Kaylea & Austin | Downtown Colorado Springs Winter Engagement Photos
I have known Kaylea and Austin for a number of years now. They went to our previous church with us, we often had Sunday lunches together at Kaylea's grandma's house, and there have been many game nights shared over the years. I'm pretty sure that for the entirety of my knowing Kaylea, they have been together. They're just one of those pairs where you know deep down that they aren't ever going to leave one another's side, and their friendship is so evident in the way they support one another, laugh together, and have each other's backs.
Needless to say I was THRILLED to learn of their Christmas-time engagement!! Austin had been hiding a ring and decided to pop the question among family in Manitou Springs (just steps from where Isaac and I live) while our quaint little town was looking it's very best with lights, ribbons, and wreaths. They reached out to me shortly afterwards to get their engagement photos, and I couldn't have been happier to get it on the books. This one was a long time coming.
Location, Location, Location
Initially, Kaylea wanted golden hour photos in Manitou, since that's where they got engaged. Considering I live steps from downtown, it was very easy (and fun) to do a little location scouting along Main Street and in the roads and alleys surrounding it. I found some cute doorways, quaint bridges, a lovely spot next to the creek, and a couple cafe tables that could work really well. The only problem was that since it's the middle of winter and Manitou sits right against the base of the mountain, the sun goes behind the mountain quite early in the day (like 3pm early). That makes our "golden hour" not very golden and also not very convenient for those with normal work day hours.
Because we were working around work schedules, I asked Kaylea what she preferred more: golden hour or Manitou. She chose golden hour, and that day we moved the location of our shoot from Manitou Springs to Downtown Colorado Springs. Downtown is far enough away from the base of Pikes Peak that the sun (while it still sets early) hangs around quite a bit longer than it does in Manitou. We were able to start our shoot closer to the end of the work day (4-5ish) and still get golden hour light.
Embracing Winter During Outdoor Sessions
Winter is not the most popular time for photo sessions, and I truly do understand why. Usually (though apparently not this year in Colorado), winter brings cold temperatures, wind, and the occasional snowstorm. The days are shorter, the sun sets earlier, and that which is usually green is either bare or brown. However, after having done several winter shoots over time, there's a special beauty that winter brings, particularly to Colorado Springs photo sessions.
Because many of the other colors are muted in the winter time, the deep, the rich colors of the mountains and the typical blue of the Colorado sky tends to pop a lot more. And often times the mountains are covered in snow, which is a great perk! Both of these things cause the mountains to look more majestic and bold in the background, and the blue sky to look more vast, which can add an element of drama to winter shoots.
It's also not a bad thing that it's colder; if you're willing to layer a bit and head outside, the odds are that some of the locations that are typically swarming with tourists and hikers will be a lot more empty. It opens up a lot more options for where you want to take photos and which backgrounds you like, because we aren't competing with every other group also trying to get photos.
And lastly, the cool tones from the popping blues I mentioned earlier combined with leftover snow can actually add a unique creaminess to your photos, especially when you combine that with the naturally warmer late afternoon light. It tends to make your skin look warmer and richer because of the contrast of those tones, and adds a certain moodiness to photos that is a lot harder to achieve in the summertime.
Kaylea and Austin, I couldn't be more excited for your upcoming marriage, and had SO much fun celebrating you both a couple weeks ago. Thank you for the immense privilege of getting to capture this joyous season in your lives!
