It’s refreshing to get to photograph something out of the ordinary. Lotte and Rick haven’t had their portrait made in decades and thought it was about time to do so… And they wanted to do these at their beautiful old home in the highlands to boot! It was a great “day in the life” of Lotte and Rick and I thoroughly enjoyed going from room to room, looking through all their treasures and making photographs that are truly unique to this couple. I seriously had a moment of reflection and said a prayer of gratitude while Lotte and Rick were changing clothes. I am truly blessed to get to make photographs for a living and interface with hundreds of different people each year. And Lotte and Rick certainly shine.
Meet another favorite family, the Sperrys’. I’ve been photographing Malia and Bill since Malia was pregnant with Elora! Now look at their gorgeous family of four! Spicy and sweet, Elora and Sorren never fail to keep me entertained. They lavished me with chocolate, their toys and even gave me hugs and kisses when I left—which always melts my heart!
Today was the first day I actually met little Tucker… and boy is he a riot! He’s cute as a button and pretty much brilliant. I loved working with this little tyke—equally as much as I have loved working with Tiana and Alex whose wedding I shot back in 2007. And Tiana is pregnant! So I’m looking forward to many more sessions with this adorable family in the future….
I call them “My Bregman’s” because they are like my poster family. I’ve been photographing them since Mia was two and Alexia was pregnant with Max. It’s been so fun to get to photograph them every year and see the changes. And major changes there have been, including baby Max, then baby, Milan! To top it off, The Bregman’s created Vuka–a natural energy drink which is taking the nation by storm! It’s delicious, natural, colorful and well branded. Lexi and Darian sent me home with a case and I’m hooked!
Lexi emailed me on the day of the shoot because it was too cold to do photos outdoors, and well–the Bregman’s aren’t really the outdoor park type. We decided to do the shoot at the Vuka warehouse. The florescent lights, the colorful walls, the stacks of energy drinks, an old helicopter, the unconventionality of the Bregman’s and the edgy space made for a very fun shoot where I was able to really capture the season of this busy family’s lives.
If I could photograph one thing for the rest of my life, over and over again, it would be this. Married for 66 years, with 5 children, 13 grandchildren and 7 great-grandchildren, Anne and James lead a legacy….
My friend Anne, (one of the granddaughters of Anne and James) flew me out to Cleveland, then drove me to a small town called Niles, Ohio to document the lives of this beautiful couple. Where do I even begin? I was so honored to be in the presence of a man who served our country for 11 years (he was in the first division of the Airforce during WWII), and a women who has an attic completely devoted to her sewing and a basement, to her canning. Anne and James lived in Japan to help rebuild the country after the war, where Anne delivered her own baby and removed her own tooth with sewing scissors (now, that’s the kind of woman I want to become). Today, Anne and James are still completely in love and share the most magnificent tomato garden that I have ever seen. When they took me outdoors to see this little piece of heaven, I saw them magically become 30 years younger. Spending time with Anne and James was medicinal. It was a glimpse of a future that I hope to one day have…
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.
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.
Sleep deprived, maybe. Smitten, absolutely! Erica and Tim have been some of my favorite clients–super chill, and creative themselves, they let me photograph their lives however I choose. I get to be a photojournalist—no posing involved. And Marek—well, there’s not much to say here that’s not conveyed through these images. He is beyond adorable. And he already has a strong little personality. He’s a perfect addition to the Holt family….
I was back East a couple weeks ago to shoot a wedding in Boston and ended up taking on a couple shoots while I was visiting NYC. Sarah Thornton is one of my best friend’s sisters and I actually stayed with her, her husband Wes and their beautiful baby boy, Brayden for a few days while I was out there. Sarah and Wes were over the top hospitable, so I thought I’d try to pay them back with a fun little family shoot at the South Street Sea Port in NYC. It was great to be able to photograph a family and work in a totally new place–South street seaport is screaming with backgrounds and fun ideas for unconventional family portraits!
My parents live to help single mothers out. In fact, our family actually did foster “cradle care” when I was growing up. It seemed we always had a baby in the house. Over the years, I think we had something like 33 babies come through—something that I didn’t always love when I was a teenager. However looking back, I am so proud that I have such amazing, caring parents who give, give, give and never take. Shante, a single teenage mother, and her daughter Bella are currently living with my parents in Boulder My mom called and asked if she could pay me to shoot Shante’s senior pictures. I of couse said yes and wouldn’t accept a dime from her, but these are Shante’s senior portraits with her beautiful baby, Bella!
On a completely different note, I wanted to touch and go on the technical aspects of my work. I was a die hard film shooter until the last three years, so I shoot and edit my digital photography to look like film. I am overwhelmed and amused by the “tack-sharp obsession” that a lot of new digital photographers are striving for. I do love that with digital technology we can get tack sharp images, and there certainly is a time for this, but sometimes I think it’s become an obsession that has taken away from the true art of photography. Film was different. I personally prefer creamy, softer, shallow depth of fields. I almost always open my aperature all the way up–even if I know the image will be soft and out of focus in places. I actually think there is something impacting about an image that isn’t “perfect”. Humanity isn’t perfect. Art is imperfect. But both humanity and art are perfect is their imperfection. This approach to wedding and portrait photography isn’t very conventional, but it has always worked for me. I shot this series of images below, completely open with a 50mm 1.4. Some of you might love this, some of you might be uncomfortable with the “softeness” of some of these images. But this is one of the “tricks” to my work and a snit bit about the way that I shoot…
I’m particularly fond of this series of images… mostly because photographing 2 teenagers (siblings at that) and getting them to act natural for the camera is not an easy task. I didn’t know if I’d be able to get anything authentic with Kaylee and Jake, but I was very happy with the images and felt that I was able to extract their personalities in some of these. …However I have to admit I was cheating a little bit because I have known Kailee and Jake their entire lives! Actually, my very first photo shoot back in 1996 was of little Jake as a baby. I worked with their mom, Jodi at a little toy store in Boulder called Grand Rabbits. Jodi is still one of my dearest friends and I may actually owe my entire career to her, as she was the one who encouraged me to “go for it”. She found me clients in her neighborhood and proudly displayed my work all over her home. Needless to say, it’s such a pleasure to get to continue to photograph these kiddos and to see them grow into adults.
Can you tell that Kailee is an athlete?? Wow!
Kailee and Jake really love each other. This made the shoot very easy for me, and the fact that they play like little pups!
I can’t believe what a stud Jake has become… he came into my studio a couple months ago with Jodi, and I didn’t even recognize him. I just looked right past him, then did a triple take.
Where can I sign up for one of these? By one of “these” I don’t simply mean a baby. I mean a sweet, perfect, beautiful little baby that at only 2 weeks old already smiles, coos, and gives unconditional love back. And I didn’t even mention the constant entertainment value, that one of “these” brings to a young family! Berkley and Mike are smitten as they should be… Sign me up for one like Finley…
Congratulations, Berkley and Mike on your sweet, sweet baby girl. And welcome, Finley!
I can’t gush enough about how much I love photographing families that allow children to be children. Ashley and Josh were so full of life and spirit, that I think I exhausted them with my energy—I couldn’t stop the shutter! Their mom finally said that it was time for them to go…I apparently had gotten so lost in Ashley and Josh’s playtime, that I lost track of time. It was way past their their bedtime, let alone dinner, which they still hadn’t had!
Ashley and Josh are spirited, strong willed children that I would photograph any day of the week. I love capturing this kind of life! Thank you Jerry and Julie, for allowing them to play, and for letting me take them late into the evening…. it was a pleasure!
Dirty feet are always a good sign of hard play!
I’m pretty sure the Bregmans are becoming famous. They are all over my website, blog and studio—in fact, while I don’t shoot studio photography, this entire shoot was done in my brand new studio. We have run out of places to photograph the family, and the Bregmans are not outdoorsy, park people—they are urban all the way–but they sure love to have fun! It’s been so great to get to know the Bregmans over the last 5 years…. I started photographing them when Alexia was pregnant with Max, and now they have three children. I look so forward to their annual family photo shoots–they are the perfect family for my documentary style because the kids don’t fake it—what you see, is what you get. I love that!
This is Max—he has the raddest hair!
This is little Milan—he’s still not sure about me.
Alexia, Milan, Mia, Max and Darian…. (from left to right)
Mia is probably photographed the most by me because she is the oldest and I have been photographing her the longest, but she is sooooo beautiful, and her moody facial expressions are a dream!
I love this image because it sums up the typical “family photo shoot”. Once you try to get everybody to behave and smile for the camera, it’s mayhem! Nobody’s having fun anymore…. it’s humorous to me!
Mia’s pink dress looked so good on my yellow couch—I couldn’t resist a personal Mia photo shoot…
I am head over heels for a new family, the Jacobs! I went over to their home to do some maternity photos for them last week, and had no idea that I would have so much fun! Sometimes work, isn’t work…. Abby and Chis were a delight and their daughter Tyler, to die for! She stole my heart, and while I can’t say enough about this threesome and documenting this pregnancy for them, I could have stayed with Tyler alone and documented her little spirit all day! What charisma!!! I can’t wait to meet the newest addition to the Jacobs family. If he has half the personality that Tyler has, I’m going to be in photographer’s heaven…
There is a story to this pillow case—-it’s actually Abby’s first “teddy bear”, homemade by her grandmother. Tyler had been holding her teddy for most of the shoot, and swapped it for Mama’s for a few minutes. I think this shot must grab Abby’s heart….
This was my favorite image from the shoot….. It will be priceless one day if Tyler ends up being a doctor or nurse!
There are no words to describe how honored I felt to be present at the birth of Taylor Ryan Siller. She was born to Gino and Amber Siller on May 8th at roughly 5pm.
Gino, a good friend of mine and amazing photographer, asked me a few months back if I would photograph his wife, Amber’s labor and delivery. I was of course honored then, but had no idea that witnessing such an intimate and miraculous moment, would leave me spellbound and unable to blog it for days– and still, there are no words. I hope that pictures can speak 1000 words, because I don’t want to trivialize or spoil the beauty of this miracle with my poor writing. All I can say, is that I am so glad and privledged to have such amazing people, like Amber and Gino in my life, and I know that Taylor will always have a special place in my heart, as I watched her– a beautiful, healthy, 7.86 lb baby girl enter this world…..
What maybe struck me more than anything about this day, is just how intimate the experience of bringing a life into this world is. I was so moved by Gino’s tenderness and compassion for Amber, and by Amber’s appreciation of him…
Amber kicked butt—seriously, she is my biggest hero these days.
I lost it when I saw Amber’s pure amazement, and Gino’s tears at the first glimpse of their daughter, Taylor.
From the bottom of my heart—Thank you, Gino and Amber, and congratulations!
I had another great maternity shoot yesterday (there must be some sort of baby boom going on)! The Pearsons were super laid back and fun—as you can see by the body art! We tried to do some family portraits with the boys gazing lovingly at Momma’s pregnant belly, but there are just some things that one can’t fake… While the boys are very excited about a new baby brother, they weren’t as excited at the idea of sitting still and taking photos….how boring! So we did what we could, and because Brayden is a little Picasso, we decided that the only way we could get his attention away from his canvas was to create a new one on the belly of his Mom. What followed was fun family art time and everybody ended up with colorful bellies! It was a riot! And a fresh way for me to capture this special time in this family’s life.
I love this authentic moment of Owen loving on his Momma’s tummy….
I’ve gotten quite the reputation for doing “racy” maternity shoots. And while I love doing them and love to glorify the pregnant female body, I also love a more journalistic approach to maternity sessions. Brooke, Jason and MacKenzie allowed me to document this stage in their lives and it was such a pleasure! I always tell my clients that even if we “go racy” that there should be a handful of images that are for the baby when she grows up—images that capture the life and times of her parents and possibly siblings before she was around.
There is a scene from The family Stone where Sarah Jessica Parker’s character presents her fiance’s family with framed images of their mother while she was pregnant. The image is of Diane Keaton fully clothed, sitting on a desk or table, laughing. The image is so striking in that there is so much joy and life captured in a single still frame. This is what I want to give my clients and their future children. And this is what the Wagner’s let me do….
If you haven’t seen The Family Stone, rent it and put it on pause when this photo of Diane Keaton comes on… It’s truly a phenomenal maternity photo.
Charisma is the only word that can fully describe this family. I photographed little Clive a year and a half ago and was simply smitten, so needless to say I was stoked to come back and photograph the youngest addition to the family, Miles. These two little boys are so full of life! Working with them today was a riot…. and Miles—oh, Miles! Despite the fact that he had his first bad cold, he was still smiling and working it for the camera. He was such a good sport!
I know I’ve said it before, but I love my job!!
Check out the expression on Clive’s face…. like I said—Charisma!
Miles was done after about an hour when his cold really kicked in. He was clearly in need of some TLC from his momma and daddy….
And of course some kisses from his big brother, Clive!
It’s 5am in the morning—-I never wake up at 5am. But I couldn’t sleep—I couldn’t stop thinking about Maddox and the shoot I did for this little family yesterday. It was hands down the hardest shoot I have ever done. I thought that I could make it through the session without crying, but was holding back the tears the entire time. I don’t like posts like these and I don’t like photographing pain, but it wasn’t all sad moments and tears. There was so much love and life to photograph during this hour, too. And if my images, in any way console Abby and Jesse and help them grieve, It was worth the tears and lost sleep. I was honored to be asked to document one of Maddox’s last days here.
Maddox had a major spinal injury just three days ago while playing ball. He is in no pain, but is paralyzed from the waist down and there is nothing that Jesse and Abby can do. Maddox’s vet will be going to their home today to help them let Maddox go. Maddox was the world to Abby. Please keep this family in your prayers.
It is always such a treat to get a call from past clients to come back and document a new event or stage in their lives. The Seyboldts have been clients now for three consecutive years—-First for Heidi’s pregnancy, then Gabe’s newborn photos, his first year photos, and now of course his 2 year old photos. What I love about working with the Seyboldts, is how relaxed and easy going the shoots always are. Heidi and Dave aren’t looking for a Sear’s photo of Gabe every year, but a true depiction of a day in the life of “Gabe”. I truly believe that these photos are more for Gabe when he grows up, then they are for Heidi and Dave. They want him to have bundles of memories of how adored he was, every day of his childhood. Heidi’s sister and parents also made a trip out to Colorado for Gabe’s birthday. Hmmmmm….. I don’t think Gabe will ever be able to play the “I didn’t get enough attention growing up card”—clearly, he is the star of the Seyboldt clan!
What is it about play-doh that makes kids want to eat it? I still get hungry when I smell it fresh out of the can!
I’m pretty sure that Gabe is going to be a mean breakdancer when he grows up—he seriously started doing the worm, out of the blue across his Thomas table!
And peek-a-boo with Grandma!
I know I’m supposed to keep these things vaulted, but Nola is my favorite girl name in the world…. I guess I’m going to have to change that now, not because I can’t have a child with the same name as somebody else, but because little Nola Greenwald is so gorgeous and perfect that my poor little girl would have a lot to live up to! And of course she is beautiful—look at Ashley and Matt! Let me also mention that Nola is the sweetest thing, too? She coos and smiles and reaches out her little hand to be held. I’m sure that as with any baby, there are times that aren’t as easy others, but Nola put on a good show for me and appeared to be an angel. Congratulations, Ashley and Matt!
It’s always so great this time of year when I get a call to do another season’s family portrait. The Elson’s used me last year and I was honored to go back to their home in Centennial to document their 2008 Holiday photos. Jake, Emma, and Molly have all grown up so much in just one year, but it was Reese that I was blown away by. She’s two now— that’s a lot bigger than 1! (you might recognize her from the “cake” photos on my portrait site)….
This was hands down my favorite shot of the day. Emma was exhausted and so “over it” by the end of the hour. I don’t blame her… It’s a lot of work for these little guys to behave for that long!
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