I'm not particularly great at multitasking. Sure, I always include it as a strength on resumes and job applications because there was that one year I worked at a bank and got really skilled at talking on the phone, handling multiple customer transactions, and counting money at the same time. But in real life, I'm not going to sugar coat it. I have a hard time cooking and having conversation. I can't edit photos and talk on the phone. When my desktop has too many windows open, I freeze up and have to de-clutter. And when I travel I don't find it easy to stay connected to the media and enjoy the trip at the same time. So forgive me, you sweet Sunday faithfuls, for my absence the last two weeks. I had a dear, dear (best) friend visit that I hadn't seen in two years. I shot two weddings. Flew to Knoxville. And I loved stepping away from the computer and having real conversations (instead of email or facebook.) It refueled me. 

*I just checked out of curiosity and I shot over 3500 images in the last two weeks. We have a lot of catching up to do!

Shannon + James teaser // Siesta Key, FL.

The entire day was gray and cloudless. Even the backdrop during the perfectly timed sunset ceremony had no color. I'm sure Shannon and James didn't mind or even notice. Between the tears and heartfelt vows there was no time to even pay attention to the dull sky behind them. So it came as a surprise later when everyone was leaving the beach and BAM! Literally out of no where the clouds started glowing like hot, psychedelic lava. I kept second guessing my camera settings because the images on the LCD screen looked surreal. They looked fake. And of course, it only lasted five minutes. But they were the best five minutes of the whole day.

p.s. No color enhancements have been made to this photo. Mother Nature is just that kind.  :)

Chels + Jeff // Oklahoma City

I learned a lot of things this day.

1. family members are more difficult to photograph than strangers.

2. never schedule photos on the same day a tattoo is to be finished.

3. whiskey helps.

4. a second whiskey is even better.

5. these two are brilliantly intelligent and attractive, but I like them best when they're laughing themselves silly.

I love you both and wish you insane happiness on your new adventure in NYC. Oklahoma will miss you.

crazy.

The last few weeks have been -

busy

stressful

refreshing

exhausting

delicious

and satisfying.

It's been crazy.  But it was exactly what I needed. And wouldn't change any moment of it.  Especially this one...

Hire me to shoot your Halloween wedding and I will not disappoint. You have been warned.

wedding teaser.

It's not a secret. Love can be chaotic, especially the deep, true loves of our life. And at some point all of us that dive in head first forget to come up for air and remember the pure, simple reason why we loved in the first place. But I'm a firm believer that we do this even more with the things that really matter the most. The things that, in the end, make life worth living. And you have to come up for air, or else you can't keep swimming.

I'm not just talking about relationships, but wedding photography too. One of my all time favorite wedding photographers helps me to always remember why I do this for a living by looking at his images. But yesterday he said something on his blog that I really couldn't have said any better myself. It applies to weddings, and it applies to life.

"I like it when two genuinely good and beautiful people get married. When everything seems chaotic and things don’t happen the way they should, we peel off the layers of what a wedding is, and the fundamentals become even more apparent.

Love."

-Jonas Peterson

More to come...

allie + richard.

The farmer's market started this week. Let me remind you, it's October. Also, there was an ice cream truck outside of the house on Thursday afternoon. Again, it's October. Leaves are changing colors in other parts of the country and back home in Colorado, there's snow. I feel like I'm in some kind of confused, seasonal time warp. And I think the confusion is rubbing off on me too because mid week I found myself making soup on a cool evening, wearing a sweatshirt, and pretending it was the real October I know and love. But as much as it sort of felt like Fall (or I wanted it to feel like Fall) I couldn't help but question the soup making the next day when the temperatures were high, the AC was turned back on, and I was sweating into my leftovers - all the while the ice cream truck was paying the neighborhood another cheery visit. I'm not in a time warp. I'm in Florida. Happy Fall!