Get the Job Done: Krista and Scott's Wedding

Here's one of my favorite photos from Krista and Scott's Wedding. I had this image in my head as one of the shots I wanted to set up. It's typical in that a kiss behind the bride's veil is a common photo captured during a wedding. But what I was aiming for was the light from the setting sun to add warmth, dimension and that ethereal classic touch.

Of course when dealing with setting sunlight, timing is of the essence. The light is moving quickly and changes from second to second. While Krista and Scott were finishing up their receiving line after the wedding, I kept tense watch over the light fearing I wouldn't be able to get the right circumstances for the veil shot. When the sun lowered for what I thought was the last time we'd see it that night, I can't tell you the disappointment I felt.

But as the receiving line dwindled to it's last guest, the sun decided to peak out from behind a cloud for just a few more minutes. I grabbed Krista and Scott saying, "This is IT! We've got this one chance to get my shot!" After some quick positioning, I started snapping away hoping to get the image I had seen in my photographer's minds eye. A few post-processing touches later to bring out the specular highlights and voila! Can't beat the beauty of natural light. Totally worth the wait (and the worry!)

Get the Job Done: Mary Kay Alter Ego Sessions building steam!

From the latest Mary Kay Alter Ego Session, Etta looks lean and luscious in a fantastic snake skin coat. It's Saturday night, and she's ready to PAR----TAH! Meanwhile, Etta's alter ego is reminding brandishes her bible and reminds her to get her butt to church come Sunday morning!



All a decidedly feminine cowgirl Sherri needs is a horse and a saddle, and she's ready to gitty-up. But she totally dropped a bomb on me when she walked out of the dressing room in this regal Nefritti costume. Would anyone care for a Sherritti, shaken not stirred?



What alter ego inside of you is fighting to get out? Contact me to set up your personalized makeup session and professional photo shoot!

Get the Job Done: Alter Ego Photo Sessions

Make the fun of Halloween last all year when you and your friends book a Mary Kay Alter Ego Session! Mary Kay Independent Beauty Consultant Lisa Young has teamed with my studio to host fun shoots where clients get to tap into their wild side, their girly side, their compulsive shopper side -- ANY part of their personality that deserves equal play time!

Unlike other traditional makeovers that just apply the makeup, Lisa spends one-on-one teaching clients in personalized training sessions how to choose colors and apply their own makeup.

Here's Fran's before and after!



So how does it work?

First an everyday look is applied, then the client dresses in their first "alter" and model in their own professional photo shoot with yours truly!





Next, more glamorous and striking colors are applied to suit the next alter's personality.





Then you choose which alters you want interacting with each other in a finalized alter ego photo!



Not digging the alter ego thing? Then opt for a professional business portrait to use on your resumes, for your business, and social networking sites like Facebook and LinkedIn.





Attend our reveal party and watch your alters come to life on the big screen in a slideshow presentation set to music!



That's right! You get two looks and two photo shoots!



Love the makeup? Order from Lisa! Love the photos? Purchase from me!



Each client will have their own password-protected, online gallery to view their proofs and choose which photos they want edited and printed.

Here is my price list:

Prints:
8 wallet sheet - $9,99
4x6 - $7.99
5x7 - $9.99
8x10 - $14.99
11x14 - $19.99
16x20 - $49.99

Digital Copies: individual photos starting as low as $19.99

Print Packages:

Diva In Training - $30 (save $11)
(2) 4x6
(1) 5x7
(1) 8x10 (alter ego shots)

Diva - $40 (save $15)
(4) 4x6
(1) 5x7
(1) 8x10 (alter ego shots)

Divalicious - $60 (save $17)
(8) wallet sheets
(4) 4x6
(2) 5x7
(1) 8x10 (alter ego shots)

Diva Divine - $80 (save $28)
(8) Wallet sheets
(6) 4x6
(2) 5x7
(2) 8x10 (alter ego shots)

Purchase a CD with all edited full-size photos (printable up to a 16x20) from the shoot and printing rights – $250

Purchase all of the images from your photo shoot in a video slideshow set to your favorite music for $50.

Book a session TODAY. Call Lisa Young at 720-218-2030

Get the Job Done: A photo spread in the Denver Post!

Sorry I've been remiss in my blogging duties! Usually this is my slow time of the year. But late season senior portraits and the success of new alter ego photo session projects with Independent Consultant Lisa Young has kept me so busy that I'm even thinking about hiring an assistant to help me stay on top of my work schedule.

But today's post is such great news, I had to take the time to share it with my readers! Five of my photos appeared in a Denver Post photo spread on Saturday! Last Tuesday, I drove to Fairplay to do an article on the "Bristlecone Dome" home owned by Keith and Sylvia Wortman. Since it was a quick turnaround (ie the article was due by end of business on Wednesday) my editor asked me to also take photos that would run with the article. I love with when my day and night jobs intersect so beautifully!

To keep both the written and photographic aspects of my journalism job separate, I spent about an hour interviewing the Wortman's on the phone and about an hour going on a tour of their amazing 4,000 square foot. Then after a quick lunch, I took about another hour wandering through the house taking photos. Because the house has such amazing views and a ton of windows, I had plenty of afternoon sunlight streaming through for some great naturally lit shots with a just a touch of fill flash. Here are the photos that ran in the Denver Post, on page 4D of the Saturday Oct. 16 Feature's section "Inside Out."











Want to see the rest of images that the page designers had to choose their favorites from? Check out this gallery. The password is: Wortman.

Turns out 700 people toured the Wortman house over the weekend after they read my article! Love it when my articles have such a great positive impact. Can't even begin to express the pride I felt in having both an article byline and a photos credit! The lovely page design helped make my article one of the most widely read lifestyle articles all weekend long and my editor told me my ability to write and shoot at the same time on a tight turnaround was one that "only a true pro could handle!" I'm just glad she had the faith in me to get the job done! Ultimately I'm hoping that with more work and more time, one of my photos can appear along my story on the cover of a section front!

Breaking News: And the winner of the free photo shoot is...

WE DID IT!!! Picture Your World Photography now has more than 400 Facebook Fans! I want to thank all those who have supported my creative journey from the onset and continue to do so today. In honor of this achievement, I promised that one fan would be awarded a free photo session with yours truly.

Using a Random Number Generator Service, would Fan No. 225 please stand up....

DONNA HARMON...come on down...you have won the drawing for a free hour long photo session! Congratulations Donna!

Get the Job Done: Part one of Senior Rep's Shoot Done

This morning before dawn, I finished editing images from the first portion of Tierra's senior portrait shoot! Tierra, a Montbello High student, became the studio's first senior representative this year. Her first session included using her school's grounds as a backdrop.









Then we moved to another nearby location where with a lovely lake.









Our next session will be held in the streets of downtown Denver where Tierra will be rocking a formal gown in an urban setting. That shoot should be lots of fun and I can't wait.

I want to thank Tierra's mom for allowing her daughter to be a studio senior rep! Tierra has been extremely beneficial passing the word about my photography services. Numerous of her friends have become Facebook fans and I've secured two additional senior representatives for East and Manual highs thanks to Tierra. Keep up the good work, girl!



It's not too late to become a senior rep for Picture Your World Photography! Senior reps get a free photo session, a free yearbook picture and free prints in exchange for telling all their friends and all their friends' friends about me! Call now at 303-548-6112. I only offer senior rep positions to the first senior from each area school to contact me!

Breaking News: Close to 400 Facebook Fans!!!

The studio is just 9 people away from 400 FACEBOOK FANS! Once I reach 400, I will do another drawing for a free photo session! Become a fan today to be eligible for the drawing!

An Aside: If at first you don't succeed...New watermark design Take 2!

I've been experimenting with more potential watermark samples, and I would like your opinion once again on which one you think works best. I plan to use these only when I upload images to the web. The key here is to keep the photo size small enough that it can be viewed but not high enough in resolution that it can be copied and stolen. I'd like to thank the gals from Coffee Shop Free Stuff for the templates and watermark actions that have inspired me to create these new designs.

Here is sample one:


Here is sample two:


Here is sample three:


and here's sample four:



Tell me whatcha think!

This Weekend: Editing, a senior portrait session and a wedding oh my!

Thank goodness this is a four day weekend for me, because after I finish doing all of my photography assignments ahead of me I will DEFINITELY need some rest!

I'm going to be editing like a mad woman, trying to get the shots done from Tierra's senior portrait session and Monique and Jessica's boudoir session:

Tierra's Senior Session:


TrueVirgos Boudoir Session:


Then tonight I will shoot a senior portrait session with Kawanna, my first student from East High! Kawanna was referred to me from Andrea, a security guard who works in the Denver Post building. Kawanna is Andrea's neice, and her booking has given Andrea $25 off her next photo session. Thanks Andrea! I can't wait to photograph you and your family when everyone is in town at the same time. Kawanna said she wanted both greenery and water as a backdrop for her portrait session. So this evening I'm taking her to one of my favorite locations, "a secret garden" nestled in the DU campus. I'm hoping to get a great sunset photo for Kawanna!

Tomorrow I will be serving as a second shooter for Krista and Scott's wedding! My friend and colleague Sean Donnelly has helped me countless times as a second shooter when I had wedding assignments. Now is my chance to help him out by serving as his second shooter during his friend Krista's wedding. I'm very excited about this because it will be my first time having exclusive coverage time with the groom and his party. As a lead wedding photographer, I usually end up shooting the bride and her party while they get ready for the ceremony. I haven't had the chance yet to shoot the groom, until tomorrow! Krista tells me Scott and his friends are very cool and look forward to "partying" with me before the ceremony, so I hope to get some fun casual and traditional shots.

You may remember that Krista and Scott were one of the couples that participated in an engagement workshop I set up for Mile High Photographers last year. Here are some of my favorite shots I took of the couple. This location is the same place where I'm going to be shooting Kawanna's senior portraits tonight!

Krista and Scott






Whew, I'm tired just thinking about all that! I need some strong chai. NOW!!!! Wish me luck!

Get the Goods: Two new must attend classes!

I'm psyched about some new classes being offered this month through Illuminate Photography Workshops.

Camera RAW: The Basics (followed by Camera RAW 2) taught by Master Retoucher, Photoshop Guru and Adobe Certified Expert, Armando Martinez is first on the list. Running Sept. 13, the three hour workshop will help me learn some tips to quickly process RAW files using Adobe Photoshop. I gave up a long time ago on including Lightroom in my post-production workflow. I work exclusively in Photoshop now and end up spending most of my time in Camera RAW -- only opening up Photoshop proper for some specific edits. I KNOW Mando will hook me up with some new tricks that will help speed up my editing even more.

Meanwhile, Event Photography, on Sept. 21 and 29, taught by Illuminate director Efrain Cruz and Photographer Jim Turley, will build on my own growing foundation on event coverage experience. Denver's central location and amazing outdoor activities continues to draw events ranging from concerts to conferences. My event photography coverage has grown so much this year alone that I even thought about specializing in it over portraiture. I have been the official photographer for the National Brotherhood of Skiers summits held in Colorado for the last three years. And this year, I was the official photographer for the Council on Foundation's Annual Conference held in Denver featuring numerous keynote speakers including Former Vice Pres. Al Gore. Check out my COF photos featured on this wrap-up page.



White House adviser Valerie Jarrett talks to philanthropists in Denver.

I went from shooting during mid-day on a snow-capped mountain to deep inside a dark and cavernous dance hall during this year's NBS coverage in Winter Park. Dealing with security, quick uploads and an insane pace during the COF conference left me exhausted for days afterwards. Instructors will give students techniques for overcoming challenges such as shooting in low light, scouting difficult venues, and satisfying organizations. Plus, we will get some hands-on training when we are invited to shoot alongside our instructors at a real event for a local non-profit!

Class sizes are kept small, so sign up today here! Would love to meet some of you.

Get the Job Done: The Garden of Eden

Eden's portraits taken in a sunflower field on an empty plot of land near my subdivision were a great success! And not a moment too soon either! Just one week after I shot these images of "Little E," the entire field was mowed over, wrecking plans that I had to take senior portraits in the same location.

Apparently what I saw as an ideal spot for some fun portraits was just blight to the neighborhood. Oh well. Next year, I will try to plan some shoots based on the sunflower blooming season (and of course as long as that piece of property remains vacant which could be a while given our slow economy!)

Here are some of the favorites from the set.