Wow! I asked for reader questions and boy did I get them! Thank you to everyone who thinks that I have anything to contribute to my peers in the photography bubble. Because these inquiries are getting much more frequent I decided to add a “For Photographers” section to my blog which can be found under the INFORMATION tab on my header or you can just click HERE. This will now be a permanent page on my blog. However keep an eye out for my new Facebook fan page where I will be frequently answering even more reader questions! Stay tuned.

I remember the first time I discovered The Goodness. Of course I had known The Goodness all along. But only in the way that a child perceives words before the ability to read them. He can obviously see what is written, but the message remains a mystery. They are just jumbled symbols on a piece of paper. I was in San Juan Capistrano not so long ago photographing what was to be one of my most memorable enagement sessions. The air was salty as the waves splashed against the storm kissed rocks of the west coast. I had just set Kristina and Daniel up for a shot on the railroad tracks at the base of a bluff overlooking the Pacific Ocean. The cold November air had a bit of a bite to it. I was changing lenses when I just happen to look up and see that Daniel had wrapped is arms around his beautiful bride-to-be and pulled her closer as if to keep her warm. Then he leaned in even closer and whispered something that made her melt. She didn’t laugh. She didn’t smile. She just snuggled into his embrace and sighed. The good kind of sigh. At that very moment I oh so subtly put the camera to my eye, released the shutter, and seized a moment that few will ever get to experience in a lifetime. I don’t know what he said. Maybe it was three little words. Maybe it was much more. What was said is not important. What is important is that it was ever said at all. And that of all the photographers on this expansive , wondrous planet, the universe chose me to be there when he said it. I heart you universe.

When reviewing the image on my screen I couldn’t help but laugh out loud. I was so overjoyed to have captured such an intimate, wonderful moment between lovers on film that I remember saying something to the likes of ”Oh, SO good”. Kristina, smirked turned to kiss Daniel, and responded with an ever so slight “So. Much. Goodness”. Just loud enough to be heard. And THAT my friends is when I first truly discovered The Goodness. The Goodness is many different things to many different people. To some its a Sunday afternoon with the windows rolled down and Carly Simon on the radio. To others its a tender kiss on the nape of the neck. And still to others its cuddling on the couch for a TIVO’d Grey’s Anatomy episode with a pint of Ben & Jerry’s (each of course). To me The Goodness is a subtle look. Its the laughter found in the loss of a staring contest. Its the sun flare at precisely 7:10pm when the light is golden and buttery. But at that very moment The Goodness was a whisper. A secret between a man and a woman.

Becoming aware of The Goodness has made me a better person. A more profound artist. Its presence surrounds me with every couple I photograph. I am thankful not to have found it, but to have realized it was there all along. I just recently ordered a studio album which showcases some of my favorite moments when The Goodness had been apparent this last year and I would like to share that album with you. See for yourself and find The Goodness HERE

I have never waited for film. That’s a fact. After all I am a digital photographer and with that comes the instant gratification of being able to view your images immediately. Even as a kid I remember carefully opening all of my Christmas presents with a razor blade, taking a mental note of the good ones, scowling at the bad ones (more underwear and socks from granny…big surprise there) and meticulously wrapping them back up just the way I had found them. No one the wiser. So of course, digital photography was the way to go. 

However, all of that changed when I received my first Holga Camera in the mail a few weeks ago. After an exhausting Ebay battle I came out victorious for a whopping 30 bucks plus S&H. Sucks to be you JasonB153! For those of you who aren’t familiar, the Holga  is an inexpensive, 120 film toy camera, made in China, appreciated for its low-fidelity aesthetic.  And oh how I do appreciate it. I can not wait to begin utilizing this amazing piece of cheap plastic in my photography.

Here are a few images from my Holga taken at the Golden Gate while visiting San Francisco. They were taken with B&W 120 film. With the help of some black electrical tape, a couple rubber bands, and few pieces of foam I plan on modifying my Holga to take 35mm film in the near future.

 ”It doesn’t look like rain today” Marisa said as I walked through the door. Today obviously being the key word in that statement. She was of course referring to the torrential downpour that occurred just 15 minutes into her engagement session a few months earlier. That rain was amazing but I was with her on that one.

In the end it was a completely perfectly sunny day when Marisa and Trey exchanged beautiful vows at East Dallas Christian Church where they grew up together. From there they rocked the night away at Level Two in downtown Dallas. The best line of the night goes to Trey who when asked to stand on the other side of a set of doors for a quick shot replied with “Sometimes I just don’t get you, but somehow they always turn out cool”.  Thank you Trey. And yes, that shot turned out cool…

For even more images from Marisa and Trey’s beautiful day see the slideshow HERE. 

And now see the slide show HERE.

I’m off to beautiful San Francisco in less than 7 hours. Oh the goodness that awaits me there! As a result I will be out of the studio until January 9th. I will still have email access and can be reached at clayton@claytonaustinlovestories.com And because every post is better with a picture I will leave you with a sneak peak of things to come…

Ben Herbster, a United Church leader, once said “The greatest waste in the world is the difference between what we are and what we could become”. When I read that this morning it really struck a chord with me and how I tend to see see things, not just in my own life, but also in my craft. I truly believe that the ability to see the potential in every image and then to allow that potential to manifest itself into something incredible is key in being the absolute best that one can be. Take a painter for instance. From just three basic colors of red, blue, and green, he is able to re-create the most stunning of sunsets with every shade of pinks, oranges, and purples you can imagine. Simply. Amazing. I am often asked by my peers what my secret is to consistently producing amazing work. It’s quite simple actually. EVERY image is a keeper. Nothing is a throw away. If  I don’t initially love something, I give it some time. I let it marinate. I find the goodness and then I allow it to become what I had intended it to be all along. Beautiful.

The Potential…

The Goodness…