Pat & Katie's Wedding

Just like I promised, images of Pat & Katie's wedding. Pat & Katie wedding was perfectly planned, they had all the wedding aspects that were important to them and none of the fluff. Getting married at the Bellagio Hotel and Casino just a week before Christmas, they had just immediate family and very close friends in attendance. After the ceremony we had time to walk around outside by the fountains and  through the hotel before heading to their intimate reception at their lovely hotel suite. 

The so gorgeous, Katie, getting ready kept asking if she looked OK. Silly girl doesn't know how beautiful she is.

I love this, their first kiss as man and wife. Pat looks so happy that he gets to kiss her.


This is the front of the Bellagio where we are waiting for the fountain show to start. And I need to give a shout out to Katie's friend, Bree, who walked all around the hotel with us in very high heel helping to carry stuff. Thanks Bree!

Katie was so trusting. She let me put her on the floor and sit high on the rail above a steep drop. I just love it that both Pat & Katie were so willing to let me try all kinds of fun images. These are a few unique ones I snapped in the corridor on the way back to the hotel room.
I left Katie & Pat wedding feeling really happy. Thanks for being so fun, and for a great time!

www.brilliantimagery.net

Don't forget about the free wedding photography contest!

Pat & Katie Wedding at the Bellagio Las Vegas

I just come home from Pat & Katie's wedding at the Bellagio Hotel Las Vegas. Man, did I have a great time! Small wedding, but lots of spirit! Here's a sneak peek. I'll have some more images up in a few days.

Self Projects

Thought I'd share a self project I gave myself.

Don't forget about the free wedding photography contest!

www.brilliantimagery.net

Free Wedding Photography Contest

I've decided to run a contest again this year because I had so much fun with Scott & Beth's Vegas themed wedding from last year.

 Most Unique Wedding Contest: Just email me on why your wedding will be unique. It could be your location, your fabulous attire, DIY projects, your destination, theme or whatever will make your day outstanding! Send your entries to rachel@brilliantimagery.net please include:

-snapshot of the two of you

-brief paragraph on why you and your wedding are unique

-contact information (names, phone, wedding date and location)

 The winning couple wins free photography services for their wedding; including unlimited photography on their wedding day, a trash the dress session, professional retouching and online proofing of all the images.  That's over a $3,000 value. I'll announce the winner here on my blog on Feb. 1st 2010.

Not so fine -Fine Print: Wedding must take place in 2010.  This giveaway has no cash value. Your email must be received no later than 11:59pm PST on January 31st, 2010 in order to qualify. For weddings over 200 miles from southern Nevada, travel fees will apply. Past clients or currently booked clients do not qualify for this giveaway. The winning couple will be announced here on my blog on February 1st, 2010. An email will be sent to the winning couple and if multiple unsuccessful attempts have been made to reach the couple or for some reason they are unable to claim their prize, then they will forfeit their winnings to the next qualifying couple. If I am booked on your wedding date, and you cannot change it, then you must forfeit the prize and it will be offered to the next qualifying couple. Please do not submit your story unless you intend to follow through with the prize, should you win.

I'm so excited! I can't wait to hear all your great stories! 

www.brilliantimagery.net

Fall Family Portraits

Earlier this week I somehow talked the Jones family into taking their family portrait in front of an abandoned, run down shack. They got into the theme of it and even brought a pitchfork and a rooster! You can see Jeff holding it below. So we had fun with it.

We even did a take on the classic "American Gothic" painting.

And the kids had a great time playing in the straw and running around. They are such beautiful children!

www.brilliantimagery.net

Downtown Las Vegas Engagements

This past weekend I had the opportunity to photograph Andy & Laura's engagement images. They had a 50's inspired  theme, so we went downtown and walked around. We walked a lot actually. Laura's poor feet! But we had fun and they introduced me to a few cool restaurants/bars I've never been to that I have to go back and check out now.

www.brilliantimagery.net

New Orleans Cemetery

      Ok, I am finally home, but I have one more series of New Orleans images to share with you. Our last morning there my father and I went to the cemetery, mostly just because I wanted to shoot it.  In New Orleans they don't bury the dead in the ground because the ground is so wet that when it rains the coffins come back up. Yea, not pretty, so they built above ground cement houses for the bodies. So the cemetery is like a little city, in fact they call them "Cities of the Dead".

It was larger than I expected and I being so absorbed in photographing all the tombs, I got separated from my dad. It was a cold, windy morning and very overcast plus there was nobody around. I got myself all freaked out. (Yes, I'm a wuss; I know.) After calling for him for about 20 minutes I did find him, talking to the creepy grounds keeper. This was definitely one of my favorite parts of New Orleans.

www.brilliantimagery.net

New Orleans Swamps and Plantations

Greeting from New Orleans (again)! My family came out to join me and we got out of the city to see the swamps and plantations near the Mississippi. The swamp tour got us up close and personal with the gators. The guild brought them right up to the boat with the promise of chicken necks and marshmallows(?).  

And this is our hotel. Isn't it nice? (Just kidding.)

The Oak Alley Plantation has been standing since the 1700's. We toured the house and the grounds. Out here there are so many beautiful trees, but the large Virgina Oaks are the best. The ones at Oak Alley are over 200 years old. They grow wide and the limbs grow back down to the ground. I wish we could grow these trees back home in Nevada.

New Orleans Bridal

Still in New Orleans and still having SO much fun! Today was the last day of PartnerCon and we had a shooting workshop. This model was so open to new ideas and fun to work with. Just walking around the French Quarter and the business district we found so many great place to shoot. Here are just a few of my favorite.

New Orleans!

Yea! I'm in New Orleans at the Pictage PartnerCon! I'm having so much fun and making friends with all kinds of great photographers. I've taken a ton of images walking around the French Quarter last night.  

Wiljax had set up a gallery exhibit at this great gallery of a lot of Pictage photographers work. Plus the gallery had so many historical original photographic prints. 

Baby Caden

So finally Monica's baby Caden is here!  He's one month old now. And so sweet and aware.

Here he is posing in the same hat we used in all his mom's previous pregnancy sessions. Too cute!

Trash the Dress Article

Pictage has a Planning Guide in the Pictage Photographer Directory. The Planning Guide is filled with articles by Pictage photographers with advice that helps you plan your wedding. My article has been recently accepted for publication. Take a look.

Why And How To Trash The Dress!

Rachel Garcia – A trash the dress session is an additional session after the wedding with either bride and groom or just the bride. You get dressed up again to go to a different location, normally a beach, and have a creative shoot to trash your wedding dress…

Zion National Park Pine Creek Canyon

Just came home from a wonderful weekend in Zion National Park, Utah. And Wow, was the weather great. It was pretty crowded for October, but I think that was on account of the weather being so perfect. 

The images below are from a slot canyon called Pine Creek. It took us (a group of 9 people) about 5 hours to go through. It was a pretty challenging hike for me. There are about 7 areas in the canyon where you have to repel down on ropes. The last repel is almost 100 feet!