( Photo Credit: Front Porch Photography)
Hola amigo!
Hey there and welcome to our little blog on this side of cyber space! I am so glad to have you here as this is Under the Sun Photography’s first “big girl” official blog post as we are thrilled to announce the publishing of our brand new website. Woo hoo!
(Insert major cheers and cue mariachi music… and a margarita!)
First off, if you haven’t gone through the website (no worries, there’s plenty of time for that) I am Jessica, the heart & soul of Under the Sun Photography. My craft for photography began back during my junior year at Tarleton State University, it was mandatory that I took a photography course in order to complete my degree plan. So I picked up my first little kit camera and just starting clicking away trying to learn the basics. It wasn’t actually until a couple years later after I photographed my second niece, Johnelle’s, newborn portraits in 2012 that I began to think, “What if?”
My craft and creativity quickly became the avenue for what my true passion really was, story telling and providing clients with timeless, meaningful photographs they would cherish for a lifetime. Photography allows me engage with couples & families and to learn their stories. I believe everyone has something different to share from all seasons of life. Whether it be a young man surprising his girlfriend with an engagement or new parents beaming glowing over their newest bundle of joy. Its moments like these that make up our life story. So days, weeks, or years from now when you are just going through the house years and run into an old album it makes you stop, smile, and revert back to those memories. As a child that was constantly getting into everything I could at my grandmother’s house, one of my favorite things was to go through pictures of our family, the older the better. It’s through pictures, you can learn about who you are, where you come from, and where you’ve been.
My heart melts like butter when clients laugh, smile and, or sometimes tear up when opening their photographs for the first time. Those immediate moments of excitement bring me such joy as I know these photographs will only continue to bring that same joy later on time and time again.
My Story
So as I have explained with photographs, that you really find out a lot about yourself, well here is a little bit about me and where I’m from. My grandmother & grandfather’s love story was about on the same level of any epic Nicholas Spark written novel. They truly loved each other and it showed not only in the affection they had for another but also in the affection they shared as a couple when raising a family or even helping out a close relative or friend. From the moment they met, they were head over heels and even throughout time from their wedding day to their 50th anniversary their love never changed. These photographs are my family heirlooms and will cherish these forever as both of my grandparents are no longer present here with us.
Next, as you can imagine, is the start of my crazy wonderful family! Mom & Dad got married and then 1, 2, 3, there was my siblings & I. This tells the story of where I have been.
Countless memories spent on the home ranch, mud slides galore, and a many of fishing trips to coast to catch some fish and salt water breeze. Going through these photographs, we have certainly built a lifetime of memories together and knowing we will have only more great ones in our future.
Then out of the blue, I met the love of my life at the fine age of 16 in the show steer waiting line at the San Antonio Stock Show & Rodeo. For those of you that do not show, this waiting line is truck to trailer for hours upon hours just so you are able to place your animal in the barn prior to showing. Nonetheless, I met him, we never stopped talking and finally a month or so later we had our first date. We were inseparable high school sweethearts that spent most of our dates in tractors or out in a field checking crops. After college, J.T. asked me to marry him by an old Oak Tree and we tied the knot in 2012.
Photo credit: Tommy Cooper Photography
And then life started when this little guy walked into our hearts. J.T. & I welcomed our first child, Parker, into this world in 2016 and life has never been better. Becoming a wife and a mother confirmed to show ‘who I am’. In all phases of my life photography has been there to tell my story and will continue to tell it for my family in the next generations to come.
Photo Credit: Front Porch Photography
Seriously, isn’t he not the sweetest little guy you ever did see? Love him!
What’s next?
Our plans for the future include more finishing touches to make your photography experience one of a kind, heartfelt, and stress-free. As a mother, wife and full-time employee at an agricultural based company in town, along with practicing photography, I understand how precious time truly is. As brides, moms, or seniors planning out the perfect session it can become stressful. There are million questions that come to mind, “What do we wear?” “How do we pose?” “Do I look weird?” “Locations? Where do I begin?” “Are you going to capture this on my wedding day?” “Wait, how do I know how many hours to book you for?”.
Guys don’t worry! You’re covered with UTS! As I know how to navigate through these questions and various processes, let’s make it stress free without losing any detail. We go through questions, concerns, and map out a plan for your session or wedding day in a fun and easy manner. For brides I offer exclusive copies of our ‘Bridal Book’ which gives you a behind the scenes of what goes on at Under the Sun Photography. Photography isn’t just a fancy camera and showing up in our business, it’s planning and incorporating your story into your sessions and wedding day, it’s a positive experience from start to finish.
To learn more information about our services offered at Under the Sun Photography, head on over to our amazing new website! If there’s a question that wasn’t answered, feel free to shoot a message through the provided contact form. I look forward to hearing from you and writing out to you all on our new blog. Stay tuned for exciting things coming, you won’t want to miss it!
Mucho Love, Jessica
Love the blog!! Thank you for sharing your story! 😍
So excited for your new website’s launch! It looks great and I’m so proud of you. You are so talented with your photography. I will always cherish the pics you have taken of my family in the past and I cannot wait to take more in the future. Thankful for you! Keep it up!
Congratulations on the blog and and new website. So glad I know you and your family!