FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
&
INSIGHTS
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With years of experience photographing a range of nuptials from grand events to intimate elopements, I have gathered some insights to help guide your journey ahead.
WHERE ARE YOU BASED?
Blue Canoe Photography studio is based in Fort Collins, Colorado: The foothills of the iconic Rocky Mountains.
WHERE DO YOU TRAVEL TO CAPTURE WEDDINGS?
As a wedding photographer in Colorado and beyond, I will follow my clients to whichever destination makes their heart's smile. From beloved locales, to Rocky Mountain destinations such as Denver, Vail, Breckenridge, and Aspen, to lands abroad, you can count me in to capture your love story. As every wedding is unique, travel and accommodation fees are not included in my photography packages. Once we discuss dates and locations, I will design a custom quote, which will be added into your package.
WHAT KIND OF EVENTS DO YOU USUALLY SHOOT?
I've photographed nuptials ranging from multi-day events to intimate vows, however to keep my services dedicated to offer the best to my clients, I only shoot a limited number of weddings per year.
DO YOU SHOOT WEDDINGS WITH AN ASSISTANT?
Engagements & Elopements are solo-photographer. For Weddings, we will discuss your option to have
additional photographers covering your event.
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DO YOU OFFER VIDEOGRAPHY?
Over the years, I have become increasingly interested in videography. I offer Highlight Films, a weaving together of composed clips set to music, as another facet of visual representation of your day. I simultaneously capture both photo and video, and often do it as a single shooter. If audio coverage of vows and speeches are requested, I can direct you to some videographers who are well-versed in this craft.
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DO YOU WORK WITH VENDORS?
Collaborating with vendors is the best way to help streamline your planning efforts. I love collecting views and perspectives from wedding planners and stylists, to florists and caterers, who all play an important role in the creation of your timeline and itinerary. I have been given access to many venues as a preferred vendor, and it is with mutual respect that I enjoy working alongside them.
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CAN WE BOOK YOU TO SHOOT OUR ENGAGEMENT?
Engagements are some of my most favorite moments to photograph and a wonderful way to creatively capture a couple's essence. Pick someplace magical and consider our session a date night with your fiancé(e) filled with romance and excitement!
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HOW SOON IN ADVANCE SHOULD WE BOOK?
Most of my wedding photography bookings take place about a year in advance. That being said, I will always go above and beyond to accommodate requests. Let's connect and discuss your desired photography services.
HOW DO WE BOOK WITH YOU?
Once you have proceeded to selecting your wedding package, you will receive a wedding photography contract to review, sign and return. To secure your wedding date, you will also be requested a 50 percent photography retainer, while the final balance is due one month before your wedding date.
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HOW OFTEN WILL WE BE IN CONTACT?
From the moment you book my services, I will always be here for you to the best of my abilities and as available time will allow. We will have many things to discuss leading up to your wedding date such as organizing your timeline, listing out group specific portraits, and ensuring we are ready to achieve the imagery we both want to create. A perfectionist at heart, there is nothing I want to miss. My aim is to be flexible, a good listener, and your hype-person as we get into the mood for some seriously stunning photography.
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HOW WOULD YOU DESCRIBE THE WAY YOU WORK?
Serving my brides and grooms to the fullest is what I'm tremendously proud of. Wedding days are one of the most emotionally saturated days of our lifetime, and I consider it my job to be calming and uplifting for my couples. I want to serve as an oasis in times of stress, an accessible ally in the form of good communication and visibility. I will brush away a stray hair on your face, position you in just the right lighting, and gently guide you into the most flattering of poses. The most poignant aspect for me is for you to be in love with your photos 50 years from now. I will encourage you to be in your most genuine self, laughing your heart out, and kissing just because you want to. I respect that you put so much effort and dedication into planning everything and therefore my aim is to give each special detail a place in your memory. I give great importance to being subtle, yet instinctual, and value reading a room to adjust for the most meaningful moments. Allowing for you to focus and be fully present, there will be times that I will be seamlessly moving alongside you and your guests, yet nearly unseen, paying tribute to your unique celebration. I will not hesitate to whisk you away momentarily for some outstanding portraits outside of your venue when the light hits just right. It is essential to me to create images that will bring you back to the beginning of your love story and give you the chance to dream of all the things that have led you to this day, and every day after.
WHEN DO WE RECEIVE OUR IMAGES?
Your fully edited gallery will be delivered to you within two months of your event. You will receive a password-protected online gallery where you, and whomever you have chosen to share the password with, can download your images from.
WHAT IS YOUR EDITING PROCESS?
After each photography service, I will carefully cull each image to be chosen in your gallery. I begin with a RAW file removing unnecessary marks or distractions, blinked eyes, straightening angles, and always presenting images as they existed. Each image is enhanced with natural and clean tones, signature to my style and devotion to real moments as they were lived, delivering to you a beautiful collection of images in love.
CAN WE ORDER OUR PHOTOGRAPHY ALBUM AND PRINTS FROM YOU?
Definitely! The best way to showcase your memories is (yes, your grandmother was right) in a photo album. I can't tell you how many times I have been told how much having a physical album of wedding images has meant to my clients. A computer screen doesn't have the same effect, and your wedding deserves to be represented and accessible when the moment strikes you to reminisce on your big day. Clients often request parent albums as well as a tribute to those who helped celebrate their love.
WHAT OTHER SERVICES DO YOU OFFER?
Although my focus is capturing people in love, I also employ my portrait skills with family, maternity, and business branding sessions. If you have another photo session in mind, contact me and let's build one for you.
WEDDING DAY INSIGHTS & INSPIRATION
01 / TOUR DE FORCE
Weddings are highly curated, requiring lots of insider knowledge. Rarely, if ever, have we designed an event to this degree, requiring your focused attention in every corner of the frame. From picking out the dress to deciding which flowers to don your tables with, creating a team well-versed in every element of planning will expose you to new ideas and ways to delegate the many responsibilities on your plate. Your photographer will serve as a valuable asset to rounding off your vision and capturing the true quintessence your wedding day deserves.
02 / TIMELY MATTERS
You have picked the perfect venue, now it is time to create a wedding day timeline that ensures that all aspects of your day are organized and streamlined. A key factor to composing compelling imagery is conferring with your photographer about the time allotments that are essential to your portraiture. Taking into consideration whether you will see one another before your vows, what time the sun sets, and informing your party members in advance to what portraits they are expected to be present for will be pertinent to your time table. I will remind you to allow yourself some extra time to breathe and take it all in.
03 / THE PRELUDE
Your engagement session is the perfect preface to your wedding day portraits. It marks the beginning of your journey and an opportunity to step in front of the camera. Your session will help build a valuable relationship with your photographer, providing insight on how you interact and discovering the magic that makes you shine. Most importantly, create stunning imagery that embraces the adventure and excitement during this time in your lives.
WHAT IT MEANS TO ME TO PHOTOGRAPH YOUR LOVE
Love is radiant, recognizing the importance of your special day, the way each moment unfolds reveling in both boldness and delicacy, I am given a fascinating window that reminds me how powerful connection is. Subtle glances, unguarded smiles, each occurring with such brevity, my approach is to observe and anticipate these fleeting moments. My compositions are deliberate, but unforced, allowing the scene to breathe, to capture the true essence of my couples. More than a reflection, my purpose is to honor the dreamy nuances and beautiful honesty of our experiences. I am here to emphasize the triumph of your bond through visuals, and the notion that you truly can have it all.
"They find one another;
The moment takes them away;
Now standing together;
With all the promise of a sunrise."
CG
BEHIND
THE LENS
There is an underlying idea that we as photographers are supposed to find a niche to settle in. While I believe there is immense value in prolonged exposure to a specific craft, I truly feel that each new environment provides a source of inspiration and reveals an insight into the overall artistry that photography provides. My beginnings were in the darkroom while earning my Fine Arts Degree, where developing film equivalized to that of learning a new language - the intricate formulations, the way the film reacts when exposed to light, and hours of processing to get each image precise. Discovering the world of photography using the same instruments that the great image creators of our past used, has had a profound impact on my editing style today. While I have found that there is something special about making images for people in love, I remain inspired by every path that photography has led me. In each genre, the relationship to context, composition and lighting, still remain as the overall conceptualism behind each image, and is uniquely influenced by both the artist and the subject. The camera is an extension of my fascination with the charming nuances of this adventure, and the promise each day holds, ever romanticized by the sentiments of connection. With fifteen years of photography experience, I have enjoyed so many incredible moments behind the camera, sharing in wedding day excitement, laughing (and crying happy tears) with my couples, and can honestly say that my job is overwhelmingly rewarding, even at it's most challenging. I will do everything in my power to bring out genuine smiles (even if this means dropping in bad jokes, or barn animal noises for the kiddos!). The best part is learning how each individual shines and bringing that out in their imagery. I'll be there as a beacon of positivity, a shoulder, and an oasis of inspiration, helping you create your most magical day yet. Each story is unique, and I am honored to hear about yours. Let's connect!
CURRENTLY
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PAINTER SOFT SPOT : Gustav Klimt / FAVORITE CHILDHOOD BOOK : Island of the Blue Dolphins / CINEMATIC ALTER-EGO : Any Meryl Streep character/ DINNER CONNOISSEUR : Chicken Piccata / ON MY COFFEE TABLE : An unfinished puzzle / NEXT BIG DESTINATION : Spain / PLEASE DON'T STOP THE MUSIC IF IT'S : Muddy Waters or Bob Marley! FAVORITE VIEW : Red Rock Pass- a dirt road in Montana / SCENT OF A PHOTOGRAPHER : Rose / CAN'T STOP WON'T STOP : Grandmother's snickerdoodle recipe / MY PHOTOGRAPHY GEAR : Sony A7RIV + 70-200 mm | 24 mm f1.4 | 50 mm f1.2 | 85 mm f1.4 / THE PERFECT MUSE : Unapologetically confident women / NEXT BIG PROJECT: Growing a garden
