May, 2008 | Real Photography

Photography Tip Tuesday – Week #9: Golden Light

May 06, 2008

colorado springs engagement portrait

This week’s tip is simple and easy because I have a date with a movie rental tonight.

Evening and morning light creates beautiful images. The soft light and long shadows are dramatic and flattering.

Of course, if you live here in Colorado Springs, you’re at a disadvantage because we don’t have much of a sunset–the sun drops behind the mountains before it really sets. But if you are determined, you can catch our amazing morning light (thanks to those endless plains stretching toward Kansas).

So if you’re going to pull the family outside for a quick family portrait, don’t do it at noon. Wait until after dinner for some nice evening light.

Posted in Engagement Portrait Photographer, Photographer Tips

Manitou Springs, Colorado Engagement Portraits

May 05, 2008

We photographed not just one adorable couple this weekend, but two! In fact, sometimes I feel bad for the other Colorado wedding photographers, because we get all the coolest couples and that must suck for the other photographers. :P

On Saturday we got to photograph Courtney and Chris’s engagement portraits in Manitou Springs and Garden of the Gods. They are getting married in a month and a half, so get ready, because Courtney is going to be a knock-out in her wedding dress!

manitou springs engagement portrait

colorado engagement portrait

I loved Courtney and Chris’s outfits–another couple that coordinated very well together. Courtney had the great idea to use layers to add interest and texture to her ensemble, which I loved! (I’m thinking of adding an “outfit hall of fame” page to the site to give other couples/families ideas and tips on dressing fabulously for photographs!)

manitou springs engagement portrait

manitou springs engagement

We had an amazing day for pictures at Garden of the Gods. We are getting to have a few favorite spots that blow me away and look much more dangerous than they actually are. ;)

colorado springs engagement portrait

black and white engagement picture

I love the curving lines and long shadows that Nic captured in this shot:

colorado springs garden of the gods

They are such cute jumpers!

jumping engagement portrait

And I have to end with this shot that is so Colorado to me…

Thanks Courtney and Chris for being so wonderful and photogenic! We are so excited to be your wedding photographers and love that we don’t have to wait long for the big day–I know it will be amazing!

Posted in Engagement Portrait Photographer

Manitou Springs, Colorado Engagement Portraits

May 05, 2008

We had the pleasure of shooting Kara and Drew’s engagement portraits this weekend and they were so much fun to cruise around Manitou Springs and Garden of the Gods with! I’m pretty sure Nic would have kept them there as his captive models all evening if I would have let him.

Drew wasn’t able to make it to our initial consult (something about a beautiful day and a bike ride sounding like more fun than interviewing photographers), so this was my first time meeting him. I knew he was going to be fun to spend time with, when I was telling Nic about Kara’s VERA WANG wedding dress (you read that right, people). I told Nic that it had been Drew who told Kara to try it on, and Drew said “Yeah! I mean, it’s a dress she’s going to be wearing for several hours.”

Tells his bride to get the Vera and has a sense of humor? That’s a good melon right there.

Okay…enough of the yammer (I’m a little doped up on Red Bull to keep me keeping on after this weekend’s photography mania). Time for pictures.

engagement portrait garden of the gods

Could they be any cuter?! (Nic and I have been fighting over who took that one. It’s a new favorite.)

I loved their outfits–such great bold colors for Manitou Springs, and such beautiful earth tones for Garden of the Gods.

kissing colorada engagement portrait

manitou springs, colorado couple portrait

We had an unusually drab and dull day, which was a bummer for the backlit Garden of the Gods shots that I think are so gorgeous, BUT it meant that we were able to get some pictures in Manitou that have never worked out as well in the sun. Here’s one I’ve had in my head forever, but has never had the ideal light:

engagement portrait manitou springs colorado

I’ve been wanting to photograph another couple at a cafe since shooting pictures of Carolyn and Jack enjoying a Denver cafe, and the overcast day was perfect for it:

manitou springs outddor engagement portrait

I really hate it when I pick the pose and the setting and then Nic takes better pictures than mine. This is one of those times:

manitou springs engagement portrait

We do this pose a lot in the reverse, so I thought it was time to mix things up and have the girl be the seducer:

manitou springs colorado engagement portrait

And one of the last shots of the day:

engagement portrait with garden of the gods view

A big thanks to Kara and Drew for being so great at their shoot! We can’t wait for your wedding!

Posted in Engagement Portrait Photographer