Four Seasons Vail Wedding - Lindsay and Chad

Elopement season is in full swing!  I think the last four weddings I've shot have been elopements.  I'd love to see some official statistics to see if this happening all over the country as well.  

I love shooting elopements.  It's such an intimate experience and it's always an honor that a couple would allow you to be there for such a special moment.  Lindsay and Chad's recent elopement at The Four Seasons Vail was no exception.  

I joined Lindsay as she was finishing up her make up and getting dressed.  I then took off to meet Chad for a few pre-ceremony photos before heading back to be with Lindsay before the pool side ceremony began, against the grand outdoor fire place.  

Following the ceremony we walked into the village to capture some photos in front of some iconic Vail landmarks.  Luckily Lindsay had brought a pashmina that perfectly matched Chad's suit to keep her warm as the sun was setting.

Congratulations to the happy couple.  What a way to start 2017!

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Vail Village Family Photos - Bogaert Family

Leg injuries are unfortunately a common occurrence in Vail.  In fact, we're known as having some of the best ortho surgeons in the country.  My son broke his arm last year and when I took him in for his appointments, the walls were covered in thank you letters from celebrities who have come to Vail for their surgeries and recovery.  

I've never had a shoot with a patient that was in recovery before, so my session with the Bogaert Family was a first.  Fortunately, there are lots of great locations that are wheelchair accessible.  Even better, we have heated sidewalks all throughout Vail Village, so you'll never see snow buildup on the streets.

The family were visiting from the Dominican Republic and it gave me a great opportunity to pick their brains traveling there.  Now I can't wait to visit!

Here are a few of my favorites from their mini session.

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Vail Family Photos - Sharp Family Christmas 2016

My last post was a maternity session for Amber and Brandon.  Following their shoot, their extended family came and met us at Golden Peak to do a winter session with everyone together.  I had planned on shooting with the Gore Range as our backdrop, but we were standing in the shadow of Vail Mountain and the Gore Range was catching the last of the sunlight, which completely blew out the light.  Instead, we turned the backdrop around and shot against the peaks in West Vail to get the softer reflective light.  

10 minutes into the session, the wind picked up out of nowhere.  Not the best situation when you're shooting with freezing cold little people!  So we headed to an aspen grove in the village to get some shelter and a change of scenery.  As you can see by the last photo, if someone's cold, sometimes there's just no getting around it!

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Vail Maternity Photos - Sharp Family

I've been taking photos with the Sharp Family for a while now and it's been exciting to see their family grow over the years.  I was so excited when Amber asked me to take maternity photos for their next addition and luckily we had some lovely (though very cold) weather when we set out to take their photos on Christmas Eve.  

Christmas week is notoriously one of the busiest, if not THE busiest week of the year in Vail, so crowds were going to be challenge when shooting in the village.  Luckily, I have lots of secret spots that are easy to access and just a few steps away from the hordes of skiers.  

I know I've said it before, but red really is the best accent color in the snow - especially on Christmas Eve!  This session was followed by another session with the extended family.  More to come on that shortly!

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Vail Wedding Elopement - Haley and Reza

Haley and Reza planned their Vail wedding elopement for New Year's Eve, 2016.  What a perfect way to celebrate their new marriage, with the last sunset of the year falling behind the mountains as their backdrop.   

The ceremony took place at Antlers of Vail in Lionshead, on the balcony over the Gore Creek.  We were able to use the walkway that runs along the creek for photos following the ceremony and although it was covered in snow, Haley braved the elements in her ballet flats for a few quick pictures.

They also brought the coolest bottle of bubbly to celebrate.  If you've never seen them, XXIVKarat cuvee has gold flakes in the bottle and a flashing light beneath the bottle that lights up the whole bottle.  It's perfect for a wedding and at $32 a bottle, it would be great for a girls night or a birthday present.

We walked over to Vail Square to take the remainder of their photos and the kind staff at The Arrabelle were more than accommodating when we asked if we could use their private deck at the base of the mountain.  

Here are a few photos from their special day.  

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Eagle Vail Family Photos - Addie and CC

I'm still catching up on posting fall sessions. I never want to post them too early in case they're used for holiday cards. I can't spoil the surprise!! I've been taking photos of these two cuties for a couple of years now and they're such fun kids to be around.  

Our fall session was full of adventure on the Eagle Vail Par 3 golf course. The timing was in our favor this year.  The leaves were still in good shape and the golf course was closed for the season.  There's a small turnaround period before it becomes a nordic track in the winter and we got it just in time.  It's a perfect setting for kids to run around and explore the trees, log fences and hidden hiking trails.  Mountain kids in a mountain setting. ♥ it!

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Vail Engagement Photos - Irma and Jeff, Lionshead

An unexpected part of being a photographer is taking on the role of a meteorologist.  Particularly living in a destination resort, where clients might only have one day when they can shoot.  When Irma and Jeff asked me to take their engagement photos, we certainly weren't expecting a blizzard to roll in, but that's exactly what happened.

Irma and Jeff were so gracious and even excited about the snow becoming a feature of their photos.  This makes my job so much easier and it definitely leads to some unique images.  Luckily Irma had brought a blanket with her to help keep them warm and it looked great in the photos.  

Here are a few of my favorites from their session.  

Visit the website to see more Vail Engagement Photos.