Guiding Words

25.10.09 personal

So, my sweet brother Troy gave me this beautiful Tiffany necklace a couple of months ago.  Yeah, I know, he’s pretty awesome. :)  Especially since he gave me the matching bracelet several years ago.  On this particular occasion, however, he didn’t have this piece engraved, letting me choose something meaningful.  It took me a while to figure out what I wanted to proclaim and wear boldly around my neck.  After much thought, I decided on a Bible verse that’s pretty much been my guiding verse over the last year: Romans 12:12.  I’ve blogged about it before. :)

Prior sending it off to New York for engraving, I double checked the verse and decided on a whim to engrave the other verses padding verse twelve.  Other than Proverbs 31, these words pretty much encompasses the woman I want to be and how I want to live this life.  You’ll often see me wearing this at weddings; I have been asked about it at the last several shoots.  So to answer all your questions, the passage engraved on my necklace is as follows:

“Love must be sincere.  Hate what is eveil; cling to what is good.  Be devoted to one another in brotherly love.  Honor one another above yourselves.  Never be lacking in zeal, but keep your spiritual fervor, serving the Lord.  Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer.  Share with God’s people who are in need.  Practice hospitality.” — Romans 12:9-13

Troy is a very talented and super artistic person.  This is a self portrait taken on his sweet Hasselblad camera.  (I told you he was cool!)

I love you, Troy.  Thank you for being such an awesome and supportive big brother. :)

The Seufer Family

23.10.09 portraits

You’re about to see some of the most beautiful fall colors to ever occur in a photo shoot.  A couple of weeks ago, I had the privilege to work with the owner of Seufer Bros. Tree Farm, Thane, and his beautiful family in Cañon City.  We had such a laid back, relaxed afternoon of shooting around the farm.  Despite growing up on a farm, I couldn’t help but be a bit envious of these three girls and their state of life.  If I could have one wish, it’d be to go back in time and be six again. To live on our farm again.  To discover life with wide eyes, surprised at the turn of every corner.  To be carefree: riding on my dad’s tractors, playing with cattails, skipping rocks in the river.  My goal for this shoot was to give these precious girls a small photographic slice of what it was like to grow up on a tree farm, because twenty years from now, they might come to the same realization I did: you don’t know what you had until it’s gone.

From left to right: Carley, Thane, Laney, Leslie, and Chloe. On the front porch of grandma’s house that resides on the tree farm:

LOVE this shot:

Hangin’ like monkeys on the John Deere:

There’s nothing like the love of daddy’s hands:

You can tell I’m primarly a wedding/engagement photographer.  I couldn’t resist doing a few lovey shots with Thane and Les:

Thane had a customer he had to attend to, so Laney and Carley and I just played with cattails. :)

This could quite possibly be the most precious kid shot ever:

Pretty cool family, huh? :)

Colorado Springs Independent “Best Of”

22.10.09 press, the latest & greatest

Well, folks… WE DID IT!  SECOND PLACE in the 16th Annual Colorado Springs Independent “Best Of” Contest!  The COS Independent is one of the biggest papers in the area.  Over 6,000 Independent readers voted.  I am completely elated!  What an incredible honor.  To be so young and to have only started this business a couple of years ago.  I feel so incredibly loved and honored by all my sweet clients, family, and friends. THANK YOU everyone who voted!  You rock!

To Teresa Lee and Cayton Photography – congratulations!  What an honor to be ranked with such photographic giants.  Your work is just astonishing.  To Amon Medinger of StrikingIA.com, thank you for taking me under your wing when I first picked up a camera.  Mike Colón and Justin and Mary Marantz, you three inspire me to be a better photographer every day.  Thank you for setting the bar extremely high; I can only hope to be as inspiring and impactful as you some day.  Jesie, your support and encouragement and constant positive attitude has made this business a blasty-blast.  Thank you for learning and growing with me.  The best is yet to come. And to all my family, friends, and avid blog readers: thank you for always encouraging me and affirming me.  I’d be nothing without your support. You give me the confidence and credibility to know that I’m doing something right.

I’ve learned so much over the last couple of years and have traveled all over the U.S. doing this “job.”  I feel as though I’m only getting started.  I’m barely scraping the surface of what’s out there to learn and who I want to be as a photographer.  Every shoot I go on, every meeting I have, I am learning something new.  I feel so undeserving of this award in some ways… I’ve heard that there are over 200 photographers in this community.  And if that’s true… I don’t know… this is the most incredible honor or award I have ever received.  I am in awe.  Thank you, everyone.  Thank you.

Get a load of this chat conversation from this morning, which is how I found out about the good news:

john: Was just checkin’ good ole csindy.com
me: Oh, I don’t think i won
john: Hells yeah… second place!!
me: what?!
me: My heart is beating so fast.
john: That’s frickin awesome
me: Are you serious?!
john: Fo shizzle my nizzle
me: ahhh!
me: OH MY GOSH! Holy toledo.
john: Hells yeah
That’s my GIRL!
me: OMG
I’m crying right now.

Leah & Garrett – Part II of II

22.10.09 weddings

Leah and Garrett opted for a first sighting before the wedding.  It was incredibly romantic and intimate, as Garrett puts it.  We photographers just love this because no one is rushed to get to the reception.  It’s the perfect time to just be and enjoy one another.  We met at Denver’s Union Station.

Love the composition on this shot.

My favorite!  Also one of Garrett’s faves too and his mother’s!

Jesie’s shot:

A quick stop before we headed to the ceremony. :) I just happened to be in the right place at the right time.

Before Leah.  After Leah. :)

Would you check out this WINK Garrett gave his brother as he handed the rings over.

They had the best expressions.

Nicely done by Jesie:

They had some mad dancing this night!  So much so that they forgot to do all the toasts!

This shot makes me happy. :)

The end! :)  Leah and Garrett… you two are incredible people.  I am so blessed to be an adopted part of your family; the Reveal was just the best way to end this evening.  Thank you for being you.
With Love, René