It's Senior Picture Time!

Fall brings so many wonderful moments...hiking in the Aspen trees, walks along leaf-strewn paths, and the begining of a new school year. For seniors all over, this time of year brings with it arrangements for a year's worth of fun and excitement. Graduation announcments are ordered, prom dresses are picked out, and senior portrait sessions are booked.

We had the opportunity to drive into the Sangre de Cristo mountains this afternoon with Tamara, a lovely young lady with a love of the outdoors. For her senior portrait session, Tamara decided to revisit a place she'd been many times before. With cameras (and little sisters) in tow, we followed Tamara around a local landmark, taking some absolutely beautiful photos. It was our priviledge to help her commemorate this eventful year, and we look forward to seeing her graduate in the spring!

Get Carried Away

How often do you spend $1,000 on a dress, get your hair done, paint your nails, buy really expensive makeup, and carry around a bouquet of gorgeous flowers? Not very often? Well, you better preserve the moment with a few fantastic portraits, then.

My favorite part of wedding photography is capturing amazing images of brides and grooms. Yes, the couple's portraits are important, but so are individual portraits. Many brides and grooms haven't had their picture taken formally since high school. (I've never understood why we stop commemorating certain milestones in our lives after the age of 18.) Ben and I always make it a point to separate the stars of the show from their family, friends, and bridal party in order to get a bunch of fabulous (work it!) pictures. From there, we can take them home and play with all sorts of effects - black and white, sepia, you name it! This is your day to be beautiful, and we will make sure the whole world (or at least your Face.book friends) see how amazing you look!

Vintage Effects

Modern technology allows us to create photos that harken back to another era. Recently, we photographed a stylish young couple who had a very "vintage" vibe to them. After bringing the photos home and looking them over, we decided to add a little kick to a number of the shots - toning down the saturation and even adding some interesting borders / backgrounds. The result was a series of portraits that were set apart not only from ordinary wedding photos, but from the rest of the couple's pictures. Of course, we always give our clients the color versions of every photo, just in case. The glory of digital! We can render any photo in black and white, sepia, or low-saturation, and still provide the full-color original. It's what makes the post-production process so much fun!

And the Bride Wore Cowboy Boots...

We had the privilege of shooting Kylie and Craig's wedding this month, which was a welcome excuse to return to the small towns of Flagler and Siebert. The couple were married in church, and then ran off to the community center for a fantastic reception...but not before we stopped off with the wedding party for some amazing photos. As a storm rolled in from the west, we snapped a few photos of the newliweds and their best friends. The clouds made for an amazing backdrop, and we were very happy with the results.

Couple's photos are one of the most valuable and endearing parts of your wedding day. They're the first photos of the bride and groom as man and wife, and they're also a great way to show off how amazing you look! (And if your new husband is anything like mine, you may not get him in a suit again anytime soon.) But time is often in short supply on your wedding day... so, when IS the best time to do couple's portraits? As long as you plan for it, the space between ceremony and reception (when your guests are enjoying a drink or two...or three) is a great time for photos. Once the pressure is off, you can enjoy the photo shoot. Steal away for a moment or two (photos usually take about 20 minutes to shoot) and enjoy being away from the crowd for a moment. This will also allow you to make your "big entrance" into the reception. And you'll have beautiful photos of just the two of you...just the way you looked tonight.

Retro Fun!

One of the greatest aspects of being a wedding photographer is having the opportunity to see how two people's personalities meld with tradition. No wedding is ever the same! White dresses, centerpieces, rings...all these things are a given at any particular wedding. It's the little details - the handmade gown, the funky hand-picked placesettings, and the specially crafted wedding bands - that make each wedding so unique. We had the honor of being at Laima and Damon's wedding this month, and were delighted at how much work and thought went into all the little details. The couple's personalities (both individual and as a couple) came through, and we were excited to be able to capture it all on film. Head over to our Facebook page (click here) to see more images from this fantastically Retro wedding!

Engagement Session with Jen and Michael

Ben and I very rarely need a "good excuse" to go to beautiful Westcliffe, but we had a good one this week. Jennifer and Michael will be getting married this weekend and wanted a photo to put in a "guestbook frame" at their reception. This is a growing trend, and offers a more aesthetically pleasing and accessable alternative to the traditional guest book. With the clouds slowly climbing over the Sangre de Cristo mountains into the Wet Mountain Valley, we ventured over to the historic Beckwith Ranch to shoot some photos of the couple. Their story, like so many in Colorado, is a boy-meets-girl-in-the-outdoors one, and we therefore encorporated views of the mountains in the background of their photos. We were also able to use some of the fabulous architectural elements of the ranch and buildings to accentuate the timelessness of this couple's love for each other.

What a wonderful way to commemorate the begining of a relationship! Remember that portraits aren't just for newliweds, though. Having a portrait done of you and your loved one(s) is appropriate at any time in your relationship...and you will treasure it forever!

Creative Portrait Backdrops

Winter is usually a time of browns, greys, and other very neutral tones. At first, it can seem difficult to find unique and vibrant backdrops for portraits - senior or family. This is where getting creative can be fun! Even locations that are surrounded by "unsightly" cars, buildings, or other domestic accoutremont can be a wonderful frame for your portrait. Recently, we brought a lovely senior down to the river for a portrait session and used the winter ice as a natural frame for her face. This nature-lover wanted plenty of natural elements in her portrait, and we were happy to oblige. (As you may know, we are something of outdoorspeople ourselves!) Then, we followed her to a family friend's property, where they had a beautiful baby-blue barn in their back yard. Perfect! The antiquated paint and unique texture were gorgeous and really brought out the colors of our senior's hair and delicate blue eyes. And we never let the RV in the corner get in the shot.

Fall weddings galore!

We've been very busy over the last few weeks shooting an array of beautiful weddings in the Colorado Springs area. Autumn colors make for a gorgeous backdrop, and the cooler weather makes for perfect outdoor portrait sessions. We've been lucky to attend a few weddings which incorporated children of the bride and groom, which has yielded some great pictures (candid and formal) of little ones. Sometimes, we're not sure who's more excited on the wedding day - the kids or the adults. Either way, we're happy to be on-hand to capture those flashes of toothless smiles and wayward rose petal throws.

Traditional or Artistic - Senior Portraits for All!

We recently accompanied JoLynn to the historic Union Depot in Pueblo, Colorado for some senior portrait session fun! We were pleased to shoot some beautiful and elegant 'traditional' senior portraits for JoLynn, which highlighted her classic beauty. After a quick wardrobe change, however, we ventured past the timeless elegance of the historic building and toward an edgier, more eclectic location - the train car museum. There, we played upon JoLynn's bubbly, creative personality in order to capture some more artistic and unconventional images.

Senior portraits, and all portraits, are so much fun in the fall! The colors of our beautiful Colorado surroundings take on a whole new hue... and we "have camera, will travel." So pick a spot, dress up, and give us a call. We'd love to help you commemorate your last year of high school!

Growing Families Mean Fab Photos!

It is always fun to take photos of familes, but when there's a baby involved, the fun is two-fold. Kids make such wonderful models, as their facial expressions are so entertaining and adorable. We had the pleasure of photographing the Miller family in July, which was a real treat. Their 5-month-old little girl was both amusing and cooperative, which made the session quick and effortless. Of course, we always love to shoot a few extra of the babies or kids on the side, giving parents a few extra quality photos of their ever-changing children.

The Millers have since moved out of the country, but before they left they posed for a series of family pics that relatives could have or purchase online. They were able to share the link to our secure website, and then grandparents accross the country had access to the photos. Perfect!

Family Photo Extravaganza!

Summer and autumn are great times to get outside and take a fabulous family photo! As soon as school starts, schedules will get hectic and kids will be busy...so think about getting everyone together (maybe even wearing some of those cool new school clothes?) and booking a photo session with us! Family photos are some of our favorite photos to do - they commemorate a very special time in a family's life - the present! Kids change and grow so quickly (as all of our senior photo and wedding "moms" tell us), so it's nice to have a professional, thoughful, carefully crafted photo that will preserve your childrens' image. Soon enough, you'll be booking us for senior and wedding photos; time goes fast!

The Wood family endured mosquitos (you gotta love photos by the river in August) in order to sit for a beautiful family photo by the Riverwalk. It was a perfect setting for an image of their growing family. The Riverwalk provided a perfect backdrop, and the family looked very handsome in matching denim and navy blue. This family was well-versed in family portrait etiquette! It always helps to dress in like colors: that way the focus is on the individuals' faces, not their clothing. (Senior photos are similar, but we oftentimes welcome different outfits, as fashion is a key element in expressing individuality and artistic tendencies.) We were honored to take their photo and hope to shoot many more in the future as their family expands.

The Morlock-Wodiuk Wedding

You can't ask for much more than a beautiful (if slightly breezy) summer day by the Riverwalk in Pueblo. This weekend, we were honored to attend the wedding reception of Jessica and Travis. After taking some fun family shots, we stole the two of them away for a half-hour and took some gorgeous portraits. The sun was just setting and its was a perfect 75 degrees outside. We spent a little while getting photos of the couple and of the bride, looking beautiful in a satin knee-length gown, by herself. This allowed them to have a grand re-entrance into the Gold Dust Saloon, where friends and family had gathered for dinner and drinks. (A note to brides everywhere - being there to meet and greet is nice, but making a "grand entrance" is priceless!)

Spring...and wedding season...has arrived!

When you find the person you're meant to marry, a beautiful wedding is simply icing on the cake. We spent our weekend with a lovely couple who tied the knot at the Cliff House in Manitou Springs. Surrounded by a small group of friends and family (some who were absolutely adorable), the two said their "I do's" amidst 150 years of history in the two-story Victorian hotel. The sunny spring morning made for a cheerful welcome for guests to the area, and by mid-day the sun had gone into hiding behind a group of forboding thunderclouds. (Rain on your wedding day is good luck, isn't it?) Nevermind the weather, the day was a fantastic start to this couple's many happy years of wedded bliss.

Make Mom Happy - Get Senior Portraits Done!

The lilac are blooming, the river is running, and students everywhere are looking forward to graduation weekend! We have been fielding a lot of questions about senior portraits, and we want you to know we still have plenty of availability on weekends and late weekdays. Reward your parents (or grandparents) for all their support and love over the last four years - give them a lasting memory of who you were at this time in your life. Many things may change over the coming years, but it is always nice to have a reminder of what was important to you (bring your dog on a photo shoot, we'd love it!) and what you looked like...call about our $75 senior portrait special today!

It's easy to make people look good...

...when they are beautiful to begin with! This week we photographed a contestant for the 2009 Mrs. Colorado contest. This was a real honor and a fun project! On May 16th, Mrs. Erin Theisen will compete in the Mrs. Colorado pageant, a State preliminary to the Mrs. America contest. We were also able to do some lovely family portraits and children's portraits while we were shooting her headshots. As always, working with the kids was a lot of fun, and the shoot yielded some adorable, timeless photos of the three.

When was the last time you had family portraits taken? Spring is a beautiful time to get out, play around, and get some candid shots of your family. Nature makes a gorgeous backdrop for a lasting image of your loved ones!

The 2009 Wedding Season has Begun!

Hello and welcome to our photography blog! It looks like 2009 is going to be a beautiful season! If you are looking for wedding photography in or around the Colorado Springs area, we have many openings still available, including weekends and weekdays throughout the summer and fall. Are you getting married in Buena Vista, Colorado Springs, Golden, Telluride, Breckenridge or another gorgeous Colorado location? Check out our website gallery for samples of our wedding work. Check back for photos of our most recent weddings, portrait sessons, and artful photography.