It's my last day in Denver

Well, all my bags are packed, and I'm just finishing up a few things before it's time to check out of the hotel. Headed back to Knoxville tonight.

I had the pleasure of meeting and hanging out with Loveland, CO photographer and educator, Bill Guy yesterday. We drove out to Thornton and Boulder to shoot some sunset shots yesterday. While it was a bit too cloudy to get a good sunset shot, we did get some nice images.

Thanks, Bill for being my impromptu tour guide. I appreciate it.

The wedding was beautiful!

Here's a few quick shots from Sarah & Ben's weddin here in Denver, CO. We got so lucky with the weather. It was outdoors and a storm blew up just after the ceremony and our formal photos.

Of course, I'll post more after my return to Knoxville, but I couldn't wait to share.

I'm leavin' on a jet plane...

Oh yes, that's right. I'm jumping on a plane and flying to Denver, CO tomorrow morning bright and early. I'll be there to shoot the Sarah Gomez wedding, and then I'm going to spend a few days with my good friend, Jen Crandall.

I'm taking my laptop with me, and my hotel says they have wireless internet service, so keep your eyes peeled. I'm going to try to do some "Denver Diary" entries during my trip.

Okay, so now I have to go finish trying to cram 5 days of clothes and stuff into one bag. [laugh]

The Lake Ladies and Birthday Wishes

It was still "dark-thirty" when I arrived at Admiral Farragut Park in West Knoxville yesterday. The alarm had gone off at 4am and there I was, sitting in the dark parking lot waiting for the two "ladies of the lake" to make their appearance.

Sarah Weber and Clara Brown (best friends and roomies-to-be) were graciousness enough to meet me at that hour. Our goal was to shoot sunrise light on location, and I think we did a great job of that.

I had them in trees, on rocks, and in the water. We changed wardrobe several times, and they were real troopers for me. I've included several images here, and there's a gallery of images here: Sarah and Clara at the Lake

I'd also like to wish my beautiful bride of more than eleven years a very happy birthday! I love you more than ever, Puddin' Pop.

I didn't think it could get any hotter this July...

... but it did when model Kelly Fuller shot with me in the studio last Saturday.

A fashion/glamour session is interesting, because there's this warming up period between model and photographer.

When I go through a model's wardrobe before a photoshoot, we pick out the very best of the best. And from that, I always tell her to pick her least favorite of the very best to photograph first. Why? Well, while the very first images we shoot will be good, the images we shoot in the middle and at the end of the shoot will be better than good. They'll be smokin' hot.

To draw the beauty from a model, I have to have a conversation with her. I have to connect, and once I make that connection - once I know who she is and what makes her sexy, that's when our photos will really cook. That's when we're going to get the best images of the day.

It never ceases to amaze me that we start off a shoot as two individuals and end a session as one symbiotic team of poses and photos, working together to achieve the same goal: Great photos. Kelly was no exception to this rule. We started slow and worked toward the middle, but by the time she slipped into a pair of worn-in jeans and a zipper top, we were really cooking. When she put on the black bikini... oh my!

I'll let you be the judge. Here are a few images from our shoot Saturday. Thanks again, Kelly. You did great.

It's me. It's me, and Lisa Marie

On Monday, July 2nd, I had the distinct pleasure and honor of working with Lisa Marie, of Lisa Marie Photography of Birmingham, Alabama. Lisa Marie is an amazing photographer, whose work I have admired for several years. Not only are her photographs full of the most brilliant color and life, but she also is an incredibly talented director on set as well.

I'd like to give a special thank you to my new model, Sarah Weber for filling in on short notice when other plans fell through. Lisa Marie and I took Sarah out to Carl Cowan Park off of Northshore Drive in West Knoxville and did a session on and off the rocks at the water' s edge.

If you'd like to see a full gallery from this session, just click here: Sarah at the Lake

Lisa Marie in Action with model, Sarah Weber

My favorite shot from this session

The following photos are © 2007 Lisa Marie Photography

Lisa Marie and Me being the Goofballs we really are!