Union on Snow and Skis

My friends Paul and Roberta live life.  They love to go non-stop. They hold nothing back and have a blast.  Their wedding was no different.  As a commercial photographer that specializes in lifestyle images and and fast-paced action shots, the idea of shooting a wedding on skis sounded like a blast. The backdrop for this event was to be the stunning Devil;s Thumb Ranch located in Tabernash Colorado.

The day started early, very early in fact.  My good friend, Paige Eden and I were on the road at 6am.  Just 10 hours before, an avalanche closed the main road between Denver and Devil’s Thumb, turning out easy two hour drive into an epic 4 1/2 hours.  When I first told Paige about this wedding she was so excited about the cool opportunities that she actually asked to join me on the shoot.  What a great opportunity for me.  Paige is one of the most respected and sought out wedding photographers in the Rocky Mountain. The chance to shoot an event with her is not one to be missed.

The day of shooting started promptly at 11 a.m. Paige and I met the bride and groom on the south end of the ranch.  Already they had logged a solid 5 miles of skiing.  The sun burned off the morning fog exposing the the glowing crystals of the newly fallen snow and the immensely blue sky.  For the next hour, we wobbled around on snow shoes, clicking off frame after frame, capturing the stunning scenery and brilliant custom ski outfits that Paul and Roberta had specially designed.

Devil’s Thumb is littered with old barns and miles of immaculately groomed nordic ski trails.  Between the aged wood and smooth rolling lines of  made by the grooming machines, I couldn’t wait to see the final images.  We paused a while at one of the most popular barns to shoot some “formals” against  a banner for the Nation Championship Nordic Races.  Soon the hour was up and it was time to head back to the main lodge for the outdoor ceremony.

Once back at the main lodge, we fired off more frames of the bride and groom getting ready for the ceremony.  Friends rolled in, or rather glided in, and soon the event was in full swing.  The formalities finished with a group ski followed by cocktails and soon my camera focussed on the drinking.  This glorious day finished with a personal series I invented on the spot.  I like to call it…”The Drink”.  The final images I shot that day was a series, each of a different guest taking a drink.  I know, it sounds a little lame, but it was truly silly.  Take a look at the shots and let me know what you think.  I would love to hear comments on “The Drink”.

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