Cañon City Engagement: Jessica & Matt

04.30.12 by René engagements

Good morning!  Happy Monday!

I hope your week is off to a great start.  This past weekend was perfect — just the right about of family time, a chance to create some beautiful images, play time with my new 70-200 lens, and all the laundry a girl could do. :-) Plus, I started packing for a little Disney vacation and was asked to second shoot a wedding with a photography team whom I deeply respect.  It’s a big deal.  More on that later…

Until then, I have such a treat for you.  Jessica, Matt, and I met up in my hometown of Cañon City this weekend.  These two are from Denver, but when they told me they just loved wine and wanted a winery feel, I knew just the place:  The Abbey Winery.  These guys get extra points for driving two hours for this session, but I believe it was worth every mile.  Lately, we’ve been having super warm and sunny days and this Saturday was so chilly and windy!  I was really envisioning last weekend’s 75 degree day and golden light, but this weekend?  We got the storm clouds without the storm.  And just you wait… this shoot got better and better and better as the day went on.  Definitely one of my favorite engagement sessions. :-)

Enjoy this couple – this couple who are so carefree, classy, and whose chemistry is off the charts.

Jess and Matt – Love you guys!!  June 2nd can’t come fast enough.  It’s going to be party!

xoxo,
René

The sun kept playing peek-a-boo with the storm clouds.

These next three are some of my favorites!

Um… can we take a minute and just soak in that SKY?

The future Mrs. Cook.

LOVE.

RTP Fan Revealed: Miss Shannon

04.27.12 by René the latest & greatest

It was about this time of year that I met Shannon.  This time of year, seven years ago.  Wow.  Writing that looks more baffling that it sounded in my head.

Yes, seven years ago.

She gave me a phone interview.  I was an applicant for a leadership program at the University of Colorado.  We hit it off instantly; our conversation felt nothing like a stuffy phone interview.  A few weeks later, she offered to take me to coffee and prep me for my in-person interview.  Again, our conversation felt easy and light.

Because that’s Shannon… she makes it easy.  Easy to be around.  Easy to laugh.  Easy to smile.  Easy to share your heart.

A few weeks passed and I received a call that I’d been accepted into this program.  And the mentor who I was paired with?  Shannon.

It was actually Shannon who struck the match.  Who lit the fire beneath me and gave me reason to believe, seven years ago, that I had an eye for this thing called “photography.”

It was actually Shannon who was first to compliment my work.  Who was first to refer me.

Shannon: the beautiful, driven, and dedicated friend who first accepted me when I started my college career.

And for that I will forever be endebted to her.

Shannon, thank you.  Thank you for being bold, being perceptive, and being a friend – encouraging me every step of the way.  I love you, girl.

****

Ladies and gentlemen, it’s my pleasure to introduce to you, Miss Shannon Coker, who believe it or not, has never been in front of my camera in the seven years I’ve known her.

R: In 3 words, how would describe RTP’s style?
S: Effortless. Creative. Classic.

R: Anything you’ve always wanted to know about me and/or Jesie?
S: Your wedding morning routine, what’s the first thing that you think of when you get up? Is a cup of Joe a must? What does that look like?? How do you psych yourselves up?
R: Oh this is a blog post just waiting to happen!  Stand by.  But in the meantime, I can tell you it includes Fernando Ortega, freshly ground coffee, and a lot of prayer.

R: Favorite blog post?
S: The personal ones. Of course, the huge wedding blogs are awesome sauce but when you shed light onto your beliefs, your own love story and where you’re challenging yourself and your business…those are my favorite because I always take something away on how I can be better or what I could be doing to have a stronger faith in the Lord, etc.

R: How could we improve our blogging?  What would you like to see more of? 
S: Well, more frequently of course because its addicting! :) I can’t say I’d like to see more of one thing or another, everything is fabulous…maybe just MORE! :) More photos! I do have to say, the video posts are super fun too!
R: Duly noted! Duly noted.

Parker Engagement: Christina & George

04.24.12 by René engagements

There’s something so intriguing about them.  They’re the sweetest couple and they make it so easy to be around them.  She’s beautiful and he smiles a lot.  Well, they both do really.  It’s contagious.  Honestly, my face was sore from smiling so much with them.  They’re the kind of people who you really could sit and talk to about anything under the sun until the waitress starts vacuuming around you, closing down the place.  This is something that happens to them time and time again.

Like their first date at a coffee shop.  They talked for hours and hours.

And you see that yellow polo he’s wearing?  He wore that on their first date.  Yeah…  :-)

And the small town vibe that echos throughout their portraits?  Totally intentional.  Some of their fondest memories are from small towns.  When he proposed in Telluride.  When they sat for hours on the patio at restaurant joint in Steamboat Springs.  Or the Italian place that stumbled upon in Parker.

Sometimes the best things in life are stumbled upon.

Like the day he met her.  It was Wash Park; he saw her from across the distance.  She was the most beautiful woman he’d ever laid eyes on.  He’ll tell you he knew his life was about to change.

But Christina?  She thought she was just going to the park to help a friend clean up after a church picnic.  She wasn’t even supposed to be there that day.

But like Christina’s mom says, sometimes things just turn out better when you don’t know what to expect.

Christina and George, I didn’t know what to expect when I met either of you.  I didn’t know what what to expect when we met in Parker for your shoot.  I’m not sure exactly what to expect on the day of your wedding.  But I know I won’t be disappointed.  You both continue to amazing me and bless me with your humility and kindness.  I’m honored to be there for you.

With love and joy,
René

It’s only fitting that we start this post with this beautiful, secluded yard we stumbled upon.

After downtown Parker, we headed to Castlewood Canyon State Park for some of my favorite engagement images!

USAFA Engagement: Pearlly & Huson – Part II

04.14.12 by René engagements, weddings

Hey hey!  Happy weekend! Hope your Saturday is off to a great start.  We have our maternity and family shootout today, but I wanted to take a minute and share the second half of Pearlly and Huson’s engagement session with you!

These two are absolutely wonderful people.  I am so blessed to have had the chance to work with them.  They smile more than anyone I know and are up for adventure.  As my boyfriend is just beginning a deployment, Pearlly has been extra thoughtful in checking in on me. How lucky am I to have support from near and far?  And that’s Pearlly and Huson: thoughtful.  Their shoots came out perfect because they were so prepared!

I hope you enjoy viewing this as much as I enjoyed shooting them! :-D

Pearlly and Huson, what a fun weekend.  Love you guys.  We’re lifers!

With joy,
René

 We began the day at Huson’s host family’s house where he called “home” while attended the Academy.

Later that afternoon we hit up the Air Force Academy for these incredible shots.

You two looked absolutely exquisite!