I’ve worked as a professional photographer for more than a decade. I have a Bachelor’s Degree in photojournalism and started out in the newspaper industry. During that time, I shot everything from criminal court trials to Detroit Pistons games (I’m originally from Michigan); structure fires to beauty pageants; congressional debates to high school football games on Friday nights. Every day was a new challenge; every assignment a new learning opportunity. My time as a photojournalist taught me to be resourceful and to think on my feet, which has proven invaluable for wedding photography. In the summer of 2008, I started shooting weddings on the side and absolutely loved it. I was able to visit new places, meet new people, and was granted a very important and personal role in what was arguably the most joyful day of their lives. Plus, I started getting a ton of compliments on my work and how it was different from typical wedding photography. People would tell me that they could spot one of my photos from a mile away without having to be told who the photographer was – that I was beginning to cultivate a very specific style. So when my wife, Moira, and I moved to Colorado that fall, I decided to make wedding photography my full-time career; we started J. La Plante Photo and never looked back. When I’m not behind the lens, you can probably find me on the slopes. Skiing is one of the main reasons I moved west. I’m also obsessed with the music scene out here. Red Rocks is by far the coolest venue I’ve ever been to. I’m a craft beer nerd, a movie buff, an amateur screenwriter and an avid reader of both fiction and non-fiction alike. And I love to travel. I’ve been to 18 foreign countries and all 50 United States. I drove all over the American West before deciding to settle in Colorado, where I immediately fell in love with the state’s blend of urban and outdoor lifestyles. The proximity of Denver to the mountains felt too good to be true and now, eight years later, it still feels that way. I can’t imagine a more perfect setting for a wedding photographer. [Boulder Wedding Photographer]

I don't take myself too seriously - but I do LOVE my job. When I’m shooting I’m a total goof, creating a fun atmosphere where it’s easy for you to feel comfortable being YOURSELF. The word “professional” in front of “photographer” is hard for me to stomach, since I lie in the dirt A LOT and have been known to swear like a sailor. But what I lack in dignity I make up for in sound effects. I have been shooting weddings full time since 2013 though, so I guess I must accept the title. I'm your built-in hype girl. I am also an “adult.” More about me: -I met my husband when I moved to Colorado in 2015 – literally, on my first night here- and now we have two terrible/adorable cats and a forever sleepover. -My favorite food is anything wrapped in more food. Pierogies. Ravioli. Potstickers. Tacos. Samosas. Empanadas. Give it to me. -I’ve danced contra, swing, lindy, blues, and fusion, but off the dancefloor, I’m a total klutz. I once cut myself on a bagel, which is the roundest object known to all mankind. It’s bad, dudes. -Still not over how cute bunnies are. Who is, though? -I’m a Highly Sensitive Person, (HSP) and I have Misophonia (which is, unfortunately, not a soup). -I previously worked in veterinary surgery and volunteered at spay/neuter clinics and a raptor rehab center. My feral cat wrangling skills rarely come into play at weddings, but when they do.. -I’ve traveled to New Zealand, Indonesia, The Bahamas, Bermuda, Germany & Austria, where I kept cheese in my pockets to lure stray cats into my arms. It was.. occasionally successful. If you have been to New Zealand, we are already friends. [Denver Wedding Photographer]