Vail Wedding Proposal - Lucas and Leslie

Wedding proposals take a lot of preparation.  Most of the time, I've never met the clients before, so there's a lot of texting regarding what you'll be wearing so that we can recognize each other.  I generally pretend to be a tourist taking photos, which is the route we decided to go when Lucas asked me to shoot his proposal to Leslie.  He had sent me a message saying that he'd be wearing grey pants and a blue ski jacket.  Just as they were scheduled to arrive, a couple turned up and the man was wearing grey pants and a blue ski jacket.  I was pointing my camera at him, taking photos and trying to catch his eye.  The poor man was staring at me with a look that said 'crazy lady, stop taking photos of me and my girlfriend!'.

5 minutes later, the CORRECT couple turned up and I was able to capture the proposal as planned.  To make sure the background was clear for the photos, I had spoken with 2 gentlemen that were in front of the fire pit and explained to them that I was about to shoot a wedding proposal right where they were standing and would they mind moving.  They were happy to oblige and ended up filming the proposal on their phone and sending it to Lucas and Leslie afterwards.  

Everything went so well and the following morning we headed out into Vail Village to take their engagement photos.  More to come on that shortly...

Visit the website to see more Vail Wedding Proposals.

Beaver Creek Family Photos - Hopper Family

When I headed to Beaver Creek to take photos for the Hopper Family, the skies were clear and bright.  We'd been told that a storm was supposed to hit the valley that morning, but 5 hours later, it was still no where in sight.   I took a walk to scout out locations and found a perfect spot with mountain views at the base of a ski run.  The family headed out to meet me there, just as the non-existent storm rolled in, ruining my mountain views!  Thankfully, the Hopper family were excited for some stormy photos before we headed inside to the warmth for a few more pics.  

I always talk about how much I like red as an accent color in the snow.  Check out Lulu the dogs scarf!  Love the accessorizing! 

Head to the website to see more Beaver Creek Family Photos.

Vacation Dates for White Starfish Photography - Heading Home!

I'm shutting up shop for a few weeks to head back to New Zealand with my kiddos.  After a long cold winter, it's time for us to thaw out and catch up with our beloved whanau and friends.  

I'll be out of the office from Feb 14-Mar 6, but still checking emails.  There may be a slight delay in replies due to the time difference, but I'll get back to all inquiries ASAP.

See you in March for spring skiing!

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!

Visit the website to see more Vail Wedding Photos.

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!

Visit the website to see more Vail Family Photos.

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!

Visit the website to see more Vail Maternity Photos