For those of you that have been following me on Facebook, you know that I’ve found a new love…. FILM! I am obsessed with the color, consistency, grain, softness but sharp tack pictures that film cameras produce. Along with the quality, film cameras make everything slllooowww down. Shooting with film is not like with digital, when you can shoot 100+ images on a vacation and pick your favorite ones (well you can but it would cost you an arm and a leg!). I only purchased this camera a few months ago, but it has been quite the artistic journey for me since getting it. To tell the truth, I didn’t use my film camera for a couple months when it first came in because I was almost *afraid* of it! I know that sounds silly, but I didn’t want to mess up my pictures (!) and more importantly to me at the time, I didn’t want to *pay* for my mistakes. However, after receiving my first scans from the lab about one month ago, I fell in love, and (as my family and friends could testify) I have been carrying this brick of a camera around with me like my second baby ever since then!

So, this brings me to Texas. Even though I am originally from Illinois, my mom lives in Houston and I visit Texas several times a year. It is my second home and one of my favorite places to visit. I know what you are thinking, “Texas in June?! That’s crazy!!” Well you might be right, but this state is gorgeous and every part of it has a beautiful park, lake, natural spring, etc. to offer. I just love it! This year, we visited one of my favorite spots… Fredericksburg! Think small town, the Marlboro Man, the best barbecue in the world (no really, check out Coopers in Llano– it’s worth the drive!), and wide open spaces and you will have Fredericksburg. I knew that it would be perfect for a film photo session, so I asked my brother, Brian, and his girlfriend, Erin, if they would pose for some photos and they said yes! I love the way the photos turned out and I feel like they really captured the beauty, elegance, and ruggedness that Central Texas has to offer. Thank you to Brian and Erin for being such good sports!! (It was hot. It rained. There were bugs. Need I say more??), but I love these photos. Also, a big thank you to Sprout Flowers for providing this adorable Texas Hill Country themed bouquet on such short notice!

A big step for me on this vacation? Leaving my digital camera at home! This session and blog post is entirely in film and I’ve decided that on most vacations from here on out, I am going to force myself to only bring my film camera. It is definitely a fear (to know that I have a perfectly awesome digital camera that could snap these pictures at 15 different angles and love every one), but I love the way this camera forces me to be a better photographer and to capture the moment, because there are no do-overs. Hope you enjoy the post as much as I did capturing and writing it! Leave some love at the end if you did!

We stopped at a local winery called Messina Hof for some wine and bought a bottle for our shoot. Yum!

The background for our shoot was Enchanted Rock State Park. The “dome” pictured is made entirely out of pink granite.

Floral Arrangement and Mason Jar: Sprout Flowers

Of course I snuck in a few pictures of Olivia (my daughter) and Hop Hop (the purple/pink bunny). Due to the late rains this year, we were also lucky enough to enjoy some wildflowers! That never happens in June!!

On Thursdays, Fredericksburg has a farmer’s market with all the fresh fruit, berries, veggies, and pies imaginable!

“Olivia I will give you a berry if you smile!”

I’m pretty sure my mom was a travel agent in another life. She is the best at finding the sweetest places to stay! The image above and the two below are from the grounds of the house that we stayed in.

After leaving Fredericksburg, we traveled back to Houston and spent the last day in Galveston. Pictured above right and below are shots of the Hotel Galvez. So much history and beauty lives in that hotel. I would love to shoot a wedding there… hint hint ;).

If you’re ever in town and near the hotel, stop in and ask for Bobby. He is a wonderful man who will share with you all the fascinating history behind the hotel and the island. Thank you Bobby for taking time to speak with us!

Scans by: Richard Photo Lab