Alexis is a model I photographed for some bumper material for Austin's own Dress Shop a few months ago. We kept in contact and we decided to do another test - in this case, an interpretation of modern day Audrey Hepburn. Alexis is represented by Page Parkes in Houston and Webber Productions in Austin.
She is fairly new to the industry and is interested in building her portfolio. For those who don't know, when a model is getting started she'll go through a number of "tests." Ultimately, these will be the backbone of her commercial / high-fashion portfolio. When a model goes on a go-see, her portfolio has to have a wide variety of looks from different photographers with different interpretations of what she can look like. That way, the model may already look the part that the new client is trying to achieve, thus putting her in a better position for an assignment. Testing is also a catalyst for stylists, designers, set designers and hair and make-up artists - everyone needs a portfolio. Teams work together to deliver their best work for everyone's portfolios. In this case, Jenna Hollerbach (stylist), and Erica Gray (make-up and hair) rocked out this test with Alexis.
My years in New York included LOTS of model testing. I had a good friend from the Dallas Morning News who left to be a booking agent for Page Parkes in Dallas. Just months after I moved to New York, he moved as well, to work with Elite New York. Together, we tested gazillions of girls (and some boys). Testing is usually free for all involved, but in a saturated market like New York when models are looking for a specific look, their agents will send them to a photographer who specializes in that look (in my case, lifestyle and portrait photography). So I would often work with models whose portfolios were swaying to high fashion a little too much, that way they were open for whatever might come their way.
I worked with all of the top agencies in New York for quite a while, but in later years I swayed away from the fashion world. The New York market is very specialized; there is no such thing as fashion models, real people, and food in the same portfolio, it's just not how it's done. You really have to focus your portfolio tightly and so I had some tough decisions on which avenue to pursue. But if I had to choose my favorite, I'd choose real people. I developed a portfolio of natural, non-stylized portraits of real people. Our move to Austin a few years later, opened doors I never even imagined. It's not a specialized marketplace here and my portfolio can feature whatever excites me, so I can do it all again and I love it. Model tests are like playing barbies as a kid: clothes, hair and make-up. I mean, really, is there anything better?
Except maybe this video I shot the other day of my 3 year old son singing "I flip my hair back and forth, I flip my hair back and forth." Things HAVE definitely changed.
She-N-He Austin Wedding Photography and Design specializes in making your day...YOURS. We capture your wedding just the way you see it. We're a husband and wife team with backgrounds in Graphic Design/Art Direction and Commercial/Editorial Photography respectively. We bring to you a unique perspective that is romantic, modern and timeless and 15 years experience shooting all over the world. Call us and tell us all about your big day. We're listening. 512-351-9314
Best of Austin Engagement Photography 2011!
Stassney and Tommy have been engaged for 1 million years. :) We met them at a bridal event way back in 2009. Since then we had gone back and forth a few times on whether we'd be able to shoot their wedding. Dates and plans had changed a couple times and it was looking like it wasn't going to happen for us. Flash forward to a contest we ran a couple months ago, "Be our # ____ fan." Well, her good girlfriend won the contest and handed it over to her. Stassney was thrilled and told me to "come up with something cool" for the shoot. I wanted to do a sordid affair in the style of late night paparazzi. They were all in! As you can see, we worked in some not too obvious pieces too, for their Memphis home walls. After our session, they decided to bust their budget and they have now brought us on to photograph their March wedding. I am thrilled that everything has worked out. Stassney is like a sister to me these days and I just can't imagine not being there for her. I'm so happy to be charged with photographing their long-awaited wedding day! Congratulations you two, see you in 6 weeks!
You know the drill, I have loved these images in this year and I just couldn't choose among them what was better. So it's all here for your viewing pleasure, a recap of 2011 for Best of Austin Weddings. Thank you for looking. Tomorrow we will have Best of Austin Engagement Session 2011.
Best of Austin Weddings 2. Please enjoy!
You know, you head straight through the year and you never realize how quickly it's going and then at the end of the year you look around and think, "Wow, I've been busy!" We've been in a full sprint since last February, and these next few collections prove it! Best of 2011 Austin Weddings I, II, and III are headed your way, then Best of Austin Engagement Photography will follow. Best of Family and Baby photography will follow that next week. Then, after that we're going to spice it up a bit with the Best of our commercial work for the year. And lastly we'll throw in a Best of 2011 Personal images collection to keep it fresh.
Amy and Keith, two of my most favorite people in the world! Amy and I met last year, but as it turns out we actually met WAY before that at a portfolio viewing at Sanders/Wingo. They are both amazing, funny, fun people and I'm glad I know them. Definitely friends now!
Jamie + Wes on and near south Congress.
Taylor -N- Rob
Denise -N- Dan wonderful, a little camera shy, but full of love and joy! dedicated. They planned their wedding in their brand new backyard, in fact all the way until 3 days before the wedding it was still unclear if their wedding would place at their new home they spent 2 years renovating together. Denise stessed to me that their wedding would be like a dinner party/housewarming with a little wedding thrown in for good measure. PLEASEm that's what I say can you see what they have done with this place? Although a tiny snafu when the lanterns fell down in the back, but all of the guests at the wedding sprang into action to get it fixed. pictures to come. Did I mention that they were not officially moved in yet either? so there are packing boxes all over.
Jenna -N- Ricardo met while attending the University of Texas. Ricardo graduated and moved to NYC to work in finance, Jenna stuck around to wrap up her degree and one year later followed. They recently relocated to Jersey City where they're happy and have a bigger space. Their wedding will be held next year at the Hummingbird House and they plan to resume their residence in the tri-state area, at least for a little while. I'm jealous. Thanks for having me along for the ride guys. I look forward to next year!
I've known Hannah since she was born I have been best girl friends with her mom since WE were in high school. Through the years I've watched her grow and change, mature and regress all to get to this point. I got a text from her a couple of weeks ago, this is it, this is finally it! Graduation! Senior pictures.
I was recently asked to create imagery for a local elementary school to post in their office. The images were to include child models but avoid faces so the images could be as anonymous as possible, it was also requested that the images be B/W exclusively.
Tin Top, Texas August 2010.
Photographer & Designer: 
A little bit of blog love from The one and only 
I found this yesterday while just having a look at Green Wedding Shoes. These are replicas of Steve's (
Charlie Heras. The newest addition to the Heras Family. We had the pleasure of photographing Linsey and Marcos' wedding last year and they are a positively delightful family. So we were honored when we were asked to photograph sweet little Charlie and big brother Ben for their first family portrait. Unfortunately, Marcos was working. Next time for sure.
I have been working on updating my commercial portfolio, as you may already know. My commercial side was very successful but She-N-He was an instant wild success so, inevitably, our commercial work has fallen by the way side. I REALLY enjoy the work and even without redoing our portfolio or otherwise promoting we are still getting some work. Thank goodness for on-going promotions like 
She-N-He