René Tate Photography

Update your Favorites!

2009-07-29T01:10:00.002-06:00

The Blog at René Tate Photography can now be found at www.renetateblog.com!

"What's up with René?"

2009-07-22T09:17:00.011-06:00

Have you ever heard the story of the little girl that wanted a new computer?

Ever since the Apple rep came to her 5th grade class, she was intrigued. A real computer? For kids? Not one of those vTech computers? Not knowing exactly the laptop's capabilities she daydreamed: "I could type so fast! And play games! 'Office' would be so much more fun with a laptop." Everyday she'd go to Pioneer Peak Elementary School and Joseph and Christina would pull out their teal colored Apple laptops. Everyone ooed and awed at how fancy they were.

At the end of the day, on the bus ride home, she'd conjure up the most persuasive way to ask her dad for a computer and the advantages it'd give his 10-year-old daughter. Everyday she'd go home and ask. Everyday he'd say "no." "But ppppppplease???" she'd whine in her nasally little-kid voice. "No," her dad answered. She never understood why. Maybe they were too expensive? Maybe he'd be more willing if I asked for a vTech laptop from Wal-Mart? Despite the compromise, "no" was all she received. Weeks and weeks past, her anger and disappointment grew and she finally gave up hope. "I'm never going to be cool," she sighed. "Maybe one day when I'm in high school or college I'll have my own computer."

Hope was lost... until one day, when she least expected it, she walked home from the bus stop to find her dad at the front porch with a grin on his face and a hop in his step. "Go down stairs, your mother has something to show you." Perplexed, the little girl threw down her backpack and marched down the stairs. As she winded down the staircase she heard the music of her favorite artist, LeAnn Rimes. "Blue" was the song. It was playing so loudly. But how? "There's no CD player downstairs," she thought. As she rounded the corner the first thing she laid her eyes upon was the source of the her favorite music: a brand new, shiny and sleek, better than she ever could have imagined, Gateway 2000 desktop computer. Her father, following right behind her said, "You really think I was going to get you one of those junk vTech computers? Or one of those cheap Apple laptops? You can do so much more on this, Bink! This is the best machine out there, top of the line, and you... you deserve the best."

The best. That's what my father wanted to give me - the little girl who dreamed of playing "office" with an Apple laptop. I never should have doubted my father. He knew what was best for me.

And the best is what you deserve too. You. The person reading this. The person looking to fulfill a little guilty pleasure. The person interested in a little eye candy. You deserve the best photography, the best presentation of it, and the best darn blog money can buy! And that's exactly what you're going to get.

So in answer to all your questions...

"What's up with René?"

"Yeah, I have been checkin' the blog a lot, she hasn't posted anything?!"

"Is René in the hospital or something?"

"I've been keeping up with you on Facebook and have seen all the amazing places y'all have been going, where are the pictures?!"

I'm not in the hospital, I haven't fallen off the face of the planet, it's not because I'm extremely busy; I haven't posted any big shoots or weddings in the last few months because I'm just waiting for the completion of a very pretty, very interactive, brand spankin' new, custom blog. I'm not wasting all these awesome photos and commentary on a Blogger blog (no offense blogger users! It's been good to me for the last 99 posts!) when a bigger, better, much shiner, Gateway 2000, if you will, blog is being created as we speak! Expected launch date? Friday!

Friends, thanks for your patience while I bring you the best.

Tracy Lawrence, Continued

2009-06-22T22:22:00.002-06:00

Hey all you faithful fans!

If you’d like to view more images from the concert and purchase unwatermarked prints of Tracy singing or you and Tracy together, please visit the following link:

http://www.pictage.com/674472

You’ll need to create a username and password. But don’t worry, we won’t send you information to anyone. :) If you order prints within the next 29 days, you’ll receive double the print order for free, courtesy of René Tate Photography!

All profits will go to CHOA, the Childhood Hematology Oncology Associates.

A Newport Beach Shoot

2009-06-20T09:23:00.004-06:00

Jesie and I arrived in Orange County yesterday morning in preparation for Mike and Ashley's Cherry Valley wedding. We're so pumped to be here. We feel like a part of Mike and Ashley's family! We know several of the guests from a previous wedding so it's really easy to blend right in.
We had some time to kill yesterday, so with Jesie never before visiting California (I know, right?) I thought I'd take her to one of my favorite places in America: Newport Beach! We had a fun mock photoshoot.. although beware, we were both working on three hours of sleep and had been traveling for most of the morning. Yuck! Then we grabbed some of the best sushi ever on Balboa Island. Jesie was so jazzed to be having California Rolls in California... :)

Time to get ready for the big day. Ciao!

Tracy Lawrence Concert

2009-06-18T17:15:00.007-06:00

I hate my job. It's awful. Going back stage at concerts, hanging out on the tour buses of celebrities... it's terrible. haha KIDDING! My job r o c k s! I'm so happy to support Colorado Springs' favorite radio station: Cat Country 95.1. As I'm watching Tracy Lawrence interact with these super duper cute kids on his tour bus, I thought to myself, "Wow, I am so blessed!"

Today, Cat Country 95.1 held a fundraiser for a local Colorado Springs cancer center for kids: Childhood Hematology Oncology Associates (CHOA).

Tracy did a special meet and greet on his tour bus with one lucky family whose son is in remission of leukemia. As the station's official photographer, I was there to catch all the fun. Just a couple of favorites are below.

If you were lucky enough to attend this show or even meet Tracy, check back TOMORROW for a link to view your images and order prints from the show. All proceeds go to CHOA. And also, don't forget to email me with your number for a complimentary digital copy of your meet and greet photo.

Y'all remember Jim West?

Some of the crazy Cat staff! They're the best. :)

BIG Things Coming Up!

2009-06-15T14:07:00.003-06:00

Hey Friends!

Just wanted to give you an quick update. If I were you, I'd keep an eye on renetate.com/renetateblog.com this week. Some exciting things up my sleeve for you!

Until then, watch this and s m i l e. This man is my hero.

Where the Hell is Matt? (2008) from Matthew Harding on Vimeo.

Pink Limo

2009-06-14T10:44:00.002-06:00

Doesn't your mind go straight to Pepto Bismal? Mine does. Love that stuff. Never leave home without it. ;)

Sneak Peek!

2009-06-12T22:55:00.001-06:00

Just a preview of what's to come in the the next few days........ :) :) :)

Britni and Ryan - She said yes!

2009-05-31T16:41:00.009-06:00

It all began on I-15, Interstate 15, that is. I was trucking along on a road trip from Vegas to Malibu, most likely singing my best rendition of Cher's If I Could Turn Back Time when I got the call — Britni's call. 24 Hour Fitness, personal trainer Britni. She heard about me from another bride, LeAnne, and asked if I'd be interested in shooting her and Ryan's Cheyenne Mountain Resort wedding.

Both Ryan and Britni are personal trainers and have some of the most beautiful bodies I've ever seen. Not a soft spot on 'em! Though, I couldn't ignore the irony of how and with what Ryan proposed: ice cream. Yup, after the holiday season, it was their last hooray on sweet food before they started to "eat right." And as you may have guessed, Ryan hid the engagement ring in Britni's ice cream. Unfortunately, things didn't go according to plan:

haha I'm kidding! I couldn't resist, Ryan. :) Actually, everything went perfectly! But if you are curious about that X-Ray, it's a real story! Click here. Britni and Ryan were a hoot to photograph. Kind of slow to warm up, but as soon as I said, "Britni, make Ryan laugh," and she started dancing (see photo 4) it was easy from there. He was CRACKING UP at his cute fiancée. :) Anywho, without further ado... Britni and Ryan:

I get it.

2009-05-26T09:17:00.012-06:00

Every bride is the prettiest bride I've ever seen. Every first dance is accompanied by the best song I've ever heard. At every reception I think, "It doesn't get any more fun than this!" And with every bride and groom I meet I think, "There is no one more perfect for one another than these two are for each other."
I know I'm in the right business.
I know I'm in the right business because I never get sick of Canon in D, nor do I ever resist the Electric Slide. I know I'm in the right business because I truly feel like I'm doing something worthwhile. I'm making a difference in the lives of others. I know I'm in the right business when every weekend I'm fighting back tears of overwhelming happiness. Whether it's Ali and Chris at the alter bowing their foreheads together in prayer, James' sister singing an Irish prayer to him and Alicia, or Meghan and Jason wildly jumping up and down, dancing and singing "I Want You to Want Me," and laughing hysterically — I cry. Every time I cry. I can't even begin to describe the undeniable joy that comes over me. And at the end of the night, after twelve grueling hours of crouching into unimaginable positions to get the perfect shot, I hug the parents of the bride and groom, who've adopted me as one of their own for the day, and say my thank yous; I load up my gear, drive home, and no matter how exhausted I am, I'm still unable to wipe the grin off my face and that's when I think, "I can't imagine doing anything else during this season of my life."
I get it.
I completely get it. I live for these moments. I live to capture these emotions and show people the light they exude.
Thank you to all of my brides, grooms, and parents for blessing me — blessing me with your trust, honesty, and candidness. Thank you for giving me the best "job" on the planet.

— With love,
René

Introducing: Meghan and Jason!

2009-05-23T19:47:00.007-06:00

If I remember one thing about my first interaction with this couple, it is the way Jason looked at his bride. From our very first video iChat, I remember the way he looked over at her as she talked about their wedding and plastered on his face was the biggest grin I'd ever seen on a man. When Meghan first called to inquire about our services, I asked her to tell me a little bit more about themselves and with a giggle, she answered, "Well, we smile a lot," and she wasn't kidding! The joy they create together is contagious.

Greetings from Illinois! Jesie and I arrived this afternoon to the Chicago area for Meghan and Jason's stunning Jewish wedding. We've been in touch with these two for nearly a year and a half and their date is finally here! Never before have we met, with the exception of several video conferences. Today, was our first meeting, but it felt like our 50th! Approaching each other with joyful smiles and open arms we hugged like we'd hugged many times before.

We started off the day with a VERY well planned rehearsal and then headed off to downtown Normal, IL for a quick "get-to-know-you" shoot. With the wedding date less than 24 hours away we wanted to make sure to really get a handle on the personalities of these two incredible people. We only had 15 minutes to shoot before they jetted off to the rehearsal dinner, but it was quite possibly the EASIEST shoot we've ever had. Meghan and Jason are some of the most joyful people on this planet. They just LAUGH! And SMILE! Here's just a glimpse into the way they love each another...

Jeremy, Continued!

2009-05-21T00:17:00.005-06:00

A few more favorites from Jeremy's Manitou Springs portrait shoot:

Warming up with a classic business head shot.

Starting to warm up and get in the zone:About right here is when Jeremy really started to open up in front of me:

I'm pretty sure I said something embarrassing here and that's why Jeremy's laughing:

8-bit Mario games are my absolute favorite. My second? 8-bit Pac-Man!

And lastly, a preview of the next post:

A Good Ol' Fashioned Portrait Shoot

2009-05-15T14:53:00.007-06:00

I'm alive! I promise. I've been a little under the radar lately but despite what you may think, I did NOT fall of the face of the Earth. Just been traveling all over this planet and state lately. :) I have SO much to blog about. My goodness. Engagements shoots like crazy, portraits shoots, weddings... So check back often! But to kick things off, a quick teaser of Mr. Jeremy.

Jeremy and I shot yesterday in Manitou Springs. He was looking for those "senior pictures he never had," a good business head shot, and of course, a nice portrait for mom. Fun is an understatement. It was absolutely a gorgeous day and we had a blast getting to know each other. I know I always say "blast," but this time was exceptionally fun. This kid is so funny! It was our first time meeting but by the end of shoot, I wanted to put him in my pocket and take him home. haha I settled for margaritas at the The Loop with him, my fill-in assistant Shawn, and some of my friends we ran into while shooting in Manitou.

Wait 'til you see the rest... This is just a sampling as I'm off to an engagement shoot. :)

Tianna and Casey - Wet Your Whistle

2009-04-26T21:19:00.006-06:00

Greetings friends! As I sit here humming along to Tyrone Well's Sea Breeze and listening to the actual Puerto Rican sea breeze rustle the palm trees, I can't help but notice this bittersweet feeling. Tianna and Casey's wonderful destination wedding weekend has come to a conclusion and the reality of Colorado is soon to set in. I have a plethora of outstanding imagery from this wedding, but for now here are a couple of my favorites to, well, wet your whistle...

¡Bienvendidos!

2009-04-24T21:39:00.005-06:00

Hola! Comin' at you live from my oceanside-view room on the beautiful island of Puerto Rico. I'm incredibly blessed to have the opportunity to shoot Tianna and Casey's destination wedding. Casey and Tianna found me at Levi and Amber's wedding back in November. Tomorrow's the big day but I just wanted to give you a quick taste of this awesome couple.

Such an adorable couple! This is their daughter, Madyson. :)

And this is where they're getting hitched.

A peaceful hike through the rain forest led us to this great waterfall. Tianna and her father:

Grabbin' a quick shot of Casey's friends after today's rehearsal:

Unbelievable cute, right?

Stay tuned. As Michael Bublé sings, the best is yet to come! Cheers.

A Good Friday Wedding

2009-04-18T12:26:00.010-06:00

Brace yourself! Remember James and Alicia? Their wedding finally came! I've been anticipating this wedding for months and months and months. I knew it was going to be incredible. And it was. Alicia and James have such great taste. The colors were phenomenal. The venue was a photographer's dream. The timing of the sun and the ceremony was PERFECT.

You know on the movie Harold and Maude how they love to attend funerals? I'm the opposite. I can't get enough of weddings. I believe in weddings. I believe in their power and sentiment. James and Alicia made an incredible commitment to each other on April 10th. Their love for each other is so pure. So real. I loved when they prayed together and fed each other the communion elements. I loved how, prior to the ceremony, they communicated with each other one through walkie-talkies. I loved how they performed a well-choreographed swing dance for their guests at the reception. I loved how Alicia smashed the cake in James' face and regarding his tux he said, "It's okay! We signed a damage waiver!" I hate how hard it is to write about such a fabulous wedding day. I hope these images give you at least a slight glimpse of the happiness I experienced.

Alicia started to tear up as soon as she made eye contact with James.

Their pastor, Barry, was so nice! I loved how he even had a matching tie.

You should have seen the way James gazed into Alicia's eyes as she came down the aisle and throughout the whole ceremony. Their love is undeniable.

James and Alicia, I can't wait to see you in the next few weeks for your reveal! I hope Ireland was unforgettable. Love you!

The Voices of Cat Country - Bryan Waters

2009-04-15T21:30:00.009-06:00

Still workin' my way through photographing all the DJs at Colorado Springs' favorite radio station: Cat Country 95.1. Bryan Waters is your noon to three guy. Listen for him on air Monday through Friday. (He's really funny!) If I had to describe Bryan in one word I'd say, "cool." He's just a cool dude. Know what I mean? Bryan's the definition of "dude." So easy going, super chill, roll with the flow. I mean, I had this guy walkin' down alleys in the bitter, cold, wet snow; the wind was blowin' sideways, and bless his heart, he just took it all in stride. He knew with how hectic our schedules were, it was "now or never." He was so much fun.

We got a lot of great shots considering this was only a 25 minute shoot! hah! Just say it.. I work well under pressure. Or rather, I work well to the point where I can't work my camera cause I can't feel my fingers! ;)

Be sure to check out the other jocks who keep you company throughout your long work days, or who accompany you on a drive to Denver, or who wake up in the morning:
The Voices of Cat Country - Alicia Scott
The Voices of Cat Country - Jim West

Everytime I've ever been in the studio, Bryan always has a Dr. Pepper in his hands. Must be a Texas thing. :)Joe. Cool.One of my favorites on the left. It's very serene!

Love these! Love the Beatles! Love a country jock wearing the Beatles!

Ali & Chris - The Real Post

2009-04-12T17:29:00.010-06:00

Happy Resurrection Day!

Okay, fair warning: this post is a B.D. (Big deal. ;) I posted Ali and Chris' "Wet Your Whistle" post like three weeks ago and have left you poor RTP fans hangin'. Y'all have been so patient while waiting for the real post. To make up for my slackin', I'm posting a double serving of photos, so sit back and relax — there are a lot of them. The Ceremony was held at the breathtaking Shove Memorial Chapel and the reception at The Warehouse in Colorado Springs.

Love this shot that Jesie grabbed on the left.
It was quite the team effort to get that stunning veil in place. I cannot get over what a beautiful bride Ali was.

Boys will be boys...

Couldn't resist grabbing the detail of this bridesmaid's goosebumps:

This flower girl was so intrigued with every aspect of the wedding.Praying together.

Intrigued again. And also stuck between chairs. haha

There's nothing like love from a sister.

Ali had such fun colors!

Just a little duet of the B-52's Love Shack! Absolutely hilarious. It's moments like these where I think, "Can my job get any better than this?"

Lauren and Justin - She Said Yes!

2009-04-07T08:05:00.017-06:00

After storing the umpteen leftover Morning Glory Muffins, he picks up the stripe dish towel and snaps it lovingly in the general direction of her backside. Her posterior. Her booty, if you will. "Ouch! That was really wet," she screams.

"You wash. I'll dry."

That's Justin and Lauren. A team. A team who is dedicated to one another, to serving the Lord, and to serving in the inner city St. Louis, Missouri public school system as Teach for America ambassadors. A team who kicks butt at Cranium and all its zany activities. For example, Sensosketch. It's just like Pictionary, but the artist's eyes must be closed while sketching. Justin can draw a straight line and with a huge grin on her face, Lauren will bubble over with laughter and correctly guess, "the St. Louis Arch!" And let's not forget Lauren's Cameo and her goofy face, to which Justin instantly guessed (correctly..), "Jim Carrey!" Ikea.. these people mean business about their board games.

Despite the darkness they witness on a daily basis, from the derogatory comments of their students, school shootings, abusive parenting, and the continuing low test scores, their beautiful spirits are not hindered. They know at the end of the day, everything will be okay. Lauren and Justin close each and every evening by praying together. Because at the end of the day, they know their faith and their commitment to one another will get them through. Together. They're better together. They're stronger together. And together they know they can always count on...

My favorite... (click to enlarge)

Her rock.

Her other rock... :)
Justin's best friend: John

Lauren and Justin's ceremony and reception will be held in St. Louis' City Museum. Before I go any further, you must see a picture of this joint: www.CityMuseum.org. After our nice dinner in downtown St. Louis, Justin and Lauren said, we should probably change clothing so we can run around the museum. Run around the musem? "Oh, good idea, walking all over and gawking at art in four inch heels wouldn't be much fun for my little feet," I thought to myself, "Tennis shoes and jeans should be fine." And that they were, because flip flops would've cut it; the City Museum is NOT a museum at all, really. At least not your typical, statues and art on the walls museum. It's like a giant junkyard/playpen, built entirely out of materials from old rundown St. Louis factories and buildings. There's cave spelunking, a seven story metal slide, stair cases made out of conveyor belts, etc. etc. You've got to see it to believe it. "The museum is all about restoration," Lauren told me, "And that's what we feel our job is like at Teach for America. We wanted our wedding to be reflective of us in every way." Stay tuned for their August 1st wedding.

It's going to be epic.

A few shots from a personal point and shoot at the Museum:

Ali & Chris - Wet Your Whistle

2009-03-23T10:07:00.002-06:00

Just a quick preview of what's to come from this incredible wedding. Look for a more detailed post in the following days.

Shove Memorial Chapel

2009-03-18T17:29:00.006-06:00

Spent some time down at Shove Chapel this evening. What started out as a quick scope of the area in preparation for this weekend's wedding ended in a peaceful release of stress through some abstract photography and personal reflection. If you ever need a great place to think and just be, it's Shove Chapel down on the Colorado College campus. It's always open and always empty and always more magnificent than the last time you visited...

I spent my time shooting quietly humming my new favorite song by eastmountainsouth. Thanks Julie. :) Take a listen:

Ericka & Matthew - She Said Yes!

2009-03-14T11:33:00.016-06:00

I had this whole story prepared about yesterday's shoot with Matthew and Ericka, but I think it's better told from their perspectives:

we just wanted to write you quickly and thank you ever so much for the wonderful photo session and the great time to hang out yesterday and share in laughter and joy and love with you.

we just again want to express our heartfelt thanks and sense of elatedness that we feel from yesterday. monday and getting engaged was the best day of our lives. yesterday was the second best.

the rene tate experience is second to none. our time with you was one of the most enjoyable times of both mine and ericka's lives. the two of us were unbelievably comfortable and your creativity soared. you took time to get to know the two of us, our story, and couldn't have been more enthused to shoot the best photos possible. we didn't know quite what we wanted going into our photo shoot with you, but what came as a result is more than we could have ever asked for.

from ericka:
"From the moment we began you made the two us feel so comfortable and at ease. Your creative, professional style paired with your most genuine, demonstrable passion for the art of photography made it an experience neither of us will ever forget, and not just because of the amazing photos– the whole photo shoot process was a memorable even in and of itself. Matthew and I couldn't feel more blessed to have had you shoot our engagement photos."

rene, you truly are gifted, and i've said this before, but i know you strive to be the best wedding photographer in the business, and just know that we feel blessed to have the best wedding photographer in the business as our photographer. :-)

yesterday was truly a special day and the two of us can't wait to see the photos, or a sampling of, when you post them to your blog.

thank you again ever so much rené for the coffee, the time to catch up, the great photo shoot, and for being such a wonderful friend. we're so blessed to share in our happiness with you and can't wait to see how you've captured that in pixel form :-)

Matthew and Ericka are an absolutely adorable couple. I cannot even begin to describe how much fun I had shooting with them. Our shoot lasted three hours if that gives you any idea of the fun we were having! Ericka was visiting from Deluth, Minnesota, for what she thought was just a relaxing spring break week with her honey; what she wasn't prepared for was Matthew getting down on one knee on Monday night. When Ericka and Matthew aren't running together, going to church, writing lengthy love notes, playing Sudoku, drinking chai, or flying back and forth from Colorado or Minnesota, they are likely found at a local coffee shop playing Scrabble. When Matthew took Ericka to Caribou Coffee on Monday night, she went about her normal routine to set up the travel Scrabble board, but when she opened it, she was perplexed when she discovered all the pieces were in place, words were formed, and glued down! It took her a minute to realize all of the words were special words to her and Matthew. And then, highlighted in orange, were the high scoring words: "WILL YOU MARRY ME?"

My personal favorite.... on the Pearl Street Mall. I love Matthew's expression!

Scrabble necklaces. Nice!

Okay, wait. Maybe this is my favorite. Look at those colors!

Matthew is a very talented graphic artist; check out this website: InvertedUmbrella.com

Mandy & Ross - She Said Yes!

2009-03-08T22:29:00.009-06:00

*sigh* Could this day have been any better? The weather was PERFECT. You gotta love living along the Front Range. It's always an adventure; yesterday it was breezy, finger-numbingly cold, and snowy! I had to cancel an engagement shoot. :( Today, on the other hand, was absolutely beautiful. Lucky for Mandy and Ross, we did not cancel their shoot on account of the weather. In fact, we shot for an extra long time. We had so much fun today! These guys are incredible. A statistician and a poet. Talk about a unique combination. Our time together was so refreshing. Between the weather, Ross and Mandy's easygoing personalities, the vibrant colors of their wardrobes and the shops of Old Colorado City, and the added humor of my fill-in assistant...I couldn't be happier. As always, click the images to enlarge them and get the full effect.

Ahem... those colors I was talking about:

I adore these shots. So romantic, yet innocent.

I. Love. The. Sunshine.

And a good pair of boots. :)Mandy and Ross, your wedding is going to be a blast. You two make a beautiful couple and I can't wait to see you dolled up in your wedding attire in July! Thanks for a wonderful Sunday afternoon.

The Voices of Cat Country - Jim West

2009-03-07T13:00:00.007-07:00

As a part of my new partnership with Colorado Springs' favorite radio station, Cat Country 95.1, I get to work with some of the funniest disc jockeys on the radio waves. The people at the Cat are just a hoot to be around. Jim West, of the Cat Country Morning Show, was so much fun to photograph yesterday. He was so easy going. He's got this hidden desire to be a stand up comic. Couldn't you see him cracking jokes? As always, click to enlarge...

Love this one! I wish I could remember which stupid thing I didn't mean to say that made him laugh.

New Partnership!

2009-02-25T22:58:00.011-07:00

I'm terrible at keeping surprises and secrets. Anyone who knows me knows that when something cool, new, or exciting happens I can't wait to get it off my chest with those closest to me. Well... this bit of good news is HIGHLY exciting! It's been absolutely torture having to keep this under wraps for the last month. René Tate Photography, LLC is now the OFFICIAL photographer of Colorado Springs' favorite country radio station: Cat Country 95.1!

If Cat Country is hosting an event, chances are I'll be there to capture it. Whether it's the Pro Rodeo Hall of Fame, Territory Days, or a kick-butt concert at the Grizzly Rose, René Tate Photography is the official photographer. Not only will we be covering events, but all the DJs are getting some awesome new portraits taken for publicity. Check out their web site over the next few weeks to see these images put to good use: CatCountry951.com. Also be sure to LISTEN tomorrow (that's Thursday!) around 12 to 1 pm as Alicia discusses her René Tate Photography experience! You'll be hearing RTP talked about and advertised a lot on the Cat, so be sure to tune in! :)

Here are just a few of my favorites:

Love the color in this. The subtle blue and the magenta in her glasses.

Rocking out to no music in an alley. :) She was such a great sport.

S-t-u-n-n-i-n-g! Don't you wish you had eyes like that?

The cowboy hat with an attitude.

More DJ shoots to come in the near future! Also, more engagement shoots and weddings! Possibly some TROPICAL weddings... ;) Friends, I have so many exciting events and projects up these sleeves of mine - please stay tuned. The best is yet to come... (including a spankin' new custom blog! But shh... you didn't hear that from me. That's supposed to be a surprise!)

Brides, don't miss out!

2009-02-17T10:21:00.002-07:00

Take advantage of this great deal... click the image to enlarge.

25 Random Facts

2009-02-09T10:52:00.013-07:00

If you're a member of Facebook, you've heard through the newsfeed (aka the incredibly informative grapevine) about the 25 Random Facts phenomena. I was surprised when yesterday, on the opposite side of the country in a small community of Warrenton, Virginia, in an even smaller church community, I witnessed the 60-some-year-old, crotchety pastor mention HIS 25 Random Facts list. I was astounded when, he of all people and of all places, brought this up. Facebook is an amazing little invention, isn't it?

You know, the whole purpose of this blog is for you to get to know my photography and me. After all, your photographer is going to be spending the entire day with you on one of the most important days of your life. You better like your photographer. So, with that said, I'm going to jump on the bandwagon, and post my 25 Random Facts... After all, if there are 60-year-old countryside pastors doing this, why shouldn’t I? I’m only doing this for you, you know. I might as well; at the moment I’m stuck in an uncomfortable middle airplane seat and it’s impossible to sleep. Here goes nothin'...

I love taking off in airplanes.
I can't swim underwater. (Say "underwater" ten times in a row. It sounds really weird.)
I recently booked my first "overseas" wedding in Puerto Rico.
I can't remember the exact number of LeAnn Rimes concerts I've attended but I think it's about nine.
I've met her about seven of those times.
I played guitar hero in Tim McGraw's party room just before he came in to party with us.
I vividly remember the first graphic that I ever designed and distinctly remember thinking, "Huh, that's how they do that." That was nearly eleven years ago in MS Paint.
I really want to learn to sail on a catamaran.
I'm in the early stages of writing a book.
I've never had a dissatisfied customer.
My desire to know God is absolutely insatiable.
I accepted the Lord when I was a tiny-tot, maybe six or seven, but rededicated my life to the Lord when I was about thirteen, made the decision to publicly display that and was baptized, and have been tryin' to walk the talk ever since.
When I was a kid, I wanted to be a scientist and work with plants. That sounds like my worst nightmare today.
I have this distinct memory from my childhood of my mom telling me about my much older brother and his obsession for photography when he was in high school. I remember totally admiring him and wanting to be like him someday. Who would've thunk it?
I want to go skydiving.
The other day someone said the phrase, "...smoke a reefer," and I had to ask what it meant. Everyone laughed.
I sometimes blare my Bose speakers and sing into my hairbrush..... Don't judge me. It's a girl thing.
Last week I discovered the song "Sea Breeze" by Tyrone Wells, downloaded it, and listened to it about 30 times that same day. In a row. Don't judge me. lol
Recently, I vowed to never kiss another man again until it's my husband on our wedding day.
My mom thinks that's really weird. (And most likely, so do you.) My response was, "Well, I'm okay with being different. It's gonna be the most romantic moment ever. We're gonna have to have the best wedding photography team shooting from all angles. Do you think one would hang from a tree to get an aerial shot?"
I once flew all the way to Indianapolis for a concert, rented a hotel and car, and got to the show only to find out my incredible sandbar (front row, against the stage) tickets were fake! Dang eBay.
I managed to still be front row in the sandbar but it was not easy, nor cheap. Especially since the sandbar tickets were sold out...
In my home hangs only original artwork or replications signed by the artist.
I'm a registered Independent.
If applicable, I always use my sleeve to open public doors.

(Click to enlarge.)

Since this is a totally personal post, I thought it'd be a good opportunity to post some images that DONNA (see post below) took of yours truly during her photo shoot. She did a great job, huh?! She made me look good!

The Beauty Unveiled

2009-02-03T20:53:00.007-07:00

So every photographer has that one person that they love to shoot. You know, that person who inspires her, motivates her, and gives her incredible images. That person is my dear friend Donna. Donna Jeanne. She's absolutely stunning and knows. how. to. work. the. camera. She is the most dynamic person I know and it totally shows in her images. Her personality is unlike any other. Many people say how charismatic, spontaneous, and free-spirited I am. Well... I learned from the best. You must click on these images, enlarge them, and get the full effect.

Wet Your Whistle

2009-02-02T00:02:00.005-07:00

Had an absolutely i-n-c-r-e-d-i-b-l-e shoot today. I cannot wait to show you the rest of these images. You know, I'm pretty content in who I am and what I look like. Never before have I wished to be as beautiful as someone else.

Until today...

Find out who this mystery beauty is in my next post...

Everybody Let's Go Have Some Fun

2009-01-23T11:17:00.005-07:00

"One day your life will flash before your eyes; make sure it's worth watching."

— Unknown

So here I am yesterday, flipping through photo after photo, adjusting levels and whatnot in Lightroom and enjoying the new Genius feature on iTunes (by the way, I've decided it's called the "Genius" feature because it's a GENIUS idea from Apple to suck even more money from me) when a song I haven't heard in YEARS comes pumpin' through the Bose speakers. It's the only song I own by this band. Truth be known, it's one of those songs that you are embarrased about owning, but keep around cause you secretly like it. You know, *Nsync, Backstreet Boys, Rock Lobster by the B-52s... those kind of songs. So meanwhile, as I jam to a song from my glory days, I come to this photo of me and a groomsman being ever so silly at this particular wedding I was editing. And that's when inspiration hit...

If only people knew how much fun Jesie and I have at weddings and how happy our clients are around us. 2 hours later.... the result:

Engagement Announcements, Yes We Do Those Too.

2009-01-19T21:49:00.005-07:00

Brace yourself. You're about to see not one, but two pieces of art combined. It's a marvelous thing when I get the opportunity to merge my photography with my design. Engagement announcements and wedding invitations are my favorite. Since I've done away with the graphic design portion of the business, I rarely get the chance to let release those creative juices. Graphic design is very near and dear to my heart; I was a graphic artist before it was cool to be a graphic artist, you know. When graphic designers were considered computer geeks with no people skills, when owning a Macintosh was unheard of, when Photoshop 7.0 was top of the line. I miss those days... But I am satisfied when I get to work with my imagery and your wedding theme to create a product that will wow your guests and build their excitement for the big day.

Click here to view the best of the best of Jesie and Brandon's engagement experience.

Kathy & TJ - Silverthorne, CO

2009-01-07T23:19:00.010-07:00

Hey Everyone! Long time no blog! It's been kinda crazy with the holidays (I'm sure you've heard that one before); but I'm making up for it with a 20+ picture blog from TJ and Kathy's New Year's Eve wedding. So there. ;) My holiday season was awesome. How was yours? I spent a lot of time with family doing family-type things. I've had a great couple of weeks just rechargin' the old battery. I did get to hang with TJ and Kathy last week; they're a super chill couple from Boulder, CO. Their wedding was uber laid back but totally classy! The whole wedding party was a blast. The guests were pretty cool too. ;) I actually went to school with a big gang of girls present at the wedding. That was a fun dinner conversation! Check out these images... isn't Kathy the most precious bride you've ever seen? (Don't forget to enlarge the images by clickin' on them.)

Happy New Year!!

2009-01-01T23:18:00.003-07:00

More to come from Kathy and TJ's super fun New Year's wedding!

The Kreikemeier Family

2008-12-13T18:07:00.005-07:00

So Jesie and I had a pretty fun morning! Earlier in the year, the Kreikemeier family purchased a children's photo shoot from the 2008 Heart Ball benefiting the American Heart Association. The session was actually offered by the man who taught me everything I know about photography and who also plays some mean summer volleyball: Amon of Striking Images by Amon. Amon, however, recently moved to Nebraska (big time bummer for all of Colorado Springs) so I took over a few of his sessions. These kiddos were a blast. Cade, Cole, and Carson. We had a grand time eatin' Goldfish and fruit snacks and making silly faces. Oh, and let's not forget all the tickling. :)

We shot a little differently than RTP normally does. Today's session was conducted in the Kreikemeier's beautifully window-lit living room. The soft light combined with the white walls and couches made for some sweet images.

Aren't they a beautiful family?
Just ticklin' his big brother...
"Precious" is all I have to say.
It's pretty hard to get 3 and 4-year-olds to look at the camera...

...unless you're hovering directly above them. :)

The Zello Siblings

2008-12-02T22:12:00.007-07:00

I promise they're not in a band. I know they look like total rock stars, but they're just some really cool siblings who wanted to surprise their parents for Christmas (insert "aww" here). They also look and act like models. Talk about phun to photograph. :) Their sweet pea coats, their big, beautiful, blue eyes, their awesome poses, and my favorite color palette of course: grey, tan, brown, and black. Let's just say that the Zello kids know how to work. the. camera.

Make sure you click on the images below to enlarge them.
You gotta get the full effect.

One to frame for mom, for sure. Your classic family portrait. Big fan of shooting into the sun. Gotta love that sexy lens flare. These next two are my favorites. The sunset was KILLER. Would you look at the warmth of these images? I tried to convince them to start a band... don't think potential album artwork was enough of a reason. ;) They just know how to own that camera!

Things That Make Ya Go "Hmm?"

2008-12-01T13:45:00.002-07:00

Just a preview from one of the best photo shoots I think I've ever had.

Introducing, Chelsea and Wade :)

2008-11-27T23:28:00.006-07:00

I just love love.

I love how patient it is. It's kindness. How it keeps to record of wrongs. Its soft kisses on her cheek. Its supportiveness, its leadership and service. How it's not self seeking. The way it opens car doors and removes hats when a lady enters a room. How it always protects, always trusts, always hopes, and always perseveres.

How it never fails...

Meet Chelsea and Wade. They are love. Young, innocent, sweet, and crazy in love. I'm very much looking forward to their June wedding. Their HOT June wedding, mind you. Grand Junction, CO here we come! :) We had a grand time walking around the city streets of Denver. Chelsea and Wade were so low-key, so trusting, and so peaceful, yet playful, with each other. See for yourself...

These first four are my favorites... they're so soft, sweet, and tender. *sigh*

Who says you can't dance in the street? I'm all about the living room dances. :) A quick stop at Starbucks. Playful souls... Warning.. frolicking on train tracks is frowned upon!Love these colors... love Chelsea's sweet face.

'Tis the Season!

2008-11-24T09:46:00.012-07:00

Okay. It's official. I have some of the cutest nieces and nephews EVER. Of all time. Check out these kids. Yesterday, we shot my sister's Christmas card pictures down at the old railroad tracks in Cañon City where I grew up. I spent many of my childhood days playing on these tracks and underneath this bridge swimming in the creek. Not to mention, our dad was an engineer for the railroad whose trains crossed these tracks hundreds of times! My dad used to stop at this crossing, pick up my brother Kevin and I, and drive us through town. Meanwhile, my mother would hop in the truck to meet us at the other end of town where Dad would drop us off. :) What a cool story, huh? It was really cool to shoot these pictures here, even if the location had no significance to the kids... the rest of the family gets it. Kinda adds a whole new dimension to the phrase "family photos," huh?

My favorite from the whole reel... I affectionately call this one "The Professor."

Amber and Levi - Wet Your Whistle

2008-11-18T09:36:00.007-07:00

So I just decided, the "teaser" posts, where I just blog just a couple images, are going to be called "Wet Your Whistle" (WYW) posts, because I always say that when emailing people: "Check the blog! There are few images there to wet your whistle." So this officially marks the start of the Wet Your Whistle posts. :)

Levi and Amber were married on November 8th at the beautiful Peaceful Valley Boyscout Camp in Elbert, Colorado. Their country wedding was absolutely gorgeous. We couldn't have asked for a more perfect day. The lighting, clouds, temperature were all perfect-o! You know, this is Jesie's little brother we're talking about, right? I will post more about their wedding day on the actual wedding post. However, here are just a few images to wet your whistle. Originally, I planned on posting about 3 images, but I just couldn't resist posting a few more of my favorite getting ready shots. Amber's dress was i-n-c-r-e-d-i-b-l-e.

Linkages Workplace Consulting

2008-11-11T16:54:00.004-07:00

Mary Lynn Pulley is an organizational communication consultant and president of Linkages Workplace Consulting. I'm doing a complete revamp of her current web site: linkages.com and to complement her the site, all the photography will be done by yours truly. Not only are we photographing HER, but we're also doing a few abstract shots of books that she's written to accompany the web site. I was honored with doing some casual, yet professional head shots of her and also some lighthearted shots of her beautiful dog, Sage! I wish you could meet Sage, she is sooo sweet and obedient! I'm not the BIGGEST dog person in the world, but I would take a dog like Sage any day of the week. :)

A Very Special Engagement

2008-11-09T08:24:00.006-07:00

So I had an engagement session two weeks ago, and had to call a fill-in assistant. Normally, Jesie is right there reflecting light, fixing hair, holding cellphones and lip gloss, and dorkin' around so people laugh... but this time she was out bein' a bum... NOT showing up for work... getting HER engagement pictures done! Ahhh! I know, I cried too... it's so wild when someone so close to home gets engaged. At least for me it is.

Miss Jesie was proposed to on the evening of Monday, October 20th in a beautiful foggy field on the outskirts of town. The story is beautiful.. perhaps she'd consider posting it here?

You've actually met Jesie and Brandon before on a post I did back in April. Click here to view a different side of Jes and Brandon.. a little more "rockstar" you might say. :)

The Today Show!

2008-11-05T06:47:00.013-07:00

Why hello friends! Greetings and happy post election day. (I recommend you read the post below this one or else you'll have no idea what the following post is about. :))

So yes, many of you have inquired about my Today Show appearance. Ahem... well, not an actual "appearance" but my 10 seconds of accumulative fame as the camera panned the frozen-to-the-core audience. Friday morning, my good friend, Jake, and I rolled out of bed at 3:30 AM, grabbed a cab, and through our tired, bloodshot eyes stood in aw of a fairytale wonderland that was the Today Show set. At 4:30 am and were the first people to arrive on scene. No one joined us for a good 15 or 20 minutes. This gave us ample time to scope out the audience area and find the best place for the most camera time. Us photographers, we like to scope things out. ;)

We met a lot of great folks, saw a ton of incredible costumes — my favorite was the "live" photo booth/filmstrip girl. Did any of you see her? She stood next to me for a bit while they did a spot on her. We happened to be standing in a popular spot, good for filming (go figure, Miss Photographer picking out the best location..) so every time they wanted to film someone's costume they made them stand by us... which in turn pushed us back — but got us camera time! ;) We were only second tier for a few minutes and then we were back to the front row, against the railing.

I'm proud to say that Matt Lauer stood about two feet from me... I about fainted. hehe Al Roker and Merideth Viera were also present throughout the morning. And many of you did write in and win a free portrait shoot! Yay! Thanks for the participation, that was fun! If it weren't for Tivo, none of you would've won. ;) So congratulations to you faithful René Tate Photography fans!

Here are a few images from the frigid morning, including one from the NBC website and my mother's television set. ;)

If you go to Today's website, click the "halloween" link and view the photo album, we're the first picture listed. Now, please, no making fun of my little pose for the camera. haha I saw the Nikon D3 pointed in our direction and elbowed Jake. It's like the photo was taken just for us!

My sweet faithful mother watched Today for about three hours... when I didn't believe her dedication, she emailed me this screenshot. Looking through the window.. see the chairs? That's where they interview the famous people. This is in a building just right by Rockefeller Plaza. We stood riiiight behind that tree stump. Trust me, it was the best place. Normally, they don't have the set barricaded with trees, but due to the holiday, the set was jazzed up. We could watch what was happening inside as these TV monitors showed everything that was televised. In this photo, Matt and Merideth are getting last minute powder and lipstick applied. Under that "one way" street sign is where the line formed to enter the audience section.There's the man of the hour! What a thrill. :) I really enjoyed seeing how the whole production was put on. I dig the behind the scenes action of plays, concerts, you name. I like knowing how things work! Thanks to everyone who tuned in! We sure had a fun time. Not sure if it's something I'd do again... but it was worth freezing our tails off. :) Congratulations to the free portrait session winners!

Win a FREE Shoot!

2008-10-29T16:29:00.009-06:00

Friends! Boy, do I have a good post for you... :) I am absolutely elated right now! Why? Check out what just came in the mail....

That's new packaging, right there! Isn't it pretty?! The only thing I'm waiting on now to complete the look are silkscreened DVDs and CDs. Stay tuned. I'm thrilled with the new brand and excited for the future.

To celebrate the new brand and a new season of René Tate Photography, I want to give you an opportunity to win a FREE 30 minute portrait shoot! Here's how......

Any NBC Today Show fans out there? If you know me at all, you'll know that I have a slight crush on Matt Lauer ;) and watch that show all morning long while I sip my coffee for hours on end and respond to emails. Well, this FRIDAY... AKA HALLOWEEN... René Tate Photography will be on the Today Show!!

Well.. not really.

But you bet I'm going to be down on the plaza in New York City this Friday morning! And what kind of Today Show fan stands out on the plaza without a sign? Yup, that's right, I'll be one of those crazy people with a poster board sign. :)

So, all you have to do to win a free 30 minute portrait session is watch the Today Show on NBC this Halloween Friday, try to find me in the crowd, and tell me what my sign says! You've got a free shoot comin' your way. And trust me, I mean business in 30 minutes.. we'll get a ton of incredible shots. :)

This is only good for the first ten, yes ten (10!), people that email me.

Can't wait! Pictures to follow. ;)

Ali & Chris - The Real Post

2008-10-27T23:06:00.014-06:00

Have I said lately how much I love what I do? Tonight's reveal with Ali and Chris couldn't have gone better. Jesie, Ali, Chris, and I sat nestled on my cozy sectional — Holy Cross Abbey wine and Fat Tire beer in hand — and watched their incredible slide show of images... about six times. :) We laughed lots and chatted about everything under the sun. Not only do I love shooting, but the whole relationship aspect is something worth noting... I just love people. We all have such unique journeys. I love chillaxing with my clients and soaking up their words of wisdom and hearing how their romance came about. Everyone has a story... how they met (of course), what their families are like, how he proposed. How, in Ali and Chris' case, Chris sat down with Ali's dad and how Ali's dad almost ruined a surprise. ;) I love building that connection with my clients and helping to put them at ease on the big day.

Love Ali's expression in the second frame and how the leaves frame their incredible smiles.

Such an honest kiss.... Love these! If only you could see the other field shots.. We couldn't have asked for a nicer day. Check out that beautiful hair light! :)Ali and Chris' first date was the Manitou Incline... intentionally captured in the bottom left and corner.

Introducing, Ali and Chris :)

2008-10-25T13:38:00.005-06:00

Just a little something to wet your whistle. Had a great time this morning with my accountant, Ali, and her fiancé, Chris. You should've seen their chemistry. For a guy who isn't "into PDA," he did outstandingly well!

More to come soon. :)

Pre-Shoot Ritual

2008-10-25T08:22:00.006-06:00

Is it cheesy that before morning shoots I like to drink my Starbucks Anniversary Blend out of this $4.99 cup rather than my cute, 'lil, white Pottery Barn cups?

What can I say? It's the little things in life that bring me joy. :)

UCCS Chancellor's Leadership Class

2008-10-16T15:59:00.012-06:00

Big news. René Tate is getting into the movie mak-ing! :-) Every year I have the honor of photographing the 40 some scholars of UCCS' prestigious leadership program - the Chancellor's Leadership Class. Last night I unveiled this video at a reception at the Broadmoor Hotel in front of the class as well as many other Colorado Springs community members. I think the video was a hit! It was so great watching everyone's reactions. (Especially those people who teared up!) I encourage you to listen to the lyrics as they definitely describe the "change-the-world" mindset and will of these scholars. I realize it's 40 some pictures of people you don't know but the end is fairly powerful, so take a break for 4 minutes and 41 seconds and enjoy my first YouTube video ever, not to mention the first video ever posted on this blog!

Be joyful, patient, and faithful.

2008-10-14T09:40:00.006-06:00

So lately I've been feeling a little blue and haven't been sleeping too well. Last night, as I lay staring at the ceiling, I decided to grab the Bible off my nightstand. Reading it always seems to calm me down a little. Not that it puts me to sleep (haha) it just gives me peace so that I can sleep! Anyhow, I flipped to the concordance not knowing what to read. After skimming about every single word in the concordance, I finally made my way to the book of Romans where this verse caught my eye and greatly encouraged me:

"Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, and faithful in prayer." — Romans 12:12

This verse is so applicable to every area of our lives. Whether it's love, business, family, school, etc. The "patient in affliction" part really stood out to me. Affliction doesn't just go away, God wants us to be patient in those hard times. I suppose a great deal of learning comes from those times. But it's a nice reminder to just be patient, as hope and good things will follow.

Facelift! Updated Web Site and Blog.

2008-10-04T17:59:00.006-06:00

Yay!! What do you think of the new blog? Did you know BROWN is my favorite color? And olive green too? :) René Tate Photography is always growing and changing and we've decided to pick two dominant colors for all our marketing and packaging materials, and those happen to be... can you guess? Yes! Brown and olive. You're quick. ;)

In addition to new colors, René Tate Photography has a brand new logo. (Notice I say "René Tate Photography" and NOT "René Tate Graphic Design and Photography.") After careful consideration, we've decided to do away with the graphic design end of our business. We'll still accept design projects, but it's not something we are going to market. It's tough to be the best wedding and portrait photographer when you're also trying to be the best graphic artist, and vise versa. With that said, a new logo was in need. And since we were shifting our colors and logo around, why not do some changes to the website? Check it out! Share your feedback here. Click the comment link below.

Irons in the Fire

2008-09-30T09:29:00.005-06:00

So..... up until today, I thought I was a big "to-do list" person, but I realized that a little list tucked away in my planner just doesn't have the same impact as these screaming florescent Post-It notes. They send me evil little glares every time I walk by my desk.. If you're a visual person, I highly recommend this method. It's definitely intimidating though. Be prepared to get OVERWHELMED.

Eva's Senior Portraits

2008-09-22T09:55:00.008-06:00

Oh... what I'd give to be a senior in high school again. Dances, football games, letter jackets, tennis practice, away matches, decorating for assemblies, making the daily announcements on the intercom, having independent blocks, off campus lunches, decorating your friends' cars... what a fun year. It's amazing how much your life changes after you toss that cap. You never know where God is going to take you. I had no idea I'd be traveling the United States shooting weddings, or speaking to high school yearbook staffs on design and photography, or touring Italy, or working with local radio stations and shooting celebrities... The best is yet to come. You never know who you're going to meet. I made some of my best friends AFTER high school and can't imagine my life without 'em. Senior year was incredible; I hope all the seniors I photograph realize what a unique time they're in. But what's more incredible are all the experiences and people out there just waiting for you! Your life will never be like your senior year again. Enjoy these next 9 months but look forward to what's to come.

Wow.. where did all that come from? Enough of the sentiments...

Eva is a senior at Palmer High here in Colorado Springs and talk about a doll. She is such a sweetheart -so full of spunk. :) And very outgoing and confident. Eva recently returned from a 6 month study abroad program in Chile - how cool is she?!

Alicia & James

2008-09-19T08:29:00.008-06:00

These guys make my work EASY! Had such a blast with James and Alicia last night during their engagement experience. (We call our photo sessions "experiences" cause you never know what's going to happen! We always have such a chill time.) Their chemistry is incredible; they were so easy to shoot! We shot around the streets and alleys of downtown Colorado Springs, stopped by the restaurant where they had their first date, Il Vicino (a great place for a first date!), grabbed some ice cream at Josh & Johns, and headed to the Broadmoor from some fun nature-esque photos. :) This is just ONE of my favorites. Wait until you see more.

I'm looking forward to their April wedding!

Blessed.

2008-09-09T23:21:00.011-06:00

Yesterday was one of the best days of my life. One to go down in history for sure. The whole day was absolutely surreal as I cruised around Hollywood and Beverly Hills in a red Corvette convertible with my best friend. I even crossed off TWO items from my "things to do before I die" list. That's a big deal and perhaps one of the main reasons I'm so elated. We experienced L.A. to its fullest and topped off the day with an incredible engagement session in Newport Beach. Michael and Ashley are getting married in Cherry Valley, California in June 2009; we officially met yesterday for the first time. It was so great to put some faces to the voices I've heard. We had a fabulous time; they were great sports and excitedly did everything I suggested - even closing the evening with a dip in the sea. :) Just a few of my faves... (Click images to enlarge.)

L.A. Adventures

2008-09-07T18:28:00.004-06:00

I'm really looking forward to this week as I have a lot of big things coming up in L.A. I'm flying out there for an engagement session with Michael and Ashley; we're shooting Monday night on the beaches of California. I'm really looking forward to meeting this couple for the first time. I think it's going to be a blast.

Then, on Tuesday and Wednesday, I'm attending the Pictage Partner Conference. As many of you know, Pictage is my partner company who handles all my printing, my credit card processing, etc. They are the best in the industry. There'll be a ton of great seminars from world renowned photographers, including Mike Colón. I consider Mike to be one of the best wedding photographers on this planet. He's absolutely amazing not only with his photography but also in how he runs his business. Mike is one of my biggest role models; he's also my brother in Christ which makes him that much cooler. :) Anywho, Mike and I are meeting on Wednesday (!); I'm just tickled to death that he's taking time out of his day to meet with me.

I cannot wait.

More details to come. :) Have a great week, friends.

Senior Season is in Full Swing!

2008-09-03T10:15:00.006-06:00

Congratulations to the class of 2009; both college and high school seniors! We've got some great packages lined up for the 2009 seniors - plus we have a ton of fun on our portrait experiences. Email me for the details. :)

Below are some of Brittany's senior portraits. Brittany will be graduating from Pueblo West High School. We ended the evening with ice cream from my favorite spot: Josh & Johns. :)

Jerry Lewis MDA Telethon

2008-09-01T18:18:00.005-06:00

Big news. Did any of you Southern Colorado folk happen to watch the Jerry Lewis MDA Telethon on KOAA Channels 5/30 on Sunday night? René Tate Photography sponsored an hour from 10-11 PM. René Tate Photography matched up to $2000 that was donated during that hour. I'm still waiting to hear the final total raised! Evidently, the telethon broke all sorts records. I didn't get to see the segment; I was supposed to do a spot on television, but wound up booking a spontaneous trip to Washington D.C. [Photos to come.] I'm hoping someone saw the segment with my logo and info at the bottom of the screen. Anyone??

P.S. Happy Labor Day! Believe it or not, this is one of my favorite holidays. :)

Jailbirds Galore!

2008-08-24T22:44:00.012-06:00

This week I had the pleasure of volunteering as the official photographer at an MDA Lock-Up. A fundraising event held by the Muscular Dystrophy Association where Colorado Springs business men and women go "behind bars." The goal is to raise about $2400 in "bail money" per jailbird. The event was held at Giuseppe's Old Depot in downtown COS. Executives work to raise money before they come to their jail sentencing at Giuseppe's and continue raising money by calling other business contacts. While they finish raising their bale, they partake in "gourmet" bread and water (actually incredible pizza, fruit, desserts, and such). As a jailbird, they have their mug shot taken. [That's where I come in. ;)] Over 100 jailbirds were sentenced for having too big of hearts. Here are a couple shots, including one of poor, pathetic me.

Jeff Robinson of Century 21 Curbow Realty

KRDO Channel 13 News Anchor: Nina Sparano

Me photographing Nina Sparano.

Anna & Justin - Part 2

2008-08-22T13:12:00.008-06:00

Believe it or not, I actually was recently asked if the backdrop to Anna and Justin's wedding was FAKE. As if I cut them out of another photo and placed them onto this incredible background. Possible, but not true. Anna and Justin were married in Ridgway, Colorado, just south of their home town of Montrose.

Their wedding was so classy and simple. Anna and Justin are totally outdoorsy and relaxed people who cherish the mountains. I'll never forget Anna's reaction when she saw herself in the mirror for the first time, heavy make-up and wedding dress on: she raised her eyebrows and her eyes got big as she froze and she said, "Woah! I am really dressed up!" Didn't she look S T U N N I N G though? Their bride and groom portraits were taken at the Ridgway State Park. The reception was a blast; who knew she and her father were such awesome dancers! Their first dance was supposed to be to "Isn't She Lovely" by Stevie Wonder but the disc jockey some how misplaced the song. Anna and her father were devastated. However, thanks to my Mac Book Pro and a little wireless internet, I was able to download the song, work with the DJ, and surprise them for the first father-daughter dance.

Anna & Justin - Part 1

2008-08-12T12:23:00.005-06:00

Wow.

Bridal Portraits

2008-08-10T08:13:00.005-06:00

So I couldn't wait... I had to show you a sneak peak from Brittany's bridal shoot yesterday. We shot primarily at the Broadmoor but ended with a few quick shots at the rainy Garden of the Gods. This happened to be the very last frame I captured.

Aunt René

2008-08-08T13:12:00.004-06:00

A few photos from a date night with my nephews and niece. They were in town visiting from Minneapolis, MN. If you can't tell, we were all puppies, except Zach; he was Garfield. :)

The Ernster Family

2008-07-31T22:28:00.008-06:00

Do you all remember Paul? AKA John Travolta? His senior pictures are below if you don't. :) Anywho, this is Paul's family. The Ernsters. :) This is such a sweet and beautiful family. We shot around their home (my favorite!) and actually around their neighbor's home too. Thanks neighbors! The shoot was quick and painless. Suzanne had a great idea of what she wanted - just some simple group shots before her daughter headed off to Australia to study abroad. Good luck, Lauren! Live it up and make the most of everyday there. Meanwhile, Paul is about to begin his freshman year at Rice University in Texas. With her children moving all across the globe, I can see why family portraits were necessary!

Amy & Kelly - Part 2

2008-07-18T08:29:00.007-06:00

Amy & Kelly - Part 1

2008-07-17T14:18:00.010-06:00

I know I say this every time I work with a couple or a family or a senior, but I want to be friends with them! Amy and Kelly are such cool people. Cool is an understatement actually. They're both so laid back and Colorado outdoor enthusiasts to the max. Wait till you see a picture of their wedding cake... that's all I have to say.

What a unique wedding it was. Everything from the Native American blanket ceremony to Johnny Cash's "I Walk the Line" processional. Not to mention the trivia games at the reception tables, Amy's love for reggae music (which was played through the day) and the intimate phone call to Amy's grandmother who couldn't make it to the wedding.

Amy and Kelly's family and friends were so awesome. Jesie, Ethan, and I felt like we were a part of the family. I love those kind of weddings. :)

As always, click the images to enlarge and please post your thoughts. Interaction on this blog is greatly appreciated whether its questions, comments, or even snide remarks. ;) Simply click the blue "comments" links at the very end of the post.

Boudoir Session, Anyone?

2008-07-07T10:21:00.006-06:00

Have you ever met someone and knew instantly that you were going to be good friends? That was the case with Melissa and I. Melissa found me through TheKnot.com. She wanted to take some classy boudoir photos for her fiancé and give them to him in a scrapbook on their wedding night. Jesie and I had such a blast getting to know Melissa. She was so easy going and fun, as you can see by all her laughing in the photos below. When Melissa first wrote me she said, "I already feel somewhat comfortable with you since we both love Americanos and Jesus. :)" I knew we'd be good friends from there on out. Here are just a few of my favorites...

Sarah and Simon

2008-07-02T09:37:00.005-06:00

What a sweet note I received from Simon and Sarah after they saw their photos from an impromptu photo shoot at the Trevi Fountain in Rome. I hope my future travels take me their way.

Hi Rene, What can I say.. I am absolutely bowled over...these are amazing, they brought a tear to my eye!

We have just returned from the UK Music Festival, Glastonbury, a 3 day camping festival which was brilliant and these pics have just made my year!

I am going to get them framed straight away and will never forget how kind you were in taking these for us.

You are very talented and have made us very very happy people.

If you ever need a bed in the UK let us know!

Take care and happy travels!

Sarah and Simon (smiling)
xxxxx

Ciao Amici!

2008-06-25T07:00:00.016-06:00

That's "Hello Friends!" to those non-Italian speaking viewers. Well wedding season is in full swing and I should soon have many many pictures for your viewing pleasure. But before that, I'm dying to share some images with you from my recent holiday in Italy. I just returned a few days ago... which is lucky for my brides, cause I seriously considering finding a way to stay. ;)

I think I left half my heart in Italy. I was captivated by Italy and its people. I came back with a renewed perspective on the American way of life and a love for the modest Italian lifestyle. In addition, I became quite the connoisseur of gnocci and cappuccino; in fact, I don't see myself drinking Americanos quite as much anymore. :) I felt a connection to the Italian people and can see myself one day studying abroad. I'm looking into an MBA in business administration at one of the most prestigious design schools in Italy: the Politecnio di Milan. I visited the campus and was blown away by its technology.

Other than Milan, I visited Rome, Florence, Siena (I luuuuvv Siena), Riomaggiore and the Cinque Terre, and Venice. Here are just a FEW images from the trip; I have more to show, but do not want to overwhelm you. Check back soon!

ROME:
We sure had our fair share of adventures in Rome. I can't even count the number of times we laughed to the point of tears. We asked for many different sets of directions, got our first taste of interacting with Italians, also had our first taste of the famous Italian gelato. Rome is so filled with history; I'd love to go back. This is such a classic picture as it foreshadows the rest of our trip.... we constantly had our noses in Alyssa's phrasebook and our eyes on my maps (I had one of these for each city and they came in SOOO handy). However, we DID make a point to ditch the map for a day and get lost in every city.

Sara and Simon: I ran into this cute couple at the Trevi Fountain and did a spontaneous photo shoot with the English couple.

Laughing at the entrance to the Coliseum. We were actually able to score 3 free tickets from Totó.

My favorite part of Rome: the wedding photographers!! Both the above and below images were obviously taken in Rome. It was a Monday afternoon and we saw the first couple at St. Peter's Basilica in Vatican City and the above couple outside the Coliseum. I can't even explain the feeling I got when I saw the photographers. They were living my dream of photographing internationally, well I guess to them it was just another local wedding.. how boring.. shooting at the Coliseum AGAIN... ;)

Looking out over Rome from the interior of the Vatican Museum.

Our first dinner in Rome where we coined the term "Rome it up," meaning because we had such a fabulous time in Rome, we were going to "Rome it up" in all the cities to come. This bottle of wine you see here led to a very interesting night of fun, dancing (well almost...), the purchase and use of a street vendor's night flying toy, a very late walk home after realizing the metro was closed, and to top it off, a near "picking" of my pockets!!

SIENA:

Overlooking Siena. This was one of my favorite parts of the entire trip. The view was breathtaking and literally almost brought me to tears of joy. Siena is about 30 miles south of Florence in the heart of the Tuscany. (Photos from Florence to come soon.)

Jesie and I having lunch at Key Largo Bar on the perimeter of the Piazza del Campo, a famous square in Siena where the biyearly Pilao derby is held. Siena was one of my absolute favorite towns. It was small and quaint.

MORE PHOTOS FROM FLORENCE, VENICE, THE CINQUE TERRE TO COME SOON!

The Grantham Family

2008-06-04T09:44:00.006-06:00

You are about to see one of my favorite families: the Granthams. I grew up right down the street from them and went to school with their oldest son. I was honored to photograph them. These photos were taken the day after their youngest son, Jordan, graduated from high school. So many people were in town for the party that Lori, Jordan's mom, knew family photos were "now or never."

My favorite part about these images is the scenery. We actually set up shop on the side of their house, which makes the images more personal. Backyard shoots are my favorite. :) The lighting was perfect; I set up the subjects in the shade, but used a large white reflector to brighten up their faces and eyes and then from the back I added a silver hair light. Do you see the hair light?

United States Air Force Academy Graduation

2008-05-29T11:28:00.015-06:00

Hey everyone! Through my ties at the United States Air Force Academy, I was able to land a spot on the media platform at yesterday's USAFA Graduation. I was right up there with the AP and UPI press, as well as White House Television and all the major TV networks. It was an incredible experience as the commencement speakers was our very own President George W. Bush! Here are just a few of my favorites. If you check any newspaper or magazine, I'm sure you will see very similar shots from the AP. What a one of a kind day, to say that I've shot the president. Er.. I mean, to say that I've photographed the president. ;) Gotta be careful.

I was amazed at how genuine the president was; it seemed he had something different to say to every cadet (all 1012 of them). Whether he was laughing at a joke a cadet told, autographing a hat, bumping chests or fists, blowing kisses, waving at families, or even talking on a cadet's personal cell phone, Bush seemed to be having a blast up there. This was a side of our president that I have never seen before and an experience I will never forget. The rush that came over me when Bush was announced for the first time and out he came, marching to the Hail to the Chief song was something I didn't expect to feel. It was one of my most memorable moments in my photography career.

Paul or John Travolta?

2008-04-13T22:08:00.009-06:00

Hey Everyone! It's been a busy weekend for photography. Yesterday Kami, and today Paul, who Jesie and I finally figured out looks an awful lot like John Travolta. :) Paul is a senior attending St. Mary's.

Like I said, photo season is beginning, so be sure to check out Kami and Chris's pictures as well as Jesie and Brandon's. But first, Paul:

Talk about photogenic, huh? He was so calm and easy to shoot. He just looked at the camera and smiled! He made it look so easy. :) We had a blast, for sure. I always have fun on my shoots. I truly love my job. Thank you, Jesus!

Miss Kami

2008-04-12T22:41:00.010-06:00

What a fun shoot today! Kami is graduating this May from UCCS and these photos will be used in her graduation announcements. We had a blast in Manitou Springs today and had quite an entourage: me, Jesie, Kami, Chris (the boyfriend), and Steph (the best friend)! We shot for just a little over two hours. We had a heck of a time with the wind blowing Kami's hair all over the place. We were patient though. :) These are just a few of my favorites. An online gallery will be up soon. Enjoy! As always, click to enlarge. And if you like what you see, tell a friend! Or at least post a comment. :)

Jesie & Brandon

2008-04-10T21:19:00.015-06:00

Geez-a-loo! I can't believe it's April 10th. Where has time gone? It was JUST April 1st. I feel like I just woke up and missed 10 days. I guess time flies when you're having fun... or working 12 hour days. :)

Hey, here are some images from Jesie and Brandon's shoot on Saturday. For those of you that don't know, Jesie is my wonderful assistant. She has such an awesome creative eye and always has great ideas. These images were taken in my hometown of Cañon City, Colorado around the Abbey and then downtown in the ghetto alleys. I had such a blast showing off my quaint little hometown to Jesie. I even took her and Brandon to The Owl for lunch for a double double egg burger and a chocolate malt. A special thanks to my buddy, Jared, who helped reflect and shade. Thanks, Jared! You're the best.

Okay, let's get to the good stuff!

It's been a busy couple of days. I booked two weddings and 1 senior session in the last 24 hours. Whew! This coming Saturday, I have college graduation photos with Kami. She's a gorgeous girl with beautiful ivory skin, bright blond hair, and vibrant blue eyes. I believe Kami's boyfriend will be joining us for a few shots as well.

On Sunday I have another senior session. This time, a local high school senior, Paul. I'm looking forward to his shoot in Downtown Springs. I'll be sure to keep you all posted on Kami and Paul's shoots. I'm off to catch some Zzzz's now. Good night!

What the Duck?!

2008-04-01T16:43:00.002-06:00

It's a comic I read religiously. It's called What the Duck? and it's about a duck who is a photographer. :)

This one got a well deserved "LOL" today cause often times it's so true! [As always, click image to enlarge.]

Distressed?

2008-03-31T22:49:00.004-06:00

So apparently, grunge is in. What do you guys think? I've always been a fan, just never got around to experimenting with it. This is my first go at it. I'm going to start offering this type of look, especially for my seniors. Check out Jeff:

Flying Solo: T&R Single Parent Scholarships

2008-03-28T16:28:00.009-06:00

Hi all, long time no update. Well, 10 days since my last post. That's not too bad. I've been out on vacation in Steamboat Springs, as well as my home town, Cañon City. However, I did work a few days to wrap up this logo and design work. It's for a new scholarship program within the University of Colorado; it's called Flying Solo: T&R Single Parent Scholarships. The work entailed a design of two logos, one for the Flying Solo Scholarship and one for the T&R Fund, a web site, an informational post card and poster, and lots of PDF conversions.

I love when a creative vision become a reality. I had a couple ideas for each logo and when I finally got them down on the screen, here's what they looked like:

For the Flying Solo logo, we wound up deciding on the design featured below. There is a lot of background to the logo such as the colors are those of the CU system and the bird is representative of the donors' name.

To create the final T&R Fund logo, I had my clients sign their first initials or rather draw how they envisioned the logo. I traced their handwriting in Illustrator and developed a very personal logo:

I'm really looking forward to some green grass and leaves as photography will be picking up. This is kind of a slow season for outdoor pictures, however the design never ends. The shoot with my assistant, Jesie, and her boyfriend was postponed until this Saturday. I can't wait for it! They're chemistry is going to be incredible and will make for beautiful images I'm sure. :) Stay tuned!

"One Day I'll Fly Away"

2008-03-18T12:44:00.001-06:00

Ah.. the fun you can have with reflectors. :)Photo by Amon of Striking Images by Amon.

Calvin Says it Best

2008-03-16T15:23:00.002-06:00

My absolute favorite comic is Calvin and Hobbes. (And actually, that's not how my cat, Calvin, was named. When he was a baby, he loved nothing more than playing with my balled up Calvin Klein socks.) Anywho, Calvin, of Calvin and Hobbes, is perhaps the wisest kid I know. He and I are on the SAME page regarding the creativity thing:

Captivated by the Light

2008-03-14T11:18:00.004-06:00

Though I have no idea how we made it there in one piece, Jesie and I did attend this photography seminar last night, called Captivated by the Light with photographer, Ed Pierce. Three wrong turns, 11 miles of bumper-to-bumper traffic, and a visit from AAA later, we finally made it to the conference in Denver. And somehow we managed to be right on time and get decent seats! There were about 700 photographers there from Colorado. Talk about intimidating. 700 brilliant minds and 1400 creative eyes, not to mention 700 competitors.

We learned a ton of lighting tips and tricks, but honestly, the whole thing was pretty focused on selling us gadgets. We did, however, meet some great photographers from the Colorado Springs photography Meet Up group. My buddy, Ethan, who is a part of the Meet Up group and a past co-worker of mine, is an incredible photographer. He says he's just learning... whatever. Check out his Flickr. Ethan's going to be tagging along with Jesie and I at a few weddings this summer. He wants to witness wedding photography in action and is hoping to build his wedding and portrait portfolio.

I hope everyone is well. Often times, I tell you to go do something nice for yourself, but this time, do something nice for someone else. After a long, hectic week, it's easy to find yourself wanting to spoil yourself. I'm all about the random acts of kindness, so I encourage you to do something nice for someone else after their long, hectic week.

More wedding consultations this weekend and photo shoots this weekend. Actually, I'm shooting Jesie and her boyfriend on Sunday! Totally looking forward to capturing their chemistry. My vision includes some grungy alleys, grungy clothes, and lots of blue and black tones in the image.

Have an awesome weekend.

God Loves High Quality Photos

2008-03-10T10:09:00.005-06:00

Just take a listen... It's just shy of two minutes. (And I apologize for some of my typing in the recording!)

I heard this in the middle of a 45-minute long Pod Cast from New Life Church's, theMILL. The sermon is by Glen Packiam. You know, I spend so much time on my computer working and listening to music that I'm starting to get sick of all 2,000 songs on my computer. So I decided to start listening to things that might actually teach me something. There are SO many kinds of Pod Casts out there. I had no idea!

This particular clip happens to touch upon something Jesie and I have been working at implementing into René Tate Graphic Design and Photography. We really want to "give everything to God" but couldn't QUITE put our fingers on what exactly that might entail. While we had a pretty good idea, this solidifies what we had been discussing.

Photoshop 101 & Wedding Consultation

2008-03-09T09:42:00.004-06:00

Man, what a long day yesterday was! Up at 5:30 AM to get ready for day long Intro to Photoshop class I was teaching on behalf of Walsworth Publishing Company. The class was opened up to middle and high school teachers across Colorado Springs. We had a great time and I think everyone really learned a lot! I'm sure they were totally overloaded with information, but towards the end of class we had "play time" where the students implemented all that they learned. Below is some of their work. I was really pleased with how everyone was progressing in just a couple of hours!

We covered all sorts of stuff in 6 hours...

making text look like it's on fire
creating collages out of multiple photos
layer masks - this was a huge learning. we used this is so many ways yesterday
marquees
cutting out subjects from a background using marquee tools, extract tool, etc.
layer style properties
text
filters
layers in general

It was very much a jam packed day. From the way everyone was talking, it sounds like a series of these Photoshop classes are in order. I'll keep ya posted... :)

The first image is Denise's, and the second is Debbie's.

After the Photoshop class, I hopped in my car, picked up Jesie, and we headed to Westminster, north of Denver, to meet with a potential bride, Stephanie, and her mother. We talked for a solid hour and had a great time! Stephanie and Kyle's wedding sounds so gorgeous. She's a woman after my own heart: a fall wedding AND brown and champagne bridesmaid dresses. (Brown is by far my favorite color. :) Kinda weird, I know.)

My church is in dire need of some photos for their website, so that's where I'm headed now. Will post some later.

Ciao!

WPJA Acceptance!

2008-03-06T08:04:00.003-07:00

After applying over two months ago to the Wedding Photo Journalist Association, I finally decided YESTERDAY that I wasn't accepted. The requirements are quite stringent and they said if I didn't hear from them, then I didn't get in. Well. I spoke too soon. Cause at 7:13 AM I received this email:

Hi René,

We are happy to inform you that after having reviewed your web site and image portfolio, we agree you meet the WPJA membership requirements. Congratulations! We look forward to having you as a member. Your listing(s) will be published on the WPJA web site.

Our Membership Services department will be contacting you shortly via e-mail with all the details.

Thank you for your patience while waiting for a response to your application. The WPJA has been reviewing a high number of new applicants as well as implementing a portfolio review process for renewing members (something we introduced this year). We are also deep into the latest contest...results should be live on the site later today.

Sincerely,
David Roberts
WPJA

By the way, the WPJA "is a professional organization composed of photojournalists and wedding photographers from around the world. What sets our members apart in the industry is their candid, documentary approach – a distinctly artistic vision toward wedding photography." — WPJA.com.

God is great, that's all I have to say. Perhaps I'll blog more later. But it's amazing what happens when you just have faith and seek HIM. This week just keeps getting better and better!!

I'm off to the gym now. Have a wonderful day! Do something nice for yourself. I plan on buying a new outfit for this Photoshop seminar I'm teaching on Saturday.

Ciao.

Does your cat lay like this?

2008-03-04T09:28:00.005-07:00

Calvin likes to hang out with me in the mornin' while I drink my coffee and watch the Today Show.

Though he gets kind of bored...

Uncontainable (Is that even a word?!)

2008-03-01T22:52:00.005-07:00

Ok, I've gotta get this off of my chest... Man, where do I even begin? I just looked at the clock.. it's 10:53 PM on a Saturday night. [A Saturday night, mind you..] I've been sitting in front of my MacBook Pro for about 4 hours... I started off studying for a marketing research exam, but I've spent the last 3.75 hours perusing wedding photography websites. This happens all the time.... I ride this roller coaster of emotions...

First, I experience incredible bliss when I flip through extraordinary wedding photography. I mean, it's SO good that you scratch your head thinking, "This can't be real!"
Second, I marvel at the technical ability of these photographers. INCREDIBLE. I wonder how these people can get such powerful images of SPLIT second moments shooting at 1.0 and get the precise area of the pupil of the eye in focus. I find it difficult to call myself a photographer when I see their work.
Next, I experience this extreme, overpowering determination to be one of THE most recognized photographers in the U.S. And this is the part that gets me... I start dreaming and wishing and planning and vigirously penning in my little black Moleskine journal. It's as if my passion is uncontainble, it's just LEAPING out of me. I feel like I'm going to explode. Listen to me... sheesh. You would think I'm an artist or something..... Seriously though, it takes everything inside me to say, "René, slow down, you're still young! You're not that far behind them. Patience is a virtue. Think how long these people have been in the business! Imagine where YOU'LL be when you're their age." "Patience is a virtue." I need to get that tattooed on my forehead. You know, there is just SO much information out there that I am totally oblivious to. Don't get me wrong, I'm educated; I read, I take classes and attend seminars, but it's not enough. I need to do these things more. I need to shoot more. I need to spend more time with my nose in books and magazines and working with other photographers. I just don't... have... the... time... Many of you know, I'm a full time college student. I get so aggravated because I have to spend time studying the regions of Antarctica. Last week, I memorized 98 places in Europe, only to be tested on 10 of them.. 98! That was about 2 hours staring at an atlas. 2 hours when I could have been shooting. Trust me, I'm counting down the days until graduation so I can put 100% of my time into my business. I'd say now it's about a 40/60 split. 60% of my time being spent on business.. 40 on school. Well, if you really want to get to the short and skinny of it, deduct about 10% for yoga and the gym, 5% for playing with Calvin, 5% cooking (hah, more like 1), 20% of my time sleeping. Listen to me, I'm rambling... Anyway, the point is: photography.. I don't know what it is about it, but I can't get enough of it.
And lastly... after all the excitement of planning for the future, as Austin Powers would say, "I'm spent." I get so emotionally drained after viewing these web sites and resources.. But it's good for me. It puts the pressure on to be better, every day and every shoot.

*sigh*

I feel better now.

Every moment is an opportunity to learn, grown, and influence others. I say it all the time. While I'm not totally thrilled about the whole college thing, I am thankful for being there. I make the most of it. I learn a lot. I get good grades. But I'd rather be photographing.... (Now, is that even a word??)

Rosebud's Announcements

2008-03-01T21:45:00.004-07:00

So I gotta give a little shout out to my girl, Leslie. Er, Rosebud, I should say. Eh, Leslie is good... She's a graphic designer based out of San Jose, Cali. Been a long time friend of mine. In fact, she was a graphic designer before "graphic designing" was cool. She's a fellow LeAnn Rimes fan as well. (She and I are pretty much fanatics...) But anyhow, Les just opened a greeting card/announcement business specializing in beautiful custom 5x7 photo cards for any occasion, including weddings, births, graduations, party invitations, and more. You must check her out.

She's very affordable, professional, classy, and super creative; Even I, who can do this myself, use her for my party invites!

Rosebud's Announcements Website

Web Site Work

2008-02-28T09:52:00.009-07:00

Just finished completing the updates for attorney, Bryan Fredrickson's, website. He and his father have been in business for many years and have been practicing law since 1957. They're a great group of people at the F&J law offices. They've been long time clients of mine. Located in Cañon City, CO, just 45 minutes from Colorado Springs. I highly recommend them if you need to create a living will or are dealing with a divorce. I've been bragging about them so much that my parents are using them now for their wills.

I also completed the addition of a contact form/page on Linkages.com. The design of the web page is not mine; I was hired to simply add a page. In doing so, I learned a lot about PHP and Linux VS Windows servers. I've always used Linux web servers, but apparently, PHP forms do NOT work on Windows servers... I thought forsure my form was goofy, but turns out it wasn't working cause the site was on a Windows server.
Linkages.com is the official web site of Linkages Consulting Workplace, LLC. The president of Linkages is Mary Lynn Pulley, co-author of the new book Get Smart! How e-mail can make your break your career and your organization. The book sounds very interesting and I plan on picking up my copy on Amazon.com. It looks like a short read. Here's the link if you're interested in purchasing a copy.

The life of a freelance designer continues... I will have more goodies for you to look at. I have a few logos up my sleeves that I'm dying to post, but can't yet! Will keep you posted.

Take care. Do something nice for your self today. :)

Kissed by a Genius

2008-02-25T22:11:00.010-07:00

As much as I thought being without my MacBook Pro for two days would kill me, I've got to admit that it was kind of refreshing. No work, no email, no Facebook, no blogging. I actually read a book! I was computerless because the folks at the Park Meadows Apple store (a.k.a. the "Geniuses") replaced my CD burner as it was on the fritz. :( Good news is that it was easy to heal and only took two days as opposed to three. TIP: always, always, ALWAYS buy the extended warranty.... you never know when you might accidentally break your battery (yeah, I broke my battery....) or burn one too many CDs and bust your burner.

Went to pick it up tonight and wound up receiving a few other things that I didn't anticipate getting. ;) One of those being this great program called Billings. My life is about to get a LITTLE easier. Yes! Not only does it take care of invoices but it also tracks expenses such as gas mileage and stock imagery. It calculates taxes and the coolest part is it keeps track of the TIME spent on design projects. When I start a design, I just start the timer on Billings and the program accurately tracks my billable hours in any application.

Bottom line is that everyone was SO helpful this evening. Great people there at the Park Meadows store. Highly recommend them. Gary, Tony-not-Toby, Ash.. the whole gang.

By the way, happy birthday, Mom! :)

Engaged on Valentine's Day?

2008-02-18T22:11:00.003-07:00

So this guy is absolutely incredible... You MUST watch it, guarantee that you'll love it. I can't figure out how to embed a YouTube video into this blog, so for now, click the link. One day I hope to be as good as this guy... Hey, it's good to dream big, right?

Know anyone that got engaged on V-Day? I'm offering a 15% discount on all wedding packages to those that did. Send 'em my way.

Take care.

Picasso

2008-02-13T12:30:00.002-07:00

“My mother said to me, ‘If you are a soldier, you will become a general. If you are a monk, you will become the Pope.’ Instead, I was a painter, and became Picasso.” –Pablo Picasso

Heard this quote today and it reminded me to never let anyone or anything old you back in your dreams. We can be anything we want to be and if we put our hearts into our work, we will be successful.

Just got out of a design meeting. Can't say a whole lot about it, as the material is still confidential. But soon I will be able to show you the designs! Can't wait.

Be well.

Stride and Ride Photos

2008-02-11T18:12:00.001-07:00

... are up! Click here to view them and order prints. 100% of proceeds go to MDA.

On a different note.. heard this great poem today and wanted to share it.

Until I learned to trust,
I never learned to pray;
And I did not learn to fully trust
'til sorrows came my way.

Until I felt my weakness,
His strength I never knew;
Nor dream 'til I was stricken
That he could see me through.

Who deepest drinks of sorrow,
Drinks deepest, too, of grace;
He sends the storm so he himself
Can be our hiding place.

His heart, that seeks our highest good
Knows well when things annoy;
We would not long for heaven
If earth held only joy.

— William G. Coltman

The first part is what gets me...

Muscular Dystrophy Association

2008-02-10T08:57:00.000-07:00

Every year, the Muscular Dystrophy Association puts on a variety of fund raisers to raise money for MD research. MDA is the world's leading voluntary health organization fighting more than 40 muscle-wasting diseases. Thousands of people of all ages are affected by neuromuscular diseases, right here in the southern Colorado communities. Yesterday was their annual Stride and Ride at the Citadel Mall and I was fortunate enough to be invited back to be the official event photographer. Because my mother has a form of MD, I gladly volunteered my time. All images taken yesterday will be posted to a Pictage gallery and 100% of the proceeds will go straight back to MDA.

There were over 20 teams that raised funds and came together to do a short walk around the mall. After the teams signed in, they were sent down to my buddy, Amon, who took their team photos. Amon is a fantastic photographer; he is so knowledgeable about his photography and every time we work together I try to gain a small portion of his wisdom. He was kind enough to volunteer his time and work on behalf of René Tate Photography.

Next to the team photo area was a René Tate Graphic Design and Photography booth. My good friend Breanna ran the booth, showed my work, answered questions, handed out cards, etc.

Meanwhile, I was out shooting candids of walkers, local team mascots, the band, cheerleaders, etc. The emcees were Cutter, Alicia, and the Road Gato of the Cat Country 95.1 Morning Show, great people who I've worked with in the past.

The day was such a blast. I met so many people and heard so many of their stories. If you'd like to donate to this incredible organization, contact Laura Graham at 719.260.8777 or by email at lgraham@mdausa.org.

Sad Day

2008-02-04T22:40:00.000-07:00

I am incredibly sad after hearing about the loss of a new friend, Terrence Webster. He was killed in a car accident very early this morning. He was a junior at UCCS majoring in fine art. I met him when I was the event photographer at UCCS' annual Back to the Bluffs weekend in October. He was a total comedian and always put a smile on my face. I'm disappointed that I didn't get the chance to get to know him better.

I was glad that I could provide a handful of images of Terrence to the folks doing the memorial service as well as to the University's newspaper, The Scribe. Below are just a couple of them.

Terrence was heavily involved on the UCCS campus. He will be greatly missed.