This past weekend we participated in the Phoenix Bridal Debut, the nation's largest Bridal Expo.  We have been doing this show for many years now and as always it was just as much fun as it was chaos :-).  Thanks to all who stopped by our booth!

This posting has been a while in coming.  Recently Caitlin received her album and emailed to thank us for everything.  She said she was so delighted with everything we had done for her but was kind of bummed she never made it on the blog.  We reassured her that both her wedding and trash the dress session would both still make it.  They were both amazing shoots and there was no way we wouldn't want to post them eventually.  That goes for everyone who's weddings or shoots haven't been posted yet ... we just got so far behind for a while, it is taking a long time to catch up.  So Caitlin, here is your beautiful posting :-)!!

Caitlin and Dave were married in early May 2010, at the Desert Botanical Gardens in Phoenix, Arizona.  This is one of our favorite venues and these two are among our favorite couples!  They were so amazing to work with and they have the most adorable daughter named Shaylee.  Doesn't hurt how photogenic they are either :-)!  The only sad thing is that we won't be able to work with them much in the future because the week after their wedding they headed off to Portland to live.  The important thing though, is that they love it there.  Thank you both so much for allowing us to be a part of your big day ... it was just stunning!!

I am once again honored to win awards in the prestigious Wedding Photojournalist Association's (WPJA) quartly contest.  Two of my photographs were recognized in their Quarter 3 competition, one taking Seventh Place from Angela and Chris' wedding in the "Parents" category and the other also taking Seventh Place from Shy and Prameet's wedding in the "Other Vendors" category.  To give you an idea of what an honor it really is to place in an international competition like this, the WPJA puts it in perspective and says it best: "From 13,686 entries only 240 finalists were selected."  As always, I thank my wonderful clients for fully trusting in me and giving me the opportunity to shoot at such beautiful and meaningful events!!

I want to start this post by saying that in no way, shape, or form did we harm this beautiful owl!!!  Anyone who knows me, knows how much I love all animals, especially birds!

On New Years Eve, after Arizona's big winter storm, we hiked into the mountains northeast of Phoenix in search of a nice landscape photo of Four Peaks Mountain with rare snowfall on it.  While waiting for the light and searching out the perfect composition, I turned to see a fence ... and a strange shape hanging from it.  On closer inspection we found that it was a Great Horned Owl.  At first I thought it might have inadvertently flown into the fence, killing it but we soon came to realize that the bird had been affixed to the fence.  The scene was odd and disturbing as I wondered how the bird died and why someone would then strap it to a fence in the middle of nowhere.  The owl showed no obvious signs of trauma, so I guess I will never know.  I took the photo above for my decades-old, on going personal project, "Casualties of War."  It documents man's impact on the wild world and the damage we inflict, whether by purpose or not.

Fast forward a couple of days and I got it in my head that it would make for a really cool shoot!  I had an image of a high fashion look with really dark eye makeup and a somber, yet avant-garde look to the final photographs.  I got a hold of our associate photographer, Angie, and asked her if she would pose for the photos.  She agreed, and on absolutely no notice, she came over, I did her makeup, we drove out to the site, hiked in, put my wedding dress on her and did the shoot.  We arrived just in time for sunset, took the photographs, and hiked out through the cactus fields, in the cold, dark of night :-).  At the end of the shoot, Angie asked if I would take a few photos of her beautiful tatoo using the scene.  It was blue hour by this point and it worked perfectly for that set of images!

For me, the spring and fall wedding seasons of 2010 pretty much blurred together and I never really felt caught up.  I became terribly exhausted and sick and I am just now getting to where I mentally and physically feel a bit better.  Sometimes as photographers, and artists, we need to take a step back to regroup so we can come back in fresh.  I really needed a shoot like this ... something out of the box and edgy.  Angie, thank you so much for trusting in my vision - both the shoot and the makeup :-) - and for so willing trekking into the wilderness on a cold day to see this shoot through!  You look amazing in these photos!!!!