Year in Review

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Every year changes the way I photograph.

My editing shifts a little. My compositions evolve. I notice light differently. Some ideas stick around, others fade, and every now and then I create a photograph that surprises me.

This isn't a collection of every wedding or engagement session I photographed in 2025. It's a collection of moments that represent where my eye has been this year—little creative obsessions that kept showing up throughout the season. These aren't necessarily reflective of full wedding galleries, that are full of candid moments. Rather these photos reflect my creative approach to reaching what I would consider artistry. These are the directed shots; the little moments of inspiration, the angles that I find satisfying and what I hope represent my unique eye.

If you're planning a wedding in El Paso, this is a small glimpse into how I see your day.

2025 Started at LUMI Hall

My first wedding of the year was at LUMI Hall with Velia and James. This photo specifically reflects the random moments of inspiration that locations give me.

Earlier that afternoon, I walked out the back door, looked back, and knew there was a photograph waiting there. Hours later, as mariachis played and they danced together, I returned to that spot, dropped my camera almost to the floor and captured what I'd imagined. There was a lot of that this year: envisioning moments and then returning to locations to capture it. It doesn't always work, but when it does, it sure feels magical.

Exploring the Relationship Between Sky and Ground

What happens if you remove horizon lines? How can you tell a story from that?

Sometimes that means filling the frame with endless sky. Other times it means letting the ground take over. Sometimes it even means pointing my camera straight at a tiny puddle and photographing the couple's reflection. I'm excited to keep exploring this type of composition.

My Love for Symmetry

I've always been drawn to symmetry and perfectly balanced compositions.

These portraits at Inn of the Mountain Gods embrace that simplicity. They aren't the most complex photos, but something about having space between my couples is very satisfying to the eye.

I don't photograph entire sessions this way, but sprinkling in a few carefully composed images elevates a gallery for me.

Looking Up

There's something about photographing from directly below that never gets old. I've done this for a few years now. Capturing hands from below continues to be one of my "signature shots".

Looking straight up removes distractions, simplifies the frame, and creates compositions that feel completely different from what we normally see. I feel like there is more I can capture from this angle, so it's definitely something I'll keep exploring in 2026.

Embracing Reception Lighting

Whenever couples invest in incredible DJs and lighting design, I want their reception to actually look the way it felt.

These first three were lit by NCDJ Productions in El Paso and the fourth was taken at the Vienna ballroom. For these I just turn off my flash, bring up my ISO until the histogram's bell curve hugs the shadows without clipping the blacks and then I shoot.

This year I tried to think about how to creatively incorporate reception lighting. This involved camera settings more than angles, followed by editing to accentuate the colors and lighting. 

Small People, Big Places

Lately I've been drawn to making people appear small within large landscapes. It just looks so cool. It's also a little less obvious. The obvious photo is the close up shot, the intimate photo. To capture these landscapes I need to take a step back and think about composition so differently. There is so much more in the frame, so how do you capture a big landscape and everything in it while still highlighting your subject?

(Select image to enlarge)

Often for these photos i'll squint my eyes just slightly to see highlight and shadow. I probably look silly, but It helps narrow down the light and envision where to place my couple.

Learning to Embrace Movement

If symmetry feels natural to me, movement is where I've intentionally challenged myself. Movement is unpredictable. It asks you to anticipate instead of control.

This year I tried combining the two. Have candid movement while still embracing framing or symmetry. This felt like the hardest kind of photo to take because it relies heavily on perfect timing of movement with a desired emotion or composition. There is a lot of trial and error with this approach, and sometimes just plain luck.

I only get a handful of shots like this a year. So when candid moments meet intentional composition, it truly feels like magic.

Playing With High Contrast

I also experimented more with exposing for the highlights and allowing the shadows to fall almost completely black. It's not a style I'd use for an entire wedding, but for certain moments, I like the mood it creates.

Continuing to Refine Flash Photography

Flash has never been the centerpiece of my style, but it's started to make it's way in.

As someone who photographs most weddings solo, I don't often have the opportunity to set up elaborate off-camera lighting outside of the reception. My approach has always leaned toward natural light.

But when the location calls for it—it's definitely a tool I reach for.

Looking back at this year, I'm proud of how much more intentional my off-camera flash work has become, especially during nighttime portraits where it helps isolate my subjects and create images that simply couldn't exist otherwise.

Always Learning

Every wedding teaches me something new. Every couple inspires a different way of seeing.

I'm excited to keep exploring, keep experimenting, and continue creating photographs that feel authentic, artistic, and uniquely personal to me and hopefully the couples who hire me.

If you connect with this style, and are looking for a Texas wedding photograher, reach out. I'd love to make art with you!