You gotta love Colorado Natives:  “It’s so warm out!” exclaimed Crystal, donning a little black dress and heels on a sunny 48F day in Denver, Colorado.  I was a little surprised when Crystal showed me photos of her outfit choices a few days before their engagement shoot in Denver, and her selections included outfits typically reserved for summer time in Southern California.  This was february, in the middle of a winter–we got 8 inches of snow the next day!  There’s no denying that Colorado creates a unique type of personality, one that loves being outside, basking in the  300+ days of sunshine the rocky mountain state receives every year.  The sun’s rays are warmer up here–closer to the big blue sky that presides over the land–and if that wasn’t enough to keep Crystal warm, then there’s her fiance Roberto.  Crystal and Roberto met a little over a year ago at the Denver Latin dance club La Rumba , and they go nearly every week.

When I first talked to Crystal about her wedding and engagement photos, she expressed concern that both her and Roberto were a little camera shy and have never really had their photos taken by a professional photographer.  After meeting them for the first time, I quickly realized that their shoot was going to be easy; the couple has amazing chemistry, and Crystal just lights up in the presence of Roberto.  Two is better than one.  By the end of their engagement session in downtown Denver, I barely remembered that these two were supposed to be camera shy.  When you take two people that are crazy about each other and place them together, their chemistry takes over; they soon forget all about the camera, and they get lost in their own little world.  My role at that point becomes not so much a creative director as simply providing suggestions and letting them interpret them through their own ways of interacting with each other.  Part of what keeps my job fresh is that there’s a unique subtlety to every couple’s interactions; it means that you never know quite what you’ll end up with, and it’s always rewarding to see a couple’s unique personalities show through in their wedding and engagement photos.  One observation I noted about Crystal is that she lights up when Roberto touches her.  I realize this sounds cliche, but their engagement photos speak for themselves.  See for yourself!

I’m really looking forward to photographing their Denver wedding at the Grant Humphrey Mansion in April.  Thank you guys for inviting me (wink, wink).