Class of 2015 | High School Senior Photographer Denver

Thought I'd share just a few shots from this year's incredible senior clients!
I LOVE MY JOB!!

I absolutely ADORE getting to know and photograph these incredible, talented, brilliant young people.
And I already can't wait to photograph the Class of 2016...
Cheers!!

Union Station Photo Shoot | Senior Pictures, Denver

I'm so excited to share this!

My assistant (who happens to also be my 14 year old son) shot a bit of behind the scenes video footage on one of our recent high school senior photo shoots. And THIS is what he edited together in just a few minutes this morning. I hope he does more of this because I'm really impressed with what he got in his FIRST attempt!!

Thank you, Gabe!

Behind the Scenes | Senior Pictures Denver

It's busy season for high school seniors! So many ridiculously fun photo shoots coming back to back these days I can hardly keep up with sharing, but another senior session at Union Station was worth a few new kinds of behind the scenes shots (this place is SO great!!!) I can't WAIT to share Anna's session -- we had a wonderful time exploring, and her photos are going to be absolutely stunning.

Enjoy the teasers!

When the back of the camera looks THIS good ... when photographed by an iPhone ... let's just say I get pretty darn excited! This edit is going to be fun...

Portrait Session in Denver's Newest Treasure! { Senior Pictures Denver }

The former architect in me has been beside myself with excitement watching the renovation of Union Station in Denver this year. I photographed it from above while it was under construction; my son and I did walking tours with urban infill groups; we visited when it first opened to the public and then again for the official Grand Opening.

Upon seeing the AMAZING new space, furnishings and light, the photographer in me took over and became beside myself with excitement at the prospect of portrait sessions in the great interior! It has absolutely incredible light -- even, lovely, flattering -- beautiful. The furnishings and textures are incredible. I am in love.

And for my very first session: the amazing Madison!! I can't wait to edit her photos (I mean truly, I am CRAZY excited for these). In the meantime, here are a few teasers from behind the scenes.
Enjoy!

Yes... we had A LOT of fun!! (and that back of camera shot. I mean, seriously: how absolutely adorable is this girl??)

Also worth mentioning: Everyone from bar tenders to shop owners to security guards seemed excited that we were in there photographing their space. I'll keep saying this: Denver is SO LUCKY to have this unique, beautiful and welcoming urban space.

And one more notable perk to photographing in Union Station: SO many options for wonderful treats after the shoot!

Crazy BEAUTIFUL Model Portfolio Build | Portrait Photography Denver

Seriously?! There's nothing I can possibly add in words to make this photo session (in my studio) any more dreamy than it IS... so just enjoy the photos of this stunning young woman! Sarah, your acting talent makes me cry, you are beautiful inside and out, and I LOVE PHOTOGRAPHING YOU!!

And finally... Sarah and her gorgeous mom. Not hard to see where that beauty comes from!

Denver School of the Arts | Theatre Senior Project: OSMOSIS

I photographed the dress rehearsal of the Senior Project at the Denver School of the Arts a few days ago. But I didn't really experience OSMOSIS until last night, when I got to sit and become completely absorbed in the story and these incredibly compelling characters. I woke up thinking about it, my son and I are still talking about it now, and I'm quite sure the story of connection, relationship and the role of chance that these kids told will be with me for a long time...

Bella O'Brien, Liam Broadhurst and Belle Stockdale, all seniors at this incredible school, wrote an absolutely STUNNING play (which I hope is published!!); the entire senior production and design team was clearly inspired; and Andie Lerner's direction was both visionary and impeccable! The use of music, lighting and movement sequences added to both the impact and the visual beauty of this original work.

And the entire CAST... when I look at this photo above, now having really FELT the show, it blows me away how the layers of these well developed characters jump out from this still image (the depth in Mitchell Lippett's eyes speaks volumes as to the story).

Huge congratulations to the Class of 2014 Theatre Majors.
You truly moved my heart.

I'll share one more particularly powerful moment:

The rest of the production photos can be found on the DSA Photo website.

Model Portfolio Build | Denver Portrait Photographer

I never realized how much I'd enjoy the "directing" part of a photo shoot. It's a huge part of making this all work successfully -- learning to work with people to make them comfortable (which often means pushing their own comfort zones), especially if they have never been photographed or modeled before.

This was just such a session. Hans had just been signed by Wilhelmina Denver and needed an entire portfolio build, having never been photographed before. When you look at these photos, that's just plain amazing right?? We had SUCH a great time; he was open, took direction well, moved through poses and -- can I just say -- he took GREAT photos!

I'm really excited for his modeling ventures and hope to photograph him again soon!

Speechless | Portrait Photographer Denver

So, I'm going through a set of stunning photos from a photo shoot in my studio yesterday and just HAD to share this glimpse of the process, as I'm DYING at how gorgeous they all are! It was one of those days where everything just clicked... the light, the conversation, and most of all, this absolutely beautiful young woman -- gorgeous and so talented, inside and out!

Above is an iPhone shot of my monitor, of a straight out of camera shot which I converted to black and white in Instagram (if you're on Instagram, come say hello @merrittphoto!) just because I was curious... The result took my breath away!

Sarah's awesome mom took these pictures of my assistant (and son) and me doing our thing, which I just love! And the final shot below is a phone picture by my boy (I'm loving his over-the-lens, behind-the-scenes shots!).

Behind the Scenes | Denver Portrait Photographer

Had my amazing assistant capture a few iphone snapshots while working yesterday in the studio with another gorgeous new head shot / portrait client.

So much lovely light!!

Always fun to share photos -- honestly it's one of my favorite feelings in the world to SHOW someone how beautiful they are!!














And thanks to my assistant (my son, and great photographer in his own right!) for the creative behind the scenes photos -- I just love this next one!

Portrait Shoot in my NEW STUDIO! { Denver High School Senior Photographer }

Ali and I had an absolute BLAST workin' it in this session.

First of all, how STUNNING is this amazing young woman?!

But what makes it even better is that she was just as excited as I was to experience the session as something empowering and fun; to explore the grounds of the factory where my studio is located, to feel the amazing light, and to express her beautiful depth... and together we discovered some pure photo MAGIC.

I am so lucky to get to do this! And I am super grateful to have found this studio, as the grounds are truly special -- natural light pouring in and bouncing everywhere, authentically vintage (an historic cotton mill!) and endlessly inspiring.