I have a photo published in OM Yoga Magazine this month. I think it’s my first double-page magazine image!
It’s a photo of Mike Matsumura, a yoga instructor in Colorado Springs. He and his wife Charlotte own the immensely popular Pranava Yoga Center in downtown Colorado Springs. Just a couple days ago they expanded into a huge new studio, and I’m so happy for all their successes. This magazine feature certainly takes place at a great time in Mike’s career!
I took this photo of Mike in the Garden of the Gods at sunset. You can see more from this shoot here. That post also links to their engagement portraits and wedding photos, if you’re curious. I miss shooting the talented and bendy Charlotte and Mike. Congratulations, you love birds with excellent names.
On Sunday I photographed the Reston Sprint Triathlon for Reston Patch. I got up at 5:30am and walked over to Lake Newport pool, stopping first to enjoy the sunrise over the lake. When I got to the race site at 6:30, it was already packed with excited people who were getting their race numbers written on their bodies.
It was inspiring to be surrounded by so many healthy, fit, and motivated people. The participants ranged in age from 13 to 80!
This photo assignment came at a great time in my life, with my newfound love of running and racing. Every time kids tackled their parents at the finish line, I choked up like a fool. It was so much fun to witness. I found myself forgetting any journalistic objectivity and cheering for everyone as they ran past. If only I could swim and owned a racing bike, I would consider entering the race next year. For now, I’ll stick with running and photographing.
My technical strategy for these photos was fast shutter speed and AI servo focus. You can see the photo gallery on Reston Patch here, or click through to see them here:

I’m included in an editorial feature in the Fall/Winter issue of Brides Colorado magazine! They interviewed me recently for an article about photographers’ favorite places to take portraits in Colorado. I talked about the Garden of the Gods, which I described as a spectacular mountain setting with a variety of great portrait locations and scenic views.It was an honor to be contacted by Bridesfor an expert opinion on Colorado photography, especially since I’d never worked with them before. My only regret is that they cropped Pikes Peak out of my photo, even though I mentioned twice in the article how much I love the views of Pikes Peak. Oh well!

Mae and Robby’s gorgeous San Francisco wedding is featured in Style Unveiled, including lots of our photos. Mae had the nicest things to say about me in the article — thank you so much, Mae! You can see the article here: http://styleunveiled.com/sfrealweddings/mae-and-robby.html
Mike and I have also been published in recent issues of The Knot and Backpacker magazines. Mike has a photo published in the current issue of The Knot Colorado. It’s a picture from Jaime and Craig’s lakeside ceremony at Keystone Ranch.


One of my photos of Twin Lakes has been published in Backpacker magazine, in an article about Colorado trails. I don’t believe any of my landscapes have been published before so this is a fun change for me.



Some of my photographs have been published in a book! It’s called Wedding Photography – A Guide to Posing by David Pearce, and it’s an excellent resource that I highly recommend. It gives clear demonstrations of posing techniques for different body types and situations, and hundreds of photos for inspiration. The book is small enough to fit in your camera bag for quick ideas. Some of the best photographers from around the world are part of this book, so it’s quite an honor for me to be included!You can order a copy of the book here:Oliver Cameron PublishingYou can see a couple of my photos on the page of sample layouts: http://www.oliver-cameron.com/pagelayouts.html
The author of this book, David Pearce, photographed Howard and Ali’s wedding with me last week. He brought the book to show me.

I have a photo in the current issue of Colorado Springs Style. This issue features a cover story about wedding planning in the Colorado Springs area, and my image was used in an article about Briarhurst Manor weddings.

I also had a photo published in the Japanese version of Newsweek. You may recall that this photo of Karen and Jacynda was chosen to be part of an article on gay marriage in a January issue of Newsweek. It was fun to get a copy of the Japanese issue in the mail!

The Japanese magazine opens from right to left.

I’m excited and even stunned to announce one of the proudest accomplishments of my career.
The current issue of Newsweek features a cover story called “The Conservative Case for Gay Marriage,” written by George Bush’s lawyer, Ted Olson. Olson is a conservative who represented Bush in the Bush v. Gore Supreme Court case, and helped him win the 2000 election. David Boies was the liberal attorney who represented Al Gore in that case.Despite their opposing political views, Olson and Boies have teamed this week in a landmark challenge against Proposition 8. Their goal is to end California’s ban on gay marriage. The trial began yesterday, and is expected to be appealed and eventually presented to the Supreme Court.Ted Olson’s cover story in Newsweek presents a clear, logical, and compelling discussion of why all Americans should support gay marriage, regardless of political affiliation or religious background.
One of my photographs of Karen and Jacynda’s wedding appears on page 50. I am deeply honored that my photograph was chosen to be included in such a significant article, especially one written by one of the most influential people in the gay rights movement.You can read the article here: The Conservative Case for Gay Marriage – Newsweek.com (note: my photo does not appear in the online version).
Thank you, Newsweek, for giving me an opportunity to be a part of such a great article. Thank you, Jacynda and Karen, for sharing your love story. And thank you to my friends and family who rushed to the store today to buy the magazine!


A photograph by my friend Ryan Brenizer appears on page 48.

I’m psyched to have my photographs published in three different magazines this month! One of the magazines is The Knot Colorado. My images are featured in two articles in the Spring/Summer 2010 issue, available on newstands now.


I’m excited to be included in the current issue of Popular Photography! They interviewed me last month for an article on family portraits. They were particularly interested in the way that my portraits look composed but not contrived. They misquoted me (most of the quotes in the article are not my own words), and I’m not pleased with the way they cropped my photo, but still it’s great to be a part of the story. I’ve been published in magazines intended for brides or professionals, but this magazine’s mainstream appeal makes it a great addition to my list of publications.
The December 2009 issue of the magazine is available now on newstands everywhere. Check it out if you’re curious!
On a different topic, currently my photo is the first one the home page of Smugmug: http://www.smugmug.com/


I’m excited to be featured in Photo District News this month! PDN is a highly respected magazine for professional photographers, so it’s quite an honor to be published in it. They interviewed me for an article about same sex weddings, and published three of my photos of Diana and Michaele’s wedding. I was especially happy to see my photos printed next to images by my friend Ryan Brenizer, a photographer in New York.
Here’s an excerpt from the article:
Now a growing cadre of photographers, frequently driven by a strong sense of social justice, is actively marketing to gay clients. The photographers are counting on a growing acceptance of same-sex marriage around the country to help drive demand in the gay wedding industry.
Among them is photographer Charlotte Geary of Manitou Springs, Colorado, who shot her first same-sex wedding for a lesbian couple in 2006.
“I was a little dismayed when they told me several photographers had turned them down [because] they were lesbians,” Geary says. “I’m in the business of documenting love and relationships, and I don’t feel like anyone should be denied that.”
Still, Geary worried about how the decision could affect her business. Manitou Springs is a suburb of Colorado Springs, which is a socially conservative military town. But she decided to stand up for her beliefs, and treat the job like any other wedding. She posted pictures on her blog afterwards, and to her surprise, she got a flood of positive comments.
“Lots of people want to see a photographer who isn’t afraid. People want to see love in all shapes and sizes,” Geary says. “After that, I realized I didn’t have to be shy. Business didn’t slow down at all.”
On the other hand, Geary’s decision didn’t draw a flood of same-sex wedding work, either. She shot her second gay wedding last fall, and has another booked for this year. Gay wedding jobs turn out to be sporadic, even for photographers chasing that work in the northeast, where the states that recognize gay marriage are concentrated. Clearly, same sex wedding photography is a niche in development.
Thanks very much to PDN for including me in this article about an important topic. If you’d like to read the rest of the article, you can find PDN at Barnes and Noble or Borders stores around the country.
You can read the entire article and see the photos here: http://digg.com/u119Wn
About Me
Hi, I’m Charlotte! I’m a photographer in Reston, Virginia. I love hiking, running, and exploring the world with my husband and young son.



