Crystal and Fred are Engaged!
How could I not have fun with this engagement shoot?! When Crystal walked up in those heels, I was like “cha-ching!” I obviously had to play them up. Plus Crystal and Fred, if you can’t tell by the images, are a riot! They are load of fun and clearly enjoy each other’s company—Crystal laughed the entire shoot, which is always a good thing for me. I never want to leave a session wondering if I was pulling teeth to get a smile…
Courtney and Mark
You might recognize this bubbly little couple from an engagement session I posted last spring—Courtney and Mark are unforgettable —-they are so fun to look at in photographs, because they are completely unaware of the camera, and totally enthralled with each other. This was a fun wedding to photograph because it was indoors at the Cherry Hills Community church (don’t get me wrong, I love outdoor ceremonies, but it’s fun to switch it up). I got to work with all sorts of fun lighting situations. This was also the first wedding that I played with a lens baby. The key here is moderation—I’ve seen this overused way too much!
Congratulations Courtney and Mark! And thank you for being the super cool couple that you are! ….. I hope to see some babies in the future. They’ll be beautiful 
Paris 10/19/08: A six week sabbatical to reclaim my
“You need to claim the events of your life to make yourself yours”. Anne-Wilson Schaef
It may seem ironic that I title this series of blogs a “sabbatical”, and am still blogging. However, this will be a different kind of blogging than what I normally do. I will not be taking any shoots or blogging any past weddings or portrait shoots for the next six weeks (unless I shoot something here that I want to blog). I am truly taking six weeks away from my life as I know it, to find my heart and fall in love with photography again. It’s not that I don’t love what I do–or somehow think that wedding and portrait photography isn’t art—it is indeed and I am quite confidant that I am an artist in this “industry”. But I shot close to 40 weddings this season and probably doubled that number in portraits. I’m pretty tired. Please know this— I do love what I do and feel very blessed to be able to make a living as an artist. I love all my clients and I love blogging their sweet stories everyday. However it’s only natural that any extended period or piece of work draws heavily on our artistic wells. Julia Cameron says this, “Overtapping the well, like overfishing the pond, leaves us with diminished resources. We fish in vain for why, ‘just when it was going so well!’ The truth is that work can dry up because it is going so well.” And that pretty much sums it up for me at the moment. I’m out here for six weeks to stock the pond!
I’m staying in what the Parisians call a “Rabbit Cage” in Montparnasse. My flat is no more than 300 square feet–no TV, no bathtub, no back yard or washer and dryer—just the bare basics, and (aside from no bathtub) I’m totally excited with this. It’s currently 1:30 am in Paris and I’m spilling my heart out…. I forgot to eat today, so I found a can of peas in the cupboard at my flat, and and am chasing them down with cheap red wine and cigarettes (it’s Paris)! I’m feeling pretty bat shit crazy, but will say that I am already starting to taste rejuvenation and rest (despite the not eating, smoking and drinking thing).
I plan on blogging pretty intimate snip bits during this little adventure, as well as posting some of my daily images—Please feel free to follow along on this journey with me, and know that after 6 weeks in Paris, I will surely come home ready to conquer the world—As a refreshed and fiercely creative Julie Harris.
These next few images are me warming up—they are images of or around my flat, and an exploration of Monparnasse and the cliche’s that I have held about Paris—-Yes. Cafe life is the life here and I love it! With no itinerary or daily agenda, I find that sitting at a Cafe is a daily ritual for me—two or three times a day, even!
The little Dimos Girls….
I went over to my dear friend juli’s house the other day so that she could help me figure out some major computer issues that I was having (she is a genius). I ended up staying for pizza and to watch the debate. All I can say is that I am so grateful for my girlfriends…. I know that I could be going through anything in my life and have a solid support around me. Juli is one of those very special people in my life—and she has a gorgeous family. I took these images of her two daughters Luci and Merci while we were out on her front porch in five points waiting for pizza. I just wanted to share these….
I love you jules!
Sara and Gregg
Sara and Gregg’s wedding in Keystone was traditionally and symbolically, a continuation of the wedding that took place back in January…. This was the second time that I had the honor of photographing Sara and Gregg’s wedding. The first ceremony took place at Sara’s parents home in City Park back on January 12th—it was truly the most intimate wedding that I have ever had the opportunity to photograph—I think there were all of twelve people there. Needless to say, I was very excited to get to reunite with these two families once again this fall, and participate in the continuation of this union—this time with all of their friends and family. I want to make note that Sara and Gregg have the greatest families—rarely do I get to work with two families who embrace each other like the Stracks and Seligs do—their support system is truly a treasure.
Thank you Sara and Gregg, for once again allowing me to play a part in this incredibly beautiful time in your lives…. you have truly taken a place in my heart and I wish you all the happiness and health that this life has to offer.
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