Creating evocative photographs that connect you to your beauty and glamour.
Austin, San Antonio, Houston Boudoir-Glamour-Fashion Photographer
Thank you for visiting with me. This blog chronicles my journey as a professional glamour, boudoir and fashion photographer as well as my continuing adventures around the world.
Mystery and Grace…It's the key to glamour photography.
The glamour of this photo is expressed by the beauty and grace of the dancers and expression of the bartender. The viewer's eyes are drawn to the face of the bartender, who is looking past the obvious beauty and sexiness of the women and couple. One is left to ponder what is so captivating as to steal his interest in such a way. Could it be the sight of a gorgeous stranger who just entered the joint by way of the metal staircase; or perhaps it is a lover known to him, and once realized, provides a flood of memories to return.
The glamour is further expressed in the story, still unknown, of the three women as well as the couple who are in a close embrace of a Latin dance. The darkened and gritty styling of the photo greatly adds to the mood, helping to create the glamour.
Richard von Trapp is a Texas glamour photographer who travels the world capturing its glamour. # Austin-San Antonio-Houston-Dallas Glamour Photography.
Glamour Photography...Creating a glamorous feeling with a retro style.
A glamorous image of a woman is created when it has been crafted with mystery, is graceful and is transformative. Glamour transcends the everyday, and invites us to live in a different world.
This image takes advantage of the Art Deco design of the room and is paired with hair, make-up and fashion to create a retro felling. The lighting is crafted by strobes and was post-processed with blue, yellow and brown layers to create drama and interest for the final image.
Let me make a glamorous image of you that will become a treasured piece of art in your home.
To get a more in-depth idea of what is glamour, see my blog and read Part 1 of Glamour and Boudoir Photography...The changing style of these misunderstood genre.
Richard von Trapp is a glamour photographer in Texas who travels the world capturing its glamour. #Glamour Photography in Austin, San Antonio, Dallas and Houston.
Fashion, Glamour Photography Shoot in Texas, Prague, London and Venice
Creating interesting portraiture that has an evocative, glamorous or edgy quality is such a joy for me. Here are some photographs that I absolutely love. They have been created at several different locations in Texas and Europe.
I classify my style of photography as being fashion-inspired and cinematic in its lighting and styling. To create my look, I most often use studio strobes to create the light that I have envisioned for the image.
Another characteristic of my style is that images most often shot on location. I love the challenge of capturing the color, and feel of somewhere which becomes a major element in the final image.
We are in a time when the smartphone and AI has "made everyone a photographer". But are they an artist? I continue to consider my feeling about this question. I can say that I do find some, perhaps even many, creations which have used AI to one extent or another, to be art, and artful. Which I can consider as mixed medium. Whether I can consider the creator of said art to be an artist, is very much up in the art for me.
Rainy Alley by Von Trapp Photography 2014.Stylized image of a San Antonio ally on a rainy morning with a woman carrying an umbrella.
Urban Glamour Photography that is emotive and edgy.
Kat at Punta della Dogana v.1 by Von Trapp Photography 2017(From the series: Come See What Is Under My Coat)
Taken at the Punta della Dogana which is an art museum in Venice's old customs building, the Dogana da Mar. It also refers to the triangular area of Venice where the Grand Canal meets the Giudecca Canal,and its collection of buildings: Santa Maria della Salute, Patriarchal Seminary, and Dogana da Mar at the triangle's tip. Across the canal is seen the Campanile di San Marco in St. Mark's Square.
Model: Kat
Please enjoy this video on youtube of the lovely Venice. You can see this shoot location at 51 to 58 seconds.
Open your mind and heart, travel and know the joy of becoming a citizen of the world.
One's life can be comprised of many things...perhaps the most important of which is learning and growing.
RvT
Beauty in the Italian Dolomites
Life in the Austin and San Antonio area has its own special feeling. However, the full-of-life and young-at-heart lifestyle of Cortina is deeply engaging in its own way. When a town has this much environmental beauty, with a potential for year-round outdoor activity, it just seems to promote a love of a lifestyle of health and fitness. I have traveled there many times between 2013 and 2019 for hiking and photoshoots and it is one of those locations that will keep drawing you back for more.
Hikers of all ages are seen on the mountain. I am constantly impressed with the fitness and love of things outdoors in Europe and the UK. I a just as likely to be on a mountain trail at 2000 meters with a young child and their parents, or to be passed going up hill by a group of septuagenarian and octogenarians.
The Austrian flag was painted on the rocks to mark the front line of troops durning WWI. This aided in navigation in the snow. Today, it marks the hiking trails for countless enthusiasts. This incredible section of the Alps is a must see, and perhaps hike for those so inclined.
For the even more adventurous, try the Via ferrata. A series of high climbing routes that have you in a harness and connected to a cable, whilst you traverse across narrow paths and climb ladders. Each of which were created by the soldiers who waged war here during WWI. It is humbling to think that they traversed these trails, carrying huge loads, even moved cannon in the snow. Everything to exist and fight was packed in be man and beast.
At the top--looking at the next goal in the distance.
A Girls Outing by Von Trapp Photography 2013.This group of seven women was photographed having lunch after returning from the summit of Mt. Lagazuoi just above. This spot sheltered from the wind made for a beautiful rest spot.
My above image, although somewhat remarkable to me for what, who, and where it was taken and for who was in it, is just another sunny day in the Dolomites. A lunch upon the mountain after a couple of hours of hiking, and a lovely ladies day out.
Throughout Europe one will normally find on the summit of most mountains a large cross, most often made of wood, and a box with a hiker's/climber's logbook for you to sign. In the image above such a cross can be seen in the distance.
Perhaps the most special aspect for me of mountain hiking in Europe is the likelihood of making a hike/climb and finding a Refugio (mountain hut in Italian) where you can have a snack and a great local beer. Such as these fries...with mayonnaise of course, or a more substantial meal. In Austria, Germany and Switzerland it is called a Hütte. And in France it is called a chalet de montagne or cabane de montagne.
Many of the, often humble--but sometimes more fancy, mountain huts have a small number of rooms or hostel bunks available for a night's stay.
Austin Glamour Photographer Travels to Italy.
Hiking in the Dolomites is truly spectacular and a favorite location for countless people from around the world. My September adventure took me from San Antonio to Europe, and this incredible place.
View of the Summit by Von Trapp Photography 2013.A view of the summit of Mt. Lagazuoi in the Tyrollean Dolomites of Italy. Sept 2013. Austin and San Antonio Photographer.
Mount Lagazuoi, Italy by Von Trapp Photography 2013.Hikers near the summer of one of the Dolomites highest mountains. Sept 2013, Von Trapp Photography.
Numerous small rock monuments called cairns can be seen erected around the summit.
Photo by Ken Head
At the summit of Mt. Lagazuoi--far below is Passo Falzarego, the mountain pass that was commanded from these heights by the Austrian military in WWI. It is possible to visit the extensive defensive tunnel system constructed in the belly of this mountain and be given a chance to wonder at the spartan conditions that must have existed here for the soldiers.
This, probably a machine-gun position, had an opening of 2x4 feet. The celling height was under 5 feet.
At days end, this soldier enjoyed an incredible view and fare of fries (Pommes) with mayo and a Pils, thankful to now be at peace---at least in this beautiful place. Best wishes to all for the new year, especially to those who serve.
Here are some good sites to help you explore the region.
http://www.summitpost.org/dolomites/150874
http://www.dolomitemountains.com/en/summer_fall_trips/dolomites_hike.htm
http://www.besthike.com/europe/dolomites/index.html
http://www.alpedisiusi.info/en/info/welcome.html
Tyrollean Adventure
Flying from San Antonio to Munich on my most recent return to Central Europe which included Germany, Austria and Italy, I finally experienced the beauty of the Dolomites for myself. The Dolomites, Dolomiti in Italian, are nearly equally shared between the provinces of Belluno, South Tyrol and Trentino in Northern Italy. During this trip, I explored the Tyrollean region of the Dolomiti in and around the town of Cortina D' Ampezzo.
The first part of my trip started in Germany, where I was stationed and lived for 12 years. After a day of showing a friend the sights in München we took the next 3 days to travel south, visiting well known spots along the way including Salzburg. We drove past Kitzbühel and finally down to Cortina, which is located east of Bozen in Südtirol (South Tyrol), present day Austria.
Dolomite Beauty by Von Trapp Photography 2013.Located 30 minutes west of the town of Cortina Italy is this impressive structure.
Tyrol's human settlement dates back to 12,000 BC and through the middle ages until the end of the Napoleonic Wars in 1805 it looked much like what is seen on this map.

During "The Great War" World War I, the battle lines ran largely along the border shown above between north and south Tirol. It did move about but remained mostly fixe. The fortifications that were dug into the mountains along with the trails leading to them, are the hiking and climbing routs used by the international hikers that visit today.
To assist knowing where the trails were then and now, blazes mark of red and white paint are used. They resemble the current flag of Austria and are found on the stone of the rock face and upon an elaborate series of wooden sigh posts showing the trail numbers.
Today, the State of North Tyrol (shown in red) makes up the western part of Austria. Whereas Sudtirol (South Tyrol) and Trentino are now a part of Northern Italy. Although the culture, architecture and traditional clothing styles are distinctly similar to what many Americans think of when they think of Bavarian, it is now part of Italy and German and Italian is spoken widely throughout the region.
Tyrollean Castle by Von Trapp Photography 2013.
The photo above and directly below show the craggy beauty of the Dolomiti (Dolimite) region as we approached Italy from the Austrian side. Mid September 2013.
Dolomiti Beauty by Von Trapp Photography 2013.Approaching Italy from the north thru Austria one is meet by this impressive vista.
Atop many of the summits you will find a cross or stone monument, often with a hikers book to be signed. In the photo below you can see remanence from the First World War.
WWI Frontline-Dolomites by Von Trapp Photography 2013.Mt. Lagazuoi in South Tyrol. Along the WWI frontier between Austria and Italy, this high ground was held by the Austrian Army and commanded the valley below. Evidence of the war is seen here with the tripod made of barbed wire fence pickets and topped with the front half of an artillery shell.
The following images have been captured on my many return trips there, and are all from the region west of Cortina d' Ampezzo.
Dolomites-Italy by Von Trapp Photography 2013.The last few meters for these hikers up M. Lagazuoi via the SW trail.
Petulant Massive v.1 by Von Trapp Photography 2015From my first visit in 2013 I have hiked here with family and models every year to 2017. The area has truly captured my heart. Tofana di Rozes 3225m, here seen from a distance during our 2015 hiking season.
Tofana di Rozes 3225 m (10,642ft) (photo above) as seen from a distance during our 2015 hiking season. In 2016, we came back and hiked around its base. Those trails are seen here, leading up from the far right and crossing along the base at the level of the dark stone and just above the light colored material.
This mountain and the surrounding ones to the left and right were the front lines in WWI between the Austrian forces and the Italian forces who held the ground from where this image was taken. A highway that leads from Cortina (to the right and east) passes in the low ground between this camera position and the foot of Mt. Tofana. Its use was the main object to be denied to the Italians. Although not seen here, there are hundreds of tunnel openings from which direct fire from canon and machine-gun was directed down upon the road.
They are found in this and all the other mountains along the front, from which fighting positions equipped with machine-guns and small artillery guns controlled the passes. One such road, not seen here, runs along the low ground from right to left in this photo.
The conditions here for all combatants was extreme, but imagine the effort it took to first scale the mountains, tunnel hundreds of meters down into them and then exist there for years. Also consider that all supplies had to be packed up into the defensive positions by the soldiers and pack animals. Today the trails that were built by the soldiers to fight are now part of a wonderfully marked trail system for hackers and climbers.
From Hilltop To Hilltop by Von Trapp Photography 2016.Hours earlier we were on the far summit of M. Lagazuoi, having taken the cable car up and down. For this image, we hiked here from the parking lot in the valley below.
This is Mt. Lagazuoi which dominated over the strategic location of Passo di Falzarego (6,906ft) along the east-west road.
The town of Cortina is a gem not to be missed. It hosted the the 1956 Winter Olympics, and will do so again in 2026. It is one of two location I have used as a base to hike in the Dolomites. The other being the village at San Pellegrino Pass. These following images are from Cortina.
Cortina D' Ampezzo and Cristallo Mt. 3216 m. by Von Trapp Photography 2013.Looking east upon the Tyrolean town of Cortina Italy. Sept 2013
European Charm by Von Trapp Photography 2013.Typical Alpin style of geraniums in a window box creating a beautiful seen in the South Tyrollean town of Cortina Italy.
Street Scene in South Tyrol by Von Trapp Photography 2013.A Street in Cortina d' Amprezzo.
Shopping in Cortina by Von Trapp Photography 2013.Street scene in downtown Cortina Italy.
A Night on the Town by Von Trapp Photography 2013.Downtown Cortina, Italy.
Finally, I will conclude this adventure to the Dolomites with images from San Pellegrino Pass, a 1.5 hour drive SW of Cortina. During this trip, which included both Cortina and San Pellegrino.During this trip I created some art nude images along with landscape images. Lets start with some nighttime nudes in Cortina.
Mistress Simone v.1 by Von Trapp Photography 2016.(From the series: "Come See What I'm Wearing Under My Coat", A Nippily Showing)
Under it all she is wearing a low-cut Agent Provocateur bra that subtly allows her areolas and nipples to make a risqué showing. Nighttime photoshoot in Cortina, Italy.
Model: Simone
Venetian Mask v.1a by Von Trapp Photography 2015.(From the series: "Come See What I'm Wearing Under My Coat")
Fashion image taken on a Italian balcony in Cortina which is centered in the Dolomite mountains just northwest of Venice.
Model: Simone
Night's Lusty-Luring v.1a by Von Trapp Photography 2015.(From the series: "Come See What I'm Wearing Under My Coat")
Adorned in her Agent Provocateur, this vamp is all set to create a commotion. Location shoot in Cortina, Italy.
Model: Simone
Promenade di notte v.2 by Von Trapp Photography 2015.(Title: Nighttime Promenade) (From the series: "Come See What I'm Wearing Under My Coat")
Simone struts her stuff along a walkway in Cortina, Italy.
Model: Simone
Dolomite Morning v.1a by Von Trapp Photography 2014.A mountain vista captured in the Italian Dolomites.
Dolomite Beauty by Von Trapp Photography 2016Our view to the west of Fuchiade in the late afternoon.
See a YouTube video of this magnificent area.
Objective Reached by Von Trapp Photography 2016Looking back one can see the pass we hiked up to just to the left of Mt. le Saline, seen in the center of this image, which was this day's objective. We first passed this point in the village of Fuchiade 9 hours earler on our way up the mountain.
The Last Hour Ahead by Von Trapp Photography 2016(From the series: Hiking To The Clouds, 9 of 13.)
NE of San Pellegrino, Italy. Ahead lies our last hour of travel up to 2600 meters.
Commercial Glamour Shoot...Texas Boudoir and Glamour Photographer
On a recent shoot at a location between Austin and San Antonio, we had the joy of working with Laurena Mitchell, an NPC Figure Competitor. Her project is to bring a series of photographs of her with a snake to reality. Her inspired vision is to create several edgy images for self promotion as a Figure Competitor. After initial communication with her we started the pre-production planning. We evaluated her request thoroughly , researched the National Physique Committee, its competition rules and standards, and researched our client. We gained insight into how competitors train and live in preparation for competition. Considerable research was committed to evaluating how other competitors have been photographed and are promoting themselves as well.
We entered into the creative process with the development of concepts and assembled an inspiration board. We conducted location scouting, acquired equipment for the set and continued communication with our client.
On the day of the shoot we met with Shawn and Rachel Harrison of Superior Reptiles and Rodents, who provided three of their snakes and would be wrangling the snakes for us to help create the shot that Laurena desired. Shawn and Rachel specialize in Ball Pythons but have others as well and whose services can be found at their website http://www.superiorreptilesco.com. A special thanks to them for their help in creating the look.
These are some of the behind the scenes photographs of the shoot in New Braunfels Texas.
Contact us today with your ideas and desires and let us excite you with how we can connect you to your glamour and beauty.
I am Richard von Trapp of Von Trapp Photography. We create evocative glamour and boudoir images that will connect you to your glamour.
Behind the scenes photographs of a commercial shoot with National Physique Committee (NPC) Figure Competitor Laurena Mitchell.
To connect with Lorena click below.
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Laurena-Mitchell-Figure-Competitor/452154754873334
Fashion Glamour Shoot
Two of my recent stylized fashion photographs that I love were shot in San Antonio. I found this great graffitied wall and illuminated my subject with an off camera flash in a soft box. The second image was taken in the Penthouse Suite of the Havana Hotel in San Antonio. Along with the Grand Suite it is a great location for boudoir and glamour portraiture.
Wearing: Agent Provocateur dress with Christian Louboutin Bibi pumps.
The past five weeks have been many things. Filled with excitement, adventure, grandeur, emotion, learning, and even a little fatigue. Ok...at times, a lot of fatigue but also completely wonderful! Life is worth living fully and this past month has been very full.
September started off with a flight to England to catch the Crown Princess bound for Norway. We returned home 12 days later, allowing me time to instruct a NAUI Rescue diver course before repacking and making another transatlantic flight to Germany four days later.
For thirteen days I returned to many of my beloved locations in Bavaria, Austria and along the Rhine River in Germany. I also ventured into the incredibly beautiful Tyrollean Dolomites of Italy which are truly a gem of unique beauty. Never having seen them in person, I have longed for a chance ever since.
Sadly even though I lived in the Bavarian town of Bad Toelz for 6 years, I only drove past the vistas of the Dolomites, always unseen from the Autostrada, while heading to the favorite cities of Italy and Sicily.
When I was a newer member of "Group" (Special Forces Group) in the mid eighties, I was introduced to the concept of how travel will "make you a better American" by the Deputy Chief of Mission at the American Embassy in Cairo. My five months there gave me my first extended mission out of country and the chance to see, learn and grow in so many ways. Upon my return the growth and learning continued and I began to understand what the LTC shared with me.
Travel to be a better person, a better (fill in your nationality). If you do so with an open mind and heart, you will never see your world the same again, and you will feel more alive then you could have imagined.

The secret...no the absolute key to seeing what wonders you have in your world is to venture out of it, and into someone else's. At this point you have likely made the jump to the conclusion that what I'm about to say is, "to appreciate what cool, wonderful, and unique aspects exist at home and how much we have". No way! That is exactly what most of us do so easily. I feel that this can lead to and support the ugly (fill in your nationality) that can be seen in too many people traveling abroad.
Fight against it with all you have. Instead, travel with an open heart and mind but with selfish intent. Because if you choose to do so, you will receive more enlightenment than you may have ever imagined. I have long understood the meaning of how travel has made me a better American. I have confirmed countless times over what I like and love about my country. That which I deeply or only somewhat miss while traveling abroad. Most importantly I have on countless occasions, seen, experienced, lived, enjoyed and loved what we do not have in America. The marvels of the vistas, smells, tastes, textures, color of light, feeling of the air, architecture, fashion, life-styles, attitudes of the locals to list only some.
I have fallen in love with something in each country I have ventured to, in most cases many things. When one opens up to see that which they don't have at home, and can appreciate or even love what can be found in another person's country, then we are enriched by the beauty of the world. We have at that point the chance to grow and change how we live our short time on earth. Because once we find something so special in another land that moves us so deeply, we can never again feel the comfort of believing that we need not venture beyond our neighborhood.
It can be a bittersweet feeling indeed if the means or opportunity to travel were never again available. One could easily feel as if they have lost something and are now missing an important aspect to their life. When in fact they have actually added something incredibly important to it.
A disturbing clarity may even be felt by the traveler. The realization that if I can feel this enriched by something I experienced when traveling abroad, what else am I missing out on? What else have I not yet discovered? How much more might I be able to find that is extraordinary and moving, in the world and in myself?
At some point it can be possible to feel a melancholy, like that of a lost love, when we think of what it was like to feel so differently and be so deeply affected be our travels which are in now just in our past. Eventually, however, it is possible to reach a point of acceptance and enlightenment when we can value what we have experienced and add it into our treasure chest of memories.
If nothing else be a collector of memories. Create as many different kinds as possible. Value every one of them for they are what we have made of our life.
When your time on earth is at its end, spare yourself any thoughts of..."could have, should have". Know that you lived fully, and loved completely.
Austin/Houston and San Antonio Glamour Photographer's Shoot
This past weekend was exciting and packed full of photo shoots at the Hotel Havana in San Antonio. Located in a 99 year old building that was originally a private residence turned hotel under another name, it is now the charming Havana Hotel. Its motif gives homage to the feel of old Cuba with a period look, artisanal culinary creations, and acclaimed hand-crafted cocktails. I used the hotel's Cuban theme as inspiration to create a 1950's retro look to the costuming of the models.
I loved creating such beautifully elegant glamour, boudoir and stylized period-inspired art.
Rain and dramatic clouds offered the perfect setting for creating this stylized fine art photograph which was inspired by images from the iconic Hollywood classics, The Wizard of Oz and Singing in the Rain.
Playing in the Rain by Von Trapp Fashion and Glamour Photography 2013A stylized photograph of a woman holding an umbrella in a rainstorm with dramatic clouds.
Photographed near San Antonio, we raced out to this spot when the rain clouds gathered and was able to capture this dramatic shot. As the rain fell we set up our strobes and lighting modifiers and quickly styled this shot. Balancing on the wet railroad track was hard enough, but was made even mort challenging by the wind that was blowing.
The clouds seen here existed as they appear. However, the stylized coloration of a light and eery green were added in post-processing. I wanted to suggest the possibility of a building tornado, threatening to carry off my modern day Dorothy.
The surreal like quality to the light of what one might think is associated with a coming tornado is carried over into the bright yellow patch of grass. The rain drops can be seen falling, having been captured with the aid of the strobe. So too can the water droplets be seen on the umbrella.
My "Dorothy" incorporates the sense of carefree indifference to the elements of Gene Kelly in the movie "Singing In The Rain" with her attitude and seemingly lack of concern for the coming storm.
I am Richard von Trapp and I am a Photo Artist specializing in creating evocative Fashion Photography, Glamour and Boudoir, Portrait.
The idea of learning new tricks by the old dog is the stuff that a good cliché is made of. In my journey of becoming a contemporary beauty and glamour portrait photographer, I am once again having to do just that. If you have read my first blog or my "About" page on the von Trapp Photography.com web site, you know that this is my fourth remaking.
I have traveled from paratrooper and Green Beret Combat Diver to medical officer to diving professional, and now professional photographer. This change will require more than a new group of skill sets and jargon however. The challenge is that it is hard to know what we don't know.
But I love change and growth; it has been a key part of creating a full life for me. Few would deny that growth is seen as good-even needed. However, growth comes at the price of change and change is often uncomfortable.
So on to more change.

Photographing on location at Enchanted Rock Texas. March and May 2013

We enjoyed creating this collection of short videos and stills to document the highlights of our great trip to Bonaire. The images take us right back to the warm sun and salt spray that filled every day! Please leave any comments on the video or your own fabulous Bonaire experiences.
I took the opportunity of a cloudy Texas day with dramatic lighting to create these wildflower scenes. A strong wind made capturing a sharp image very challenging. Which photo speaks to you the most? Does the inclusion of the sky create a greater reaction in you or do you favor the photos with the field of yellow painting a backdrop?
