Firefighter Engagements Dallas - Jim Rode Dallas Weddings

So I'm sitting with Vanessa and Cory having coffee and a danish, wearing green because it's St. Patrick's Day, and I realize that Cory's last name is Irish. I asked about Vanessa's name...Irish. Wow, I'm shooting their engagement on St. Patrick's Day? How cool is that?

We had a great time. Went all over the place (why else would I call engagements "safaris"!) and ended with dynamite images! Here are a few to check out.
Cory is a firefighter. Yeah! Need I say more? Every firefighter can be a hero many times over -even if it's just part of the job. Vanessa is beautiful -and in radio. They are a great couple and I can't wait to do their wedding on May 29 at Le Beaux Chateau.

Sunday I had a great wedding! I'll blog about that in a week or two after I've been able to process each image to make them their very best in presentation. As I sat outside the wedding chapel, I marveled at how beautiful a day it was. I also noticed how strange it felt. Wedding photographers have an inner clock set to Friday nights or Saturdays. I did not take a wedding Saturday after booking this Sunday months ago (I don't like to crowd the weekend with 2 weddings, because I put so much time into processing the images in the days after). I took my Saturday off to drive Sylvia to Dallas to check out the new Rack store in Dallas for a shoe sale.

Jenna was my second shooter for Sundays wedding. (I like having pros shoot with me. Their expertise is always a plus for great images.) She too took Saturday off from her business. She told me about World Down Syndrome Awareness Day. Jenna has a daughter Lana with Down Syndrome. She reserved her Saturday to be exclusively with her daughter. And she blogged about the day she spent with Lana, horseback riding and exploring nature.

Yeah, you have to spend time together when you're married. And sometimes you've got to shop. But when I compare my Saturday to Jenna's -Jenna is my hero of the week.
If you'd like to read about her day with Lana, here is the link to her blog. www.fzphotography.com/blog
Jim Rode

Photo Montage/Used by permission of FickleZeal Photography

Corner Wedding Chapel couple - Jim Rode Photographer

Last week I had great fun photographing two great people who connected in our world. They are wonderful, and in love. Need I say more? Kenia is the human resources director for the Girl Scouts of Northeast Texas. David manages human resource services for another company. That's common ground!

He proposed in Maui at the Grand Wailea Resort. They were in the restaurant Humuhumunukunukuapua'a (the Hawaiian name for the state fish). The Polynesian thatch roof restaurant floats on a saltwater lagoon filled with tropical fish. Can you think of a more perfect place to ask "Will you marry me?" I don't think I can!

They will marry April 18th at the Corner Wedding Chapel in the Mid-Cities.

Last night, some photographer friends and I met with Meagan, Alli, and Julie from the magazine Brides of North Texas. It begins publication in Feb. of 2010. It looks great, with good paper stock, excellent treatment of the photography, and the most exciting part (to me) is a large section devoted to weddings you would recognize!

What I mean is, the magazine will not necessarily feature the "high society" weddings - the movie stars or captains of industry and their daughters, the oil giants putting on 20 million dollar weddings. YOUR wedding can be in the magazine.

Of course, the editors are making sure they are dealing with decent photographers! That's why they are being selective. That lady who works in the office down the hall from you-the one who does weddings on the weekend with her Cannon Rebel-she's likely not going to be able to pass the professional photographers test with her photographs.

Here's the cool part. Your wedding (perhaps we did it recently - or maybe you've booked me already) can be in the magazine for peanuts! Get in on the ground floor while the magazine skyrockets! A one page article with several photographs is only $400 (you pay the magazine, not me! I'll provide the photographs at no charge.) A two-page spread is $700! Just imagine, not only having your wedding book on your coffee table, but a cool bridal magazine there too -with your wedding in it. Do you think you could resist having one issue? I bet Mom, your Mother-in-law, Grandmother, bridesmaids will get a copy too! Would Dad show it at work? Are you kidding? Of course. You know what I'll be shooting for? The cover. Who's going to shout loudest with the biggest smile if I can get the cover -you or me?! Hah! If I can get you on the cover, I'll buy ten copies!

Contact me for details, or directly to the magazine. Brides of North Texas

Portrait Sheryl Nelms

Considered by many unofficially, to be the most published writer in Texas, Sheryl Nelms is the definition of a prolific writer. She has more rejections through the years than most people have...well, I don't know. She probably wouldn't want me talking about that anyway! Writer, poet, teacher, does anyone need a more distinguished line of work that that? If you ever get a chance to attend one of her writing workshops, you will come away a better person. I had ten minutes to photographer her. I think I did pretty good! (I did have a good subject though!)

Here is a portrait shot I did of Martha and Jim in Weatherford. Great love between them! She teaches in one direction, he remakes restaurants in another. Together they meet back at the "ranch" on their hill overlooking the Texas prairie. Not a bad place to meet. Not a bad love to have either.

Portrait David Allan Evans

I spent the day with many friends and acquaintances and David Allan Evans. David is the poet laureate of South Dakota. He and his love Jan drove from the north to spend time with friends. We all brought a dish for lunch, and spent the morning with his words. Lunch went for nearly two hours! Good food, fun, and friends who can play guitar, piano and sing too! Then back to discussion of poetry and thought. I couldn't do it every day, but it sure was fun! By 4:30 or so, I was sitting off to the side listening, but playing with my camera!

I soon got a chance to do a portrait study on the author. Had a great day.

Little Chapel in the Woods wedding couple - from Jim Rode Photographer

I had an absolute blast with Chip and Jennifer in Dallas. We went on Safari exploring Little Mexico (after a great Mexican Breakfast of course!) and the arts district of Dallas. They are a fun couple and willing to kiss. (Duh!)


This is what love is all about -big as Dallas -as they say. They are getting married April at the Little Chapel in the Woods, one of my favorite places.


They drove 60 miles to meet me. We talked over the tortillas and coffee and got to talk about wedding plans. It was kind of sad to have to see them take off at 12 to get back to work!

Have you thought about adding a BridalWalk to your plans? (That's a name I made up today...)

Here is the problem-and the solution. Bridals have been around for more than 50 years. Very nice. Much more popular in the 1970's then now...but still asked for (usually by Mom). The problem is, Bridals are a lot of trouble. You have to have your gown ready weeks and weeks before the wedding. It must stay hidden from you know who. You have to have your hair the same as on the wedding day. Can the florist match the flowers? Can you keep your gown clean? Can you keep him from seeing the previews? When you are done, you may find your wedding images may be even more exciting. Do you hang a portrait of your bridal in your living area after the wedding? Does it seem a little too much for your home? Will you end up giving it to Mom?

My solution has been an Engagement Safari. Fantastic images of the two of you in casual dress. Something that decorates you wall a lot better! These Safari's have made me nationally known, and are now wide emulated. But here is another twist -I call it the BridalWalk. On BridalWalk, he gets to be in the pictures! The portrait is of the two of you and not in the church! You can be married Saturday and begin your honeymoon Monday with the BridalWalk in between. Heck, does he have to be in a tux anyway? Do it the week after you come back from Hawaii! He can wear a suit. What are you going to do with that gown anyway? Are you having your gown cleaned after the wedding? Give the cleaners something to really work on!

It takes 2 to 3 hours of time, and the investment is $650. I will give you a $350 credit toward a gallery wrap portrait. You also get a cool webcast to show at work...or send to your friends...or to show off while your on your honeymoon...or to email that Uncle from California who didn't show up at your wedding!


Hear Heartbeats at JimRode.com

Delaney Vinyards Wedding - Jim Rode Photographer Grapevine

It was my pleasure to photograph a great wedding at Delaney Vineyards. Jamie and Joey gathered with friends and family and spent the day filling hearts together. The Vineyards is a great place even for a winter wedding. You can see I got a great shot of Joey walking the vineyards before the ceremony. No Worries Catering provide great food. The cake was fabulous. It is really interesting to see people line up for the buffet next to 2-story wine tanks too!

Jenna was my second photographer for this wedding. She is an ultra competent photographer. I waited for the right time to sneak Jamie and Joey out of the reception for 10 minutes and sent them to walk through the vineyards. That's Jenna you see in the photograph -she went the extra mile to lay in the grass to get low-angle shots. I got this shot of her after I walked out of the vineyard rows. (Don't worry, we got a ton of shots without Jenna in the picture! I was shooting diagonals (2nd shot shown) at the same time Jenna was getting the different viewpoint. This is what's great about 2 professional photographers at the same wedding -we can both see things differently, and the bride and groom benefit with great images. We certainly got some good ones that day. After every wedding, people begin to realize just how important the images are.

Fossil Creek Country Club - Jim Rode Photographer

I photographed Lori and Dave at the Fossil Creek Country Club last week. It was a wonderful reception full of fun, friendship, love and dancing! We began a little early to get some photographs on the grounds. The club has beautiful stonework and greenery, even in December.

Lori and Dave are very romantic. I was surprised to see the love between them -just by looking at Dave when he is looking at Lori! What I'm saying is...Dave has this look in his face when he looks at Lori that just seems to say I love you! I thought that was interesting in "reading" his face. Very cool.

Lori wore a beautiful red gown. Dave wore a tux. Fossil Creek was once again managed so well you don't even notice the background activity of making everything work. Lori's cake was yum. Their friends were fun.

And the music...Lori and Dave picked Lisa and Rob from Heartsong Productions. They blew me away. They know how to tailor the music based on the scene. They were professional, and they add their own vocals. They were good! -a step above the plain DJ alternative.

Le Beaux Chateau Wedding - from Jim Rode Photographer of Dallas

Denisse and Daniel seem to have that special love. I look at them and think of my wonderful wife Sylvia. Their love seems full dimensional. It looks to be a balance of love/respect/family/partnership. I and Jenna (who seconded for me -a fine photographer!) were so lucky to be a part of their day. And even better -it was at Chapelle des Fleurs! Chapelle really does a first class job doing a wedding. (Chapelle is now called Le Beaux Chateau and is a great Flower Mound wedding venue) So many little touches in a complex event helped make this wedding wonderful. It was full of family, and fun. I loved the beautiful portraits I was able to create (with the help of a beautiful bride!!) and I loved the dancing!

I had a great time spending the day with Corky and Ramie. We went to Fort Worth and cruised the museum district and the famous stockyards. We had lunch together where I had a chance to see romance. Their glances, and whispers, and kisses were testament to love. Corky is a man of steel (an insight they will understand!) and Ramie has a heart bigger than Dallas. They will be married March 22 of 2009 at the Green Oaks Wedding Chapel. Be there or be square -as I always say!

After Wedding at Little Chapel in the Woods - Jim Rode Photographer

I get a lot of compliments. I really enjoy them -everyone would. But the other day, I got an inquiry for my photography for a small wedding. I sent info. I was told that things were still being worked out on exact date and location -AND, she said - "I am excited about you taking our pictures...I was not sure about a wedding until I saw your pictures (on your website)." LD

That took a little time to sink in. What an honor. I was not sure about a wedding, until I saw your pictures...

How blessed I am. -and this perhaps, my greatest compliment.
Jim

(This photo above is just after Ashley and Brandon's wedding at the Little Chapel in the Woods. We took a few minutes to stop on the tracks between wedding and reception in the city.)