More than a year ago, I sat in a San Antonio coffee shop and met Dayna De Hoyos of Stella Haus Films for the very first time. A photographer acquaintance had recommended Dayna to me when I inquired about local videographers and expressed an interested in wanting to make a show reel to promote both my wedding and high school senior portrait photography.

Over coffee, we talked about what I envisioned, what I wanted to accomplish through the project and how Dayna could make all that happen. Over the next few months, we met and messaged each other to discuss possiblelocations, models, makeup, wardrobe, vendor participation, hair, and at one point, we even discussed the shape of eyebrows. Dayna was a full-on network of resources and didn’t let any detail go unnoticed.

Finally, it was time to do the work. We’d shoot the wedding show reel over two days—one day would be me shooting the bridal portraits, and the final day we’d lay down the audio tracks. Both days were extremely hard work days. Both days were incredibly taxing on me. And, did I mention it was about 4,000° below zero? Here’s proof.

We used two models for the bridal portraits, April and Paula. April is a seasoned runway model who moved to New York City to pursue her dreams right out of high school. She’s graced the runway in designs from greats like Versace, Oscar De La Renta, Vera Wang, Betsey Johnson, Boudoir Queen, Carolina Hererra, and even local designer Leighton Whittington Couture.  She’s been a dancer on MTV’s Global Groove and also appeared in a Bjork promo for MTV. She confesses that Milan fashion week was definitely a highlight for her. She wouldn’t trade these experiences for anything in the world. Currently, April is in the process of resurrecting her production company, DNA Productions. April is extremely upbeat and tries to encourage everyone she knows to pursue their passion in life. She believes dreams are always there for a reason.

Paula has been modeling wedding gowns for eight years and loves to model any time she gets a chance. Paula’s primary employment is working as a systems administrator at Christus Health. She loves riding horses and is a self-proclaimed CrossFit junkie. She also sings occasionally. Paula is also a very positive and uplifting person. Both models were a joy to work with!!

Here’s the blooper reel of me trying desperately to make an audio track. I was so bad at this, Dayna finally had to spoon feed my lines to me. It is soooo hard to talk about yourself and what you do when you’re talking to a camera. My mind was pretty much blank… well, totally blank most of the day.

And finally, here are some of my favorite shots of April and Paula from the day. I think both make beautiful brides!

Wedding Show Reel

Stay tuned for the official premier date of the entire wedding show reel on June 17th! That’s next week, folks!! Until next time, be positive, happy, healthy, and don’t forget to be photographed.

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I am a professional wedding and senior photographer based in South Texas near San Antonio. I pride my business in offering a premier and personal service coupled with an unforgettable photography experience. I cater to clients who appreciate quality photography and help them to create family heirlooms that will last for generations. As a full-time professional photographer, my sole purpose is to provide amazing, memorable and full-service photography.

I started Ata-Girl Photography Co., LLC in 2010. I firmly believe that the unique set of circumstances I have faced in life has prepared me to take a personal and genuine interest in my photography clients. I enjoy documenting the important milestones and captivating moments in people’s lives. I love being a part of people’s journey and consider myself privileged to document their legacies.

When I’m not photographing a wedding, family or high school senior, I love to spend my spare time hiking, cycling, reading, listening to Elvis and Prince. The most important things in life are for me to see my two daughters happy and to create a family history my grandparents would be proud of!

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