Betasso Preserve, Boulder {Colorado Photography Locations}
Lair O’the Bear is a great spot for sessions for those who want the feel of being in the mountains without traveling up steep winding roads. It is also a great spot for those who would like that mountain feel as well as a river. It is located west of Morrison CO only about a 10-minute drive into the mountains.
I fell in love with this park immediately with its stunning mountain views, beautiful evergreen trees, and stacked split rail fences. I believe that this will be a new favorite on my locations list!
Best time of year for this location:
This mountain location Is beautiful all year round and was easy to access even in the winter. In the case of a large amount of snow like the 2 feet we had recently the parking, lots may be closed as was the case the day I first went to scout the location however, they were able to get them back open the week after the storm.
Day of the week restrictions:
This location is only available for shoots on Wednesday or Saturday evening. It is a big mountain biking spot and on other days of the week, it is often overly crowded however the park does not allow bikes on those two days each week.
Best time of day for this location:
Sunset, I actually shot earlier in the day the first session I shot there and while there was some shade it was not enough to produce the even lighting that I prefer so I would highly recommend sticking to a sunset session for the best light.
Parking:
There are a few parking lots up at the preserve. I have my clients meet in the first lot which you will take a left turn into and follow the road, it then splits into a lower lot and upper “picnic area” please park in the lower of those two lots if possible.
Family friendliness:
This is a great spot for family sessions with many beautiful spots close to the parking lots. It is also a very safe location if you are looking for mountain views. There are no cliffs or sudden drop-offs near the areas where I shoot.
I would love to help you plan your session with a free no-obligation consultation. I will answer all of your questions about sessions and wall art and help you plan the session of your dreams. To request more information click the link below and tell me a little about the session you would like to plan. I will get back to you to schedule a consultation.
Lair O'the Bear, Morrison {Denver Photography Locations}
Lair O’the Bear is a great spot for sessions for those who want the feel of being in the mountains without traveling up steep winding roads. It is also a great spot for those who would like that mountain feel as well as a river. It is located west of Morrison CO only about a 10-minute drive into the mountains.
Lair O’the Bear is a great spot for sessions for those who want the feel of being in the mountains without traveling up steep winding roads. It is also a great spot for those who would like that mountain feel as well as a river. It is located west of Morrison CO only about a 10 minute drive into the mountains.
Best time of year for this location:
This mountain location Is beautiful all year round and was easy to access even in the winter. The mountain views and evergreen trees make it a perfect winter location when most trees in the Denver area are dead.
Best time of day for this location:
I book sessions at this location for 2-3 hours before Denver’s sunset time since the mountains block the sun a little earlier.
Parking:
There is one large parking lot for this park. It is typically best to park at the far side away from the road since I normally start the session on the path at that end of the parking lot. If however, you need to use the restrooms (outhouse) they are located closer to the start of the parking lot.
Family friendliness:
This is a great spot for family sessions with many beautiful spots close to the parking lots.
I would love to help you plan your session with a free no-obligation consultation. I will answer all of your questions about sessions and wall art and help you plan the session of your dreams. To schedule your consultation click “contact me” below.
Alderfer/Three Sisters Park {Evergreen Colorado Photography}
Evergreen is an amazing place for portraits, less than an hour from Denver with all the beautiful mountain views it is the perfect place to plan your next photo shoot! Alderfer/Three sisters park offers beautiful mountain views, shady forested areas with evergreen trees for all year color and a beautiful barn!
Alderfer/Three sisters park
Evergreen is an amazing place for portraits, less than an hour from Denver with all the beautiful mountain views it is the perfect place to plan your next photo shoot! Alderfer/Three sisters park offers beautiful mountain views, shady forested areas with evergreen trees for all year color and a beautiful barn!
Best time of year for this location:
This mountain location Is beautiful all year round and was easy to access even in the winter. The mountain views, evergreen trees, and barn make it a perfect winter location when most trees in the Denver area are dead.
Best time of day for this location:
I book sessions at this location for 2 hours before Denver’s sunset time since the mountains block the sun a little earlier and this allows time to use both areas of the park. We will start in the shady forested area and then move to the more open views of the mountains and barn.
Parking:
There are 2 parking lots for this location located a few minutes drive apart. During your consultation, we will discuss the best place to start your shoot and we will likely move from one lot to the other partway through the shoot.
Family friendliness:
This is a great spot for family sessions with many beautiful spots close to the parking lots and no dangerous cliffs in this area.
I would love to help you plan your session with a free no-obligation consultation. I will answer all of your questions about sessions and wall art and help you plan the session of your dreams. To schedule your consultation click “contact me” below.
More images from the location.
Celebrate your child's milestones {Denver mini sessions}
Monday Milestone sessions are designed to preserve the Milestones like first smiling portraits around 3 months, 6 month “sitter” portraits, 9 month standing images, birthday shoots, religious celebrations, school portraits, tween and teen images and more.
My almost 11 year old son was born yesterday…while I know this statement isn’t true, sometimes it sure seems like it is. How many moms can relate? It seems like just yesterday he was a little toddler stealing our kittens ball to put in his toys or singing along to every word of the song on his toy piano “Is there anything more fun than playin the pianna, howd about, howd about playin with some fwiends!” he hates it when we sing that to him and would probably be mortified that I am telling this story, but the point is, as you have heard a million times and know is true as a parent, it just flies by so quickly and one day not too far in the future you are going to realize that your now infant is closer to moving out that he is to the date he was born.
One thing I will always be thankful for is all of the quality images I have on my children at these young ages. One thing I have always wanted to do in my business is be able to provide this same gift to my clients and so I asked myself how to I create sessions that are affordable enough for clients to book several times a year or even monthly for growing babies while still creating a sustainable business model where I don’t have to overwork myself with editing or take away the weekend session slots that keep me in business. And from the question Monday Milestones was born.
Monday Milestone sessions are designed to preserve the Milestones like first smiling portraits around 3 months, 6 month “sitter” portraits, 9 month standing images, birthday shoots, religious celebrations, school portraits, tween and teen images and more.
I addition to themed or seasonal shoots each month I have create your own days specifically designed for whatever occasion you want to celebrate.
Because these sessions are on a weekday preserving my weekends for full sessions I am able to offer them at a lower cost without needing to take so many each dat that I can’t serve each client well. While these 5 pose sessions typically only take 10-15 minutes I have reserved a 30 minute slot for each client and I am only booking 3 sessions each day to make sure that I am not stressed and exhausted by the final session. I want each client who books one of these sessions with me to get my very best work.
In addition, I am still helping these clients create beautiful custom wall art from their session with a selection and design appointment via zoom video chat 1-2 weeks after their session. This allows me to give the same service that my full session clients receive without the added time commitment for me to travel to your home.
The great thing about these sessions is the session fee is only $100 and prints start and only $30 and include a matching digital file. There is also no minimum purchase so you only purchase the images that you love from the session! Interested in setting up one of these sessions for your child? Visit my Milestone mini session page where you can view all of the details and pricing, this months shoot themes and locations, and reserve your session time.
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Davidson Mesa, Louisville {Colorado family photographer}
Davidson Mesa
Davidson Mesa is a beautiful location with a mountain view in Louisville Colorado. It's a great spot of family, maternity and kids sessions.
Best time of year for this location:
While this location is great any time of year because of it's mountain views, I really love this location for winter shoots. The tall brown grass and snow-covered mountains make it a beautiful spot during the winter when everything else looks dull and dead.
Best time of day for this location:
I only shoot at this location at sunset because of the lack of shade and because it's beauty is the mountain view. Sessions earlier in the day would put the sun in your eyes resulting in squinty unevenly light portraits.
Parking:
Parking at this location is very limited. The lot next to the park is often full however just on the other side of the road is a lake with additional parking and a path that goes under the road.
Ready to book your session at this location or just want to get more information about my sessions? Fill out the form below to get instant access to my session planning and pricing guide.
Flagstaff Mountain, Boulder {Boulder photoshoot locations}
Flagstaff mountain is a beautiful location for portraits with its evergreen trees and mountain views. The mountain has a variety of small parks all along the road and some are better than others for shoots with smaller children so please make sure to let me know how old your children are when booking this location so I can recommend the best spot.
Best time of year for this location:
This location is beautiful all year-round and can be a great place if you are looking for some color for a winter session however if you choose this location for winter please make sure you have proper snow tires and are comfortable driving on snow-packed mountain roads if necessary.
Best time of day for this location:
This location can be a bit bright if you schedule for too early in the day so I always schedule here for the session to end around 10 minutes after sunset. those few minutes after the sun goes down are gorgeous here.
Parking:
This location does require you to pay cash for parking so make sure to bring a $5 bill along to pay the parking fees. Lots also fill up quickly on warm weekend days so make sure to arrive early to get a spot.
Other info for this location:
This location does require me to purchase a permit for commercial photography. I have included these costs in my session fee so it is no additional cost to you however I do need a 1-week notice to purchase the permit before the session so please plan ahead.
Ready to book a session at this location or just get more information? Fill out the form below for instant access to my session guide and I will contact you to answer any questions you have or help you reserve your session time.
Client Spotlight:The Stone family's winter session {Boulder Family Photographer}
I had the honor of first meeting Jackie and her family just over a year ago. They found out about me through an awesome local organization called Love for Lily. Love for Lily is a support group for parents with children in the NICU and also offers grants to a few NICU families in need each year (learn more at https://www.lflnicu.org/). To raise money each year they do a fundraiser and a friend of mine who worked with the organization asked me if I would be willing to donate a session to their silent auction. The Stone family where the lucky bidders to receive the gift certificate that I donated and I have since had the honor of photographing their son twice and now the whole family!
I was so excited to finally get to photograph the whole family in November at one of my favorite spots out in Boulder and while we had hoped for warm weather for their session the little bit of lingering snow the day of their session wound up being so perfect! The old Doran barn, tall grass, mountains, and snow all worked together for the perfect look for the portraits and the colors Jackie chose for their clothing were perfect with the colors of the barn!
Their son Jackson was so excited to play in the snow and throw snowballs at his parents! Isn’t he just the cutest!! (I may have a bit of a soft spot for toddler aged boys!)
Here are some of my favorite images from their session. If you are interested in a session at this spot or any other Denver or Boulder location scroll down and fill out my contact form for more information.
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Standley Lake Regional Park, Westminster Colorado {Westminster Maternity Photographer}
Standley lake is a beautiful location with the mountain views, gorgeous lake and occasional wildflowers. It is a great spot for mountain views if you are not up for a trip into the mountains. Here is a little more information about a session at this location.
Standley lake is a beautiful location with the mountain views, gorgeous lake and occasional wildflowers. It is a great spot for mountain views if you are not up for a trip into the mountains. Here is a little more information about a session at this location.
Best time of year for this location:
This location is beautiful year-round however the winds here can get very chilly in the winter. If you are choosing this location for a winter shoot it is a good idea to have a backup location. Because of the open fields and lake the winds tend to be worse at this location than at other spots, but if you can catch it on a day with low winds this location is gorgeous for photos!
Best time of day for this location:
Sunset!! I know what you are thinking, that seems to be my answer for every location. Yes it is but with this location because of the lack of shade I shoot here exclusively at sunset.
Parking:
There are several spots to park around the lake to park, some paid and some free, I typically use one of the two free parking lots which are a little further from the lake but both have some great spots near the parking as well as access to the lake if we want to get closer. If you select this location we will agree on a spot to park before your session date.
Other info for this location:
On hazy of cloudy days the mountains are not always visible. If you have your heart set on a mountain backdrop I recommend getting a little closer to the mountains for better visibility however this spot does have more than the mountains going for it so either way I can capture beautiful portraits here.
Get more information on a session at this location or any of the beautiful locations in Denver, Boulder or the surrounding mountains by downloading my session planning guide! Fill out the form below for instant access to the guide!
The Old Barn, Boulder CO {Denver Photoshoot Locations}
The old Ban in Boulder has been one of my most requested locations for a long time. The barn, mountains, tall grass, nearby river and sunflowers in the fall make it a beautiful location for family, children’s and maternity sessions.
The old barn in Boulder has been one of my most requested locations for a long time. The barn, mountains, tall grass, nearby river and sunflowers in the fall make it a beautiful location for family, children’s and maternity sessions. This is one location I would not recommend for outdoor newborn sessions.
Best time of year for this location:
This location is beautiful year-round however I do not recommend this location right after it rains or snows or any time of year that the mosquito population is high. Because of the tall grass and nearby river I have on occasion been to this location when it was wet and mushy or when the mosquitos where completely out of control. I prefer this as a fall location personally but have used it in every season!
Best time of day for this location:
Sunset!! There is little shade except right up against the barn and you can’t really use this location to get the best looks shooting other times of the day so I highly recommend an evening/sunset session for this location.
Parking:
Parking is a little complicated at this location, there really isn’t any, but there is plenty of room to park cars on the dirt shoulder off of the road.
Other info for this location:
While this location is a little more off the beaten path than most Boulder spots it can still get crowded in the fall so expect to work around other photographers and families that time of year. I highly recommend you bring bug spray just in case for this location as noted above the bugs sometimes get bad here.
Get more information about a session at this location:
How to prepare for a family photo session {Northglenn Colorado Photographer}
Last weekend my family had our family photos taken, let me tell you photos with a family of 5 kids and a husband who doesn’t really love picture day can be a huge headache but we made it through and with my own session fresh in my mind I have decided I need to create a checklist for all of you to help make your session run more smoothly. Here are the steps you need to take to make sure your family photo session will go off without a hitch
Last weekend my family had our family photos taken, let me tell you photos with a family of 5 kids and a husband who doesn’t really love picture day can be a huge headache but we made it through and with my own session fresh in my mind I have decided I need to create a checklist for all of you to help make your session run more smoothly. Here are the steps you need to take to make sure your family photo session will go off without a hitch
Setting up your session:
Choose a photographer. Make sure you love their style of images including types of photos you see in their portfolio, editing style and the products they offer (canvases or other wall art products). Hopefully, your photographer is me and you already have that part covered!
Set up a date, time and location. make sure to think about where you are going to hang the images when you choose the location. For me I really wanted them hanging in my dining room and was picturing a mountain backdrop. When you book with me, I will send you location suggestions based on your vision so tell me a little bit about what you have in mind. You can also check out my favorite locations on my locations Pinterest board.
Planning your wardrobe
I’ve done several blog posts just on this subject so if you want more details than I give here, check out this recent blog post just on choosing clothing for families.
Choose colors for your family photos. You will want to choose at least two colors to mix and match throughout the group, even if one of them is a neutral. I knew I wanted royal blue to match the walls in my dining room so I started with blue and white. Later I added khaki pants on all of the boys so it was 3 colors total.
Add accessories. When planning our session I chose a blue and white checkered shirt for my middle son but I know he couldn’t be the only one with white in his outfit so I added a white sweater on my oldest daughter and a blue sweater with white “fur” on my younger daughter, then I found a white shawl
for me and added pearl necklaces on all 3 girls. Next, I wanted to make sure that my husband’s shirt that was a slightly lighter blue didn’t look out of place so I added flower crowns for my girls in the same color blue. The accessories really tied together all of the outfits so no one person stood out in the group.
Check their shoes!!! The easiest thing to forget when planning a session is to make sure everyone has shoes that are going to look good in the photos (no cartoon characters or bright colors that will draw your eye to the shoes instead f your faces) and make sure they fit! Don’t wait until the day before or day of the session to do this. If your child hasn’t worn their dress shoes in months and you plan to have them wear them for the session have them try them on to make sure they still fit and look great.
Make sure you will be warm enough. As I write this it is fall and the weather is quickly getting colder. In a few weeks it will be November and warm clothing options for your session will be a MUST. For our session I planned sweaters for my girls, long sleeve shirts WITH UNDERSHIRTS for my boys, a shawl for myself since my dress was off the shoulder and I even brought a white blanket for the baby so that I could wrap him in it when it got chilly and still have it match our clothing colors. You will want something your small kids can wear in the session to keep them warm in case it’s a cold day. Look for cute sweaters, jackets, layered clothing or even cute matching winter hats!
Pack a bag before the session day with things you might need
My bag might look a little different than yours based on the age of your kids but this was what went in my photo session bag.
Extra diapers, underwear and pants (that would still match our colors) for my 2 year and 2 month old.
A toy that I didn’t mind being in the photo. Make a favorite stuffed animal, a favorite book you could read your little one, a vintage-looking toy (I love toy airplanes, rag dolls etc).
Safety pins, bobby pins, hair clips. Just in case.
A quilt and a blanket that matched our session colors. I will typically bring a quilt and some stools to most of my family sessions and try to match them to your clothing however it is also a great idea to bring your own, especially if it has any sentimental value, for fun shots of the family hanging out on the quilt or wrapping themselves in it.
A brush and a lint roller.
Baby wipes and/or a wet rag.
A spray bottle with water or detangler.
Clean snacks (I avoid bringing these out of the car during the session, often once kids see them they just want more and more and then they have food in their mouth in all of the images, however it is great to have them on hand just in case.
Arrive early to the session.
Now that you have everything you need for the session itself plan to arrive early, especially if you have little ones. We planned to be there 45 minutes early so that we could dress my 5-year-old, 2-year-old and 2-month-old there as well as feed the baby a bit before we started. Even when we were running a little late this still got us there in time for a quick feeding and to be ALMOST ready by the time our photographer arrived. Let’s face it as moms it’s sometimes hard to get anywhere on time with the whole family so do yourself a favor and plan to be early.
A few things you shouldn’t do to prep for your session
Don’t practice smiling with your kids. You will make your kids overthink their smile and they will be less likely to e natural and relaxed for the session.
Don’t Bring messy snacks to give them before or during the session. This seems like a no brainer but it happens all the time so it is worth saying.
Don’t Bribe your children Ok sometimes a bribe might be necessary, but it also tells the kids that this may not be fun, why else would mom and dad need to bribe us? My goal is to just make the session as fun as possible and use the brides as a last resort. Also, keep in mind that small children will not wait a long time for a bribe. If they are promised something after the session they typically start to get frustrated that they have not received the bride within the first 15 minutes of the session. After that, it can be hard to get them to cooperate because often they start to believe that the promised bribe is not really coming. So save the brides for getting those last few poses after your kids have started to tire of the session. Instead tell them “we are going to go to the part and a photographer is going to take pictures of us while we play together”.
I hope this helps make planning your session easier for your next family photos! If you would like more advice on preparing and information about the session process and pricing please download my session guide below!
Clear Creek History Park, Golden CO {Denver Photoshoot Locations}
Part of the planning process for your photo session is of course picking the perfect location. There are so many amazing locations in the Denver and Boulder areas that it can be hard to choose which is best and I find myself often emailing or texting images back and forth to clients. So in an effort to make my job and your choice easier I am starting a series of blogs featuring all of my favorite locations with a variety of images and details on each location. I hope this will give you as my clients a better look at what a session at each of these locations looks like and help you choose the one that is right for your session! So here is the first of many locations I love for sessions!
Part of the planning process for your photo session is of course picking the perfect location. There are so many amazing locations in the Denver and Boulder areas that it can be hard to choose which is best and I find myself often emailing or texting images back and forth to clients. So in an effort to make my job and your choice easier I am starting a series of blogs featuring all of my favorite locations with a variety of images and details on each location. I hope this will give you as my clients a better look at what a session at each of these locations looks like and help you choose the one that is right for your session! So here is the first of many locations I love for sessions!
I chose this location as my first to feature because it has so many different looks within a short walk from each other. Believe it or not all of the spots shown below are within a 5-minute walk from one another.
Best time of year for this location:
Year-round, with the great old buildings and beautiful spots along the river this location has some great spot even in the winter when the trees are dead.
Best time of day for this location:
Honestly, the answer to this for almost all of my locations is sunset, if you would like the mountains behind you or the shot with the white schoolhouse you are going to want a sunset session however this location does have some spots where shade can be found for morning sessions.
Parking:
This location free parking for the park and additional parking on the river side at the library. When we plan your session I will tell you which side to meet me on based on where I plan to start your session.
Other info for this location:
The biggest conflict for this location is local festivals. Make sure to check Golden’s festival schedule to see if anything is scheduled near the park. I do not book this location during the weekend of Buffalo Bill Days or other large festivals in the area. Check the festival schedule here: https://www.visitgolden.com/events/festivals-of-golden/
Get more information on a session at this location:
Choosing a location for your Colorado winter photo shoot {Boulder Family Photographer}
Choosing a great location for your shoot get just a little more challenging as the leaves begin to fall. What was green or gold and beautiful during the summer and fall suddenly becomes brown and lifeless. But no one wants the background of their photos to just be brown and boring! So here are my best tips for choosing a location with color and beautify even during the winter months.
As a Denver area photographer for GROWING families a lot of my sessions this time of year are indoor sessions for newborns or children’s sessions in my own home. However not every session this time of year is indoor since I continue to shoot family and maternity sessions outdoors this time of year as well as the occasional children’s session.
Choosing a great location for your shoot get just a little more challenging as the leaves begin to fall. What was green or gold and beautiful during the summer and fall suddenly becomes brown and lifeless. But no one wants the background of their photos to just be brown and boring! So here are my best tips for choosing a location with color and beautify even during the winter months.
Choosing mountain location
My first tip is to choose a location in the mountains. Most of our best mountain locations have beautiful evergreen trees that will add color and life to your photos. Selecting a location in the mountains during winter does have it’s challenges including making sure that the roads are clear and ice free and that your car can make it there. Your best bet for this is to keep the location closer to home with a location like Lookout Mountain in Golden or Flagstaff Mountain in Boulder rather than venturing too far into the mountains this time of year however if you are more confident on mountain road in the winter there are also some amazing locations further into the mountains as well.
Choosing a location with a mountain view
Having a view of the mountains can also give some color and beauty to your fall portraits! While choosing a spot with a mountain view may seem simple in the Denver area where most locations have some mountain views here are a few things to think about when picking your spot.
Time of day: To produce the beautiful golden light that you see in many of my photos I shoot almost exclusively in the hour before sunset. However golden light is not the only reason for this choice. Because I shoot with the sun behind my subjects my shoots need to be this time of day as the sun is setting behind the mountains if you also want a mountain view.
Distance from the mountains: This is a big one I find that people don’t think about when choosing their location. Often I have people choose locations that are in the Westminster or Arvada areas with a mountain view however it is not uncommon on more hazy days for the mountains to be barely visible in their photos at this distance. The closer we are to the mountain the more likely we are to have a clear view of them so I highly recommend locations in Boulder, Golden or other foothill spots. A few of my favorite locations for this are Clear Creek History Park, The Barn along Boulder Creek or Flatirons Vista.
A location with water
Another way to add a color other than brown to your winter photos is the take them near a body of water. Having a lake or river adds some beauty during this dull time of year. A few of my favorite spots for this are Standley Lake, Clear Creek, and Eastlake Shores Park.
Choosing a location with buildings or structures
Another way to make sure your winter portraits have some beauty and interest is to choose a location with building or other architectural elements. While most people think a location in the city when they think of this there are actually many other options such as Cheesman park (yes technically in the city but more of a park structure.) with its beautiful stone pavilion, Highlands Ranch Mansion, or even Lakewood History Center.
Hopefully this gives you some ideas for your winter photo shoot. I am now booking Maternity and family sessions for December-March so contact me today to get more information on my sessions and pricing at jennifer@truth-photography.com
My name is Jennifer Tavera, the photographer behind Truth Photography. I am a Northglenn Colorado family photographer and gallery designer seeking adventurous, free spirited families. I believe that your life is epic and deserves to be captured with photography! I specializes in creating unique photo sessions that will be an adventure for your child or family and turning the finished portraits into beautiful wall art for your home. I can’t wait to photograph your next adventure!!
~Jennifer Tavera Photographer and Gallery designer
303-902-1092