Help Needed From Past Clients!
Reviews Needed! The good, the bad, and the ugly. When I visit a website and I see a testimonials page, I find that I am unwilling to believe what I am reading. How do you know that the company didn’t write the testimonials themselves? Reviews can be looked at in the same way, but it [...]
Leave a comment | Keep Reading»Solaris Site Updated!
I hate it when I’m shopping online looking form information about a product, and I’m unable to find that information. My standard response to a site that does not provide me with the information I’m seeking is to just find another site that will! So, I have decided to Zig, while my competition Zags. Standard [...]
Leave a comment | Keep Reading»A bit of wedding mayhem.
When I have time to watch TV, one of my favorite shows to watch is a British automotive show called Top Gear. I have to record it because I never have the time to watch it when it’s actually on. Top Gear is smart and fast, and it’s all about cars. Cool cars. Guy stuff. [...]
Leave a comment | Keep Reading»One Year Later!
On 7/18/06 Isaac and Marjan signed with me to photograph their wedding for 9/16/06. If you are a long time reader of this blog you may remember their wedding images. One year later, almost to the day, Isaac and Marjan find themselves back in my studio. Thank you both for your continued business, and congratulations! [...]
Leave a comment | Keep Reading»Join us for Fine Art Fridays!
My good friends David Jones and Mitch Daniels and I have been off and on now for lunch at the Museum of Fine Arts. It’s something that we have been doing on Fridays for I guess the past three years now. We like to call it Fine Art Fridays. There have been times when others [...]
1 Comment | Keep Reading»Sep PPGH Print Competition Submissions
Tonight is the September meeting of The Professional Photographers Guild of Houston (PPGH). Each month brings a new print competition to all of the members that want to participate. It is this competition that determines who is awarded photographer of the year at the December Christmas Gala. I have never been awarded Photographer of The [...]
1 Comment | Keep Reading»Lori and Jeff’s Wedding Album

Lori and Jeff’s wedding was in mid June of this year. Their wedding coordinators, Schwartz & Woodward, were recently featured on Platinum Weddings. The ceremony was at Sugar Land First United Methodist, and their reception was held at Sugar Creek Country Club. Aric C. Hoek – The Master of Shadows Solaris Studios 713-524-3303 Use the [...]
Leave a comment | Keep Reading»Mariam, Waddah and Chihuly.
Mariam and Waddah were a fabulous couple to serve! Everyone was so stress free and the party was fabulous! I really love the couples that hire me and then just set me loose without any restrictions. I was free to create! As an additional bonus Waddah’s mother and sister were able to fly in from [...]
Leave a comment | Keep Reading»Gonzales / Dockal 8/11/07
The Gonzales / Dockal Wedding It was a hot and humid one in Houston… but it didn’t stop my couple from having a fantastic time! Here are a few of my favorite images so far. Church: Holy Rosary 3600 Milm Houston, Tx Reception: The Houston Club Aric C. Hoek – The Master of Shadows Solaris [...]
1 Comment | Keep Reading»21 Years Later
I was only 17 when I failed typing during my sophomore year at Bellaire High School. That was 21 years ago. However everything changed for me when I was introduced to photography shortly after. It was the first thing that I was really good at and I latched on tight. I knew that when I [...]
2 Comments | Keep Reading»Testimonial
This is a message I received from someone filling out my contact page yesterday. I absolutely love inquiries like this as opposed to something mindless and genic. From: xxxxxxxxxxxx@yahoo.com Subject: New client inquiry. Date: August 23, 2007 2:26:06 PM CDT To: studio@solarisstudios.com First, Last name: Cheryl XXXXXX e-mail address: xxxxxxxxx@yahoo.com phone number: 281-xxx-xxxx event date: [...]
1 Comment | Keep Reading»John and Carrie

We are on a production kick here at the studio and we are turning out album designs like crazy. Truthfully we are running about a month behind right now and we are looking to get caught up next week. So. Get ready for a few days of posts containing our newest album designs! Today I [...]
1 Comment | Keep Reading»Katy and Joshua
Katy and Joshua have been fabulous clients, and they are so easy for me to work with. Love em! Their engagement session was taken behind The Wortham Center downtown and some surrounding areas. I hope you enjoy them as much as they do. Shadows galore in this session due to the time of day, which [...]
1 Comment | Keep Reading»777
Courtney and Jason were the lucky winners! I can’t begin to tell you how many frantic inquiries I received over the past few months from couples wanting to reserve my services for their wedding on 7/7/7. I’d like to think that it had something to do with the quality of my work, but I know [...]
2 Comments | Keep Reading»Senior Portrait Session
For some time now I have been toying with the idea of starting a senior portrait division. For those of you out there that don’t know, high school seniors have their portrait taken to remember a time of transition in their lives. There are really two things that are appealing to me about senior portraits. [...]
6 Comments | Keep Reading»Bridal Portrait at The Corinthian
What a day! I love Bridal Portraits. I really am given the time to be creative and not be rushed, and when you combine that with a beautiful bride and a beautiful location, well you just can’t go wrong. Vivian and Paul will be getting married at The Corinthian later this month, and absolutely magical [...]
2 Comments | Keep Reading»Portraits for Him.
Well, I have been absolutely swamped! A good customer came back to us last week wanting me to create an image of her for her husband. We got the session done and she came in to look at her images today and she loved them! While the images are for her husband, I still wanted [...]
2 Comments | Keep Reading»A Quick Report…
It’s a long night for me. Just got home from a wedding and it is 12:55 am. Before I go to bed I have to get my images downloaded and backed up. My rechargeable camera and flash batteries need to be recharged as Liz and I have to be back at the studio at 11:30 [...]
Leave a comment | Keep Reading»Studio Engagement Session
What will be on display at the entrance of your reception? If you have been deciding between an engagement session or a bridal session, then I would suggest an engagement session. This will give you both time in front of the camera before the wedding day, along with giving both of you and your family [...]
Leave a comment | Keep Reading»Stikeleather Weddding
Here are a few images from a recent event. Thank goodness I make it a point to show up to my events 1.5 hours before they begin, I got held up in some serious traffic, but I still had an hour to spare. Enjoy. Aric C. Hoek – The Master of Shadows Solaris Studios 713-524-3303 [...]
1 Comment | Keep Reading»You have to be kidding! Honeymoon Photography?
Laughter and snickering is normally the first response I get when I tell my perspective clients that we offer professional photography during their honeymoon. The laughing suddenly subsides once they have seen the images though. Aric C. Hoek – The Master of Shadows Solaris Studios 713-524-3303 Use the Subscribe Me button to make sure you [...]
1 Comment | Keep Reading»Meet Elizabeth Bandy
It is important that I surround myself with good people as my business grows. Liz Bandy is the latest example of that rule. As the popularity of the studio grows, so do the number of wedding inquiries. Keeping as busy as I do, I find that I must refer out many inquiries as I am [...]
Leave a comment | Keep Reading»The Koehl Wedding. A great party!
Normally the images I like to display online are dramatic and moody. But today I will be giving you a bit more fun. There is still some drama at the brides house, and at the church during the ceremony, but mostly the entire day of shooting was one long party. Enjoy. Aric C. Hoek – [...]
1 Comment | Keep Reading»Premier Bride Magazine – Part 2
Well, I haven’t made an entry in a few days as we have been really busy here. I think I have enough entries to do one a day now for about three weeks though. So let the writing begin! I figure it will be best to continue where I left off, and that is with [...]
1 Comment | Keep Reading»15 Hour Day
Today was a 15 hour day. It started as a location shoot for a bridal magazine for their cover. I really haven’t had the opportunity to really go through tem as of yet as I had another shoot this evening. After that I had an event to shoot for an Indian wedding. I am really [...]
1 Comment | Keep Reading»