Trystan Photography: An Intimate Portrait.

Ahhhh, Valentine’s Day.

The biggest day for proposals all year. It’s fitting that we’ve just finished our new sample gallery for engagements and couples, because that’s on a lot of people’s minds right now!

Like I said in the post about our new 2009 Senior gallery, this is the time of year we do a little spring cleaning and spruce up the website with our favorite photos from the past year. It’s a renewal, a new beginning, if you will, for our portfolio.

So if you find yourself about to propose, or being proposed to, and soon to begin planning a wedding… try us out with an engagement session. We’ll capture your real love as you flirt and kiss and adore each other… all in a fun, relaxing atmosphere.

But don’t worry, we do the standard boring formal Grandma likes, too.

I’m being sarcastic. Everybody knows it’s the grandmas of the world who love the butt grabbing shots and say things like, “That’s so cute. It’s just like your Grandfather and I were…” I’m telling you, don’t sell that generation short. They were horn-dogs. Why do you think there was a “baby boom” after WWII?

Hmmmmmm…

Well, 2008 has come and gone, and what a year it was. This is the time of year that we sift through a mountain of work from 2008 and try and narrow it down to our absolute favorites. It never fails, but emotions start to run high as we get down to our absolute favorite shots, and the fur flies.

After the dust settles, however, Charlotte and I have always managed to agree and compromise, and the resulting collections are incredible.

Over the next few days I’ll be highlighting her different portrait galleries as we finish them.

The gallerie du jour for this post is her 2009 high school senior gallery. Charlotte senior photos are one of a kind. She has the innate ability to create authentic, relaxed portraiture of subjects who are perhaps the most notorious for being self-conscious and hesitant to appear “uncool”: the 18-year-old American teenager.

In our sales sessions, her portraits inspire squeals of excitement and conversation from our seniors. Needless to say, their parents are often speechless at these sudden outbursts of communication, as they had grown accustomed to one-word-answers, grunts-while-texting and eye-rolling as the standard mode of communication from their kids!

I was no different. My mother lovingly referred to me as “The Ogre” from 13 to 18. It’s hard to believe now since you can’t shut me up, but my standard mode of communication was grunting and avoidance of eye contact. So I get it, seniors. We get you. And that’s why we’re successful at capturing who you really are, not some idealized version of you, because the real you: is pretty cool.

Charlotte is acclaimed for her family and children’s portraiture, her baby portraits, her wedding photography…

Did you know Charlotte’s first true love is boudoir photography?

If she could, all she would photograph is boudoir. I think someday she will be able to niche like that, especially once we finish updating her boudoir portfolio with some of the shots she captured in 2008!

Charlotte is an aficionado of the female form. Her photography celebrates all things beautiful about a woman’s body, and we’re not talking professional models, here. We’re talking about everyday women in whom Charlotte is able to coax-out and capture each woman’s unique sensual beauty, mystery, and sexuality.

Her boudoir photography has become so alive, so aesthetically engaging, that it makes the heart leap with both artful joy and passion. It’s truly fine art. But that’s just my humble opinion…

So, to celebrate Charlotte’s amazing 2008  boudoir portfolio, and in honor of the impending Valentine’s Day, we’re pleased to announce our 2009 Boudoir Extravaganza!

For a limited time, from 1/22/09 through 1/31/09, you’ll receive 50% off Charlotte’s normal boudoir “Brag Book” session. That’s a $250 savings! You must call and book your session before 1/31/09, so don’t hesitate!

Surprise your special someone with the ultimate Valentine’s Day gift. Just imagine the look on his face when he sees Charlotte’s amazing photography in that sexy little black “Brag Book”.

Well, it’s been something I’ve always felt deep down, but I’ve never had confirmation like this before:

I’m sexy.

I know. It’s so obvious now that I’ve said it, but there’s been times that I have to admit I might have doubted whether or not it was true. Being 6′ 5″, 280 lbs. and all.

But MSN has just come out with their report on the “10 Sexy Careers You Never Thought Of…“, and guess what is number 8? That’s right: photographers.

I mean, ever since I read that article, my whole life is different. Clearer somehow. I feel glamorous, and sexy.

Like last night when I was bent over scooping my 2 year old’s puke out of the couch cushions, shirtless (’cause I got puked on, too), butt crack exposed and belly flab hanging… I felt good. I knew that if one of our clients saw me at that exact moment, they would shriek in excitement and glee at the mere sight of my sexiness.

Thank you MSN.

My name is Trig Bundgaard, and I’m a photographer.

And I’m sexy.

Please click the photo or follow the link to view Mary and Ben’s wedding at First UMC and Tre Luna.

Yes, loyal blog readers: I know. This is our 3rd wedding this year at the exact same ceremony & reception sites. Apparently, we are the unofficial photographers of First United Methodist Church and Tre Luna (I must admit, we do make them look pretty awesome…)

So the first thing that comes to mind is, were we able to mix it up enough between weddings, or were we stuck in a rut ( a huge danger of overshooting a locale)? Looking at all three weddings (here, here, here), I am confident that each of our couples got very unique shots and looks, with some of our standard UMC “money shots” thrown in to boot. My new challenge to myself for 2009 weddings at UMC/Tre Luna is to find new ways to photograph the ceremony in the sanctuary. Don’t get me wrong, I love our shots, but between all our 2008 weddings, the ceremony photographs are the most similar, mainly because of the limitations on where we can shoot in the sanctuary.

“So, if you’re movement in the sanctuary is limited in the first place, Trig, then how are you going to get new looks?”, you might be thinking.

Well, no one said it was going to be easy. It’s going to involve losing a lot of weight, and getting my “Shaolin Monk in 2 Weeks” training program (I paid 9.95 for VHS + $45 S/H. I wonder why they don’t have DVD…?)

The brochure said that within days I would “… master the art of levitation, time travel, and teleportation…”. All skills that I think are pretty obvious that they would come in handy at First UMC.

I also plan to shower the staff at UMC with gifts of chocolate and flowers, with suggestive notes like, “From the Big Guy in Black. You’re the nicest church wedding staff I’ve ever worked with… by the way, you should just let Trig move around in the side aisles during the ceremony.”

I’m also developing a camolflage suit I can wear that’s printed with a photo of the pews and the wall so I won’t be distracting to the wedding guests.

I can’t believe how many weddings we did at the exact same church and reception venue. It was funny that these weddings were the first weddings that Julia assisted us on. She must have thought that we only shot weddings there.

Overall, the wedding was a miracle wedding. First of, it was a November wedding with warmer than normal temperatures, no rain or snow, and a sunset to die for. Secondly, Mary was astoundingly resilient. She found out while she was getting ready that her pregnant sister, who was her Matron of Honor, was having some kind of medical emergency right then and there and was being rushed to the hospital. Mary could have and should have been crushed, her wedding ruined. She did get upset when she heard the news, but then something came over her, and regardless of the pain and worry, she and her whole family pulled together and let the joy of the occasion envelope them, and she was the most positive, happy bride. There were moments as the ceremony came that it was too obvious that her sister was missing, and there were tears, but in the end it was a perfect wedding. Her sister ended up being fine, by the way. Just a really unfortunate and heartbreaking medical scare. However, the day is that much sweeter for Mary and her family I’m sure, knowing now that her sister is OK.

At least, Mary and Ben have great photos to show her!

I just got done sorting through my Senior photo sessions from 2008 and thought I’d post some of my favorites!

Please click the photo or follow the link to view the sample gallery of Amber and Chris’ wedding at First UMC and Tre Luna.

Brides who had their wedding during the rainy days this summer are going to hate Amber. She had what I think was one of the most beautiful November days I’ve ever seen. 70 dregrees, lush fall colors, and no wind. Wow.

Amber and Chris had an amazing ceremony at The First United Methodist Church of Colorado Springs. This is one of my favorite/least favorite ceremony venues. I love it because it’s stunning and well lit inside, I don’t love it because they are really restrictive on our movement around the sanctuary. They say that it distracts guests from the reverence of the ceremony.

Did I mention that First UMC has 3 gigantic broadcast TV cameras in the sanctuary? How in the world am I, dressed in all black, distracting to guests when these huge 100 lb. cameras are swiveling around in front of them, red light flashing on and off? I never use the center aisle past the last seated guest, and these huge cameras are at the front of the whole thing… I know, I know, I’m biased, but it’s a rub nonetheless.

I snuck around the sanctuary anyway, like a 6’4″, 280 lb. ninja. Seriously, I am like a ninja. It’s stunning to watch in person…

I use the hallways outside and hide in the shadows behind the altar. I disappear within a few clicks and materialize suddenly from the shadows at the opposite end of the sanctuary. How do I do that? I literally sprint from one end of that huge building to the other in the carpeted concrete hallway outside. I can only do things like that when it’s marble or concrete. If the floors and walls are wood or carpet over wood it would sound like a stampede of elephants out there. It’s hard work, but I always get the shot. by the way, do you have any idea how much energy it takes to get 280 lb. up to sprinting speed? That’s why I smoke cigarettes and drink Red Bull. In combination they’re like jet fuel.

Amber and Chris were an amazing couple to work with. They were so relaxed and comfortable with everything. Photographing them was a breeze.

She left us a touching message this morning. She said she was crying as she looked at the photos. She loved them.

I tell you, other than the obvious reasons like supporting my family and artistic expression, I think getting that raw, emotional positive feedback might be the main reason I even do wedding photography. Even if I was a gazillion-aire, I think I would still shoot weddings because I thrive on the emotions of it.

I love my job.

I’m sorting through all of my 2008 portraits right now for website updating. I thought I’d show you some of my favorite baby and kid shots from 2008. Thank you to all of my new and regular clients that brought their children in this last year. I look forward to seeing you all in 2009! Stay tuned for family, senior and maternity favorites!

Please click the photo or follow the link to view Sarah and Jeff’s wedding at St. Mary’s Church (Littleton) and The Tivoli.

It should probably have been sign of how the day would go: moments after arriving at St. Mary’s Church, while setting up my lights for the altar formals, I set off the fire alarm.

You see, St. Mary’s is a big, beautiful, modern church, with lots of big, beautiful, modern things to protect from fire, so they have a very modern fire detection system. The component of the system I tripped was a invisible infrared beam that traversed the entire length of the sanctuary, 15 feet in the air. When the beam is broken by smoke (or say, an umbrella on my strobe…), it sounds the alarm.

Who thinks to check for infrared beams before raising up a 15′ umbrella stand? And why was the beam even on during the day anyway? Would the people in sanctuary not realize it was on fire, “… thank God for that ever-present infrared beam. I couldn’t tell the difference between the priest’s incense and the smoke… I would’ve been burnt alive…”

I digress, as usual.

Sarah came to us after having been a bridesmaid in her friend Allison’s wedding (I love word of mouth, wedding-to-wedding refferals!). She and Jeff were such a cool couple. From Sarah and her bridesmaids playing with the nursery toys to Jeff and the boys messing around outside, their entire wedding coudn’t have been better.

By the way, Jeff set the wedding gift “bar” a little too high for the rest of the male species. He bought Sarah a new Lexus RX Hybrid. Rediculous, Jeff. Whatever happened to a card (like I got Char)?!?

The fun with fire didn’t end at the church! We played around with the wedding party a the Auraria Campus by the Tivoli for about an hour after the ceremony and went inside to bustle Sarah’s dress and relax before dinner, and suddenly the Tivoli was a mad-house. A ear-splitting fire alarm was ringing throughout every floor and corridor of the giant Student Union. Charlotte, the embodiment of clear thinking calm, practically ran screaming down the fire-stairs. Once everyone from the wedding was gathered outside, the firefighters were charging bravely into the building. Everyone was looking around in half amused, half scared disbelief when suddenly Char said, “Where’s Sarah and Jeff?”

They were left upstairs in the Adirondack’s Room. Nobody, not us, not the bridesmaids, not their parents, not the police on staff for security, nobody went and got them. I’m sure they simply thought, “Well, if it’s serious somebody will come and get us…”

Thankfully, it wasn’t serious and the firefighters cleared the alarm within minutes, and even stopped for a photo-op with the couple after they found them. Was the shot on our cameras? Noooooo, we were still outside. I hate missed opportunities.

After that tiny little (4 fire truck) interruption, Sarah and Jeff’s reception went off like clockwork. After a little bit of cake carnage, and a lot of dancing, we said our goodbyes and wondered if we’d ever see another wedding with 2 fire alarms. Actually, I kind of do wish…

It was pretty fun.

She’s back: Christian from Bella Dia Events was kind enough to contribute yet another phenomenal blog post. In this post she offers up her top ideas to trim a little “fat” from your wedding budget…

… notice she doesn’t say you should cut back on the photography.

The Wedding Bailout: Money Saving Ideas for 2009

By: Christian Wilkins, Bella Dia Events, LLC 719.331.2499

We cannot ignore that times are tough right now and if you are planning a wedding you may be daunted by the task. Many families have been financially affected and now is a good time to “shop smart” and be considerate of your guests. Here are some helpful hints at how to do just that:

~ Limit your guest list to save your family money on venue fees

~ Choose a venue that only charges a site fee and allows you to bring in your own caterer and liquor. You can often provide your own appetizers for the cocktail hour and can also control your food/beverage costs immensely by hiring caterers. The liquor mark up at venues is high, so being able to provide the liquor for your bar can be a huge money saver. Also work with liquor stores that will buy back unopened bottles.

~Have the pastry chef make a small wedding cake for you and your groom to cut and serve sheet cakes (to be cut in the kitchen) to your guests. Or the chef can make a “faux” cake that looks real and has an area of cake for you to cut but the rest is Styrofoam! You can then serve sheet cakes.

~Choose a color for your bridesmaid’s dresses and allow your attendants to find any style of dress in that color. Bridal fashion is expensive and this is a very considerate gesture to your bridesmaids.

~If you have been asked to be a part of anyone’s wedding then you know how the expenses can add up. Consider a “white elephant” bridal shower- your friends and family can give you gifts that are perhaps an “inside joke”. It’s fun and economical.

~Choose to print “no gifts please” as an insert for your invitations. Wouldn’t you rather have your close friends with you than have a gift from them? This helps offset the pressure that guest’s feel by attending a wedding.

~Just a reminder- if you have many out of town guests it is a good idea to get room blocks at a few different price ranges of hotels. This will give your guests a better deal on the room. FYI, there are many hotels that do not make you “guarantee the rooms” (translation: obligate you to pay for any rooms not booked by your guests), so if at first you don’t find hotels with flexible policies then keep calling around. Often they will waive this rule also if you ask them to do so.

~Instead of a dinner reception choose a lunch or brunch reception. Often less expensive. Also consider a day other than Saturday- Sundays and Fridays are becoming more popular wedding days and venues may charge less for those days. Likewise, dates outside of the “season” are often less expensive as venues are not as booked and more willing to negotiate.

~It is so lovely to have live music for the ceremony but an added expense.  Most churches/venues have a sound system that you can use to play recorded music. Your DJ can usually take care of ceremony music as well.

~Consider having your ceremony in a park or open space area rather than in a church. A permit will often be necessary (but inexpensive) and you will need to rent chairs but you will still save money in the long run.

~There are so many vacation condos and homes available for short term rental- do your research and you can find some great deals for your honeymoon instead of a pricey resort. Many of these alternatives are truly luxurious and a little leg work on your part could really pay off. Check out “Vacation Rentals by Owner (VRBO)”.

Hang in there! Remember that this process is supposed to be FUN!
There is a solution to every problem with a little creativity and “thinking outside the box”!