Texas.

-Lizbeth

super gorgeous senior!

2010-01-27T20:37:00.005-06:00

Senior sessions are among my favorite to shoot! Especially because our clients are always so eager to try new spots and always coordinate the most awesome outfits! Check out a couple of my favorites of Noelia's shoot from a few weeks ago. Super gorgeous!

-Lizbeth

The Best of 2009

2010-01-17T21:37:00.006-06:00

2009 was an amazing year for us! We met so many wonderful clients and we captured so many memorable moments for them. Omar and I feel truly blessed to be able to do what we love. A heart felt "thank you" goes out to our wonderful clients for making 2009 awesome!

So here it is! A compilation of some of the most memorable moments captured in 2009..enjoy!

-Lizbeth

a beloved sister..

2010-01-13T14:45:00.002-06:00

Omar's baby sister is getting married this spring and we are thrilled to be able to document her wedding day. We had a very special engagement session planned for them at the exquisite Elephant Room in downtown McAllen. We found this place as Omar and I walked by one evening and we were so mesmerized by the setting, that we had to step in and take it all in. It was like walking into a dream. The owners were so gracious to let us use their place as the setting for Sally and Otis's engagement shoot a couple of weeks later. Here are some of our favorites...

-Lizbeth

Celebrating Mindy

2010-01-01T17:41:00.002-06:00

Last week, Mindy's seven children got together for our biggest family photo shoot yet. As a celebration to her 75th birthday, her children organized a photo shoot to commemorate this special moment in their lives. Omar and I had a blast with everyone! Here is a sneak peek into their session. Enjoy!

-Lizbeth

you find out who your friends are...

2009-12-19T18:07:00.004-06:00

It's hard to find the right words to describe what the following two people mean to both Omar and I. They are the ones who were waiting for us at 2AM the night we arrived home from Dallas almost two years ago ready to help us unload, the ones who were always there to lend a helping hand at our photography expos, the ones who stayed up helping us paint and unpack as we moved into our new home. I could go on and on. And every time I hear the following song, I think of them...

"Run your car off the side of the road
Get stuck in a ditch way out in the middle of nowhere
Or get yourself in a bind lose the shirt off your back
Need a floor, need a couch, need a bus fare

This is where the rubber meets the road
This is where the cream is gonna rise
This is what you really didn't know
This is where the truth don't lie

You find out who your friends are
Somebody's gonna drop everything
Run out and crank up their car
Hit the gas, get there fast
Never stop to think 'what's in it for me?' or 'it's way too far'
They just show on up with their big old heart
You find out who your friends are

Everybody wants to slap your back
wants to shake your hand
when you're up on top of that mountain
But let one of those rocks give way then you slide back down look up
and see who's around then

This ain't where the road comes to an end
This ain't where the bandwagon stops
This is just one of those times when
A lot of folks jump off

You find out who your friends are
Somebody's gonna drop everything
Run out and crank up their car
Hit the gas, get there fast
Never stop to think 'what's in it for me?' or 'it's way too far'
They just show on up with their big old heart
You find out who your friends are

When the water's high
When the weather's not so fair
When the well runs dry
Who's gonna be there?

You find out who your friends are"

J.R. and Rena, you have both proven time and time again that we can always count on you for anything. We love you. Congratulations on your newest addition. We can't wait to meet her...

-Lizbeth

the Casas

2009-12-07T20:47:00.002-06:00

I spent Saturday afternoon photographing the Casas family and their beautiful girls. I had so much fun with them! Despite the chilly weather, the girls were just dolls to work with! Take a look at some of my favorites...

-Lizbeth

give me your best model look...

2009-12-03T19:44:00.004-06:00

Meet the Medina kids! I had so much fun with this bunch. They were awesome to work with and gave me their best "model" looks! Here is a glimpse into some of my favorites from their family urban shoot. Enjoy!

-Lizbeth

the Holidays!

2009-12-01T19:18:00.002-06:00

The holiday season is in full swing. Oh how I LOVE Christmas time!! Especially because we get to meet so many wonderful families and their adorable children for holiday pictures. Meet Julie, Jessica and Jayden. I photographed their beautiful family a few weeks ago. Here are a couple of my absolute favorites from their session..

More families coming soon!

-Lizbeth

The Wedding of Carlos & Vanessa

2009-11-19T09:11:00.002-06:00

It seems like only yesterday that we started off on this photography venture. And in looking back, our passion for what we do has not faded, but instead, has gotten stronger with each client that we meet.

Omar captured the wedding of Carlos and Vanessa a few weeks ago. I'm always anxious to see what he brings home for me to work on and like always, he did not disappoint. As I reviewed the images, I thought to myself, "wow, how I wish we had images of our wedding like these". It makes me so happy that we can give this to our clients -- beautiful memories that will last forever. It's just one of the things that keeps us motivated to always be better than yesterday.

Here is a glimpse into their special day...

until next time,
Lizbeth

Exquisite Bride

2009-11-11T14:00:00.002-06:00

This past weekend, Omar captured the wedding of Carlos and Vanessa. But before we share a sneak peek into their day, I wanted to give you a look into Vanessa's exquisite bridal shoot. Isn't she just gorgeous? Enjoy...

-Lizbeth

Happy Birthday Little Sis

2009-11-09T09:50:00.003-06:00

My little sister, Cristina, was born when I was a sophomore in high school. Back then, I used to think "wow, she'll be 15 when I'm 30!". That seemed like a million years away, and now, I find myself only one short year away from that! How time flies! But no matter what, she'll always be my sugar-booger. (yea, I'm sure she'll appreciate that! hehe)

So her birthday is tomorrow, and she asked for her own little urban-glamour shoot as her birthday gift from us. Here are some of my favorites..we love you!

-Lizbeth

The Wedding of Isaac & Rebekah

2009-11-06T15:15:00.002-06:00

Two weeks ago, Omar captured the wedding of Isaac and Rebekah alongside fellow photographer, Eric Sierra. Isaac and Rebekah were a dream to work with -- giving Omar as much time as he needed to completely capture the emotion of their wedding day. Here are a few of my favorites...

-Lizbeth

Beautiful Fun

2009-10-25T18:50:00.004-05:00

This past weekend, Omar documented the wedding of Rebekah and Isaac. But before we share a sneak peek of their wedding day, we wanted to share some of Rebekah's beautiful bridals. We call it 'beautiful fun'...enjoy!

-Lizbeth

2009-10-22T14:14:00.006-05:00

We first met Jorge & Lori last year at one of our bridal expos, and I must say that when it comes to a photographer-client relationship, it was love at first sight! We have had so much fun photographing these two! They completely trust us and have handed themselves over to us at each shoot we've had with them. They have been one of the most fun couples to work with thus far!

A couple of weeks ago, while I stayed home with the new baby, Omar and his photographer pal, John, traveled to Eagle Pass to document Lori and Jorge's wedding day. Omar is still talking about how much fun they had! Here is a sneak peek into their beautiful day...

-Lizbeth

the engagement of Carlos & Vanessa

2009-10-20T13:35:00.003-05:00

Omar took Carlos and Vanessa out for their engagement shoot a couple of weeks ago. They opted for different venues and we love the results! Here are some of our favorites...

-Lizbeth

we welcome with love...

2009-10-14T22:35:00.003-05:00

Our beautiful baby boy was born two weeks ago on September 29th, 2009 at 11:01am. He weighed in at 7 pounds, 0 ounces and measured 20.5 inches. We are beyond blessed and so happy to have him in our arms at last.

As you can imagine, life is hectic with a newborn and a three year old in the house, so our blog updates have virtually become non-existent for the moment. We have so much to share with you though, and we'll do our best to get back in the groove of things soon. For now, I wanted to share our little newborn with our clients and friends. Here is our bundle of joy at just four days old...

-Lizbeth

Magical Bridal Session

2009-10-09T21:44:00.003-05:00

A few weeks ago, Omar and I shot the bridal session of Lori. She was open to anything, so we opted to begin with a couple of fun-favorite locations, and ended with a special magical setting. Here is a glimpse at what we got! Enjoy!

-Lizbeth

My last session

2009-09-15T00:03:00.003-05:00

We are only two weeks away from our scheduled delivery date, and we've been super busy trying to wrap things up before I go out for maternity leave. Omar will be chief in command while I'm gone, taking care of all of our clients' needs, including my bulk of family and children's work.

So two weeks ago, I had my last photo session with a doting mommy and big sister. Little Isaiah was only one week old and was just as sweet as can be. You could just see the love pouring out of Veronica and Katlyn as they looked upon the newest addition to their family...

We have some amazing images to share with you soon! Till next time!

-Lizbeth

a family's newest addition..

2009-08-29T12:37:00.002-05:00

A few weeks ago, I photographed the very sweet Santos family and their newest addition to the family - a beautiful baby girl with the most gorgeous blue eyes! I always feel so humbled whenever a family chooses us to capture such important moments in their lives such as this one. Here are some of my favorites. Enjoy!

-Lizbeth

You Gotta Love a Man in Uniform

2009-08-22T16:59:00.004-05:00

Meet Rebecca and Isaac! Omar had an awesome engagement session with them a few weeks ago. Isaac is currently in the Navy and both he and Rebecca were all in for getting some shots in uniform. Here are some of our favorites!

-Lizbeth

Family Fun

2009-08-16T17:02:00.002-05:00

I wanted to share a few of my favorites from one of my recent sessions with little Miss Bella. This is the third time I've photographed her, and each time, I have more and more fun. She is so beautiful and has such a bubbly personality! Just take a look for yourself..enjoy!

and here's my favorite shot of the day...

-Lizbeth

Come see us at Fusion 2009!

2009-08-16T16:53:00.002-05:00

The Cimarron is hosting their annual Fusion event tomorrow, August 17th from 5:30pm to 9:00pm. We'll be having our lastest work on display, including a variety of our custom designed albums at hand. If you've never seen our work in person, we'd love for you to stop by and meet with us!

Omar's Engagement Shoot

2009-08-14T21:27:00.002-05:00

Omar and I are always on the look out for new cool places to shoot at. We've got a few locations on our list, and last week, Omar was able to take one of his couples out to one of those spots for a very awesome engagement shoot--just check out the last picture!

Amy and Isaac, thanks for being open-minded and trusting us! We hope you love the results! Here are some of our favorites...

-Lizbeth

2009-08-12T19:46:00.003-05:00

These past few weeks have been such a whirlwind for us that I haven't been able to post as often as I'd like to. Two weeks ago, beautiful little Bella came to visit us at just one and a half weeks old. She was just a beauty to photograph. Here are some of my favorites.. Enjoy!

-Lizbeth

Tender Love

2009-08-04T22:26:00.003-05:00

A few weeks ago my sister and I had the privilege of shooting the wedding of Vanessa and Eduardo. The scene at the church was just amazing. I had to capture the architecture above. We then went to a few spots I hadn't shot before during a wedding. We also went to an indoor venue to avoid the 105 degree weather. The bridal party was just a blast to shoot also. We all had a crazy fun time. Here are a few of our favorites from the day. We hope you enjoy them...

-Omar

Wedding Fair '09

2009-07-31T23:53:00.002-05:00

We want to invite our blog readers to visit us at The 2009 Wedding Fair this coming Sunday, August 2nd at the McAllen Convention Center from 12PM - 6PM. We would love to meet you! We have lots of new stuff to share with you, including a very enticing booking bonus you won't want to miss out on for the month of August!

And because I can't blog without posting a photo, here's a sneak peek at Eduardo and Vanessa's wedding we shot two weeks ago at the gorgeous McAllen Convention Center. More to come very soon! We hope to see you this weekend!

-Lizbeth

us

2009-07-18T00:01:00.007-05:00

I don't typically post too much personal stuff on this blog, but this entry is going to be a little different. We have so much going on in our lives at this moment. It's been a wonderful year for us. As most of you know, Omar and I will be expecting our second child at the end of September - a little boy. Time has just flown by and we find ourselves with just two and half more months to go! Since moving to the valley, we've met so many wonderful photographers that share our same passion. The Garmendia's, Angela and Gerry, are a talented husband-wife team that we've connected with since moving down. I first met Angela during my casting call and I had the opportunity to photograph her beautiful girls. Angela shot our belly pics last week and I just absolutely fell in love with them. I wanted to share a few with you here, but you can see the rest on their blog at www.gerardogarmendia.com/blog. Angela, thank you so much for capturing such a special time in our lives.

So every year, around this time, I make it a point to take out my little sweetheart for her very own photoshoot. She is just a week away from turning three and my love for her just keeps growing. I never imagined just how much she would fill my heart. I fell in love with the field that Angela took us to for our maternity shoot, so Omar and I took Bella out there this past week. Here are some of my favorites...

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-Lizbeth

little ones

2009-07-12T17:09:00.003-05:00

We've had lots of little ones come through our studio these past few months. It's making me anxious to meet our little one too! Here's sweet little Kayla at one week old and as tiny as she can be, just look at how she snuggles into daddy's hands. Enjoy.

-Lizbeth

mommy and me...

2009-07-07T22:26:00.003-05:00

Last week I had a very special mommy-daughter maternity session with Veronica and Katlyn. I had never had a maternity session like this before, and I love the emotion and love captured between them both. Here are some of my favorites. Enjoy!

-Lizbeth

Anita & Manny

2009-07-04T00:05:00.002-05:00

Two weeks ago, we shot the wedding of Anita and Manny. We had a blast. They gave us free reign over trying anything we wanted with an unlimited schedule for shooting. Thank you so much for allowing us to capture your day, through our eyes. I hope you love what you see! Enjoy!

-Lizbeth

Nicole & Abel - Part 2

2009-06-28T22:21:00.002-05:00

We are back from our annual family vacation, and we're ready to share part two of Nicole & Abel's wedding day! I must admit, we always have so much fun with the couple and their wedding party! And this party was no exception...

And here are a few quite moments with just the bride & groom...

-Lizbeth

Nicole & Abel - Part 1

2009-06-25T23:51:00.002-05:00

About two weeks ago, we shot the gorgeous wedding of Nicole and Abel. Nicole's sister, Kristan, is one of my most dearest friends, and it meant so much to have their family trust us in capturing one of the most important days of their lives.

Here's part one of a two part series blog showcasing some of our favorites. Enjoy!

Stay tuned for part two! Here's a sneak peek of what's to come...

-Lizbeth

the calm before the storm

2009-06-23T20:32:00.002-05:00

Several weeks ago we had a pretty strong storm come through the McAllen area. Little did we know that mother nature would help us with some pretty awesome imagery for Anita's bridal shoot. Here are a few of my favorites!

-Lizbeth

Nicole's Bridal Shoot

2009-06-21T00:36:00.002-05:00

Back in April, Omar shot the beautiful bride-to-be, Nicole. We've waited until now to post her bridals because we didn't want groom-to-be, Abel, to catch a glimpse of his beautful bride in her wedding dress until the big day.

So here are a few of my absolute favorites! It was so hard to choose, so I'm giving you a small preview of the vast variety in her collection. We'll have some images to share with you this coming week of their gorgeous wedding held last weekend at The Cimarron.

Enjoy!

This is one of my favorites..

-Lizbeth

little Emilia

2009-06-16T22:11:00.002-05:00

I first met Emilia a little over a year ago during her newborn shoot. Remember her...

She was a doll then, and she's a doll now! I had so much fun during their family urban shoot last week. They are one of the sweetest families I've worked with. Here are some of my favorites...

and my most favorite..

-Lizbeth

a newborn photographer's dream...

2009-06-14T22:43:00.004-05:00

I had an amazing session with, 12 day old, Isabella last week. She slept the entire session and didn't even flinch a bit as we moved from pose to pose. We breezed through it all in about one and a half hours! Here are some of my favorites!

-Lizbeth

Super glam engagement session...

2009-06-12T23:15:00.003-05:00

Omar shot the engagement session of one of our most fun and glamorous couples to date! He did quite well with the challenge they presented him with..to disguise the cast one of them wore to mend a broken elbow that happened a few days before the shoot! Can you tell who? Look close!

Here are some of my favorites!

-Lizbeth

classic & beautiful

2009-06-11T21:39:00.004-05:00

Omar and I documented the classic and beautiful wedding of Celeste and Roy two weeks ago. Their beautiful love was united in a very intimate ceremony at Quinta Mazatlan. We had a great time capturing their day as the events unfolded. We promised to have a preview for them when they returned from their honeymoon and here it is! I hope you enjoy it!

-Lizbeth

Butterfly Wedding

2009-06-09T19:25:00.003-05:00

Three weeks ago, we documented the beautiful wedding of Rick and Erica. They are one of the sweetest couples with a family just as sweet. Erica loves butterflies and it was a major component in their wedding. Held at the "Butterfly Room" in the McAllen Convention Center, the reception was amazing to photograph with lots of lush color and vivid details. It was a photographer's dream! Here is a peek into their wedding day! Enjoy!

a quite moment with the bride...

some candid shots of their ceremony...

their first kiss witnessed by their family...

fun with the bridal party...

their beautiful reception...

ending off the night...

Maternity with a Western Flare

2009-06-03T22:57:00.003-05:00

Two weeks ago, I had a very unique maternity session with Diana and Carlos. They love the western style and wanted to incorporate that into their images. We had the perfect location in mind for them and I'm loving the way the images are turning out! Here are a few of my favorites!

-Lizbeth

katie's shoot..

2009-05-28T23:45:00.005-05:00

Teen sessions are some of my most favorite to shoot because of all of the wonderful color possibilities! Plus, they're never afraid to try new places! Meet Katie! She is the beautiful daughter of a co-worker of mine. She was a natural in front of the camera. I had an awesome time shooting her! Check out some of my faves!

Till next time!

-Lizbeth

Omar's first maternity session...

2009-05-28T18:43:00.003-05:00

Omar's been dying to try some new ideas, so he comissioned the beautiful couple, Melissa and Marcos, for a very different type of maternity session. He came back with beautiful imagery! Here are some of my favorites! Enjoy!

And this is my most favorite of them all! There's something about the lighting and mood combination that captivates me...

-Lizbeth

record breaker..

2009-05-26T23:12:00.003-05:00

Last week, we had a record breaking session! Roxanne and Rowdy brought in their beautiful one week old baby boy in for his newborn session. Let's just say he broke the record for the quickest and most accidents on the same day! Thank goodness for Bounty paper towels and lots of baby wipes! He was such a sweetheart and slept through it all! Take a look at some of my favorites...

Lots more to come soon. See you next time!

-Lizbeth

super hip family...

2009-05-25T10:56:00.002-05:00

I am having so much fun with my urban family sessions. I love the variety in them! Meet the Garza's, they are a super hip family I had the privilege of meeting through my work with Rio Kids Magazine.

Here's part one of their family session. As you can see, we had lots of fun with the different locations. I love the bird that decided to join the shot on the first one! Priceless! Enjoy!

-Lizbeth

baby Max

2009-05-25T10:02:00.002-05:00

We've had quite a few baby boys visit our studio lately. It's funny how they sort of come in batches. We'll get baby girls for a while and then it gradually shifts over to baby boys. Last week, I had a very endearing session with little Max and his family. At four weeks old, it took him a while to fall into a deep enough sleep for the posing, but once he did, he was puddy in our hands. I hope you enjoy! Here are some of my favorites...

and my most favorite...

-Lizbeth

beautiful maternity..

2009-05-22T23:11:00.002-05:00

Last week, I met the beautiful 37-week mommy-to-be, Amanda. She and her husband were real sweethearts and let me try some new posing ideas. I'm so excited about the next images I'm sharing with you! Here are some of my favorites...enjoy!

-Lizbeth

The Comic

2009-05-20T22:20:00.004-05:00

Here are a few from one of our engagement shoots. We had a great time at this shoot. Roy kept all of us laughing with his comic remarks but we still got some very nice romantic shots. Hope you enjoy them.

I just enjoy silhouettes...

-Omar

oodles..

2009-05-17T20:40:00.003-05:00

We've had a very busy photography week and we've got oodles of images to share with you. Here are a few favorites from a very hip and urban family session. I had so much fun with this gang. We laughed so much, though we opted for a more serious, glamourous tone for their images. Check out their wonderful sense of style! It lended perfectly with the urban locations...

-Lizbeth

the perfect poser

2009-05-14T20:32:00.004-05:00

I had the cutest newborn session with little Adrian and his parents this past weekend. At just one week old, he slept through most of the session, despite our constant moving and posing. I had such a nice time photographing him. He was the perfect poser! Here are some of my favorites...

and one of my most favorites...a Kelley Ryden inspiration...

-Lizbeth

little Emily

2009-05-11T19:04:00.002-05:00

My beautiful niece Emily visited my studio for her six month photo shoot. I can't believe how time has flown by so fast. It feels like it was yesterday that we did her newborn shoot...

She is such a doll and she's starting to look more like mommy everyday! I don't know if that's a good thing though...just kidding Lorena! You know I love you!

But would you look at those cheeks! So irresistible not to squeeze! Here are some of my favorites! Enjoy!

-proud aunt

Quinta Wedding

2009-04-29T00:07:00.002-05:00

A couple of weeks ago, Omar and our associate, Sally, captured the beautiful wedding of Luis Angel and Cynthia at Quinta Mazatlan. For the past month and a half, I've taken a back seat in our photography business in preparation for my engineering license exam, which I took this past weekend. I'm so happy to be back in the swing of things! Omar and Sally did an amazing job. The images are so vibrant and full of emotion from Luis and Cynthia's wedding day.

Here are some of my favorites. Enjoy!

-Lizbeth

Cynthia's Bridal

2009-04-21T21:24:00.002-05:00

Here is one of my favorites from Cynthia's bridal shoot. I just wanted to give you a quick preview of what’s to come. We will be posting some images of her wedding soon.

-Omar

new, cool urban spot

2009-04-01T23:02:00.002-05:00

I just had to share a few favorites of my latest urban shoot with Morgan. The location is at a new and very cool urban setting in downtown McAllen. I am just loving all of the quirky and rustic places here in the valley. I had such a great time -- Morgan was a natural model! And mom picked out the coolest outfit ever for the shoot. We did have a few outtakes from when the giggles took over, but I just loved his serious expression. Thanks so much Laurie and Morgan for such a fun afternoon!

and my personal fave..

-Lizbeth

a very special note..

2009-03-26T22:46:00.002-05:00

A few days ago we received a very special comment from the mother of one of our past brides, Laura. Her words touched my heart and reaffirmed our love for this art. Here is what she had to say..

"It has been said that after all the planning,excitement and drama, the only thing you have left are the memories and the Wedding Photos. Therefore the budget on the photography should be well planned. Well, with what I have seen on David & Laura Aleman's Wedding Gallery it was all well worth it!! The photo's are Exquisite!!! Lizbeth, you and Omar have managed to capture every essence in every moment of my daughter's dream wedding. I know Laura and David are pleased. When I started the slide show it was like reliving the Wedding Day all over again the pictures look so real (of course Laura and Audrey laughed with me, Yes, I cried again!) The photo's of my children, family and guests are all so special. The ones of my grandchildren are precious. All are breath taking.

Sincerely, Benilde Garcia ** Mother-of-the-Bride** "

Beni, thank you so much for your words--they mean so much to us.

-Omar & Lizbeth

Double Feature

2009-03-25T22:41:00.006-05:00

We've got so much going on around here that we have a special double feature blog tonight! I want to start off with Jacob. About one month ago, on a very, very chilly morning, I met with him and his mom Cindy for a cool urban shoot. He was such a good sport about the weather and didn't complain once. Thanks so much Jacob for such an awesome time. Here are some of my favorites...

-Lizbeth

Here is another shoot of the 3 from last week. Abel & Nicole were awesome! They were naturals in front of the camera. We started the shoot being conservative with the posing. As the shoot went on, they brought sexy back. Felt like I was shooting the cover of GQ Magazine. We had a great time. Hope you enjoy....

I took this next one for Lizbeth. She LOVES lens flare. This was her FAV.

-Omar

fun love

2009-03-23T22:55:00.002-05:00

This was the first of three shoots last week. It started with a great fun couple, Erica and Rick. We all had a great time laughing and giggling. We went out and shot some of our traditional shooting, then I tried some newer stuff. We all had a blast and were enjoying the images we were getting. Here are a few of what we got....

and I saved my favorite for last..

-Omar

2009-03-16T01:03:00.005-05:00

This past week, we had the opportunity to shoot at a location that we've had our eye on for a while.
Distant Lands Events is an exotic tent and furnishings rental business in Edinburg located inside the Old World Furniture Company. They've got the most exquisite settings we've seen in the valley and we've been really looking forward to shooting there.

So last Friday, we commissioned Omar's beautiful sister Erika to put on my old wedding dress for a bridal shoot like no other. We scheduled her hair and make up with Dina Baez, a super talented stylist in the valley! Her looks are so unique and she incorporates the coolest hair pieces I've seen!

Omar came back from WPPI with so much inspiration and he was dying to try some lighting techinques that we've been trying to perfect.

A big "thank you" goes out to Natalie, Distant Lands Events owner, for allowing us to shoot her gorgeous venues.

Here's just a peek at what we got...

and my personal fave!!

And I can't forget to thank both Erika and Sally for spending their Friday evening with us. I can imagine there were so many more exciting things to do than hang around with us!

And a side note...after seeing these images of Erika in my dress, I'm definitely commissioning Omar for a shoot after I lose the baby weight from Baby #2! I would love to have images like these of me in my dress (sigh).

-Lizbeth

cool, fun family

2009-03-10T21:02:00.002-05:00

Last week, I had an awesome session with a super fun and loving family! Marlene came to me for something different and after talking about it, she decided to book an ubran session for her beautiful family. I took them to some of my favorite local spots and look at what we got! I had such a hard time narrowing down on what to preview! Enjoy!!

and one of my personal favorites!

-Lizbeth

the urban bliss continues!

2009-03-04T21:45:00.003-06:00

I am having such a hard time keeping up with my blog posts as often as I would like. This first trimester is really hitting me hard. I feel so tired ALL of the time. I'm very much looking forward for all of these symptoms to subside!

About three weeks ago (yes, I am that far behind) I had an awesome afternoon with Britney and her mom. She's been my shyest urban beauty yet, but that didn't stop her from giving me some very cool images...

-Lizbeth