Photography 101

Here is a great video Get Married put out talking about some basic things to remember when choosing your photographer. I'm so glad they mentioned that finding your photographer right after booking your location is so important. So often people forget to start looking for their photographer until after they've spent a majority of their budget only to find out that photography is one of the more expensive costs of a wedding. In the end they end up not having enough to afford the photographer they really want and sacrifice quality for their budget. If you book your photographer at the beginning you can make sure you have someone who will capture your day the way you want and then work through the rest of the details with the remaining budget. After all, your photos are what you have left when the wedding is over. Check out the video here: Photography 101

Jenn & Patryk's Wedding: Cielo at Castle Pines

Last month before all the snow came in and changed our fall into winter we ended our busy wedding season with Jenn & Patryk's wedding at the Cielo at Castle Pines. The weather couldn't have been more perfect for an October wedding in Colorado. You may remember Jenn & Patryk from their engagement session earlier this summer up at Red Rocks. We were really looking forward to their wedding after their engagements. They are such an awesome couple and were a pleasure to work with. As our last wedding of the season we couldn't have asked for a better ending! Not only did we have a great couple and beautiful weather but it was fun to photograph at a brand new location that just opened up this year. The Cielo had to have had the best bridal suite I've ever seen at a wedding venue. We got some beautiful photos of Jenn before the wedding in the suite. Not to mention the grand staircase that definitely made for a nice entrance as they were announced as husband and wife. Thanks guys for an amazing end to our wedding season and we wish you the best!


Love the gold on the bottom of Jenn's shoes:








Snuck this one of Jenn's adorable niece picking up the flower petals during the ceremony:








Probably one of my favorite first dance photos ever!:

Sarah & Taylor's E-Session Downtown

About a month ago we photographed Sarah & Taylor's engagement session downtown. We were really excited to work with these two after meeting them at Becky & Neal's wedding back in August. Taylor is Becky's brother and Sarah was Becky's maid of honor. While planning the location for their engagement session, Sarah mentioned that both she and Taylor would really like to do something with a baseball/softball theme since both of them played in high school. We ended up at a field close to Commons Park which was a perfect location for their photos. Near the park was this awesome little grove of trees- you'd never guess you were downtown by the looks of it. After taking a few photos at the softball field we walked around until it starting getting dark. I'd been really wanting to do some night photography with a couple and Sarah & Taylor said they be more than happy to be guinea pigs. Here's a few of my favorite images from our day.

McMahon Family Portraits at Red Rocks

A few weeks ago we had the pleasure of meeting the McMahon family up at Red Rocks for a family portrait session. They were referred to us by the awesome Kristie & Matt so we knew they were going to be a great family to work with. Anyone who has worked with us in the past knows we never put timers on our sessions. It's something that makes us different than many photographers out there but I feel it's important to give people whatever time they need to get comfortable in front of the camera. Kids especially need that time every now and then so we make sure to allow for it at every session we do. The McMahon family warmed right up to the camera though- the kids were great! We had a wonderful time with all of them at their session. It's was funny to watch their youngest, Rileigh Rose do whatever her older brother's did, she could jump off the rocks just like the boys. Here are just a few images we caught throughout the day. If you'd like to see more samples of family portraits check out our portrait website.

Brandy & Bill's Wedding at St Malo's & The Stanley Hotel

I can't believe it's already fall! Where did the summer go? We had a busy, busy, busy wedding season this year and have so many more things to share with everyone that we can't wait to post. But for now here is one of our last weddings we shot this summer with Brandy & Bill up in Estes Park. The wedding was held at the beautiful St Malo church which has some of the most spectacular views and then the reception was held at the historical Stanley Hotel. Jackie Vorheis of Blissful Happenings (blissfulhappening@gmail.com) coordinated the event and did a beautiful job- we hope to work with her again in the future!

Fall is my favorite time of year with all the colors and these two got married just as the leaves were beginning to change in the area. We've had a great time getting to know Brandy & Bill starting with their engagement session last fall, Brandy's Bridal Fashion session this summer and then their wedding. They are just a great couple and so much fun to hang around we're just a little bummed their wedding is over, but maybe family pictures in the future? Here's some of the shots of the day.

















Love this one of Brandy up on the stage leading the "YMCA":

Jen & Ryan's Labor Day Weekend Wedding

I know this post is LONG overdue but here is the second half to our labor day wedding weekend with Jen & Ryan's wedding in Platteville. The day was beautiful and the wedding was held at a cool little place out in what seemed like the middle of nowhere. We don't have too many sunflowers down in the southern suburbs so I love it when we go up north and you can see sunflowers growing on the side of the road and fields of them here and there. The wedding site was situated in between a single lane road that just seemed to go on forever, an irrigation ditch with sunflowers growing everywhere, and a open field to a neighboring farm- it was such a cool place for pictures! Jen & Ryan decided to see each other before the ceremony so we got some great shots of the two of them and their bridal party before the wedding utilizing each area of the site. We had such a great time with these two and are so glad we got to photograph their big day. Here are just a few favorite shots of the day- enjoy!


















The infamous "Sara phone shot" that started all the way back at Juliana & John's wedding in 2007:

Tammy & Greg's Wedding at the YMCA Snow Mountain Ranch

Every year over Labor Day weekend our schedule is busy with weddings and this year was no exception. Our wedding weekend began on Saturday with Tammy & Greg's wedding up at the YMCA of the Rockies Snow Mountain Ranch. It's been sad to see how much the area near Winter Park & Granby has been affected by the beetle kill but even with all the dead trees in the area the ceremony site had to have had one of the most beautiful backdrops for a wedding. At the edge of the hill with a wooden cross against the mountains it definitely makes it up there on my list of favorite wedding locations. Michelle got some great images with her wide angle lens of what the guests saw during the ceremony- it was awesome!
Our day started with a few shots of the guys getting ready before we headed down to the girls cabin. At first the weather was perfect until right as we set up Greg for their "first look" as Tammy walked up behind him and the wind came in with force trying to bring in the rain with it but fortunately after just a few big raindrops the rain held for the rest of the day. Tammy was such a good sport about the whole thing and said "that's just what comes with an outdoor mountain wedding". Michelle has been feeling so much better these last few weeks that she was able to photograph also during the times where I didn't need her assistance. I thought it would be fun to show a few shots that we took at the same time from different perspectives. We had a great time with Tammy and Greg and are so grateful for the opportunity to capture their amazing day. God Bless!






Here's when Tammy & Greg first saw each other before the wedding- ending in a kiss:





I love this picture of the two of them laughing:


Aren't their pet guinea pigs so cute?!:





There was this cool pile of dead trees on the side of the road heading to the reception and made for some cool photos:



Here's the shot I took of them sitting in the field:


And here's the same shot from Michelle's perspective:





Here's another one I took of Tammy:


And Michelle's version of the same shot:


Got this shot right as one of the guest's flashes went off which made for a pretty cool picture:

Bridal Fashion Shoot with Becky

A few weeks ago we photographed a bridal fashion session with Becky at the Cherry Creek Reservoir. The day started out just fine until the sky looked like it was going to pour for the rest of the day and ruin the hours we'd spent at the hair salon and having her makeup done. We were glad though when only clouds stuck around and didn't bring the rain with it. Michelle came up with a great idea a while back after seeing the Taylor Swift video for Love Story. We decided it would be fun to do our trash the dress/bridal fashion sessions with a theme if people wanted to, so when Becky suggested the look of Audrey Hepburn we loved the idea. Finding the right dress for the occasion was not as easy but she had a few dresses that when matched with the hair and makeup worked great to fit right in to our 20's, 30's, 40's theme. You may remember Becky from her & Neal's wedding back in August- she's been a blast to work with and we were so glad we got to take more photos for her. I've been wanting to test out my skills at off camera lighting at night so we started the photos a little bit later in the day and finished with some really cool shots with some of the lights near the marina. Contact us if you are interested in a bridal fashion/trash the dress session- they are a lot of fun!

Angela & Robert's Wedding at the Buell Mansion

Angela & Robert were married a few weeks back on August 29th at the Buell Mansion in Cherry Hills Village. We were so excited to be able to photograph their wedding at such an exclusive location- not to mention they are an awesome couple! They were another great couple referred to us by Ladonna & Ryan and we've been so blessed to have worked with them. The day was gorgeous, the location was gorgeous, every detail was gorgeous- and of course the couple was too:-) I had trouble deciding which photos to show so there's a few more than usual- enjoy!

Her Priscilla of Boston designer gown was awesome!:



The guys hanging out before the wedding:



Angela looking stunning as usual- and she thinks she isn't good at posing... ha!:






Just a random photo of Robert and the ladies next to the big tacky yellow street sweeper:


Love this one of Angela!:



And... this one too:

I few things I LOVE. and a few things I DON'T.

This is not a typical post for me but I thought I would share some things on my mind. After all this is a blog post and people are to blog about their life, right?!

So here are a few things that I LOVE and DON'T about being in the photography business.
-I LOVE that my Wife Michelle has been feeling a little better to start shooting again. I Love her point of view and the way she sees things I don't. Here's to the best assistant I'll ever have. Love ya.
-I DON'T like it when your going to get that perfect shot and either the coordinator or the officiant tap you on the shoulder and tell you you have to "move, in order to preserve the specialness of the moment" Well there goes the picture to remember that "moment."
-I LOVE when the mom is glancing over at her daughter and smiling while shooting the formals.
-I DON'T like it when I try to put the lens cap back on your lens and it falls to the floor, making a loud noise when everything's quiet. "D'oh!"
-I LOVE my 50mm 1.2 L Lens. Can you say Bokah?!
-I LOVE hanging out with our clients, going to church with them, playing Lego's with their first child, and when they are no longer clients but friends!
-I DON'T like that I get too hot to wear sweater vests in the heat of summer, even though I look great in them. ha=)
-I DON'T like it when the vendor meals are stale and cold. We gotta eat too!
-I LOVE it when the Bride & Groom send you an invitation to their wedding, even though they know you'll already be there.
-I LOVE when a B&G can tell their friends "we loved our photographers!"

Well I could go on and on but that's enough for now. These are just a few things that I thought I'd share with all of you. And since a post is never complete without a picture here is a cute kitten I found online to enjoy!

Senior Portraits with Ryan

A couple weeks back we photographed Ryan's Senior photos up at Red Rocks and then in Downtown Morrison. Ryan will be graduating early this December and heading off to college while the rest of his class finishes their final semester- way to go Ryan! Ryan has an interest in photography so it was fun talking about cameras and photos with him. We had a great time during the shoot. Here's just a few from his session. Good luck Ryan!

Tammy & Greg's Downtown E-Session

A few weeks back Michelle and I headed downtown to Union Station for Tammy & Greg's engagement session. Having spent many years living down near Union Station, the area held special meaning for the two of them. With Tammy & Greg we spent the afternoon around Union Station and then headed over the bridge to the Commons Park area. It was the first time we photographed on that side of the Millennium Bridge so it was fun to go somewhere new. I love the shot we got of the two of them near sunset with just their silhouettes against the sky while they stood on the strange brick art structure- whatever it is =) It's so much fun to watch people become more and more comfortable in front of the camera as we get further into the session. By the end it's easy to forget the camera is even there and those are always some of my favorite images. These two are getting married next month just outside of Winter Park and we can't wait to photograph their wedding. Oh and thank you to Stephanie Osborne for the referral!

Becky & Neal's Wedding: Grant Ranch

Two Saturday's ago Becky & Neal were married at the Grant Ranch Clubhouse. The location was perfect for a wedding- located right off a lake with an awesome dock and beautiful scenery. We convinced the two of them to see each other before the ceremony since it wouldn't be over until near sunset. We got some amazing photos with both Becky & Neal as well as all their family and bridal party before the wedding. I have to say that the photos on the dock with the boats in the back are some of my all time favorites! Following the ceremony we took a few more photos with the bridal party and the two of them out front of the clubhouse. While we were taking photos a passerby driving a sweet old Ford was kind enough to stop and allow us to use his car for some pictures. What perfect timing that he just happened to be driving by. It was perfect, especially considering that Neal is a car man and builds old cars for fun. In fact he even brought out a floor creeper when it came time to taking off the garter (for those of you who don't know what that is- it's what mechanics use to crawl under cars for repairs and such). Here's just a sneak peak of their wedding. Becky and Neal are such a great couple and we are so glad for the opportunity to work with them- congrats guys!

Katie & Sujan's E-Session at Evergreen Lake

A few weeks back Katie & Sujan flew in from New York City and Michelle & I met them up in Evergreen for their engagement session. Almost 10 years after we graduated high school together I never would have imagined that I'd be photographing her wedding! In high school we had almost every art class together and through the power of Facebook we met again all these years later. It's crazy to think of all the things that have changed over the years! We are so excited to be able to photograph their wedding next summer. Sujan is such a great guy and you can tell these two really have fun together. We had a great time with them for their engagement session up in Evergreen. Of course though right as we start taking pictures the rain decided to start but only for a few minutes and the rest of the afternoon the weather was great. Evergreen is such a beautiful location to photograph and the great thing about going back multiple times is that I always challenge myself to do something completely different every time. I always like to find a new location or a different way of looking at the same thing and it's fun to see how different things can turn out. Here are some of our photos from our afternoon with Katie & Sujan. Enjoy!

Kristie & Matt are Married!

The last Saturday of July Kristie & Matt were married at the Arvada Center. The location had some pretty funky art in and around the Center which made for some fun photos. The two of them opted to see each other before the ceremony which turned out to be a good thing considering the weather just wasn't sure what to do- rain, no rain, rain, no rain- it just couldn't make up it's mind. We were fortunate to be able to get to know Kristie & Matt since the photographer they originally contacted was booked and he sent them my way- thanks Mike for the referral! We are so glad he was booked too because Kristie & Matt have been such a pleasure to work with and get to know. Their family and friends were no exception and we had a great time photographing their wedding. Stephanie of Hummel Studios was able to come along for their wedding as well and got some great shots- I thought I'd share a few of my favorites that she took of the day. We wish Kristie & Matt the best. God Bless!

I love this one of them seeing each other for the first time before the ceremony:



Here is a shot Stephanie took of Kristie against this cool wall of sand inside the Arvada Center:


The guys were hilarious! It's so funny that they posed for this picture:


Here's just a nice one of all the guys:





I love this one Stephanie took of the two of them!:





They had this cool light that lit up the trees & flowers that was fun to play with in some photos:



The father/daughter dance is always such a cool moment:


One of Matt's groomsmen breakdancing to Justin Timberlake or something like that- this guy could dance!: