Meet Laura Vonkampen | Colorado and Destination Wedding Photographer

We had the good fortune of connecting with Laura Vonkampen and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Laura, why did you decide to pursue a creative path?
I firmly believe that every person on this earth has beauty, value, and a story worth telling. I also am constantly in awe of the beauty of the world around us, and I always feel a drive to create photos. The concept of documenting special moments for so many amazing people, in the amazing world we live in, has driven me to pursue my artistic career as a professional photographer. I truly love what I do, and I feel so blessed to have the ability to pursue this career.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
When I first started taking photos, I was a junior in high school, photographing my best friends. Over time these fun little photo shoots turned into taking senior photos, college sports photos, and weddings all over the country. From the first time I picked up my first camera, I knew that this was what I was supposed to be doing. This feeling has not gone away.

I remember the first time I went to Glacier National Park, hanging out the side of the window with my camera as my friend drove up Going-to-the-Sun Road while the sky turned pink. I felt so connected with the world around me in that moment through the photos I was creating. In moments like this, I feel completely aligned, as though my camera is an extension of my body, documenting the world exactly as I see and feel it. I love to bring this aligned connection in my work to every session and wedding I photograph, while also connecting with my clients and their beautiful stories.

Moving to Colorado after graduating from college has been such a leap of faith with the most rewarding outcomes. While every new experience comes with its own set of challenges, I have had the opportunity to work with the most amazing clients, build new connections, learn to step into my independence in a new way, trust in God more, and embrace the opportunity to grow as a person and artist every day. Taking this risk has changed my life in ways I never thought possible. I constantly feel inspired by the mountains, the people, and everything about the way life moves here.

I love that my photography business has given me the opportunity to tell the stories of so many amazing people in our beautiful world. I want every person I photograph to walk away from our time together feeling loved, seen, and beautiful. I truly believe that every person has a beautiful story worth knowing, and it is the honor of my lifetime to document their stories through photographs in Colorado and throughout the world!

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
If my best friend was visiting the area and I wanted to show them the best time ever, there are so many great places I would take them in Colorado.

Most importantly, we would start every day with coffee. Something I love about Colorado is how many insanely good, perfectly aesthetic coffee shops there are. I am always on a mission to find the best coffee shops in the state. In Colorado Springs, Loyal Coffee and Building Three are two must-visits for good coffee and great community. Denver has the ever-beautiful Hello Darling, as well as the amazing Brew Coffee Culture. As we travel a little further in the mountains, Plume Coffee Bar in Silver Plume and The Frothy Cup in Idaho Springs are two spots off I-70 that bring the coziest, mountain vibes. In Breckenridge, I always have to hit Mountain View Coffee Bar — the place with the kindest baristas and best environment. In Estes Park, I love Coffee on the Rocks in the summertime. It’s a place that feels like summer camp in the best way, where you can feed the ducks, sit under tall trees on the porch, and hear the rushing river right outside.

I love hiking, so I am always on the hunt for the best, most beautiful hikes to share with my friends when they visit. A few of my favorite places for hiking (so far!) are Lake Isabelle, Mayflower Gulch, St. Mary’s Glacier, and so many different spots in Summit County.

In the summer months, I would recommend a day trip to Piney River Ranch outside of Vail in a heartbeat. You can rent canoes and paddle around the alpine lake there, with the most gorgeous mountain views stretching in front of you. There’s also some amazing hiking in the area, and it’s worth a stop at their restaurant and gift shop.

Finally, you can’t beat a short trip down to the Great Sand Dunes National Park, where you are completely transported into what feels like another world. I stayed in the cutest tiny house Airbnb off the grid just beyond the dunes, and I would go back to stay and explore any time! Hiking up the dunes is such a mesmerizing experience — the world feels so vast and breathtaking there.

This is just scratching the surface on the list of places I would recommend checking out in Colorado — it is such a gorgeous state with an abundance of cool places to experience.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
My mom is my biggest supporter, and I truly wouldn’t be where I am without her and her love. She believes in my dreams and is always there cheering me on. She is someone I have always been able to trust to send new work to for feedback — she has so much wisdom and creativity. Even in the times when I haven’t believed in myself, she always has. I just love her so deeply and am so grateful for her!

Website: https://www.lauravonkampenphotography.com

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