HI, I’M SEAN LARA!

I’m a Wedding and Portrait Photographer based in Colorado. I love the outdoors, my dog, and of course, photography. 

PHOTOGRAPHY STYLE

I’m best known for my wedding and portrait work, but I’m also very experienced with commercial, product, and lifestyle photography.

As you can see from my portfolio, I specialize in capturing connections between couples and the environment. When it comes to wedding photography, I capture the day as candidly and unobtrusively as possible, but also recognize that you may need a bit more direction and help when it comes to posing, organizing the family for portraits, or putting together a timeline. Don’t worry, I’m here to help you with all of the above.

I set myself apart by confidently guaranteeing that I can capture amazing images for you regardless of the environment, weather, or lighting conditions. Being an avid outdoorsman and nature-enthusiast has helped define me as an environmental wedding photographer. I incorporate the scenery and use advanced lighting techniques to aid in the storytelling of your day and create images that are pieces of art. 

AWARDS AND ACCOLADES

For the third year in a row, I was named one of the top photographers in the world by the Wedding Photojournalist Association. To date my highest ranking is #5 in the world and #2 in the US. This is an achievement I’m incredibly humbled and proud of. Additionally, I’ve also won multiple photography awards with organizations such as the International Society of Professional Wedding Photographers, Fearless Photographers, and Wedding & Portrait Photographers International – all of which are institutions that are extremely competitive and challenging to earn recognition with. What this means for your wedding or photo session is that you’ll receive incredibly unique and artistic images that you can proudly display to family and friends for years to come. 

HOW I’M DIFFERENT

•I keep all of my post-production in-house. It’s quite common for many photographers to send out their photos to an editor for processing. I keep everything in-house to ensure consistency and quality in your photographs. 

•I’m able to capture photos in any lighting or weather conditions. This is something I pride myself on. Through my extensive knowledge of lighting, I’m able to work in a variety of situations others may struggle with.

•My photos appeal to a wide range of clients. While I do have a signature look, I capture a variety of traditional images and portraits as well so everyone is happy, and that includes the mother of the bride! 

•I’m always prepared. I’ve been given nicknames such as “Soccer-Mom Sean“, “The Photo Wizard” and the “Tony Stark of the wedding industry”, because I’m always ready for the unexpected. I carry backup equipment for my backup equipment, I have photographers on standby in case I get sick, and I even carry bobby pins and a lint-roller (amongst other helpful things) with me at all times!

•My style. Most notable is my perspective on capturing weddings and other portrait sessions. As mentioned previously, I’m best known for my use of creative lighting and environmental portraiture, but I’ll let my photos speak for themselves. If you haven’t already, check out my portfolio!  

HISTORY – HOW I GOT HERE

Well, when two people love each other very much… Haha just kidding, we all know that story! What I mean is, how I got here as a professional wedding photographer.

I picked up my first camera at the age of ten, and ever since I was hooked. I’d grab a camera any opportunity I could and was always deemed the “family photographer” on our outings. While in college, I officially started my career in 2009 as a photojournalist with the Orange County Register in Southern California. It was an exhilarating experience that presented a variety of challenging situations and taught me how to quickly think on my feet. As I was elbow-deep into the world of news coverage, a friend from high school, also a photographer, offered to allow me to tag along on to one of the weddings he was working. Through this experience, I learned I could combine photojournalism with artistic freedom and from there on out, I knew wedding photography is what I wanted to pursue full-time.

Since then, I’ve captured over 500 weddings with my signature look of vibrant imagery and story-telling.

A young pup – my first year capturing weddings circa 2010

PERSONAL LIFE AND PASSIONS

I have a TON of hobbies. Because I have so many, I can almost always find something in common with my clients which makes it an easy hang-out. I’m most passionate about photography, but when I’m off the clock you can bet that you’ll find me doing at least one of the following:

•Off-roading my supercharged 4Runner in Moab or cruising up a windy Colorado canyon – I love cars and car culture

•Fly fishing in a stream in Colorado, a plains lake in Wyoming, or fishing off of a boat in Mexico

•Drinking craft beer at Odell, New Belgium, or one of the many micro-breweries in Ft. Collins

•Camping and participating in all sorts of the stereotypical Colorado outdoor adventuring

•Hiking up Horsetooth Rock or Paddleboarding with my husky/blue heeler mix

•Weight training in my home gym or with my trainer (gotta stay healthy!)

•Listening to (and DJing) trance and other electronic dance music 

•Watch collecting (I love that they’re functional statement pieces) 

•Geeking out over the latest Star Wars movie or TV series