Epic engagement session at St Mary’s Glacier

Amy and Russ’ engagement session

“You guys, it is cold, we have a steep hike ahead of us, this is going to be a crazy adventure. Amy do you have hiking shoes? no? just ballerina shoes? that should work too”

St Mary’s glacier trail is a step and quick 20 minutes hike. I was carrying a heavy camera backpack, Amy sported her ballerina shoes, athlete hikers were glaring at her, torn between laughing and screaming in fear for her. You get the best conversation while trudging up an icy trail.  We laughed about the cold and we talked about life while I was sliding down a slope on my butt.  We had semi philosophical conversation while trying to keep ourselves from falling. It felt like we came straight out of a Calvin and Hobbes’ comic book (Amy is the bouncy tiger).

In the end, we saw the magic of light seeping through trees while the wind made the snow twirl. We discovered the breath-taking views of St Marys, the twisty trees and frozen lake. We saw the sky turn pink and drove down to share beer and pizza at Beau Jo’s in Idaho Springs. This was an adventure that taught me more about Amy and Russ than any hourlong conversations.

I  get to create the most beautiful connections while trudging on an icy trail with a bouncy ballerina and a future groom with the kindest eyes I have ever seen.

I can’t imagine how awesome this wedding is going to be at the Lakewood resort in Cable, WI!
Couple walking in Idaho Spring
Couple hugging in Idaho Springs, CO Couple at Fall River Road, CO Couple kissing in the Snow and forest Couple at St Mary's Glacier Couple at St Mary's Glacier, CO Couple at St Mary's Glacier, CO Couple at St Mary's Glacier, CO Couple at St Mary's Glacier, CO

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A romantic engagement session in the mountain

Love + bravery + long white dress = epic and romantic engagement session in the mountain

Nick and Ashley look like they have lived their entire lives in Colorado. They embrace the hiking-rock climbing adventure seeking lifestyle that I have rarely seen in even the most outdoor loving couples I have worked with and yet….they are both from Louisiana 🙂  Ashley and Nick have chosen Colorado as the place to start their life together and our beautiful state is better off for it.

What I loved about this session was the ever-changing weather, which gave us a palette of light and colors that was uniquely Colorado. I also loved Ashley’s dress, graceful and easy to work with, Nick very dapper suit and the overall romantic-epic feel that stem from their mix of elegant outfits and rugged surrounding.

I can’t wait to shoot their wedding on August 25th in Estes Park!

engagement pictures in the woods in the mountain, romantic, white dress and  dark blue suit man extending arms in front of overlook epic image of couple on tall rock in front of an overlook engagement pictures in the woods in the mountain, romantic, white dress and  dark blue suit epic image engagement pictures in the woods in the mountain, romantic, white dress and  dark blue suit engagement pictures in the woods in the mountain, romantic, white dress and  dark blue suit engagement pictures in the woods in the mountain, romantic, white dress and  dark blue suit couple cross a river in boots couple's funny moment of man licking woman's cheek couple's funny moment of man licking woman's cheek couple's funny moment of man licking woman's cheek couple drink coffee by the river






Engagement session in the Mountains

Engagement Session in Boulder, CO

Cecilia and Tom’s engagement session took place at the Lost Gulch Lookout in Boulder, Colorado, on  a beautiful winter afternoon. It is usually difficult to pick a day for a winter session because the weather is so unpredictable, however that day in the Rocky Mountains was extraordinarily warm and beautiful. Consequently we spent the session taking in the breathtaking scenery and enjoying the sun. My couple loves the outdoors, and moved to Colorado to be closer to nature.

Cecilia and Tom will get married on September 23rd, 2017 at Camp Hale near Vale and  I can’t wait to photograph their wedding!

Until then please enjoy their pictures!

To receive more information about my engagements and weddings, please click here.

Mountain Engagement photos, Lost Gulch, Boulder
The park near the Lost gulch Overlook
Mountain Engagement photos, Lost Gulch, Boulder
Engagement Session at the Park near the Lost Gulch Lookout in Boulder, CO
Engagement Photos at the Park near the Lost Gulch Lookout in Boulder, CO
Engagement Session at the Park near the Lost Gulch Lookout in Boulder, CO

"Standing

"Standing

"Standing

"sitting

"Standing

"Standing

"Standing

Jill and Ross : Part one (the engagement)

I met Jill through Art as Action. She is a gorgeous dancer, and a beautiful woman. I love the way she laughs, how her presence brightens any room. I was ecstatic when she asked me to photograph her wedding, and we started with her engagement session in Boulder.

Engagement Session in boulder
We started our session at Chautauqua, a public space near the Flatirons
A Boulder Engagement Session
The park has this open space with huge trees, we took advantage of the beautiful morning light to get some yummy booked backgrounds
A boulder Engagement Session
As we made our way toward Pearl Street we found this lovely garden on the west side. This led to some secluded images
An Engagement Session in Boulder
At the bank, cause that’s how we roll
A boulder Engagement Session
Jill and Ross didn’t need much directions to pose. Everything felt spontaneous and incredibly sexy
A Boulder engagement session
the classic couple walk turned into a dance and turned into another walk
Boulder Engagement Session
Jill’s dress revealed her back and tattoo so of course I have to focus on that for a while 🙂
Engagement Session in Boulder
Jill and Ross enjoying a bit of the almost dry grass at the place where everyone smokes pot any other day than on Sunday early morning. Sunday is for session 😉
Engagement session in boulder
Jill and Ross trying to get away from me
An Engagement Session in Boulder
The Boulder theater is an original 1920s theater. It is lovely inside, and gorgeous outside
A Boulder Engagement Session
If anyone can do the dip, it is this lovely couple.

 

Location : https://www.chautauqua.com

Boulder : https://bouldercolorado.gov

 

A Knight’s Tale : Courtney and Tony’s Epic Proposal

Courtney and Tony have known each other for two years and are the most unique couple I have ever met. Courtney is a permanent make up artist while Tony is a motorcycle riding, comic book loving electrician. When Tony decided that he was going to propose to Courtney, he poured his heart into it and it took him six months of secret planning to finally pop the question (and the black diamond ring). For six months Tony learned how to ride a horse and joust, sword fight in heavy armor and play the part of the “Black Knight”. Under the cover of helping his friend with dance lessons for his wedding (this friend was not going to get married, it was all pretend!), Tony spent every weekend practicing and had to show Courtney his new (made up) dance moves after long days of rolling in the dirt. Then the big day came and in the tiny town of Wellington a group of performers gathered for a jousting tournament. Courtney and Tony showed up along with 100 other friends and family members (Courtney was quite perplexed to see so many people she knew!!). As the fighting and jousting took place, Tony stayed in the audience until Courtney was selected to hold a box that would be the grand jousting prize. She was given the key to the box and was instructed to keep it locked until the remittance of the prize to the winner. Courtney sat with her box as the black knight walked right past her and proceeded to win the tournament. The knight had a very tough time winning as tears (of joy) started to stream down his face as soon as he put his helmet on! At the end, Courtney was led to the podium and opened the box while Tony took of his helmet. There were many more tears shed, both on Courtney’s side and by the audience. The rest, as we say, is history and Tony and Courtney are now happily engaged 🙂 Congratulations to the two of you!!

The tournament took place in the tiny town of Wellington
The tournament took place in the tiny town of Wellington
many performers : dancers, jugglers and a dressed up puppy entertained the crowd
Many performers : dancers, jugglers and a dressed up puppy entertained the crowd
There was a story about a mean queen and valiant knights (the red headed person was mean too, I think)
There was a story about a mean queen and valiant knights (the red headed person was mean too, I think)

 

Many members of the audience were Courtney and Tony's family and friends
Many members of the audience were Courtney and Tony’s family and friends
Bear Girl
See I told you she looked mean!
Tony is waiting to enter the scene. He looks pretty zen so far
Tony is waiting to enter the scene. He looks pretty zen so far
Here is the box! Hint : there is a ring inside
Here is the box!  Hint: there is a ring inside
To no one's surprise (except for her!!) , Courtney was selected to hold the box!
To no one’s surprise (except for her!!) , Courtney was selected to hold the box!
Here is the Black Knight! He look cool and ferocious.
Here is the Black Knight! He looks cool and ferocious.
Tony can Joust like a ....jouster :)
Tony can Joust like a ….jouster 🙂
And fight like a knight!
And fight like a knight!
And it's a win! Take that you   traitor ! and don't come back!
And it’s a win! Take that you traitor ! and don’t come back!
Now Tony the Knight is waiting for his future betrothed to present him with the box
Now Tony the Knight is waiting for his future betrothed to present him with the box
while Facebook's server is exploding with knight pictures
While Facebook’s server is exploding with knight pictures
Here is Courtney! That's when me and 100 other people starting crying our eyeballs out. There was a universal "AWWWWWWW"
Here is Courtney! That’s when me and 100 other people starting crying our eyeballs out. There was a universal “AWWWWWWW”
YAY!!!!!
YAY!!!!!
Everyone is so happy at that point, I wish I could box that happy up for them!
Everyone is so happy at that point! I wish I could box that happy up for them!
The and Knight and his Lady rode away, and lived happily ever after.
And the Knight and his Lady rode away, and lived happily ever after.

 

THE END <3

The power of prints

I wanted to write a bit more than I usually do. If you don’t want to read, please scroll directly to the bottom of this page to see my albums. They look even better in person, so please schedule a consultation to have a look at them !

Pictures hold completely different meanings depending on what stage of life we are in when we look at them.

A new mom looking at her babies pictures while she is still not sleeping at night, while she is still recovering from the birth, will look at them with delight. The pictures will be shared and go somewhere on a hard drive. Or be stored somewhere on social media.

But an album will be stored in a bookshelf. No one was quite sure why this crazy photographer forced them to make an album, but hey, they just did it.

20 years later, when her little child is about to leave for college, she will look at those pictures with a completely new look. The pictures will bring back vivid memories of her time as a young mom and she will feel many wonderful emotions.

If she is lucky, the sleep deprived mom was organized enough to create backups of her digitals and had them readily available, on a new handheld (20 years from now) device.

But her album will be in her office, now that she has opened her own business. She will be glad to touch her baby’s face while her grown up child drives away.

Then one day she will be a grandmother. The pictures will be brought back up to compare features, new memories will be created and with it will come new images.

Hopefully someone will have remembered to transfer the pictures from the old drive. USB technology? What is that? Who know who saw the pictures last?

But the album is now in the family room with the other precious books. Ready to be opened again.

It is very likely that old prints are brought back up, old family albums are dug up. The pictures will  be touched. A little rip or stain adding texture to the times long gone.

I know that people love digital. I understand the need to possess and use what we have.  Most people, unfortunately do not print anymore.

This is why, in this era of digital images, I firmly believe in the power of prints.  And this is why, before my clients purchase the digitals, I convince them to get an album that I design with love. An album that is beautiful and solid enough to withstand time. With UV coated pages and seamless pages. Albums that are built like books.

Here are just a few samples of my albums. There will be more to come and I hope that more and more of my clients will understand and embrace the power of prints.

All my albums are lay flat so that I can use larger images that took both sides without interruption .
All my albums are “lay flat” so that I can use larger images that take both sides without interruption.
some of my books come in this beautiful, recycled wrap
Some come packaged in this beautiful wrap.
each book is unique, some people love heavy and thick pages . Others will want many pages and so prefer the thin paper *
Each is unique, some people love heavy and thick pages. Others will want many pages and so prefer the thin paper *
My album are built like books, with sounded or square corners *
My album are built like books, with rounded or square corners *
Example of cover material : brocade, silk, velour, leather
Example of cover materials : brocade, silk, velour, leather
Each album comes with a with array of cover material, sizes and design. Each album is a unique as my client
Albums come in a wide variety of cover materials, sizes and designs. Each is a unique as my clients.
other example of lay flat
Other examples of lay flat albums.

Fallon + Fleetwood : a session in Montmartre

Fallon’s dream has always been to live in Paris. I have known her for a few years, having worked with her and her aerial dance company on several occasions. The day that Fleetwood proposed to her, in their Boulder, Colorado home, she contacted me and asked me if I would shoot their wedding in Paris! We spent months organizing this wedding. Before their big day I wanted to do an engagement session in Montmartre, because I knew that it would be a place dear to her.  We met on a Sunday morning, at sunrise, on the butte and did a short engagement session.  Because Fallon is an aerial dancer, we also did a few poses around the Sacre Coeur.  Then we had breakfast at a tiny cafe. It was a beautiful day with Fallon and Fleetwood.

 

 

Our beautiful Fallon doing her thing
Our beautiful Fallon doing her thing
Aerial dance
Aerial dance
Basilique du Sacre Coeur
Basilique du Sacre Coeur
what a beautiful view
what a beautiful view
sunrise in Paris
sunrise in Paris
Quiet time, early on a Sunday morning
Quiet time, early on a Sunday morning
Overlooking Paris
Overlooking Paris
Fallon and Fleetwood, very chic in an empty Montmartre street
Fallon and Fleetwood, very chic in an empty Montmartre street
Fallon on the carousel
Fallon on the carousel
Famous steps of the Sacre Coeur, as see in the Movie "Amelie"
Famous steps of the Sacre Coeur, as see in the Movie “Amelie”
Parisian Carousel
Parisian Carousel
Breakfast in Montmartre
Breakfast in Montmartre
an alley in Montmartre, full of little shops
an alley in Montmartre, full of little shops
Sacre coeur side door
Sacre coeur side door

Montmartre

Fallon on the side of Sacre Coeur
Fallon on the side of Sacre Coeur
Fallon and Fleetwood at the back of the butte Montmartre
Fallon and Fleetwood at the back of the butte Montmartre

 

 

Engagement Season is Here!

I love engagement season.  As I scroll through Facebook and see all of the wonderful engagement announcements that people post, I can feel their excitement and it gets my creative juices flowing.

Part of the reason that I love engagement sessions is because it really gives me the opportunity to work with a couple on a personal level, and really find what it is about their relationship that is unique and special to just them.

Over the course of my photography career, I have found that an engagement session is also a rehearsal for the wedding, and a chance to take more personal photos of the couple that they may not get to take on their wedding day.

Here are a few of my favorite engagement shots from sessions this past summer.

BrittanyJasonEngagement
Urban Photos with Brittany & Jason
KatieDavid16thStEngagement
16th Street Mall in Denver
KatieDavid (2)
Denver Streets

This particular shoot was one of my personal favorites, because I was in Paris with the couple for their wedding, and we picked a very special place for the engagement photography session that we knew we would not be able to get to on the wedding day.  It was a beautiful spot,  and the couple was able to truly be themselves without the nerves and anxiety of the wedding day.  It was a lovely day, and as you can see, the shots really captured the beauty of the place and the couple too.

Montmartre
Montmartre Session Just Before Parisian Wedding
Montmartre-3
Montmartre Love
Montmartre (2)
Montmartre Engagment Session

If you are looking for a fine art photographer for your engagement session, please reach out to me today.  I would love to help you create the engagement photos that will capture you and your significant other during this special time.  Please also check out my website at annabelledenmark.com for even more engagement photos!

Katie + David

The first time I met Katie was during a meeting for Art as Action’s show “Break Open” . The first thing she told me was, “I like to work with fire.  Can you photograph fire?”

I had no idea how, but went “Sure!”

Hey, why not…right?  So we did a fire session as practice for her engagement.

Engagement Fire Session
Engagement Fire Session

But on the day of the engagement session, it was so windy that we didn’t get to the fire.  Instead there was Katie and David, me, Brian (my trusty assistant), a bike, and a bed.

Katie (Mesmerie) is an aerialist, hula hooper, and fire breather artist.

David (aka The Fermentor) is a foodie who is completely fearless.  He rides his bike everywhere, loves passionate people and risky behaviors.  Katie loves to say that he is the dangerous one 🙂

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For this session I wanted to give them some classic, colorful, and timeless images.

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I also enjoy sneaking secret messages and dates in my images 🙂

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Because she is a performer and he is happily joining her on stage, I thought a bit of a cinematic feel was in order.

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Denver can be very windy, which can also be a very lucky thing.

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David’s bike is very important to him. They told me that we had to find a way to have it in our shoot 🙂

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I agreed to the bike and then thought: If we are going to have a couple, a photographer, an assistant, and a bike with a trailer, we might as well carry a bed!

So we did.

We walked two blocks with a headboard, footboard, side rails, bed slats, pieces of plywood, mattress, bedding and pillow. In the wind of course.

It was so worth it!

DSC_4432_HDR

The “bed” shoot was important to me as I wanted to add a fine art feel to the session, and after all, that is why they hired me!  (little did they know about carrying all that stuff,  but never mind..)

The bed was set by the Rialto.  We built it in 5 minutes, the shoot lasted 10. By that time, an uncomfortable amount of onlookers  started gathering on the side walk and it was time to move on.  We only had one homeless guy try to lie down.  Not too bad!

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After the bed episode, we were so tired that we stopped for a beer.  I convinced them to do one more shot (not of Tequila! ) and we settled down in the middle of Larimer street.

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This shoot was CRAZY.

I loved it because it was completely fearless.

I also loved it because Katie and David  understand that images  become art in the hands of passionate people. There is no way to create something awesome without a bit of hard work, but it was their priority to do whatever it took to turn this session into a series of unique, artistic images.   They also understood that this shoot was a collaborative work where every creative idea was welcome and tested. There was no right or wrong, no judgement, and the process was exactly the same as the one described in my fine art portraiture blog.

Needless to say,  I can’t wait for their wedding on August 9th!