Hello! I'm a Colorado Springs wedding photographer and portrait photographer. I travel all over the country to document the
important moments in people's lives. My blog showcases some of my favorite photos of my clients and adventures. I update this
blog several times a week, so please visit frequently to see my latest images.
I spent the last four days on a camping trip in Moab with Mike and our friend Betty. As I mentioned in my last post, Betty’s beloved dog, Idgi, is suffering from lymphoma and doesn’t have much longer to live. Last weekend the three of us decided to take Idgi on an adventure this week, which could be her last. Sunday morning we packed up Mike’s Jeep with three people, two dogs, and camping gear, and headed west. Eight hours later, we were in a vast desert wilderness with towering red rock cliffs.
We set up camp next to the Colorado river, and spent our days hiking, 4-wheeling, and sightseeing. The dogs loved it, of course, and we loved making them happy. My only regret is that we didn’t have more time to spend in Moab. We’ll definitely be back.
My lovely Janie is turning eleven this spring, but she’s still a playful, cuddly, and happy kitty. She loves to sit on the back of the couch behind me, and rest her paws on my shoulder.
If you’ve ever met Janie, you know that she’s a cat of, uh, substantial girth. The poor kitty is a little big-boned. Just like most people, Janie’s most flattering angle is from above.
Ally hates getting ice stuck between her toes when we go walking, so Mike and I decided to experiment with doggie snow boots. There’s no way she’ll agree to wear them in public, but at least we got our money’s worth in laughs tonight.
A very happy Ally, frolicking in the snow
December 8, 2009
We’ve accumulated about nine inches of snow over the last three days. The temperature hasn’t gone above 15 or so during that time, so we have no ice and only fluffy powder. When the sun came out this afternoon, I bundled up and took our eager dog into the canyon.
Mike and me with Ally
Garden of the Gods
Photos by Holly Pacione
Over the weekend, my friend Holly Pacione photographed Mike and me with our dog! Holly is a fantastic photographer here in the Springs, and we we are so grateful. Thanks, Holly!
Ally and me
Red Rock Canyon Open Space
Colorado Springs
November 15, 2009
It snowed here all weekend, so when the sun came out this afternoon, Mike and I hurried to Red Rock Canyon with the dog. The frosty blue sky and snow-capped evergreens were as beautiful as we’d hoped. Ally was even happier than usual, because it was her first snowy walk of the season. She makes me smile.
Happy Halloween week! Last week Mike and I went with some friends to Pawtoberfest in Colorado Springs, because Oktoberfest for dogs is our idea of a great day out. We brought our dog, Ally, and spent an afternoon on the patio of Nosh restaurant with some friends and their beagle, Nancy. The dog costume contest was my favorite part.
A couple weeks ago, Mike and I took Ally to our favorite dog-friendly bed and breakfast in Frisco. We spent a couple days lounging by the lake and enjoying some downtime during our busy summer.
Mike, Ally, and I took a wonderful road trip for the Fourth of July weekend. We spent two nights in Durango, and also visited the Great Sand Dunes National Park, Black Canyon National Park, and many great spots along the way. We hiked, ate great food, listened to concerts in the street, and watched fireworks over the river in Durango.
I took lots of photos, some with my Canon G10, and some with my Canon 5D. Mostly we just relaxed and enjoyed the beautiful scenery of western Colorado. It’s truly beautiful out there.
Blue Mesa Reservoir
Gunnison, Colorado
June 29, 2009
I’ve been working every day for the last several weeks, so yesterday I decided that I would take the day off and drive into the mountains. I had no idea where I was headed, but that was part of the fun. Unfortunately my favorite road trip buddy couldn’t join me, because Mike was out of town, but my dog Ally made for a great companion. We headed west on Hwy 50, and five hours later ended up in Gunnison, Colorado. By this time I was tired of driving and not looking forward to driving home in the dark. I decided to stay for the night, which turned my random road trip into a spontaneous mini-vacation. It was just what I needed.
Ally
Near Red Rock Canyon Open Space and Section 16
Colorado Springs
June 7, 2009
Yesterday Ally and I went hiking through Red Rock Canyon. We reached the top of the canyon just as the sun dipped behind the clouds, casting a warm evening glow over two happy hikers.
On a separate note, I’ve been nominated as Colorado Springs’ best photographer. If you’d like to vote for me, I’d greatly appreciate it! You can vote here: http://tinyurl.com/nb64gw
Brad and Mike
Nichols Reservoir, Colorado
May 30, 2009
Mike and I spent Saturday with friends at lakes near Woodland Park. We had a picnic at Rampart Reservoir, and then we hiked down to Nichols Reservoir. Mike and Brad did some fishing while the rest of us lounged by the lake and played with the dogs. I love living here in Colorado!
Tamera and me
Eleven Mile Reservoir, Colorado
May 17, 2009
Tamera brought over a CD of wonderful photos that she took on our outing to the lakes on Sunday. She took some beautiful images, and of course I particularly love the ones of our Allydog! She joked that she took an entire wedding’s worth of photos of our dog. I laughed when she referred to Ally as “Reservoir Dog.”
Here are some of her photos from the day. All images are courtesy Tamera Goldsmith of Click Photography. Thank you, Tamera!
Sailing at Spinney Mountain Lake, Colorado
May 17, 2009
Yesterday was a gorgeous day here in Colorado, so we took our sailboat out for a spin on a lake. Our friend Tamera and our dog Ally joined us for a great day on the water.
Springtime in Virginia
Netherlands Carillon
Arlington, Virginia
April, 2009
When we were in Virginia, Mike and I spent an afternoon walking around the Iwo Jima and the tulip gardens at the Netherlands Carillon. Before we moved to Colorado, I lived in Arlington for four years, and this was my favorite spot. I’d come to the Carillon with a book, and look out over the DC monuments while listening to the bell concerts. Because the Carillon was a gift from the Netherlands, each spring there are beautiful Dutch tulips in bloom.
My mom, standing on the front porch of our friends’ farmhouse
Scottsville, Virginia
April, 2009
Last weekend, we reached our road trip destination of Virginia. My mom is the president of the Scottsville Museum, in a town outside Charlottesville, and they opened their latest exhibit on Sunday. After the exhibit opening, my family spent the evening at our friend Gwynne’s farm. I’ll post photos of the museum event later, but for now, here are some photos of the farm and our evening watching the sun set over the rolling Virginia hills. Again, most of these photos were taken with my Canon G10 pocket camera. I love that little camera!
Me and Ally at the UVA Rotunda
Charlottesville, VA
April, 2009
I took Mike and Ally to my college last weekend! I love this photo of Ally and me on the steps of the Rotunda. I went to the University of Virginia for a BA in psychology (1996) and an MEd in instructional technology (2001), and loved my time there. We stopped by UVA for a couple hours on Saturday afternoon and watched the students enjoying the 75-degree sunshine.
UVA is a gorgeous school with colonial architecture and gardens that are full of flowers this time of year. I just took a few photos with my point-and-shoot while we were there — after all, I’ve photographed all these spots many times over the years. At one point in the mid-90s, the guy at my photo lab joked that I was always photographing the same buildings!
The Duckmaster at the Peabody Hotel
Memphis, Tennessee
April, 2009
Last week we drove through Kansas, Oklahoma, Arkansas, and Tennessee. This photo shows the hilarious Duckmaster at the Peabody Hotel in Memphis. The hotel has a large fountain in the lobby, where five ducks spend each day lounging. Every evening, the Duckmaster leads them from the fountain and up an elevator to their bedroom. Hundreds of enthusiastic tourists snap photos as the ducks stroll down the red carpet. In other words, it’s exactly the kind of wacky Americana I was hoping to encounter on this road trip.
I’ve wanted to go to Dodge City, Kansas since the Grizwolds got shot at a saloon on their way to Wallyworld, but it turned out to be much less interesting than I’d hoped. I should have taken photos in Oklahoma and Arkansas, but I was too busy car-dancing. Downtown Little Rock was a particularly fun place to walk around.
We spent a couple hours exploring Memphis one afternoon. We walked around Beale Street and the neighboring areas before heading east toward Nashville. Nashville was one of the best parts of our trip; we loved the lively bars, attractive streets, and friendly atmosphere.
I’ve been meaning to take a picture of Ally in this spot. Every afternoon the sun comes over the mountain into our yard, and our big evergreen tree casts a shadow on our fence. When Ally stands in the sunlight in front of the shaded fence, her fur shines so beautifully.
