Lens Flare, Don't Care

Confession time: As a former photojournalist for a newspaper back when you could still get ink on your fingers, I was taught to avoid lens flare at all cost.

For those unfamiliar, lens flare, as I learned it, can range from small, almost imperceptible white imperfections cast by a low sun (the acne of golden hour, if you will) to an almost frame-filling filter of orange that is, admittedly, very pretty.

It turns out that the fun of lens flare is the space in between those two extremes. After three years in Austin, a lot of that time spent learning from other photographers who weren’t splitting their education between apertures and AP Style, I’ve finally come around to taking some chances with lighting.

Not every photo is a win. But at least every photo is different.

I Make This Look Good

As is painfully obvious from my site, I shoot on location. I don't shoot on location because I hate studios, or because I love trying to replicate perfect lighting in imperfect spaces. I do it because I learned photography through the lens (sorry) of journalism - where every moment is documented without interference or alteration. 

Well. I still touch up your blemishes, and I've been known to edit entire children out of the background of photos. But I still prefer the candid, in-the-moment shots that come from letting clients just do their own thing. 

Buuuut, sometimes "on location" means you have to shoot a dozen of Austin's most talented and beautiful dancers in one of its least flattering, most unromantic of locations: Town Lake YMCA. 

As a fellow dancer with these women, I love Town Lake YMCA with all my heart. But weight benches and finger paintings on the walls don't scream "sass," which is what dance troupe Sass N Strut absolutely does. So in honor of the great battle against fluorescent lighting, here are some of my favorites from the past three series.

Cue shameless plug: If you'd like to dance in the next series, beginning Sept. 24, registration is open! Sign up here or check out Sass N Strut on Facebook and Instagram @sassnstrut

Put Some Sass In It

Every once in a while, the personal and professional collide. This week, I had a camera in hand and dancing shoes on my feet while shooting head shots for local dance group Sass N Strut, which I'm so lucky to be a part of! 

This season's performance, set to none other than Queen Bey's "Work It Out," included some strong and beautiful women decked out in gold, gold, and more than gold. Shot on-location in the dance studio ahead of our July performance, the photos from this session turned out fantastic! 
 

A Very Austin Graduation

Because I shoot on-location as a rule, clients often come to me for advice on what those locations should be. But when Linda anted three spots for her graduation photo shoot, she needed no recommendations. 

As a high school senior looking to stick close to Austin, Linda chose iconic spots that spoke to her as home: South Congress Street, the San Jose Hotel, and of course, the Texas Capitol.