Do you know what I just love?

I love love love sending my clients their orders.
Here are a few I recently mailed.  And as I wrapped them up, I wondered if their excitement matched mine as they opened them to reveal what was inside.
Those are the little sweet moments that create happiness and I love that.
Thank you to all my fabulous clients. I just adore you.
xoxo-h

Sometimes the world presents the perfect opportunity to capture life in full, heart-pounding color.  This image actually represents specific moments from an engagement and wedding shoot that we photographed, but was designed with a large stretched canvas in mind to headline as "the show stopper" to hang in a home post-honeymoon and a way to get over post-wedding blues.  Color can capture mood many different ways.  This design represents a sample of many layouts we offer exclusively to our clients each of which are tailored to fit the needs of that special moment in their lives. 
Enjoy!

*designed by daniel chowen*

xoxo- heidi & daniel

...not too long ago, Durango designer, Brian Huff,  sent me some images of amazing custom frames that he designs & makes...
...and fell in love with them...
...and I knew I had to do the gallery show I had up at the Steaming Bean Coffee Co. in downtown Durango with him...
...I want people to see his amazing work while my gallery is up too...
...and it could not have worked out any better...
...so, our work will be at the wonderful Steaming Bean all of April & May...
...please go take a look...
...the ones here on my blog are just a few of the ones on display...
...we will be changing some images as well as putting new frames up the beginning of May, so be sure to take a look this month & next...
...and another event taking place while our art is on display at the Steaming Bean is DAWDLE, held on April 23rd, which is a community-wide art walk with a raffle & silent auction that helps support the DYC (Durango Youth Coalition)...
...please come out and support this event as a way to encourage young artists to stay inspired and successful...
...here is Brian Huff's contact information so he can make you amazing custom frames for your home or business:

huff design group
C. Brian Huff, LEED AP
brian@huffdesigngroup.com
p-970.903.1103
www.huffdesigngroup.com
...
xoxo

...I was SO honored when I found out that a very well-known on-line magazine and resource for photographers selected one of my images to be in one of their guides...It sits in with a lot of well-known photographers & their images, so I was pretty giddy when I found out...and I just had to share the news with you...
...
...I love photographing anything & everything beautiful...
...I feel so very lucky to be able to do what I love as my career...
...thank you to everyone that has believed in me & that continues to believe in me...
...I appreciate it more than I could ever express in words...
xoxo-h

...I LOVE this company and wanted to show you some of their beautiful products...
...I am particularly fond of this company as they fit my style so perfectly...
...They are individually handcrafted by artisans and use the finest materials to create their albums, folios and presentation boxes. Each one of their products are made from rich, smooth, heavyweight fine art paper and fabric. They have a beautiful selection of elegant Japanese bookbinding fabrics and Swiss ribbons to color coordinate the products with your images, personal style or home.
...The craftsmanship is absolutely amazing...and I am so excited to keep filling up my home & studio with even more color combinations for me to enjoy and you to see...
...lots of love and a lot more to come soon too...
...I just wish there were more hours in the day...
xoxo-heidi

~ please click here to vote for me!~

~just leave a comment under my photo...that is your vote...~

...I am so excited that The Wedding Chicks placed one of my images in the running with all the other amazing photographers...

...Please vote for me TODAY!  It would just make my day if you did...
...Pretty please with a cherry on top:)...

xoxo~heidi

bou*tique
~ a business that serves a sophisticated or specialized clientele ~

***
...my new downtown Durango bou*tique office is ready and I am excited to share it with my clients...
...I will be putting finishing touches to it as well as ordering some fabulous new products and art for the walls through the year, but am now ready to meet my wonderful clients there for any reason ~ to take select photos in to start off a session, to meet, view images on a large screen as well as view all the products I offer and go over orders...
...and to all my clients who love me coming to them for orders, I still do that too, so no worries!...
...meeting there is by appointment only, so please contact me to set a date...
...I look forward to meeting you there and I love that I have a place just for my clients...
...and what is so exciting is that I am in the process of designing my sign & all the other last details to make it complete...
...one day, soon, I will make into a true boutique to sell fashionable accessories *fine art for the home* as an addition to the portraiture, but for now, it is just a bou*tique office...
...wow, this is fun...

xoxo-heidi

...I have debated on whether to post this or not, but finally came to the conclusion that I want the people who love my photography to know a little about me...nothing too exciting, just a bit of who I am, how I got here and what I absolutely love...I want to give a little insight as to who I am and my history with art to set me apart from "just another photographer"...I hope this helps you get to know a little about me...

...I remember growing up always wanting to be an artist...I started drawing and painting at a very young age and took as many art classes as I could...I fondly remember one of my childhood friend's mother who was an amazing artist. I vividly remember all the art supplies carefully organized in canisters along the art tables, counters and windows...I mean tons of them. All organized by type and color...but "artist" organized, not super clean or perfect...just like they had been used and placed quickly back where they were supposed to go but able to be used right away... I loved that...I loved everything about the colors, the paper, the brushes, and the creating of something beautiful...As I grew older, I wanted more of it...I did fine in all my other studies, but art was by far, my favorite. My grandfather was an artist/illustrator for Disney back in the day and I loved just the notion that I was related to an artist...that kept my hope alive that I could do it too...

...I moved to Durango in the middle of my high school years and the only thing that made it easier were my art classes...I took them all:)...I instantly connected with my art teachers...they were so amazing...they made me feel like I belonged...I graduated with academic honors and received academic scholarships to a couple different colleges, including Fort Lewis...but my secret favorite thing is that I was entered into the National Art Honors Society as well as chosen as the Senior Artist of the Year when I graduated...if anyone out there has moved to a new city and knows how hard it is, then you may understand how honored and special I felt when told these things my last year of high school...It made it real that I might be able to pursue being an artist after high school...

...But then, you second guess yourself anyways...or at least I did...How could I possibly make it as an artist? What kind of stable job would I have? blah, blah, blah...I started off as an art major, not really thinking about what I would do after college...but all of a sudden I felt pressured to make a decision on what to do with my life...so, with one year away from graduating, I switched majors...and I graduated with an International Business Degree...what? I know...I just thought it may be really amazing to learn multiple languages and somehow incorporate the fashion world into it... so I set my sights on Parsons Design School and a move to Paris...I know what you are thinking...where did fashion come into play?...I forgot to mention that I LOVE the entire theatrics of a fashion show, the creating of clothing as well as the photographs that accompany them...wow...I love all of it and consider it an very beautiful art...So, I did the student exchange thing, lived in Europe and went to school while traveling across Europe. While there I visited each and every art museum I possibly could...I was kind of obsessed...well, because they are amazing...and I planned on going to Parsons as soon as I graduated college (I think I still have the vhs tape they send you when you apply)...I dreamed of one day having my own art gallery...a beautiful modern art gallery.... as well as doing something, anything in the fashion industry...

...well...then I came home, graduated...and...happened to meet the love of my life, my husband, Daniel... who knew he would be right in Durango too...and on a blind date set-up to top it all off...seriously...I never would have thought that...

...now 10 years later we have two gorgeous daughters...wow...I have a super blessed life...and I am now able to fulfill the artist in me...and do it with photography...and to my surprise, I have the most amazing clients who hire me to photograph them...that is the most extraordinary thing ever...I LOVE making people feel beautiful and taking images that freeze a moment, a kiss, a smile, a hug all while creating a piece of art...all the special moments that I share with my husband and daughters make me appreciate every single day...I get to capture that for other people...That is so special to me and I do not take that for granted...It is very exciting to me that I get to do what I absolutely love and make people happy all at the same time...It is like all the paths in my life led me to this place...

...extra little tidbits...I have been doing graphic design and using adobe photoshop & other various adobe design products for over 12 years now...so the blend of all of my nerdy computer skills and obsession with art just blend together quite perfectly:)...

...Ahh...what a dream...and I want to take this SO many places...so please stay and enjoy it with me!  I can't wait for all that lies ahead...I still dream of a modern art gallery of my own...who knows:)...my new downtown boutique office is a start...

...Here are a few photos (of two cutie pie sisters) for those of you who do not feel like reading this or to at least make up for boring you to death :) ...

Lots and lots of love...

xoxo-heidi

...little ~n~ and her family are so wonderful...
...I will share more from their session soon...

...

...From December 21st through some time the first week in January 2010, I will be taking time off to spend time with my family & enjoy the holidays...
...I will still be checking e-mails and listening to messages for any emergencies or newborn sessions along with regular session appointments, but will not be returning messages until after January 4th (unless it is something that needs to be attended to right away)...
...I am booking into February 2010 at the moment with a couple spaces left in January...So, please contact me to schedule your appointment if you would like to get in with me next month...Winter sessions are SO fun...
...Have a beautiful holiday and Happy New Year!...
...p.s. Keep on the lookout for new blog posts over the next few weeks as I will be posting some special images as well as dates for mini-sessions & much much more...

Lots and lots of love!

xoxo-heidi

...I LOVE this time of year...
...I am enjoying my daughters' delight as they watch the lights & dance around the house...
...I am loving the music and holiday sweets...
...I am appreciating all the wonderful people and clients that have come into my life throughout the past year...from the lovely anticipating moms, the adorable newborns, the active toddlers and wonderful kids to the amazing families, high school seniors and people in love...
...I look forward to more of this in 2010...
...There is a lot of good stuff ahead...
...And I can't wait to meet it all...
...I can't wait to meet you...

xoxo-h