Guys Can Get Grad Photos, Too.

Last year I had the pleasure of connecting with Nic, a Fresno State student, as he was getting ready to graduate. When he reached out I learned he was majoring from the school of business at Fresno State, and had heard of my work because his friend, whom I had been classmates with at Fresno Pacific a few years back, had shared my name.

Although girls tend to be my main subjects I was so pleased when I was booked to capture Nic’s photos. Capturing male photo sessions is not as common for female photographers, or at least hasn’t been for me. Every year about 3 out of my 20+ grad clients are guys. With that in mind, I took this opportunity to continue to refine my skills in posing the male body alone, as well as find authentic ways to connect with a guy so he too will feel comfortable.

Nic’s session took place in Fresno State during the Springtime. I had just finished another grad session when we started Nic’s. By this time, the sun was already starting to set so the light we got on campus was unbeatable.

At the start of the session I asked him which musician he wanted to listen to, as I typically play music while shooting. He said he liked Bad Bunny’s latest album, so we played “Verano Sin Ti”.

After getting to shoot in front of the school of business building we made one final stop to the Fresno State Sign that has become iconic for grad sessions here. By this time there was no longer a line to get Nic’s photos so we got to take a series of great and fun shots. This one was one of my favorites.

Nic went on to graduate a few weeks later, and now has become another FSU Alumni.

My final word for any guys graduating is to take the time to consider if you really want to miss out on grad photos. There are several options for guys to get great photos and enjoy the process. You can connect with male photographers if that makes you most comfortable. You can also inquire and see if the photographers whose work you like take couple grad sessions (for those who are dating), or instead of doing a one hour session book a 30 minute one instead.

Santa Cruz Grad Turned into Surprise Proposal

This past Spring a beautiful Fresno State cheerleader named Alyssa reached out to get her grad photos taken. Upon booking we chatted about locations and she mentioned she wanted to go to a beach destination so we planned to meet in beautiful Santa Cruz.

A few weeks later her boyfriend at the time, Ethan, contacted me through my website asking how to go about proposing to Alyssa during her session. We jumped on the phone, texted back and forth and he let me know he would be joining her, along with her parents, to the session.

The big day came and we started shooting away under the bright sunlight of Shark Fin Cove.

Before we wrapped up our session in the first location I asked if Ethan wanted to jump in some pictures. I thought this was the best chance to get some epic cliff shots before the big moment. It would become those set of shots that they’d always be able to look back to and tell their future kids “ this was minutes before Ethan proposed and Alyssa didn’t know”.

With location #2 came Alyssa’s second outfit. She gravitated towards this black dress that would draw in those darker sunset colors and add vibrancy to her shots.

She played in the sand, and as these shots took place Ethan’s family was approaching in the distance and things started becoming suspicious.

I asked Ethan to join us for more couple photos really quick and he came with us to this spot where the sun was backlighting the moment. I cued Alyssa to turn and face the ocean, and for Ethan to do the same, and on my count they would both turn around and hug.

At this point both Ethan and I looked at each other and I cued him it was time. He got on one knee just as Alyssa began to turn around and the moment was finally happening!!

Side note: my heart was 100000% racing. Proposals are those moments that for some, only happen once in a lifetime and are therefore the ultimate moment that you cannot pose, redo, or miss. My camera was firing shot after shot. I felt like I proposed too, haha. I know I didn't. But my heart was beating out of my chest as I saw Ethan drop to his knee. My only thought, “ DON’T MISS THE SHOT!”. Thankfully, I didn't lol. Even though it wasn’t my first time capturing a proposal it felt just as intense.

By this moment both families had made their way over to Ethan and Alyssa to congratulate them. After having a moment with family, they decided to now take a moment to celebrate their engagement with more formal shots. Ethan had talked to me about this during our planning call. He wanted to commemorate the moment without taking time away from Alyssa’s grad session time, so we planned another little shoot afterwards.

As we all made our way over to the other side of the beach, everyone laughed when they saw one of Ethan’s family members in a completely different side of the beach. He was the little person way in the distance, on the edge of the cliff. You can spot him in the following photos.

The cool thing about this beach? It has a cave! Ethan and Alyssa got to soak in their moment while in front, under, and behind the cave.

The evening ended with everyone walking back up and getting two group shots to remember the moment. As we parted ways, and they got ready to go have dinner and celebrate, I thought to myself about what a cool bride and groom they would be. Thinking their wedding would sure be fun to capture too…

& I will! Following their engagement Alyssa and I reconnected and you will be seeing their wedding photos pop up on my feed and website in Fall of 2023! Watching Alyssa go from graduate, to fiancé, to bride will be such an honor and a blast.

Karen & Austin:L.A. Elopement Day

What happens when you’re ready to take the step, but your wedding is over a year away? You make you engagement session your elopement day!

Karen reached out in early 2022 and after chatting a bit and getting familiar with her and Austin’s needs, she decided to book me as their official third wheel. I was so excited to shoot in the L.A. area! We had discussed timelines, locations and even set a date for their engagement session. This is always a great time to meet my couples, get to know more of their stories and set the foundation for our relationship on the wedding day, so I was so pumped for November to come because they had chosen that month for their engagement photos.

A few months later I received an email where Karen shared that they wanted to elope in November instead of having their engagement session. A new date was set and thankfully- I was available.

So, with a happy heart I drove to El Segundo, CA where I would be meeting Karen and Austin for the first time. They chose to elope in a beach where they tend to take evening walks with their dog and is close to their home. This made the location so personable to them and the atmosphere was so intimate and heartwarming.

The ceremony was short, simple and full of love. The waves were loud and the breeze was light enough to keep her veil in place, while occasionally levitating behind Karen’s dress, to which her family members decided to attend to by putting very small rocks to keep it in place.

The love was so present in the space. As Karen’s best friend officiated her first wedding and declared Karen and Austin husband and wife, their parents and siblings all cheered away. Seeing two cultures come together in this way was so special as a photographer and as a person in an interracial marriage. I couldn’t help but think how similar to this my family looks.

Also, can we just appreciate that Karen had found this dress a few days prior to the wedding day?! She even made her own bouquet! It was beautiful how everything came together so nicely with her pearl covered heels.

After getting some shots in the beach we made our way over to the Downtown area. Karen and Austin wanted to get some shots sharing their first gelato as husband and wife. Upon parking I saw this building across the street so we made our way over and had some fun playing with the space as the sun was beginning to set.

As we made our way over to the gelato store we talked about the show we apparently had all been binge watching. It was the Netflix show called “From Scratch”. That led us into conversations about their jobs and what made me go full time into photography.

When they entered into Gelato-go El Segundo they were congratulated by the worker who later gifted them their first gelato cup as husband and wife. They enjoyed the moment with kisses, hugs, laughter and some amazing gelato.

& now I sit here remembering their special day, craving gelato and excited to see them once again this August 2023 when they will be having their reception.

Hannah & Steven: From Bumble to Marriage

Photographer: @karenvargasphotography
Venue: @double.b.ranch.events
Hair and makeup : @a.a.studios
Dress: @bhldn
Tux: @asos
Food @thegastrogrillfoodtruck
Dessert @nothingbundtcakes
Rentals @cteventrental

Hannah and Steven met on a dating website, @bumble , from the speeches her siblings gave we all learned Hannah was instantly attracted to Steven’s red hair. As their dates went on that attraction became love when time and time again Steven went above and beyond to make Hannah feel special.

That’s the love that we as wedding vendors are so grateful to see come to fruition and support on their wedding day. So, with lots of love here are some moments from their wedding day.

The day started with getting ready shots at the Chuckchansi Casino in Coarsegold. When my second shooter and I arrived we were met by one of the bridesmaids and taken to the room where all the girls were already ironing their dresses and drinking mimosas. When the moment came to take some shots we incorporated those moments back in.

Believe it or not, while the girls were getting ready rain started to pour! While we were inside the casino, at the venue the coordinator from @double.b.ranch.events and her team were rushing to put everything back inside. That was tables, chairs, decor, games, etc. For a while we thought that Hannah’s and Steven’s day would be inside, but luckily the weather cleared up and everything went back outside just in time.

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The sweet father, daughter first look Hannah shared with her dad. Loved this super quick candid of him holding her bouquet.

Hannah’s BEAUTIFUL dress from @bhldn! This was the first bride I’ve captured who had a different dress than the standard white or ivory. It paired so beautifully with her gorgeous bouquet.

Fun fact: her sister, also bridesmaid, made all the flower arrangements for the wedding!

Pageo Lavender Farm Summer Wedding

Photographer: @karenvargasphotography
Venue: @pageofarms
Makeup: @makeupbysoniatello_
Hair: @hairby_alexo
Couple: @victor7r @brendollgee
Dress: @aw.bridal
Veil: @marrybridalus

After having shot another wedding at this beautiful site this summer, I knew I just HAD to get back there at the peak of their summer blossoms. Pageo has been one of the most beautiful wedding sites I’ve shot at to this date. From the gift shop, to their lavender field everything was as perfect as I recalled it. Only this time, it was in full blossom.

5 Tips for Your Engagement Session

Congratulations on that engagement, my friend! May the wedding planning be as great as it can be for you two:))

As a former fiancé( now wife & mother) and long time couples photographer, I have honestly gone through multiple engagement sessions, & while for some this can be a bit stressful , I know they can be really awesome! So stick around and hear from my mistakes and insight into the best and most real tips for your engagement shoot.

One

Book with months in advance.

Chances are, you are probably eyeing a photographer or two. If you’re like 90% of the brides out there, I bet you are seeking for someone who has both the style, and prices that meet your ideal criteria.That’s a great start! You & your fiancé deserve to find your perfect photog fit. I will say this though, if you are waiting and waiting with setting a date you may miss out. Photographers, especially seasoned ones, can book months in advance, especially on weekends. Because weekend dates sell like hot pancakes on the market, you’ll want to reach out as soon as you can. This will also give you the time needed to consider what outfits you & your fiancé will need to purchase for the shoot, keeping in mind the location where you will be at.

Two

If possible, select a location that has meaning for you two.

If you want the cookie cutter site, that’s cool. No shame in seeing something in a picture and using that as reference. Often times that feels easier. However, consider for a second going back to a place that holds a significant amount to you guys. For example, if you met at your high school football field while attending, or playing a sport, what a cool way that would be to personalize your session! Or, if you both had a special date at Pismo beach and always go buy clam chowder at a local shop that would be so special to recreate!

My husband and I opted to have part of our engagement session at the Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk and buy ice cream cones during our session. Every time we have visited this beach we have had the most fun & buying an ice cream cone was our first shared tradition. Now we visit the Boardwalk with our son, and family members and the ice cream cone part is still the most exciting part all the time!

Three

ask your photographer if they offer engagement sessions as part of their wedding collections

Okay, this was something my husband and I didn’t know at the time, but most photographers include an engagement session as part of their wedding collections. Why does that matter? For a couple of good reasons really. One is that you don’t pay more for having both the engagement and wedding photos takes. Two, you get to build trust and connection with your wedding photographer if you book them for your engagement photos, too. This alone can make you feel so much more comfortable on your wedding day, knowing well how they work and what kind of gallery you can expect. I, for example, offer engagement sessions in most of my wedding collections :)

Four

Ask your photographer for outfit ideas if you’re feeling stuck

We love to help! Part of setting up for your shoot is visualizing what the session will look like. This is what we as photographers have a refined skill in. So, if you don’t know what to wear, reach out after booking! Photographers can offer great tips & some even offer discounts on your session if you purchase a dress they’ve been dying to capture. I like to offer my couples links to boards that showcase different color pallets, as well as websites where you can purchase beautiful dresses.

Five

Don’t plan for much that day

If you are hoping to run errands that day, I suggest you leave those for another day if you can, especially if you will be traveling for your session, or if you have hair and makeup appointments. Just like on wedding days, engagement session days can run behind schedule, and if you are driving far you may encounter traffic. Some of my clients have chosen to spend their day with time and gotten to their destination engagement sites an hour or two to just enjoy the scenery prior to their session. This can be such a great idea, because you get a mini date before your session, and you don’t run the risk of running late. Remember that those minutes you are late to your session, are moments you miss out on & running late has the tendency to make couples arrive so stressed out for their photos.

Six

Go on a Date Afterwards

Once you’re in the car, on your way to the shoot you have already made the biggest decisions regarding your engagement session! Wohoo! Now comes the actual fun part- the engagement session experience! Don’t sweat it thinking you will have to come up with poses, that will only make you tense. We as photographers know how to work with different body types, light, angles, etc. so if you picked a photographer you trust, there’s no need to work any further. Your planning part is done. At least for now, you know :))

I typically recommend going out on a date afterwards. Even if it’s just a dinner before heading home. Use this evening to have some real conversations and date one another before the wedding prep picks up.

5 Tips for Your Graduation Session

Book in Advance

This one varies depending on who you want to book. Some photographers are more seasoned, so naturally they may be the first to book out. To be on the safer side, I recommend reaching out as soon as you know you want to have a grad session, which normally happens on the semester you will graduate anyway. In my case, some of my grads reach out as early as end of January to get first dibs for Spring graduations. If you wait until May to reach out to your desired photographer, you most likely waited too long.

Don’t Zip Up your Gown

Gowns are boxy :)) The last thing you want is to look bigger than you actually are, we know and are with you on that. My biggest tip to avoid making your figure look bigger: don’t zip up your gown. You’re hiding your body and outfit by zipping that gown up. Also, by keeping that gown open you can do many more things with your hands :)

As you can see in the shots below by keeping her gown open we were able to showcase her figure and dress slit!

Bring Props that Apply to YOU!

This is where it gets so fun, my friend. Time to do some Pinterest searches to get your creative juices flowing. You can get as extravagant as you want, or choose to just be- totally your call. But if you want to have a BIG ending you can bring things like: champagne bottles, confetti poppers (or look into biodegradable confetti you can make with a hole puncher), books, special shoes, ethnic sashes, caps with personalized quotes, pendants, pictures of important people in your educational journey you want to honor, flags!... etc. I’ve seen grads do all of these and they have been such a distinct marker per session.

As you can see above, this beautiful grad integrated her waterpolo background into the shoot, and a book for her upcoming Masters. The champagne was her big way to end the shoot in a fun and exciting way.

Shoes, Shoes, Shoes!!

Okay, hear me out. I’m the #1 fan for you wearing shoes and clothes that make you feel confident and sexy. Just consider the location you will be at. If you will be in the hills of a lake you do not want to be struggling to walk and risk feeling insecure as you take every step in front of the camera. Same thing applies if you will be at your school campus. We normally walk around for the shoot so if you want to wear heels, wear a pair you have at least already broken into or can walk well in. If you’re wondering if you should bring an extra pair of shoes just in case, do so. This way, if you want to ditch the taller heel and go for comfort you can do that, too.

Arrive Ready to Go

Graduation season is one of the wildest ones for photographers! Some of us can book 2-4 grads per day, this means we have back to back sessions and cannot run a session longer. When you arrive to your meeting spot and still have to change you cut into your session time drastically, especially if you will have family being photographed with you for a portion of your shoot. Arrive as ready as you can and make the most out of every minute.

A Wedding in Pageo Lavender Farms

Venue: @pageofarms
Coordinator: @kyliedawnevents
Dress: @davidsbridal
Florals: @thefloweryafloralboutique
Cake: @sunrisebakeryca

Captured in Association with Sandy Blanco Photography

This year I had the incredible experience of working at a venue I had dreamt of for years! Pageo Lavender Farms is by far one of my favorite venues to this date, so when Sandy reached out in need of another shooter my internal response was, “Umm HECK YES!”. Honestly, I had a blast.

Valentine’s Day Wedding Ceremony

Photographer: @karenvargasphotography

Planning: @magnoliaevents.lux @karenvargasphotography
Styling & Design: @magnoliaevents.lux @darlingeventrentals
Venue: @evanellevineyards
Florist: @lattalovefloraldesgin
Bride & Groom: @savvvgirl_cakes@bplawson9
Hair: @goddesshairstudio559
Make-Up: @makeupby_sanjana
Dress: @aw.bridal
Tux: @menswearhouse
Stationary: @rsvpstyle
Rentals: @cteventrental

First of all, every single vendor here is beyond talented. The day went exactly as planned and every detail in its place. Shooting this was a true pleasure.

The beautiful couple that filled the space with so, so much love. Suit by @menswearhouse.

The reception area of @evanellevineyards and the beautiful stationary by @rsvpstyle, rentals by @cteventrental and design by @darlingeventrentals .

Inside the bridal suite at Evanelle Vineyards in Madera,CA. Such boho vibes in this room!!

The flowers @lattalovefloraldesgin carefully designed for this table. Seriously so good.

Okay, this one is for my brides who want a beautiful and budget friendly dress! This one is from AW Bridal & is absolutely GORGEOUS! You can find this exact dress Here.

We finalized the evening with some sunset portraits in the ceremony area and in front of the venue.

Engagement in Sanborn County Park

Capturing the Future Mr. & Mrs. Dang

Last year I got a taste of shooting outside of the Central Valley, that journey now has brought me to incredible couples, such as Travis and Bernadette. These two connected with me this year after getting engaged and booked me as their wedding photographer. I had never met them in person, all I knew is that they had met over 10 years ago and had a long & beautiful dating story, so I was naturally sooo pumped for this engagement session.

That weekend was a full one for me and my little family. We packed our bags and spent the entire weekend in Big Sur and San Jose. After shooting another engagement session on the beautiful cliffs that Big Sur has to offer, you can see some of those shots on my Instagram Post, we made our way to San Jose to meet Travis and Bernadette the following evening.

Getting to this site, was one heck of an experience, as it was my first time shooting in the San Jose area and the park had no phone service areas. We agreed to meet at Sanborn County Park, so I arrived to the park early to check it out & see where we could shoot. Thankfully, getting to the park itself was easy thanks to the information I found on the Sanborn Park website.There were no previous professional shots of this park on Google, so it took a lot of focus to find something that looked perfect- but I spotted it! I got out of the car, walked for a couple of minutes and found the following two spots!

Once they arrived, we met in the parking lot. They were so sweet and easy to talk to from the start. It was a good sign we were in for a good session. I was able to tell right away that they were very comfortable with one another. I guess that’s one of the many beautiful perks that come with knowing each other for more than 10 years! :))

They were so cool and chill so the first part of the session flew by! As they walked over to get their second outfit change they saw a couple of deers by the road and took a selfie. When I turned around I saw this and immediately captured the genuine moment. They were so excited to get the shot on their phone & I was so excited to get this shot of their shot lol.

The second part of their session was filled with even more laughter and silliness. They became so comfortable by focusing on one another.

As we explored the site further we came across these stairs, they liked them so much & asked for some shots here, so we shot away ! :))

This was the last prompt I gave them to end our session & look at the ear to ear smile I got from them! So precious. As we walked back to our car, we chatted more about their upcoming wedding and said our goodbyes until we meet again this Fall.

I exited the park with the most beautiful feeling of success. I mean, I just had navigated two incredible engagement sessions at breath-taking new sites, traveled with my little family, eaten some very yummy food at new restaurants along the road AND I got all of it because of my job?! How cool is that!? I was on cloud nine. I love my job. I love my couples & I love that I get to make memories in new places with my family in between shoots.