Red Room Studios

Moving on up!!

2009-05-20T21:48:00.002-05:00

Well, it's time to say good bye...at least to our blogger website! We have officially moved our blog to www.thewatsonsblog.com due to re-branding. We have been blessed with some awesome clients in the last year and as our client base grows, so does our business and our brand. Please check out or new blog and leave a comment!

Ben & Amy

Courtney+Erik Jackson: Wedding

2009-05-06T21:28:00.001-05:00

Talk about people that know how to throw a party! Even though it rained the entire day, Courtney and Erik didn't let that ruin their day. And it turned out to be an amazingly fun wedding.

Buckwild Entertainment kept the music pumping and I've never seen so many people at a wedding get involved in the dancing. People were getting down with their Stanky Leg! haha Made me and Ben want to get in on the fun!

Here is just a few images that were our favorite from the day:

Beautiful cake made by Who Made The Cake here in Houston.

Always Floral did a great job with the bouquet

You Matter To God

2009-05-05T08:14:00.002-05:00

A tidbit from Max Lucado's podcast:
"God knows you better than you know yourself"

Thank God, because something I feel like I don't know myself at all! God knows even the innermost desires of our heart even if we don't know we desire it yet. Not only does He KNOW, but He cares about us! We matter to him...Our dreams and desires matter to Him. Why wouldn't they? He put them in us!

iPhone Photos of the Day

2009-05-04T12:52:00.007-05:00

Both Ben and I have iPhones that we are completely addicted to. Including the camera feature that is so handy to have around. Even though the iPhone camera gives you amazing quality for a phone, please excuse the "not-professional-looking-photo-worthiness" of these images! They are straight out of my phone and for fun only!

These are all from our St. Louis trip.

BEFORE

On our way to City Museum and a day of fun together, just the 3 of us

AFTER

Completely worn out from our day of fun!
St. Louis Arch - trying to be creative!
Me and Tyler
More Arch-ness
We took Tyler to see Monsters vs. Aliens in 3D, hence the 3D glasses!

St. Louis & Tyler

2009-05-02T19:12:00.007-05:00

We just came back from St. Louis from a small four day vacation to visit Ben's family and son, and for the first time had the time to go sight seeing downtown! I have seen the arch many-o-time in photos, tv, etc, etc...but finally got to see it in person!

Of course Busch Stadium, home of the Cardinals. Ben would say: Go Cards!

Just Monkey-ing around with Tyler :)

We took Tyler to City Museum downtown. What an amazing place! The creativity of the builders and designers of this place was absolutely incredible! This is an artist's (and of course kid's) dream! We'll have to post more pics of this place to give you an idea of how cool the place really is.

Of course Tyler, was just completely overwhelmed with all the fun things to see. From tunnels, to caves, and slides in every place imaginable, there was plenty to keep a kid busy for HOURS!

Tyler running thru an airplane shell doorway

The ultimate slide!! Very colorful (Ben and I tried it out as well)

He seemed to like the bridge

At Union Station

The outside portion of the City Museum.

Right next to the Arch

My two handsome boys!

Baby Jackson

2009-04-28T18:48:00.012-05:00

It's been four months since we took the Echols' maternity pictures and it was so nice to finally see Baby Jackson! For such a young baby, he is such an alert little guy; he watched our every move and seemed to be fascinated with Ben. We had fun playing with him and wearing him out. By the end of the shoot, he was knocked out!

His adorable business suit:

This was at the end of the shoot, and as you can see, he is out!

Yea, Mama wanted a peeing picture...and Jackson happily complied...so here you go!

This is to match the maternity shot of the shoes:

Same flower as in the maternity shoot!

Can't leave out Grandma and Grandpa!

Courtney & Erik Engagement

2009-04-11T21:31:00.005-05:00

Courtney found a sweet spot along the Bayou River where she chose to do her engagement photos and it was an absolutely beautiful day for pictures. All I have to say is that these two know how to work it!!

Some of my faves:

Suzanne & Douglas Wedding

2009-04-05T21:32:00.007-05:00

Austin, Texas, home of our state capital, is absolutely beautiful during this time of year. As in my previous post, Bluebonnets, Indian Paintbrushes and every other kind of wild flower adorn the hillsides of this city.

At the Austin Club on 9th street, just a couple of blocks away from the Capitol building, Suzi and Douglas had a short, but sweet ceremony with many family and friends.

Here are a just a few of my favorites from that day:

Bluebonnet Season

2009-04-01T20:25:00.003-05:00

On our road trip to Austin to shoot the Hale-Herrington Wedding, we marveled at how artistic God is. Beautiful blues painted the green hillsides all along the road. At every lush patch of Texas Bluebonnets, our fellow travelers were parked at the roadside to get their pictures taken among the wildflowers. Not to miss out on the fun or the experience, we did the same!

Did you miss us???

2009-03-31T19:35:00.007-05:00

I can't believe it has been since January that we have made a post! What can we possibly say but I'm sorry to all our dedicated readers ;) I know all 3 of you were sitting on the edge of your seats waiting, wondering when we would be back!

As all of you probably already know by now, we had

kind of a rough patch in our lives at the end of January with the miscarriage of our first pregnancy, but God is good and has ushered us through the healing process. We took a sort of vacation through the month of February to get ourselves re-focused and also started home shopping! So plenty of exciting news there. We haven't found a home yet, but we're taking it slow and still looking.

In other news...we have been published in our first magazine!!

Rivaaj, a south asian fashion magazine, has published our images one their latest issues! Our beautiful bride Fakiha Khan was featured under the wedding section along with our images. Very exciting!

Also stay tuned, we just shot a wedding in Austin this weekend and will be posting soon!!! Here's a little sneak peak to whet the appetite...

Sheldon & Jennifer: Wedding

2009-01-28T22:13:00.008-06:00

Talk about organized! Jennifer was amazing at having the whole wedding running smoothly and on time. Thumbs up to her! And what a beautiful wedding it was! The day was absolutely beautiful and everything went so smoothly.

Thank you Jennifer and Sheldon for having us! We hope you enjoyed your awesome honeymoon in Vegas!!

Here are a few of our favorites from that day:

Valentine's Day Gift Idea!

2009-01-20T21:45:00.008-06:00

Only a few more weeks left until Valentine's Day! To celebrate, we are having a Boudoir Marathon on Saturday, January 31st from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m.!

If you're having trouble thinking of a gift for your hunny, how about joining us at the Zaza Hotel in downtown Houston to have a high class, sexy boudoir session!

$100 Session includes:

- Makeup and Hair

- 1 Hour Photoshoot (around 30 images)

- Instant Previews

- Choice of 6 poses in your choice of Wallets or 8x10's

Want a little more? You can also purchase a Boudoir Album to have a complete gift for your man! Album includes all images of your choice, size: 5x7, 20 magazine-like pages, choice of black or brown cover. - $50

If you want it all, we also offer a high-resolution DVD of all your images that includes printing rights. Comes in a beautiful pseudo-leather folio. - $50

Email us at: theredroomstudios@hotmail.com to book your 1-hour slot!

FAQ's

What is a Boudoir Session?

They are tasteful photos with a hint of sexiness. Everyone has different comfort levels when it comes to posing for a boudoir session, but these photos are completely tasteful and tailored to your idea of sexiness. They can be flirty and fun or elegant and classy or sexy and sensual. It all depends on what you and your man's idea of sexy is.

What is a Boudoir Marathon?

To lower the price of the bridal boudoir session, we offer to shoot several sessions in one day, in one hour increments.

Body Image: What if I am self conscious of my body?

Not all women are blessed with a supermodel body, but that doesn't mean we don't look sexy. A good photographer can highlight and show off your favorite parts of your body and hide the parts that you are self conscious about. Just remember that your husband loves you for who you are! Confidence IS sexiness!

Modesty: Do I have to be nude?

It all depends on how comfortable you are and your level of modesty. Nudity does not define sensuality. In fact, the whole idea of sensuality is letting the imagination do the work. Its the mystery of what could be.

Privacy: Will you be posting my pictures?

We understand that privacy is a concern due to the intimacy of boudoir images. We want to help preserve this intimacy between you and your mate. All images are maintained in strict confidence unless written consent is aquired from you, the client, in which case, images will ONLY be shown to other females considering a boudoir session.

Are my photos retouched?

All our boudoir photos are retouched to make you look your best. If you have special requests, please just let us know and we will see what we can do.

What do I wear?

Wear comfortable clothing that does not leave lines on your skin. Bring with you clothes that make you feel sexy, whether it be lingerie, bras, panties, corsets, teddies, stockings, tank tops, booty shorts, sports jerseys or men's business shirts, etc. Also bring plenty of accessories and your hottest shoes!

What about my makeup?

On occasion, we provide a makeup artist for you, but if not, feel free to have your makeup done at a salon or makeup counter. Make sure to let them know that you are being photographed, because your makeup needs to be a little stronger than usual to show off your features on photos.

Who will be photographing me?

Although we are a husband and wife team, only Amy will be present to photograph your session. At times we will have female assistants to help with the setup and the posing, but we try to make sure you are as comfortable and relaxed as possible.

Where will the session take place?

We usually photograph boudoir sessions in an elegant hotel. In the event of a Boudoir Marathon, Red Room Studios will cover the cost of the hotel, so your boudoir price is lowered considerably. During a single Boudoir Session, you will be responsible for booking a hotel room to have the session in.

Rodney & Heather: Maternity

2009-01-19T22:24:00.004-06:00

Introducing the Echols family! This beautiful couple will be welcoming little Jackson into the world this February! Congratulations you two! You were a pleasure to work with :)

My favorites:

Joe & Veronica Wedding

2009-01-15T21:30:00.009-06:00

A couple so in love. What more can you say about 2 people that come together under the covenant of marriage where God is clearly their center. You can not only feel the love that they share for each other, but also the love of their families and friends that surround them. They are truly blessed.

Veronica was probably one of the most organized bride I had ever met! For once, a wedding went not only as planned, but on time! Wow! Kudos to you Veronica! I'm truly impressed.

A beautiful wedding with such a sweet spirit. Ben and I are so blessed with the brides and grooms that we have the honor to work with.

Veronica's niece was the super cute flower girl!

What a romantic first dance!

Yea, my order of photos is way off here lol! please forgive me! The beautiful couple cutting their yummy cake!

Grandpa and granddaughter having a good time :)

It was such a gorgeous day!

Ow-ow!!

He pulled out the wrong ring!

I think Joe was a little excited :) What do you think??

What a gorgeous bride!

*tear!*

Karolyn & Parham: Maternity

2009-01-03T10:51:00.006-06:00

Karolyn & Parham are expecting a baby! And talk about a HOT mama! Karolyn is looking as gorgeous as ever. They are such a wonderful couple together and I know they are going to be great parents.

We are so excited for you guys and can't wait to see that cutie pie of yours!!

Baby's first dolly, given to her by her Grandpa!

Karolyn's mom knitted these!

The proud Daddy

Baby Watson

2008-12-16T07:38:00.004-06:00

So for all of you that haven't heard yet...Ben and I are expecting our first baby!! We just found out on Sunday that there's a little bun in my oven :)

If you're interested in following our journey through pregnancy, we started a blog: www.baby-watson.blogspot.com **warning, there might be GIRLY stuff in there!** haha.

We are extremely excited and thankful for this wonderful blessing!

Love you all,

AW

*UPDATE: For those of you that haven't checked the Baby Watson blog, we had a miscarriage unfortunately. But not to worry, God has big plans for us, so we know there's plenty of Baby Watson's in the future!*

SNOW?!

2008-12-11T12:31:00.009-06:00

Christmas time in Houston means sunny skies, warm days and cool nights. Out of the 26 years that I've lived here, it has snowed...and by snow I mean flurries that never stick...maybe 4 times that I can remember. Last night we got a cold surprise of 4 inches of white, fluffy snow the likes of which this city has never, ever seen. It blanketed everything and delighted everyone. Sophie...our bratty-beagle-baby...got to step out in snow for the first time in her year of existence :) and she LOVED it! As the snowflakes made their way to down to the ground, Sophie would try to snatch them out of the air...when she realized that she could eat them, she started licking and biting the ground! Afterwhich she proceeded to do her Beagle-thing and dig as if her life depended on it. Who would have thought our little girl would enjoy snow so much??

After spending a warm, cuddly night knowing that it was snowing outside (somehow you sleep better!) we woke up to most of the snow melted already. Our stairs heading down from our home however, were still snowy and quite slippery. So what does my darling husband do?? Gets up extra early, grabs the broom (its not like we have a snow shovel or anything!) and starts clearing the way for me! THEN he grabs my keys and not only starts the car to warm it up for me, but turns on the SEAT WARMERS so that my bottom wouldn't freeze! Is that an amazing husband or what??? You've earned major brownie points with my babe!

Of course the day after the snow, when all of Houston is supposed to head to work, things didn't go so smoothly. Wreck after wreck, along with closed bridges and highways, does not make the commute easy. I'm surprised all of Houston didn't shut down from shock.

Here's to a snowy December day. We should be back in the 70's in a couple of days.

AW

Addison the Cute

2008-12-04T21:21:00.007-06:00

I promised an entire blog-post to show off my cute little niece Addy, so with no further adoooooo.....

It's a Smiley World

2008-12-03T21:58:00.010-06:00

I must apologize, I've been really bad about posting lately...I think I'll blame it on the busy-ness of the holiday season.

Awhile back, we were able to go and visit my brother and his beautiful wife and sweet little daughter in Northern Virginia. We had such a great time hanging out and getting to know our little niece. To celebrate our good times with them, we of course did what we do best...shot our little hearts out. So we have plenty of pictures of the Smiley family to show the world! And since little Addy is so special to us, she gets her own post tomorrow :)

Brother, Adri, Addy--we love you guys so much and we miiiisssss you!!! Hope you like your pictures and we have plenty more where these came from. Hugs all around!

Veronica & Joe Engagement

2008-11-29T12:42:00.006-06:00

Woot woot! This is the couple we photographed the same day as Allison and Victor. Also an amazing couple! Even though it was a very chilly day, we had a great time walking around Hermann Park and Veronica turned out to be quit the little model!! ;)

You guys were such a good looking couple and did a great job posing for us! Thank you for giving us the opportunity to shoot you in the park! ;) ha.

Allison & Victor Engagement

2008-11-28T22:30:00.011-06:00

What a fun couple! We had such a great time running around in the chilly Saturday morning from Uptown Park to Downtown Houston. We definitely laughed a lot that day!

We enjoyed spending the day with you two, and appreciate the opportunity to be a part of your day.

Hope you guys like 'em!

Airport Romance

2008-11-11T22:04:00.001-06:00

Jason and my story starts when I had left for Spain at the end of my Junior year of college for nearly three months, we had been dating for over a year at this point. I remember leaving and just crying so hard that it hurt, or rather hurting so bad that I cried. Either way my heart felt torn out of me and left in Oklahoma. The whole time all Jason and I could do was talk on the phone which was pretty limited and I sent postcards and emails every now and then as well.

As the days approached for my return to the states, my anticipation grew of the next time I would get to see him and what he would look like and what it would feel like to be in his arms again. I picked out my outfit that would compliment my new tan and fixed my hair at the layover before I got to Tulsa (although it didn't stand a chance against this Oklahoma humidity).

I still remember the butterflies in my stomach as I walked down the terminal exit towards the baggage claim.

There he was with a vase with 3 red roses in it.

We hugged and I cried.

But it was about 10 minutes we stood there just hugging in the airport when I asked if he wanted to go to the baggage to get my bags. He hesitated and just said that he wanted to stay there for a minute, that's when I knew something was up. I even commented on how hard his heart was beating through his chest. Then he got down on one knee and proposed!! Even though I felt it coming I was still SO shocked. It only added to the excitement of being home in his arms.

He couldn't wait to get that ring on my finger after me being away all that time. I'll never forget that moment. It's a forever frozen in time movie clip in my mind of our love story.

So young and so in love!

--Angela Hurley

Back to Reality

2008-11-11T09:18:00.003-06:00

Well we're back from our weekend visit with my brother and his beautiful little family! We had SUCH a great time and that little girl of his is the absolute sweetest little girl you could ever meet. Its so easy to fall in love with her! We enjoyed our time there, not only getting to hold that adorable little Addy, but also getting to spend some time with my brother and wonderful sister-in-law! It had been over a year that I had gotten to see them and it was a fun to get to hang out with them as well! We come with lots of pictures, so we will be posting them soon! Stay tuned! :)

AW

Chantilly-bound

2008-11-04T08:36:00.005-06:00

It's been 5 months since my little neice Addison has been born, and her auntie still hasn't gotten to see her :( Well the wait will finally be over! We are taking a little weekend trip to Chantilly, Virginia to visit my brother and his little family.

Michael and I have always been close and when he married his beautiful wife Adrienne, it was so nice to see him happy. But since his little Addison was born, I have never seen him happier.

Soon it will be MY turn to hold that cute little girl and squeeze those plush little cheeks!!

Here are some pics from Halloween that I nabbed from my brothers website:

yummm, I love Chocolate!
Daddy and his little girl

The cutest family EVER :)Brother, Adri, Addy -- We can't wait to see you! Love ya'll!

We have a WINNER!

2008-11-01T19:05:00.003-05:00

After a long consideration, we have our Engagement Story Winner! Congratulations to Angela Hurley of Tulsa, OK! What a sweet story of how her wonderful husband asked her to marry him! Although Angela is already hitched, she never got the chance to get bridal portraits. So here is her chance!

We will be posting her story along with her bridal portraits for all to see!

Thank you to everyone that participated, it was a pleasure reading your romantic stories!

As my hubby would say, Stay Classy!

Engagement Contest! - Let's hear it!

2008-10-20T20:55:00.005-05:00

It was a beautiful Saturday afternoon in February.

Ben called me to ask if I would join him for a walk in the park that we frequented often while living in Tulsa, OK. As we drove to the park we rolled our windows down to enjoy the fresh air as we usually do.

We park the car and Ben pulls out a blanket and his guitar. At that time, he hadn't really played much around me, but I remember begging him often to play for me. So as he pulls it out, he shoots me the smile that I fell in love with.

Walking hand in hand, we pick a spot on a hill overlooking the Arkansas River.

Acoustic sounds fill the air.

Then I hear his soft voice:

I could not ask for more than this time together

I could not ask for more than this time with you

Every prayer has been answered

Every dream I have's come true!

And right here in this moment is right where I'm meant to be

Here with you, here with me...

He was SINGING to me!! It was so sweet that my eyes get a little watery as I remember the shock.

He finishes the song and smiles again. I'm getting a little suspicious....

But he puts his guitar away and he asks me to walk with him. ok

We walk along the trail that winds through the small hills along the Arkansas River and down under a bridge right down to the river.

I'm waiting...

He picks up some stones and starts skipping rocks along the smooth surface on the murky water....

Still waiting...

He looks so calm as he picks up another stone and challenges me to a rock skipping contest. I look around for a flat smooth rock...and its on! All suspicions tossed to the wind.

He turns and gives me the biggest Benny-hug. As he pulls away, all of a sudden there's a box between him and I with the most beautiful ring I have ever seen!

He smiles sheepishly...and asks me to spend the rest of my life with him.

And then we went to Red Robin...yummm! haha True story :)

NOW ITS YOUR TURN!

Let me hear YOUR engagement story! I want to give the bride/groom with the most unique and/or well told engagement story a FREE Bridal or Bride/Groom Session! So send me your romantic engagement story along with a picture of you and your fiance to our email: theredroomstudios@hotmail.com! Winner will be posted here on our blog!

Ready...

Set...

GO!!

**Winners will be chosen November 1st!**

Karolyn & Parham's Wedding

2008-10-18T21:40:00.016-05:00

Talk about diversity. Her family hispanic, his Persian. Two different cultures, two different languages, two different traditions. What a beautiful set of families! They completely blended to have a beautiful and unique wedding.

Karolyn met Parham (her family calls him Alex) when they first started working at H.E.B. The first time he walked into the store, Karolyn remembers telling her friend, I just met the man I'm going to marry. And now they ARE!

Karolyn, Parham - Thank you so much for having us be a part of the beginning of your life together! We had SUCH a wonderful time, not only at your amazing wedding, but just getting to know you two as people. THANK YOU!

She LOVED her cake! and with reason...it was beautiful! and pretty yummy too! (I snuck a bite near the end of the night! teehee)

The groom and his best man

Tiffany with Paper Dolls Makeup did SUCH a great job with her makeup!

Parham's very proud father

You look so gorgeous Karolyn!

Walking down the isle with her daddy *tear*

She got so many gifts from her new in-laws! Parham helps her with her new necklace.

What a sweet first dance!

And they had a BELLY-DANCER! How cool is that??

How romantical :)

To see more pics click on the slideshow:

WOOHOO!! WE HAVE INTERNET!!

2008-10-07T18:42:00.006-05:00

Ok, so, oh my goodness!! I have so much to tell you! As you can tell, we finally got our internet back (woohoo) and I know that we haven't kept up much on the blog because of this...but we are BACK!

Ok, so we promised some photos of the damage and the aftermath of Hurricane Ike...

Sophie running around as we clean the yard

Pecans all over the yard!

My dad :)

We're not sure what these things are...

My Sophie-girl and me :)

The neighbors' fence

Tons of trees were completely uprooted

Also!! Donna and Shaun had their baby!! Ben and I were able to hang out with them while they spent their +24 hours at the hospital waiting for Veya to arrive :)

Just so you know, my little Peanut is the sweetest baby ever! Will post pics soon!

We're still here!

2008-09-30T13:56:00.005-05:00

Wow, it's been awhile since our last post. We are terribly sorry to all of our adoring fans who flock to our blog every morning to catch the latest and greatest. These same fans have been leaving some nasty feedback for not posting in awhile so I wanted to at least make a post in their honor. OK, so that was actually my mother with the nasty feedback and she is our sole adoring fan...love ya mom!

Alright, enough shout outs to my mother. We are happy to report that our life is ALMOST back to normal after Hurricane Ike. We are still without cable and Internet. While that may sit well with some folks, Amy and I are at our wits end. How many times have you sat in front of your DVD selection all excited to pick a movie only to find yourself walking away empty handed because you've seen Lord of the Rings a million times. Lastly, the fact that we missed the season premier of The Office about ruined our week. Michael Scott and Dwight just make my day....I love Michael's quote to Dwight regarding his beets, "Nobody likes beets, Dwight! Why don't you grow something that everybody does like? You should grow candy." Being without cable is about as painful as watching Britney Spears make a come back.

We are starting to feel like Internet junkies...thinking of what coffee house close to us has free Wi-Fi or whose house can we "visit" to get free Internet. It's always awkward, you show up and act like you really want to have a conversation with your friends and slowly pull out your laptop to connect while pretending you are listening to them. I will say this, our good friends Donna and Shaun always hooked us up with Internet and a place to stay during the storm so we didn't have to look far for help...muchas gracias!

Once our Internet is back we will post some pics from the hurricane and some other miscellaneous shots. We are also trying to post more on a regular basis however this hurricane really threw us for a loop. We are excited about Red Room Studios and look forward to the remaining 2008 calendar however we have some BIG news coming in 2009 that really has us pumped. Stay tuned for more news regarding that announcement and as always, stay classy.

Ben

Hurricane Ike

2008-09-17T13:37:00.004-05:00

No electricity for us yet...

will post an update soon as well as pics...

stay tuned!!

be blessed, AW

**09.28.08 - update: although we have gotten our electricity back for a week now, we are still without internet access. I have done my best to find places to use the internet, but have limited it to answering client emails and such, so my apologies for not having updated our blog!! There has been a lot going on.**

Here are some pics that were sent to us of Galveston and Kemah:

Downtown Houston...Chase building

We went to downtown earlier today, and they still have this street closed

I heard that the builder that built this yellow home is getting a ton of business now! It obviously could withstand a lot!

Please keep all these people in your prayers...

Happy Birthday To Me!

2008-09-08T12:17:00.006-05:00

Since we had so much interest in our Summer Special, we decided to extend it out until the end of September to celebrate my upcoming 26th birthday. Simply book your date within this month to get the special package pricing.

*Your event date does not have to be in September, just be BOOKED by the end of this month*

Send us an email if you're interested in getting in front of our camera! I would love to shoot you for my birthday :) ha!

theredroomstudios@hotmail.com

AW

Portland

2008-09-02T21:27:00.008-05:00

I recently traveled to Portland, OR for a business trip and was surprised how beautiful the city was. Maybe it's because I'm used to the flat lands of Texas but Portland was anything but flat and boring. Being that it rains most of the year, the city was very green and the air was very fresh. Everyone was out riding their bikes, running, swimming, or rowing. The city was very active and really motivated you to explore and enjoy the outdoors. I brought my pocket camera and really didn't expect to get decent shots being I was short on time and was using our small Powershot. Here are a few shots from the surrounding area of the hotel I stayed in...enjoy.

BW

Brian and Danette are married!

2008-09-01T22:43:00.027-05:00

St. Louis is a special town to us...not only did Ben spend most of his life there, but his entire family still resides there. We don't get to see them often, but when we do...we have a great time.

Ben's brother Brian married Danette this past weekend and we had the opportunity to be a part of it! We not only love the job we do, but we love that we can do it for our family!

It was such a perfect summer day for an outdoor wedding at the Butterfly House in Chesterfield, Missouri. Here's a few of our images from that day!

**note: I accidentally posted the wedding in backwards order! ha! You know you like it.**

everyone was in a romantic mood!

she was so excited!!

the butterflies in the Butterfly House

she was walked down the isle by her son

isn't the flower girl absolutely adorable??

Shaun & Donna Maternity Session

2008-08-31T16:27:00.014-05:00

So this is the last maternity session we are going to have with Shaun and Donna! They should be having an addition to their little family any time now! Veya Alysia Smith will be joining us very soon :)

Donna, looking radiant at 39 weeks, had such a great time also doing their first couple pictures outside of their wedding images that we had the chance to take for them a year ago...

Donna (aka Papushka) has been my little model since I started with photography! She's been such a good sport and has been very supportive all these years. Papu, you look GORGEOUS and I can't wait to see Veya!

Enjoy!

Putting Thoughts Into Words

2008-08-28T07:22:00.005-05:00

Ben has been on a business trip to Portland, Oregon the past few days, and won't be returning until Friday evening...it has been torture! Getting home to an empty house is normal for me, because I usually get home before he does during the work week, but being in an empty house and no one showing up after me is such a sad feeling... even with Sophie, there's only so much you can say to your doggy-friend....and most of it was Sophie-get off of that...Sophie-stop chewing on that...Sophie-STOP! I know she's just a puppy still, and learning her manners, but my goodness!! oop, got off topic here...the point is... I MISS MY HUSBAND! He really is my best friend in the whole wide world :) I love the conversations we have and even if we're not talking, just having him there! *sigh* Come back to me my love!

Anyways, so I have gotten a chance to see girly movies that I wouldn't subject Ben to watch with me...so that's been fun...like last night I watched Atonement...I love those movies based on older novels, or based in an older period. The movie, I thought, was very good.. even though it was sad, it had an interesting plot. That's another thing Ben doesn't understand, why girls like to watch things that make them sad. I believe that because females are made of emotions, and as much as a movie or book or story makes us sad, it touches a part of us that was made to need emotion!

I've been thinking about reading and writing a lot. When I was younger, my nose was ALWAYS buried in some book...that's all I would do was read. Maybe because we never had cable, so it was either play outside or read. After going to college and assuming responsibilities (Ben would say, 'You don't have any resposibilities!' and its true! Ben does everything :) such a wonderful husband!) I just haven't found the time nor the book that intrigues me long enough to even finish the first chapter...but lately I've been thinking about how much I miss reading! And now that I've started to do more writing with the blog, I'm finding that I'm quite lacking in the thoughts-to-words-area. It doesn't come as easily to me as it does some. I heard somewhere that to be able to write, one must read...hmmm.

Our photography business is something that consumes me. It is ALWAYS on my mind. God has really put a vision into our hearts about where this business is going, and it has been so exciting to plan, develop and learn this new industry we're in. Its difficult though, when you see in your mind's eye where something is going, but your living in the here-and-now and having to work to get where you see yourself getting to! But God has blessed us so much and our business is growing and there's nothing I can be but thankful for the One that not only put the vision into our hearts, but is teaching us to be patient in the growing process and taking us to future He intended for us.

There is so much to say of how I'm feeling today, but like I said, its really difficult for me to put into words...so for now, we'll just call these random thoughts for a random day. God bless you all and I'm praying that God does amazing things in your life!

Lots of love!
AW

Julian and Ariella

2008-08-19T22:09:00.017-05:00

These pictures are back from July 4th that Ben and I had a chance to travel to Tulsa to hang out with our good friends and their beautiful children! I went to school at ORU in Tulsa, Oklahoma and later on, Ben and I lived there for about 9 months...even though you may think...what in the world is in Tulsa, Oklahoma?!? It is one of those small towns that has such a relaxed feel to it, that anyone would fall in love with!

Anyways, here are some pics I got of my friends' beautiful children! I love them so much!!

This would be little Ariella...yea, she's a ham, just wait...

She loves her mommy! What a sweet hug!!

Yea, she's yelling here...lol

She's so goofy!! haha

She seriously loves the camera...

and this is sweet little Julian!! What a cutie!!!

Hahaha!

He's just a handsome boy =)

Mike & Laura Sneak Peak

2008-08-15T15:38:00.007-05:00

This is one of those couples that you just feel comfortable with...and WHAT a beautiful wedding day they had! It just had such a sweet spirit to it. We had such an enjoyable time with their family.

Mike, Laura....thank you for letting us be there!

Here's a little sneak peak of what's to come:

Quinceanera anyone??

2008-08-14T22:02:00.016-05:00

It feels like we have done a lot of Quinceanera's lately so I decided to post some pics of our last few events. We were honored to be apart of these girls special days and had a blast at both events. We want to think the Flores family for capturing our wedding last year and we were honored to return the favor! Here are a few images that we captured while trying not to enjoy the great food or show our crazy dance skills :)

Here are a few images from April's Quince that we thoroughly enjoyed. Everything was beautiful and we appreciate you having us during this memorable day!

Back Home!!

2008-08-11T19:59:00.010-05:00

Well, after a much anticipated vacation we are finally back from the Lake of the Ozarks in Missouri. It was nice to catch up with my family who live in St. Louis and of course my wonderful son Tyler! He lived up to his claims of Olympic size cannonballs. We were VERY surprised to see him jump into the water over and over without holding his noes (he is only 4) and naming each dive after his favorite superhero, even though every "cannonball" looked the same, gotta love kids. As soon as he would hit the water he would be at the ladder ready for more!

It was nice being away from TVs, cell phones, and the Internet while we relaxed at the cabin and in the water. We brought our laptops with us to work on some pictures however we had to remind ourselves that we were on vacation which means no WORK! You know you are obsessed when you even want to work on vacation!

Anyways, it was a great trip. We had a lot of fun with our family and love each one of you very much! It was nice to relax and spend some quality time not only with family, but with each other since Amy and I have little time alone. Here are a few more pics of myself with Tyler and my niece Abbie....oh and Amy seemed to have the camera attached to her hand so I didn't get many pictures of her, sorry!

Abbie and Tyler contemplating....

Our rides....woohoo!!

Yes, I really do look like that...

Me and Bubby heading down to the dock...

Poor Baby....

2008-07-29T07:05:00.006-05:00

Yesterday evening, my husband and I drove to the animal hospital to pick up our sweet little Sophie...she just turned 7 months and it was time for her to get spayed.

Poor thing, she was so excited to see us, but the extent of the excitement was a slow, groggy wag of her tail. For those of you that don't know her...she is normally packed with energy and enthusiasm.

As I took her home in the truck with me, she just lay there on the seat next to me and look up at me with these sweet innocent, yet sleepy eyes. On the way to the vet, I decided it was time for a fluffy bed for her to lay on...something girly that would fit her.

She looked so adorable on her new bed, that I took some pictures with my iphone.

My poor baby :(

look at that sweet face...

Vacation anyone??

2008-07-28T11:02:00.002-05:00

Time for the Watson annual vacation!! My family doesn’t have a lot of traditions or family gatherings however there are a few things near and dear to our heart. One one hand, my immediate family lives in St. Louis (my home town) and gets together on occasion in small groups of about 10 at the most. On the other hand my wife’s family, here in Houston, has some traditions and is ALWAYS getting together in about groups of 30-50. If any of you are Hispanic or have Hispanic friends then you will understand how being away from your family is never an option.

Traditions in my family are simple we get together on Thanksgiving, Christmas, Independence Day, and a party at Super Bowl however I am missing most of these holidays now that I’m in Houston (which is hard on me because I love my family and am a huge mama's boy...just ask my sister haha). Besides these usual traditions we have two that are more important to us then anything else. We watch Cardinals games (you can NOT live in St. Louis without being a diehard Cardinals fan) and our last tradition is going to the Lake of the Ozarks in Roach, Missouri (yes Roach, Missouri) every year!!!

I know what you are thinking….Lake of the Ozarks?? Really?! You are THAT excited about a dirty lake that recently had outbreaks of E-Coli….yes, that is the one! You see, we have a cabin and a dock that have been in the family for years. My Grandpa bought the cabin when my dad was young and they went there every weekend to ski and swim. It was religion…heck, it’s STILL a religion to us. Over the years there have been over a hundred different families that have visited the cabin throughout the years. It was once a safe haven to relax and let go of all your stress from work, school, and life in general. We still consider it a space for relaxing however things do change over the years but regardless of the fact we still love to go and dread the day the cabin is no longer around. I really think my sister will loose her mind if that cabin is sold! Don’t worry Jen, we will buy another, love ya!!

While things have changed, people have come and gone, new cabins built, new boats on the water, but one thing has been constant…our little cabin that is built for sleeping and eating. It’s old, infested with bugs, has shag rainbow color carpet, bunk beds that were once used in the Army, a septic tank that can’t handle more then 2 flushes in 30 minutes, a 20 year old fish on the wall, and you even have to dig a hole to bury your trash (biodegradable only…don’t worry we are good). Even with that being said, there is no greater joy then driving to that cabin and flopping on the beds in total relaxation.

This year I’m super excited about bringing my son with me and my wife. He lives in St. Louis so I do not get a lot of time with him throughout the year so I’m ready to spend some quality time with my buddy. He’s only 4 but is ALL boy! We spend time together fighting bad guys (we go outside and use sticks to hit imaginary people), play with ninja turtles, throw balls, chase each other, and soon we will be doing cannonballs which he said he will teach me how to do. Gotta love the innocence of a child, he’s awesome!

It will be nice to see my family again and to hang out, play cards, relax, swim, take boat rides, and also hit the wave runners!! We leave for the lake this weekend and will be gone for a full week. We will post some pictures once we get back…that is, IF we come back!!

BW

Wait...

2008-07-15T09:26:00.006-05:00

"I wait for the Lord, my soul waits, and in his word I put my hope"
Psalms 130:5

"My soul finds rest in God alone..."
Psalms 62:1

"You will keep in perfect peace all who trust in you, all whose thoughts are fixed on you! Trust in the Lord always, for the Lord God is the eternal Rock"
Isaiah 26:3-4

hmmm....it's almost like God is trying to tell me something here...

Lately I have been feeling really antsy to make a change in my life....Mostly because I am that type of person, I embrace change, in fact, I CRAVE it!

I'm that person you see moving every 6 months, moving their furniture around every couple of months to get a fresh look...And it's getting about that time that I'm wanting something new in my life...

Don't get me wrong, I LOVE my life. I love the wonderful man that was put in my life, I love the job that consumes my every thought, I love having my family around me everyday, I love my bratty-Beagle-baby Sophie...yes, i even love the tiny apartment that Ben and I live in...and usually a few changes here and there in our tiny loft-type home would do the trick to suffice my need for change, but it is unfortunately not possible to move the furniture around in our little place.

And so I believe that God is trying to tell me here to be patient, to trust in him, to put my hope in him!

Change is coming! I can feel it in every fiber of my being, and it thrills me!

All I have to do is....wait.

AW

my floppy-eared-girl Sophie!

Sneak Peak!!

2008-07-08T21:14:00.007-05:00

We had the opportunity to be a part of a very special wedding. Everything was so full of tradition, full of family, and so full of color! We loved every minute of this unique experience for us.

Fakiha - Thank you for letting us be a part of your wedding day, we had such a good time with your whole family! And let me tell you, you were QUITE the little model! You didn't fool me with the whole, "I'm not photogenic" thing....we have proof of the false-ness of that statement!!

Here is the little sneak peak I promised! =) Hope you loooove them Fakiha! I will post more later!

Fourth of July Weekend

2008-07-07T07:31:00.003-05:00

This July 4th weekend, we took a little trip to Tulsa, Oklahoma! So many people are like, what could possible be in Tulsa, Oklahoma?? Well a lot actually! It's such a great little city, large enough to be called a city, but not enough to lose the small town feel. In August of 2001, when my parents and I drove to Oklahoma to check out Oral Roberts University, I thought that I would want to leave there as soon as possible! I grew up in big-city-Houston, Texas...I was NOT going to like it in Tulsa. It took about a year living there and going to school there, and all of a sudden....you fall in love! This town has such a sweet spirit about it....being one of the many cities that make up the "bible-belt" of America, you can really feel the spiritual difference in the little town.

Anyways, all that to say, Ben and I took a trip to Tulsa to go and visit our many friends and have a relaxing weekend. We had such a great time catching up with friends, seeing their babies growing up so fast and of course eating yummy 4th of July food and shooting off fireworks! We love our friends so much, and they always make us feel so welcome and comfortable in their homes. We thank you all for such a great weekend!!

AW

Road Rage

2008-06-30T07:22:00.003-05:00

Avoiding a fight is a mark of honor. ~Prov. 20:3

So I learned this weekend that not all arguments are worth fighting about...and don't get all upset and yell at drivers from your vehicle: they can't hear you, you're hurting yourself more than them. =) haha

But seriously, anger is something that gets you nowhere, and being frustrated doesn't help situations. Little things aren't worth fighting about. This is where that old adage comes in: Pick your Battles! It better be worth it.

Life is too short. Be happy!

AW

Peanut

2008-06-29T17:37:00.008-05:00

My cousin Donna, or as I like to call her: Papushka. Why? I'm not sure to tell you the truth...it just came out one silly day, and it stuck =) haha. She is more like a sister to me than a cousin, we've always been close and I love you giiiirl!

She is 7 mo. pregnant with a sweet little girl named Veya. Or as I call her: Peanut. So we decided to have a photoshoot in the baby room =)

Beached Whale

2008-06-27T08:27:00.001-05:00

When you are single and young, you don't realize how healthy and physically at your best you are! Until you get married and all of a sudden, you don't have time to go to the gym, or cook healthy. You're comfortable with each other, so you can easily think, eh, he loves me for who I am! Well, I think that I've gotten too comfortable. This isn't your typical "I feel so fat!" whine session. I really, just honestly am feeling like I've lost my self-control. Sure, everyone wants to FEEL like they look beautiful and thin and fit, but it comes to a point when I realize, wow, i can't control what I put in my mouth!

This is my mid-year resolution: to be able to say no to that donut staring me in the face, to say NO to those yummy doritos calling my name. And in all seriousness, just learn to stop eating when my belly is telling me its full! You would think this was an easy concept...but for some reason, when you're sitting at that restaurant, and everything is tasting so good, its almost like your belly ignores your brain when its screaming you're full!!! until you leave there feeling so stuffed you can't breathe! So yea. No more of that.

AW

Ben's Response

2008-06-23T08:41:00.003-05:00

Wow, how do I follow that last blog by Amy??? Guess I'm doing something right! BTW, Amy said all of that because she wants more camera gear...don't let her fool you :) kidding of course!

Well it has definitely been a wonderful year. We are not trying to make this day mushy for anyone reading this however it's difficult to keep in our feelings when we are crazy in love!

Ok, enough of that already! Back on track and a little about our business. We are growing as a team and I can see Red Room Studios busting open next year after we get a few more months of experience under our belt. It's really starting to consume us, we think about photography non-stop. I haven't even played my Xbox 360 because I'm so engrossed with our business! Anyone that knows me must realize by now how serious this has become.

We were busy all weekend with photography however we had a break on Friday to watch a movie with some friends. I really feel a reason to share this...anyone wanting to see The Happening, please save your money. It had the potential however the ending really disappointed me to say the least. It's one of those movies where it ends and you're saying..."it's over...noooooo, it's not over" and then you sit there and wait for something to happen only to see the credits rolling. Oh, and it doesn't help that we had the fortune of sitting in front of a huge lady that had voice emodulation (anyone seen the Will Ferrell skit??). She also felt the need to narrate the entire movie...as if we couldn't see what was going on. That was fun.

BW

A Full Year of Happiness

2008-06-23T06:53:00.003-05:00

Today is officially Ben and my one-year anniversary! A whole year ago, on this day, we were gettin hitched! I'm going to get sappy now...but when I was single, I never could have imagined ending up with a man like Ben. He is everything that I always dreamed about. I used to write lists of the attributes I hoped my man would have...he would be: "kind," "honorable," "trustworthy," etc etc...and silly things like "love sports," "love working on cars," "love to go camping," and of course "good-looking". It really amazes me how Ben fits ALL the things that I used to ask God for in my future husband! Even down to the little details that I thought I was just being silly about. God really sees the inner most desires of your heart!

Anyways, it has been a whole year of happiness, and learning experiences. I've learned a lot from my husband. He's taught me to communicate without fear, to not always want to please people (you'll never really be able to), to clean up after myself (haha ok, so I haven't really QUITE learned this one yet....teehee), and many more life lessons =) I could go on and on about him and all that he's done for me...but I'll spare you all the mushy details. Point of all this is that I'm so in love!

And Ben, if you're reading this-- Happy One-Year Anniversary baby! I love you!

AW

"I Shoot People"

2008-06-20T08:43:00.004-05:00

Yesterday evening Ben and I had the opportunity to go to a Seminar held by Sallee Photography from Dallas, Texas. They had so much good information and were one of the more down-to-earth and honest photographers that I have seen. I loved it because they reminded me of Ben and I, not only in our relationship, but in our business aspect too. They were so incredibly inspiring! They have so much passion for what they do, and it really pushes me to do what I want to do with our business. Photography to me has never been about the money or the business...it's an art form to me where I can express not only myself, but my subject as well.

I've read a couple of forums where wedding photographers say things like, "Wedding photography is a service and not an art. People hire photogs for the same reason they hire caterers and florists....they're not hiring you for your art, they're hiring you to take good pictures recording their wedding"...that is so not my philosophy. I AM an artist. Why would you want photography (an art form) to be done by people who don't see it as art? What you'll get is mediocre images from a person that doesn't value their work...Real artists put their passion and soul into their pieces of work...and that's why you get incredible images.

Anyways, I'll get off my soapbox. All that to say that the Sallee's are a young, vibrant couple that make some amazing images, and Ben and I learned so much from them in the few hours that they spoke. We hope to be able to implement some new ideas into Red Room Studios and not only make it a better business, but also provide you, our client, a better product and amazing memories!

AW

Annie & Ely

2008-06-19T09:23:00.012-05:00

These two girlies are my twin cousins. They graduated this year from High School and I offered to shoot some senior portraits for them...

AW

Michael & Laura

2008-06-19T08:54:00.014-05:00

We took Mike and Laura out to Uptown Park in the Galleria area to have an engagement session...what happened was we ended up having SUCH a good time! We were laughing, joking around, and even ended up spending some time at the local Starbucks cooling off and chatting away. These two are such a lovely couple that are obviously made for each other =)

Here are a few of my favorites from that session:

AW

This place was seriously gorgeous!

He was so good at making her laugh! That's why they're so perfect for each other...

I'm an Aunt!

2008-06-03T11:16:00.003-05:00

Yesterday, Addison Blair Smiley (7lbs 4oz) was brought into the world by my brave sister-in-law Adrienne. She is absolutely adorable! and so tiny! Sadly, I am not able to be there to meet her yet, but I will hopefully get to see her soon!! I am a proud auntie indeed!

AW

here she is!!!!

Soooo cute! She looks JUST LIKE ME! ;)

My brother, the proud Daddy!
Good job mama! I can't believe how beautiful Adrienne looks right after giving birth!

A new little Smiley in the world!

Miami-Key West-Cozumel

2008-06-02T18:27:00.002-05:00

So Ben and I are back from a much needed vacation. We went on a cruise that departed from beautiful Miami and visited Key West and Cozumel, Mexico. What a great trip it was! Dark blue ocean all around us, beautiful skies, just me and my best friend in the whole world hanging out and having a good time together. It was so restful that I'm ready to get back to work! (and by work, I mean photography haha)

Here is a picture of us during a Snuba adventure in Mexico!! yay! (Snuba is in between snorkeling and scuba diving) We went down almost 30 feet! We saw tons of fish, a couple of eels, and we even to got to hold a sea cucumber! It was probably the coolest experience we've had in a long time!

AW

Celebrating One Year

2008-05-27T13:46:00.002-05:00

My husband and I are going on our first cruise together this weekend! YAY! It's also very special because it is to celebrate our FIRST ANNIVERSARY! Although it's not quite yet our anniversary, we decided to celebrate early =) (06/23 fyi)

It has seriously been the best year of my life. I love being married, especially to such a wonderful, sweet, considerate man. We have shared a lot of "firsts" together, and this will be another one to add to the list. Woo-hoo! Pray for sunny days for us!

AW

Brandon & Lindsay

2008-05-21T11:34:00.002-05:00

What a fun day this was! It was a perfect day to be shooting pictures on an expansive ranch with such gorgeous scenery. Texas really amazes me sometimes...you have the wide open blue skies over flat lands as far as your eye can see. I love it! I even got to see longhorn cattle up-close for the first time! They are HUGE! *sigh* I love Texas!

And right along with the Texas tradition, Brandon & Lindsay wore their blue jeans and cowboy boots! We had such a great time running around Briscoe Manor getting all these shots. Here are a few from that day:

There's those awesome longhorns! This tree was really awesome too...

Its a gorgeous chapel

David & Dennyse

2008-05-14T08:54:00.002-05:00

This weekend I took out my cousin David and his very soon-to-be-wife Dennyse out for an engagement session. They are such a cute couple! Even though David is a very serious-type guy, Dennyse adds such a spark to the relationship that you can see it in their photos! She is so photogenic and I love working with her. Dennyse, welcome to the family! You are such a doll! =)

Here are a few of my favorites from their session:

AW

Howdy - Our first post!

2008-05-13T08:18:00.002-05:00

Hello everyone! Ok, so I'm new at this blogging deal, and honestly not a good writer...but I am willing to be open and honest and hope to share a little bit about myself to all my readers out there!

My husband, Ben and I started a wedding/portrait photography business in Houston, Texas. We share a love and passion for the artistic value of photography. It's not about just a snapshot for us...we really like to spend time on photographs and really make them a piece of art.

I'm hoping that through this blogging experience, not only you the reader, but even myself, will learn a little bit more about who I am!

Thanks for reading, and God bless!

B&A