I had a very cool experience today.

Barack Obama was speaking at DU this morning and I went with a friend to watch him. Let me first say that I am not a Democrat or a Republican, and I have no idea who I will vote for in November. I do however enjoy following politics and I think the presidential election this year is going to be very interesting. And with John Edwards dropping out, that means the Democrats will nominate either a woman or an African-American for the first time ever; which is pretty cool.

Barack Obama is a very electric speaker, it's impossible not to listen to him and be motivated by what he says. He is incredibly charismatic and I believe he is very genuine. His personality is probably his biggest asset. His main campaign theme is "change" and breaking away from the status quo of the last few years.

I have always believed that no matter what your political inclinations are, you should take time to listen to what the other side has to say. Not to be argumentative, but to learn more about their position. I think this is important on all kinds of issues, not just politics. I'm not sure who is going to get the nomination, or who will be our next president; however it wouldn't surprise me if it was Barack Obama.

I took this picture with my phone so you will have to forgive the quality. This was the overflow room; there were probably close to 15,000 people who came out to see and hear him today.


If you have the chance in the next few months to see any of the candidates I would recommend it. It was an exciting and fun atmosphere and I'm very glad that I went.

You absolutely have to watch this!

My friend Jon send me the link to this video. There's no way I would ever do this.

Click here to watch the video.

Random thoughts from an insomniac

Every once in a while I can't sleep...tonight is one of those nights. So I am sitting here at 2 a.m. watching TV, and thinking about some very random things. So here they are...

1. The Godfather is an amazing movie, one of the best ever. But as I sit here watching Godfather II I can't help but think to myself, "is it better than the first one?" Fredo is heading out on the boat, to be killed at his brother's request, Michael just slammed the door in Kay's face. Does it get any better than that?

2. I'm almost certain that the Patriots are going to win the Super Bowl. If they do, are they the best team ever?

3. I was watching Barack Obama's victory speech, he just won South Carolina, and I think he is going to be our next president. I'm not a democrat or a republican but I really like Obama; he seems genuine and charismatic.

4. I mean Al Pacino and Robert DeNiro in the same movie together, are you kidding me?

5. There are few things more enjoyable and relaxing than sitting on the couch and watching a movie with your wife; even if it is a chick flick. (That was like 5 hours ago, she is sound asleep right now.)

6. I like the cold and snow, but 55 degrees today sure got me excited for warmer weather in the spring.

7. Making a household budget is time consuming and a bit depressing, but incredibly beneficial and positive at the same time.

8. That's all I got right now, leave a comment and let me know what you think about some of these things. And if you haven't seen the Godfather movies...rent them NOW!

Oh by the way if you have any remedies for insomnia let me know. Have a great day.

Happy Anniversary Mike and Carly

We photographed Mike and Carly's wedding one year ago; it was an amazing experience and it started us out on a great journey. We are so thankful to Mike and Carly and we got some incredible images from their wedding. I wanted to share just a few pictures from their wedding.

I love this picture because it is one that I kind of "found" recently while looking through their pictures. I really enjoy going back through pictures to find some that didn't stand out the first time. This was taken right after Mike's brother (and best man) gave a speech.


This was one of our favorite pictures from all of our weddings last year; I think it really shows the emotion between the two of them.


Happy anniversary Mike and Carly!

Smile at a stranger today.

I'm serious, you should try it. Try it at the grocery store, or the bank, or while your pumping gas. I like stepping out of my own world and trying to change another person's day.

Tomorrow say hi to a perfect stranger. And then leave me a comment and let me know how it went.

"The E-Myth Revisited."

If you are a business owner, or if you want to start your own business you absolutely need to read this book. Michael Gerber breaks down the reasons why so many businesses fail, and then lays out a great plan to make you don't fall into those traps. I have begun to implement some of his ideas, and I know that it is going to make such a huge impact on the business.

So please go out and read this book; you can buy it on Amazon by clicking here.

How cold is 15 below zero?

Well let me answer that for you, it is extremely cold. I mean so cold your water bottle freezes inside your tent, so cold that your snickers bar freezes and almost breaks your teeth. The next question is why would I subject myself to such cold temperatures? As many of you know I am a hunter, and I spend many days a year with my dad out hunting. It has been a huge part of my life, and has helped to foster the great relationship between me and my dad. It has also taught me many lessons, as well as allowed me to spend some amazing time outdoors, which I love. This past weekend my good friend Jon came with us and I was so excited to have him come along and to share this great experience with him.

But it was really, really cold. And yes we did camp in a tent, although we had a nice wood burning stove which kept us pretty warm. We also had snowshoes which helped us while we hiked through the knee to waist deep snow. If you have never been snowshoeing I would highly recommend it. It is a great workout, but also a great way to get outdoors in the middle of the winter.

That's my friend Jon on the left, my dad in the middle and me on the right. We had a great time, but it was nice to get back to the warmer temperatures in town.


The snow here is almost waist deep, and all of the exposed plants were covered in thick ice crystals, it really was a cool sight.

What can ketchup teach us?

"To do a common thing, uncommonly well, brings success."

This is a quote from Henry J. Heinz, he of the Heinz ketchup. It is one of my favorite quotes because of its simplicity. So how will you do something common, uncommonly well today?

Thanks!

This past year has been so amazing for me and Jessica, we have met so many people who have helped and influenced us. When we decided that we were ready to photograph weddings so many wonderful people came into our lives; and the people already in our lives provided us with so much support. I have really learned the power of asking other people for help; there are so many wonderful people who are willing to offer their time to you. All you need to do is ask. So here is a (non-comprehensive) list of everyone who has been influential in my life this year.

My wife Jessica! Her support this year has been so amazing, I couldn't have done any of this without her.
My parents Tom and Lorraine. There are so many reasons why they are important in my life, but their inspiration, and their support is unmatched.
My sisters Chrissy and Sarah.
Jessica's entire family: Dan, Rita, Heather, Justin, Megan, Taylor, Maddox and Dave.
All of my aunts, uncles, and cousins.
Jenna Walker and Katie Thurmes
Jim Christianson
Chris and Katie Humphreys
Grant Oakes
These photographers all went out of their way to offer help, encouragement, support and their knowledge to me. It is very much appreciated.
All of the other photographers I have met; there are too many to name here but you have all influenced me.
The Boettcher Mansion.
All of the amazing couples who let us photograph your wedding this year. Mike and Carly, Mandi and Cory, Chris and Ashley, Matt and Kelly, Rachel and Ryan, Ellice and Michael, Michele and Lee, Bill and Kirstin and Steve and Lori. Without them none of this would have been possible.
All of our friends who have supported us in our business and who have referred us to everyone they know.
Everyone who reads this blog, it means so much that you take time out of your busy day to keep up with me.

This is beginning to sound like I just won an Oscar; but I think it is very important to thank people and let them know that they had an impact on your life. So take the time today to let someone know how thankful you are for what they have done for you.

Our (semi) New Website

Jessica and I have spent the last week revamping our website. We have completely changed the colors, put our new logo on, added a bunch of new pictures, and changed some of the information. Our goal was to make it simpler and more clean looking. Click here to check it out and tell us what you think.

By the way our web address is andrewandjessica.com

Kelsey and Nathan Are Getting Married!

We went to Downtown Littleton yesterday to photograph Nathan and Kelsey for their engagement photos. Their wedding is in March and we are so excited. Their chemistry together, and their love for each other was so evident (you will easily see it in the slideshow.)

Nathan has been doing yo-yo tricks for nine years; and what he can do is pretty amazing. He actually used a yo-yo to propose to Kelsey. It is always so much fun when we can incorporate something very meaningful into to peoples photos. It makes them more personal.

We can't wait for their wedding, because they are such a wonderful couple and they are going to be very easy to photograph. I hope you enjoy their slideshow...

"Plan your life in pencil."

This is one of my favorite quotes and it really describes the last year of my life. two years ago I never would have imagined I would be photographing weddings. I'm not sure what I thought I would be doing, but I know this wasn't it. Somehow though, because of a few random events, I now own my own business and Jessica and I are loving what we do.

This year has taught me to keep my eyes and ears open for all kinds of opportunities, because you never know where they will come from. I learned that you CAN live the life you want. No matter where your life is right now, you can always make it better. But only YOU can change it. Certainly there will be influential people who will help you along the way, but the decision to change your life comes directly from you.

This is the time of year when we think about our lives, we make resolutions and goals for next year. We say that things are going to be different next year. I want to tell you that things can be different next year, you can make changes in your life, and you can make them permanently. Stop what you're doing (but don't stop reading this) and think about your perfect life, think about how your life would look if it was exactly as you envisioned it. Now think about what is holding you back. Now make a plan to overcome those roadblocks to get to that perfect life, to get to a place where you are happy to be alive.

It won't be easy, and it probably won't happen overnight. But I promise that you have it in you, and when you're ready; good things will happen.

Happy New Year, and here's to an amazing 2008!