Colorado Photographers-  We have a ” Colorado Crew” T-shirt we made just for you.  To get it you must do this

1.  Twitter that you are going to our program at WPPI and include @andyangiewood

2.  Be to the class 15 minutes early and sit in the front. First 20 will receive shirts

For our clients-  We will be out of Town for the next week and will have limited time for email and phone.  We will get back with everyone as soon as we are back.  If you need us for an emergency we can be reached at 303.888.9394

Some fun ones

Here are few pictures from last year. Thank you to our friend Kent Meireis Photography for taking this pictures for us.

Apparently this shot shows it lol.

1.  Wear Comfortable shoes- Yes its a bit of a fashion show sometimes, but make sure to pack some shoes that you can do a lot of walking.  The MGM if you have never been there is a huge hotel.  When I say “huge” you probably are not getting just how big.  I have been lost in the hotel and it can take 30 minutes to find a way out.  

2.  Pack a few energy bars.  There are restaurants to eat at but they are not always convenient.  Much of the food to eat is 15-30 a plate.  If you just want a quick snack this is your best option to recharge your batteries.

3.  Much of the fun in Las Vegas happens at night.  Do a search for WPPI parties and keep an eye out for some of the best parties.  Pictage, Bludomain, GOBEE, FINAO throw some excellent parties after hours.  Just because they are parties doesn’t mean they are not an excellent time to learn and network.

4.  If you will be out at WPPI March 6th and 7th make sure to stop and see some of the Print Competitions.  I have talked about this before but the education you will receive by watching and learning what the judges are looking for is priceless.  You will learn more in my opinion in a few hours than you might all year shooting.

5.  The tradeshow is huge.  If you have two days for it don’t try and tackle it all in the same day.  Split it up over two days you will thank me later

6.  Look for Prepay discounts.  What do I mean by that.  Look for manufacturers that you already use that are giving deals for prepaying.  If you have the cash flow as a business why not look at what you bought last year and project for this year and prepay it.  In some instances it can save you as much as 50 percent off your costs.  We have been able to save some nice money in past years.  Who knows it may just pay for the visit.

7.   Equipment purchases-  This is a great time to buy much of your needed gear.  Using a little savvy here can save you big bucks.  I have saved hundreds of dollars on items by asking the simple question is that your best deal. 

8.  Make new friends-  This is a great time to strengthen relationships.  Make sure to stop by companies that you work with and introduce yourself.  When you are out eating at the MGM make sure to say hello to those around you.  Those little conversations in the elevators and restaurants can turn into great networking experiences.

9.  You are going to learn a lot of new techniques, get inspired and motivated.  Make sure to take notes.  Record your thoughts on an Iphone or recorder.  Make sure to take these things home with you and implement them.  Most people lack the motivation, or don’t make the time to implement these great tidbits.  Make sure you are ahead of your competition by being the first in your area to do it.  

10.  Have fun and break your routine-  Don’t just go to the safe classes you know the ones, with the named photographer you have heard 5 times.  Pick a program that is interesting to you regardless of the name.  You might be surprised and learn a ton.  The WPPI community has a vast network of talented photographers.

In the post ” Top 350 Wedding Photographers in the World“, I talked about a new organization that had been formed.  We received this email a few months ago.  The website looks great and we can’t wait to see what happens, it looks like a great resource for brides.  Especially those looking for a high caliber wedding photographer for a destination wedding.  Congratulations to the other Colorado Photographers on the list Autumn Burke Photography, Otto Schulze, Grant Oakes, Kern-Photo.

Andy and Angie Wood,

Hello. Im the Executive Director of Best of Wedding Photography, a new invitation-only membership group being launched by some of the leading wedding photographers in the world. Im writing to offer your studio an invitation to become a founding member of the organization. You’ve achieved that terrific combination of great branding around A&A Photography and fresh, modern imagery that distinguishes the best work in the field today. We would be honored to count you as members.

This invitation comes after a very rigorous review process by our Board, which includes some of the best wedding photographers in the world: David Beckstead, Ben Chrisman, Del Sol Photography (Matt Adcock and Sol Tamargo), Glen Johnson, Anna Kuperberg, Crash Taylor, and David Ziser. Our board has personally reviewed your work, decided that you rank among the best in the world, and voted to offer you this invitation.

We started with a highly-screened list of nearly 5,000 photographers. Of those, we are now inviting just 350 photographers from around the world. You will become part of a new group that has the potential to dramatically change the face of the wedding photography industry.

I’ve included details about Best of Wedding Photography and the invitation below (also attached as a PDF for your convenience).

Please don’t hesitate to contact me with any questions.
Thanks and best wishes,

Here is what the new website says about us

WHO ARE WE?
We are the premier invitation-only association for the world’s top wedding photographers. Best of Wedding Photography employs a unique system of peer-review to ensure that membership standards remain uncommonly high. We look for photographers who are leaders in the field – both in terms of the quality and style of imagery they produce and their level of success and recognition by brides, fellow photographers, and others in the wedding industry.

A few times each year, our editorial staff submits a list of outstanding photographers to the BOWP Review Board, who then vote separately on whom to invite. This panel includes some of the best and best-known photographers in the world:

David Beckstead
Ben Chrisman
Matt Adcock & Sol Tamargo (Del Sol Photography)
Glen Johnson
Anna Kuperberg
Crash Taylor
David Ziser

Every invitation we issue represents a consensus among peers that a given photographer ranks among the best in the world.

In addition to representing the best photographers in the world, we offer an endless stream of incredible imagery on the Best of Wedding Photography blog, featuring the work of BOWP photographers – one blog with a snapshot of the most innovative photographic work being produced in the wedding photography world. It’s be a beautiful thing.

Other posts you might enjoy if you are looking for engagement portrait photography

Engagement Session 

Engagement Photography Colorado

The bouquet in Angelas fathers old truck.  The bouquet was customized with one of his old red grease rags and rosary.  Very cool 

Angelas red  wedding shoes.  Andy and I love  color changing up the shoe color sure can be a lot of fun

A girl has to love details that come in a little blue box.  This is a bracelet from Tiffany & Co to wear for the wedding

A beautiful shot of Angelas Wedding dress in the church in eastern Colorodo where the girls got ready

Another shot of the dress with some dramatic light to spotlight it

Some makeup.  Angela had her wedding makeup done by our favorite makeup artist in Colorado Makup Envy by Danica Jadien

Just a side note that getting your makeup is well worth it.  It really helps the look of the photographs if done properly.  Just a few of the people and companies Danica has done makeup for:

BARACK OBAMA   

TYRA BANKS (@ MAC COSMETICS)                   

DIY NETWORK

DESPERATE LANDSCAPES

BIG BOI (OUTKAST)  

HGTV                                

LESEA PRODUCTIONS

TATYANA ALI      

HIGH NOON ENTERTAINMENT                            

JAY TV

WENDELL PIERCE     

JANET ELWAY @ SAKS FIFTH AVENUE                    

XCELENTE MARKETING

CARMELO ANTHONY                    

TEAM PEOPLE

JASON CAMERON   

Wedding ring shot.  We thought the reflection and sleek black look went well

If you liked this post here are more blog posts you will enjoy

Colorado Wedding Photojournalism

Vail Wedding Photography

It was a super challenging shoot with a lot that went into the pictures. Andie had her hair and makeup done. The second big challenge was creating a photograph that looks like pinup. If you look at the most notable pictures of pinup Alberto Vargas comes to mind. The word Vargas Girls was punned from his illustrations. When people hear pinup they think of these illustrations. The challenge, make a photograph that is simple yet complex enough to look like an illustration.

Here are a few sessions that have been shot in the trash the dress style. Some of these shoots were done before, after the wedding or at a get-together with photographers.

Denver colorado bridals
Colorado bridal portraits
Downtown Denver Trash the Dress
Trash the dress
Trash the dress colorado
Trash the dress denver
Trash the dress denver colorado
Trash the dress colorado
Trash the dress colorado
Trash the dress colorado
Trash the dress denver

We also talked about how we are not overly fond of the name but have kept it in our marketing and pricing. Bridals shot after the wedding, including day after sessions, with both bride and groom, without regard for the dress, are considered trash the dress to us. You can go out, not with the intention of trashing your dress, but rather getting amazing wedding imagery that you would not have had time for or might have gotten to dirty. This aired on the Today show this morning. We want to say congratulations to all of our fellow photographers spotlighted this morning.

Get out and see the leaves changing if you haven’t had the chance yet.

This is a collodion wet plate/ 4×5 of the polaroid camera we used.