engagement Archives

May

Karkar.

Karley, or Karkar as I sometimes call her, is one of my favorite three nieces. Karkar is graduating from junior high this year and wanted a photo session to document the occasion. What should have taken place early in the morning, didn’t happen until almost noon because Karkar and early mornings just don’t go well together. (She gets this from her mamma.) Shooting at high noon is no easy feat, and to be honest, this was the first time I’ve ever tried this. I had to bring out the big guns for this, but I’m really happy with the way these turned out. Kelsey, my assistant for the day, was fabulous and was one of the best voice activated/remote controlled light stands I’ve ever worked with!

Karkar | Ata-Girl Photography Co. | Teen Session

Karkar is a very beautiful, smart girl who will fly through high school without any problems. She’s good with all the Rs and she seems to be pretty good with the social aspect of school as well. She’s a talented athlete who will do well in competition. She’s a sweet, well-mannered, teenage girl whom I have NEVER heard say a curse word. I love my Karkar–very much–almost as if she were my very own! Yes, that much!

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I started Ata-Girl Photography Co. in 2010 and I am a San Antonio based wedding photographer who is available for destination weddings. In addition to wedding photography, I also specialize in San Antonio senior portraits and senior portraits for high school seniors in the surrounding areas. I am a professional photographer who enjoys documenting the important milestones and captivating moments in people’s lives. 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. When I’m not photographing a wedding, family or high school senior, I enjoy watching my daughter play softball, hiking, cycling and listening to Elvis!

May

Priscilla.

I don’t know Priscilla very well, but I do know a lot of her family. I grew up with them. What Priscilla and I do have in common is that we’re both Christine Crickets. I’m not even sure why that term exists being that Christine’s school mascot was the Brahma. I think the term may have came from a group of baseball players who had graduated high school but still felt the need to play. They formed an adult softball team (Crickets) and played any weekend that they could. They had organized practice and took the game very seriously. The team became unstoppable and developed a reputation of winning every tournament they entered. (Can someone tell me if this story has any accuracy?)

Priscilla | Ata-Girl Photography Co. | Senior Session

Okay, enough about the Christine Crickets. Let’s talk about Priscilla. She’s a beautiful, young lady who will graduate high school in May and begin college in June. She is very anxious to get started in life. She isn’t wasting any time by taking a lazy summer off to recuperate after twelve years of hard education. She’s off to becoming a surgical technician and following into the medical field of some of her family. Good luck, Priscilla.

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May

Kye.

I take great pride when the athletes I shoot (and support) each school year ask me to take their senior portraits and document the beginning of their future. I shoot so many frames of these athletes that I start to feel a sense of connection to them. I start to feel a personal investment in their future. That couldn’t be more true than for Kye Burris. Kye has been in front of my lens for a few years now. He was even the subject of my image that hung in an art gallery in Austin, Texas last year.

Kye | Ata-Girl Photography Co. | Senior Session

Kye is an amazing, hard-working athlete. He is super sweet and very responsible. Kye will have a successful life. Kye is a funny guy who has a GREAT sense of humor. I am positive that he has made both of his parents very proud. I will miss documenting Kye’s athletic achievements. Thank you, Kye.

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May

Minions Are People Too

I was recently contacted by Clyde and Brad… minions. They are, however, the two cutest, sweetest minons I have ever met. They were interested in a lifestyle portrait session to celebrate a special event. Their favorite sports team, the Squaws, made the play-offs and had won the first round. Clyde and Brad wanted to document their love for the beloved Squaws and share it with the team… and the world.

Clyde & Brad | Ata-Girl Photography Co. | Lifestyle Session

You see, they have been through a lot this year. At first, Clyde (pictured on the right) was the only minion mascot for the team. Then, he was involved in a terrible bathing accident (in a washing machine) and lost both of his eyes and his mouth. He never lost his spirit, but he did need a close friend and helper. He was introduced to Brad, who quickly became his new best bud. Clyde and Brad go everywhere together and have continued to root for their favorite team. The Squaws have developed a strong superstition that if Clyde and Brad are not at their games, they will not have good luck. Clyde and Brad travel “first class” in #9’s bat bag to ensure they make it to all the games.

Clyde & Brad | Ata-Girl Photography Co. | Lifestyle Session

They love spending time at the Squaws’ playing field, so that is where we started the photo shoot.

Clyde and Brad have been to so many softball games, they have recently taken up the sport themselves. They enjoy playing against each other and put together a quick pick-up game whenever they can. They only wish they knew more softball-playing minions so they could establish a minion softball league.

After we finished up at the field, they wanted to venture around town a bit. The only time they have ever been outside of their home/traveling vessel, is at the field. They wanted to see where the mighty Squaws are from. They received a personalized tour of the town.

Along the way, the also met up with some dear friends of the Squaws’.

All-in-all, they had a great day and will NEVER EVER stop supporting the Squaws. Go Squaws Go!!

Clyde & Bard | Ata-Girl Photography Co. | Lifestyle Session

Clyde & Brad | Ata-Girl Photography Co. | Lifestyle Session

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I started Ata-Girl Photography Co. in 2010 and I am one of the premier San Antonio wedding photographers who is available for local and destination weddings. In addition to wedding photography, I also specialize in high school seniors and family portraits in San Antonio and the surrounding areas. I am a professional photographer who enjoys documenting the important milestones and captivating moments in people’s lives. 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. When I’m not photographing a wedding, family or high school senior, I enjoy watching my daughter play softball, hiking, cycling and listening to Elvis!

May

Brent.

I’ve only known Brent a few years and even at that, haven’t had the chance to spend too much time with him. I have had the pleasure to work with his mom for the last five years or so at the best office on Earth and each time Brent has come to our office he appeared to be a reserved and shy guy. When I met him at his grandmother’s house on the morning of our scheduled shoot, I was expecting a quiet, bashful guy to answer the door. That’s SO NOT what happened. Brent was not intimidated at all by me or my lens. He came alive in front of the camera and performed well. And, he wore an embroidered cowboy shirt that looked amazing on him and made his baby blues look incredibly blue.

Brent | Ata-Girl Photography Co. | Senior Session

Brent has the distinction of being the first non-JHS graduate that I’ve shot. I enjoyed shooting Brent and documenting the beginning of his future! Brent isn’t shy; he loves his truck, he loves him mom and he loves Bri. <3

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Apr

Victoria.

I have known Victoria for a long time and the entire time she has been the sweetest person. I first met Victoria when I coached her on a Little League team. I was elated when she contacted me and asked me to photograph her senior portraits. (I was even happier when she told me I get to shoot a family session for them as well.)

Victoria incorporated all her interests into the photo shoot, so she brought her clarinet, her Nikon J1, (she shoots Nikon so I <heart> her!) and her FFA jacket. We had fun shooting her senior portraits at a place that was close to her dad’s heart. It’s ironic because I had no idea the place meant anything to him when I selected the site. It’s funny how life sometimes works.

Ata-Girl Photography Co. | Senior Session | Victoria

Victoria is a very smart, committed, and disciplined person who will succeed well in life. Thank you, Victoria, for allowing me to document the beginning of your future!

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Apr

What Happens After I Press the Button?

When I press the shutter button on my camera, I have only completed a small portion of my work. Generally speaking, if I shoot pictures for an hour, I’ll spend three to four hours editing those pictures. But, if I’m doing a single person session, I have been known to spend even more time than that perfecting the images. If I neglected the image at the time I captured it (improper exposure, distracting background, or closed eyes, for example), I can spend as much as 30 minutes editing just one image. My goal is always to spend the least amount of time as possible on post processing.

However, I have not always edited my pictures. When I first started dabbling in photography, I simply didn’t want to invest the time it took to post process my images. I didn’t think it was important or necessary. Simply put, it’s a time consuming process and not a very enjoyable experience… at least until the finished product is produced. Images straight out of the camera tend to be a little flat and I have since come to the realization that not only does this process enhance the images I capture, but that I owe it to my clients. They are paying for a professional image and they expect a professional image. Therefore, I try to deliver a professional image. Post processing is a necessity in today’s professional photography world.

I use Adobe Photoshop and Adobe Lightroom for all my editing and each image I capture receives this special treatment. These are two very powerful softwares (especially Photoshop) and they have very steep learning curves. It has taken me years to learn these softwares. These softwares allow me to take an unusable picture and showcase a genuine laugh that would have otherwise been lost. I never make such drastic changes that the editing jeopardizes the authenticity or changes the reality of the photograph. This tweaking process allows me to polish an image with colors that pop and add a level of crispness and sharpness that cannot be obtained straight out of the camera.

Even after years of learning and experience with post processing, I still haven’t mastered this task. I still consider myself at an apprentice, if you will. However, I can say with confidence that I’m comfortable with what “my style” is and I do believe that the improvements I am making to my images are definitely for the better. The fine tuning is making the difference between an image that is just okay and an image that says “wow.”

_______________________________________________________________________________

I started Ata-Girl Photography Co. in 2010 and I am one of the premier San Antonio wedding photographers who is available for local and destination weddings. In addition to San Antonio wedding photography, I also specialize in high school seniors and family portraits in San Antonio and the surrounding areas. I am a professional photographer who enjoys documenting the important milestones and captivating moments in people’s lives. 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. When I’m not photographing a wedding, family or high school senior, I enjoy watching my daughter play softball, hiking, cycling and listening to Elvis!

Apr

Fame & Shame #4

It’s been an incredibly busy couple of weeks. Between high school sports, portrait sessions, trying to get to the gym and/or cycle, Easter, and the place I spend most of my waking moments (JOB), I have been a very busy girl. I barely found the time to squeeze in this installment of Fame & Shame. Enjoy!

Shame

Friday the 13ths: I’m not superstitious in the slightest, but I know a lot of people are. That’s why this is making the list today!
End of the Regular Softball Season: After tonight’s game, we have one more regular season game. My baby is in the 10th grade and this year has gone by soooo fast. I’ve only got two more years to cherish all the competition. (Actually, I can still watch my niece, Karley, play high school ball until 2016.)
Bad Sportsmanship: If there is anything that bugs me in sports… especially in youth sports… it’s bad sportsmanship. If you can’t lose with the same grace you win with, you don’t belong. Aggressive chests bumps are INexcusable!

Fame

Photo Project 365: So far, I’ve counted 13 people participating. Is this a coincidence that there are 13 people participating on Friday, the 13th? I am having a blast and I hope everyone else is too. Some REALLY GREAT shots have been posted to the Ata-Girl Facebook wall. If you haven’t joined and have considered it, don’t be scared – jump in!
Dr. Pepper 10: I LOVE Dr. Pepper… I mean, I really LOVE Dr. Pepper! So, when I tasted this 10-calorie-per-serving option, I was elated. It is SO much better than the diet version. Now, I can enjoy ALL of the 23 flavors without any feelings of guilt.
PLAY-OFFS!: On April 5th, the Squaws secured a play-off appearance that didn’t depend on what happened during the rest of the season. Even the last time the Squaws made the play-offs (2008), it was not a sealed deal this early on. Good luck, Squaws! Hope you guys advance farrrr into the play-off brackets. Keep doing what you’re doing and have fun!

Until next time, be positive, be happy, be healthy, and don’t forget to be photographed.

Let’s “hangout!” I wanna hear about your love story!

Schedule a virtual or in-person discovery meetup!
For more options, visit my “Let’s Connect” page.

About Ata-Girl

I am a San Antonio-based wedding photographer and I cater to outdoor-loving couples who prefer to have all the realness captured on their wedding days. I am the wedding photographer for the outdoor adventurers, the romantics, the laid back, the snugglers, and those who wish to capture all their realness.

I am absolutely in love with capturing the kinds of weddings where there are more hugs than handshakes, the dance floor rumbles all night long, and chairs are pretty much rendered useless after dinner. Whiskey bottles are passed around, most of the wedding party has been best-best friends since kindergarten, Grams is likely to lose her shoes and your partner is much more emotional than you are. These kinds of weddings are my jam!

You can always call or text, but if you really want to get to know me, schedule a meetup!

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 journeys and consider myself privileged to document their legacies.

If you enjoyed this blog post and would like to get your hands on 20 FREE interactive wedding planning tools that every couple needs, please take a moment to access them here.

I am a published author (purchase my book here), a podcast host (listen here) (watch here) and a WPPI-C certified professional, full-time wedding photographer. I specialize in a 10-day image delivery, same-day prints, same-day slideshows, Italian handcrafted wedding albums and I have a mobile meeting space.

When I’m not behind my camera, you can find me hiking, cycling, backpacking, camping, enjoying water sports, listening to music (Elvis and Prince), hunting for arrowheads, reading audiobooks, occasionally eating a few glazed donuts (my only weakness to sweets) and then re-starting my keto diet about every 10 days. The most important things in life are for me to see my two daughters happy and to create a family history my grandparents and grandson would be proud of.

Apr

Great Day!

In most Slavic languages, Easter means “Great Day.” It is always a great day when I get a great shot. Sometimes, I capture the most amazing image I’ve ever pressed a shutter button for. I raise my camera, place my eye next to the viewfinder, follow the action, and release the shutter. I then bring my camera down to review the image and I’m totally amazed by what I captured. It’s the same feeling I get when I stumble upon an arrowhead, reel in a big fish or discover a great burger joint. It’s dopamine for my brain!

Then… (insert long pause) there are times when I take a picture (or look back at a picture) and I’m like, “What is that? Who took that? Really?? THAT is what I captured?” My level of confidence quickly dives into the negative zone. Self-doubt creeps in. I question my skill… my art. I interrogate my knowledge. I feel yucky! I ask myself why have I spent so much time and money on this hobby-turned-business. Do I dare deserve to continue?

I think it’s perfectly natural to occasionally doubt yourself. I think the yucky pictures are just subliminal messages to remind myself to keep working hard at my art. They remind me to constantly improve my skill. It reminds me I still have a lot of stuff to learn. And, it makes me eager to improve. I get excited all over again! My confidence level begins to gradually increase.

Then, I get a GREAT DAY picture like this!! I’m good again. Dopamine is on board.

Dopamine for Ata-Girl!

Happy Easter, everyone! I hope you’re having a GREAT DAY and getting to spend the day with loved ones and/or family! I am; I am blessed! 🙂

P.S. If all goes as planned today, I’ll also be taking some baby bump pictures!

**http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Easter

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Mar

Fame & Shame #3

It’s time for another installment of Fame & Shame.

Shame

Thieves: Last week, while I was in Austin, my truck was broken into. Stop taking what doesn’t belong to you! Period.
People Without Patience: “Just be patient,” my mother always told me, “there’s no harm in waiting.”
Bad Drivers: People who “steal” my safe following distance and don’t have patience enough to wait their turn make me ill. (Yes, that was a deliberate combination of the two items listed above.)

Fame

Texas Wildflowers: With Blue Bonnets, Indian Blankets, Dandelions and even Prickly Poppy in bloom right now, Texas is gorgeous. They make my cycling trips worth it!
Filterstorm Pro: I love this handy little $3.99 app that I downloaded to be able to edit pictures right on my iPad. What a nifty piece of software! Love it!!
Unbroken: This is the book I am reading right now. It’s about Louis Zamperini who is a World War II prisoner of war survivor, inspirational speaker, and former American Olympic distance runner. It’s an excellent read! I can’t wait to finish.

Until next time, be positive, be happy, be healthy, and don’t forget to be photographed.

Let’s “hangout!” I wanna hear about your love story!

Schedule a virtual or in-person discovery meetup!
For more options, visit my “Let’s Connect” page.

About Ata-Girl

You can always call or text, but if you really want to get to know me, schedule a meetup!

If you enjoyed this blog post and would like to get your hands on 20 FREE interactive wedding planning tools that every couple needs, please take a moment to access them here.

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Hi, I’m Tammy.
I'm a San Antonio-based wedding photographer for outdoor-loving couples who value real moments.

I am a San Antonio-based wedding photographer and I am absolutely in love with capturing the kinds of weddings where there are more hugs than handshakes, the dance floor rumbles all night long, and chairs are pretty much rendered useless after dinner. Whiskey bottles are passed around, most of the wedding party has been best-best friends since kindergarten, Grams is likely to lose her shoes and your partner is much more emotional than you are. These kinds of weddings are my jam!

Since 2010, I have excelled in helping each of my couples plan for one of the very best days of their lives! I’d love to share my very personalized wedding experience, my super-human organizational abilities, and my U. S. Army combat skills (when needed) with you too.

I want your wedding day to be as perfect as you do! I am all in with my whole heart!