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 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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Vail Wedding Photographer - Four Tips for Capturing Wedding Photos and Staying Discreet

A new camera on the market has been brought to my attention.  Light have introduced the L16 camera, which has the ability to take DSLR quality photos in a camera the size of a smart phone. This got me thinking about how much gear I carry with me when shooting weddings.  I shoot with two DSLR cameras on a chest harness.  One camera has a wide 17-40mm lens and the other has 24-70mm portrait lens.  Both cameras have flashes and light diffusers attached. That's a lot of gear!  So if a wedding photographer carries so much gear, how can they be discreet and still get the shot?

1: Dress Comfortably

Recently I saw a wedding photographer dressed in a full tuxedo.  I couldn't think of anything worse! For high end events in Vail, we have a dress standard that's referred to 'Mountain Casual'. Translated, this means dress nicely but sensibly.  If I'm shooting a wedding, it's not uncommon for me to be walking through long grass, mud, snow, rain, river beds and obviously, over mountains.  This means sensible shoes.  I also wear black dress pants, a black shirt and usually a black cardigan.  Whatever I'm wearing, I have to be able to move and stretch.  If I can't move, I can't get the shot.

2:  Be Prepared

If it's good enough for a boy scout, it's good enough for a photographer.

Do a walk through at the location, check on the light (both artificial and natural), clean your gear, buy batteries for your flashes, have clients fill out a questionnaire, create a shot list, visualize your ideas, talk to the officiant, get the wet weather plan, check the weather forecast on multiple apps, research ideas for large wedding parties, look up ideas for small wedding parties, plan a route for photos throughout the location, pack a snack, take sunscreen, bring an umbrella, check your camera bag multiple times, make sure you have enough memory...you get the drift.

Be both strategic and adaptable for any situation that may arise.  Nothing will draw more attention to you than being unprepared!

3:  Ninja Mode

We wedding photographers wear black for a reason.  We want to blend in and not draw attention to ourselves.  We also want to be light on our feet.

I like to shoot from all angles during the ceremony.  I start by taking centered shots from the aisle, both wide and tight.  Then I move to each side and repeat.  I'll be back in the center to get the vows, exchange of rings, the first kiss and the recessional.  With all of this moving about, I have to be quiet and quick.  This means moving in and out of each location as nimbly as possible.

In order to do this, you need to know your gear backwards, forwards, inside and out in order to get the photos that the clients want - like a ninja!

4:  You're on the Clock

This one is personal and some photographers may disagree with me.  I worked for years in the resort industry, helping to plan weddings on top of the mountain. Because of this, I'm very conscious of my role during a wedding.  I don't eat vendor meals in front of clients and I don't drink alcohol during events.  I'll carry a snack with me and eat it somewhere out of sight of guests, quickly and usually during dinner service.  I find that dinner is the best time to walk around and grab a photo of each table.  This ensures that I've taken at least one image of every guest at the event.

When I'm done for the day, I'll go home and have a glass of wine in the comfort of my own home, make-up free and in my pajamas!

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Vail Wedding Proposal - Vail Wedding Deck Winter Edition

We are officially into what is known as mud-season in the valley.  Restaurants are shut, businesses are closed and hard working seasonal employees are heading to sunnier locales to get some much deserved rest. 

Now that I'm working for myself (a year round employee of sorts), instead of traipsing around the globe like I would have in previous years, I'm using the time to catch up on posts and working on a couple of very exciting business developments.  More on that in the next post.  On the topic of catching up on posts though, here are the images from my last wedding proposal for the season.

This proposal was planned over the course of a few months.  A location was picked, a location was changed, a date was chosen, a date was changed, flights were booked and flights were changed (that included flights for both sets of parents too!).  However, it all came together perfectly.  The plan was for me to board the gondola and they would board 10 minutes later.  This gave me time to get in position and they arrived right on cue.  The weather was unbeatable and she was completely surprised.  There were many tears and celebrating with their parents made the whole day complete.  

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