What does it mean to elope? Historically the word relates to running away from family and marrying someone in secret; however, this term has evolved over the years and in many cases an elopement is now more planned. Durango photographers tend to witness a different type of ceremony when compared to this classic definition. These new elopements are more concerned with finding a beautiful outdoor location to perform their ceremony and may even involve close family and friends forming a very small "wedding party" that is invited along. If you are considering an elopement I would highly recommend it, especially if you are considering doing it in Colorado or the Southwest! There are many pros and few cons when comparing Colorado elopement packages to standard wedding pricing and follow-through. As a Durango elopement photographer (and wedding photographer) I can attest that planning an elopement will result in much less stress, a healthier bank account, better photos, and a lot more peace of mind! The only con is that some of your extended friends and family may be slightly upset with you for not allowing them to be there. Explore my elopement packages here: Colorado Elopement Photographer Packages Colorado and the Southwest are great places to elope for several reasons: the weather tends to be fantastic, the views are stunning, the crowds are easily avoided, flying is usually affordable, finding a great location is easy, and there are plenty of locations that don't involve too much effort to get to! If you need help finding a spot for your perfect elopement ceremony I am more than happy to assist you for no extra charge. Feel free to browse my landscape gallery for inspiration: Southwest Elopement Photographer Ideas Gallery I absolutely love elopement photography and as an adventure wedding photographer mountain elopements are my favorite. If you are planning your own outdoor ceremony you are off to a good start because you have already tracked down a Colorado elopement photographer! The first important step in the process is choosing your ceremony location; this process can be a lot easier if you talk to someone familiar with the region that you are interested in IF you aren't already familiar yourself. Once your location is set you'll need to decide what kind of services you want to be involved. Do you want a videographer, photographer, and or an event planner? In many cases most people only need a photographer because their photographer can help plan the ceremony *ahem*. Time of year is obviously very important because winter weddings are much more difficult to plan and facilitate, yet may be worth it for the effort! A great elopement can be well done with a small budget, a few good friends or family members to help, a few decor items, possibly a few flowers (and/or beverages i.e. champagne), and a well formed plan. Feel free to reach out if you need assistance with yours!
For inquiries click here: Contact Interesting areas of the Southwest: Lonely Planet To explore some ideas click here: www.pinterest.com/artandsoulevent/elopements-and-micro-weddings/
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I knew there was a reason I bought a telephoto lens this year and that reason became blatantly obvious during this particular photoshoot. Justin and I wanted his girlfriend, now fiancé, to be surprised; which meant that we didn't want her to see me when he bent his knee and produced the ring. As it turns out, it isn't always easy to hide and still snap great photos! In this particular setting there was no where for me to hide within at least two hundred yards. Luckily I have a 150-600mm lens that did the trick. I dawned all of my snow clothes and arrived an hour early to find my hiding spot. I felt like a spy in enemy territory. The ebb and flow of the snowstorm during my wait added a bit of anxiety to my predicament; however, the snow treated us well and added an amazing touch to the final product. Luckily I wasn't spotted until after the proposal! As it turns out Durango photography isn't always straightforward, especially mid-winter. Whether doing photography for a fall wedding with impending rain storms, spring High School Portraits with freezing temperatures, or completing a challenging high mountain Colorado elopement package, I have never been as nervous about messing up a photo shoot as I was for this particular Durango Photographer's mission! Thank goodness I didn't screw it up and was adequately prepared. These two were amazing to work with and I'm really glad they didn't turn around before arriving at the proposed proposal location because the trek in was much more difficult than we originally expected. Their proposal turned out to be incredibly beautiful and very much worth the difficulties; probably as gorgeous or more so than the majority of my elopement photography shoots that I have done, in my humble opinion. As a Colorado elopement photographer I couldn't ask for a more majestic day. You can find more information regarding my photography packages here:
Package Pricing For more photos from me check out the following gallery: Wedding / Elopement Gallery Click the following link to find more relevant information regarding Durango and the surrounding areas: Durango So far this blog has been concerned with the following concepts: Durango wedding photography and Durango elopement photography. Well, if you are here looking for those things please view my previous posts or check out my elopement/wedding gallery here: Wedding / Elopement Gallery This post is going to be focused on my original photography passion, landscapes. Durango photographers have a diverse skillset and this is likely due to the environment surrounding us. It is beautiful, it draws tourism, it is the Southwest and the San Juans. People come here to have their events and we take their photos! Personally, it would be impossible for me to just be a Durango family portrait photographer, High School senior photographer, Durango wedding photographer, or Durango elopement photographer considering the stunning areas that I tend to do those types of photography in! Sometime I just want to take photos of the things behind the people. Honestly, if I had the money I would open up a landscape gallery in downtown Durango and never look back; however, I don't have the money for such an endeavor! It's expensive... so I do portrait photography to pay the bills. Don't get me wrong, I love taking photos of people, but they just aren't as majestic. I would be surprised if you disagreed. When I moved to Durango, Colorado, in 2006 I started exploring. In a short time I saw many beautiful sights and regretted having no ability to capture the moments. Eventually I bought my first camera. After photographing the local landscapes I started taking photos of people, mostly my friends. I then started hauling my gear into the backcountry while skiing to try to get some "powder shots" and this fascination with action portraits led me to general portrait photography and Durango wedding photography. The Southwest is a great place for all types of photography. It turned me into a photographer; I wasn't one beforehand, but I most certainly am now. If you are interested in booking a shoot, or purchasing some large-scale art for your home or business please contact me! Contact For more information on the area in general please visit: https://www.durango.org/ For more of my landscapes check out this gallery: Landscapes Gallery
The timing was perfect. The fall aspens were at their color change apex and the surrounding mountains had just received a light dusting of snowfall. Conditions couldn't have been more gorgeous... And then there was the storm. As a Durango photographer I am constantly concerned about weather in the local mountains which tends to be erratic at best; Ally and John's wedding was no exception to "Murphy's law." The weatherman said "it's gon' rain," and I would be lying if I told you that I was not concerned. Photography in the rain is not ideal and when I pulled up to Purgatory it was a deluge! Luckily, as Coloradans know, a typical rain storm in the Southwest does not tend to last long. After a quick conference we decided to keep the ceremony on time and the wedding photography was a go! The clouds were dark, the background was ominous, and the photos were stunning. It did not rain again. Luckily, as Coloradans know, a typical rain storm in the Southwest does not tend to last long. After a quick conference we decided to keep the ceremony on time and the wedding photography was a go! The clouds were dark, the background was ominous, and the photos were stunning. It did not rain again. Spirits were high, temperatures were moderate, and the cloud cover was low. It was a Durango photographers dream. The lighting was absolutely excellent. If you are planning and a trip to Purgatory and want to check the weather this is my go to web page: NOAA
Purgatory is a quick 20 minutes from Durango, it has beautiful views, plenty of amenities, and makes for a great venue for your event! To view more of my photography click here: Wedding Photography Gallery If you are looking for photographers in Durango you can book me or talk to me about your wedding, elopement, or event click here: Contact Fall weddings and elopements in the Durango area are absolutely spectacular. My favorite photography, whether it be portraits or landscapes, is during the autumn colors. These photos are especially excellent when complimented with lovely people and Catie's wedding did not disappoint. We had an excellent time whilst traveling around the Purgatory and Cascade Creek areas and capturing this awesome couple's love for one another. They could not have timed their small wedding's date any better. The colors around Purgatory were at their peak. Purgatory Ski area is roughly 20 miles North of Durango in the Southwest corner of Colorado and it's elevation is about 2000 feet higher than Durango's, situating it at approximately 8500 feet above sea level. This means that the fall colors tend to start changing 3-4 weeks before the city of Durango's trees which translates to beautiful yellow trees around the Purgatory and Cascade Creek areas in late September. Catie and Dan got married just South of Purgatory Ski Area near Elbert Creek, under the Hermosa Cliffs, and in front of a very large aspen grove. Their ceremony site was beautiful and so were the decorations. The photos were splendid! The bride and groom were transported to and from the ceremony site via a horse drawn carriage which made for some lovely photography. Weddings and elopements like this are a photographer's dream and I can't wait for fall to return next year! For information about Purgatory click the following link:
Purgatory Ski Area If you would like to book me for your future event click the following link: Contact Cascade Village is a nice wedding venue nearby if you are looking: https://www.cascadevillagedurango.com/ |
Andrew F HighDurango / Southwest Photography's photographical journal. Archives
February 2024
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What My Clients Are Saying:"My husband and I have known Andy for years and when we got married he was our first choice for photographers for so many reasons. We wanted someone who would capture our big day without it feeling intrusive, or forced, he was so fun and easy going and put us and our guests/wedding party at ease. His natural ability to capture and highlight landscapes made for pictures that showcase why we choose to get married in the mountains. He paid close attention to details, and got candid shots we absolutely love. Additionally he was so organized and got every posed shot we had asked him for, without us having to worry or keep track. He got the pictures back to us quickly and has been so fun and professional to work with. I highly recommend Andy for any occasion." -Nicole Patrick
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Contact Me:Cell: 720-404-9369
Email: andy.f.high@gmail.com |