Rylie's Senior Portraits at City Place in Spring, Texas

Rylie and her mom knew right away they wanted to have her senior photos that were both a little urban and also outdoors, so my typical park/garden or Downtown Houston wasn’t going to be the best fit. I had only shot one engagement session there before, but I definitely thought of City Place near The Woodlands, Texas.

Rylie did her own makeup and hair which were beautifully done. She had her eye on a few different outfits for the shoot. Her first outfit was a lovely white dress that went really well shooting in the green, outdoors areas. She also had a coral colored dress, a college t-shirt and these awesome jeans with cute heart patch/ruffles.

At the start of her session, we started at a bridge and worked our way to some tall grass and a bridge on the pond. I used my pop up tent for outfit changes, which is really helpful for senior portrait sessions. We then made our way back to the small park area and then to some spots along the shopping area. We also squeezed in a few cap and gown shots with a borrowed gown from her friend.

I did use some off camera flash. I used a Godox AD200 with the new Magmod XL that is great for run and gun shooting outdoors. It was actually a must because of the strong wind that would have took out any umbrella or softbox. She wanted a confetti shot which came out perfect with the wind.

After shooting my first senior session at City Place, I definitely can see myself going back to shoot there. It’s got a variety of spots for different shots, which can be a bonus for someone not wanting to commit to a park or garden, nor downtown either. I’m quite pleased with the results of this shoot.

Medina Family Portraits on the Bevil Jarrell Bridge

Often called the "Old Humble Bridge", the Bevil Jarrell Bridge has long been known as an excellent portrait location for those near the Humble, Kingwood, and Atascocita areas in Texas.  The Medina family wanted to give this location a shot for some family portraits before the holiday card season.  The location did not disappoint.  The location is outstanding for a variety of portraits, including family, seniors, and engagements.  

The Medinas wanted a fairly typical family session, including groups and some parents and kids split as well. It's also enjoyable to get some laughs in between frames.This family was quick to pose and was photogenic, which is perfect for when the weather is cold like it was on this day.

One challenge is trying to limit the distracting cars going by on the feeder and highway next to the bridge. Fortunately, by being a little patient, you can catch some spaces between cars. You can also take a lot of frames to be sure, and there is always Photoshop at the end!  

Overall, this session was a fantastic one, as the pictures show.  It's always a joy to work with great, easy-going families, especially during the holiday rush. Merry Christmas, Medina Family!

5 Tips For The Perfect Outfit:

I've always believed that clothing is an extension of your personality. For those who say, "Who needs clothes to express themselves?" I reply back with, "Who doesn't?!" Fashion is fun. Your body is the canvas, the clothes are your medium and the finished product as you stand in front of the mirror is your masterpiece. 

That said, figuring out what to wear to your senior portrait session requires some major thought. After all, those pictures are immortalized forever and ever. Not only that, but your peers will see them and I can pretty much promise you that your parents and grandparents will have a copy of your senior portrait in their house somewhere. 

Here are five tips to consider when choosing your session day outfits!

1. Don't stray far from your personal style. Make sure the outfits you wear are something you'd wear in your everyday life. 

2. Accessorize. For men that includes cuff links, hats, belt buckles, shoes and scarves. For women that means jewelry, bags, sunglasses, shoes and belts.

3. Give your outfits a test run. Snap photographs of yourself wearing the outfits, move around in them and make sure they're comfortable and flattering. 

4. If you're looking for outfit inspiration, check out what your favorite celebrities are wearing, hit social media (Pinterest and Instagram are great) and flip through your favorite magazines. 

5. Don't be afraid to hit me up if you need help. I've got a lot of experience styling my clients and would love to work with you to create the perfect outfit!

Matison Street at Mercer Botanic Gardens

Matison and her mom knew right away they wanted to have her senior photos taken at Mercer Botanic Gardens in Humble, Texas. I knew right away that this was an excellent choice because I’ve shot many times there in the past. Needless to say, I was excited about going there again for some beautiful senior portraits.

Matson chose two outfits for this shoot and I think they were absolutely beautiful for her look and really made the portraits shine. She chose a green dress and a white sweater with orange skirt. The hat she brought was so cute and just added extra to the outfit for sure. Matison came to her shoot, makeup all done and looked ready to rock her session.

At the start of her session, we started up front at the Gardens with mostly greenery and a pop of other color. We did the ivy column, which is a fun spot. We also shot on the wooden bridge there as well. After that we went to the restroom (very handy for portrait sessions with outfit changes) for Matison to change outfits. We then went more to the back, where the roman columns are and the skinny Cypress trees are. We grabbed a few by a pond and then finished up with some color at some flower beds in the back.

Mercer Botanic Gardens asks for no extra equipment like lighting, so we worked with the natural sun that we had. A late afternoon start helped us a ton. I also brought a reflector/skim as well. We wanted a confetti shot, but they ask for no confetti on the grounds either. That’s no problem as I simply photoshopped in some Confetti. I’m definitely going back to shoot at Mercer as much as possible. It’s a green location, for both the girls and the guys!

Treven's Senior Portraits in Downtown Houston

Treven moved here from Alaska recently and wanted to explore downtown Houston for his senior portrait session. Treven was a football player and a Class of 2022 graduate. He really wanted some shots with building in the background. He also wanted some color added into his images from backgrounds. He also had several outfits to wear, so it was good that I brought my trusty folding wagon. With a variety of backgrounds, textures and surfaces, I think we got some great shots for Treven.

Treven was eager for the skyscraper background first, so we went straight to the top of the parking garage of Franklin and Milan St near Market Square Park in Houston. We worked some different looks and poses, and also got one great shot of an impromptu exciting and smiling moment. I worked different apertures to get a variety of background blurriness for sake of variety. Luckily we found some spots out of the direct sunlight for better lighting.

Treven was a really camera friendly face and worked well with little direction from myself. That’s not a common find with senior guys, but I’ll definitely take it and I appreciated it well. Treven’s parents were great at being helpful with holding reflectors, scrims, and helping with wardrobe and hair. All these things go a long way to make a smooth senior portrait session.

One thing I love about shooting downtown is that its easy to get a variety of looks and not get the same ones over and over. It’s also easy to find softer light from all of the cover provided by buildings. I also like the experience the seniors have just being downtown. A lot of them have never been downtown so it’s quite an experience in its own right. This was the case with Treven, an Alaskan that just moved to Kingwood, Texas.

Jonas' Senior Portraits At Old Downtown Humble

For Jonas’ senior portraits, we wanted something outdoors with a small town feel to it. One of my favorite local places to suggest is Old Downtown in Humble, Texas. There are lots of different brick and wall elements with a variety of textures and colors. There’s also along the road there for a full small town feel.

I always like to start down on one end (Feed store) and work our way down. I enjoyed learning more about Jonas’ and his future while we were shooing. He’s a smart kid with goals. He’s busy applying to several colleges right now. He plays in the Orchestra and is on the varsity wrestling team. He is graduating in 2022 from Kingwood High School in Kingwood, Texas.

The late afternoon sun with cloud cover helped give us great lighting for our shoot. It’s actually usually not crowded at all down there. That was the case for his shoot. It’s nice not having to rush and/or be patient to get the spots you want. I had a changing tent available for outfit changes for Jonas. These is this rustic, ugly ole patched up wall that I love for shoots. You will see it down further in the gallery.

The upkeep in Downtown Humble is really good. They are hoping to revitalize the area and bring back more business there. There is a nice little park in the middle. I like the feed store down near the railroad tracks as well. I think its an undervalued spot for senior portraits in the Humble/Lake Houston area.

Overall, this session was great. I think we really hit the theme and look Jonas and his parents were looking for. I think his outfit choices were good and I like showing off some school colors for some of them as well.

Austin Senior Portraits at Mercer Botanic Gardens

For Austin’s senior portraits, we wanted something outdoors with some different elements for a variety of looks. One of my favorite places to suggest is Mercer Botanic Gardens in Humble, Texas. Although very colorful with flowers and such, there are lots of different landscape elements, rocks, wood, benches, fences, etc. to get some great variety of poses, even for guys. It was a joy to learn more about Austin as we went around and did our shooting. He’s a smart kid with goals, and was in the band playing percussion. He is graduating from Kingwood Park High School in Kingwood, Texas.

The tree cover helped with lighting. We had to be careful with some posing to avoid harsh highlights, as they don’t allow off camera flash, stands, etc. It’s a very busy location typically, but we went on a weekday evening and this helped limit the crowd for the day. Having a watchful eye is key to try and hop to the different areas while avoiding crowds. They have a restroom on site which is very handy for outfit changes. Towards the back, their is a rock pile wall that I just love for photos. It’s probably my favorite spot in the entire gardens. They were hit pretty hard with the Arctic Freeze we had this winter, but they are recovering well by this point of the year.

If you don’t know, Mercer Gardens is going to have a huge expansion to their location. They plans look absolutely amazing and I cannot wait to see it when it’s done. It’s really a beautiful place for both portrait sessions and other casual photography as well.

Overall, this session was excellent. I think we really hit the theme and look that Austin and his parents were wanting for his senior session. I love senior sessions and still get excited whAustin and his mom love their final portraits.

Xavier - Senior Portraits at Graffiti Park and Discovery Green

Xavier chose downtown Houston for the scene of his senior portraits. We started at the graffiti park on Leeland Street in Houston, Texas before crossing over to Discovery Green Park. He chose the bright colors of the graffiti to highlight his senior portraits on this day. This outstanding young man is going into the Air Force and will go to boot camp this summer.

I enjoyed getting to know him better and this helped him ease into the shoot better. He has a lot of goals in life. It was a bit overcast, which worked well to control the lighting for the day. The graffiti park is typically crowded, so a lot of planning and keeping a watchful eye to see where we could jump in quick to get shots. It’s a really cool place for senior portraits. Even for shots where the content of the art isn’t great, it’s still useable by getting more bokeh! I love doing the cap and gown shots, but man those tassles are hard to control to get them to face the right way for the shots. I’m going to try some rubber tack putty to maybe use on the top of the hat in the future to hold the string for us.

Choosing The Right Professional Photographer

Before you settle down on just any ordinary photographer, there are a few things to make sure of beforehand.

• Check their reviews. From Google, Facebook, and other social media reviews, people post their experiences online, and those speak for themselves.

• Do they have a portfolio? Look at the work they have done. If they have a website, this makes it even better. Make sure their style fits what you imagine for your future sessions. Compare their portfolio to other portfolios out there. Please note their editing style.

• Most photographers specialize in different niches nowadays. If you're looking to do boudoir, and the photographer specializes in a different niche, it’s a no-go!

• Are they within your budget? The prices of photographers range from low to high. Some photographers will charge you $500, while others will cost you $5,000 for the same gig. Have in mind what you can afford, but don’t let price be the main factor.

• Make sure they have availability for dates you have in mind. If you have a wedding in six months, check with the photographer to see if they have availability then. Some photographers need several months in advance. Book as early as possible!

• See if they have insurance. Don’t be ashamed to ask them this question! Have peace of mind knowing they are covered in case of an accident, injury, emergency, or damage.

• Try to match your requirements with the photographer’s strengths, expertise, and compatibility with your type of style. You will find your match! The world is full of wonderfully skilled photographers ready to meet you.

Choosing the Right Accessories for Your Senior Portraits

You’ve got your outfit planned, know exactly what you’re doing with your hair, and have already spoken to the makeup artist about that wicked cat eye. Now it’s time to consider your accessories, which can make or break your outfit. Here are four things to keep in mind.  

1. Don’t let the accessories wear you. Too big or too zany can overwhelm your face and body, taking away from the overall image. This is about you.

2. Choose accessories that mean something to you. Maybe you want to wear a ring your mother gave you, or those earrings that always earn you compliments.

3. Try not to choose anything that’s heavily ornamented. In a few years, ultra trendy items can look really, really dated. Funky and fun are A-OK, of course, but be thoughtful in your decisions.

4. Make sure your accessories all work well with your outfit. For example, a thin belt may flatter your figure more than a thick belt. And those dangly earrings may look best with your hair up while the studs look good with your hair down.

5. Get a second, and third, opinion. Wear everything you plan to put on for your session day and ask for someone else’s advice. Take some pictures, even, and ask your friends and family if they have any suggestions.

These subtle flower earrings really tie in with this cool, hip outfit.

For the guys, just a pair of your favorite sunglasses can create a whole new smooth look.

Do I really need a professional makeup artist?

You’ve made a big investment in photography (and possibly videography as well) to help capture your big day. You want to make sure you absolutely look your best. Although, I’m sure you do a very nice job on your everyday makeup, I strongly recommend looking into hiring a makeup artist.

Here’s why:

Even though you’re great at doing your own makeup, a MUA can do it so much better. I mean, after all, that is their job. We especially recommend hiring a good MUA if you don’t normally do your own makeup. They know what will look good on you and can make it look natural and flawless.

Makeup artists use high-grade makeup – nothing runs, shines, or smudges, ensuring that you don’t have any makeup malfunctions during your big day. They also know what works well with the flash, the lighting at different times of the day, etc.

On your wedding day, you’re going to be moving around all day and you want your makeup to last. You’ll need to be wearing about 30% more makeup than normal. It may seem like a lot in real life, because you’re not used to it, but it won’t look like a lot on camera. Makeup artists know exactly how much to put on.

A MUA knows how to accentuate your features to make sure you look your best for portraits and close ups. They know that cameras alter lighting and colors and how to avoid common makeup issues with photography. Some everyday makeups can make you look oily or shiny on camera – MUAs make sure the makeup they use will photograph perfectly. Also, on your wedding day, you’ll be wearing a lot of white. You don’t want to look washed out in your photos and a MUA knows how to make sure that doesn’t happen.

And lastly, they know your schedule and can help keep you on track by making sure to have you ready in time.

The Importance An Unplugged Wedding

What is an unplugged wedding?

An unplugged wedding is where you ask your guests to turn off their phones, cameras, tablets, and other mobile devices during your ceremony.

What are the benefits?

• There are many benefits to having an unplugged wedding.

• When guests use their own cameras, there are many ways that this affects the photography that you’re actually paying for. Guests oftentimes are taking photos at the same time we are, and their flashes interfere with our cameras, leaving you blown out completely (and unsalvageable) or having weird shadows or lighting throughout the photos.

• Guest cameras can leave a red or green dot from their focusing mechanisms. These will show up in our images.

• If guests don’t turn off the noise on their cameras, they could be very loud when taking the photos. This can be very distracting to you and your guests.

• Speaking of distracting – let’s talk about iPads and other tablets used to take photos. They are HUGE and are very distracting. If we are taking a wide photo of your ceremony, your eyes go straight to the tablet and completely ignore the beautiful couple exchanging vows.

• Guests will often get in the aisle or stand in front of the professional photographers, blocking their shot. Sometimes, it’s too late for us to be able to get them to move, and we certainly don’t want to upset your guests by making them move.

• During family formals, guests will often stand around photographers to get shots of their own, which can create harsh lighting if they use their flash. Even if they don’t use their flash, it causes the group to constantly be looking around, leaving wandering eyes. It’s hard for the photographer to get a good photo with everyone looking at the camera when there are multiple people taking photos around you.

• Most importantly, if your guests are taking photos, they are not fully able to enjoy the moment. They are absent and distracted by their picture taking and posting. We highly recommend having your wedding unplugged, but respect your wishes if you choose not to. If you have any questions concerning this or how to unplug your wedding, feel free to contact us and we can chat.

What if everyone had their phones and cameras out in this photo? It would have ruined the picture and the emotion captured of this happy, happy couple!

What if several people in the back were using phones or cameras? With flash? How would this memory be different?

What's a First Look and Why Should We Have One before Our Wedding

Many of my couples ask me whether or not they should have a first look. If you’re reading this, you’re probably wondering the same thing. In my professional opinion, I think they are an excellent idea. I love first looks. I know that they are a tad bit ‘nontraditional,’ but let me take a minute to explain the benefits of a first look:

1. Your wedding day will be crazy busy. No getting around it. You have so much to do and so little time to do it in. If you have a first look, it helps to calm down the day a bit. Instead of trying to rush around to get everyone together and have pictures taken between the wedding ceremony and reception while your guests are waiting, you’ll have that time to relax and enjoy your guests and not have to worry about being late to your reception. We can do all of the main portraits before the ceremony even begins – at the very least, the bride and groom and bridal party photos. This way, your hair and makeup are still perfect, as they were just finished. If your family is coming earlier, we can do their photos beforehand, as well, or we will only have to worry about those portraits after the ceremony and not the bridal party shots.

2. A first look also gives you a very special, intimate moment with your new spouse. If you are nervous or stressed out, this will especially help to relax you, and your spouse can comfort you and let you know it will all be OK. During the ceremony, there are many of people around and you can’t fully take in the moment because everyone is staring at you. With a first look, that moment is just between you and your spouse (and your photographers, of course).

3. Even if you have a first look, your husband will be just as happy to see you walking down the aisle and you’ll still take his breath away. Don’t worry that you’ll be spoiling the moment by seeing him prior to the ceremony.

Melissa and Mark - Engagements at Buffalo Bayou Park

Melissa and Mark chose Buffalo Bayou Park for their engagement session. This is a very popular location with the beautiful Sabine Street bridge with the urban skyline behind it. There’s also some nice greenery around for beautiful portrait backgrounds as well. These guys were a fun, happy and silly couple and really made this session easy to shoot. Their outfit was casual, yet looked lovely for their shots.

I let them do a lot of casual improved poses. When the couple is active and into the shoot, its easy to let them do their thing and get some great shots. It’s not always practical to pose them and tweak every little finger, hand, etc to get the pose you want. An evening sun and overcast day was perfect to control the lighting for the shots.

Kaitlyn Senior Portrait Session

Kaitlyn looked fabulous for her senior portraits this year. The location she chose was Mercer Botanical Gardens which was a beautiful choice this early spring, where there were lots of colorful blooms all throughout. Kaitlyn is a 2020 graduate of Atascocita High School in Texas. She is planning to pursue nursing and is slated to attend Texas Lutheran University next fall. The outfits she chose were very nice and stylish. I’m glad Kaitlyn chose Zam Photogrpahy for her senior session!

Family Portrait Session - Frequently Asked Questions

1) May we bring props to our session?

Props can add interest and personality to your photos. If you would like to include props, please let me know ahead of time so I can plan accordingly.

2) How long do sessions last?

Session time varies depending on the package you select. Mini sessions are approx. 15-20 minutes while regular sessions usually are 1 hour.

3) Will you suggest a location for the session?

I’d loved to share some of my favorite places! Don’t feel like you are limited to my suggestions. Also, please keep in mind that when kids are involved, it’s best to stick to one setting, such as a park or playground. Pick a place where they are comfortable being themselves.

4) How can we best prepare for the session?

Get yourself and your family excited about the session. Whether you go all out on a styled shoot or purchase new outfits for everyone. It’s great when you can involve the entire family.

5) When is payment due?

$50 is due at booking and the balance is due on the day of the photography session.

6) I see a lot of ideas on Pinterest, can we suggest ideas for photos?

I have a variety of samples and ideas. During the pre-consultation I will discuss your vision and my experience. If there is an image from Pinterest that you love, bring it in and we’ll look at it together.

7) Is there a time that is better than others for outdoor photo sessions?

The best time for an outdoor photo session is either early in the morning or right around sunset. I’ve found that the best light is usually 15-20 minutes before sunset and 15-20 minutes after. You can visit timeanddate.com to get an accurate time for sunset on your scheduled photo session day and then back up approx. 1 hour to 1.5 hours from that time for start time. You want to make sure to factor in extra time just in case you happen to be running late, want to change outfits during the session, etc…

8) What is included in a session?

All sessions include travel to the location, my services during the shoot and basic editing of the images. A set number of images are provided upon completion based on the duration of session. For example, with an hour session you will usually receive a minimum of 20 images. Hi resolution images with reprint permission are included.

9) What type of payment do you accept?

I accept checks, paypal and all major credit cards.

10) How long after the session until I see my photos?

Turnaround for photos is approx. 1-2 weeks. I will usually post a few sneak peak images to social media within 24-48 hours of photographing the session, so make sure you are connected!

The Gallery | Madeleine and Tyler

This fabuous couple married at Second Baptist Church Woodway Campus and had their reception at the beautiful The Gallery in Houston, Texas. Madeliene was a beautiful bride and very receptive when shooting all day long. Tyler was a fun guy and always added fun and excitement. Their reception location was beatiful with neat architecture and lots of potential for beautiful shots. I had a great time shooting this wedding.

How to Personalize Your Senior Session

Your senior session is all about YOU! We want to make sure that we really show off your personality and make your photos unique to you. Now is the time to start planning your session so we can fully showcase you during your photo shoot. Think about your routine – where you like to go, what you like to do, etc. We want to get to know you through your photos. We’d love for you to take a list of your hobbies and extra-curricular activities and send them over to us so we can help you prepare your perfect session.

Below are some ideas of things you might want to incorporate in your session. These are just suggestions to get your brainstorming started:

• Sports

• Art/Theatre

• Music

• Favorite movie or book

• Your job or the career you’re planning on going into

• Your car

• Your school

• Your future college

• Your pet

• Your BFF

• And don’t forget about your favorite hang out – whether it be a coffee shop, park, football field, book store, etc. We can try to add this location to your session.

Alyssa incorporated basketball into her shoot because that was her biggest passion in high school.

Best friends Hailie and Sean had their senior shoots together on the same day so they could pose for a few pictures.

How Long of a Senior Portrait Session do I need?

Not sure how much time you need for your custom senior session? You’ve come to the right place! We’re here to help you figure out the perfect length for your photo shoot. We currently offer three slots:

• 30 minutes: This half hour session is great if you just need some basic photos to document you during your senior year. You will be allowed one outfit and one location for this session. We can do a variety of poses and headshots in this time and we’ll still get some awesome photos!

• 1 to 1.5 hours: This session will allow us some more time to get creative. We can add in another location and up to two additional outfits. This is our most popular option.

• 2 to 2.5 hours: This is the ultimate senior session. It allows for up to four outfit changes, three location changes, and you’ll have time for hairstyle changes and adding in pets or friends.

If you have any questions about which session you should choose, feel free to contact us at zamphotographytx@gmail.com

Sean Senior Portrait Session

What an exciting time to be a senior in high school. Graduation is a wonderful time of the year. I’ve had the pleasure of teaching Sean for the past three years. He’s been a great student and a great friend to all of his classmates. He will definitely be missed. Congrats Sean, Class of 2019, from Hargrave High School.