Uncle Sam

I was asked to shoot a 25 year anniversary party in Gill, Colorado.  I grew up in Colorado, but I have really never heard about Gill.  It was way out in wheat fields.  This shoot was one of many that I had, in a 3 week working-tour, that lead me to a few different states this summer.  I went from Fruit Heights and Salt Lake City, Utah to Evergreen, Gill, Denver, Loveland, Fort Collins, Windsor and Longmont in Colorado; Laramie and Cheyenne, Wyoming; St. Petersburg, St. Pete's Beach, John's Beach, Treasure Island and Tampa Bay in Florida; and Washington DC.  This was an amazing tour of incredibly different cultures right here in our great United States of America.  I love watching people.  As I sat in airport terminals on layovers, if I wasn't working on my computer, I watched the different types of people at each gate.  Airports are great places to see so many different types of people.  The people going to Washington DC were straight and to the point.  They told you (one time) exactly what your next step was and how to get there; very straight forward from point A to point B.  Tourists stuck out like a sore thumb (I was one of them).  The natives just walked around us as we fumbled.  It was hilarious.  People going to Florida were either super stressed out (on their way to vacation) or super tan with white teeth and wearing a Hawaiian shirt (on their way back from vacation).  The people in Wyoming, usually in working clothes with calloused hard working hands and weathered faces.  Colorado is where I met Uncle Sam.  Driving out with my 2 assistants to Gill was a beautiful ride to eastern Colorado.  I resigned myself to the back seat so that I could look around.  We arrived at a beautiful house on cobblestones, set majestically in wheat fields.  The wheat was about 2 feet tall, still green.  My very laid back client told me to look around and decide what location would be good for family portraits.  I grabbed a few of the younger fellas and said, "Can ya move this couch into the field?"  They stood there for a moment contemplating my request and said, "Sure" with big smiles on their faces.  They thought it would be a neat trick to play on their mama...lol.  So, there we were, with their sofa in the middle of their wheat field.  I saw this neat old man, with his 2 younger sisters.  I said, "I am going to make you famous.  Do ya want to take a few pictures with me?"  The image above is one that I shot with him.  He turned 87 years old that month.  Him and his sisters got a hoot out of taking pictures in the field.  They giggled and smiled the whole time.  He was a great model.  I absolutely love my work; meeting new people; experiencing different cultures; and living my dream.

Portraiture Photography

I was asked to come to a beautiful venue in Evergreen, Colorado to shoot for this bride and groom.  These are their engagement portraits.  We traveled to Evergreen Lake in the Rocky Mountains at dawn.  The beautiful log cabin, where they will say their vows, sits on the lake.  When we were driving up to the venue, there were about 20 elk standing off the side of the road.  If my car window was opened, one of them would have stuck his head right in my door.  I didn't know their eyeballs were so big.  LOL.  As I took these shots, the elk were running thru the water in the background. It was pretty fascinating and peaceful.  This is going to be an amazing wedding because the bride and groom are very contemporary.  She has several tattoos that she wanted to highlight.  The next image shows her extraordinary uniqueness, as well as, her femininity.   They both have amazing eyes and eyelashes that go on for days.  I was able to capture sun bursts thru my frame.  Their body position, as it relates to the sun light allows perfect casts of the "magical hour" of light around the edges of their bodies.  They were very please with these portraits, which makes me happy.  I love that people like my work enough to compensate me for traveling across the nation to shoot for them.  It seems that I work even harder to give them custom works of art.  I am inspired by the different cultures and beauty that each of these clients bring to the table.  It is a challenge that I welcome.   

Casting for Cabela's Magazine Cover

I shot this image with the owner of Hayden Outdoors for a Cabela's Trophy Properties catalog.  I promised him that I would help him get on the cover of their magazine.  I always follow thru on my promises!  This was taken at sunrise on one of their fine properties in Longmont, Colorado.  This ranch is called the Raintree Estate.  It has 4 lakes and unbelievable fishing.  This model/actor cast his line in the water and 2 seconds later he caught a fish.  I am telling ya, really, I counted 2 seconds on several casts.  It was unbelievable.  He couldn't get these fish off the line fast enough.  On this ranch there is an island in the middle of one of the lakes.  The cool gal that lives here is an amazing artist.  My mind was flowing artistically, while I was at this location.  I mean, who could not be inspired at this beautiful ranch.  It is up for sale for 1.65 million.  No one would know that this ranch was even here, unless you had specific directions.  It is nestled away from everything.  I loved it.   This is the link to locate this property;  http://www.haydenoutdoors.com/properties/raintree-estate-seth-hayden-1650000.  The owner drove me around this property, it took quite some time.  It was great to hear her past and to be a part of her future.  Note to self:  If I want to look like a dork again, please forget my hiking shoes and bug spray when working with Cabela's.  Yes, I felt like an idiot when I was shooting a fishing set in my pretty little black shoes.  The mosquitoes feasted on every inch of my skin.  I didn't complain because I felt so"girlie".  I almost wanted to spit and do some stereotypical man things, just so I wouldn't seem so feminine.  LOL.  Just kidding; I am good in my own skin.  I just need to remember bug spray or I will get eaten alive.  Always memories to treasure.

Men's Jewlery For Fable Designs

Working with jewelers is a whole different ball park.  I love it.  They are absolute perfectionists.  I learned so much about color of the metal, angles and reflections.  I shot this image for Fable Designs.  They are an amazing grass root company that is now international; www.fabledesigns.net.  What a pleasure it is to work with them. This product work takes patients and humility.  I sure did have to swallow my pride after the third re-edit.  Didn't matter, I wanted to get it right.  I learned from every mistake.  I love perfection.