About melissa

Melissa Agnese is a retired lawyer turned mother of two. When she isn't busy raising her gifted & talented young tots, she enjoys prettifying her new Austin home and plotting ways to become Kate Middleton's BFF. View all posts by melissa →

Austin Anniversary Party : The Perfect 10

12.04.2014

Picture it – a wedding so fabulous, so perfectly *you* and your Very Important Other that you decide to re-create the magic 10 years later, bringing back every last detail down to the same vendors. That’s exactly what Cindy Lo and Scott Francis did last Saturday, revisiting perfection at the historic Driskill hotel:

Lucky Ziem got to sub in for Cindy & Scott’s original photographer, who had since gone out of business. Not only did Ziem appreciate working with Cindy, the kindest, hardest working woman she’s had the pleasure of working with for almost half a decade, but she also loved seeing the incredibly creative, luxurious little details Cindy dreamed up – and it’s all about the details, isn’t it? Take the guest entertainment at the reception, for example, which included a stunning ice sculpture, casino tables, flash tattoos, an interactive photo/video booth with festive props, and – Ziem’s personal favorite – a “typewriter rodeo“, complete with poets who churned out personalized poems on the spot using oh-so-Austin vintage typewriters:

austin photographers | events | Cindy Lo Scott Francis

Cindy & Scott put the same attention to detail into the food, and the results were equally spectacular – again! Guests enjoyed food stations featuring Peking duck bun, fancy mac & cheese, Texas-inspired soba noodles & a taco bar. It all culminated in a cupcake bar, much like I imagine Heaven does:

Dysfunksun Junkshun kept guests shake shake shaking off all that cupcake bar goodness.

Notable guests for the night were the bridal party and Ziem’s past client and friend, the de Waals, who made a quick appearance to congratulate the amazing couple after her husband pulled a 24-hr ER shift. Obviously, it was a party no one wanted to miss!

Just to put the icing on the (cup-)cake, guests encountered a delicious surprise when the valets returned their respective cars – two macarons in a darling gift box.

Congratulations to Cindy & Scott on scoring a perfect 10 anniversary party – here’s to many more happy years *and* another killer party in 10!

** Special promotion to new and old clients, mention #EatDrinkStillMarried when booking and receive 10% off. Sessions must happen before June 1, 2015 **

It’s So Pinteresting: Thanksgiving Tree Craft & FREE Templates

11.24.2014

Thanksgiving DIY for kids | Austin photographers | ziem photography

Between the meal prep and the in-coming in-laws and the school breaks, it’s easy to feel the true meaning of Thanksgiving is getting lost somewhere, maybe wherever the top-secret family stuffing recipe is hiding (WHERE did I leave that???). Those of us with kids may – ok, do – struggle with how to teach our children the true reason for the Thanksgiving season #heyitrhymes.

Thankfully our trusty photographer-in-chief Ziem is coming to our Thanksgiving rescue this year with a craft trifecta. It’s easy, it’s FREE, and it will keep your littles entertained creating a family heirloom while you’re arguing with Aunt Myrtle over who correctly remembers the stuffing recipe. Again.

Thanksgiving DIY for kids | Austin photographers | ziem photography

click here for download

How beautiful and beautifully simple is that?

Ziem, being the overachiever she is – and a mom who knows that little attention spans may need more than one craft to last ’til turkey time – also whipped up these gorgeous Thanksgiving cards, where each family member can note their gratitude (particularly if said family member can remember where the stuffing recipe is, ahem.) These have so many fun possibilities – set them out in lieu of placecards at your Thanksgiving table & go around the table sharing what you’ve written, or simply steal a quiet moment amidst the chaos to individually record your memories. Either way it’s such a simple way to create a keepsake:

Thanksgiving DIY for kids | Austin photographers | ziem photography

click here for download

With not one but two free craft templates – again, you can download them here and here – you’ll have plenty of turkey time. OK, “plenty of time” is a foreign concept to most of us with families – how about a distraction long enough to start the stuffing search party?

B2B: The “Belly to Birthday” Plan, a Ziem Photography Exclusive

11.10.2014

One of the many unique things (read: rad) things that Ziem brings to the Austin family photography scene is her “Belly to Birthday” plan or “B2B”*, a four-session photography package designed to capture each precious milestone in a new family’s beginning:

*”B2B” sounds like a boy band, but think less hair product & more excellent photography

austin maternity photography photographers

“Belly to Birthday” includes:

* one maternity session
* one newborn session
* one half-birthday session (when kids are sitting up but usually not yet crawling)
* one first birthday “cake smash” session (before kids are old enough to run away from the camera!)
* 20% off print orders
* $100 off event add ons (for example, hospital, birthday or baptism session)
* priority scheduling for holiday mini-sessions
* complimentary registry service for friends & family to purchase Ziem Photography gift cards, including a boutique-wrapped gift card for a baby shower or baptism gift
* complimentary wardrobe & location consults with Ziem throughout
* all digital negatives on a custom USB flash drive

Ziem generously offers this package at a big – we’re talking BIG – discount to her usual rate, which leaves more money in your wallet for pesky real-life things like all of those baby diapers you might (you will) be needing. Just to show you an example of the B2B goodness, Ziem was thrilled to work with Miss Aria, a B2B “graduate”, and her family the Renterias, who were referred by a fellow graduate:

newborn photography austin newborn photographer

Our photographer-in-chief Ziem has loved watching Aria grow over the last twelve months & can’t wait to deliver her final assignment to the Robert and Carina, a photo book jam-packed with those precious first moments that make a mom’s heart go pitter-patter. By working with the family over the course of one year (and hopefully more), Ziem gets to know those sentimental details that help her make a photo project not just beautiful, but meaningful to the family too.

newborn photography austin family portraits

To get pricing on our Belly to Birthday plan, contact Ziem at z@ziemphotography.com. She can’t wait to document the very first steps of your ~~future boy bander~~ baby’s journey!

Austin Family Photography – The Comptons

11.07.2014

Sometimes all you need in life is an ice cream cone, right? In the case of the Compton family, the promise of an icy treat to come – unbeknownst to Ziem – kept the kids impressively focused on the shoot. Whatever the motivation, though, this family could write the book on “how to prepare for family portraits” or “5 tips for a successful family photography session” – and it shows, doesn’t it? From the moment they arrive until the camera is removed from their faces, there is a sense of calm and lightheartedness (from parents and children, alike) that is felt. The resulting images never disappoint.

Ziem has had the privilege of shooting this family over a number of years, starting when Braylon was only two – and a towhead! He is pretty much a professional at this point. Violet took a little bit of time to warm up, but as soon as she did it was easy to get a lot of genuine giggles out of her. This adorable brother-sister duo couldn’t have been better behaved. Ice cream promises aside, they were as sweet & giggly as could be #dreamclients:

Perhaps Ziem’s favorite moment of the shoot was when Mom & Dad requested a shot of just the two of them. Z has found that giving children a break from the camera mid-shoot and briefly focusing on the parents increases the little one’s willingness to cooperate thru the end. Besides, most couples like these high school sweethearts haven’t had professional photos taken since their wedding, so it brings her great joy to be able to capture images like this and add to their amazing photos from Greece:

So grateful to the Compton family for their continued business & friendship!!

Austin Family Photographer: The Deans

10.31.2014

Holiday mini-session season is upon us, and we can’t wait to share some of the early results with you. Ziem was thrilled to be working with the Dean family for the second year in a row:

Despite some typical child challenges, including one photo-shy toddler and one napping sister, Ziem captured some beauties of the Deans & their preternaturally perfect curls.

As usual, patience was the shutterbug’s secret weapon in dealing with some wiggly wee ones. The Deans took it all in stride – is that thanks to their relaxed, fun family vibe or Mom’s training as a Pure Barre instructor?

I hear our photographer-in-chief Ziem and Mom Carrie have been strategizing for nearly a year to meet for dinner sans children. Despite the high demands of one “mompreneur” balancing work/mom life and another governing a beautiful new home with three children and a traveling husband, these two ladies are relentless in their efforts to make this happen before next year’s mini session.

Be sure to check back for more of last weekend’s mini session goodness!

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