The wedding of Katie and Christian Hendrickson
I’ve been doing a lot of meditating on my “occupation” lately, and wondering how out of the 30,000+ wedding photographers out there, I differentiate myself. I have been photographing weddings for so long that sometimes I feel like my work starts to blend together—that my images aren’t unique at all, and that I’m an imposter when I say that I am an “artist” in what I do. In this lull, I’ve been slacking in the blogging department. Naturally. My blog isn’t a “business tactic”, but a place for me to express myself–emotionally, artistically and vulnerably. I haven’t been able to crank out 3 or 4 blog posts a week because there are other things going on in my life, and I simply wasn’t feeling it. I don’t fake it when I blog. But I love my clients and always go back to wanting to tell their story.
So here I am tonight with not a single shoot left before I leave for Paris on Friday. And while I should be watching the season finale of mad men with Jesse, I’m suddenly stoked to blog Katie and Christian’s wedding from September 12th. The two of them were on my mind and I was inspired. I selected these images below because I personally like them—not because they are perfect blog material, or good for my business, but because they somehow represent the way I see Katie and Christian and their relationship, or because they conjure up some other unexplainable feeling… enjoy.
Katie and Christian had two weddings, two receptions, two locations and are two of the coolest people I know. They are both sweet through and through– in fact Katie and Christian met at a Denver volunteer program (they are philanthropic, too). These first images below are from Katie and Christian’s catholic ceremony in Littleton with only family and close friends present.
The look on Katie’s father’s face is why this is now one of my favorite wedding images that I’ve ever taken.
Videographers don’t get enough press….
I seriously work like paprazzi, and love it when hiding in the tress, still manage to get a glance from one of my subjects. That’s why I love this image. It feels pure paprazzi.
Part 2: Katie and Christian had a super fun, larger wedding in Leadville at the Opera House the day after the wedding in Littleton. It was my first time photographing in Leadville—and hopefully not the last. What a quirky, crazy little mining town it is…. wonderfully strange.
This is an image taken of Katie’s cousin, Maddie crossing one of the little streets in Leadville. I love it.
Katie and the ladies hung out in the giftshop/museum of the Opera House before the ceremony. What a wonderful settting for interesting portraits.
The entire ceremony was set like a play on the old stage at the Opera House… everybody walked in from a different area (stage right, stage left, the rear etc). Christian even came up from the floor in the trap door. The whole production was brilliant.
This photo makes me happy in more ways than one…. Obviously it’s a great “happily ever after” photo of Katie and Christian, but it’s also an image that reminds me that gas is down from $4.50 a gallon last year, to $2.52. Times are good.
Julie,
I’ve been following your blog for a really long time, and I absolutely LOVE your work. I get such an incredible aesthetic reaction to your photos; to me you are quite the artist. Just remember the words of Robert Hughes: “The greater the artist, the greater the doubt. Perfect confidence is granted to the less talented as a consolation prize.”
~Sarah
You are anything but an imposter Julie! You are truely and artist. I love your “eye” and hope that your spirits rise soon-I check your blog constantly and love to see new images.
Julie, regardless of how you feel about your work, you will always be a rock star to me 🙂
sarah said almost exactly what i was thinking, but better. that quote is perfect. i have been following your work for a short time, but thrive off your posts! you are an amazing artist and i’m glad that you personally were inspired enough to post more for us to be amazed by. i have an emotional reaction every time i look at your images
Love Sarah’s quote. The greater the artist, the more self-doubt they have. I must be an amazing artist then… 🙂
Great work as usual, babe!
Julie…your photos are amazing…keep blogging! Everyone we know wants to know about you and how we found you! You are a big hit here in NJ! And Paris…I’m jealous! Say hello to my tower!
I like the videographer photo–the guy looks like a modern-day Norman Rockwell character.
Julie –
Though I do not know you, i truly admire your work. I have a background in theatre (in fact, a degree in acting), but have since been thrust into a non-creative career out of necessity -I miss that artistic human connection – I come to your blog often – to feel the heartbeat of your work, to inspire that creative side in me. Your photos stand above and beyond any that i’ve found. Thank you for sharing not only your photos, but the way you see the world.
Julie,
You truly have a gift and your work is set apart from the rest. Thank you for continuing to inspire us aspiring artists. The photo of this couple looking out over the valley is absolutely gorgeous. I hope you have a wonderful trip to Paris and find rest and renewal. Take a walk through Luxembourg for me!
Your bloody gifted Julie… I just love your work and your really unique style and colours and light are just fantastic.
Paul 🙂
All beautiful words of encouragement to you Julie! You are an inspiration to many and bless those that are lucky enough to be your subjects. Thanks for being my inspiration!
Hi Julie! I met you at a wedding where the bride was a HUGE fan of yours, and soon thereafter started following your work… Like everyone else, I want to gush about how great you are. I’m not a sophisticated artist, so I can’t speak to composition or technical elements of your work, but after doing bridesmaid duties for a number of brides and seeing the work of thousands of wedding photographers, you’re the only one I’ve seen who consistently makes me connect emotionally to your photos. I’m a long ways off from my big day, but I can assure you, no matter when or where it happens, I’ll be hiring you to capture it. Love seeing your stuff!
The more I look at your work, the more I believe that the most perfect photo opportunities present themselves to you because only you can properly document them. The picture of Katie’s father – I love the look on his face, like you commented on, but the cross in the background is the only thing that could have made that image more perfect.
I think the weddings you’ve shot have been made for you because each one has it’s own quirks or imperfections from which only you can produce a perfect image.
Great wedding, Julie!
Your use of color and light (be it planned or spontaneous) is something like vermeer or rembrandt or kandinsky or the painting “the yellow cow”, when you can show things like the green umbrella, the yellow curb and the red sole of the shoe in one photograph, you are truly an artist in the best sense of the word! Color bursts are one of your best photographic talents!