There was lots of “leaping” going on at this wedding—as well, there should be–it was a joyous occasion! Briar and Elliot are one of those couples who just ooze life. They are carefree, fun, well traveled, and so, so happy. There was nothing traditional about this wedding except for a couple of Jewish traditions. Briar and Elliot’s ceremony was out in the middle of a field, officiated by Briar’s sister and Elliot’s good friend. It was like a movie script–very narrative and full of love and kind words, rather than a bunch of cliche quotes and vows. At the end of the ceremony, Briar and Elliot ran down the field instead of walking back down the aisle. It was “so them“… The whole day was refreshing and wonderfully personal. Another highlight of my career, for sure. Congratulations, Briar and Elliot!
Sadie and Ryan met me at Mclouglin’s for a couple of drinks before we started the shoot. They said that they were “camera shy”. HAAAA~ shy, maybe. But brilliant in front of the camera! They wanted something more “urban and edgy”, and less “cutesy and naturesque”. I loved this session and am so excited to work with Sadie and Ryan again at their winter wedding downtown. What a stunning couple, no?
Katie and Chris are two of my sweetest clients. I adored them from the moment they stepped into my studio. I was lucky enough to get to work with them back in December for some engagement photos in the snow, and then last month I got to photograph their beautiful wedding at Arrowhead golf course. Everything was perfect–the weather was nice and cool, the flowers, stunning, and I couldn’t stop raving about the tent design. And of course, Katie and Chris were darlings—The images below say it all. They look at each other with such tenderness… They are quite the pair and I hope to work with them again in the future….
This shoot reminded me of of a mama dog with her pups… Natasha, even at 9 months pregnant was crawled on, wrestled with, and then slept on. It was beautiful to see these two little boys, totally comfortable with their mother, and excited about the new baby brother that is on the way. Wow–Natasha will certainly have her hands full. Sasha and Sebastian are little warrior wild children. I loved photographing their free spirits and can’t wait to come back after the baby is a little older for another family session.
Amy and John have been busy! You might remember them from their wedding post back in March…
We planned on doing some maternity photos in June, but little Grayden decided to come a month early! So life goes. I love this shoot. I love that Amy and John don’t need a tub of cheerios or a pair of wings to show off their beautiful baby boy. They appreciate pure family photojournalism and that is exactly what I gave them. Grayden was a little fussy and didn’t want to be woken up from his nap, or interupted from his snack to do photos, so I just stood back and made images of the three of them. John and Amy coddled Grayden and watched eachother love on him, and this to me, was so much more emotionally evoking than photos of Grayden’s feet… I love photojournalism when it comes to families because an image truly stops time. Grayden will have these images to look at in 20 years and realize how loved he was. And Amy and John will look back on these and see how beautiful life was, learning how to be parents, and falling in love with a tiny baby boy.
I had the hardest time blogging this wedding because I simply could not get the images to post under 45. It took two days of turmoil to get it down to this many images, and I think this still may be my biggest wedding post ever….
Michelle and Paul are a very dear couple to me. I met them last labor day weekend while I was in New York–we did a super fun engagement session on the Brooklyn Bridge… Remember them? Michelle and Paul have a very beautiful love story. Paul was actually Michelle’s 8th grade math teacher. Of course this isn’t when they fell in love, but they do share education in common as they are both in the education system. Paul is a principal, and Michelle a teacher. They never knew they would one day fall in love and get married 15 years ago, but here they are—completely and totally smitten with each other. They found their soul mate and tied the knot on July 18th in New Jersey. And lucky me, I got to be present for the joyous occasion. And joyous it was, albeit the 100 degree New England heat. I don’t even know where to start–the rehearsal dinner, the morning at the salon with mimosas and bagels, the ceremony or the amazing band they hired, The Nerds…. The whole day was superb. All I know, is that I truly loved every moment of every minute I spent with these two and their amazing families. Destination weddings are great because I get to truly know my clients and their friends and family, and Michelle and Paul have some very special people in their lives– their parents, in particular.
Thank you guys so much for hiring me to capture these memories for you. I know you took a lot of heat for being so close to NYC (one of the culture capitals of the world), and hiring a Colorado wedding photographer. But I know for me, the travel was worth it!
One word: Adorable. Seriously, freaking adorable! I am a bit biased however, as Evan is my baby cousin. But hypothetically speaking, if Evan were not my cousin, I still would have had such a good time with these two and couldn’t be more thrilled and excited about shooting their wedding next June. Evan and Jessica met when they were 12 at the county fair (see below, but imagine the fair 14 years ago). I’m not sure when they started seriously dating, but I know that as long as I can remember Evan having a lady friend, it was Jessica. And I always thought to myself—darn, that girl is a knock out! Evan done good. He’s held on to Jessica and is making this gorgous little lady his wife.
Evan grew up in Otis, Co and Jessica, in Akron–about a 20 minute drive from each other. My grandma, Nonie has a farm in between the two in a tiny little town called Platner, so we all decided that the “farm” would be the perfect place to do the engagement pictures. Funny enough, and by total coincidence based on coordinating dates, the county fair was going on. It was perfect, and fun, and I can’t say how much I love these two—obviously.
Corrie Ann hired me to do “edgy family portraits”… And as much as I love doing edgy photo shoots, I’m not sure how one makes “edgy” family portraits of three people that are completely in love. Some barbed wire, a vacant parking lot, and a rock star with his beautiful wife and “mini-me” son, certainly took the shoot to an edgy urban feel. Add a bar piano in the back alley and voila–we are embracing the dark side of portraiture. But there is no graffiti crass enough—no dumpster dirty enough, and no rock star bad ass enough, that can erase the conspicuous, unconditional love that that these three share. And that is beautiful. Somehow, I don’t think Corrie Ann will be disappointed.
Man, oh man! Isn’t she a knock out?! Lydia is from Minneapolis and came all the way to me to have her senior portraits taken… well, not really all the way just to see me. But she did choose to have me photograph her while she was out visiting, and that, I am honored by! Lydia is a true beauty–and such a sweet girl!! Some girls have it all. Sigh.
Thanks, Lydia! I hope through these pictures, you can take a piece of Denver back home with you to Minneapolis…
There was something super mid-century feeling to Catie and Matt’s wedding—I’m not sure if it was the pool blue bridesmaids dresses that looked straight out of the series “Mad Men”, the vintage truck, or the break we took down on Main street in Golden… but whatever it was, I loved the feel of the day. There was absolutely nothing traditional about Catie and Matt’s wedding albeit the ceremony in a church. They coordinated their own first dance, dressed in “non-tradional” wedding garb including Catie’s fabulous blue shoes, and Matt and the groomen’s stellar khaki suits, and even stopped at a bar for a coors light and a quick shot before making an entrance to their reception. It was a day full of fun and celebration. No need for fireworks in the sky—these two have enough fire to start a real party! Congratulations, you two!!
When kids hit 1 year old, it’s like hanging out with a miniature drunk. You have to hold onto them. They bump into things. They laugh and cry. They urinate. They vomit.” Johnny Depp
Obviously they are so much more—-but I thought this quote was so funny! 1 year olds certainly waddle like a drunk… But really, 1 year olds are great as they have started to develop strong personalities. They can’t always articulate what they want, but it’s easier to guess what they want, and they express themselves in the funniest of ways–tearing at diapers, throwing temper tantrums, running away from the camera… etc, etc. And I love that they are still too young to fake it. I adore 1 year olds! If only they could stay this age for 3 or 4 years…
I had a couple of 1 year-old shoots last week and thought I’d combine them to drive this 1 year-old thing home! I’m not normally gender specific, but wow—Sienna is such a little girl with her tutu and her dolly, and Owen is a boy on a mission with his dog. From completely different families, these little ones were both waddling darlings with only a few teeth, both 1, and both complete crack ups! More please…
Sheri and Geoff”s wedding in Evergreen was anything but traditional. In my humble opinion, it was perfect. They met up before the wedding for a couple of brews at the Little bear, then walked each other down the aisle with their gregarious, furry friend, Newman (who you may remember from their engagement photos) and were welcomed in a field by 33 of their closest friends and family–all dressed vintage, none the less. No first dance, no cake cutting, just a good ole’ fashioned celebration with loved ones. I loved it! One of my all time favorite weddings, actually….
This couple’s joy was contagious… Lindsey and Adam’s faces say it all, don’t they? The day was filled with giggles, squeals and many, many smiles. And I had so much fun capturing it—it’s people like Lindsey and Adam, and their loved ones, who make my job easy and fun. They are my “ideal clients”, if you will. Take a couple like this and pair them with designer, Stacy Pisani of Alexan Events and you have a dream wedding. I love my job!
Oh my goodness, where do I begin!? Is this not one of the most beautiful families you have ever seen? And so much personality! I’ve been waiting to get my camera on this fivesome since I met Cynthia when she was pregnant with baby Jimmy. Cynthia is the incredible “Denver Make-up Guru“, and I have been so lucky to get to work with her at many weddings and boudoir shoots. She’s a phenomenal artist, and wonderful mother, and she has become a great friend. She is one of those people who I call when I need to “vent”, or just need an ear. So, needless to say I wasn’t surprised at the caliber of her family… Nadine is brilliant and witty (with amazing hair), Natalie a total firecracker who has a crush on Buzz Lightyear, and little Jimmy is just as mellow and sweet as he can be. As for Big Jim, he’s as patient and kind of a father as I’ve seen. The five of them make a wonderful family full of fun and lots and lots of love. I hope to continue to”watch them grow” over the years.
Meet Nadine
Jenn and Rian certainly have their hands full with little Cameron–What a whipper snapper! This little guy had us running all over the park, chasing dogs, looking for ants and touching and smelling basically anything that nature and life could throw our way. He is seized by every moment and is in a constant state of absorption. I love his intensity and his strong personality. In Cameron’s mind, he was at the park to play and to learn, not to take photos–even after an hour of shooting, he would still look at me blankly like, “who are you?” and “why is that camera in my face?”. And if you know me, and my style of work, you know that this is exactly what I love about a 2 year-old. Happy 2 year birthday, Cameron!
Jessica and Adam were married in beautiful Granby Colorado at Our Lady of the Snow church, followed by a dreamy reception at the Wild Horse Inn in Frasier. Everything was delightful from the weather, to the gorgeous decor, to the way that Jessica announced that she is expecting. Yes— Jessica is pregnant!! And with the timing, they were able to conceal this fact until the wedding when they blessed everybody with the good news! It was a day celebrating the union of Jess and Adam, and also the anticipation of a new baby… A very sensational event, I would say! I was also so impressed and moved by Jessica and Adam’s friends and family who came in from all over to be with them. Friends and family almost always show up to weddings, but this group felt different to me– more authentic and grateful. Fun too!! Some of my favorite images from the day were of the cocktail hour(s) when everybody mingled and lavished love on each other.
Congratulations, Jess and Adam! I’m looking forward to seeing you in a week at the premier to recap the day! It was truly monumental…
Sometimes I have no words to describe a couples connection. I’m a photographer, not a poet. I often feel like I repeat myself again, and again on my blog when I say how “in love” this or that couple is. But Kristina and Shaughn are truly, really, fantastically, in love. The pure joy in these two’s faces is divine. As a photographer, all I aim to do is “capture”, not “create”. I cannot manifest expressions of bliss on peoples faces with direction, but I can be in tune with it,and intuitively know that a “moment’, sums up a larger picture. No pun intended.
Kristina and Shaughn were a gift to me as clients. I showed up to the shoot for the perfect 7:30 pm light. We walked out about 100 yards into a field and I was stoked—beautiful couple, beautiful backdrop, surely beautiful images. Unfortunately, when I snapped that first shot, my shutter locked up and we had to cancel the shoot. Did I mention that we had scheduled this shoot 3 months out because Kristin and Shaughn are from Boston? And unfortunately, I had a wedding the next day at 7:30pm and wouldn’t be able to “reschedule” with the original vision in mind of that golden, perfect light peering over the Boulder foothills. We had to reschedule the shoot for 10am the next morning. Not exactly as comfortable, and a hassle for Kristina and Shaughn to say the least. I was embarrassed, and I felt so unprofessional, but hey–what’s one to do? (Now I will bring a back up camera to all shoots). Long story short, Kristina and Shaughn were more than gracious and understanding, and what could have been an unpleasant experience turned into a wonderful one. I love these two for their kindness and grace–towards me, of course but especially with each other! They are two kind, beautiful hearts who deserve each other completely. The icing on the cake of all of this, is that the 10am light proved to be incredible! I generally steer away from this harsh light, but the blue sky, and the fresh morning foliage was perfect. I don’t think I could be happier with the outcome of these images. All things happen for a reason.
Congratulations on your engagement, Kristina and Shaughn…. I wish you all the happiness in the world.
Maggie and Kevin were married at Villa Parker—the coolest little Italian style villa out in Parker—(you could have guessed by the name). It was beautiful—it transformed me and I’m sure every guest to another place with it’s old world charm and and warmth. Albeit the rain, the day was absolutely perfect. The ceremony was moved indoors and because all the delicious flowers were brought into the room, the whole place smelled like a flower shop. Seriously. I couldn’t have imagined the day to be better. Maggie and Kevin are absolute darlings! I have loved working with them… They are transparent, genuine and very much make the perfect pair. I love their style and I love their “style”, if you know what I mean…
Ok… I was almost sick with envy over this dress. It maybe my favorite wedding dress ever. It made me kind of want to get married all over again, just so I could find and wear something this fabulous. Maggie has great style. Check out the bouquet, too…. ahhhhhh! So Stunning!
It’s been exactly 10 years since I was last in Italy. I was 22—naïve, fresh faced and brave enough to take off by myself to work in Italy for Legambiente which is the Italian equivalent to Green Peace. I was the only American working in the organization, with no Italian under my belt, and a knack for getting lost. I arrived in Rome, alone after a 22 hour travel stint and wandered my way around the city with a backpack and a travel guide. One of the best moments of my life was my first night in Rome. After a long and delirious nap and an ice cold coke, I took a cap to the Vatican City at sunset to catch the evening mass. I had never been out of the country before, mind you and I was completely overwhelmed with what I was experiencing. It was better than I could have ever imagined and I was immediately swept off my feet. Italy was my first love—my first experience with travel. I grabbed a hot dog and Heineken bomber and sat on a wall perched above St. Peters cathedral with a symphony playing in a park right behind me. An artisan fair lined the pedestrian streets surrounding the Vatican, adorned with antique books, charcoal drawings, handmade jewelry and leather…. Ahhh the smell of leather here is bar none.
So, here I am 10 years later searching for that romance I experienced 10 years ago. The travel bug is like an adrenaline junkie’s search for adventure… but for travelers, it’s a lust for that “feeling” of being alive in another country—seeing completely new architecture, different light, different people and cultures, new smells and trendy fashion, and being taken by it all. It’s incredible and only understood by those who have experienced it, and actually have the “lust”. It is an addition. Although I know I will never experience Italy again with virgin eyes as I did 10 years ago, today is my first day in Florence and I’m certainly taken. The smells that are getting me already–waffles and gelato, the smell of car exhaust that is somehow nostalgic, and fresh garlic. I can hear the church bells ring every hour from my hotel room just down the street from the Duomo and it’s cool enough in the evening for a sweater, but hot enough to really enjoy a cold Birre Rossa. I’m in heaven. And while I go to Paris every year to find my heart and “re-stock the pond”, this trip to Italy is feeling more about gratitude. I’m not yet exhausted from the busy summer season that I call my “harvest”, and I’m still feeling completely invigorated by every thing I see. I’m grateful and pinching myself… can this really be my life? How could I ever complain about anything when I seem to have it all… I’m blessed.
My trip 10 years ago was a life changing gift from God. I found my passion and independence and came home 2 months later believing in myself in a new way. I made all sorts of positive changes in my life and understood for the first time that one can’t wait for life to happen. One has to find it and live it fearlessly. I have a feeling that this trip is going to be just as monumental as my last visit…. It’s Italy, after all and there are all things romantic beckoning me to live these 9 days to my fullest and to bring home a brighter inner-light.
“You know you’re in love when you can’t fall asleep because reality is finally better than your dreams.” Dr. Seuss
Vanessa and Steve are the poster children for young love. When we sat down for our final “walk through”, Vanessa asked that I would shoot the wedding with young love in mind. I mulled this over and over again in my head. How does one portray young love in a photograph? Playful? Giddy? And then the idea of balloons popped into my head. They somehow were a great metaphor for young love—they are light, cheerful and they represent something to be celebrated. And young love should be celebrated. It is pure and true and perfectly vulnerable. One never experiences love the same after her first.
Vanessa and Steve—you guys truly warm my heart! It was such an honor to be a part of such a beautiful celebration… congratulations!
I’ve seriously been putting off this blog post for a couple of weeks, simply because I don’t want this wedding to end for me… I’ve been looking forward to Ali and Adam’s wedding since we first met about 18 months ago! They are one of my favorite couples ever (for so many reasons) and to be honest I’m a little bummed that the big day is over and it’s only June! Of course I have many more fantastic weddings to look forward to this season, but Ali and Adam have been especially dear to me and I’m going to miss looking forward to their wedding.
Last summer I photographed Ali and Adam’s engagement pictures and summed up the session with a quote by Mark Twain: “Grief can take care of itself, but to get the full value of joy you must have somebody to divide it with.” I have to reiterate this again in their wedding post because it truly sums up the love Ali and Adam have for one another. When I walked in on the 22nd to photograph Ali getting ready, she was rubbing her tummy, saying that she was really nervous… then she said, “I just want to see Adam”. When Ali did see Adam 15 minutes later, I saw every little bit of stress and anxiety melt from her face and the two of them were all smiles. Ali and Adam complete each other. They are best friends, soul mates, two peas in a pod, and completely made for one another. I love this about this about them and it makes me giddy to see such true love. To top it off, Ali and Adam have impeccable taste–the day was decked out in perfect hand made details, couture wedding garb and even a stuffed animal named Brownie. It was a photographer’s dream…
I’m so happy for you guys! I’m seriously hoping that I will continue to see the two of you often, and that your wedding will be just the beginning of a long lasting friendship. You’re the best! xoxo
Ali’s bouquet was made from buttons…. and it was absolutely fantastic!
Elizabeth and Collin shocked me a couple of weeks ago with the news that they will be moving to Seattle… Life seems to throw crazy at you in clusters, doesn’t it? Planning a wedding, moving to Seattle, new jobs… etc, etc. But if anybody can roll with crazy, it’s Elizabeth and Collin! They are super chill and fun-loving. They embrace life no matter where it happens… and this is what I love most about them! They are a truly vivacious couple! We decided to do the engagement shoot at Commons park in Denver to really get that Denver feel, with the skyline and the people and the amazing golden light that seems to ascend on the buildings and grasses in the evening. And we had so much fun walking around for an hour or so! While I’m sure a short engagement shoot won’t sum up their time in Denver, I certainly hope that this shoot and these images will be a fun memory that they can take with them to Seattle….
Nope…. this is not a workshop led be me. I’ll just be hosting it. I don’t really have many brilliant things to say when it comes to being an organized photographer other than to call on Regina of The Organized Photographer to revolutionize your work-flow! I just spent over 4 hours with this amazing lady while she schooled me on getting my act together so that my daily grind is streamlined and savvy. Her first question to me was, “What would your perfect day look like?“ I answered, impulsively saying that I would love to wake up, enjoy a cup of strong, steaming black coffee, write in my journal, drive to Boulder, take a long hike up Sanitas, then head to the Boulder Cafe for Happy hour. I’d then probably come home, watch an episode of Mad Men and go to bed early in freshly laundered sheets. She said, “How often do you do this?” Never was my answer, of course. I never have time! The only thing I do on this list on a regular basis is the strong black coffee! It’s ironic actually, I’m a person who fully embraces freedom and “quality of life” and I preach it on a regular basis to others, but I’m never actually walking what I talk–albeit the travel of course, which if you ask my husband, I don’t have time for either. Regina however preaches about literally making space and time in your life and in your work to do the things that you love, so that you are living your dream day–be it spending time with your children or hiking Sanitas with friends. Sounds nice, eh?
I don’t want to spoil the workshop, but let me put it this way… I didn’t even have a portrait contract before Regina met with me. I didn’t have a filing system or database for my clients or future clientele. I didn’t even have a trash can under my desk. I simply accumulated a years worth of unnecessary junk and somehow stuffed it into every corner of my studio. It looked nice to an outsider coming in of course. I could present myself as an organized photographer but I dreaded the day I would have to go through every loose data DVD lying around, or send a mass email to my clients… Today however, Regina did that for me, and with me. And she’ll do it for you too! I am so excited about Regina’s mad skills as an organized photographer, business coach, and artist (did I mention that she is an esteemed and incredible photographer of 10 years) that I am going to host a mini-clear the clutter workshop to get people started on the right foot! Come learn new ways to create a work space that nourishes you, work more efficiently and align your values with your daily to-do list. Bring a notebook and a friend! Whether you are just starting your photography business or simply want to gear up for the wedding season, this workshop is for you!
The mini-clear the clutter workshop will be held at 7pm on June 1st at my studio: 2405 West 32nd Ave Denver, CO 80211.
The cost is $35 which will include cocktails, food and a serious education!
Please contact Regina at [email protected] by May 25th to RSVP. Hope to see you there!
Latest Posts.
Categories
- Births (2)
- Children / Infants (69)
- Engagement (51)
- Events (6)
- Family (115)
- Maternity (29)
- Newborn (15)
- Pets (2)
- Ramona and Sylvie (1)
- Ramona Moon (7)
- Senior Pictures (8)
- Travel / Documentary (22)
- Uncategorized (71)
- Weddings (126)
Comments.