PARK HYATT WEDDING PHOTOGRAPHER | COLORADO MOUNTAINS
The luxurious hotel rests at the base of Beaver Creek ski mountain and is only a short stroll from ceremonies at The Chapel at Beaver Creek.
JEN + BEN | BEAVER CREEK WEDDING
By all rights, this should've been a wedding on bicycles, as J+B (and many of their guests) are world-class competitive cyclists. The room had a certain Olympic-level air to it. It was a fun marathon day in three parts — first, a ceremony at Beaver Creek Chapel in the morning light — then, a brunch ski down on the slopes of Beaver Creek— finishing off with high altitude dancing during a Park Hyatt reception.
After a traditional morning wedding, we jumped on skis and grabbed a 100-400 ultra-telephoto zoom to get close to the couple ... even when I was in the next chair over, lol. The sun was bright, adding to the euphoric optimism. Everyone else on the mountain LOVES to see a bride on skis. They hoop and holler, even at a buttoned-down mountain like Beaver Creek. Brings out the crazy romantic in them, I guess. Areas around the skating rink in the heart of Beaver Creek are prime for bride + groom photos at dusk. We did a tour, stopping at some favorite spots, on our way to meet up with the gang back at the Hyatt. The bride and groom got their share of ribbing from fellow athletes who had competed with them around the globe. That sort of competition and adventure makes for some great stories — most of them PG-rated. The dancing lasted late into the night. Howling at the moon and all that. Just a walk over to the elevator and up a few floors before passing out.
I'm happy to ski along with any wedding couples who want a slope-side memory of their day. A little sun and laughs, and it's all good. If you're planning a wedding in Beaver Creek, I'd be honored to document it.
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.