james christianson - the blog

Cindy & Mike - Wedding at the Opera House

Cindy has the most incredible sense of style and enough fun energy to make a wall street stock broker jealous.  Mike is quiet and unassuming and makes it clear just how much adores Cindy.  Cindy & Mike were married at the Kevin Taylor at the Opera House here in Denver, Colorado.  This is such an amazing venue and it totally fit this couples style.  the restaurant was split in two for the wedding, with the ceremony on one side of the space and the reception on the other which made for a wonderful and seamless event.  this event was planned and coordinated by Anna Walsh at Anna Be and it was truly a smooth and beautiful event.  if you are looking for a coordinator or a beautiful wedding gown.  the amazing women at Anna Be can help you with both.

Cindy and Mike thank you for allowing me to be a part of your truly beautiful, elegant and oh so stylish event.  Here are a few of my favorites from the day.
a few details from the wedding. My good friend and colleague Kevin Von Qualen helped me out on this wedding and he did an amazing job of shooting in a very difficult environment.

you can see Cindy's elegance and her fun personality in the photo below.

look at this beautiful location...so incredible.  you photographers will appreciate the fact that the ceiling was painted black so flash was difficult to make look natural, but I think Kevin and I did okay.

the guys outside just before the ceremony.  i loved this yellow wall in downtown denver and just had to use it somehow.

Cindy looking absolutely beautiful in her Vera Wang gown.

i loved this huge mural on the wall in the opera house and used some off camera flash to create this portrait.

Cindy and Mike let me take them outside for a short while, even though it was cold and rainy.  we made some fun shots out onthe streets of denver.  this shot of them on the left is one of my favorites from the day.

Cindy cutting a rug with her new step son.

more cool details

 

the bar had this amazing painting that was so well lit so we just had to use it to make some sexy images of Cindy.

first dance.

as the end of the night wound down, we ran upstairs to make a few images in the opera house.  the night watchmen was kind enough to turn on all the lights for us.  i wish we could have had more time in there it was so amazing, but alas we had just 2 minutes.

Candace & Oliver - wedding

i remember them telling me, "we've planned EVERYTHING around the photography."  i thought, "that's sure is nice" then dismissed it.  i had no idea what was in store.

Oliver loves photography and I am told he is a good photographer too.  i went to this wedding, like i do every other wedding...with no expectations, no pre-conceived ideas.  Candace and Oliver had truly planned this wedding around photography.  The schedule of the day, the amount of time allotted to take pictures, the exact time of the ceremony (just early enough to save the "best light" for the couple portraits).  They even had scouted the rooms they were going to get ready in...making sure the light was good during that time of day, a photo book for taking fun photos at the reception...amazing detail for the photography.  it truly was a photographers fairy tale.

so with incredible style, they took their dynamic love down the aisle.  Candace and Oliver, thank you for being such wonderful, amazing people!  i only hope that my photographs did justice to your beautiful wedding day.  blessings.

Here are just a few (20 or so) of my favorites:

Oliver and his grooms men.  these photos were shot by my amazing associate photographer Jason Wells.

the beautiful bride...Candace was so composed and excited at the same time.

Candace had this cool ring that looked antique...so it fit so perfectly on the old bathtub handle.

they exchanged gifts just before they saw each other for the first time...

love her reaction to the fabulous pair of ear rings Oliver gave her...this guy has some sweet style.

the photo on the left was taken by Julie Afflerbaugh who also was helping me for the day.  Julie is amazing and the sweetest person in Colorado...i wish i could work with her at every wedding.

seeing each other for the first time.

Candace and her father had a deep connection.

the ceremony.

remember the perfect light they had planned for.

a few details from the reception.

the Grant Humphreys Mansion is a classic venue...i love this shot of them going up the old stair case.

one of my favorite dance shots I have ever captured.

CLICK HERE TO VIEW THE SLIDESHOW

Heather & Michael - Wedding

things have been crazy here and i am behind.  i am just finishing up september weddings, but i'm plugging away and should be completely caught up by the middle of december. 

back in september i had the privilege of photographing the marriage between Heather and Michael.  this couple was a lot of fun to work with because they were so into each other.  at times i think they forgot i was even there.  there was a lot of love between family and friends at the wedding which made for some really great emotional moments.  Heather & Michael, thanks for being so great.  i wish you blessings on your marriage.

here are a few of my favorites:

Heather was a beautiful bride.

a short series from when they saw each other for the first time.

do they look like they are even aware of the camera?

i love this moment right after Michael gave his grandmother a kiss on the cheek...she was on cloud 9.

a couple of great detail shots...one of them from my second photographer Jason Wells.

this is such a timeless image that tells the story of the brides anticipation.

some moments from the ceremony.

i love this shot of Heather and her Dad dancing.

at the last second, i decided to throw a flash in the car right before they drove off.  here's the shot.

Shannon & Ben - go buffs

for all of you CU BUFFS fans out there, this post is for you.  shannon called me from new jersey and said we  want you to photograph our wedding, we are doing something fun and different and we think you should photograph it.  i said great, i love different.  it turns out that Shannon and Ben are both huge buff fans.  though they live in new jersey, they fly out several times a year to watch home games at Folsom Field.  they love Folsom field so much they wanted to get married there.  they had a small intimate wedding right down on the field and we all had a blast.  thanks Shannon and Ben for knowing that I would love something new, something fun and something different.  you guys are awesome.  here are some of my favorties.
of course we start with a symbol of there love...for CU that is.

of course you can't come from new jersey at not get some shots at Chautauqua park.

game on!

the value of a second photographer

one of the questions i am asked often by brides is, "do you think i need a second photographer?"  so i thought i would write a little something about the second photographer.  the benefits of having a second photographer at the wedding are numerous, but i want to talk about four reasons i like having a second photographer.

first, it is a good feeling to know that you have someone there to help in every aspect.  to help organize people, to run and get the bride a espresso should she need it, to run and get me a vallium should i need it : ), to help download images into the computer for a slideshow...the list goes on.

second, it is always a good feeling to know that i have gear to back up my back up gear...you just never know when you might fall into the ocean with all of your gear.

third, often times the photographers that a client gets as a second photographer are truly first class photographers.  i shoot as a second photographer sometimes, just to keep thing fresh and fun and see the way other people are dong things.  in effect, the client is getting a great 2 for 1 deal.

the last, is the most obvious.  a second photographer shoots a lot of pictures.  so we have more angles, more places and more chances of catching real moments.  i mean, as hard as we might try we can only be in one place at a time.

here is a great example of this from a couple of weddings ago.  we actually had three photographers at this wedding but you get the point.  so these three shots were all taken within two seconds of each other.  each shot was taken by a different photographer from a different angle with a different lens and even though we captured essentially the same moment, the feel is different in all three.

this first image was taken by me.

the second was taken by one of my best friends in the world Jason Wells of Jason Wells Photography

the third was shot by the amazing and so so sweet, Julie Afflerbaugh

i hope this has helped with the decision of having a second photographer or not. 

Jenn & Kyle Wedding

get ready for a post with lots of photos in this post.  back in August (yes, I am way behind in my editing) i photographed the wedding of Jenn & Kyle here in the beautiful rocky mountains.  this event was fabulous.  lots of great style, fun people and absolutely beautiful scenery.  Jenn & Kyle are so in love and it shows in every photo.  thanks guys for just being you and loving every minute of it...blessings on your marriage.

the wedding was held at the rustic and cozy Gold Lake Resort.  the entire resort was rented out so that family and guests could come in from out of town and enjoy the entire weekend...great idea!

some fun details that i saw the minute i walked in the door.

the beautiful bride.

there is a lesson for every bride, in the photos directly above and below.  in the photos above not only does Jenn look beautiful, but she looks calm and composed which is amazing when you look at the photo below...yes it rained like I haven't seen in Colorado.  All the while, Jenn kept saying, "this is my day, and  I will make it beautiful."  she wasn't going to let her day be ruined by a little rain.  and when the rain broke into one of the most glorious days i have seen in Colorado, she still made beautiful moments like the one below with her father. 

the father and mo

one of the reasons i love shooting in Colorado so much is all the great rustic but stylish combinations you can shoot.  like this one of kyle's brother just standing there looking like he just jumped off the cover of GQ magazine.

just minutes before the cermony.

here is what they are looking at.

i love the look on Kyle's face as he watches Jenn come down the aisle.  i think he loves her.

i love this series of them.

this gorgeous image was taken by my assistant on the day.  Rachel Olsen of Rachel Olsen Photography.  Great shot Rachel.

fun.

i think this shot totally captures the sense of the day with the stormy clouds in the backgound and the beautiful light they are walking in and the rockies in the background...stunning location.

Jenn worked together with the fabulous Nicole Mulvany of RSVP Shindig to create an absolutely gorgeous event.  With details to die for.  I created a montage of some of them below.

the first dance.

below is another shot from Rachel.  I am continually amazed with how much story a simple photograph can tell.  this photo is so simple, but it carries with it so much story...what story does it tell you?

Tori and Jenda - wedding

so if you haven't noticed recently, i am waaaaaay behind on my blogging.  i have so much to share it's not even funny but i have our 2nd F-Stop Workshop coming up on monday and things have been crazy for me with everything going on. 

this wedding was coordinated by Heather Clark owner of Calluna Events.  They pulled this wedding off without a hitch and you never knew they were there.  If you are looking for someone to create an amazing event for you, look no further then Heather Clark.

i wanted to share a great wedding i shot in august.  Tori and Jenda are the most amazing people.  kind, generous, adventurous people that really know how to live.  they wanted everything at their wedding to be just a little different and it was.  stylish, fun and unique is the best way i can describe this wedding.   for example, they had dinner first.  then they bussed  everyone to the top of a mountain with a great view of the continental divide here in Colorado, for the ceremony.  everyone stood on this cliff for the ceremony and then we all went back for the party.  soooo cool and refreshing for photographer who sees a lot of weddings.  oh and i almost forgot, their wedding cake was suspended, up-side-down from the ceiling.  Jenda is an architect and figured out how to make it work.  Tori and Jenda, i had so much fun with you guys.  blessings on your marriage.  here's some of my favorite photos from the wedding (since i haven't posted for a while, this will be an extended post with lots of photos).

the dress.

i shot this in the mirror of my landcruiser as we drove up a precariously curvy stretch of road.

we went up and photographed Tori and Jenda at the ceremony spot before dinner.

this is my favorite shot from the day.

Tori and Jenda, just before dinner.  notice the up-side-down cake.  that says jenda on one side and tori on the other.

the rings.

how's this for a ceremony venue?!

what can i say...i love shoes...though not as much as my wife does.

they hoped for a spectacular sunset as they were married...they got it.

Jenda, doing his thing.

going back to the party on the Buff Bus.

now this is style.

ClICK HERE TO SEE A SLIDESHOW

Priya & Josh - Wedding

when they first sat down with me to talk about their wedding, I could tell they were in love.  Priya, was already organized and had lists of everything and Josh was just happy that she was happy.

the day was a whirl of color and emotion as two incredible families joined to celebrate with a traditional Hindu wedding.  we started photographing Josh and Priya in their American wedding attire (they also wore this for the reception) and I took through Boulder capturing so many moments between them. 
the  light was beautiful and the interaction that Priya and Josh had was amazing.  the wedding was so fun with so many aspects of the ceremony new to me.  Josh's side of the family led him on horse back to Priya's family waiting to receive him. 

as a photographer I have realized that no amount of posing, coercing or camera techniques can capture something that isn’t there.  as you go through these photos and watch the slide show it will be evident the genuine love that these two have for each other and their families.  i could photograph this wedding over and over.  Priya and Josh thank you for being such incredible people.   here 's  a few of my favorite photos from the day

i shot these photos in the lobby of the swanky  St. Julien Hotel

i had one of the best assistants working with me at this wedding.  Julie Afflerbaugh got this shot on the left here.  It was like she was reading my mind getting the exact opposite shot and angle.  Thanks Julie for the outstanding work.

i shot these two photos to be hung together on a wall.  i'm looking forward to doing more of this.

i loved all the color and details to capture at this wedding.

at one point during the hindu ceremony they walk around the fire several times...and it is said that the

first one to sit down will be the leader in the home.  can you guess who sat down first?  i love this moment.

the wedding party on some cliffs above the Lionscrest Manor

both moms were full of life and were such lovely people.

Sara & Trask - Wedding

what can I say about these two amazing people and their families?  Sara and Trask were married on July 28 at The Stanley Hotel in what seemed like the dream wedding. it was fun watching them see each other for the first time as Sara came down the aisle with her Mother. i feel so blessed to be able to work with such amazing clients. their families were both warm and inviting and their love for Sara and Trask was so evident. 

After threats of storms all morning, the weather cleared up for a perfect sunny day with blue skies.  the  wedding was coordinated by Michelle Gillette of Dramatic Events and she pulled this event off without a hitch, she was absolutely amazing.  Sara and Trask, thank you for sharing your day with me.  a few of my favorites from the day.

this last shot, which is so beautiful, was captured by Rachel Olsen of Rachel Olsen Photography who was my second photograhper for the day.  nice work Rachel.

Hannah & Malcolm - Wedding

a couple of weeks ago on a whirlwind tour of California i had the opportunity to travel to the Napa Valley and photograph the wedding of Hannah and Malcolm.  they were both such warm and welcoming people and easy to photograph.  the setting for their wedding was straight from a story book.  in the gardens of a  private residence, with lanterns hanging in the tress and spanning the garden.  their families had such a genuine love that truly made this wedding feel complete.  thank you for the wonderful opportunity to be a part of this day.  here are some of my favorites.

Hannah was such a beatiful and graceful bride...even while applying the make-up.

little girls...so cute.

moments before the ceremony.

we only had about 15 minutes to take portraits of this gorgeous couple.  i had prearranged to use a local vineyard, but when we drove there the vineyard keeper had locked the place down and disappeared.  the light was so beatiful though, this quiet road served our purposed just fine.

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