Corinna See Photography

Proposal ~ Yussef & Angela {Santa Fe Wedding Photography}

2012-01-30T10:22:00.000-08:00

For me as a photographer, this story started in October 2009 when Yussef contacted me to take family portraits of himself with his two adorable sons. He was a single dad. From our session, I could see that he was a good father. So patient and kind with his boys (and what cuties! Just look at them).

Then last fall, exactly two years later, he contacted me again to see if I was available for a family portrait session. This time, it was for his girlfriend Angela.

A single mom.

Angela hired me to take portraits of herself, with her sweet kids, for their Christmas card.

Yussef tagged along and it was wonderful to see him after two years.

Yussef called soon after Angela's session wanting to book another session for just the two of them. He told me that he wanted to surprise her and propose during the session! Eeeeep! My first ever proposal. We had a great time figuring our the logistics, like planning where I was going to stand. He decided to propose in front of St. Francis Cathedral. I scoped it out before and decided it would be best if I was across the street in the parking garage window.

We told Angela that I was simply moving to the parking garage to get a different angle. Once I was positioned in the window and had my camera settings ready, I signaled Yussef and he dropped to one knee. It was truly beautiful to witness his proposal. I felt like I had been given the only exclusive seat to a private performance. What an honor! It was so sweet, I could hardly stand it. Then we went on to take more photographs around downtown Santa Fe.

The happy engaged couple.

I asked them to stand this way. However, it's not usually the actual pose I'm looking for, it's what happens naturally when two people, who love each other, come together. I never know how it's going to go. Sometimes I see gut-busting laughter, sometimes I see desire ~ rawr, sometimes I see calm and sometimes I see protection & comfort like right here in this photograph. Thanks Yussef and Angela for having me capture such a special moment in your lives!

Sisters {Santa Fe Wedding Photography}

2012-01-07T10:09:00.000-08:00

Definition of Synchronicity ~ the coincidental occurrence of events. I love following my wedding clients as their lives change. This is the story of two sisters ~ Adriana and Julia. First, I photographed Adriana's wedding, Julia was the maid of honor (seen giving the toast). Then they discovered that they were both pregnant, at the same time! They invited me to photograph a maternity session (look at those marvelous bellies). Finally, the babies were born (just three days apart, yes it's true) and I was invited to photograph a session when the little "chubsters" were only three months old. How FUN.

Andrea & Chris {Santa Fe, New Mexico Wedding Photograph}

2012-01-01T15:10:00.000-08:00

I love when couples choose Santa Fe as their destination wedding location. That is exactly what Andrea and Chris did. They are from Boston. My sister-in-law used to live there! I also love when couples travel to Santa Fe before the wedding to organize things for their big day. That is exactly what Andrea and Chris did in November. So we got to spend time together photographing an engagement session at the wedding and reception locations.

The reception is going to be held at the Inn of the Five Graces. I am excited to be working with renowned wedding planner Heidi Mitchell of Soiree.

Andrea and Chris showed their playful natures.

It's just a quick walk from the Inn of the Five Graces to the San Miguel Mission.

The wedding will be at the San Miguel Mission which is the oldest church building in the United States. Stay tuned for wedding images in June.

Libby & Chris Engagement {Santa Fe Wedding Photographer}

2012-01-01T13:58:00.000-08:00

Libby and Chris found my website on-line and called for an engagement session. Do you know the main reason why they picked me? Because I like dogs! If you check out my website and go to the "ABOUT" section, you will see that I have listed a few things about me, one of them being that I am a pet owner. We have three rescue dogs from New Mexico and we adopted a farm kitten from Wisconsin seven years ago. He is one big cat now. Needless to say, our house is full of fur.

Chris and Libby have two adorable dogs, Gismoe and Lt. They were definitely included in the session. We started at their house so the doggies could get to know me on their own turf.

Then we headed down to Santa Fe's historic plaza. Lt. and Gismoe couldn't wait to go for a walk. The Plaza was decorated beautifully for the holidays.

It was just chilly enough for Libby to welcome the chance to snuggle into Chris.

Gismoe was VERY protective the entire session and watched curiously.

It's clear Chris loves their dogs but I think it's obvious that Libby has stolen his heart!

Joe & Beth Engagement {Santa Fe Wedding Photography}

2012-01-01T13:02:00.000-08:00

I received an inquiry from Beth in the beginning of August regarding her wedding photography. She found my website on the Internet. When I spoke to her on the phone, she told me that she and her fiance, Joe, were from St. Louis. We had JUST stopped by the arch in St. Louis that same week! You see, my husband Pat, our ten year old twin boys, our two dogs and our cat had all just driven from Wisconsin (after visiting our families in Menomonie) to New Mexico. St. Louis was a stop along the way. What a fun coincidence. I LOVE coincidences.

New Mexico is a magical place for Beth and Joe. They spent time here while they were dating. In fact, Cathedral Park was a place they visited one special weekend. They got engaged in Albuquerque during Balloon Fiesta last year. What is Balloon Fiesta? It is the largest ballooning event on earth, with over 600 hot air balloons. What a spectacular place to get engaged.

I know most men roll their eyes when they hear about engagement sessions. But I have to give Joe credit. He was a trooper. I mean, how often are you asked to touch noses with your partner? It always makes people crack up and it makes for a great shot. I love it!

The wedding and reception will be at La Posada, which is one of Santa Fe's beautiful resorts just blocks from the Historic Plaza. I'm delighted to be working with the wonderful David Stone, who is in charge of weddings there.

I love this photograph taken at the Plaza. Notice their scarves? Scarves are going to be a theme at the wedding. (shhh......)

It was a great session during their short visit to Santa Fe in December.

Stay tuned for photographs from their wedding in May 2012.

Bess & Scott Engagement {Santa Fe Wedding Photographer}

2012-01-01T12:00:00.000-08:00

Santa Fe is a destination location for Bess and Scott. Their story is complicated but can be explained in a nutshell. She's from Alabama, he's from Texas. They met during college in Tennessee. They spent many years in what would be considered a "long distance" relationship, in various cities and various states.

They are getting married at the Loretto Chapel and the reception will be held at the Inn of Loretto. I absolutely love the architecture of the hotel.

The Loretto Chapel is known for it's mysterious spiral staircase, click the link to learn more.

You can see they are such a fun couple. I was thrilled to meet them and have an opportunity to photograph them during their visit to Santa Fe in the end of August.

Both moms joined them. I feel so blessed to have met them all before the wedding. It's going to be a great day! Stay tuned for images from their wedding in June.

Southwest Care Center's AID and Comfort Gala 2011 {Santa Fe Wedding Photography}

2011-11-20T13:01:00.000-08:00

Southwest Care Center provides comprehensive medical care, research, education, prevention and support services to people affected by HIV/AIDS and related conditions in New Mexico. Every year they hold a fundraising gala. It has the reputation of being one of Santa Fe's best parties.

A friend on the planning committee asked if I would consider volunteering photography. How could I say no to an issue that is so near and dear to my heart? My husband's cousin died of AIDS in the 90's. The theme for the fundraiser was "BOND ~ James Bond." Everything was done with the utmost of care, the decorations were outstanding, the entertainment was awesome, the food was amazing, the donations for the silent auction were wonderful and the generosity with which everyone donated their time was truly heart warming. Clearly there are a lot of people in this town who care about this issue. It took place at the beautiful Hilton of Santa Fe with the help of Hugh Thomas, the Director of Catering.

Guests enjoyed dancing.

Martini's were poured through a 9mm ice sculpture gun.

Guests had fun playing Roulette.

Donated jewelry for the silent auction.

Guava Chiffon performed for the delighted guests.

The guests had a great time dancing.

More items were auctioned, like this stunning necklace. All proceeds going to Southwest Care Center.

Nucia Lee and Beth Baldini performing.

I also had the pleasure of working with three wonderful photographers who donated their time to this event.

Please check them out: Karen Schuld, Kerry Gallagher and Eric Cousineau.

A Grandmother's Love {Santa Fe Wedding Photography}

2011-11-11T13:48:00.000-08:00

I photographed Maria's wedding this year and wanted to post about a moment from her day that touched me. We were shooting the formal family portraits right outside the venue, the Historic Plaza Hotel in Las Vegas, New Mexico. Different groupings of different family members, one after another. Her grandma waited patiently. When it was her turn to be photographed next to her newly married grand daughter, she did what most proud grandparents do, she smiled.

Then she turned to Maria and kissed her forehead. They looked at each other and began to cry. Then they hugged and cried some more. That is exactly what I cherish about photography. Being witness to these moments and having the honor to document such memories.

The flowers were gorgeous!

The Historic Plaza Hotel in Las Vegas, New Mexico.

Head shots & Dog shot {Santa Fe Wedding Photography}

2011-11-06T18:07:00.000-08:00

Sometimes my wedding clients will refer me to their friends, even when it's not a wedding referral. For instance, Ranier knew that her married friends, Ed and Judy, both needed head shots for their individual businesses. She gave them my name. When I have time (like now, like today), I will do portrait jobs. Besides that, it's hard for me to turn down any photography. I enjoy it so much. So we made arrangements to shoot a session for professional head shots. What I love about going to someone's home is that I get to observe their environment.

First we got the head shots out of the way. Don't they look professional? I think so.

Then it was time to get some fun shots. What I consider "snuggley" portraits. Look, they are still in love, after fifteen years of marriage. I can't help it. It's the wedding photographer in me, that can't resist capturing love.

Then I had to steal some portraits of their amazing dogs. Here is Lucy. She was watching us so intently. Look at those eyes!

Ray & Sarah {Santa Fe Wedding Photography}

2011-10-08T11:41:00.000-07:00

I had been looking forward to photographing Sarah and Ray's wedding from the moment I met them last fall. They were sweet, in love and enthusiastic about their wedding photography. It only got better from there. First we photographed their engagement session on a cold winter day. Sarah was such a trooper, limping along with her knee injury. Here is the link to that session: Sarah & Ray engagement. The good folks at Museum Cafe liked the silhouette image so much, they asked if they could use it in an advertisement. Sarah and Ray were proudly in the magazine "Edible Santa Fe." Months later, after learning some new skills at a photo convention, I asked my friends on Facebook if anyone would model for me. They were the first to volunteer! We had another fun session together at the top of La Fonda Hotel. Did I mention that Sarah and Ray met on Facebook?

February 27, 2011. We had such fun shooting in the snow! Well, despite the fact that it was a little chilly.

Fast forward to July 9, 2011. As you can see, it's an understatement to say that Ray is taller than Sarah. I'm going to guess by twelve inches? So you may wonder why she chose to wear flat shoes on her wedding day. Well, it's complicated. That knee injury that was bothering her last year only got worse, much worse, before it got better. But Sarah was determined to walk down the isle. She worked hard in physical therapy. Once again proving what a trooper she is.

What stuck me the most about Sarah, on her wedding day, was her interest in helping others. It was so generous and selfless on her part. Really a beautiful sign of her character.

I loved photographing Ray and his groomsmen as they waited for the ceremony. Documenting the camaraderie and getting relaxed candid photographs is one thing I really love about wedding photography.

Sisters.

Minutes before the outdoor wedding, it began to rain. The first time in months. Most New Mexicans would see this as a joyous event especially considering the devastating Los Conchas wildfires that had been raging since June. Not so joyous for Sarah on her wedding day. True to New Mexico's style of weather, it was over in less than ten minutes. There was a huge sigh of relief and the sun came out.

Honestly, the weather couldn't have been better!

The happy couple after a beautiful ceremony.

Instead of flowers ~ feathers and fans!

The reflecting pond at Sunrise Springs.

A quiet moment after the ceremony.

The ponds at Sunrise Springs are so full of life.

The gorgeous cake from Chocolate Maven.

Sarah & Ray's first dance.

Some toasts make you laugh.

Some toasts make you cry.

Some girls like to fly.

I was astounded to learn that Sarah's father designed and made their rings. I knew he owned a landscaping materials business but I didn't know, until the wedding day, that he was also a jewelry maker.

Babies, babies, babies!

2011-09-07T09:34:00.000-07:00

Three of my wedding clients have gotten pregnant and/or had their babies this year. I've had the privilege to photograph them. It's such a joy to continue to stay in touch with these amazing couples!

Adriana & Brain ~ Married April 24, 2010

Will & Ranier ~ Married August 14, 2010

Anne and Dan ~ Married September 6, 2009.

Thanks to Facebook I've been able to stalk, I mean "follow" what Anne and Dan have been up to including Anne's pregnancy. Their TWINS were born a few months ago which is really fun because my husband and I have twins too, ten year old boys. Anne and Dan were in town this last weekend visiting family. We had an opportunity to get together and I took a few snapshots of the new parents and their adorable off spring!

Here they are with their little bundles of pure love.

Babies are so yummy!

For the Love of Type!

2011-06-24T13:15:00.000-07:00

Before doing photography professionally, I received a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in Graphic Design. A large part of that degree involved learning and gaining an appreciation for typography. I can honestly say that I love type.

We live in Santa Fe, New Mexico where the Palace of the Governors is one of the oldest buildings in the country. It is a museum and has an equally impressive Print Shop. I volunteer in the art class of our ten year old twin boys. One day last semester, their wonderful art teacher, Mary Olson, planned a field trip to the museum and all the kids got to witness a demonstration of print making on one of the nineteenth century presses. It was amazing, I saw it too.

Here are our boys in the almost 400 year old courtyard of the Palace. My sister and I are planning a 50th wedding anniversary party for my parents. After the 4th grade class visited the Palace Press, I had the impulse to see if they could print the invitations for us. What a privilege that would be! I contacted them and kept my fingers crossed.

They said that as a "rule" they don't normally do private jobs but happened to have the time and supplies for our small job of only twenty five invitations. Here is the way the type was set on the sixty year old press they used.

The amazing men who ran our job, James Bourland and Tom Leech.

Just look at the way the type is set. I choose the word luscious to describe how that looks to me. Proving what a geek I am about type.

The final invitations wrapped carefully and beautifully. We feel so lucky!

La Mesita ~ Doriane Woolley & Scott Wray ~ June 4, 2011

2011-06-06T20:28:00.000-07:00

Doriane and Scott's wedding was quite a production! First of all, it was held at La Mesita ranch which is now owned by Buffalo Thunder. It had been in Mott's family (the father of the bride) for many years. In fact, he spent his youth growing up there. I went out several times before the wedding to get an understanding of the wedding day schedule. During those pre-wedding visits, I learned a little history about Mott's time there as a child.

I thought it was ironic and delightful to see one of the flower girls hiding under the chair in the master bedroom. She was such a sweetie pie. She had silently crept in while I was alone in the master bedroom photographing Doriane's dress, jewelry and shoes. You can imagine my surprise when I turned around and saw her under the chair. Mott spoke of entering this room, which was his parent's bedroom, as a little tyke and having Christmas morning near the fireplace.

Doriane received this amazing turquoise bracelet from her mother Tina. Look at those shoes!

I love when I have a few quiet moments alone with the bride before the wedding.

The other flower girl was such a sweetheart. I happened to walk past the room where she had been getting ready. There she was, sitting there looking at her shoes, with the beam of sun illuminating her perfectly. That right there is what I love about photography. Capturing moments that are gone in a split second....

The flowers were stunning and done by Margaret Bost the owner at Margaret Bost Floral Design. This is Doriane's bouquet.

The bridesmaids bouquets.

Doriane and her mom Tina moments before the wedding. All the bridesmaids wore cowboy boots.

The first major part of the production of the wedding was getting guests from the equestrian area, where there was a mariachi band playing and horses jumping, to the location of the ceremony, which was near this beautiful pond. Horse carriage rides were available to all provided by Eric Roybal of Bear Creek Adventures.

Every detail was handled with care, even the seating at the ceremony.

Here is Scott seeing Doriane for the first time. She was escorted to the ceremony site in a horse drawn carriage with her father and the flower girls.

The Christian ceremony was beautiful and they received a blessing from a Native American. The wind was strong and stirred up dust clouds and blew things over. In my opinion, it was perfect for a wedding on a ranch!

Here are Scott's parents, Kay & Lewis Wray, watching the ceremony. I'm not suggesting that Kay's lip was quivering here, but let's just say that it was. Well, then I would have been fighting back a tear or two myself. You see, I can't watch another person cry without getting emotional.

The kiss and the happy couple!

This is one of my favorite images from the day.

Next up, after the ceremony was the reception at the main house. You can see the fields in the distance. Did I mention that La Mesita is over 100 acres? Dinner was buffet style with Italian in the main house, Mexican in the guest house and BBQ down by the pool. Guests were free to wander the property. Peter Lovato, who is the head of catering at Buffalo Thunder, did an amazing job making it all happen.

The gorgeous bridal party. When Doriane's mom told me they were "horse" people I didn't really know what that meant. Well, she wasn't kidding. Most of these folks ride, train and work with horses on a daily basis. The cowboy hats came off for this photo.

The tent for the reception was stunning and was placed over the tennis court. Naomi Romero and her team from Garcia's Tents did an incredible job setting that up.

Mott's toast.

Vicki Speer of Solstice (from Absolute Entertainment) did an amazing job performing with her band.

I love this photo. It's Scott squeezing his mom and mother-in-law at the end of the night. Please visit my dear friend, Tonya Peterson's blog. She is an amazing photographer and was available to second shoot with me. She posted some of her shots from the day.

Shooting with Vlad Chaloupka ~ May 28th ~ La Posada

2011-06-01T00:52:00.000-07:00

I love it when when I am asked to second shoot a wedding. In my humble opinion, Vlad Chaloupka is one a Santa Fe's best wedding photographers. I am honored when he asks me to shoot with him, we've worked together before and every time I am thrilled to have the experience. This wedding on May 28th was full of love for Ben and Amanda. Their friends and family traveled far and wide to gather in Santa Fe for their special day.

I enjoy documenting everything about a wedding, even the smallest details because it is obvious a lot of thought and care went into every aspect of the day.

Vlad was photographing Amanda and her bridesmaids before the wedding. So I got to hang out with Ben and his crew. They were a great group of guys.

Here is Amanda's proud mother before the wedding. Now I know where Amanda gets her beautiful, bright eyes. Here is one of the ring bearers getting prepped.

The flowers were so, so fragrant.

While Vlad was shooting the formal family portraits, I had a chance to take individual groupings like these of Ben's parents. He has a blended family and it was so wonderful to see everyone come together to support him.

Here are the adorable ring bearers walking down the isle.

Amanda and her father just about to walk down the isle. This is the first time I saw Amanda. What a radiant smile!

The ceremony was beautiful.

Ben and Amanda seemed so happy after the ceremony. Let the festivities begin!

More amazing details.

As usual, the food at La Posada looked scrumptious.

The tent and tables were beautiful.

La Posada has this lovely courtyard which is perfect for wedding receptions.

The first dance. Amanda and Ben only had eyes for each other.

Ben's brother is giving a toast here. He managed to make us all laugh and cry.

The live music was wonderful.

Such a lovely image of Amanda and her dad dancing during the father daughter dance. Look at his expression, it says it all.

Jessica & Nate

2011-05-11T13:29:00.000-07:00

It was so much fun photographing Jessica and Nate's engagement session yesterday! I am thrilled to be shooting their wedding in July.

Tarrytown Wedding ~ Emily & Mitch

2011-04-20T08:52:00.000-07:00

I had the honor and pleasure of photographing Mitch and Emily's wedding April 17, 2011 in Tarrytown, New York. The ceremony and reception were both at the magnificent Tappan Hill Mansion. The on site event manager, Kathy Policastro was amazing. She handled every detail with grace and professionalism.

For those of you who don't know, I totally "geek-out" over weddings. I get so excited to see the dress, the shoes, the flowers, the hair and make-up. Look at Emily, so radiant!

The gorgeous bouquet.

Emily has two sisters, Sara and Rachel. They were so fun and playful. This photo was a quick shot I took emphasizing Emily's cool hoodie that reads, "Mrs. Weiser." What I love about this photo, is that I asked them to come together and put their arms around Emily's waist. They so easily snuggled in and surrounded their sister, and dropped their heads. Maybe it wasn't intentional, but it looked to me like they were in prayer or at least a moment of contemplation. It also indicates the obvious closeness between them.

So here is Emily immediately after she put her dress on. I LOVE this moment at every single wedding! It still gets me, to be able to be there and witness when the bride puts on her dress. This is a big time "geek-out" moment for me. I try to contain my excitement and play it cool. Sigh...... just look at her, she is so gorgeous. And look at her mother, Terri, so proud of her daughter. By-the-way, now I know where all the girls get their amazingly beautiful brown eyes. So next up is the moment when Emily and Mitch see each other for the first time. Tappan Hill Mansion has this stunning staircase which was perfect for the moment.

Emily's father seeing her for the first time in her beautiful gown.

We went outside for some couples shots. It was a little windy but what a beautiful day! Did I mention that Emily and Mitch met in med school? They are both finishing soon and will be doctors. Yes, doctors. Mitch-surgeon, Emily-anesthesiologist. Very, very impressive.

What I love about shooting weddings is that I have the opportunity to get to know the family. I had Paul and Terri, the mother and father of the bride, right in front of my camera here. Instead of smiling at me, Paul planted this deep kiss on Terri. To me, that says something about the passion and love between them. Absolutely, wonderful.

Signing the ketubah.

The ceremony was lovely.

There was such joy and laughter during the reception. Both families clearly love and support Emily and Mitch with all their hearts. They definitely know how to have a good time.

I absolutely love this image of Mr. Weiser being raised during the hora.

This is one of my favorite photographs from the evening. At the end of the reception Emily & Mitch embraced, totally naturally, spontaneously. Thank you both for sharing your beautiful wedding day with me.

I would like to mention Mikkel Paige, she was my second photographer. She took some amazing photographs. Please check out her blog Mikkel Paige.

Sneek Peek ~ Mitch & Emily's rehearsal.

2011-04-16T22:29:00.000-07:00

Emily and Mitch had their rehearsal dinner in New York City tonight. I took this photograph

of them in Grand Central Station. The wedding tomorrow is going to be amazing!

Second Shooting

2011-04-10T11:26:00.000-07:00

I once again had the honor to second shoot with Vlad Chaloupka. He is an amazing local photographer in Santa Fe, New Mexico. What I love about second shooting is that I get the opportunity to work with another photographer. I also get the chance to shoot the event from a different perspective. I can kind of be invisible while the principle photographer is in charge of everything. In a sense, I can relax and capture things in a photo journalistic way. Here are some of my images from the wedding that Vlad so generously allowed me to post.

I love this image because I happened to capture the father looking at his beautiful daughter as he was walking her down the isle.

The ceremony and reception were held at the amazing La Posada resort and spa in Santa Fe, New Mexico.

[SIN]pathy band shoot

2011-03-08T10:40:00.000-08:00

I had such a great time doing a photo shoot with Jessica's band on Sunday. I photographed Jessica's wedding last September and heard her amazing voice that weekend when she sang to her new husband Brad. I'm so excited that she is in a band again. It truly is her calling. So when she asked if I'd shoot some band photographs I was excited. I practiced some new techniques that I learned at the annual convention I attend every year for WPPI ~ wedding and portrait photographers international in Las Vegas.

I went into the room where the band practices, turned off all the lights and shut the curtains (learned this from Gerry Ghionis, attended his two day plus class) . Beginning with a completely dark space, I brought back light by opening the curtains slightly. These portraits were shot in front of the window.

Geraldo Garcia drums and Jessica Preston vocals.

Sean Pilgrim guitar.

Jose Hozer Granados bass and Roberto J Lujan guitar.

Then we went across the street to shoot some group shots near the Santa Fe River.

Roberto had access to this awesome building with great light.

Doriane & Scott Engagement

2011-02-19T11:36:00.000-08:00

I had so much fun meeting and getting to know Doriane and Scott. We met in Amarillo, Texas for the engagement session. Why Amarillo? Because it is half way between Oklahoma, where Doriane and Scott live on a horse ranch and Santa Fe (where Doriane's famliy is from). Doriane's mom Tina and her friend Kathie helped orchestrate the weekend. Not only did they plan to have me shoot the engagement session, Doriane and the girls went dress shopping the following day. I mentioned that Doriane and Scott live on a horse ranch. Well, I was told that they are all "horse" people. Initially, I didn't know what that meant. After getting to know them, I learned that they are serious horse people. Scott trains and competes with cutting horses. Doriane grew up with horses. Her parents live on a ranch near Santa Fe and have their own horses and board others. They are getting married at this beautiful equestrian part of Buffalo Thunder that traces back to her father's family. I am just so excited to have the opportunity to photograph a wedding in a new location with HORSES as an element of the day. I simply can't wait for the wedding on June 4th. It's going to be amazing.

I asked Doriane and Scott if they had any pets. They told me that their two dogs were in the car. Of course I had to see them and get a few shots.

Santa Fe Wedding Fair

2011-01-31T13:18:00.000-08:00

I had a booth in a wedding fair yesterday at the Santa Fe Convention Center. It was so much fun meeting brides, grooms and their families. I took a few pictures of my booth, the wonderful people I met and some of the other amazingly cool vendors. Santa Fe is a great place to get married. We have a beautiful community here.

I brought these two matching vintage chairs from home. They actually belonged to my husband's grandmother, they date back to the 40's. I wanted to create a comfortable space for people to sit and view my sample albums.

My husband is so thoughtful. He bought me a HUGE plastic tub of licorice for my booth, you know the kind that you can get at Walgreens or Costco? As enderaring as it was, the big plastic tub was just not going to fly. I gave it some thought, and decided to dress the licorice up a bit by putting it in these jars.

Hi Kathie, Tina and Deborah! I can't wait to meet Doriane and Scott.

These beautiful cakes were by ABC Cake Shop & Bakery of Albuquerque.

These folks had the booth right next to mine. They were incredibly nice. It was clearly a family owned business. Check out their jewelry at Jewelry by Josana.

Models wandered the floor wearing dresses from various shops.

Amanda's Flowers ~ Santa Fe's Living Art

Hi Jessica! It was so good to see you and the entire clan again.

Yay, Maria!

The beautiful models for M & J Boutique.

M & J Bridal Boutique.

This is Kathy and Babak of Insight Foto. They are incredibly nice and they do amazing work.

The gang at DJ John Edwards.

DJ John Edwards

Sarah & Ray

2011-01-19T21:05:00.000-08:00

It was so fun photographing Sarah and Ray's engagement session! We went to Museum Hill in Santa Fe, New Mexico. Prior to the session

there was one big obstacle, Sarah injured her knee. We had to postpone the session until after her surgery. I'm happy to say, she did very well.

She could even walk without her crutches!

I was delighted to find the interior of Museum Hill Cafe to be so lovely. The view was amazing and the staff were super friendly.

Farolitos is the Spanish word for “little lanterns.”

2010-12-13T09:00:00.000-08:00

Santa Fe is beautiful this time of year. One of my favorite spots for viewing farolitos is the Inn At Loretto. I love how they line the adobe walls. I took this image recently for a calendar.

2nd shooting with Vlad Chaloupka

2010-11-25T11:36:00.000-08:00

I had the honor and pleasure of 2nd shooting with Vlad Chaloupka. He was hired to shoot James and Ashley's wedding. My job as his second shooter was to take shots of James and the groomsmen while Vlad photographed Ashley and her bridesmaids getting ready. It was so fun to hang with the "men" for once. I was also there to shoot the wedding from a different angle and details of the reception. Here are a few of my images from the day. Vlad so generously let me post my images on my blog. Not only that, he retouched some of them. Thanks Vlad!

I love sweet little details that explain something unique about a couple. James and Ashley both bought special gifts for each other (watch and ring). Both of them planned to surprise the other the day of the wedding. Neither one was expecting a gift so they both were shocked and delighted.

Desiree Dawn Kuhn

2010-11-23T19:26:00.000-08:00

I photographed Desiree today. Her little "bun" is due January 1, 2011. Congrats Desiree & Patricio, it was so much fun photographing you!

Michelle & Glen

2010-11-22T19:11:00.000-08:00

I have known Michelle and Glen for years. Glen used to work with my husband so we've been to Christmas parties together and we even went on a company cruise together. I had the pleasure of photographing Michelle when she was pregnant last year (Adding to the Family) and then again when their son was a newborn ( He's Here!). They called me again this year for a family portrait. He's almost one now. I absolutely love photographing friends year after year. I love to document the changes as their children and families grow.

We shot part of the session near the Explora building in Albuquerque, which is a fun science, technology and art museum. This one almost has the feel that they are about to board an enormous ship, an ocean liner. Look at those windows! Love them.

I think Michelle is so unbelievably beautiful. I love when I can steal the couple away from the kids for a few intimate shots. It is the parents who hold the family together after all....

Last year braces on, this year braces off. Look at that wonderful smile.

These shots were so fun and unexpected. Michelle's brother drove over on his motorcycle to see what we were up to. Glen put the little man on the cycle first and he was delighted. Then the girls joined in. What a fun way to end the session. Thanks "boy" for stopping by.

2nd Shooting with Becker

2010-11-09T19:04:00.000-08:00

I had the honor of second shooting with Becker this last weekend. For those of you who don't know, he is an internationally acclaimed wedding photographer and an incredibly down to earth guy. It was a wonderful day with a beautiful couple, Valerie & John. Thank you Becker for having me. It was absolutely amazing to shoot with you. Words can't really express my gratitude (and many, many thanks for letting me blog some of my images here).

I love this picture of me with Becker, at the end of the evening. You can see Valerie twirling on the dance floor behind us.

The bridal party got ready at the Intercontinental Montelucia Resort & Spa. I love going in and photographing simply what is happening. Here are two of Valerie's bridesmaids, watching as she was getting her make-up done. Everyone was so mellow and relaxed and super nice.

Valerie getting the finishing touches of hair and make-up.

Valerie's beautiful shoes!

Here is the dress before and after she put it on and her mom seeing her for the first time.

The girls getting ready.

Valerie's bouquet and the rest of the floral designs were by Jan Dekker Designs.

The bridesmaids bouquets.

The flower girl's shoes.

Here Valerie is waiting to see John for the first time.

I love that I captured this expression as John was approaching her.

A quiet moment together.

Here Becker is taking some of his signature relaxed portraits of Valerie. I shot from the side.

These are more shots set up by Becker and I'm getting them from a different angle.

I absolutely loved the letterpress invitations!

The ceremony was beautiful.

Valerie's niece was the adorable flower girl.

Officially hitched.

Cocktail hour back at the Intercontinental Montelucia Resort & Spa.

The reception area was stunning. We had the pleasure of working with event planners, Jessica Martinez and Rebecca Coberly of Embellish.

Valerie's sister giving a toast.

First dances.

Guests cutting loose!

Carlos & Ariane's Wedding

2010-11-02T00:32:00.000-07:00

I had such an amazing time documenting Carlos and Ariane's wedding October 30, 2010. It was in Las Vegas, New Mexico. The ceremony was at the beautiful Immaculate Conception Parish. Ariane got ready at the Historic Plaza Hotel which is also where the reception took place. Here are some of my favorite images from the day.

There is a Northern New Mexico tradition of writing a song about the family members of the new couple.

They bless the new couple with gifts of money as the song is being sung.

Then there was the dollar dance. Carlos' mom made this corsage for Ariane out of money!

Bo & Leslie

2010-10-26T17:10:00.000-07:00

Bridal Session with Ariane

2010-10-19T09:11:00.000-07:00

I had a bridal session with Ariane Hadida and I wish desperately that I could post images of her in her dress. But I will wait until after the wedding. She looked AMAZING. They are getting married October 30. I can't wait!

Now they are three.

2010-10-17T21:09:00.000-07:00

I photographed these girls when they were newborns. They are twins. Now they are three. I feel so blessed to have repeat customers. Their mother Maya hired me again to photograph a Christmas portrait. I've had the privilege to get a glimpse into their lives over the years since they were born. I love it because I get to see how they are doing. What's new. I get to observe their growth and development. So today, we needed one, only one good shot for their Christmas card. I had a total blast trying to get this for them. Well, it was fun for me anyway. I'm not so sure it was fun for Maya as she got mauled and poked and was forced to pick-up and carry at least one daughter at all times. And did I mention that they wouldn't listen to us? They had their very own agenda that was uniquely three.

So here is an attempt to take a picture. The arm went up and she was hiding from me.

But I could take one of her cow.

Walking to the park. One daughter on the right hip, one daughter on the left hand.

Here Maya is saying something like, "Come on girls, come sit on my lap. Let's take a picture." Notice neither one is the slightest bit interested in me, or looking at my camera.

Peeking at me from behind a statue of a donkey. I had to make a reference to Shrek. Yes, I found out that they love Donkey too.

Okay, this one decided to look at me for a split second here before she tore off across the lawn (oh, and just so you know, I try not to mention children's names on my blog for their safety, I'm being vague on purpose).

The girls got amazing dresses from their grandma. Maya and I begged them to twirl for us. Here is a quick swish of the skirts.

Here is one single twirl.

Then they were off, as you can see, literally running away from me. Which I will admit, had me delighted. It was so fun to be reminded of three year old twin antics. Absolutely adorable, lovable and free spirited. Our twin boys are nine years old now. So Maya and I have the twin connection.

After letting them run around and around and around, we tried for another nice portrait. Once again asking them to look at me, "come on, look at me, look at the camera." Nope.

This is what they would do. Completely maul their mother. Not just maul, pummel. Three year olds are like lion cubs.

Then it was time to climb on her like a chimpanzee.

At the end of the session we went inside the Cathedral. We had been shooting outside of St Francis Cathedral Basilica in Santa Fe, New Mexico. When we were inside the church they were completely silent, quiet as mice. It was so cute I could hardly stand it.

After all that, I'm happy to announce that we did get several beautiful portraits that will be perfect for that Christmas card. Maya, I will create your on-line gallery soon and let you know when it is live.

Jessica & Bradd ~ September 18, 2010

2010-09-20T22:47:00.000-07:00

Jessica and I met at a bridal fair. I had a booth and she came to talk to me about photography (not her wedding photography, because at that time, she figured she would use a photographer from Reno, Nevada) but photography in general. She loves photography and I love to talk about photography so we connected. That was March. She assisted me on a wedding in April as my second shooter. She took some amazing shots that ended up in the final album for the bride and groom. At some point after that, I think we both knew that I would shoot her wedding. I really wanted to and she really wanted me. I love Jess because she tells me that I "rock like Slayer." There's a scene in the movie Shrek where Donkey says, "You see that Shrek? She called me a noble steed." That's a movie reference that may only make sense if you have kids. Anyway, Jess makes me feel like a "noble steed".

It was great when we started working together because we had plenty of time to do an engagement session and a bridal session here in Santa Fe. I posted the engagement shots awhile back. But I didn't post any shots from the bridal session because we didn't want Bradd to see the dress.

The bridal session was at her mother's house which was beautifully decorated with lots of natural light.

This is a special piece of jewelry that Jess wore for the bridal session and on the wedding day.

Fresh cut flowers from her mom's garden for the bridal session. It was nice to have her mom and sister Kristina on hand to help out.

The shoes that Jessica planned to wear. As it turned out, a pair of flip-flops did the trick.

Here Jess threw on a cowboy hat for Bradd's sake. He's a little bit country.

I posted this shot awhile back but just had to re post since it is such a cool red guitar and nice shot of her rings.

As you can see, she is a little bit rock-n-roll.

After two flights, I arrived in Reno and this was our hotel.

I was bound and determined to get a shot of this sign before the weekend was over. Jessica's family was so generous to give me rides everywhere. Here, I was getting a ride from the rehearsal to the hotel with Jessica's father, David, step-mom Melissa, sister Briana and her boyfriend Tyler. We were driving along and the sign appeared almost out of no where. I shouted, "slow down" and took this shot from the back seat, through the windshield. Thank you David for slowing down, and sorry for yelling. :)

Here is Jess the day of the wedding. Hair done by her amazing sister Briana. If you are looking for a stylist in the Portland area, she's your girl.

Bradd moments before the wedding.

Flowers done by Bradd's mom Debbi and her wonderful friends. They used peacock feathers as details.

Perfect garter for Jess, notice the tattoo on her fore arm below.....

I love this t-shirt!

The ceremony over-looking Reno from the scenic D'Andrea Golf Club.

All of Jess and Bradd's siblings.

Their first dance over-looking the scenic valley. They danced to Journey, "Faithfully".

The weather was perfect for a reception outside.

Jess and her sisters. Those girls can sing!

A sleepy girl on grandma's shoulder.

Sarah & Andy

2010-09-06T21:18:00.000-07:00

Sarah and her daughters got ready at Adorn Hair Studio in Santa Fe, New Mexico.

The girls went to get treats at nearby Tree House Pastry Shop & Cafe. They came back with delicious looking cupcakes. I had never heard of it before and the girls told me that it is an organic cafe which uses produce from local farmers. The bakery items are organic and they use local wheat. They even make organic wedding cakes! Their motto is, "saving the world one cupcake at a time." I'm a new fan of Tree House and plan on going back soon.

The wedding took place at the beautiful Hacienda Dona Andrea which is located about 25 miles south of Santa Fe.

Sarah and her beautiful daughters before the wedding.

Here is Andy before the wedding. Just as I was about to take this shot, a gust of wind blew his tie up and over his shoulder. Not straightening it perfectly is a reflection of Andy's easy going nature.

Here is a sweet moment between Sarah's sister and niece before the wedding.

Indian Market

2010-09-02T06:57:00.000-07:00

In Santa Fe each year there is an Indian Market. It is held downtown on the historic plaza. Hundreds of Native Americans come to display and sell their art. This year there was a lot going on. There were performances and clothing competitons. The food was great. I couldn't resist getting corn on the cob. It was an amazing opportunity for me to shoot portraits. Here are some of the images I got on Saturday August 21, 2010.

I don't think this gentleman was Native but he was kind enough to let me take his picture.

Echo Canyon

2010-08-30T10:09:00.000-07:00

Yesterday I had the privilege of meeting Ariane and Carlos for the first time, for their engagement session. They took me to the place where Carlos proposed, Echo Canyon, New Mexico. It was an amazing afternoon because in a sense, we re-enacted the day of the proposal. We took a scenic drive near El Rito, stopping along the way to marvel at the incredible views. It was raining and by the time we arrived at Echo Canyon, the clouds looked like this and the lighting was perfect. This is where he proposed over a year ago. They look so natural together, like a perfect fit.

Protective

2010-08-27T17:26:00.000-07:00

I am fiercely protective of my brides. I want them to relax and enjoy the day. For instance, when I was with my last bride, at the salon, I noticed her toenails, they looked well.... a tad bit shabby (no offense Ranier). I asked if she was going to be getting a pedicure. She said that she didn't have time, instead she was going to run to the grocery store, after getting her hair done, to buy some last minute refreshments. What?!? No. No. No. I took some quick shots and ran to the grocery store for her. I got back just in time to shoot the final stages of her hair getting styled.

Then we arrived at the location where her family and bridesmaids were getting ready. Everyone was so busy, no one had time to help. I literally put my camera down and painted her toes as her make-up artist was working on her face.

Awwww, much better.

Apples, apples, apples!

2010-08-17T14:00:00.000-07:00

I had the privilege of photographing the wedding of two friends, Will and Ranier. They got married at this lovely apple orchard at Dixon's Apples, south of Santa Fe, New Mexico. Here are some of my favorite images.

Shiny red guitar

2010-08-13T12:04:00.000-07:00

These are images from my bridal session with Jessica. I was so lucky to see her in her beautiful wedding dress before the wedding. Everyone else will have to wait, sorry folks. Her daughter was there with us and enjoyed being in the middle of the activities. She is going to be a delightful flower girl. I can't wait to photograph the wedding in Reno, it is going to be a blast.

Did I mention that Jessica was the lead singer in a metal band?

Bonnie & Clyde

2010-07-15T22:03:00.000-07:00

Not really, this is Jessica Huckabee and Braddock Preston. We shot their engagement session tonight. Bradd likes guns so we went out to the shooting range. He has taught Jess a thing or two. Here is a sneak peek at the session. More to come....

Santa Fe International Folk Art Market July 9-11, 2010

2010-07-13T01:13:00.000-07:00

I had been planning to attend Santa Fe's International Folk Art Market for quite some time. I knew it would be an
amazing opportunity to take portraits. I was right.

A mom and her boys....

2010-07-09T09:22:00.000-07:00

My dear, dear friend Monique wanted portraits with her boys. So during my visit we shot these fun images. It was amazing to meet her "not-so-little" dudes. They are incredible young men. Connecticut is beautiful and green this time of year, but humid. Ummmm.... too humid for me. Thank goodness for my iced coffee!

In my humble opinion, the ULTIMATE coffee drink.....

......with coffee CUBES!!!!!!! The Essex Coffee & Tea Co. actually makes ice cubes out of coffee for their iced coffee drinks. Pure genius.

Puppies, puppies, puppies!

2010-07-08T08:17:00.000-07:00

Katie & Chris

2010-07-01T08:35:00.000-07:00

I had an amazing time shooting Chris and Katie's wedding in Rye, New York. The rehearsal was fun follwed by dinner at Seaside Johnnies. Here are some images from the weekend. The ceremony and reception were at the beautiful Wainwright House flowers by Green Cottage.

Chris' father.

Ranier & Will

2010-06-20T13:25:00.000-07:00

Maggie

2010-05-31T21:18:00.000-07:00

Home-4

2010-04-28T09:54:00.001-07:00

Check out the latest page I just posted using Showit: Home-4

Brian & Adriana

2010-04-25T17:50:00.000-07:00

Brian and Adriana's wedding day was amazing. We spent all day, from the bride getting ready to the last dance, documenting the festivities. Here are a few of my favorite images.

Bridesmaids

Groomsmen

San Felipe de Neri, Albuquerque's oldest Catholic Parish.

Toast

Crazy Flower Lady

2010-04-10T09:15:00.001-07:00

This was such a great session! Stephanie and I had a class together in college almost 20 years ago. We lost touch until she randomly came across my name on Google one day. She saw my photography and said she wanted to have a portrait session with her husband. They've been together 17 years. Honestly, photographing them was like photographing newlyweds. They were so much in love and so comfortable together. It was really wonderful to see how happy she is after all these years. I love photographing friends because it is an opportunity to catch-up and learn new things. For instance, I had no idea that she is into gardening. She's planted over 800 bulbs in her yard and has seedlings all over the kitchen ready to go. In her neighborhood she is known by the local kids as the "crazy flower lady" because she wears a headset and sings loudly, to music from the 60's, as she's gardening. Thanks for inspiring me to stop worrying so much about what the neighbors think!

Meghan going, going, gone.

2010-04-09T08:10:00.000-07:00

Okay, it's obvious Meghan is gorgeous with both straight hair and curly. But the real fun began when I had her start running. She is an athlete in Track and Cross Country (some of you know that those were my sports in high school). So FUN!

Meghan's curly hair.

2010-04-08T09:06:00.000-07:00

These are Meghan's Senior Portraits. She usually straightens her hair, but I insisted we get some curly shots. It's gorgeous, just look at those ringlets! Stay tuned for the straight look.

Graduating Girls

2010-04-06T20:12:00.000-07:00

This was such a fun session with three best friends! They are graduating from High School soon. Here they are together at Lake Minnetonka, Minnesota.

Sneak peek at Adriana's bridal session.

2010-03-27T13:06:00.000-07:00

I was so excited to see Adriana in her wedding dress. She looked absolutely stunning. Unfortunately, I can't display the images until after the wedding. So here is a sneak peek of her lovely eyes!

Eye of the Tiger

2010-03-24T19:21:00.001-07:00

I had so much fun photographing this little munchkin!

Wedding Fair Santa Fe 2010

2010-02-28T16:41:00.000-08:00

I had such a great time at the bridal fair today. I met some amazing people. Here are a few portaits I snapped.

To my surprise and delight, Jessica and her mom Dina were at the wedding fair. I used to work with Dina at an after school program for Challenge New Mexico. The location was Agua Fria Elementary. Jessica was a cute little squirt back then. I did a portrait project -- black and white images of the kids. I took pictures of Jessica and her sisters when they were children. Now she is getting married! She booked me on the spot. I am so grateful and excited to be photographing her wedding. How cool is that?

Supporting Our Troops for Valentines Day

2010-02-21T14:23:00.001-08:00

I read about a wonderful organization, Portraits of Love that was dedicated to sending family portraits to deployed soldiers during the holidays in 2009. Photographers donated their time taking family portraits. The printing of these portraits, the paper and postage was donated too. I wanted to participate but the holidays were over by the time I read about this great effort. Some of you know that I am fairly liberal in my political views. While I don't necessarily agree with the leader who put us in Iraq in the first place, I do support our troops. So I decided to offer free 'Boudoir' sessions, printing and postage to soldiers who are currently overseas. This way they could receive a beautiful Valentine's Day portrait of their loved one. One happy officer e-mailed me all the way from Iraq to say thanks. He told his wife that the beautiful pictures of her were what was going to get him through. That makes me feel good. :)

Hello blog, it's been awhile.

2010-02-06T00:06:00.000-08:00

I'm so lucky, I love the people I meet. I photographed Amanda's wedding on September 26, 2009. When the folks at her work needed to update their head shots, she thought of me. It was so much fun meeting the staff at Jane Terry Financial Associates. They even had me take portraits of their wonderful office kitties. Thanks for such a fun session! Here are a few of my favorites.

Revisiting the Davidson Family

2009-12-29T18:40:00.000-08:00

Hi Davidsons (and Simon)! It was awesome to see you today and shoot your family portrait. Here are a few of my favorites from our session. There were SO many good ones, I had a hard time choosing. Your home is absolutely beautiful in the winter. I'll have the rest of the images ready soon and send you the link. Have a Happy New Year!

Jeannette & Tim

2009-12-21T13:55:00.000-08:00

Jeannette and Tim had a intimate ceremony in San Antonio, Texas. It was beautiful to see how relaxed and seamlessly their two families came together. Here is a sneak peek at their images.

He's here!

2009-11-29T21:35:00.000-08:00

Michelle had her baby one week after I took her pregnancy portraits. Look at him! He is one week old today. Congratulations Michelle and Glen!

Adding to the Family

2009-11-18T08:27:00.001-08:00

Michelle is due to have her baby boy any day. Here are some portraits we took before he arrives. I can't wait to take newborn shots. Good luck Michelle!

Great Bed & Breakfast

2009-10-29T12:19:00.000-07:00

My friend works at a great New Mexico Bed and Breakfast, actually she runs the place. It looks amazing. If you are ever looking for Santa Fe Lodging then you have to check this out!

Yussef and his little men

2009-10-25T21:29:00.000-07:00

Yussef, I'm so glad the weather cooperated for us today! It was great getting photos of you and your sons. They are adorable!