On a personal Note....

While we use this blog primarily for keeping our business clients updated on their Wedding and Portrait photographs and sessions, I wanted to put up a special post celebrating my Father’s 70th birthday! A little quick math tells me that my dad was born in 1938! I’m glad he was able to survive all the dinosaurs to be here with us! Just kidding dad!

Getting a large group together is always a challenge – some of our party had to hurry to Make it to the Algiers Ferry in time for our Brunch reservation – RUN!!!!!

The trip across the Mississippi River was nice, it only takes a few minutes to get across, but it gave us all a chance to just hang out and calm down before the walk to the restaurant.
The walk from the Ferry Landing to the brunch was going to be about 12 blocks! These feet are OK now, but they are going to be tired before it's all said and done!
Mendy and our Niece Megan pose for a quick portrait during the ferry ride.
You can't tell just how large the inside of this restaurant is from the outside.

We were all seated in the courtyard. We had perfect weather, not too hot or too cool ~ it doesn’t usually get cold enough here to really call it ‘cold.’ Nearly every one of our relatives living locally was able to attend the Brunch, which, again, was held at the Court of the two Sisters on Royal St. (in the New Orleans French Quarter.) It's not everyday (or every Birthday for that matter) that you get the Restaurant's Jazz Band to play the Birthday song for you ~ Pretty cool!
(Play the Video below to hear how they sounded.)

Even the plate that the slice of Birthday cake came on was personalized.
It’s a little hard to read, but it says, “Happy Birthday Bill.”

We did a little walking and sight seeing after the meal.
It gave us a chance to walk off some of that good food!

All the photos in this post were taken with my little compact Canon Powershot SD700 (6 megapixel) point-and-shoot. I didn’t want to have to worry about my DSLR while we ate. So, the quality may suffer just a bit. Sorry about that.

Ashley tries on a Mask in one of the Many shops located in the French Quarter.

No walk through the French Quarter would be complete
without stopping to listen to a street band.

This gathering and brunch idea was that of my Sister – Denise.

She really has a knack for coming
up with great ideas for this kind of thing.
Everyone had a wonderful time.

Happy Birthday again Dad!

We love you!

Back to the Park!

Today we went back to New Orleans City Park for an outdoor Portrait shoot. The subject, 10 year old Ashton, was a pretty good sport. The dress for this shoot was ‘supposed’ to be casual and the shots candid. That all changed when he showed up and his mother (who I know well) changed her mind and put him in a button up shirt and tie and said that she wanted some posed shots – you know what they say about the best laid plans..... well, you know the rest

It helps (with boys at least) if you let them do some fun stuff, climb trees, play in the water and the like. There are a lot of great scenery settings and no shortage of ducks either!

Ashton takes a break on the little train track that runs through the park. Luckily no train came while he was posed there! Actually, I don’t think that the train has returned to service since Hurricane Katrina.

Ashton took direction well. Here I am showing him the next pose that we’d like him to try. Mendy snapped this one while I wasn't paying attention... Compared to Ashton, I'm way underdressed!!!

Another ‘trick’ to get boys to allow you to photograph them is to promise to take some COOL shots of them doing something that they like when the posed shots are finished – like trying out some rad jumps on their skateboard!
For being only ten years old, he really has a handle on the whole skateboarding thing.

Thank you Ashton for being such a great photo subject.
Mendy and I really had a fun day with you in the park!

Courtney & Andrew

Last night we had a quick Portrait session with a really nice young couple. They are new to the New Orleans area and newly engaged. Courtney and Andrew were engaged over the Christmas Holidays and, with family out of town, wanted some photographs of themselves as a new couple. Mendy and I really enjoyed meeting them and we had a good time at this shoot. Recently transferred from Houston, this was their first experience with Mardi Gras. We want to wish them the very best in their engagement and future lives together.

Courtney and Andrew opted for a studio session and we choose a clean ‘high key’ look for their shoot.

Check out this great idea that Courtney had with some rose pedals!

This was a really fun shoot ~ thanks again guys!