Reed and I shot her senior portraits at her family ranch in Buena Vista - I loved the low-laying fog, which is so rare for us there! I shot Reed's sister's portraits there a few years back too, and it's been so much fun to get to know their family :) Thanks for such a fun fun session dude!
Oh yeah... we found some llamas.
Katie and Scott are two of the kindest, sweetest, most joyful people probably in the entire world. I loved everything about this wedding - yes, the details were lovely, but my favorite things about this day were all of the loving smiles, happy tears, and getting to hang out with their awesome families!
Moments like this are why I adore my job- bridesmaids seeing Katie in her dress for the first time:
Katie, you are SO gorgeous!
Loved this little dude's smirk :)
Katie & Scott decided to do a first look (yay!) where they read private vows to each other in the forest behind the ceremony site. It was so lovely!
These next two shots are some of my favorites!
Katie & Scott - I just adore you guys! I can't wait to hear all about your honeymoon in Thailand!
Shelby and I had to reschedule her senior portraits the first time because of the evacuations from the recent wildfires... I'm so glad Manitou was untouched and smoke-free when we were finally able to get in and shoot! What a gorgeous girl with a great smile :) Thanks for such a wonderful session Shelby!
Every industry has its own unique forms of drama, and ours is no exception - the latest being the debut of PIX magazine, which is billed as a magazine for "women in photography". Now, first, let me say that although I have some serious issues with this magazine, I have absolutely no beef with any of the photographers / companies / etc featured inside, so this isn't meant to come across as picking on anyone in particular. I'm sure they had no idea what they'd be getting themselves into.
So what are my issues? First of all, the name irks me. I don't "snap pix", I create photographs. "Pix" are what come out of your cell phone, and when I'm on a shoot, I may make it look easy, but I know what I'm doing. I don't walk around just "snapping pix" randomly. The cover model is a nameless, faceless woman, wearing floral print, using a small camera with a crappy kit lens. If this is supposed to be a magazine tailored to professional photographers, let's at least have her using some serious-looking gear. Now, take a look at the featured articles: Makeup tips. Craft ideas. "Irresistible accessories". Fashion tips. Wait, what?
If you check out the table of contents, you'll find:
ELEVEN articles about fashion, personal style, or accessories
THREE articles about interior design, and...
TWO articles actually relating to photography.
So, first of all, I'm really not sure there's a need to single us women out. Can't we all just be professional photographers? But if for some reason women photographers did need their own magazine... is this really what they think of us? No one would take me seriously as a pro if I talked about these topics in this proportion. I would assume that PDN, a respected industry giant, would create the premier issue of this magazine with the intent to wow us, to draw us in, to show off their best and incentivize us to come back for more. Is this all they could come up with? I have no problems at all with any of the content; it might not all be for me, but, fine. What I do have a problem with is the content that was excluded. No business articles. No gear reviews. No new software programs. No posing ideas of substance. No... really... anything, of substance. I'm getting the message that my equipment can be crap, my images can be crap, my business model can be crap, just as long as my makeup isn't smudged and I remember to wear this season's "in" color with some sparkly blingy accessories. Because we're girls! Teehee.
Now, again, I'm not trying to bash anyone - I do have one of those camera bags that looks like a giant purse, because sometimes I'm shooting in situations or locations where it pays to be discreet and not have my appearance shout, "OMG over here look at all my gear!!$$$" But I also am going to need waaaay more than fashion tips to run a successful business. So, rather than just get offended and criticize (although that's tempting), what would you like to see in the next issue of PIX (assuming it sticks around for a second issue)?
I love these day after shots! Although we got a little rained out on Rachel & Daniel's wedding day, we were able to have some time to shoot on the beach the next morning at Grand Velas in Playa del Carmen. I'll start with this one because I just love it.
Love you two - what a fantastic weekend!
