Ashley

And in the end, it's not the years in your life that count.
It's the life in your years.
~ Abraham Lincoln

If anyone has life in their years, it's this beautiful girl. So sassy, so classy, so full of life - what a FUN photo shoot. She laughs so much it was difficult to get her to pose with a plain smile, much less a nice serious face! But thinking about dead puppies seemed to help with that :)

I have actually known Ashley since January and think she's one of the sweetest, coolest, most unique high schoolers I've ever met, as you can see from the pictures. She has a depth about her that's pretty rare at 17. Ashley really is one of a kind and a delight to be around. If laughter is the best medicine, I'm hoping for a lot more big doses of her this year~

Melanie + Bryan

"When you are in Love you can't fall asleep because reality is

better than your dreams."

Dr Seuss

Melanie and Bryan live like this quote is true. It was a joy and honor to share this special day with them, to watch them laugh together, work together and cry together (ok ... maybe the crying was only Bryan). They are so easy to be around, probably because they are so at ease with one another. I loved taking their pictures because I didn't have to direct them at ALL! They are just naturally beautiful people who knew how to kiss and hold each other ... on and off camera, i'm sure :)

It's always nice when you overhear guests on both sides talking about "what a catch" the other had landed. I'd have to agree. I'd also have to say I'm thankful for the tall grass and playground outside the church! Congratulations, Bryan and Melanie!

New York, New York

Start Spreadin' The News...

What do you get when you get when you have 2 best friends+2 fancy cameras+6 or more modes of transportation+1 BIG Apple?? A blast of a good time and some pictures for the masses!

My best friend invited me to the wedding featured below, but of course we had to get some fun pics in for ourselves while we were serving the bride and groom all weekend! So, here are some shots from our time in the Adirondacks. The nighttime shot of us laughing is definitely a favorite. The funniest part is that I showed that picture to Erin, our fave bridesmaid, after we took it and she said "I want one too!" (hence the similar pic of the 3 of us... plus the guitar boy who refused to let me take pictures of him after 5 snapshots or so)

Also, I want to share that we were on a train between NYC and Utica, NY when we heard about Michael Jackson's death! (can't keep away from the information these days, i tell ya) There was a guy with an iPhone 2 rows in front of me who sort of let the cat out of the bag by saying, "I don't give a s*#t about Farrah Fawcett; this is the King of Pop!!"

At any rate, I hope you enjoy looking at the pictures as much as we enjoyed making them. There's nothing like sharing creativity with a dear friend.


Shea has balance :)

Dirty Dancing?

Glory be. Mine and Shea's inaugural professional collaboration. (how's that for big vocab?)

I went to NY with Shea (my best friend from college) to help shoot this wedding, and her sister Lindsey (who was my fave biking buddy when I lived with them in the summer of '02) did hair and makeup. Talk about a dream team! The wedding was super fun - more of a weekend event than a 5-hour one. We went to the Adirondack League Club, which is like that camp in Dirty Dancing where the society elites go to "rough it."

Alan and Lyndsay met in college in Wilmington (where Dawson's Creek was filmed...ha) and have been together for 4 years. The weekend was a blast - definitely 72 hours of celebration! here's a few sneak peeks.

This Apple's not BIG enough for us!

This was quite possibly the best 24 hours I've had this year.








Broadway show (9-5), revolving rooftop restaurant, hotel room that barely fit the bed, fruit stands, hot dog stands, NY pizza, Ground Zero, Central Park, B&H photo supply (woot!), and of course... a good old fashioned NY Chipotle burrito :) (Lindsey's FIRST one EVER)

Even though Shea and lil' sis Lindsey live multiple states away, we still got to participate in our favorite pasttimes (traveling and laughing) and work professionally together for the first time ever! What a good deal. Thanks to Shea for inviting me on this "job" and thanks to Linds for opening me up to the world of makeup again. This was absolutely awesome, but I'll let the pictures do the talking.



[there was construction in Times Square, so people just took the blocked lanes as opportunity for a block party]



(iphone - checks out to be pretty handy, much to my Verizon dismay)

Brett & Kate ... are. so. great.

And they say Navigators are Never-daters...

Thank you, Brett and Kate, for breaking that rule :) This travel-loving, beautiful couple met through mutual friends, but started dating because of a random rendezvous in the airport baggage claim! Guess they found more than just their suitcases on those metal conveyor belts...

This wedding was very special. It's always a beautiful thing when 2 people who love the Lord decide to team up, live life together, and love both each other and the people around them - that's exactly what Kate and Brett are out to do. From the moving ceremony to the hilarious and meaningful speeches (esp. the stories about Kate striking out: "What is a strike anyways?") to the bumpin' dance floor, this wedding was a celebration! Thanks so much, Fugates, for letting me be part of your big day.

OH Glory BE! What a fun wedding to be a part of! The 2-becoming-1 of Mike and Bekah, who are just as full of energy, life, and good old fashioned romance as a couple of high schoolers ... so it should come at no surprise that they've been dating since then - since their good ole days at Rampart High School. They have been together for the better part of about 7 years!!! Mike and Bekah are so fun to photograph and to be with; they just ooze life everywhere they go. They must attract others who do the same because this was one of the most fun wedding parties I've gotten to photograph thus far, too. It's obvious that they have been through so much together -- the way they laugh, the way they know each other, the way they care for each other. It's inspiring! A regular Zack Morris and Kelly Kapowski, they are :) Some highlights: (too many to mention them all, first off) Mike seeing Bekah for the first time, under the bridge at Colorado Ave. His face is absolutely priceless, and I limited myself to just putting 2 of these in here. In the middle of the shoot, this kind woman from the Bridge Gallery invited us in to take pictures with the art! The art made a great backdrop, and the wedding party liked me again because they didn't have to stand out in the freezing cold anymore, taking turns on who gets to stand in the sunshine! I also LOVED the ceremony. I joked with M & B afterwards that in almost all the pictures I have of them, they're either laughing or kissing. Mike's response: "Those are our 2 favorite things!" The ceremony was just another chance for them to do their favorite things; in fact, they actually sneaked a kiss during communion, long before the pastor had given 'em permission. And we all got to laugh heartily along with them as they read their vows to each other. Bekah: "I promise to stay well read, so you can read vicariously through me." Mike: "I promise to always order dessert, even if I'm full." And those are the funny vows, but these 2 gems love God even more than they love each other and that is the real beauty in this relationship and in what they promised to each other. Thanks for letting me join in the fun, Difelices! Good luck in GA and AZ!!!

Sean & Rachel

This was the first time I got to brave the snow in a wedding photo shoot, and what a glorious day it was! I feel that I've had the privilege to work
with such kind, caring, and thoughtful brides in my career thus far, and Rachel was no exception. She and Sean met in high school here in Colorado and started dating shortly after. I've also photographed her brother for his senior pictures and her parents' bed & breakfast for their website (www.rockymountainlodge.com). Their inn is perfect; it's exactly what comes to your mind when you think of COLORADO! Chunky snow on the trees, real log cabin, mountains in the background ... Ahhhh. Glory. One tradition Rachel's dad has is that he doesn't like to see his daughters until he's about to walk them down the aisle. He didn't even let them show him their dresses! So, of course, he loses it a little and their weddings can turn into a big tear fest for everyone! This time, he budged a little and decided to see Rachel a few minutes in her dressing room a few minutes before the ceremony began. One thing I love about my job is that's not awkward for me be around to witness these precious, timeless moments between family and friends -- if I was just a normal guest I would get kicked out when these moments come and go! But my camera is my ticket into all kinds of intimate moments reserved for the closest of friends. I love it! And I loved getting to work with Sean and Rachel ... best of luck to you 2 out in your new South Carolina adventure!