I decided to try something new this year and offer mini photography sessions for those who either don’t want to pay for a full session or simply don’t have the time for one.  These 30 minute sessions allow for just enough time to capture 15-20 edited images to select from when preparing for holiday cards and gift prints.  I rented a natural light loft space in lower downtown Denver and it was a huge success.  Stay tuned for more mini session information by subscribing to my newsletter HERE.  Enj0y just a small sampling of what I captured that day.

Since I neglected to blog this little man’s newborn AND 3-month session, I’ll combine them with his most recent session.  He’s such a happy little dude and I adore his cute tuft of hair.  I can’t wait to continue photographing more milestones as he rapidly grows from baby to big boy!

This is a long overdue post but one that must not be forgotten.  I had the EXTREME pleasure of photographing this amazing couple at Spruce Mountain Ranch this past summer.  At the moment Ashley and I met over a glass of wine at our mutual favorite place I knew we’d hit it off.  She is so warm, sincere and appreciative (heck, the list could go on and on).  Her now husband, Matt, is equally kind.  They were game for almost anything, including Ashley agreeing with my recommendation for eggplant colored shoes and umbrellas by Bella Umbrella to coordinate with their color scheme!  Her gorgeous gown and adorable shoes were purchased at my favorite local wedding boutique, Something New Boutique.  Enjoy a small sampling of their big day.

With our first snow fall underway, I thought I’d remind you all about Marili Jean Accessories for THE place to order your winter hats.  They’ve got so many cute styles for newborns, babies, children and teens…and colors/styles to coordinate with any coat or outfit.  They also photograph really well.  ;)

This couple’s story amazes me.  They met in 2004 at the fitness facility where they were both employed.

They were in the middle of planning a beautiful destination wedding in Mexico for 11/11/11 when the bride discovered changes and discomfort in her jaw.  Her doctor discovered she had what is known as ICR (Idiopathic Condylar Resorption) which is essentially a condition that effects the jaw joints.  It causes facial changes because the jaw is literally regressing backward.  As it regressed backward it was slowly and continually closing her airway.  So, this life threatening problem could only be treated with surgery, a surgery that would cost over one hundred thousand dollars and that her insurance would barely cover.  As you can only imagine, this put any wedding planning to a halt and the focus solely on the bride’s health as this surgery needed to take place relatively soon after her diagnosis.  The only solution that they could see happening to avoid drowning in debt was to rapidly speed up the wedding date so that the bride could carry on her fiance’s much better insurance that would cover the medical bills.  Their dreams of having a destination wedding were crushed.  They now had to quickly find a venue, florist, officiant, caterer and photographer, not to mention hope that their guests could rearrange their schedules to be able to attend at a shorter notice.  This all could not have happened so smoothly without the incredible help of their wedding planner, Sandy, with SM Events.  She helped turn their dream destination wedding into a dream local wedding in such a short period of time that one would never know of the time constraints involved.

Cheers to a beautiful occasion celebrating the meaning of “for better or worse, in sickness and in health.”

I’m happy to share that Andrea has fully recovered and is doing well.

Venue: The Club at Flying Horse

A couple of months ago my dear friend April gave birth to a beautiful baby girl named Layla Marie.  It had been forever since I photographed a newborn baby GIRL so I was a tad excited to try out some new props/ideas.  She was a great model for me…as was her big brother Carter.  Congrats on the new addition to your family you guys!

p.s. Check out the A…MA…ZING wall mural in the nursery!

I photographed this sweet newborn baby boy a while back along with his older sister.  These siblings make the cutest pair and were a joy to photograph.

I’m going a bit out of order with this blog post but it’s for a good reason.  Our good friends Tiff and Denny, along with their adorable twin boys, are moving to California to be closer family.  As sad as I am to see them go, I understand the desire to be near family, especially when you’ve got a growing and busy family of your own.  They will be missed dearly but this will simply give us an opportunity and justifiable reason to visit wine country, a place we’d maybe never otherwise travel to.  Enjoy the sneak peek you guys!  I’m so glad we stumbled upon this breathtaking location and that you can leave with fond memories of the beautiful, mountainous state of Colorado.  xoxo

With the holidays approaching and your session on the books, I thought I would get you guys thinking about what to wear!  So many of my clients manage to pull together adorable wardrobes, but there are those of you out there that I know would love a little advice on the subject.

Think of colors other than red & black:

Remember, for most of you a family portrait is only happens annually or bi-annually if your lucky. So, dressing in traditional “holiday” clothing might not be a portrait you want to look at year round. Branching out from red and black will help create a timeless feeling and not bullseye your portrait as a “Christmas Photo.” However, holiday colors still look great if that is the look you are going for. I am a sucker for Christmas time myself, so don’t let me persuade you if you had your mind set! I just wanted you to give thought to how you will be using your photos and where you will be displaying them.

Why NOT to match:

There is one thing I would like you to avoid, and that is MATCHING! I know for some of you the task of coming up with a creative, complementing look is overwhelming. So you think buying everyone a white top and khakis seems like the perfect solution. WRONG! Don’t do it! Matching your entire family is great for traditional portraiture, but that is most likely not why you are coming to me! I want your images to be fun, have life and show your personality so lets think outside of the box a little! For laughs I thought I would link you to AwkwardFamilyPhotos.com so you can see what not to wear….or do for that matter, lol.

Why layering is everything:

I can not stress the importance of layering when trying to bring different colors together. It also adds interest and personality your photo as you can see in some of the sample wardrobes below. It is also a wonderful way to hide “problem” areas that some of us Mom’s think we have.

Think about props:

I love adding props to a session! Not anything that screams at you, but an object that lends itself to the location and surrounding. It is also a great way to get kids (and the family) engaged in something and to naturally smile. Good examples are a kite on the beach, a lolly pop at the park, or milkshakes with a down town setting.

Consider a Make-up Artist:

Some of you may feel that hiring a make-up artist is a bit over-the-top, but I can tell you from experience it can be worth EVERY penny!  They really understand make-up for photography which is most often much different than what you are used to putting on. After all, remember that you are investing a lot into this and photos are forever!  I’m happy to recommend a few great make-up artists in the area if you’re interested.

Thanks to my photographer friend for providing this helpful information.

For more clothing ideas, check out the following links:

Missie Moosie Children’s Clothing

Pipsqueak Couture

Matilda Jane

Mini Boden

Janie and Jack

Gymboree

Old Navy

Hanna Andersson