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 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!!!!

It's all in the details ... and Kari and Dave's wedding had plenty of details!!  Their wedding was held at Kari's parent's home in Scottsdale in early October.  Kari's mother, Nancy, is an interior decorator and her gift reflected in every gorgeous detail of this event (I am absolutely in love with every facet of her home by the way ... looks like it came straight out of the pages of a magazine.)

One other spectacular detail to mention, and this one wasn't planned.  When we first met with Kari and Dave, they mentioned how much they loved the dramatic skies in some of our photos.  They were hoping for some sort of drama to play out that day, and boy did it.  I know, the photo shown above doesn't look real, but rest assured it is very real and all that was done to it in photoshop was my normal tweak of the contract and saturation.  Just after their rooftop, sunset ceremony a dust storm swept down over the mountains, creating this amazing cloud formation.  It took shape just as the sun set and went through two main phases of color; first a brilliant yellow and finally a fiery pinkish-red.  It was seriously one of the most dramatic sights I have ever witnessed!  Kari was so excited.  Even when we said our goodbyes that night she said, "I can't believe we got one of your skies :-)!!!"  Well Kari, we most certainly did and we hope these photos help preserve that special wedding day memory for a lifetime to come!

Sarita has been a repeat client for a few years now and I was elated when she told me she had found the one, and asked us to photograph her wedding day!  Her wedding was held at Sassi in Scottsdale in September.  It was a fairly hot day, but the wedding could not have been more lovely and full of joy!

Sarita has always oozed style, so I knew her special day would be nothing short of elegant and I was right on target.  Every detail, from her dress, to the flowers, linens and cake were simply stunning!

Jacob has two beautiful daughters, Chloe and Lilly, which you will see frequently throughout the posting :-).  During the ceremony, Sarita and Jacob presented them with necklaces to mark their new bond as a family ... it was incredibly touching.

Sarita, you have not only become a wonderful client, but a friend.  We really hope you and Jacob love and cherish these images!  XOXOXO!