Me with Logan, the superhero ringbearer
Aspen, Colorado
May 2, 2008
Last fall I posted lots of photos of Mike and me behind the scenes at weddings. You can find them here: part 1 and part 2. As you can see, we have a lot of fun at all the amazing weddings we get to attend. Here are some more photos I’ve collected of us since then!
In Denver last November (Photo by Holly Pacione)
Here I am, taking a photo of Lisa in her beautiful veil. I love long veils!
During a Christmastime wedding at the AF Chapel
Congrats to Lisa and Josh!
Here’s Mike, helping me with lighting as I photograph the newlywed Lisa and Josh.
Yup, I tend to dance at weddings. Here I am learning a new line dance from the DJ, Chris of Blue Moon Entertainment.
Here’s a behind-the-scenes view of one of my favorite groomsmen pictures: Whit and the groomsmen in Denver
(Photo by Brad Walters)
Here I am, setting up this portrait: Alexis
(Photo by Brad Walters)
Photographing the beautiful Oxford Hotel reception room. (Photo by Brad Walters)
Before Jessica and Dave’s Manitou wedding, we climbed some rocks above the venue to photograph the amazing scenery.
I’ve posted this one before, but I still love it.
Sometimes I get a little dirty at weddings.
Mike, making friends with the officiant.
I should send this one to Jessica Claire, because it’s such a funny example of her Shootsac in use.
That’s Dave with his head up Jessica’s dress. Just another day at work for me. lol.
Here’s another view of my Shootsac. It’s a flexible, messenger-style bag for camera lenses,
with interchangable decorative covers. It’s totally cool, and I use it all the time.
I’ve posted this one before, too, but I just had to repost this moment when Mike taught photography to Hollie’s sisters.
Here’s the photo that little Jasmine took of me after the photo lesson (before Hollie and Micah’s wedding).
Here’s a cool photo Mike took during Hollie and Micah’s ceremony.
This guest wanted to take a picture during the group formals, but there was too much sun glare. Mike helped him out.
Sometimes the photos of us at weddings look so creepy.
Setting up this shot: Micah and Hollie
Mike found a cool cake angle.
Oh how embarassing — the cowboy and I showed up in the same outfit.
A wise photographer would stay away from drunk people holding fire. I’m not wise.
Scoping out locations for portraits at Marx and Sarah’s wedding in Denver.
We ended up using this location for this portrait: Marx and Sarah
Setting up this portrait: Marx and Sarah
Setting up this one: Sarah and Marx (one of my favorites that day)
Sarah’s colleague asked me to dance, and then he took that opportunity to tell me about the wonderful
work that Sarah does as a music therapist. I loved having a chance to learn more about her work.
I was busy chimping during this cool Marx dance move.
With my friend Teddi, and her daughter, Lyric.
Mike chatting with our friend, Keith. Teddi and Keith are photographer friends of ours, and were guests at this wedding.
Mike found a raccoon outside the hotel at Nicole and Matt’s rehearsal dinner.
Taking pictures of the ringbearer dressed as Superman.
Mike, looking like an Aspen ninja.
Matt’s dad playfully jumped in front of me during the group portraits. I kept shooting over his head!
Wedding party photo shoot in the streets of Aspen.
One of Nicole’s flower fell off her bouquet, so Matt gave it to Mike to wear.
Portraits in the streets of Aspen
I didn’t realize at the time that this driver stopped to take a picture with his phone!
I love this one: Rick, their police officer friend, was blocking the street so we could shoot.
Then we got to ride in the police car!
The ninja on the right is me, in a field near Aspen with Nicole and Matt.
Setting up this shot: Nicole and Matt
Chris, the bridesman, invited me to dance.
I never caught her name, but this bartender/caterer was really fun. She kept dancing as she worked, just like I do.
I told her that I wanted a picture with the person who loves her job as much as I do.
With the lovely Nicole
With Nicole’s sister, Caitlin. Congratulations on your soon-to-be graduation, Caitlin!
Matt, Nicole, Mike, and me at the end of the night.
I didn’t comment on this one before, but the one with Mike under the rafters makes him look like a photographer superhero. 😉
I don’t think I ever stop moving at a wedding for more than 15 minutes at dinnertime. When I get home after a wedding, the adrenaline has worn off, and I can barely walk. It’s pretty funny, actually. At least it’s enough exercise to burn off all the wedding cake and other goodies!
Ha! It’s worth a try, I suppose. 😉
Thanks! I’m so glad that I’ve inspired you. Being a photographer is a ton of fun, but only when you’re confident in your technical ability. It’s really stressful otherwise. Take some classes and get lots of practice, and then when you are comfortable with your experience, go for it! It’s a great life.
I get really focused on the people I’m photographing and the events going on around me, so poor Mike ends up collecting all the bits and pieces I’ve scattered around. I don’t know how some photographers do it on their own!
Thank you! I really do love my job!
Aw man, weddings are so much fun.
Haha! That made me snort.
Hi Caitlin! I hope your last paper is going well! Or even better, I hope it’s finished! Enjoy these last few days!
I can’t help but dance when all that music is playing! Unlike some of my photographer friends, I actually love wedding dance music. 🙂
Jessica Claire is extraordinary. I love her blog, too.
Haha! That’s awesome. I have infiltrated your sleep… phase 1 of my evil plan is underway!
Thanks for sharing the “behind the scenes” photos Charlotte!
Love it!
these are awesome.
i’m exhausted from looking at them! you guys just go go go………..
awesome photos! of course!!
and i would send those photos to JC- whats the worst she could say, “Have a free cover!!”
😉
Nicole Mc
This was so fun to look at, i love seeing what others look like behind the scenes!! You 2 are a riot!!
I enjoyed this so much!
Thanks for the behind the scenes pictures, I love them all!!!! I’m so inspired by you to try and do portraits…but I’m still lacking a lot of skill. You two are amazing!
Charlotte, you’re amazing!
Mike always looks a bit like a pack mule, poor guy, but seems to be having the time of his life.
I wandered in following Kyle, and I’ve been lurking a while. Just had to say these shots are absolutely lovely. Wonderful to find someone else who loves their job! I look forward to seeing more!
wow. now i want to get married.
Mike IS an Aspen ninja. There ain’t no disguising the truth.
I wandered in following Kyle, and I’ve been lurking a while. Just had to say these shots are absolutely lovely. Wonderful to find someone else who loves their job! I look forward to seeing more!
What wonderful shots and what a wonderful job!
Charlotte and Mike,
these are so much fun!! I love the ones of Super-Logan. He was so cute how he wanted to see the pictures after you guys took them… you know, just in case he didn’t look cool enough or something! And the one of Lars jumping in front of you– that was so funny! I love that you guys really catch all of the fun and unplanned moments. Like the guy hanging out his window to take a picture of you guys in the street, haha! I love that one!!
And thanks for the shoutout!! I am in the middle of writing my very last paper… This was a great distraction :).
Love,
Caitlin
I’m so glad to see that I’m not the only photographer who dances while she works and gets hugs from the bride(al) party!
I love your work.
I want a shootsac! I’ve recently stumbled across Jessica Claire’s online blog and I love her too, there’s so much to strive to be when I ‘grow up’!
I just recently found your blog and I love looking at your photos! I just had to comment, because last night I had a dream that I was getting married (weird enough in and of itself, considering that I don’t even have a boyfriend!), but I was so happy, because you were doing my photos! Haha! 😀
Love seeing the behind-the-scenes stuff. 🙂 You totally had me laughing out loud at the caption on “Mike, looking like an Aspen ninja.”
What wonderful shots and what a wonderful job!
We’re shooting a wedding this weekend in a room that is open in the center, but not on the sides. consequently, we’re only going to be able to bounce on the edges of the room.
I’m not super concerned about it, because we could always just bring a pair of Alien Bees and slave them to our cameras, but I haven’t seen the room yet, so I’m a little nervous.
Yeah, I’ve had a few of his lightspheres over the years, but the things keep falling off the camera, and always at a totally embarrassing time. They are also bulky and difficult to carry around. I like the effect they give for grip-and-grin informal posed pictures at receptions, but I don’t think their drawbacks make up for the benefits of a few casual pics.
I much prefer to bounce the flash off the ceiling and walls, to give a more directional light with less bulk. When I need some direct fill for those grip-and-grins, I use the built-in white card. It works great when you’ve balanced your flash with the ambient light.
As far as I know, there really isn’t anything else that’s similar. I recommend you go ahead and get a shootsac. 🙂
Oh good, I’m glad you’re liking the Shootsac. I love mine, except for its unpadded shoulder strap.
That’s nice of you to shoot the wedding for your friends. I’m not sure what lens to recommend to you, because I use so many of them and can’t say that any of them are most important. Probably the most important thing for a novice is to get a good flash and learn how to use it. If there are white ceilings, bounch the flash off the ceiling, preferably at an angle behind you. Once you’ve mastered the flash, you can use just about any lens with great results.
A good all-around lens is the Canon 24-70 f2.8, but it might be out of the price range of a non-pro.
Good luck!
I’m glad, thanks!
Thanks! I love that one, too. It’s my current favorite.
Oh cool! It’s a wonderful bridal suite.
Ha! We like to pretend we’re all badass, but I can’t stop grinning all the time to really pull that off.
I’m shocked that you use the little built in bounce card for some of your shots. I would have expected to see a giant piece of tupperware on your speedlight.
Have you tried playing with any of Gary Fong’s stuff?
By the way, the Shootsac looks like a great idea! I need to get something similiar.
Because of your raves, I recently purchased a shootsac for myself and LOVE it. I do have a question for you……
I am shooting my first wedding in October for some friends and was wondering if you might recommend a lens, or tell me which lens is your standby? I have a Canon Rebel xTi. I am doing this for fun/free as a gift to them, and am no where near professional, just shoot for fun 😉 Thanks so much!
I LOVE your behind the scenes post. Thanks for another great post.
I love the cover on your shootsac during the aspen photos…very pretty.
Love the candids!
I just recently found your blog and I love looking at your photos! I just had to comment, because last night I had a dream that I was getting married (weird enough in and of itself, considering that I don’t even have a boyfriend!), but I was so happy, because you were doing my photos! Haha! 😀
http://charlottegeary.smugmug.com/photos/294437196_6UcK5-M.jpg
OMG, Joe and Carrie were in this room at the Rockledge on 5/3! ^^
uh hi you look totally bas ass and ninja like! go you!
Because of your raves, I recently purchased a shootsac for myself and LOVE it. I do have a question for you……
I am shooting my first wedding in October for some friends and was wondering if you might recommend a lens, or tell me which lens is your standby? I have a Canon Rebel xTi. I am doing this for fun/free as a gift to them, and am no where near professional, just shoot for fun 😉 Thanks so much!