GRANT HUMPREYS MANSION WEDDING PHOTOGRAPHER
MARIEL + RIDGE | GRANT HUMPREYS MANSION WEDDING
I love my adventure as a Grand Humpreys Mansion wedding photographer because of stories like this. A long time ago, in a college town far, far away, three girls met while working at Old Chicago's in Old Town Fort Collins. The trio became besties — inseparable. The good time vibes were so strong at the restaurant that one of the three fell in love with the manager and married him. In time, the trio would split, with two of the three amigos relocating to Las Vegas. Imagine Shannon's surprise when her BFF called from Vegas to say, "I think I'm in love with my manager at work." Deja Vu! Hooray, let's plan a wedding. Mariel's visual thoughts on the day were "elegant grunge"—loud, colorful characters with pizza and snacks in a grand old Denver house. Her pick for a venue was the 1902 Grant-Humphreys Mansion, the former home of Colorado governor James Grant. It's magnificent neoclassical architecture, and large spaces beg for photographs, and it's hard to take a bad picture while you're there.
Enter, Ridge — The President of Las Vegas. I gave him that title as he's a born politician — laughing, shaking hands, forming a consensus amongst the tribe. He has a special bond with his groomsmen, as they all take annual 'boy's retreats' all over the country. The stories from those trips were ripe material for a gut-busting Best Man speech (and would make a nice screenplay for The Hangover, Part IV). Scroll up and look at the photos of the group walking. You can't fake that kind of friendship. The party was a big treat to Ridge's Nevada family, who beat the Summer heat for a nice, cool Denver night on the town. A Plus Music had the groove perfected, both for the dinner/mingling and the dancing downstairs. Footers also shared the spotlight with three fun food stations, complete with gourmet Mac + Cheese. So ... first Shannon married ... then Mariel ... who's next? No pressure, Tonya. Take your time.
I’ve said outloud, many times, “You can not take a bad photo at Grant-Humpreys.” The patios, porticos, lawns, and interior details feel like a Hollywood set. What a home it must have been to live in!
HOW I WORK
I recommend starting wedding photography 2 hours before the ceremony. After a few non-scripted last-minute prep and personal details photos, we can be efficient and capture the wedding party and small family groups before the ceremony, allowing you more time to mingle with guests during the cocktail hour.
Over the years, I’ve learned to be a dynamic photographer and to respond quietly to unfolding action. Two lighting-fast cameras and a photojournalist’s sense allow me to answer three questions with a camera ... 1) What’s the big picture? 2) What are the details? 3) What’s the emotion? All day, that little voice in the head cycles through those questions, and I’m on the hunt for storytelling answers. You see this throughout all the galleries on my website. Big, wide-angle scenes, mixed with tight single-thought images, with a layer of emotion revealing moments.
Above all, our minds subconsciously value the quality of light in a photo, and I’ve grown an instant ability to size up lighting in a scene for best results. Can I move subjects just a few steps to get a more flattering look on their faces? Should I quickly turn on mobile lighting to even out (or add subtle highlights) a scene at the venue with flat or unflattering light? You can’t fix bad light in a computer—it has to be right when you click the shutter, and an experienced pro is surfing a wedding day looking for waves of good light (or we make them with fast-moving equipment).
Group photos and portraits don’t happen automatically, and I offer strong guidance to get balanced photos with good posture & harmony with the scene. These clicks wind up as 5x7’s on a mantel for decades, and I want them to be timelessbut light and serene.
If my brand of wedding photography aligns with your vision, click below to view pricing and service details. If I’m within budget, let’s chat. I’d love to hear about your wedding-day plans (so far) and how I can help.