30 June 2009 @ 10:37 pm

Blue Mesa Reservoir near Gunnison, Colorado
Blue Mesa Reservoir
Gunnison, Colorado
June 29, 2009

I've been working every day for the last several weeks, so yesterday I decided that I would take the day off and drive into the mountains. I had no idea where I was headed, but that was part of the fun. Unfortunately my favorite road trip buddy couldn't join me, because Mike was out of town, but my dog Ally made for a great companion. We headed west on Hwy 50, and five hours later ended up in Gunnison, Colorado. By this time I was tired of driving and not looking forward to driving home in the dark. I decided to stay for the night, which turned my random road trip into a spontaneous mini-vacation. It was just what I needed.

More photos from my trip )
 
 

Engagement portrait in downtown Denver
Jacynda and Karen
Downtown Denver
June 27, 2009

Yesterday evening I met Karen and Jacynda in the riverfront area of Denver for their engagement session. After weeks of rainy photo shoots, I was thrilled with yesterday's gorgeous sunny weather. It was the perfect day to walk around downtown with this fun couple. I really admire Karen and Jacynda for their work with abused and neglected teenagers. I used to work in an adolescent group home, so I know how challenging and meaningful their careers can be. I had a blast with them yesterday, and I'm really looking forward to their commitment ceremony later this summer!

More of their engagement portraits )
 
 
26 June 2009 @ 08:40 pm
I'm excited about my new blog! I have a Wordpress blog that is integrated with my website and imports my Livejournal posts and comments. If you are a Livejournal user, you can keep reading my blog on LJ, because the content is the same in both of my blogs. Everyone else should switch their bookmarks to the new blog:

http://www.charlottegeary.com/blog

Hooray!
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Engagement portraits at the Denver Center for the Performing Arts
Brian and Leslie
Denver Center for the Performing Arts
June 25, 2009

This has been a season of rain here in Colorado! Leslie and Brian had hoped to walk around downtown Denver for their engagement session yesterday, but a heavy rainfall sent us for cover at the Denver performing arts center. It turned out to be a great location for urban-style outdoor portraits, complete with a roof over our heads. Leslie and Brian are getting married next month in Denver, and after yesterday's fun photo shoot, I know it's going to be a great wedding.

More of their engagement portraits )
 
 

Hudson Gardens wedding in Littleton, Colorado
Katie and Dave
Hudson Gardens
Littleton, Colorado
June 20, 2009

On Saturday I photographed the wedding of a fellow wedding photographer! Katie runs Kathleen Rose Photography, so it was a huge honor for her to choose me to be their photographer. You might remember Katie and Dave's engagement portraits from last fall. They have always been a lot of fun to photograph, with a playful sense of humor and lots of enthusiasm. I learned on Saturday that their families are just as much fun as they are.

More photos from their wedding )

Photographer: Charlotte Geary Photography
Second shooter: Steve Tinetti
Venue: Hudson Gardens
Coordinator: Dramatic Events
Florist: Bittersweet Designs
Cake: The Bundt Shoppe
DJ: Sweetness & Co.
 
 

Bride and groom at the University of San Francisco
Robby and Mae
University of San Francisco
June 14, 2009

Mike and I traveled to San Francisco last weekend for the wedding of Mae and Robby. We love San Francisco ordinarily, but over the weekend the city was even more delightful than usual, with perfect spring weather. Mae and Robby got married at St. Ignatius Church, a gorgeous Catholic Church at the University of San Francisco. Their reception took place at the Cliff House, a restaurant that sits right on a cliff overlooking the Pacific. The entire wedding day couldn't have been more beautiful.

Congratulations, Mae and Robby! I hope you are having a grand adventure in Italy!

More photos from their wedding )

Ceremony: St. Ignatius Church
Reception:The Cliff House
Coordinator: Duncan Reyes
Videographer: IQ Videography
DJ: Spintronix Entertainment
Cake: Schubert's Bakery
 
 
11 June 2009 @ 12:30 pm

Indian paintbrush in Colorado Springs
Indian paintbrush
Colorado Springs
June 2009

 
 

Groom with heirloom top hat

Last week I had some requests for a Wedding Ideas post about men's attire. I thought it was a great suggestion, so I've assembled photos of suits, boutonnieres, cufflinks, hats, and other unique touches for grooms and groomsmen. Enjoy!

More photos of clothes and accessories for grooms and groomsmen )
 
 
09 June 2009 @ 12:20 am

Colorado wildflowers
A rainbow of Colorado wildflowers
Red Rock Canyon Open Space, Colorado Springs
June 7, 2009

Over the weekend I took a walk through the canyon, on a scavenger hunt to find as many colors as I could. All of these photos were taken within a two-hour walk in the hills. I love June.

More photos of wildflowers )
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08 June 2009 @ 01:05 pm

Colorado Springs mountains
Ally
Near Red Rock Canyon Open Space and Section 16
Colorado Springs
June 7, 2009

Yesterday Ally and I went hiking through Red Rock Canyon. We reached the top of the canyon just as the sun dipped behind the clouds, casting a warm evening glow over two happy hikers.

On a separate note, I've been nominated as Colorado Springs' best photographer. If you'd like to vote for me, I'd greatly appreciate it! You can vote here: http://tinyurl.com/nb64gw
 
 
04 June 2009 @ 12:07 am
Sunset over Pikes Peak in Colorado Springs
Sunset over Pikes Peak and Prospect Lake
Colorado Springs
May 2009

Colorado Springs is such a beautiful place to live. I took this photo as I got in my car after an engagement session at Memorial Park. I suppose you could say that this was the view from my office that day. I hope I'll never take it for granted.

A few more photos of this sunset )
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02 June 2009 @ 12:32 am
Red wedding bouquet with roses, daisies, and lilies

It has been a while since I've done a Wedding Ideas post here. I have a section of my website devoted to wedding planning ideas, and the most popular photos there are the bouquets. So here are lots of photos of wedding bouquets for brides and bridesmaids. Enjoy!

If any of you have requests for my Wedding Ideas posts, please let me know. My huge collection of wedding photos is a treasure trove for wedding planning inspiration.

More photos of wedding bouquets )
 
 
01 June 2009 @ 12:58 am
Fishing at Nichols Reservoir in Colorado
Brad and Mike
Nichols Reservoir, Colorado
May 30, 2009

Mike and I spent Saturday with friends at lakes near Woodland Park. We had a picnic at Rampart Reservoir, and then we hiked down to Nichols Reservoir. Mike and Brad did some fishing while the rest of us lounged by the lake and played with the dogs. I love living here in Colorado!

More photos of our day at the lakes )
 
 
31 May 2009 @ 10:24 am

My parents
May 31, 1969

Happy anniversary to my Mom and Dad! Today they are celebrating 40 years of marriage. They got married at the end of May in Montana, and when they stepped out of the church after the ceremony, they were surprised to discover a snow storm had arrived. You can see the dark storm clouds in this photo. My family talks about this photo often, because there is something poetic about stepping out into a storm at the beginning of a marriage, and facing it together. Forty years later, they are still happily married and are wonderful role models for me and my brother in our own happy marriages.

I hope there aren't any storm clouds for them today, because they are celebrating their 40th anniversary with friends at the beach. Mom and Dad, I wish we could be there, too! But we'll see you very soon. Happy anniversary! I love you!
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Colorado Springs portraits in the Garden of the Gods
Kim and Chris
Garden of the Gods
Colorado Springs
May 26, 2009

Kim and Chris are newlyweds who got married just before Chris was stationed to Iraq last fall. He's back in the country on R&R right now, so they took a vacation to Manitou Springs over the holiday weekend. The Garden of the Gods is one of their favorite places, so it was the perfect choice for portraits during their limited time together. Chris will be returning to Iraq next week, and I hope these photos will help them bridge the distance between them.

More of their portraits )
 
 
Bride and groom dancing
Leila and Luke
Hillside Gardens
Colorado Springs
May 24, 2009

It was a memorable holiday weekend for Leila and Luke -- they graduated from med school and got married! I'm glad they had sunny skies for their engagement portraits earlier this month, because it rained hard on their wedding day. They had planned for an outdoor ceremony, but thanks to a hardworking and cheerful group of family, friends, and vendors, they were able to move the ceremony under cover at the last minute. The rain was intermittent throughout the day, which gave great opportunities for photos with stormy clouds, umbrellas, and sun rays through the clouds.

My friend Walt Palmer was my second shooter for the day, and Lindsey Zahalka was my assistant. Thanks for your help, Walt and Lindsey!

Leila and Luke, I'm so happy for you and all your recent accomplishments. Congratulations, and good luck with your new careers!

More photos from their wedding )

Venue: Hillside Gardens
Florist: Rhonda Nichols Floral Design
Gown: Casablanca
Coordinator: Weddings and Events by Susan
 
 

Denver engagement portrait in Red Rocks, Colorado
Liz and Brian
Red Rocks, Colorado
May 22, 2009

Liz and Brian are getting married next March in Vail. They live in Texas, so their guests are going to love the gorgeous Colorado scenery when they come for the wedding. We decided to showcase some of that scenery for their engagement session yesterday, to give their friends and families an idea of what to expect next year. We started with some photos in the cute little town of Morrison, and then we headed to nearby Red Rocks park.

Thank you, Liz and Brian! I can't wait until the wedding!

More of their engagement portraits )
 
 
21 May 2009 @ 04:58 pm

Pregnancy ultrasound maternity portraits in Colorado Springs
Sarah, Brad, Isaac, and Laura
The moment that they learned the sex of the baby
Colorado Springs
May 20, 2009

This was such a wonderful moment to witness and document. My good friends Sarah and Brad had a 20-week ultrasound appointment, and finally learned their baby's gender. It was so exciting and emotional!

Sarah invited me to come to her first ultrasound, to share in the experience with her. I asked her if I could photograph it, and she agreed. I was thrilled when she invited me to the second and third appointments also, and I offered to photograph those as well. You can see photos from her first ultrasound here and her second ultrasound here.

Yesterday was the day that they'd been waiting and hoping for. I loved this moment just after Laura, the midwife, announced the baby's sex. It took a second to sink in for Sarah, and then she starting clapping. It took Brad a couple seconds longer for it to sink in, and then he grinned. Meanwhile little Isaac was oblivious to the news, and was trying to put ultrasound gel in his dad's ear. What a moment.

The big news... Read on to find out! )

Midwife: Baby's Breath Midwifery
 
 
21 May 2009 @ 11:55 am


Tamera and me
Eleven Mile Reservoir, Colorado
May 17, 2009

Tamera brought over a CD of wonderful photos that she took on our outing to the lakes on Sunday. She took some beautiful images, and of course I particularly love the ones of our Allydog! She joked that she took an entire wedding's worth of photos of our dog. I laughed when she referred to Ally as "Reservoir Dog."

Here are some of her photos from the day. All images are courtesy Tamera Goldsmith of Click Photography. Thank you, Tamera!

More of her photos )
 
 
19 May 2009 @ 09:15 pm
I'm in reality geek heaven this week, with the finales of Idol and Survivor, and the premieres of the Bachelorette and So You Think You Can Dance. Toss in the pilot of Glee, and I've been glued to the TV all week.

Now here's the big question:
Poll #1402668
Open to: All, detailed results viewable to: All

Who do you want to win American Idol?

View Answers

Adam
21 (36.2%)

Kris
37 (63.8%)



(If you aren't a registered Livejournal user, feel free to leave your response in the comments.)

Who loves funny, down-to-earth Jillian as much as I do? How gross was that foot fetish creepazoid? Which is more annoying to you: Kris' crooked mouth, or Adam's dangling tongue? How did you think "No Boundaries" compared to the other cheeseball finale songs of years past? Who else is counting down the days until a summer full of SYTYCD?
 
 
18 May 2009 @ 05:55 pm

Sailboat at Spinney Mountain Reservoir in Colorado
Sailing at Spinney Mountain Lake, Colorado
May 17, 2009

Yesterday was a gorgeous day here in Colorado, so we took our sailboat out for a spin on a lake. Our friend Tamera and our dog Ally joined us for a great day on the water.

More photos from the lake )
 
 

Colorado Springs engagement portraits at Memorial Park
Luke and Leila
Memorial Park
Colorado Springs
May 14, 2009

Leila and Luke have a big week coming up: next week they graduate from medical school and get married! To celebrate these milestones, they met me last night for a portrait session in Memorial Park. We walked around Prospect Lake as the sun set over the mountains. I love how these photos showcase the landscape of their Colorado home as they prepare to move out of state for their medical residencies. Congratulations, Leila and Luke! I can't wait until the wedding next week!

More of their engagement portraits )
 
 


Ashley and Stephen
Air Force Academy Chapel
Colorado Springs
May 9, 2009

Ashley and Stephen got married Saturday at the colorful and dramatic Air Force Academy Chapel. Mike and I photographed their beautiful wedding, which ended with a saber arch by the cadets, and then a ride in a Rolls Royce to their reception. They celebrated at Cheyenne Mountain Resort in a room with huge windows that showcased the resort's mountain views. Congratulations, Ashley and Stephen! I hope you're having a wonderful time on your honeymoon!

More photos from their wedding )

Hotel: Staybridge Suites
Ceremony: Air Force Academy Chapel
Reception: Cheyenne Mountain Resort
Coordinator: Nada Gutierrez of RSVP Weddings
Florist: Rhonda Nichols Floral Design
DJ: Sensational Sounds
Chocolate Fountain: A New Taste Sensation
 
 

Bride and groom under dogwood tree in Middletown, Maryland
Jenny and Brian
Stone Manor Country Club
Middletown, Maryland
May 2, 2009

Last weekend I traveled to Maryland to photograph Jenny and Brian's wedding. May in Maryland is lush and green with vibrant flowers everywhere, and I particularly loved this dogwood tree. Jenny and Brian got married outside a stone mansion built in the 1700s. It was a wonderful location for a wedding, with lush green lawns, elegant patios, and a grand tent for their party. Congratulations, Jenny and Brian!

My friend and colleague, Heather Clarke, photographed this wedding with me. Thanks so much, Heather!

More photos from their wedding )

Venue: Stone Manor Country Club
Florist: Ory Florals
Officiant: Deb Cathers
Videographer: James Ryan Films
DJ: Jaime of E2 Events
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Family portrait in Lansdowne, Leesburg, Virginia
David, Hunter, and Amy
Lansdowne Resort
Leesburg, Virginia
April 30, 2009

I was excited to photograph this family again! Hunter is famous here on my blog -- he's the rockstar kid in my blog's title banner. He is now a precocious nine-year-old, and still quite a character. I took their portraits at Lansdowne Resort, where their family frequently attends summer concerts and enjoys the views of the Potomac. Of course I had to ask Hunter to give me some rocker fingers for old time's sake.

More photos of their family )