It’s that time of year again, time to look back over tens of thousands of images to choose the ones that for one reason or another had the greatest impact on me. So yes, the criteria is very subjective… and not even something I can quantify. Sometimes it is color and light, sometimes it is the emotions captured, but sometimes it is something completely indescribable that just speaks to me. Obviously when narrowing down possibly 100,000 photos to 150 I can’t include every client, and I strive to make every client’s images the best because I truly love what I do and count it an honor every time someone steps in front of my camera. Some of these images were taken by my talented daughter Celeste who works with me, and we want to send out special love to our wedding couples who put so much faith in us… and the families we work with year after year… we are so happy to have been able to become a part of your history. We hope you enjoy looking back over 2016 and we look forward to many more photographic adventures together in 2017! xoxo
RACHEL’S LOVELY BRIDALS AT THE AUDUBON CENTER
I can’t believe I have waited this long to do this blog post. The last half of 2014 was a bit of a blur, but most likely I thought I had already done the post because I have used these images so many other places. Rachel is a stunning girl, and I had the pleasure of shooting her engagements, bridals and wedding as well as some blog photos for her and an extended family portrait for her mom… so needless to say she is one of my favorites. She chose the Audubon center for her session which was the perfect compliment to her modern and yet romantic style. I am so crazy about these images! It is one of my favorite sessions of my career and I am thrilled to have my favorites from this shoot in one place to share with you.
THERE’S NOTHING LIKE A MAN IN A SUIT…
Bryan is one of those men who exudes a quiet confidence and gives you the impression that there is a lot going on underneath the surface. He is an outdoorsman, an Olympian, a former ski jumper in the ’92 Olympic winter games in Albertville France. He is one of those guys who makes you feel safe in the knowledge that he would know what to do in just about any situation. He loves to play golf, to fish and hunt, and to work on his cabin situated in a stunningly beautiful location facing the Porcupine Mountains in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan. With all this in mind, it would seem that photos of Bryan should be rustic, outdoorsy, athletic types of photos… but those will have to wait for another shoot. Bryan needed some professional photos for a new business venture so we took to the urban landscape… and Bryan donned a suit. I think the results are pretty compelling… to say the least… and are a reminder to all you guys out there who need to update your visual portfolio for today’s social media and web culture.
I think one of the most important things about a good headshot is that it project confidence… and these images have that in spades…
I love the eye contact that Bryan makes with the camera… it creates an immediacy in the images that is timeless.
And just to bring this post about Bryan full circle, I have to give you a glimpse into that rustic, outdoorsy side, as well as the amazing view from his cabin. Bryan is certainly a multi-faceted guy… and one of the kindest, most thoughtful men you will ever encounter.
RACHEL AND BEN’S ROMANTIC JUNE WEDDING
Rachel and Ben tied the knot in a lovely June ceremony at Marie Gabrielle in downtown Dallas under a beautiful canopy of trees. Every detail was the epitome of style and down-to-earth prettiness… words aren’t really sufficient. Rachel was certainly one of the most beautiful brides I’ve ever seen and Ben made such a handsome groom. Surrounded by family and friends it was more than evident that as the adorable card on each chair said, “true love is a big deal.” This couple met at Texas Tech and it wasn’t long before Ben knew that Rachel was the one for him. They are so sweet and easy together and it’s a joy to watch, and if anyone near them might have lost hope in true love… odds are they will make you believe again. The group dressed for the big day at the Stoneleigh Hotel, a gorgeous 1923 Art Deco building which was the perfect backdrop for the photos of one of my favorite parts of the day. I have to say that I have shot quite a few wedding dresses, but this dress shot is my favorite one to date.
The girls definitely weren’t the only ones putting on their finest. Over in the guys’s space the proper way to tie a bow tie was proving to be a bit of a challenge. Notice the monogrammed bow ties that each groomsman is wearing… these are the kind of details that make a wedding so special. There is something very ceremonial about the putting on of the wedding dress… and something so nurturing about the way women come together to care for one another at these times…
The gray bridesmaid dresses that Rachel chose from BHLDN are so ethereal, and perfectly complement her Vera Wang dress that she had altered to her specifications.
I am always jazzed about shooting outdoor ceremonies, being an outdoor enthusiast myself, and this one did not disappoint. Details like the eucalyptus, fern and jasmine chandelier that hung above Rachel and Ben when they said their vows, the sprigs of lavender tied to the aisle chairs, and the soft guitar music playing in the background were so lovely and created the perfect serene environment for a wedding. There are few things prettier than crisp white chairs in a green space. All the stationary for the wedding set the tone for the day and the cards and fans on the chairs added just the right personal touch.
The stage was well and truly set for two people to join their lives together before witnesses…
After the exchange of vows and an amazing kiss, Mr. and Mrs. Taylor stole away to cool off before the group shots…
And then the time had come for food and conviviality held in Marie Gabrielle’s beautiful space… everyone just basked in the love that was overflowing, and I think it’s safe to say that a wonderful time was had by all.
And of course there was dancing… and more dancing. If you want to know the truth of someone’s heart, watch them when they are dancing.
As exits go, this one was spectacular… sparklers and smiles all around as Rachel and Ben headed off to Italy. Really… it couldn’t have been more perfect. Bella… absolutely bella. We wish you every joy!
Lighting: Astounding Sounds / Music: The Revolvers / Flowers & Centerpieces: Kate Foley Designs / “Guest book” painting: Custom, Simone (New Orleans) / Hair & Makeup: Fairy Godmother Bridal & Kate Rodriguez of The Rodriguez Salon / Bridesmaid Dresses: BHLDN / Bridesmaid Earrings: Stella & Dot / Calligraphy (invitations & seating chart): Nicole Black of The Left Handed Calligrapher / Ceremony & Reception Venue: Marie Gabrielle / Wedding Dress: Vera Wang w/ custom alterations / Bride’s Earrings: Gurhan from Ylang23 / Bride’s Shoes: Givenchy / Cakes: Frosted Art / Programs, Sparkler Sleeves & Matchbooks: Sue Corral from Design Corral (online) / Small Business Cards w/ App info: DIY using Makr app / Groom & Groomsmen Tuxes: Culwell and Sons / Groom & Groomsmen Custom Bow Ties: Great Knots (online @greatknots.com) / Bride & Bridesmaids Robes: Gap Body / Hotel: The Stoneleigh / Wedding Planner: Amanda Connolly from After Yes / Photography: Tamytha Cameron Photography
ASHLEY’S ROMANTIC BRIDALS AT THE CRESCENT HOTEL
Celeste and I have known Ashley for many years, as Celeste and Ashley were in the same class in school. She and her lovely mom Julie are friends and so it was a special honor to be asked to be Ashley and Trevor’s wedding photographers, to accompany them to their destination wedding in CanCun. We just returned from their absolutely gorgeous wedding and as beautiful as the scenery was I have to say that the people were even more beautiful. These images are from her bridal session, shot some time ago at the Crescent Hotel here in Dallas. Ashley has such a sweet spirit about her and it shows through these images. She is just as gorgeous on the inside as she is on the outside! The classic elegance of the Crescent made the perfect backdrop for Ashley and her romantic Grecian inspired gown.
I think almost every girl has a twirling instinct… especially in a romantic gown… and Ashley is no exception!
We had such a good time on this shoot and Ashley is so wonderful to photograph and so willing to be fully present in the midst of the process… something tells me that being a bride agrees with her.
The wonderful thing about the Crescent is all the nooks, hallways and lovely outdoor groomed garden spots that perfectly compliment the spirit of bride… and Ashley really shone in this environment…
There are few things in life lovelier than a woman in love… than a bride… and I am quite certain that Trevor is going to cherish these images of Ashley for years to come. He is one lucky man.
OUR ANNUAL PHOTOS… HIGH HEELS, BOOTS AND A LOT OF CONFETTI
Every year for the last 17 years my two daughters and I have had an annual Christmas photo session. We started this when we moved to Dallas from Athens, a small town in East Texas, and it has become one of our most important traditions. In many ways these photos tell the story of our lives through the years here in Dallas and mark and celebrate our connection to one another. Though I am am photographer, and so now is my oldest daughter Celeste… obviously we cannot take the photos ourselves… so that’s where our dear friend Linda Stringer comes in. She takes the photos and control freak that I am… I edit them. She is such a trooper and she has the patience of Job… as I can faithfully attest. She has put up with the three of us, two of whom were very little girls when we started this journey of photography… and let me tell you there have been some pouting sessions and stony glares from those very same sweet girls who weren’t so fond of the idea at times. Some things never change… but merely evolve… and let’s be real… we were all a little irritable yesterday trying to pull it together for this session. You must know something about women trying to pick out the right outfits… get the hair and makeup right. It’s a process… that is all I can say. But in the end, we love each other like crazy… and we are so glad we have these photos… these markers in time… to celebrate one another.
Of course one of the key steps in this process is deciding what we want to wear… no matching… we have done this in years past of course, but now we aim for stylish coordination in the same color family. We wait until the day of or the day before at the earliest and then we either pull everything out of our closets or cave and go and buy something… either way it is frustrating but at the same time fun… and the day of the session our home and car look like a cyclone of clothing struck. To add to our color scheme, I thought to myself, “What could be better than confetti?!” Well nothing of course.
We were so lucky this past weekend that the weather was nice… and cloudy days really make colors pop which I love… I’m not sure if folks wondered why were throwing confetti by the side of the road… but we had a great time. When I look at these photos I really can’t believe how tall that Celeste is… my first born who was once so tiny… or that Medora, who cut half of her hair off in the front when she was four, has such gorgeous locks… see sweetie everything works out in the end. I am so proud of both of my girls… their inner and outer beauty… the way they love and the way we are each other’s fiercest defenders and allies. We may get annoyed with one another at times, but if anyone else says a bad word about one of us or hurts one of us… the other two rise up and hell hath no fury… etc. etc. Suffice it to say that these two are my best friends and I wouldn’t choose to be anyone or anything over being their mom.
We were running out of light and had to do a quick change in the Jeep… which is no cakewalk for three girls… but I wanted a certain photo in a certain spot where I have taken clients many times… and I had it visualized in my head… so it had to happen come hell or high water. I’m a boots and jeans outdoor girl at heart even though fashion is still one of my loves so I wanted to incorporate both. I’m pretty pleased with the results.
The thing I most want to say to all you friends, clients and future clients is to have photos taken of you and your loved ones… I am pretty sure you will never regret it and it will become part of your legacy. I promise. Just do it. Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to all of you from Tamytha Cameron Photography and from Celeste, Medora and me! xoxo
IT’S ALL ABOUT SOPHIE
Sophie Franks is such a lovely girl, that is evident… and not only in appearance, but in her manner, and in the way she interacts with the people in her life. Sophie has a younger sister Isabel and an older brother Alex and when you see the three of them with their parents there is so much love between them. Sophie is an amazing sister… and I can tell by the way she talks about her friends that she is a devoted friend as well. I got to know Sophie through her mom Mousumi… who is a dear friend of mine that I came to know through the Meadows Museum. Mousumi was one of the Museum’s amazing docents when I worked on the education staff there… and when I left the museum she took over the position I had held. I’ve had the privilege of spending time in the Frank’s home… and they are such wonderful people, all of them are accomplished in their own ways and they are so welcoming to anyone who comes into their home. I have taken photos of their family as well as their extended family. The session I did with their grandparents will make its way onto this blog and was one of my favorite sessions to date. These were her senior photos, and we actually did two separate sessions… a casual shoot at the Arboretum and a second session with some more dressed up shots that we did in my neck of the woods in the Plano area. These sessions were a quite a few months apart so you’ll notice that Sophie’s hair is longer in the casual photos… and of course, she’s beautiful both ways.
Sophie is now at Texas A&M where she is a freshman, studying nutrition, who has just recently pledged Pi Beta Phi. We had the best conversation the day we shot the second session, we talked about her family and friends… and the things she enjoys. She is so easy to talk to and so comfortable in her own skin. She ran track and cross country in high school, and she joins her dad who is an avid runner every year on the 8 mile Turkey Trot, even though according to her mom, her dad Harry always beats her. That’s ok… because as we all know, Southern girls know how to lose gracefully and with impeccable manners. Speaking of Southern girls… As you can see this Texas girl loves her cowboy boots and can really rock them with a dress. I know how excited she is to be at A&M… and the Aggies are pretty darn lucky to get her as well.
I love this image because I think it shows Sophie’s playful, adventurous outdoor side… and I think it’s one of her best.
We really made the rounds the day we did the Plano shoot and ended up back in Highland Park where we started. There are some spots there that I absolutely love and that really complimented Sophie’s dress choices.
I am kind of a sucker for photos in fields of flowers and as it turned out… Sophie likes them too. These photos are just as sunny as Sophie herself… a real stunner…
I wish you every good experience that college has to offer sweet Sophie and I look forward to more photos with you in the future.
BERNICE AND KEVIN’S ROMANTIC EVENING WEDDING
Celeste and I first met Bernice and Kevin last November at a Starbuck’s on the referral of a photographer friend who had taken their engagement photos, but was going to be unable to do the wedding. I could tell right away that Kevin adored Bernice… and any man who knows how to treat a woman well is a good man indeed and deserving of respect. We talked about who they were as a couple, as I usually do with my couples, and it came into the conversation that something they shared was a love of extreme sports… skydiving being one. I thought that was fabulous! And although you couldn’t pry me from the door of a plane with the jaws of life… I do consider myself an adventurer at heart so I knew that I was going to get along great with this couple!
I blogged some time ago about Bernice’s beautiful bridals which we took in downtown Dallas, and if you would like to see those you can find them here on the blog. Bernice is a tall dark haired beauty and an absolute joy to photograph… and I love the way she calls Kevin “Amor.” Speaking of lovely ladies, I want to get started with the images Celeste and I took of the girls getting ready before the ceremony. They are aways some of my favorites because they are so intimate and joyful.
Their ceremony was held at Ashton Gardens on a cold December evening, with all of their family members by their side. There is a lot of love between these people… and by that I mean their entire families… and Bernice’s parents were evidently still very much in love… anyone would have thought that they were the bridal couple the way her dad looked at her mom. In fact one of my favorite photos from the day depicts one of those moments. The following photos were taken right before the ceremony, of Bernice and her brothers, of the bride taking in the moments before she takes that amazing walk down the aisle, of the bride’s dad practicing the lifting of the veil, of Kevin and his daughters, and the couple praying together around a corner so that the Kevin didn’t see Bernice before the ceremony.
It was a rare opportunity for us at this wedding to shoot from the altar, which we are rarely able to do. The bride’s father was the officiant at the ceremony making it even more meaningful… and there was truly a glow around everyone involved that night.
The reception was beautiful, and filled with laughter. The room was lit with chandeliers and candles, the food was delicious, and the photo booth was a hit… especially with Kevin’s adorable daughter!
Kevin and Bernice… I have feeling for you two the romance is going to go on and on.
JACQUELYN AND STEPHEN’S ELEGANT AND CLASSIC DALLAS WEDDING
I first met Jacquelyn and Stephen at their beautiful home… newly designed and built by the amazing Moore Design + Build team. In fact it was one of these gentlemen who referred me to Jacquelyn and I am so glad that he did. To say that they are a stunning couple would be an understatement, and they are charming and easy to talk to as well. We started talking and a couple hours later I knew that what this couple wanted were simple, elegant wedding photographs that would capture the day that was so important to them and their families.
They had planned an elegant ceremony and celebration of the joining of two lives for Saturday, May 18th, and there was so much love and respect between this couple and their entire families that my job was going to be a joy. From the evening of their rehearsal dinner at the Zodiac Room downtown I saw the love between Jacquelyn and Stephen and it was an honor as it always is to hear friends and family talk about the couple and how much they mean to them. The ceremony was held the next day at a beautiful Catholic Church with a gorgeous sanctuary.
Before we get to the actual ceremony however, I have to share some images that are among Celeste and I’s favorites… taken before the ceremony at the Maid of Honor’s apartment, Jacquelyn’s sister, Leah. By the way, talk about a truly beautiful family, Jacquelyn, her mom Tina Marie, and her sister Leah quite evidently share the same gorgeous genes… and these ladies are not just beautiful, but stylish as well… and as you will see they certainly know how to choose their dancing shoes.
Now on to their lovely ceremony…
The reception was actually the first to be held on the roof of the Wyly Theater in downtown Dallas. The Dallas skyline made a beautiful backdrop for what turned out to be a fabulous party. The Walton Stout Band had everyone on their feet and the energy and fun in the room were palpable! Dayme Mullins Walther, their amazing planner, had everything running as smoothly as silk and the catering by Wolfgang Puck Caterers was delicious. I’m going to let the images speak for themselves, but I will say that Celeste and I both agreed that their reception was one of the most fun we had ever attended. One of the absolute highlights of the evening was the dabke, a dance of Lebanese origin, that the bride was excellent at leading. Everyone joined in and had such a great time and it brought so much joy and energy to the reception! We watched the couple exit the theater at 1 AM to a shower of rose petals and I think I can safely say that a wonderful time was had by all!
My wish for you Jacquelyn and Stephen is that you will always be as happy as you were on this day!
KATIE’S STUNNING BRIDALS AT THE OLD RED COURT HOUSE
August 1st, 2013
Katie and Kyle have been dream clients… They booked me for their wedding last year and it has been a joy walking through the whole photographic process with them, from their engagement session at the Arboretum and downtown Dallas, to Katie’s bridal session at the Old Red Courthouse, to their warm and wonderful rehearsal dinner at Times Ten Wine Cellars, to their beautiful wedding at Perkins Chapel and reception at 333 First Avenue. What a lovely couple as the old adage says… inside and out. In their case it couldn’t be more true! I will be blogging about their wedding very soon! This post is about Katie’s bridals which I have been absolutely dying to share since I shot them. You can obviously see why! This is one gorgeous and stylish girl… and she can’t seem to take a bad picture. It was my first time to shoot at the Old Red Courthouse so that was exciting as well, and Katie’s sister Deb came along as maid of honor to enjoy this photo session with Katie and she and I made a great team! Thanks Deb for all your help, you are an absolute jewel! I couldn’t have done it without you!
Notice Katie’s adorable pink crinoline which she managed to keep under wraps until the removing of the garter… sneaky girl. It was the perfect compliment to Katie’s beautiful gown and fabulous hat which is even more beautiful in person!
And now… the captivating Katie Tripp … now Mrs. Wilson in fact. [Read more…]