2011 Year in Review

Mardi Gras in Denver

2011 was the first year since I was about 3yrs. old that I was not in New Orleans for Mardi Gras.  Those from New Orleans understand the cultural importance of this festive holiday….others are surprised to learn that “Girls Gone Wild” is not the standard and that Mardi Gras is really more of a family affair.   So what did I do on Fat Tuesday in Denver?  Well, I took the day off of work to edit my pictures of past Mardi Gras and my husband and I threw a huge party the Saturday before to teach our friends the real meaning of Mardi Gras….complete with gumbo, king cake, mask-making, costumes, and even a mini walking parade down our Broadway neighborhood!   The night was such a hit that we promised to do it every year we are unable to attend the real Mardi Gras…..but sorry we couldn’t miss 2 in a row, so  we already got our plane tickets for carnival 2012!

3rd Wedding Anniversary

In March my husband and I celebrated our 3rd wedding anniversary with a fun editorial style photo shoot .  Molly Plann, my 2nd photographer and a dear friend, documented us doing some of the things we enjoy the most – a good martini & a game of pool at our favorite neighborhood bar, Skylark (it takes a drink to convince my husband to have his picture taken) and cooking an Italian dinner at our house.   We also both turned 30 about 6 months prior, so it was time for some new pictures to celebrate this milestone.

Weddings, Portraits, and Birthdays……

This year I booked more photo sessions then ever before!   Boudoir portraits were big this year, as were birthday parties. I was honored to document a 1yr. old birthday, followed by the birthday of a (truly young at heart) 90yr. old woman.

From my perspective the recession scare disappeared as the whole wedding industry was seeing a large increase in bookings & money spent.  Whether the Royal wedding had anything to do with it, we may never know…but it was a good feeling to see people feel confident enough again to plan large weddings…one of my favorites being a Steampunk themed wedding complete with Victorian era costumes, an incredible clock & gear hand built wedding cake…and a custom designed metal wedding album that I can’t wait to deliver to the bride any day now!

Venice Destination Wedding & an Italy Vacation:

However, it will be hard for any wedding to top the one I photographed in Italy Labor Day weekend.  My husband Steven took time off of work to assist me, and while he still needs a lot of camera training, he did an amazing job as a bag carrier, body guard, and travel planner, thanks babe – hopefully more practice in foreign destinations to come soon!

I had the chance to play more with video this year, click this link to photo/video fusion of Talia & Kris’ wedding day in Venice, Italy.

Thankfully Steven was able to take 2 weeks off and after the work was complete we toured around Italy and enjoyed what felt like a 2nd honeymoon!  And as crazy as it was to take 2 weeks off during wedding season, it was exactly what I needed!

Saints & the South

By the fall it was back to the South for warmer weddings in Florida & New Orleans, one of an old college friend which I got to simply enjoy as a guest instead of as staff, which is always a nice treat.

Business stayed booming till the last Christmas print order & wedding album of the year went out.  Steven & I got to go home to New Orleans for Christmas to spend some quality time with our families.  And before I left NOLA I got to enjoy an amazing Monday night football game where Saints quarterback Drew Brees broke the all time passing yards record for a touchdown pass against rival team Atlanta Falcons!….. I have a feeling we may be looking at round 2 of the Superbowl for the Saints!

Now that its a New Year it feels good to reflect and remember all the positives of the past year.  And with so many amazing new adventures in 2011, I can’t even begin to imagine what 2012 may have in store for us!  But I do know that I will be continuing specializing in weddings (hoping for lots more destination weddings too…perhaps Hawaii or Greece, anyone?) while expanding my boudoir & baby photography line.  I am also going to give back to the world, and start donating a percentage of all my sales to a non-profit I support in Africa, more details of that to come.  And brides-to be, please come find me Sunday, January 29, 2012 at the Quality Hill Bridal Show at the Grant Humphrey Mansion.

And if you haven’t figured out your New Years resolution yet…why not make it a fun one and commit to a fun, funky, fine art photo session to document a special time in your life, or your growing family.  We all have a story to tell, and we all deserve to have our lives documented with beautiful pictures.  =)

2010 Year in Review & What’s Next for 2011

Changes in economy= change of focus. Art sales took one of the biggest hits in this tight economy.  One adjustment I made was taking a big step back from my fine art photography to focus more on portraits and weddings.   I used the slow season to stay educated through various photography conventions and workshops.  Despite the economy, I ended up staying extra busy this year with jobs in both Denver & New Orleans, and even booked a few destination weddings to keep me shooting (& warm) in the winter months.

A helping hand…In 2010 I volunteered countless hours of photography services and donated some of my fine art & photo sessions to help raise money for various non-profits including the Boulder Women’s Health Clinic & the Coastal Heritage Society of Louisiana.  I also kept my calendar full as a volunteer board member for American Society of Media Photographers and as an active member of Association of Bridal Consultants and The Wedding Connectors.

I added associate photographer, Ashley Anderson, to my team. We have been working together for a few years and now she also assists me in the office & covers any events I am unable to photograph myself.  She is a true artist & an engaging people-person and I’m thrilled to have her working with me.

100th Wedding & Video?! In 2010 Nikon starting integrating HD video into pro SDLR cameras…and always wanting to be on top of the tech world, I anxiously jumped on board!  I certainly do not intend on switching to video, but I am excited to play with the idea of collaborating video clips with my photography to create truly unique fusion documentaries.   For my 100th wedding, I attempted my first mini video (just 20 seconds), during their 2nd line parade through the French Quarter.  As my first, it is far from impressive, but I received this response from the unsuspecting bride:
We loved the video – thank you so much!! I just want to let you know how special the photos and video are — my dad passed away last week and so these are the last photographs I will ever have of him — and how precious they are to me.  Thank you for everything, we are more than pleased with it all.      – Lauren and Seth

Upcoming Events in 2011:
Fri. Jan.14: A Bridal Soiree at The Opera House in downtown Denver
Sun. Jan.30: Quality Hill Bridal Show at Grant Humphrey’s Mansion in Denver, Colorado
Sat. Feb.5: The Wedding Connectors Open House in Denver, CO
TBD: Nicole Nichols Photography Client & Vendor Appreciation Party in Denver, CO

Plans for 2011:
* New website
* Planning a trip to Africa in the Spring (part volunteer work & part pleasure)
* Expanding my Boudoir & Baby photography line, as well as further outreach to the LGBT community

Happy New Year Everyone!  And remember…while you are waiting to get frisked at the airport security line…keep a positive outlook because you never know who will be standing right next to you.  This year I booked a wedding after a lucky encounter with a bride-to-be in a long airport security line. It reminded me how interlaced my business is with my life, and you never know who you could meet while waiting in line!

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