And incase you missed the brief on this Australia trip, I went alone for the first half and then met up with my sweet boyfriend [...]]]> Not to bore you too much, but I thought it might be fun to see a few of the images we photographers take of ourselves when we’re not shooting opera house rooftops and harbor bridges. :-)

And incase you missed the brief on this Australia trip, I went alone for the first half and then met up with my sweet boyfriend for the second half and watched him receive his master’s degree.

Lastly, I must put a disclaimer on this post:  many of the images you see below were taken with the sweet iPhone 4s.  So don’t judge. :-*

G’day,
René

After some fun on Bondi Beach, I headed into the city.  Loved the wild life center with Australia-native animals.

This image was a big victory.  I have a real bird phobia.  This was not on the zoom!

If I was any animal, I’d probably be one of these Roos.  They’re always in a yoga pose.
Why would you want to be anything else? :-)

Loved the Australian favorites at Starbucks.  I had a Aussie meat pie and a long black.  What’s a long black you ask?  Let me just tell you.  You should know by now my drink of choice is an Americano – I talk about it all the time.  And it really drives me crazy when us Americans prepare Americanos all wrong.  The espresso is supposed to go in last – on top.  The Aussie’s do it right.  They call the drink a long black and add the water on top.   Heaven.

Caught me some sweet sunrise on the harbor and took some crazy self-portraits.
I obviously hadn’t met up with John yet. :-)

After a morning at the Opera House, I headed to Manly Beach.  I picked up a book from a used bookstore in Manly and sat right on that beach, directly in front of this amazing cheese and wine restaurant.  This was also heavenly.

That evening after my wine, cheese, beach day (and bikini shopping at Rip Curl) at Manly, I got to know my hostel roommates better.  This is Jeanine.  She’s a physical therapist from Canada and was just taking two months to enjoy Australia by herself.  Love that.

And this is Antonia. She’s from Germany and is my inspiration.  After a several-year-long relationship ended, she decided to pursue a lifelong dream: tour the world for a year.  She started saving – 2,000 € for each month she’d be abroad – and quit her job and took off.  She left Germany, headed to the UK, then on to California, then New Zealand, then Australia.  I think when I left her she still had a month or two in Australia.  Her next stop was Thailand I think?

Antonia insisted on photographing me, though I was too intrigued with the couples having a date at the opera.

Two days later I met up with John in Canberra – the nation’s capital.  We were due to meet at 10pm but both of us had the craziest travel days and ended up not meeting until 7am the next morning.  His graduation was two hours later.  Needless to say, we’re exhausted in these images. But how swanky and handsome does my boy look in his regalia?!

Thank you, strangers, for these amazing photos. :-)

Ah, this was a self-portrait taken at the Australian World War II memorial.  So awesome.

The following days John and I explored Canberra and Sydney and had the time of our lives.  We discovered a mutual love for electric bikes and chicken sandwiches.

The Parliament House.

The most amazing chicken sandwich fast food chain: Aporto.
This place gives Chik-fil-a a run for its money!

John surprised me with a tour at the Australia Center for Photography.
Also… he insisted we capture my love for birds by this awesome sign.

Another insider tip: electric bikes are the way. to. go.  15km/hour baby and virtually no effort exuded
while going up hills.  Quite an amazing little invention.

The Sydney Harbor Bridge.

“What do you want to do tomorrow, baby girl?” he asked.
“All I want is a day at the beach… sandy and warm,” I quickly responded.  And that’s exactly what we did.

We ended the evening and our last night in Australia, with a bottle of wine (which we drank out of these ridiculous little cups) and enjoyed the sunset. Oh and laughed till our stomached ached.  It was the best night.

Actually, that’s not quite how we ended our trip.  After the sun had set,
we made one last stop to Aporto and shared a Coke with our Mate. ;-)

Oh, how I miss the Land Down Under.  I could go on and on about the culture, the people, what to see and do.  We definitely couldn’t afford the time away to stay an entire month, which is so necessary if you want to see all Australia has to offer.
I’m already planning my return trip.

Day three of Australia began with waking up in the heart of Sydney.  I spent my first half-day getting acquainted with the city… going to the zoo and seeing a few sights. On my first full day, I woke up to catch sunrise again.  (Photographers have this thing with sunrises… :-)

I [...]]]> Good morning!  Happy Monday.  I’ve got a treat for you.

Day three of Australia began with waking up in the heart of Sydney.  I spent my first half-day getting acquainted with the city… going to the zoo and seeing a few sights. On my first full day, I woke up to catch sunrise again.  (Photographers have this thing with sunrises… :-)

I was staying right on the harbor so the Opera House and Bridge were just short walks.

Insider tip: If you want to see the Opera House when it isn’t crowded, sunrise is the way to go.  I had it all to myself.

Enjoy.

Missing Australia,
René

The harbor was just beautiful.  While the sun was out.  I’m afraid it went behind a cloud shortly after this photo was taken at 6am and stayed put behind a cloud for the next several, chilly days.

Serenity.

After exhausting my feet and the morning, I caught a ferry and headed to Manly Beach where I chilled with a good book.  A couple hours before sunset I made my way back to the harbor and grabbed the gorgeous night life.

Up next: Part III – A few excerpts from the personal photo archive.  Stay tuned.

]]> http://renetatephotography.com/2012/01/30/australia-sydney-sunrise-to-sunset-part-ii/feed/ 3 http://renetatephotography.com/2012/01/29/australia-sunrise-on-bondi-part-i-of-iii/ http://renetatephotography.com/2012/01/29/australia-sunrise-on-bondi-part-i-of-iii/#comments Sun, 29 Jan 2012 17:00:50 +0000 admin http://renetatephotography.com/?p=11018 So last month, I Tweeted something obscure: “I am going to a far, far away land.”

I didn’t say too much about it because it was a personal vacation, and quite honestly, very last minute.  I left on about a week’s notice.  (Believe or not.)

Long story short, I had the opportunity to accompany my sweet boy to Australia and watch him [...]]]> So last month, I Tweeted something obscure: “I am going to a far, far away land.”

I didn’t say too much about it because it was a personal vacation, and quite honestly, very last minute.  I left on about a week’s notice.  (Believe or not.)

Long story short, I had the opportunity to accompany my sweet boy to Australia and watch him receive his master’s degree.  I headed down there a few days early to explore on my own.  I made a commitment to myself to take a solo-trip every other year.  They’re so good for the soul.  Halfway into the trip I met up with John and we went straight into his graduation and exploring together.

The majority of the first half of the trip it was just me and my Nikon.  We walked miles and miles together and saw some beautiful sunrises and sunsets.

A few pieces of eye candy to follow over the next three posts.  And yes, John is eye candy. haha So is Australia.

Enjoy.

xoxo and G’Day,
René

I arrived in Sydney around 8am on a Saturday morning.  I headed straight to Bondi Beach, checked in to the hostel, and fought jet-lag while reading a novel on the beach.  I may or may not have fallen asleep and received the worst sunburn of my life.

The next morning, I awoke with the mission of catching sunrise and watching busy Bondi Beach wake up. These are the images that unfolded.

Pre-combing.

Post-combing.

Loved this man and his quirky outfit.

Water-combed.

Ran into these mates about 6am – they were just coming from the bars.  It was right about now when they fell off the 10′ ledge onto the beach.

I managed to take a few lovely, out-of-focus self-portraits.  Don’t mind the drunkards in the background.

Walking on Water.  Almost.

Next up: Part II – a day in Sydney from Sunrise to Sunset.  Stay tuned.

He calls her “hun” in the sweetest way possible.

She wears his mother’s wedding ring as her own.

He’s protective of her.

Her eyes are goregous.  Filled with joy and sparkling with love.  Like she’s never seen heartache.  But really, she’s conquered it.

His eyes are deep.  Overflowing with wisdom and intensity of all he’s seen in [...]]]> They live out in the country.  Secluded.  Together.

He calls her “hun” in the sweetest way possible.

She wears his mother’s wedding ring as her own.

He’s protective of her.

Her eyes are goregous.  Filled with joy and sparkling with love.  Like she’s never seen heartache.  But really, she’s conquered it.

His eyes are deep.  Overflowing with wisdom and intensity of all he’s seen in 18 years as a policeman, yet so much compassion pours out.

They live out in the country.

Secluded.

Together…

They’ve been married for 13 years, but you’d think only 13 days by their playfulness and loyalty.

Though they haven’t been blessed with children of their own, they’ve been blessed with five God-children.  They’ve been blessed with the gift of loving them and each other.  And when the going hasn’t been easy and will likely be rough again, and even when it is easy… they hang onto each other.

And it was that bond which intrigued me most.

Their together bond…

As one of Cindi and Mike’s best friends told me, “[They're] not just like typical spouses.  They are an inspiration for any couple.”

And I don’t even know the half of it…

Mike and Cindi, you two truly are an inspiration.  I can only hope my thirteenth wedding anniversary is filled with as much childlike joy and sweet love as yours.  To say I enjoyed our time together is an understatement.  I eagerly await our paths to cross again.

So much love and joy to you.
xoxo,
René

“Nicky, you can cut me up into a thousand pieces and I will still love you.”

Those are the words that put Nicky Cruz over the edge.  The words that he couldn’t get out of his mind.  Those are the words that turned an ex-New York City-gang-president into one of the greatest evangelists today.  Maybe you’ve seen the movie made about [...]]]>  

“Nicky, you can cut me up into a thousand pieces and I will still love you.”

Those are the words that put Nicky Cruz over the edge.  The words that he couldn’t get out of his mind.  Those are the words that turned an ex-New York City-gang-president into one of the greatest evangelists today.  Maybe you’ve seen the movie made about Nicky’s story, The Cross and the Switchblade?  If not, keep your eyes peeled for the upcoming motion picture, A Thousand Pieces.

The life that his man has led has been nothing short of amazing.  God is using him in big, big ways.  ”Remember, Jesus loves you.  Keep things in focus,” he wrote into his autobiography, Run Baby Run.  ”You’re gonna be impacted by this,” he told me through his thick Puerto Rican accent as he slipped the book into my hands.

Later that week, I sat down with my morning coffee and decided to pick up Run Baby Run and read a chapter.

I didn’t move.

I read the entire book in one sitting.

A couple weeks later, I had the privilege of giving this amazing man a few new publicity head shots.  Here are just a couple of my favorites…

Enjoy.

With love,
René

****  Because Jesie and I were so impacted by this man and his story, we just have to share him with you.
Leave a comment in the box below and we will be drawing two winners next week to receive a personalized, autographed copy of Run Baby Run. ****

P.S.  This man travels all over the globe speaking, but this weekend he’s local. Hear Nicky speak in Colorado Springs this Sunday morning at The Springs Church at 9 or 11am.

Megan and Zeke were married last year at the court house and never had any professional shots taken of them.  Now a year later, we’re celebrating their sweet, young, and solid love.

I hope you enjoy these as much as I enjoyed [...]]]> Good morning!  The weekend is almost here and I have little somethin’ to help get you through the day. :-)

Megan and Zeke were married last year at the court house and never had any professional shots taken of them.  Now a year later, we’re celebrating their sweet, young, and solid love.

I hope you enjoy these as much as I enjoyed shooting them. :-) We had a blasty.

With joy,
René

Love love,
René + Jesie

Muah!

Get a Starbucks to go and curl up in a comfy chair… these are worth the read.

If you thought the last post was good, wait until you finish this one.  Today, our brides and grooms reveal, not only their favorite images of their wedding day, but they reveal there hearts.

 Malerie & Chris’ Boulder Wedding

“Our first look was as perfect as I could have ever imagined.  This is THE look that every girl hopes and prays for.  Neither of us will forget this moment; this is the moment that every other detail, every flaw, every ounce of wedding-day stress fell away and it all became perfect.”

“Chris hates this picture, but I love it. Not many know this, but I have prayed since I was 13 that my husband would greet me on the other end of the aisle with a tear. While Chris is a self-professed emotional man, he is not nor ever has been a crier. He warned me when we got engaged that it probably wouldn’t happen. But when the doors opened and I walked down the aisle, he cried. A lot. It was such a special and much prayed-for moment; God answered my prayers in so many ways that day.”

“One word: Joy. Pure and simple.”

“This was definitely one of the most memorable moments in our wedding. We had just said our “I Do’s,” the wind was blowing, all of the cars holding our friends and families were honking wildly. We have never felt so free and so wildly happy as in this moment.”

Casey & Michael’s Tapestry House Wedding

“Michael fondly refers to this photo as the groomsmen’s ‘Blink 182′ moment, and loves that it shows a bit of ‘attitude’ in the day.”

“This was a very personal moment that I relive every time I look at it; I’m so proud that my baby brother walked me down the aisle, and this renews that pride each time I look at it. He had just wiped some tears and boogers away and I asked for a tissue; he handed me his used tissue. It makes me laugh, smile and cry all at the same time.”

“My mother-in-law and I have not always had the closest relationship;we used to butt heads more often than not, but on the day of my wedding she hugged me and told me of the love she has for me and that she is proud to have me as a daughter-in-law. Our relationship changed that day, and this picture captures that moment.”

Lauren & Justin’s Maui Wedding

“I love this picture. Being able to see everyone that was in our wedding and just there celebrating with us is amazing. I had all of my favorite people in one place at the same time. This was a wedding present in itself, because it is so rare to have everyone all in one place. We had relatives and friends that traveled from Virginia, Colorado, California, Washington State, Idaho, and others that interrupted their own Hawaiian vacations just to see us be married.  This was an incredible blessing, and to be able to look back at this picture at everyone who celebrated with us is a gift.”

“I love this picture of Justin and me. It is just simply beautiful. I love that the background is the ocean, with the island of Lanai in the background.  And I love Justin’s and my expressions. All we wanted after we were married was to be as close as we could be. We were taking in the moment, the beautiful scenery, and loving being in each other’s arms.  I am thinking, “I am the most blessed girl in the world.” And let’s be honest, I married a HUNK! :)”

“This was my dream. To have a wedding by the beach. And, thank you to my parents and the good Lord above, my dream came true.  I married my Prince Charming, my Knight in shining armor, in Maui, Hawaii – my favorite place in the world.  This picture is what I asked you, René, for when we were coming up with a game plan for pictures on our wedding day. I said I wanted pictures with the beach in the background…I got my wish :) I got my Princess moment. :)”

“I love this picture of my Daddy and me :)  I can’t even being to say how much he means to me.  I KNEW I would cry my eyes out during out Daddy/daughter dance and during his toast during our reception.  And it definitely happened.  His speech was the sweetest toast I have ever heard.  And our dance was our moment just the two of us… I will never forget this. :)”

Katie & James’ Meadows at Marshdale Wedding
“First of all that was VERY difficult to chose only 5 of my favorite pictures because your work is truly so amazing and talented. It was nice to have an excuse to take the moment to reflect on our wedding again. We knew that when we were getting married we had to have you as a photographer because we wanted YOU to be the one to capture our precious moments of us getting married, that will only happen once. We trusted you with a very big responsibility and knowing that you would deliver, and you and Jesie certainly did :)  My gratitude and sincere thanks to you again for understanding what we wanted in having our moments captured on one of the most important days of our lives. You understood that without us having to say much — a true reflection that you have a deep spirit and a kindred one at that :)”  —  Katie

“I chose this picture because I love the feel of it.  It has a very top secret James Bond feel, but love the overall shot.  This picture is evidence of one of the many reasons why I loved having you and Jesie as our photographers, because we still got to have the privacy of tender moments on the day of our wedding but you both captured those special moments from afar.  Which is one of the main reasons why we chose you… we were so relaxed and felt comfortable in front of you and the camera, but also it just felt like you both blended into the scenery (in regards to our first look) and it was just us.  We could truly take in all of the tenderness of the moment of seeing my husband when he looked at me for the first time in my wedding dress.  Those series of pictures I will cherish for the rest of my life. “

“This is just a beautiful picture. I love the defined detail of every inch of the picture. Very high quality and the lighting was perfect. The attention to the small details/moments of the day was exquisitely captured in this picture.”

“I LOVE this picture because you captured WHO james and I are. We spend the majority of our time together laughing and I love the transcendence of this picture, specifically the wrinkles in our face. I am sure we will be doing this same thing 50 years from now :)”

“This picture is one of favorites because I just feel pretty ;-) It was while James and I were walking right after we had our first look and felt like I was on cloud nine.”

“I love this picture because this was the exact moment that I was looking into the soul of the man God created for me. It was a mountaintop cliff feeling when I was listening to the exact words I had been waiting my whole life to hear. The promises from the heart of a man that my heart was created to love. His deep words washed over me like warm water and this picture captured that very tender moment.” 

Baylee & Jordan’s Mile High Station Wedding

Karen & Steve’s Evergreen Lake House Wedding

“This is the picture I cried so hard telling you I wanted.  I waited a LONG time to find the right person to marry and he finally came along.  Our wedding day was totally about us and that picture captures that we were both so focused on each other and so happy to actually be married.  That shot definitely captures the feelings I had as we began our marriage together.  I also love the colors of the flowers and the arbor that Steve and my dad made together behind us.  Steve said, ‘I just like the pure joy that you see in it.’  (Boys are much more concise!)  There are MANY more that I LOVE!!!!  Lucky for you, I stopped at the first.”  —  Karen and Steve

Lisa & Joe’s Wenatchee, Washington Wedding

“As I go through the photos for the 100th time I am still finding photos as if for the first time.  I have to admit that I found it incredibly difficult to narrow down my search to my top 5.  But here’s my closest try.  Thank you Rene and Jesie!  You have given us the most irreplaceable and priceless gift of everlasting memories that we can forever share.” — Lisa and Joe

“This picture of my parents is unlike any I have ever seen of them.  I feel like I can literally see the unrestrained, selfless love between them both in this picture.  One of my lifelong greatest hopes was that I would find a husband whom both of my parents would love and be excited for me to spend the rest of my life with.  This picture confirms this hope.”

“Another of our combined favorites…  This picture really captures the close nature of the bridal group.  This picture shows how much fun these guys have when they get together.  I have never met another group of guys so confident in their relationships :).”

“This picture is as if it had been extracted straight from my dreams.  Over the 8 years of dating this was the moment that I had envisioned and always wondered what Joe’s feelings would be.  Knowing that this moment is so personal and so fleeting I am grateful to have this picture to always capture what I know what was going through Joe’s mind was the same that was going through mine.  ”We made it, and I love you.’”

“I think best captured the celebratory feeling that Joe and I felt that whole day.  There were certainly many emotions that day and we both shed plenty of tears, but the overall feeling was over the top excitement and this photo is just how I felt! “

“This is one of Joe’s and my favorite photos artistically.  We loved it so much we have a canvas of this photo in our living room right now.  The colors, lighting, setting, and both of our body language is absolutely stunning.  Joe and I love Wenatchee, the orchards, the summer, and living out in this country setting; and this picture captures all of its beauty in one picture.  Thank you.”

Kristi & Scott’s Spokane Wedding

“First off, wasn’t my wedding party just made up of beautiful girls? COME ON!!! I could go on and on and on and on about how each of these girls have made me a BETTER person, but in a nutshell, I get by with a little help from my friends.”

“I love each of these guys, too. Scott is one of those people, one of those friends, who you want in your life. He’s loyal, funny, and very caring. That’s why I fell in love with him. You can see how much fun they’re having in this picture, and it’s so natural. I smile every time I look at this.”

“This is another one hanging up on our wall, and it is perfect for a bajillion reasons too. I remember when you were taking these pictures and all I could think of in the beginning was, ‘I’m so hungry I could eat an elephant.’ Then once I saw the sun going down, you working your magic and some of our guests looking over from the rooftop, I put my arms around Scott and just took a minute to take it all in. I was so calm during my entire wedding day and it really surprised some people. At this moment, when this picture was taken, I remember trying to take it all in…make a memory. I told myself (as did others) that I wouldn’t remember EVERYTHING about my wedding day, but I wanted to remember as much as I could. In that moment, I remember realizing that this was and is the best day of my life, and I still had a ton of dancing to do :) Plus, look at Scott looking all dapper and fine in this pic.”

“This another special one because it is our first dance. I like that we didn’t have a typical very slow song. Hands down, Toploader’s ‘Dancin’ in the Moonlight’ has always been our song. It’s so happy and so us. I love the line, ‘Everybody’s feeling warm and bright it’s such a fine and natural sight.’  Scott and I always try to treat people with kindness and love. What’s a better sight than watching people smile and laugh because of YOU being nice? Shouldn’t that just be second nature? Also, the sky in this picture is breathtaking…was it really that blue? The story behind this song is pretty great, and there are many instances in which this song has played out in our lives, but to give you a bit of an idea of us involving this song, one time, like four years ago, we drove up to a friend’s house that was in Utah at the time…she said we could jump on her outdoor trampoline whenever we wanted. We decided one night to go up and just start jumping (we are just big kids). After we jumped our hearts out, we went back down the long driveway, opened up all the car doors and blasted this song and just danced and sang in the pitch dark. It was something straight out of a movie :) “

Linda & Michael’s University of Virginia Wedding
“It was difficult, but I managed to pick 5 pictures that are my favorites!”  — Linda

“One of the things I was most looking forward to during the wedding weekend was having my closest girlfriends all together. This picture shows how lovely they are and how much joy we shared together.”

“I love that we are both laughing so naturally, like we are sharing a good joke. Also, we’re at one of our favorite places on UVA’s campus, and it will always be special to us that we got married on the campus where we met and fell in love.”

“…Right after the kiss.  Sheer utter joy on my face!”

“How cool!  I don’t remember it being windy at all that day.  This picture is just so artistic, and what a perfect capture by René!”

“OK how hilarious is this one?  Mike is looking at me like I just told him I’m a Martian.  Set off against the two people dancing calmly in the background, it is just too funny!”

Hannah & Austin’s Pueblo Nature Center Wedding

“Brownie, Brownie!!! This is so my horse because she has such an attitude and is so stubborn all the time!! So we are the perfect pair and I couldn’t have asked for a better riding buddy!!! Plus she is always curious as to what is going on and being snoopy!! lol Just like her owner!!!  The moment was caught so wonderfully and I’m glad it was captured!”

“I love this photo because I have never felt so beautiful in my enitre life and the moment I cherish the most is seeing Austin at the end of the aisle and him seeing me and when we were reading our vows, he had tears in his eyes and that I will cherish forever!! He like to say that it was his allergies, but then he admits at times that yes he did cry!! lol Which is so adorable!!! Austin never cries so for him to cry on our wedding day meant a lot to me!!”

“Leave it to Brownie to make the day!!!  I couldn’t help but laugh when she stepped on my dress and Austin was so furious at her!!! Hey, your wedding day can’t always go as it is planned right!!  Oddly enough her fresh poopy hoof print was perfectly covered under my bustle!!!”

“Austin thought these photos were so stupid but he did them because he knew it was important to me!!”

“Mr. Bassetti!!!! O how we love that adorable old man!! He was always capturing pictures of us!! He is the sweetest man and we are so lucky to have him in our lives!! He was so proud that day!!”

“And last but not least!!!!  Gotta love cake!!!  I have always promised that I would never put cake in Austin’s face, but I couldnt resist!! I had to give him a little taste of my love!! lol I always get the worst end of things but hey it was worth it!!! Cake in my eyes and up my nose was so worth it and I would go through it again any day!!  It was sweet pleasure!!”

Diana & Jim’s Taharaa Mountain Lodge Wedding
“You do realize that picking 2-5 favorite pictures is an almost impossible task.  There are too many of them that I love!  Also, I should probably confess that these are my favorite pictures.  I didn’t let Jim have any input because that would mean fewer pictures that I could pick. :)”  — Diana

 ”I love this image because of the expression on my Dad’s face.  It shows how the emotion of the day hit him when he saw me for the first time.  He told me that when he saw me at [my sister's] wedding, he didn’t think that I would ever look more beautiful, but that he was wrong.  I think that seeing me in my wedding dress took him by surprise.”  

“I like 401 because I love the expression on [my step-daughter's] face.  Are you seeing a pattern here?
She just looks so peaceful in my arms.”

“My favorite wedding ceremony picture.  It’s so cool to know that your future husband was so excited to see you that he was leaning over the side to get his first look.” 

“I like [this one] because it captures how I feel about my husband.  When I look at the picture, I can see how much I love him and how excited I am to be marrying him.”

“My favorite pictures of Jim and I are [these two].  I like that we are walking together and that I am looking back to see the man of my dreams.”

Alanna & Alex’s Spruce Mountain Ranch Wedding

“When Lana is looking and smiling at the camera that is definitely Lana.  She’s got that smile.  But the ones when she isn’t looking at the camera captures the Lana that only I really get to see.  She’s very bubbly and enthusiastic around most people but this image is the more sort of shy and sensual side of her that I don’t think most people get to see.”  —  Alex

“The images of Lana’s host family from Switzerland seeing her in her dress are so special.  I know that they are so important to her and it was just awesome that we were able to get all those people out here.”

“I love the expresison on Sam’s face, for one. He was someone who has been in my life for a very long time.  He was a youth pastor of mine, a good friend of the family for a long time and the fact that he was able to be there eand preside over the wedding was just very special to us.”

“The moment we ran down the hill… We had joked about this during the rehearsal and when the time came around the corner it was, ‘Why the hell not?” and we just bolted.  It worked out great and was definitely something to remember.”

Stephanie & Phill’s Cliff House Wedding

“I just love this image.  There’s not very many pictures of my Dad and myself.  I was crying before the ceremony and [René] asked, ‘What do you think of your daughter?’  and he said to me, ‘What I’ve always thought: she’s the most beautiful girl in the world.”  It was a really happy moment that I got to share with my him.”

“This image of our first dance is incredible.  The moment was so surreal.  We practiced a lot in our kitchen and we had a really hard time picking the song.  I just couldn’t believe that moment finally came.”

Alicia & Scott’s Highland Meadows Golf Course Wedding
“First of all, I don’t know where to begin picking favorite photos …. 5 is a little harsh. 20? Okay. For your sakes, we’ll only pick 5, but that doesn’t seem to be fair. :)  Thank you, wonderful girls … for everything. For who you are, for who you aspire to be, for your gifts, your talents, your hearts. We love you girls so so much!!! ”  —  Alicia and Scott

“I adore this photo. Not only are these ladies some of THE most important people in my life, but only one other girl owned a pair of cowboy boots before that day. They all went out and bought boots – their own style and taste, and wore them for me. My mother made all of the bridesmaid dresses – a true labor of love. This photo just encompasses to me how much love and support went into our wedding from everyone in our lives. And the boots just make me happy – it just nailed my ‘vision’ of that day.”

“I love the anticipation on my groom’s face. This was the one time I felt nerves during the whole day … I was SO excited to finally see him and so proud to show myself to him! After years of dating – our fair share of heartbreaks, love and laughter … all of the wedding planning stress, excitement, working out, trips to Utah, etc. all led up to this moment.”
Scott’s take: “I remember that conversation (you and René whispering), and I was thinking ‘Seriously, you guys couldn’t have gotten a game plan together beforehand?!’ Come on!’”

“I absolutely looove communion photos & the first look photos … they’re so priceless and bring me to tears EVERY SINGLE TIME I look at them. I treasure those, and all of the photos. You guys have preserved these memories for us – what a HUGE gift. :) “

“This moment almost didn’t happen because of the rain, but it spoke to my husband’s heart … he loves his Harley. This was his most proud contribution to the wedding planning and is the whole reason I plotted to have a convertible dress made. Just like the bride has a grand entrance, this was HIS grand moment.”

Jon and Elise’s Hudson Gardens Wedding

“We LOVE this photo, and wish we had a shot of Jon’s face at the same time…but it also is better that there isn’t one of his face, as it leaves people to wonder what he is doing. I  (Elise) clearly remember why I was laughing. I remember saying, “We’re married!” Such a simple statement, but when I felt that connection to my husband, after an intense ceremony, I was giddy and de-stressed and completely full of the sweetest joy I have ever felt. This picture will forever remind me of that amazing feeling, a feeling only God can bring to a newly married Bride and Groom.”

“The dance I shared with my dad the night of my wedding, was one of the highlights of my reception. The song, the memories of dancing with him throughout the years, and knowing he gave me away to an amazing man, is all brought out in this photo. We never rehearsed, or perhaps we did..for 25 years in our living room. Both of us cried the entire time, and I had just gotten done saying, ‘Daddy, I can’t stop crying!’ He replied, ‘me either!’  We laughed, and he twirled me (snap) goes the camera. I cannot put into words what this photograph does for me, and displaying my love for my dad and all he has done to lead me to this beautiful day.”

“Perhaps our favorite picture of them all. Having a photo ‘meaning something to us’ really is displayed in this photo. This photo made us laugh until we cried, and still does. The looks, stances and facial expressions of the ‘single’ men are hilarious. Four men from the left, is our friend Marc. Marc looks absolutely terrified of catching that garter. He is ducking, making sure he dodges this bullet no matter the circumstances. The gentleman 5 in, from the left, has foreshadowed and premeditated that he was in fact going to catch this garter. He is smiling, or almost smirking at the fact that he doesn’t have to try (as his hands are by his side, and he is the one who ended up with the garter). The list goes on with the funny faces; all the men are obviously having different feelings about the meaning of catching the garter. What a hilarious photo for us to laugh to, years from now!”

“The end of the night. All the stress was gone, we were finally about to be alone. I (Elise) couldn’t keep it in any longer. The love, words, people, and feelings of the day touched me so deeply. I was touched in a place inside my soul that has never been felt by my heart before. Sobbing, complete tears of happiness and thanks had to come out. The entire limo ride back to our hotel was filled with tear-soaked kisses and uncontrollable sobbing. I cannot believe the love we were shown that day. I am tearing up thinking of those feelings. Of course, my amazing new husband, as he is pictured, is off his seat in the limo. He was there to give me a kiss, a hug, and the kindest silence in the limo. That meant the world to me. That ride was a sacred time for the new Mr. Mrs. Dufault!”

They go through hundreds of thousands of images from the year and try to narrow it down to the top 10 or the top 20 or even top 40 for those real indecisive photogs.  I can’t remember ever really doing it.  I sort of knew my faves in the back of my [...]]]> Photographers do it every year.

They go through hundreds of thousands of images from the year and try to narrow it down to the top 10 or the top 20 or even top 40 for those real indecisive photogs.  I can’t remember ever really doing it.  I sort of knew my faves in the back of my mind, but I never singled them out on the blog.  Don’t get me wrong,  I wanted to.  Oh, how I wanted to.  But do you realize how incredible difficult that is?

Besides, what do we know?  If it were up to me and Jesie, we’d probably pick only the best images, technically speaking, that also happened to give US warm, fuzzy feelings.

But it’s not about us.  In the slightest.  Sure, we follow our bliss, we shoot what moves us, and we shoot it our way.  But it’s YOU and your moments that moves us.

So, why don’t you pick?  Why don’t we have our couples select our Best Of images from 2011?

Many thanks to The Youngrens in San Diego for this terrific idea.

So here it is…  not in my words, but in your words.  These are your moments.  There were a few cases when the images you selected as favorites were, hands down, my favorites too.  But in most cases, never in a million years would I have guessed that image was a superlative.

Thank you for taking time out of your days to give back.  You helped us more than you know.

Today we focus on engagements only.  And yes, there are a few shoots completed in late 2010 – those couples are featured because A.) they were married in 2011 and B.) we didn’t do this last year. ;-)

Here we go…

Malerie & Chris’ Pumpkin Patch Engagement Experience
“First of all, you should know that this was much harder than I anticipated. Choosing just a handful of pictures from these two very special days is nearly impossible! It has been a while since I have gone through our engagement photos, and I am finding myself getting teary with happiness. You captured that period of our life so perfectly; everything was beginning. We were so overjoyed with the journey ahead, dizzy with all of the blessings that were just beginning to pour out. I don’t know how you did it, René, but you caught it.” — Malerie

“This one may not seem like the obvious choice. But we look at each other like this ALL the time! When we’re at home watching TV, when we’re walking through the streets holding hands, or when we’re on a fancy date. We just look at each other and smile– thrilled that we are together, just bursting with childish happiness. It is a look that says we’re thankful, that we trust each other, and that this is forever.” 

“This image is special in so many ways. It captures our playfulness and mutual sense of adventure; it embodies us running away together into the sunset, quite literally; it is in one of our favorite places that we visit year after year; it shows the freedom that we feel with each other. Plus…hello buttery, beautiful lighting!”

“I think this image speaks for itself! It is just…US! You captured what we are like when it is just us. Innocent, sweet, and full of love.” 

Lauren & Justin’s Seattle Engagement Experience
“René, thank you for this opportunity to share with you our favorite moments in your photography! You are truly a blessing and a wonderful friend! And the BEST PHOTOGRAPHER!! ;)” — Lauren

“This one is a favorite because it is a reflection of our love and passion for each other. It is such a beautiful picture, and it shows how when we are together, there is only us. And, it is just a breathtaking view of Seattle at its finest…this will always bring back amazing memories from our engagement shoot there.”

“This picture means a lot to me because it is where my parents were married.  Colorado College is also where Justin’s parents and my parents met, joined church together, and solidified this lifelong friendship…with this past, Justin and I are now married :)  The scene in this picture is also foreshadowing our soon-to-be wedding of our own.”

Kristi & Scott’s Spokane Engagement Experience
“So I thought long and hard about this ‘assignment’ and choosing engagement and wedding images that were my favorite. Gosh, it’s hard to narrow down my favorites, as they were all perfect in their own way. First off, I just want to say thank you again…before I even got married, got engaged, knew Scott, etc, I told myself that when the day came that I got married, I wanted it to be a celebration of the next chapter in life with friends and family gathered all around. Looking back at the wedding pictures, Facebook comments, guestbook and wedding cards, I realized that we are surrounded by the absolute best people in the world. You and Jesie captured Scott and I are in our most comfortable state…surrounded by people that make us who we are. In all the candid shots of guests at our wedding, EVERYONE is smiling or laughing…did you realize that? Does that happen all the time when you’re snapping those pictures? There was a lot of love in that church and on that rooftop on August 6, 2011.”  —  Kristi

“ I love this picture because it is in the heart of Spokane, Washington. Our city. Where our love begins and where it will stay. Also, we are wearing the jerseys of our former high school, where we first got to know each other, and now it is the high school where my husband is employed. Also, this picture captured something that I’m not sure would have been made apparent otherwise. You see, sometimes when Scott isn’t looking at me, or if he’s talking to someone else, or just charming people (as always) I give him this look. I don’t mean to look at him this way…like I know a funny joke or have something up my sleeve…it just is what it is. Scott really is my better half, my best friend, and the love of my life. I think this picture is a representation of all that I feel for him…and it’s told by my expression.”

Hannah & Austin’s Cañon City Engagement Experience 
We choose Rene Tate Photography because of the style the pictures were taken!! They are more than just pictures, they are your most special moment captured forever!! The little things are always the most important things to me at times, especially on my wedding day!! Those special things were captured!!! The expressions on our guests faces are priceless and most of all the moments we dont see when we are involved doing other things are so important and things we look forward to seeing when we look at our photos!! Jesie and Rene were so wonderful and such great people to work with!! They take the time to get to know you and learn what your about and what you expect before any photos are taken!! That was so nice!! Austin and I are not usually very affectionate around people at all and Rene made us feel very comfortable and not nervous at all!! We would recomment Rene Tate Photography to any couple that are in search of a wedding photographer!! Plus we have so many pictures to look at and cherish forever!! Thanks again Rene and Jesie for making our day so extremely special and for being such wonderful friends to Austin and I!! We love you both!!!  —  Hannah

“This picture strikes everything of how Austin and I are!!! I always smile and he is always talking!! But I totally love it because at this very moment when we were taking pictures he was so worried that the owner of the house was gonna come home or outside and bust us taking our pictures so he was so mervous and I couldnt help but smile and laugh at him when he was having a bit of a melt down, which he usually do not ever do.. its very rare actually, Austin is always so laid back and easy going! Which is one thing I love so much about him!!”

Alanna & Alex’s Country Farm Engagement Experience

“While there’s a lot of change that comes with getting married, all these images with the grain bins are a tribute and throwback to Lana’s country-girl life.  That’s the environment she was raised in and it sticks with her no matter what she does… No matter how far away from the family farm she may get, she still sticks close to her roots.”   —  Alex

“I’ve got this one up on our wall.  Just seeing her hands intertwined and her hanging on to me… It echos a lot of things for us: Lana is very much a touchy-feeling girl, and she’ll talk until the cows come home about how independent she is, but she loves nothing more than just being close. This is one image that just kind of makes me smile.”

Tally & Matt’s Dairy Farm Engagement Experience
“The dairy farm was perfect. A brilliant idea from a brilliant lady! Thank you, René.”  — Tally

“This is one of our favorite engagement photo!  A dairy farm is usually not on top of a couple’s favorite list of photo shoot locations, but it was the ideal spot for us.  We felt so comfortable, and we were able to relax and be ourselves.  We loved the cows, the tall grass, bales of hay, the silo and of course the John Deere tractor!  Walking down a dirt road with the sun setting was perfect.  But this particular photo is like none other, a one-of-a-kind.  We chose this photo because it’s us, plain and simple, enjoying each other and I even remember the exact words Matt whispered in my ear as you captured that moment on film.  This photo is memorable, not only to us, but to all our loved ones with whom we shared it.”

Emily and Ryan’s Colorado Springs Engagement Experience

“I love that we are laughing and how my hair is blowing in the wind a bit.  It reminds me how of cold it was!!

“It’s a fun picture with both of us smiling – I also love the black and white in this photo.”

“You captured the perfect moment of when Ryan whispered a joke into my ear. He looks so loving and I just love everything about this picture.”

Baylee & Jordan’s Little Raven Engagement Experience

Alicia & Scott’s Ft. Collins Engagement Experience
“You guys just blow us away. I would love to say ‘you guys have it, keep doing what you’re doing’ …. but I am so captivated of your drive to continue to be better, to keep pushing that finish line out farther to excel at what you do, to prove to people why they chose you. I think you ladies are amazing.”  — Alicia

“I love that Scott picked this location … he did such a good job with it and the ones at this location are my favorite photos. I love the colors, I love the rusty tank, and I love the shoes kicked off and laying in the dirt.”

Karen & Steve’s Steamboat Springs Engagement Experience
“I am not sure if you realize, but I think you asked the impossible!!  I cannot choose just 2-5, but I’ve tried.”  — Karen

“This is the picture that we want to order enlarged from you with your signature on it.  Neither one of us knows for sure why we like it.  I think because it is SOOO different than the pictures that we can/do take of ourselves.  To me it has a very…  I don’t know what word I want to describe it – classy, regal, it has a timeless feel to it.  I see a lot of really cool pictures of horses, cowboys, barns, etc that I always love and think to myself – I want that picture, but I want it of my horse, cowboy, barn, etc.  And that is what this is to me.  It’s a picture that I would see of another couple and think to myself, I want that shot of us.  And that’s exactly what it is!!”

“Rowdy kissing his mommy.  Rowdy was my boy LONG before Steve came into the picture.”

“A good family shot in the middle of a dirt road.”

“I love our feet stepping in sync – it’s kind of represents our relationship being in sync.”

Teen & Nathan’s Vintage Travel-Themed Engagement Experience
My favorite photos include those that show us smiling and exemplify our personalities. I really like the photos that show both of our faces and I feel that the glimpses of direct eye contact take the photos to a level of connection with the viewer.  — Teen

“Because it shows so much emotion and the expressions on our faces speaks volumes.”

“The straight-on eye contact and depth of field make this one of my favorite photos of myself.”

“The humorous element of this photo shows our personalities.”

“I love the scenery with us as an element.”

Stephanie & Phill’s Manitou Springs Engagement Experience by Jesie

“I love the whole series of Phill and I in that door jam.  It was just the two of us and we were so calm.  It was in that moment I realized taking engagement photos wasn’t so scary after all.  It just felt like there was no one else in the world but Phill and I.”

“I just love this picture… the clouds are so pretty.  There was a storm moving in and we had almost finished our engagement session before it started lightening and raining like crazy.”

Elise & Jon’s Chatfield Reservoir Engagement Experience

“This one was one of our favorites because it displays our romantic side, which we rarely show in public places! I love the photo because Jon looks like I am the only thing on his mind, and from far away, my mouth looks partially open, however, when you zoom in, I am smiling. I love that.  :-) It is cute and sexy, and completely Jon and Elise. I love that we have a photo [that shows] to what we hold as our most private displays of affection.  ;-)”

Ashton & Mike’s Winery Engagement Experience
“We just love them all, especially the image of our hands at my back and us on the barrel.  They all showed us and who we actually are everyday. ” — Ashton

“Love that this shows his cute little dimple.”

Jenny & James’ Washington D.C. Engagement Experience

“We’re both veering off the path in this photo, which makes it a completely accurate portrayal of our awkwardness. It’s a familiar, worn-in awkwardness that makes us work as a couple. Most importantly, it’s our awkwardness; we live in it together, and even if it puts us off-pace with the rest of the world, we’re always in sync with each other.” — Jenny

“I think touching heads is one of the most intimate gestures a couple can make. Think about it: The head is the first part of ourselves we protect. We wear helmets, hats, earmuffs, sunglasses… All to shield ourselves from harm. In this picture, our guards are down, and we’re trusting each other with the most vulnerable parts of ourselves — our minds.”  —  Jenny

“This moment is 100% authentic, not to mention typical of our days on the DC Metro. I’m clearly cracking up at something James has said, and he looks totally satisfied with my reaction. If our relationship were a mechanism, this picture is a glimpse of the cogs.”  — Jenny

“We’re holding each other up. That’s what we do.”  —  Jenny

“The only thing I’d add to all of what Jenny said is that the Dupont Circle sun photos are divine, and I’d vouch for them being in the ‘best of” compilation just because of how colorful, radiant, playful, and even blissful they are. If the pictures that Jenny spoke about ARE us, then the Pictage shots from 232 on up comprise a cooler, sunnier, classier version of us.”  — James 

Lacey & Stew’s Meuller State Park Engagement Experience

“We really liked this one… the affection that was captured in this image… we just loved this!  We both so loved this even tho neither one of us are looking.”  —  Lacey

“I think in this one we just felt like we were being ourselves.  He kisses my forehead a lot, and he of course liked this cause of the Bronco, but again it’s just us so us.” 

“We picked this one for our Save the Dates because this image is exactly what we like to do.  We liked that it was outside and the mountain is in the background and it’s just so candid.  I also like that he’s leading in the picture.” 

“This is our all time favorite one.  We both looked at the picture and Stew said, ‘That’s exactly how I feel when I look at you.  I can’t believe she captured that.  I can’t believe that’s how I look in the picture, becuase that’s how I feel.’  It’s just so us. It really captured how we both feel about each other.  It’s just amazing that that was captured in a picture.”

Wow.

Pretty neat, huh?  Tomorrow I’ll be posting our couples’ favorite wedding images – you don’t want to miss this.  My heart was so full and my skin was covered with goosebumps as the comments rolled in.  Our brides and grooms are so romantic and emotional and eloquent.  I feel like every bride is our ideal bride.  We are so blessed.  Come ready to read tomorrow – it’s going to be awesome.

So much love and joy to you,
René

I can relate.

John and I were sitting on my couch.  Christmas Eve.  In front of us was a flickering fireplace, a mound of gifts, and all the ambiance you would want on Christmas Eve with your man, to include [...]]]> They say that one of the worst feelings in the world is waking up on Christmas morning and not being a child.

I can relate.

John and I were sitting on my couch.  Christmas Eve.  In front of us was a flickering fireplace, a mound of gifts, and all the ambiance you would want on Christmas Eve with your man, to include classic Christmas tunes, dim lighting, you know the drill.  We were all set for a special gift exchange, though I’ll be honest: I had this heaviness in my heart.

You see, it was a heaviness in knowing that Christmas would never be the same again.  That I would never have a Christmas Eve slumber party with my big brother and wake up at 4am to open our stockings.  I would never have to wait those excruciating hours till Nana and Papa came over at 8am to open the rest of our gifts.  And Christmas parties at school?  You can forget that.  The anticipation of Christmas morning with all my family near, isn’t what it used to be.  It’s different now.  Siblings are married, at the in-laws, working, or out of state.  My grandparents are gone.  Even our fireplace mantle has been removed in a recent remodel leaving us with no place to hang our stockings.

I smiled wide, holding back tears, as he handed me a stocking that was about to burst at the seams.  ”Baby girl, open your stocking,” he said through his grin.

I pulled out the small box on top.  As I unwrapped the perfect cube, faded memories of opening stockings with my brother flipped through my mind. Pulling the paper off, I slide out a giant Hershey’s Kiss.  And I don’t know what did it, but I lost it.  I started crying.  Right there, present number one, with oversized Hershey’s Kiss in my hand.  He pulled me close and asked what was the matter.  ”You like chocolate, right?” he reminded me, as if he did something wrong. I shook my head and explained my holiday blues.

He kissed my forehead and reminded me, “But baby girl, look at all the traditions we have now: Christmas Eve service, delivering gifts to those working on Christmas Eve, our gift exchange, the way you always say ‘But wait, there’s more,’ and you give me something really cool at the end.”

He made me giggle with his charm.  Nodding at his sweet reminders, I smiled and got up to dry my tears.  ”Hopefully we can get past the Hershey’s Kiss this time, ” I heard him mumble and chuckle as I rounded the corner.

He’s right.  The traditions we have now are sweeter and memorable in their own ways. They’re not the same as those childhood traditions, but that’s what makes Christmas so rich.  Knowing all you’ve experienced, and all you have yet to experience.  Like opening gifts with my own children someday.

December 26th, I had the pleasure of photographing a friend’s family of eight adults and seven children. We had a blast.  When I heard the kiddos were going to open gifts, I stuck around to catch just a glimmer of what it was like to be a kid again.  Check it out…