Chautauqua Engagement Photos by Boulder CO Professional Photographer Neil Cowley
Boulder Colorado is a great town with active healthy people and mountains nearby for picturesque vistas or backgrounds.
The Colorado Chautauqua has presented programs every summer since 1898 including lectures, music, cinema, adult education classes, and nondenominational sermons. Its grounds, including the historic Chautauqua Auditorium, are located about a mile south of downtown Boulder. In recent years the Colorado Chautauqua has become a year-round operation. When Chautauqua Park originated, it was part of a large, nation-wide Chautauqua movement. Chautauquas were traveling educational shows that traveled to different communities across the U.S. performing shows. At the peak of the Chautauqua movement in the 1920s, there were more than 200 Chautauquas around the U.S.
I have photographed at the New York Chautauqua institute for 8 years and I would love to photograph your professional portrait session or wedding at the Colorado Institution.
Heather and Drew had me shoot their engagement photo session at their Lake Norman shoreline home.
You can see the golden sparkles from the fall sun bursting around the couple’s clasp hands in the cover photo on their custom designed greeting card. Heather ordered that picture on metallic paper as a 16×24 enlargement for her walls, I can’t wait to see where that art will live!
Heather and Drew didn’t want a lot of space inside for writing, but wanted to allow the photos to convey much of the message.
On the back, Heather wasn’t sure what to do to complete the design, so here’s our e-mail convo:
“How about 102 – 109 for the back cover. I know it needs to be portrait but we don’t want another picture of us on the back. Leaves are pretty..”
“Oh yes Heather I hear you – you want a tone poem to fall, expressing the hidden energy between blue skies and falling leaves – yea I got it.”
And then after she got the cards out, here is her response:
“Hey Neil -
Everyone loves the xmas cards. I’ve gotten notes from most of the people we sent them too. Also, the humane society that we adopted Otis from loves them and wanted your info.
Not too mention how much we love them! You’re so talented!
My wife helped me pick out sizes for some of our pics, we took advantage of the sale!
Have a Great Holiday!
Heather”
We’re so satisfied when we give voice in our photos and design to people’s lives and bring joy to all those around them
It’s unbelievable to me, but my wedding is only 3 days away and I feel incredibly lucky to be experiencing no stress or jitters, just total and immense excitement. Though I’m sad to have my 2 year engagement come to an end, I thought I would share some words of wisdom for brides wishing to be as happy as I am at this very moment:
1. Plan the longest engagement ever!
I’ll admit it, I’m addicted to being engaged. There’s a certain sparkle in telling people I have a fiance and watching their faces light up as they reminisce about their own weddings and romantic memories. I loved the time I spent with my mother planning every detail, listening to my bridesmaids discuss their dresses & dancing partners and learning new things about my man of 9 years. (Who knew he loved cake pillars?! Seriously?)
2. Book a crazy bachelor/bachelorette party yourself…aka go to Vegas.
There’s no written rule you can’t plan your own party! Our trip to Vegas with 6 of our closest friends was the best vacation we ever experienced. Though I’m sure my bridesmaids would have planned a fun outing, be spontaneous and go somewhere you know you’ll never forget. Well maybe you’ll forget some things……
3. Laugh at the drama and write it down!
Our wedding planning wasn’t without bumps. We “restructured” the bridal party a month before the date, sent out invites totally last minute (3 weeks to be exact) and desperately lacked in funds more than once, but when I tell my stories to others, they just make me laugh and realize the long and adventurous path we’ve taken to get to this amazing moment. Write it all down and when you’re finished, you just might be able to pitch your own soap opera!
4. Hire fantastic people.
I consider my taste to be high class, but the professionals I hired are in a class of their own. My caterer, cake decorator, stylist and of course, my photographers! are such wonderful and fun people to be around and this eases a huge amount of stress. Always there to answer any question, I couldn’t be more pleased to have met and shared my time with these people and I’m glad I choose my vendors based on personality, not just a portfolio.
5. Kiss each other goodnight EVERY NIGHT.
We might not be married yet, but almost a decade of dating means we must be doing something right.
Best wishes to all you beautiful brides! I hope your stories of celebration are as memorable as mine.
And Sara would like to thank her stylist Ellen at Scot Miller Salon, along with her colorist Jarrod and the sweetie Cory for doing her makeup and giving the dogs something to lick off.
If you would like a multimedia presentation for your engagement, wedding, anniversary, or just as a family journal – you can read more about these two packages:
Here’s Tom and Kelly’s signature journal with their personal style showing through in it’s natural and comfortable design.
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That completes their 3 media engagement session. This project has to be a highlight of my career this far and I look forward to getting to know so many more of you as I meet you for your engagement sessions.
I developed this multimedia presentation to share with all my clients where art comes from:
So do you know where the best art comes from now?
I didn’t include the story of Courtney and Charlie’s first date, but if you’d like to listen to it here:
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…you can see how their engagement shoot reflected their first date and how tucker got included.
In case it’s not totally clear, the framed photos are the shadowbox that I made with Charlie’s input. The frame is antiqued barn wood, and it has a two inch deep sealed wooden shadow frame. The glass is painted from the inside to harmonize with the weathered edges of the photos and handmade paper in the backing. The photos are mounted on raw nails to avoid adhesives which lower the archival stability of the piece.
I look forward to blessing more and more of your lives with joy, strength, memories and moments
Brea & Ed’s signature journal as an example as we have many of them in production right now.
To see the whole design click blow and view in our flash player. Here is the same book filled with signatures at the end of the evening with Brea and Ed.
1. Plan the longest engagement ever!
