Kristi & Hugh got married in Aspen!

Kristi & Hugh are such an amazing and genuine couple. I knew their day was going to be a special one, but I don't think any of us could have ever predicted how the day would pan out.

For this wedding, my good friend and fellow photographer, Dusty Volkel of Volkel Image, came to Aspen with me. Actually we made a little trip out of it and also brought our spouses so we could enjoy Aspen together the next day.

We met up with both Kristi & Hugh while they were getting ready down in town in Aspen, just across from the Gondola at Aspen Square. Now Kristi hadn't spoken to Hugh at all that day, so Dusty & I had a lot of fun running back and forth and spilling the beans about what was going on in the others' room.




On our way up the gondola, we could see the weather at the top had completely closed in. It was windy, rainy/sleeting/snowing, and you couldn't tell that we were even at the top of the mountain, we were just in the clouds! Now you'd think Kristi's scarf on her head was to protect her hair? Nope. It was to make sure that non of the guests already up top got a glimpse of her. She's so funny, I adore her... hahaha.




The boys getting ready, captured by Dusty.




Well it wasn't looking like we were going to get to have the ceremony outside. The weather hadn't let up at all and Kristi told the coordinator to go ahead and set everything up indoors. As bummed as Kristi was, I was really really proud of her for not getting upset. I always tell my brides that there is no reason to stress about the weather! It's definitely the one thing that is completely out of your control! But Kristi & Hugh are from Houston and she wanted so badly for everyone to see this beautiful place that they had brought everyone to exchange their vows. I mean, not everyone gets to be married at 11,212 ft.! So naturally Kristi was bummed, and came down to share the news with her bridesmaids. She tilted her head back and looked towards the sky and actually said, "Please God, I'm with ya, you're my guy! Please give me this one break, it would mean so much"... and with a few laughs and giggles the girls gave Kristi a hug and continued to get ready.

Just a few minutes later, Melina, the wedding coordinator ran down the stairs... "Kristi! You're never going to believe this, you've got to come and see!! It's cleared... the rain has stopped and the sun is out!! "

We couldn't believe it! I have to say that was one of the neatest things I've witnessed. Just as quickly as they had set everything up outside, the amazing staff at the Aspen Mountain Club quickly took everything back outdoors so we could start the ceremony. Dusty captured the rainbow just as the rain was stopping...



So the rain may have stopped, but boy oh boy was it cold!! Being a Colorado girl, I usually keep gloves and a coat in my car, but I hadn't taken them up the gondola with me. I thought, it's June, can't be that bad right? I've lived here long enough that I definitely should have known better. I mean it had to have been no more than 30 degrees up there. It had been snowing! Dusty gave me a look when the ceremony started. One of those, what the heck did you get me into, kind of looks. Hahahaha. :) It actually wouldn't have been as bad if it weren't for the wind. You can see from the pictures that it was extremely windy. Since the staff is used to unexpected cold temperatures, they provided fleece blankets for all the guests. The next image shows a guest bringing up blankets for each of the bridesmaids as they took their spots up front. Such nice guys... :)



See, the sun was out! Doesn't it look warm? ;)




But it certainly didn't take away from a very beautiful and emotional ceremony for the bride and groom. And, well, Kristi got to share the view.







The Aspen Mountain Club was decorated so beautifully. Kristi did a wonderful job picking out all the details and making things special.







All good things, of course, must come to an end. I LOVE the sparklers on the exit. It's my favorite! This is Dusty's image. Isn't it great?! I barely made it outside to even see it because I got trapped by the crowd and burning sticks of fire were a little scary to maneuver through. haha




To Kristi & Hugh... it was an absolute pleasure to get to share this special day with you and your family. You are an amazing couple and I'm so glad you were able to find each other! I can not wait to hear about all your adventures in life as husband and wife and I fully expect to get to meet the possible additions to your family when you come out to Aspen again!! :)

Rachel & Jene's Wedding- River Valley Ranch

Rachel & Jene are a wonderful couple. It's always such an amazing thing to be a part of a couple's special day. I know I say that a lot, but that part never gets old for me! And being a part of their wedding, sharing in this time in their lives, just can't be understated. These two really do love each other and it showed every single time I saw them look at one another and smile. :)











There's nothing that gets me more than the father-daughter dance. *sigh* And the look on his face here just showed such amazing love for his little girl...



While I can usually hold back tears while the bride is dancing with her dad, this is what finally got me. Jerica, Rachel's daughter, (Like Erica, with a "J") and her new official dad had their first dance together as well. She was holding him so tight and Jene was just so visibly beaming and proud of his girl... I just couldn't hold back the tears. I have to admit, this was just about one of the sweetest things I've gotten to witness at a wedding.


There are of course, a MILLION more photos... well maybe not a million exactly, but there are a lot! :) If you'd like to be notified when the full gallery is ready for viewing, just shoot me an email.

To Jene & Rachel: I wish you nothing but a lifetime of happiness together. Thank you so much for asking me to be there with you.

Krisit & Hugh- Couples session in Aspen

I met up with Hugh & Kristi in Aspen awhile back to talk about their upcoming wedding and go over some details at The Little Nell. It was also a chance for us to meet! The two live in Texas and are planning their destination wedding in Aspen, so I definitely wasn't going to miss the chance to meet up with them while they were in the area!

While we were talking I sort of sprung the idea on them of taking a few photos while we were together. It definitely wasn't something we planned for, but it worked out really well. They were meeting their cake person at the St. Regis, so we took a nice little 15 min walk through Aspen to the hotel! I don't think we did too bad for last minute plans and a 15 minute walk! :)










Hugh & Kristi, it was an absolute pleasure to meet the two of you and I can't wait for your wedding this June on Aspen Mtn. Can you believe it, we only have a few more weeks!

Trash the Dress- Mile High Photographers Havin' Fun!

Earlier in the week I attended a workshop put on by a group I belong to, Mile High Photographers. I know I've mentioned MHP before and some of the other group shoots we've done, but the group is getting so big! I can hardly believe how the 12 people getting together at someone's house and having wine has turned into 60+ people at every meeting every month, and, I think, around 150 members! That's a lot of photographers! I have to admit, this is one of my favorite groups of people ever...! I have made some amazing friends from the group and I so look forward to every chance I have to get together with everyone. The Senior Rockstar Tour is one of the many projects and great things that have come from this group! When you work for yourself, it's not as if you have a co-worker to turn to with questions, or anyone to help you with decidions or ideas. Having a friend in arms who knows the business and what you're going through is an absolutely priceless asset. I blogged recently about helping one of these friends out with a wedding when he was sick, but we constantly call upon one another to be assitants and 2nd shooters... I just can't imagine my life without these friends and colleges.

See, aren't we fun? This is myself, Dusty, and Dawn and our buddy Ross is taking the picture. I just wish Ross was in it!


Because of our new size, I think the days of our informal meetings and improptu get togethers are, sadly, a thing of the past. Meetings require a RSVP to make sure the meeting space is large enough, and now group shoots are not just an open invite, but a paid slot to only the first to sign up to keep the group manageable and to hopefully have enough models. It's just crazy!
This last week, 3 of our own members, RJ Kern, Jared Wilson, and James Christianson, were nice enough to lead the masses and share some of their knowledge with the rest of us. We also had 4 fabulous models who were oh so patient all day while 6 or more people attempted to direct them at once. "Look this way, bend your arm, no place your hand on your hip, smile, laugh, wait- be serious, close your eyes...." hahahaha. Poor girls... they did wonderfully!!



These guys are all pointed at one girl. How many cameras do you count? :)


For those of you wondering, "Trash the Dress" doesn't have anything to do with ruining a gown. It has much more to do with freedom and letting go of tradition. It's the idea that it's ok to run in field in your dress, lay in the grass, get on a horse.... climb around in a ghost town...! Wait, that's exactly what we did! Russel Gulch Disc Golf Course is such an intertsting and unique place. Located above Idaho Springs at 9,000 ft., it is unlike many places you'd consider for wedding photos. So this is exactally why we picked it!

These are just a few images that I've messed with so far. The funny thing about these get togethers and shoots is that it's not really about the images... at least not to me. Some group shoots I've been on I've never even edited a single image! So I briefly glanced through these, pulled a few into photoshop to play with them, but the truth of the matter is that I may never really even look at these again. There may be MUCH better images in the mix, but day to day life and business priorities will take over and these just don't serve much of a purpose. Now wait, I lied a little. I will be going through to pull out and edit at least 5 images of each of the girls to give them for their time and patience. I did forget about that. But for now, this is it! These are the only images that have seen the light of day so far.

Oh, and I don't believe that I could ever duplicate this green flare again. That's why I opened it! Not only have I only seen a circular flair just a couple times in the millions of images I and my friends have taken, but I don't know if I've ever seen one a bright color. SO here ya go, a bright green circular sun flare! haha







On a regular basis, I try to keep images pretty classic. I feel like, as photographers, it's our job to give our customers something that will stand the test of time. We've all seen styles and trends come and go and I don't want someone to look back at their wedding photos in 15 years and say, "wow, what was I thinking?!" So, while I like some of the rustic and old school feelings that are very trendy right now, I don't usually do this "old time" look very often, but it just seemed so fitting for the location, don't you think? And these are for fun, so...!

Senior Rockstar Tour *** LIVE! ***

For those of you wondering what I've been so busy with... THIS IS IT! :)


This project is the first of it's kind (at least we think it is..!) and is a collaboration between 5 different photography studios: Elegant Images, Dawn Gioia Photography, Volkel Image, Allison Ragsdale Photography and of course... me- Art & Soul Photography.

We've been holding this whole project under a tight lid, wanting to keep it a surprise until it's launch date, so it feels great to talk about it! I'll let you go to the website for the whole scoop but here's the idea....

20 kids total will be split up into 5 groups of 4. Each photographer will work with a different group at each stop along the tour. So for example, group 1 will be with me while we're at Red Rocks, with Dawn at Phipps Mansion, with Ross in downtown Denver, etc. All the while we'll be riding around in this 34 person party limo bus from Sunset Limo. Along the way we'll pick up pizza, grab Starbucks, hand out prizes, play music, and just have a great time!

The whole idea of this is the experience. I don't know about everyone else, but my senior photos were nothing special, but still something I remember. Well can you imagine how much fun we're going to have? And on top of that, the seniors will get to work with 5 amazing photographer and have such a fun and varied collection of photos with a huge range of locations and backdrops.

This is definitely not your typical senior photography experience....

Now if you know a Class of 2010 grad, send them here right away! With such limited availability, these spots will go fast, so don't wait!

Check out the site and comment here to let me know what you think!

www.seniorrockstar.com

Sweet Little Baby Kelsen... 5 Days old

This past Saturday, April 25th, an adorable little bundle of a person was born. 7 lbs. 7oz. and 20.5 inches of little person to be exact! And just 5 days later, I got to meet little Kelsen Michael and all his cuteness!


I have to say... what an angel! Kelsen did amazing during his session. He stayed asleep for most of the time, perfectly content to let us mold and shape him and place him in all these places to take pictures around the house. When he did wake up, he opened his little eyes for me and we got to take some awake images as well.


Kelsen's big sister, Gabby, is 2 and she's still not real sure what to think about this new baby brother thing. We spent some time trying to convince her to give her baby brother a kiss, or touch his head and feel his soft hair... nope- nice try! Ha! We did however convince her to get in the crib with him and turn on his mobile for him, and for just a slight second on her way out... she found his toes and made sure to point them out to mommy. ;) Too cute...


Honestly, I don't remember the last time a newborn session went so well. It's sort of the nature of this type of session to have absolutely no expectations as to what's going to happen! As a photographer, I've learned, I can't plan to take certain types of shots, and I certainly have learned patience! Sometimes the brand new babes cry throughout the entire visit, other times all they want to do is stretch and contort their bodies in the oddest shapes now that they're free of the confines of mom's womb. But I've learned to take time, enjoy the baby and the visit with mom and just take pictures of whatever may come during our time together. (This is also why I usually allow 3 or 4 hours minimum in my schedule so that I have no where else to be! That way, we can take whatever time we need!)
Now Kelsen had a few tricks up his sleeve, don't get me wrong! haha... Araceli, Kelsen's mom, had these adorable cloth diapers for us to use. (I think I need to buy a few for the studio, they were awesome!) Because he's still so little, we decided not to use the liner in them because they just seemed so bulky on his tiny person. Well of course, we managed to have a terribly messy pooping incident in his crib. We got to change out the crib sheets, put him in a new diaper, etc. and what do you know... while I was holding him for mom while she got the bed straightened up, he filled another one! Should've known..... hahaha....! So we were down to the last one of his cute cloth diapers as we finished up the pictures, just hoping he'd make it through. We were just glad it didn't happen while he was naked! (that happens often, too... we just got lucky...!)


And this next image is the very last shot I took that day. I was saying goodbye, collecting my things, and he just looked so cute! I couldn't resist! I had to take just ONE more... :) And Araceli was right, it's one of my favorites of the shoot... :)

Jessica & Bernie are married! Beautiful Cancun, Mexico

The whole week has been a complete whirlwind since we returned from Cancun! I'm still trying to catch up on emails, phone calls, orders, laundry... :)

The wedding was fantastic. We arrived on Wednesday to the Dreams Resort in Cancun, Mexico after a long day of traveling. D and I dropped of our stuff at our room and almost instantly ran into Cathy & George (mom and dad of the bride) and the wedding party! It was great to see them! Some of you might remember Jessica & Bernie from the past post of their engagement session at Gunther Toodys. We spent a little time checking out the resort and went to eat dinner. After a margarita, some amazing food in our stomachs, and all that traveling since 3 am, we were pretty tired. Since it was only 7:30 or so, we decided we'd go up to our room and rest for a little while. Well, when we woke up at 11 o'clock that night, we figured we were a little more tired than we thought!! We just crashed and went to bed! What party people! :)

Thursday we spent some time out on the beach, scoped out the rest of the resort and where the wedding would be taking place the next day, and then it was off the the rehearsal! At dinner we got to know more of the family and friends and had a wonderful time. And then of course, Friday... Wedding Day!

I'm finally starting to get a chance to go through some of the images from the wedding day! This will probably end up involving a few posts so I can talk more about our trip, but these are just a few of the many, many images from the wedding. I've only grabbed a few random ones so far, but this will hopefully give you a taste!

Here's the bride getting ready before the ceremony.




The beautiful ceremony location at Dreams Cancun. Do you see all the birds riding the wind above them?! It was crazy how many there were!













I managed to not cry all day until George started dancing with his daughter. I've actually known this family since Elementary School, and we grew up not even a block from each other, but seeing this firefighter with his youngest daughter?... It just completely did me in.



This is Angelina and Stefanie, Jessica's two older sisters. Don't they all look so much alike?



Angelina and I are the same age. We met her first day at a new school in 3rd Grade! :) I knew Jessica for a long time as the little sister that we used to not let play with us (since that's what older sisters do, right?) and their mom, Cathy, as the one that always let me sit in her warm car to wait for the bus (since I walked to the bus stop.) I lost touch with the girls once Ang and I graduated High School. Then about 3.5 years ago we ran into each other at a wedding of other old friends from High School that I was photographing (one of my very first weddings... just days before I bought the studio) Through the power of myspace and facebook we have reconnected and tried to stay in touch. I was really excited when I started to talk to Jessica about her wedding and I'm so glad they asked D and I to be a part of it with them.

To Jessica & Bernie: I wish you many many years of happiness and love. Take care of each other... ;)