:: Dry Heat Photography ::

New Blog

2008-11-30T20:33:00.000-08:00

Hello Everyone,
Please be advised that our blog has moved to this address:
www.dryheatblog.com
See you there!

Hike in Bandelier 9-29-08

2008-10-20T20:58:00.000-07:00

18.5 mile hike through Bandelier Nat. Park. We are on a quest to find some ancient stone lion artifacts. They say they're over 2000 years old.
Well this was take two of this quest, No dice.
Take one we ran out of water 5 miles out, in the desert, in July.
Take two, call us lazy but we got a late start, now we run out of daylight.
Take three in production

Laura and Greg - The Wedding

2008-10-20T16:54:00.000-07:00

Laura and Greg were married and St. Johns Episcopal Church and there reception was held at Four Hills Country Club. You may remember Laura from her bridal session about a month ago. The wedding was a blast. They are such a great couple. Even though Greg is such a serious fellow, he managed to loosen up after a bit, just kidding! I don't think I have photographed very many groom's as out-going as this guy.
Laura and Greg, thanks for letting me be part of your day.
-Rick Meiers

Tacos anyone?

Laura, thanks for trusting me with the red door. I dig this shot!

Here we have Greg and his best man demonstrating some some of Greg's sweet moves.

This shot of Laura and her father is one of my favorites.

This old Ford is what Laura and Greg drove to the reception.
Here was some excitement for the day. The mad dash to the country club before sunset, the running to get to the golf cart, my almost bouncing off the back of the cart with an arm-load of camera gear and the final product, some totally kickin' shots with the last bit of sunset left.

This is not intended as a reflection to the sate of the economy.
If you planned on not dancing, Greg plans otherwise.
Get 'em on the floor.
Don't ask.

Mary and Aaron - The Wedding.

2008-10-20T12:10:00.000-07:00

Mary and Aaron were married at the Fuller Lodge in Los Alamos. This was the perfect setting for a fall wedding. The trees were starting to change color and there was just a hint of chill in the air.
Thanks Mary and Aaron for making me part of your day.
-Rick Meiers

Mary making sure Dad knows he needs to get ready, now!
Mary's sister baked and decorated the cake.

Introducing Danielle and Jonathan

2008-10-17T00:10:00.000-07:00

I shot Danielle and Jonathan's Engagement Session at the UNM Duck Pond on October 6th. Their wedding is on Sunday at the Prairie Star. Stay tuned!

-DeAnna Dimmitt
Dry Heat Photography

Introducing Cari and Larry

2008-10-16T23:11:00.000-07:00

I shot Cari and Larry's Engagement Session on October 3rd at the Alameda Open Space. This was actually the first time we all met in person. What an awesome couple they are! Their wedding is tomorrow at San Felipe de Neri in Old Town and the reception is at the Balloon Museum. Stay tuned!
-DeAnna Dimmitt

Alycia and Tyson - The Wedding

2008-10-16T22:11:00.000-07:00

Alycia and Tyson were married on October 4th at the Hotel Albuquerque. The ceremony was in the chapel and the reception was originally supposed to be outside though it had to be moved inside after dinner because of the weather. Alycia is just beautiful, as you can see, and I had a wonderful time photographing this event.

To Alycia and Tyson, thank you so much for making me a part of your Special Day!
-DeAnna Dimmitt
Dry Heat Photography

Amelia and Floyd - The Wedding

2008-10-14T23:18:00.000-07:00

Amelia and Floyd were married on September 27th at Queen Of Heaven Church. The reception was at the Hilton (where I somehow got lost in the parking lot while walking to my car) but we made a special stop at the UNM Duck pond for some lovely photos of the bride and groom.

To Amelia and Floyd, thank you so much for making me a part of your special day!
-DeAnna Dimmitt

Kimberly and Jesus in Old Town

2008-10-14T10:39:00.000-07:00

Instead of doing the traditional Engagement and Bridal Sessions, Kimberly and Jesus decided to do two Engagement Sessions. The first one was in the studio in February and the latest one was in Old Town on October 1st. Old Town is really a fun place to shoot, it's growing on me.

Dry Heat Photography Is Now Accepting Submissions For Freeze Frame

2008-10-12T10:12:00.000-07:00

Soul Portraiture Continues With The Final Show For 2008: Freeze Frame

Soul Portraiture has been a huge success and we are gearing up for the final show of the 2008 series. The Art Gallery 66 is proud to host this series of juried fine art photography exhibitions sponsored by Dry Heat Photography. Soul Portraiture is a journey into the essence of life; past, present and future. In a series of four shows we will explore the energy that defines life through a variety of subject matter. In Freeze Frame both professional and amateur photographers are invited to submit up to five images illustrating the simultaneous grace and brutality of winter as it descends on the desert landscape.
Works selected by the jurors will demonstrate excellent composition, technical skill, and a strong sense of presence.

Rules For Submission:
Jury fee of $25 may be paid via - PayPal or by check. Please make checks payable to Dry Heat Photography. To use Pay Pal please click the link below.

Artists may submit up to five digital files sized no larger than 485 pixels in any direction, at 72 dpi. Please include image titles, format, and finished sizes for each image. Send images with artists bio and resume to info@dryheatphotography.com .
Deadline for submissions is November 12, 2008.
All accepted artwork must be delivered to the gallery no later than November 17, 2008. Artists are responsible for matting and framing of their own images and all artwork must be ready to hang when delivered.
An artist's reception will be held on Friday November 21st from 5:00 to 8:00 and the show will hang for one month.
Artist/Gallery split is 50/50.

For more information please contact:
DeAnna Dimmitt
info@dryheatphotography.com

Introducing Traci and J.D.

2008-10-10T11:03:00.000-07:00

Traci and J.D. are going to have a very fun wedding on Halloween, which incidentally, is also mine and Rick's anniversary. We shot their Engagement Session at Elena Gallegos Open Space on September 16th.

Wild Spirit Wolf Sanctuary Needs Your Help

2008-10-08T14:33:00.000-07:00

Hello Everyone,
As many of you know Dry Heat Photography works with the Wild Spirit Wolf Sanctuary. We photograph the wolves and donate a percentage of our sales of the images back to the Sanctuary. As with most wildlife sanctuaries, Wild Spirit is a non profit organization and is run primarily by volunteers. All funds that come in are allocated to caring for the animals before any people get paid - even the real employees and the director don't see a dime unless the wolves are fed and cared for first. All funding comes from donations. With the soaring cost of gas and supplies coupled with a decrease in tourism the sanctuary is in dire need of funds right now.

There are many ways in which you can help. The first and best way is to visit the sanctuary, see these amazing wolves for yourself and make a donation while you are there. The second way is to visit their website and either sponsor a wolf, sponsor a parcel of land, buy merchandise, or just make a direct donation online. The 3rd way is to purchase wolf prints from Dry Heat Photography. We donate 20% of our wolf print sales back to the sanctuary.

To learn more about the Wild Spirit Wolf Sanctuary or to acquire driving directions please visit their website.

For more information about ordering wolf prints from Dry Heat Photography please email info@dryheatphotography.com .

Camron and Cameron Maternity Session

2008-10-07T13:12:00.000-07:00

No, it's not a type-o - they both have the same name save for one letter. This session was September 21st at the Alameda Open Space.

Amanda and Ryan - The Wedding

2008-10-07T11:52:00.000-07:00

Amanda and Ryan were married on September 12th in the Hummingbird Garden at the Hyatt Tamaya. I was only with them for a couple hours but we had a great time!

To Amanda and Ryan, thank you for making me a part of your special day!
-DeAnna Dimmitt

Marta and Aaron - The Wedding

2008-10-06T21:47:00.000-07:00

You've all seen Marta and Aaron in the Engagement Session at The Botanical Garden now check out their awesome wedding in the Butterfly Garden the Hyatt Tamaya on September 13th.

To Marta, Aaron, Ashley and Caitlin, Thank you so much for making me a part of your special day!
-DeAnna Dimmitt

Evelyn and Jason - The Wedding

2008-10-06T18:13:00.000-07:00

Evelyn and Jason were married on September 6, 2008. The ceremony was at St. John's United Methodist Church and the reception was at the Hotel Albuquerque. You've seen them before in their Engagement Session at Elena Gallegos Open Space .

To Evelyn and Jason, thank you for making me a part of your special day!
-DeAnna Dimmitt

Introducing Heather and David

2008-10-06T18:00:00.000-07:00

To eveyone who follows the blog I apoligize for the long silence. My only explanation is busy busy busy busy - yeah, like that.

This is Heather and David's Engagement Session at Elena Gallegos on September 7. Stay tuned for Heather and David's wedding next week!

Elizabeth Harrington - The Bridal Session

2008-09-10T22:48:00.000-07:00

You've all been introduced to Arlen and Elizabeth during their Engagement Session now see Elizabeth on her own for this super cool Bridal Session at UNM. The wedding is coming up in October.

Call To Artists - Dry Heat Photography is now accepting submissions for Part 3 of the Soul Portraiture Series: Radiant Leaves

2008-09-04T18:04:00.000-07:00

The Art Gallery 66 is proud to host the third in a series of juried fine art photography exhibitions sponsored by Dry Heat Photography. Soul Portraiture is a journey into the essence of life; past, present and future. In a series of four shows we will explore the energy that defines life through a variety of subject matter. In Radiant Leaves both professional and amateur photographers are invited to submit up to five images illustrating the fleeting golden life radiating from the trees in autumn.
Works selected by the jurors will demonstrate excellent composition, technical skill, and a strong sense of presence.

Rules For Submission:
Jury fee of $25 may be paid via - PayPal or by check. Please make checks payable to Dry Heat Photography. To use Pay Pal please click the link below.

Laurie and Sean - The Wedding

2008-08-31T09:54:00.000-07:00

Laurie and Sean were married on August 24th at the Prairie Star Restaurant in Bernalillo. You've all seen them before in their Engagement Session and Laurie's Bridal Session As always, the Prairie Star delivers fantastic views and excellent dinner ;-) . Justin Johnson from Complete Music was in charge the evening's entertainment and everyone had a great time. I love these kind of spectacular Sunday weddings.
Thank you Laurie and Sean for making me a part of your Special Day!
-DeAnna Dimmitt

Would you like to have a sand ceremony as part of your wedding? Get your personalized vessels and colored sand at the Dry Heat Photography Wedding Store

Ally and Colin - The Wedding

2008-08-29T23:28:00.000-07:00

I photographed Ally and Collin's wedding on August 12 at Hotel Albuquerque, Old Town. This wedding was a blast, it had all the makings of a perfect wedding; great location, wonderful weather and fun people. Karen Stallard from Celebrations! did the coordinating. As always, Karen's team did a great job.
Thanks so much to Ally, Collin and your families for including me as part of your special day.
- Rick Meiers

Arwen and Aaryn - The Wedding

2008-08-29T21:09:00.000-07:00

Arwen and Aaryn were married on August 9th in the Pecos mountains. Aaryn's mom owns some land there and the ceremony was right out in nature. It was beautiful, wet, but beautiful. Arwen is Lee Champion's daughter. Rick and I shot Lee and Rick's wedding in May at the La Fonda Hotel in Santa Fe. Incidentally, Rick and I shot this wedding together too. The reception was at Frankie's Casa Nova in the town of Pecos. I think we may have gotten a little carried away with this blog entry - it will probably take a minute or so for all the photos to load. This is such a wonderful family - I hope they have some more relatives that want to get married because I would love to see them all again.

Thank you so much Arwen and Aaryn for making us a part of your special day!
-DeAnna and Rick

If there was a thought bubble above my head it would say "I wonder if I'm in this shot?"

Sedona the ring bearer

Beth and Scott - The Wedding

2008-08-29T17:26:00.000-07:00

Beth and Scott were married on August 5th. The ceremony was at the UNM Alumni Chapel and the reception was at Embassy Suites. Because I do so enjoy pointing out coincidences and instances of "small world" I would like to mention that when Beth came to my office for her initial consultation she brought her maid of honor, Amanda Schaefer, with her and, as it turns out, I had photographed Amanda's wedding several years ago at the Hyatt Tamaya. The thing that was coincidental about this is that neither of them realized who I was at first because I had shot Amanda's wedding while working for another studio. It is amazing to me how frequently things like this happen. Anyway, back to Beth and Scott... We just had a blast all day. I am truely blessed to have such amazing clients! Thank you so much Beth and Scott for making me a part of your special day!
-DeAnna Dimmitt

Angela and Shane - The Wedding

2008-08-28T13:51:00.000-07:00

Angela and Shane were married on August 16, 2008. The ceremony was at St. Joesph's On The Rio Grande and the reception was at Garduno's On The Green. They say that rain on your wedding day brings good luck. Well, if that's the case then Angela and Shane must be the luckiest people ever! Not only did it rain but I thought my car was going to float out of the church parking lot. We had to make some last minute changes to accommodate the weather but in the end everything worked out just the way it was supposed to - perfectly.

To my awesome bride and groom and their families - Thank you so much for making me a part of your special day!
-DeAnna Dimmitt

This is Angela with her sister, Monica. I shot Monica's wedding several years ago.

Apparently I'm in a sepia mood

Introducing Tiffani and Patrick

2008-08-28T13:46:00.000-07:00

DeAnna and I met up with Tiffani and Patrick at the Ellana Gallegos open space on July 15 (so I procrastinated a little on this entry). What a fun couple! The ladies had to keep a close watch on Patrick and I/we got a little distracted talking about motorcycles.
This was actually take three of thier session. The first time we had a bit of a wind problem. The second time, a huge thunderstorm stopped us. Third time's the charm, great weather and great light, what more could we ask for?

What a great contrast, and no that is not Patrick's foot.

I thought my Triumph had a lot of chrome, nothing quite like this. These Bigdog customs are loaded with it. What a great opportunity to use that shinny chrome to our advantage.

Introducing Lisa and Chris

2008-08-28T11:10:00.000-07:00

Rollin rollin rollin, keep them doggies rollin....

No, I'm not calling them doggies, rather, what I mean is That's the way we roll - one kickin' session after the next! Lisa and Chris had their Engagement Session at the UNM Duckpond on August 23rd. Their wedding is not until next summer but they're getting an early start on the photos.

Introducing Tina and Jason

2008-08-27T15:15:00.000-07:00

Am I rocking these blog entries out or what? I said I was going to get all the sessions up, and that we were shooting every night of the week... Anyway, this is Tina and Jason's Engagement Session on August 22 at Elena Gallegos Open Space. Tina and Jason brought their son, Christopher, along to be in some of photos and, aside from the vicious gnats, we all had a lovely time. You'll be seeing more of Tina and Jason in October!

Laura McConaghy - The Bridal Session

2008-08-27T14:07:00.000-07:00

Laura's bridal session was on 20th and was the third bridal session at the Convent for the week. Laura's dress has a wonderfully huge train which we put to good use as you will see. Laura and Greg will be tying the knot next month at St. John's Episcopal Church and Four Hills Country Club.

Tania Roehl - The Bridal Session

2008-08-26T20:58:00.000-07:00

You've all met Tania before in her and David's Engagement Session This was the 2nd of three Bridal Sessions at the Convent this week. This session was on the 19th and Tania and David's wedding was this Sunday the 24th.

Francine Maes - The Bridal Session

2008-08-26T19:49:00.001-07:00

As promised - here come all the sessions from the past couple weeks! Francine's bridal session was on August 18 at the Convent at El Zocalo in Bernalillo. We shot three sessions there this week so they are thinking about setting up some cots for us in the back. Just kidding 8-) As you can see Francine is lovely! She and Casey will be having their Engagement Session tomorrow and their wedding in late September at the Hotel Albuquerque.

Straight And Narrow Is The Path - Waste No Time

2008-08-26T18:03:00.000-07:00

Some of you may recognize that as the signature on my email. Others, who follow the blog, may just be wondering why we haven't shot anything in three weeks. Let me assure everyone that we have not been on vacation - far from it. Dry Heat Photography has been experiencing a truly unprecedented level of popularity and success! I don't think any of us have ever been this busy - ever - and what a blessing it has been! I could never have dreamed that in August of 2008 I would be on the phone booking weddings for 2010 and shooting amazing weddings and portrait sessions every night of the week. The only problem is we don't always have time to update the blog. No need to worry though - the blog is being worked on as we speak and the highlights from all the latest sessions will be available to the public soon.

As always, all of us at Dry Heat Photography would like to thank our amazing clientèle for their trust and friendship. It is all of you who make this possible.

-DeAnna

Tzufeng and Ben - The Wedding

2008-08-15T21:41:00.000-07:00

I first met Tzufeng and Ben at Karen Stallard's office. Karen owns Celebrations! Weddings and Events. I went there one evening not too long ago to meet with Tzufeng and Ben and the rest is history. The wedding was on August 8, 2008 at Casa de Suenos. What an incredible event!

I would like to offer my sincere thanks to Tzufeng and Ben for making me a part of their special day!

-DeAnna Dimmitt

Tzufeng and her brother

The Flower Girl

Some advice from Ben's uncle to his last nephew to get married

Tzufeng's vows

Introducing Erin and Gabe!

2008-08-14T13:29:00.000-07:00

DeAnna and I met up with Erin and Gabe at the Alameda open space. We were worried for a little bit about the weather but as usual it sprinkled for about five minutes, then the rain stopped and we were given perfect light. The open space is such a great place to shoot. Keep a lookout here for Erin's bridal session and Gabe and Erin's wedding.

Thanks you guys, we had a great time shooting.
-Rick Meiers

Kara and Ben - The Wedding

2008-08-12T12:54:00.000-07:00

I shot this wedding on August 3rd at Bishop's Lodge in Santa Fe. Kara and Ben, like so many of our clients, came to us via recommendation of some of our other clients. In this case it was Valerie and Tony .

This was really a great wedding! Sometimes the forces of the universe conspire to bring all the elements of perfection together on one day and, well, this was the day. I don't know what else to say about it, it was awesome!

Kara and Ben, thank you so much for making me a part of your amazing wedding!

-DeAnna Dimmitt

Romance Arabians

2008-08-03T10:05:00.002-07:00

After shooting the Zia Classic Arabian Horse Show Kathy Towery of Romance Arabians commissions us to come out to her farm in Corrales and photograph all of her amazingly beautiful black Arabians. What an awesome experience! Afterwards we had a potluck - what a perfect day...

Peggy and Patrick - The Wedding

2008-08-03T10:05:00.001-07:00

Rick and I shot this wedding on July 26th at the Desert Greens Golf Course. We were all a little worried about the big, dark clouds in the sky but, as luck would have it, the rain never did come that day and the clouds created some beautiful overcast light for us to work with. There were a lot of people involved as you will see in the photos of the wedding party. The families were big too and there were lots of guests. It is probably the biggest wedding I have ever seen at Desert Greens and it was definitely a two photographer job! I don't think Rick and I sat down at all the entire time. It was great! Peggy and Patrick are so happy and so much fun to be around.

Some of our other friends were involved with this one too. The Flower Gallery did the flowers and that was certainly no small task with the island theme and all the exquisite leis. Everyone had a lei! In addition Bob Gray from AMS Entertainment was in charge of the evening's music.

We had a blast and would like to thank Peggy and Patrick for making us a part of their special day!
-DeAnna Dimmitt and Rick Meiers

Patrick and his son

Peggy and her Dads

Introducing Amelia and Floyd

2008-08-03T10:03:00.000-07:00

Amelia and Floyd are such a fun couple. Rick and I met them out at Elena Gallegos last week on Thursday for their Engagement Session. After about 15 minutes of shooting we all had to partake of the bug spray but in the end it was a great evening and a great photo session. Stay tuned for the wedding - coming in September!

Passon Family Sitting

2008-07-30T19:47:00.000-07:00

Several months ago I was driving in between locations while shooting a wedding and I got a call from Chris Passon. He had been perusing the Dry Heat Photography website and blog and wanted to book a family sitting as a Mother's Day gift for his wife, Shannon. Last week Shannon's parents were in town so it was the perfect opportunity to get the whole family together at the Bio Park. We met at 9:00 in the morning and shot for a couple hours... Meet The Passons!

Shannon calls this pose "Upsidedown Man"

Say it with me now "Awwwww" 8-)

Mandy and Colin - The Wedding

2008-07-28T22:15:00.000-07:00

Last Friday, July 25, I had the honor of photographing Mandy and Colin's wedding at the Hotel Albuquerque. The ceremony was in the chapel and the reception was in the courtyard. As always the Hotel ABQ delivered a high class event in fine fashion. Jim Gross from Carousel Of Music was in charge of the entertainment and the party went on well into the night. Thank you Mandy and Colin for making me a part of your special day!
-DeAnna

Those three photos will be appearing on the walls of my office soon

Bill Howden officiates

Brittany and Chase - The Wedding

2008-07-22T12:20:00.000-07:00

Well, it finally happened; Brittany and Chase tied the knot at the Prairie Star on July 19th! This was such a great wedding! Of course from my perspective I gauge a wedding on how good the photos are and to reiterate - such a great wedding! One of the hardest things is deciding which images to use in the Blog. With over 1300 proofs it is practically impossible to narrow it down to such a small handful and I think there are still over 20 images in this blog entry.

As always I greatly appreciate our Dry Heat clients and would like to offer my sincere thanks to Brittany and Chase for making me a part of their special day!
-DeAnna

Before

Flowers by Melba's Flowers

I love these shots of the back of the dress!

Brittany's sister, Brook

Brittany's sister, Aubrey

And then it rained - a LOT.

Pumpkin Head, Iris, and Margot

2008-07-21T00:30:00.000-07:00

I realize that Dry Heat Photography does not specialize in cat photography but as I'm sitting here at 1:30 in the morning working on the blog I also have three curious cats trying to climb under and over my MacBook and basically treating me like their personal jungle gym. Anyone who knows me knows that I am benevolent to creatures and have an extra special weakness for kitties. That being said - please do not start bringing your unwanted cats to my office ;-) Let me introduce my girls;

Pumpkin Head

Iris

Margot

Introducing Angela and Shane

2008-07-20T23:11:00.000-07:00

This session was last Saturday and was actually supposed to be the same day as the Mike and Carol 10th Anniversary party but was rained out the first time. Anyway, I met up with Angela and Shane at the Elena Gallegos Open Space at 3:00 in the afternoon. Just in time for the clouds but before the daily downpour. When Angela initially came in to talk to me about shooting her wedding we realized that we knew each other already as I had actually shot her sister, Monica's, wedding several years ago. I was working for another studio at the time so it took us a few minutes to figure it out. Angela even brought in Monica's wedding album so I could look it over. What a kick!
-DeAnna Dimmitt

got distracted for a minute...

Mike and Carol 10th Anniversary

2008-07-20T23:10:00.000-07:00

What a fun gig this was! Rick and I shot it last week on Friday at the Indian Cultural Center. Mike and Carol are just the nicest people! As it turns out, Carol works at Say It With Cake. Needless to say then, the cake was excellent. Birdie and the rest of the staff were also in attendance. Justin Johnson from Complete Music was in charge of the entertainment and the whole thing was just a blast. Thank you Mike and Carol for making us a part of your special day!
-DeAnna and Rick

Kafora 50th Anniversary

2008-07-20T23:09:00.000-07:00

John and Wilma were married 50 years ago but, at the time, they did not have a big fancy wedding. So today, on their 50th Anniversary, John and Wilma do it up right and celebrate with all their family at the Hyatt Tamaya Resort!

Christin and Matthew's Wedding

2008-07-20T17:30:00.001-07:00

Here are some images taken at the recent wedding of Christin and Matthew Montano. The wedding was on July 12, and it was amazing!

Christin and Matthew are a perfect pair. They have been together for a long time, and are truly made for each other.

Both the ceremony and reception were held at the beautiful Hotel Albuquerque, and I had a great time being there that evening.

Christin and Matthew, you are a beautiful couple and I wish you many, many years of happiness together!!

-Angela

Introducing Leigh and J.D.

2008-07-20T17:19:00.000-07:00

Leigh and JD are engaged to be married on September 20, 2008. This past week I spent some time with them and their children in the mountains.

Leigh and J.D. are a perfect match, very laid-back and fun loving. We had a blast shooting these, as you can see from these images.

Leigh and J.D. , I'm looking forward to shooting your wedding. See you soon!

Angela

Introducing Caroline and Michael

2008-07-20T17:08:00.000-07:00

This past week I spent some time at one of our favorite places to shoot, Ellena Gallegos park.

I was met there by Caroline and Michael, and their adorable little 4 legged friend. Caroline and Michael will be married October 18, 2008. They are an awesome couple and here is their story....

Caroline was a freshman at the University of Texas at Austin and Michael, a senior, was working at the front desk in her dorm. The day they met, Michael was playing a "Third Day" CD, Caroline's favorite band, as she was walking by. Desiring to have a conversation with the mystery "Third Day" listener, she approached: "Excuse me, is that a Third Day CD?" Michael began to panic and thought maybe he was about to be fired for listening to Christian music on a secular college campus. Thankfully this wasn't the case. A 45- minute conversation and the interest in one another ensued. After dating for one year at UT, Michael graduated and enlisted in the US Army. The relationship continued long distance while Michael was stationed in Savannah, Georgia and deployed to Iraq. After three years of having a long distance relationship, Michael was assigned to Albuquerque, New Mexico where Caroline was also able to enter Graduate school. AT LAST, they were together again! After almost two years of being reacquainted with one another they decided they were ready to join their lives together!

Congratulations Caroline and Michael! See you guys on the big day!!
Angela

Michelle and Brian's Wedding

2008-07-03T05:34:00.001-07:00

Wedding Season is in full swing for all 3 of us at Dry Heat Photography!

I spent this past weekend at the Hyatt Tamaya photographing the wedding of Michelle Black and Brian Downey. Rick, DeAnna and I all love the Hyatt Tamaya as it provides the perfect backdrop to capture Dry Heat Photography Wedding Art.

I have known Michelle for many years now, and it was a joy to see her marry her best friend Brian. The wedding was absolutely beautiful, and I can truly say that the reception was like none other that I have ever seen.

MIchelle and Brian, you guys are a perfect match. The time I spent with you was wonderful and I wish you many, long, happy years together. Thank you for allowing me to be a part of your special day!!

Congratulations Tara and J.M.!

2008-07-02T21:20:00.001-07:00

Because it's a dry heat!
After the ceremony, Tera, J.M. and I went out on the mesa behind the church for some photos. It had to be over 100 degrees out there and no little to no shade. At one point J.M. thought his shoes were going to melt to the sand stone. These guys were great sports to go out in that kind of heat for these shots. The wedding was in Rehoboth, NM, (that's just a few miles outside of Gallup). The town now serves as a local Christian community. The bride and groom grew up here, they actually grew up two houses away from one another.
This shot, overlooking Rehoboth, is from the cemetery behind the new church. You can see the dirt road leading back into town. We needed a little bit of 4x4 action to get out here.

Hiking in the middle of the desert never looked so good.

This shot of Tera and M.J. is in front of the old Rehoboth church. The ceremony was held in the new church, which is considerably larger.

Thanks a lot you guys, the wedding was a blast! I can't wait to take DeAnna there to check out that cemetery. We are always looking for new interesting spots along old Rt.66.

We're Expanding!

2008-07-02T07:23:00.000-07:00

As of July 1st we have officially taken over the entire north end of the Art Gallery 66! In addition to the Snake Room we now also have the Lounge. Those of you who have been to the gallery know what I mean. Our frame shop, 66 Frames, will remain in the Snake Room but the Lounge will be become a consultation area to meet with my clients and a small section of it will become my office. The problem? Well, as you can see the Lounge was called the Lounge for a reason. With the purple and orange walls this was the smallest, darkest little room ever - not bride friendly. Really, just not friendly in general. The solution? Three days of repainting! Here's some before pics.

Here's Rick and Angela in the hall between the Snake Room and the Lounge. Rick is starting the first layer of primer.

Snake Room full of remodeling debris.

Coffee Break after primer layer

The main wall color is complete!

Time for tape and accent colors

How awesome are those cabinets?
Hint: the correct answer is "Wow! Those cabinets are sooooo awesome!"

Not bad for three days work!

Stay tuned for furniture.....

Dry Heat Photography Inducted into NMWP

2008-07-02T07:22:00.001-07:00

I am proud to announce that last week Dry Heat Photography was formally inducted into NMWP.
NMWP or New Mexico Wedding Professionals is New Mexico's premier wedding organization – the finest and most complete event planning source. We are so honored to be a part of this organization and to be considered one of New Mexico's premier wedding photographers.
Check out their website http://nmwp.com/
All of us at Dry Heat Photography would like to extend our sincere thanks to NMWP!
- DeAnna Dimmitt
- Rick Meiers
- Angela Gaeto

Introducing Valerie and Tony

2008-07-02T07:21:00.001-07:00

Valerie and Tony are actually getting married on July 12 in Los Alamos but they wanted to do this separate session at the UNM Duckpond with just the two of them. We wish Valerie and Tony all the best on their wedding day!

Introducing Laurie and Sean

2008-07-02T07:20:00.002-07:00

You've already met Laurie in her Bridal Session at Elena Gallegos on June 13. Last week on Friday I hooked up with Laurie and Sean in the Bosque for their Engagement Session. Rick was in Gallup, preparing to shoot a wedding in Rehoboth on Saturday so special thanks to my Mom for coming along to help out on the session.

Introducing Marta and Aaron

2008-07-02T07:20:00.001-07:00

More accurately, Introducing Marta, Aaron, Caitlin and Ashley! We shot this session last week on Tuesday at the Bio Park and I am a little embarrassed to admit that I had never been into the Japanese Garden area but I'm so glad that Marta wanted to go there because it was awesome!

Introducing Elizabeth and Arlen

2008-06-28T21:08:00.000-07:00

On Monday of last week Rick and I met Arlen and Elizabeth at the Alameda Open Space. We had to sit in the car for a bit to wait for a storm to blow over. As the old saying goes "if you don't like the weather wait ten minutes and it will change."
Elizabeth wrote a few paragraphs about how she and Arlen met. I have added them below.

HOW WE MET
We met our junior year of college at Christ the Redeemer Church in Spokane. The first Sunday Arlen attended he met my mom, instantly discovered the New Mexico connection, and she introduced him to a group of Whitworth girls (I was part of that group). Arlen and his roommate attended CTR sporadically for several years. We talked on Sundays, but never made contact outside of church. Right before I moved to Albuquerque, Arlen asked me out to dinner. And…he stood me up. Even after a "?" on Facebook it took him several days to remember our date. Arlen asked me out again to ice-cream and remembered. It was an inauspicious beginning to a wonderful relationship. We emailed that summer and slowly got to know each other. Arlen came to New Mexico several times to visit his family and I picked him up from the airport. Even after acknowledging feelings for each other, neither of us wanted to start a long-distance relationship. In November I went to Spokane for Thanksgiving, my birthday, and to see if things could work out. We started dating three days later. We dated long-distance until Arlen graduated from Gonzaga and moved to Santa Fe. After more long-distance, he moved to Albuquerque. Sixteen months after he asked me to be his girlfriend, he asked me to marry him.

THE PROPOSAL
Arlen had spent a week in California for a business trip, and even before he left we made a dinner date for the Sunday he returned. I knew the proposal would come sometime soon and hoped it might happen that night, so I painted my finger nails just in case. Arlen picked me up at around seven after cooking and (as I found out later) otherwise preparing for the entire day. We drove towards the mountains because the plan was to have a view of the sunset. Unfortunately, not only was the park Arlen wanted to go to already closed, but cooking took just enough longer than he had hoped that the sun had already set anyway. Oh well... We drove until we found a gorgeous view of the city lights and, as it was March and dark, we set up dinner in the back seat. After the meal Arlen said there was a special dessert and asked me if I wanted some (hint, hint). I said, "Oh, not quite yet. Let's wait a while" It took a lot of patience for Arlen not to repeatedly ask me if I wanted dessert, since he had put the ring in the trunk next to it. Finally, I was ready for Girl Scout cookies. Arlen dashed around to the trunk and grabbed the cookies and a book he had made about our "Seasons" together. They included long-distance, time in Spokane, New Mexico, more time apart, and finally together in Albuquerque. The book had a false bottom with a lock on it, so when we reached the last page all I saw was a date – March 9th, 2008 – and a locked compartment. Arlen knelt outside the car, pulled a key out of his pocket, and asked me to make that day the first day of the next season of our lives, and to walk the rest of the days of our lives together: "Will you marry me?" We were both crying by now, and I said an emphatic yes. I took the key and opened the lock on the book to find a breathtaking engagement ring. After recovering from the moment, we went to my parents' house where they had surprise champagne and dessert, just in case we dropped by. My entire family had known for a week that he would propose, but there was nonetheless jumping and laughing and much retelling. It was a wonderful proposal.

Brittany Johnson - The Bridal Session

2008-06-24T07:17:00.001-07:00

Dry Heat Photography is proud to present the lovely Brittany! On Wednesday we revisited the Convent at El Zocalo to shoot this bridal session. Brittany Johnson, as some of you may recall, was the very first bride to book her wedding with us. She is the one that started it all. This sitting was a blast, with several of Brittany's family members (including her sister Brook, whose wedding I shot under a different name a year ago) looking on there was plenty of lively conversation - and extra hands to help move furniture!

Once again we would like to extend our sincere thanks to all of our clients! It is you guys that make Dry Heat Photography a reality and to the Convent at El Zocalo for letting us run amok in their awesome building!

Call To Artists - Dry Heat Photography is now accepting submissions for Part 2 of the Soul Portraiture Series; Ancient Voices Distant Storms

2008-06-23T09:19:00.001-07:00

The Art Gallery 66 is proud to host the second in a series of juried fine art photography exhibitions sponsored by Dry Heat Photography. Soul Portraiture is a journey into the essence of life; past, present and future. In a series of four shows we will explore the energy that defines life through a variety of subject matter. In Ancient Voices Distant Storms both professional and amateur photographers are invited to submit up to five images illustrating the personal meaning they find in the phrase "Ancient Voices Distant Storms".
Works selected by the jurors will demonstrate excellent composition, technical skill, and a strong sense of presence.

Rules For Submission:
Jury fee of $25 may be paid via - PayPal or by check. Please make checks payable to Dry Heat Photography. To use Pay Pal please click the link below.Artists may submit up to five digital files sized no larger than 485 pixels in any direction, at 72 dpi. Please include image titles, format, and finished sizes for each image. Send images with artists bio and resume to info@dryheatphotography.com .
Deadline for submissions is July 9, 2008.
All accepted artwork must be delivered to the gallery no later than July 14, 2008. Artists are responsible for matting and framing of their own images and all artwork must be ready to hang when delivered.
An artist's reception will be held on Friday July 18 from 5:00 to 8:00 and the show will hang for one month.
Artist/Gallery split is 50/50.

For more information please contact:
DeAnna Dimmitt
info@dryheatphotography.com

Krysta and Nathan's Wedding

2008-06-21T22:56:00.000-07:00

Tonight I had the privilege of photographing the wedding of Krysta Wayne and Nathan Orona. (You may remember this couple from an earlier blog showing their engagement shots.)

After many months of planning, the wedding went off perfectly. The ceremony was held at Heights Cumberland Presbyterian Church and the reception was at the MountainView club. The entire day was perfect including the awesome sunset.

I had a blast spending the day with this amazing couple! As you can see, these two are very much in love and photographing them was pure joy.

Congratulations Krysta and Nathan!!

Introducing Tania and David

2008-06-20T23:43:00.000-07:00

On Tuesday evening, in sweltering 103 degree heat (it is Dry Heat Photography after all), we met Tania and David in Old Town to shoot their engagement session. These guys were having so much fun I think they forgot we were there. It was great! We shot for well over an hour and the end result is a session that I feel not only captures the essence of Tania and David but also the captures the Old Town aesthetic. See for yourself...

I'm going to take this opportunity to shamelessly plug our good friend, Darryl Willison.
The fancy blue cowboy you see in the above photo is a collaborative effort between America's Drawing Cowboy, Darryl Willison, and renowned steel sculptor, the late OK Harris. Pieces such as this will only be available to the public for a short time longer due to the fact that they are no longer being produced. The extremely limited availability substantially increases the collectability of each piece and lends a historical significance to the body of work as a whole. Darryl is also the director of the Art Gallery 66 which is where we call home and the AG66 has the largest inventory of these steel sculptures currently available to the public.

Introducing Jennifer and Chad

2008-06-20T12:56:00.000-07:00

On Monday evening we met Jennifer and Chad at the UNM Duckpond for their Engagement Session. Even though their wedding is not until summer of 2009 they wanted to get an early start on their Engagement Photos so they could send out their Save The Date cards!

Introducing Stephanie and Alex

2008-06-18T23:49:00.000-07:00

Proving my theory that everyone loves Elena Gallegos Open Space - Stephanie and Alex love it too! Even after ten years of shooting in Albuquerque we still consider it a "hot spot" location that never loses it's charm. It's also a great place to go hiking. Stephanie and Alex are getting married in July so stay tuned...

Laurie Karr - The Bridal Session

2008-06-14T10:31:00.000-07:00

Because It's A Dry Heat...
Let me introduce you all to Laurie Karr. We shot this bridal session last night at Elena Gallegos Open Space. This is such a beautiful location that it is quickly becoming a favorite amongst our clients. The weather was perfect, the wind was tame and the only real issue was the gnats but we at Dry Heat Photography will not be deterred by insects! Anyway, all the elements came together for a beautiful Bridal Session here it is. Stay tuned for Laurie and Sean's Engagement Session in two weeks!

The Dry Heat Photography Wedding Store

2008-06-11T18:54:00.000-07:00

We've been offering this service for quite awhile now but it's so cool that I would like to take this opportunity to tell everyone about it. It's called The Wedding Store and all of you brides out there need to check this out! The Wedding Store has an extensive inventory of over 2400 awesome wedding accessories - many of which are extremely unique and things you will not likely find at a local shop. I have been to literally thousands of weddings and have rarely even seen stuff this cool or cute. I don't mean that to sound all cheesy or anything but I really mean it - it's a cool online store, give it a look!
http://www.theweddingstore.weddingstar.com/

Introducing Evelyn and Jason

2008-06-05T21:50:00.000-07:00

Evelyn and Jason might qualify as getting the cart before the horse seeing as we shot the engagement session and then went to Flying Star to book the wedding over dinner. We had a great evening with them. It's always fun to get to know our clients. Despite the fact that we do have an actual studio and an art gallery it seems that everyone (by everyone I mean me) loves to go to Flying Star! I think it's the Red Stuff and the Crave Salad... Anyway, Rick and I met Evelyn and Jason at Elena Gallegos Open Space and set out to face the cactus. Elena Gallegos is actually one of my favorite places to shoot and we have several more sessions scheduled there in the near future.

Might have gotten carried away with the cactus...

Brittany and Travis - The Wedding

2008-06-04T15:55:00.000-07:00

Brittany and Travis were married on May 24, 2008 at the Prairie Star in Bernalillo. Rick shot this wedding and it is the second one he has done for this family! A couple years ago he shot the bride's brother's wedding. It is always so flattering when our client's family members come back us for their own weddings.

It's always such a picturesque scene for the ceremony's at Prairie Star. That old cottonwood and the view of the Sandia Mountains make a near perfect backdrop.

Jim Gross - Sandia Moment Release Party

2008-06-04T15:14:00.000-07:00

On May 20th Rick and I attended the release party for Jim Gross's debut album, Sandia Moment! The party was downtown at the One Up! club. Several months ago we spent the day with Jim driving around in the desert - truck full of clothes, hats, guitars and camera gear in search of the perfect place to shoot the album cover. We found the most amazing location and it just spoke to all of us. The shoot itself was a little treacherous with the wind howling the whole time and Jim's hat constantly flying off his head. In addition, there was a dog hanging out, who was cute at first, but became steadily more and more persistent about being the center of attention. At one point I was laying on the ground to get a shot and the dog was actually standing on my back! Yeah, sounds funny now.... Anyway - skip ahead to about 6 weeks ago and Rick is spending the night at Jim's studio helping Jim and his daughter Christie with the graphic design for the album cover. Jim is a dear friend of ours and we were so excited to come and support him when the album was finally released! It is always a wonderful feeling to see your hard work turn your dreams into reality!
Jim was so inspired by this image, he wrote a song titled Cemetery Road.

Here are a few shots of the performance from the release party. I have been listening to Jim perform at wedding for the past decade, so it was quite a treat to hear him play with back up musicians.

On congas and latin percusion was Paul Serna.

On violin was Gloria Velasco. On Native American Flute was Andrew Thomas.

And of course, the legend himself, Jim Gross. For more information about Jim Gross and Carousel Of Music please visit his website http://www.carouselofmusic.com/

Introducing Esther and Sean

2008-06-04T14:14:00.000-07:00

I must say that we are rolling into summer in fine style! I could have only hoped that we would have so many wonderful clients! Esther and Sean are no exception, of course! They don't mess around either. We booked the wedding on Friday and shot the engagement session on Monday evening at the UNM Duckpond. The wedding is in November - stay tuned....

Introducing Arwen and Aaryn

2008-05-31T22:48:00.000-07:00

Arwen is Lee Champion's (see previous post) daughter. After Lee and Rick's wedding at the La Fonda in Santa Fe we hit the town to shoot Arwen and Aaryn's engagement sitting. Their wedding is in August in Pecos, NM. We set out on foot and walked across the plaza to Casa Sena.

Arwen and Aaryn have shared many a pizza at the Atomic Grill so we went there next.

Lee and Rick - The Wedding

2008-05-31T22:47:00.000-07:00

We first met Lee at a bridal fair and we all just hit it off! She and Rick are just an amazing couple and, as you have seen from the past blog entires we've already had a lot of fun together. Rick and I decided to shoot this wedding together - totally candid. It was a bit of a departure from the norm and we loved it! The wedding was on May 18 at the La Fonda Hotel in Santa Fe.

Aprille and Eric - The Wedding

2008-05-21T19:45:00.000-07:00

...and what a beautiful wedding it was! The ceremony was at the Nativity Of The Blessed Virgin Mary Church and I have never seen a bride whose dress actually complimented this church better than Aprille. Admittedly I do have a tendency to get carried away when shooting photos of the bride. ;-) After the wedding we went to the UNM Duck Pond for another session of just the bride and groom. I did not photograph the reception on this one but if it was anything like the rest of the day I imagine they had a blast!

See what I mean? She is traditionally fantastic!

I discovered along the way that Aprille and Eric wanted to go to the duck pond because they have emotional attachments to several of the trees there. This is Aprille and Eric under their favorite Willow Tree. You would never guess there was a graduation ceremony and hundreds of people milling about right behind them!

...under their favorite Cotton Wood tree. Does it get any better than this???

Thank you Aprille and Eric for making me a part of your Special Day!

-DeAnna Dimmitt
Dry Heat Photography