Rising Stars: Meet Sean Lara of Denver

Today we’d like to introduce you to Sean Lara.

Hi Sean, so excited to have you on the platform. So before we get into questions about your work-life, maybe you can bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today?
Sean and I each bring over a decade of experience to the table—he as a photographer, and I as a videographer. Our paths crossed many times in the wedding industry, and we quickly realized we shared the same philosophy: high-quality work shouldn’t have to come with a premium price tag. Together, we co-founded Authentic Moments to make stunning, genuine wedding media accessible to couples who want fantastic results without breaking the bank.

From the start, we’ve focused on creating a company that feels more like a partnership with each couple. We’re passionate about capturing the realness of each wedding day—the moments that aren’t staged but hold the most meaning. Every time we deliver a final product, it’s our goal that couples feel as if they’re reliving their day, exactly as it happened, with all the warmth and beauty intact. From this, Authentic Moments was born.

We provide high-quality, affordable wedding photo and video services, capturing each couple’s story with care and attention to detail. Our team is local, highly experienced, and easy to work with, taking pride in delivering beautiful, genuine photos and videos that clients can cherish forever.

Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
The journey with Authentic Moments over the past two years has been anything but smooth, but every challenge has brought valuable lessons. Sean and I both continue to operate our own brands alongside Authentic Moments, which has been a balancing act at times. Building a business together meant merging our individual approaches, aligning our visions, and sometimes adjusting the way we each worked in order to serve our clients even better.

One of the biggest learning curves has been adapting to growth while keeping our core values intact. Recently, we reached an exciting milestone by becoming the exclusive video vendor for Wedgewood venues here in Colorado. This partnership is a big step forward for us, and it’s a testament to the hard work we’ve put in to establish Authentic Moments as a trusted, quality-driven brand. While the road hasn’t always been easy, each step has only strengthened our commitment to delivering exceptional wedding media, and we’re looking forward to continuing this journey.

Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
In my work as a videographer, I’m known for taking the more challenging route if it means delivering the best results. I choose high-quality cameras with larger file sizes and work with prime lenses, which are more expensive and less flexible, but they allow me to prioritize capturing the highest-quality visuals possible. Even with this focus on quality, I maintain a laid-back approach that makes it easy for couples to relax and be themselves in front of the camera.

What truly sets me apart is this balance between technical excellence and a natural, easygoing style. I believe weddings are already beautiful and don’t need to be overly directed or staged. My goal is to document each moment as it unfolds, giving couples stunning, cinematic visuals that feel true to their experience and that they’ll be able to cherish for years to come.

What I’m most proud of is that my style truly puts my clients first. In every wedding, I’m not trying to create a showcase of my own brand or style—I’m there to capture the day as it naturally unfolds, making sure that the focus stays on the couple and their unique story. This client-centered approach has helped my brand become well-recognized and referred by wedding planners, photographers, vendors, and, most importantly, by couples who’ve experienced my work.

One of my proudest achievements was having a wedding I filmed featured in the New York Times. That recognition was incredibly validating and underscored the impact of staying true to this style. What really sets me apart is that I’ve built a reputation on creating high-quality, cinematic visuals without overpowering the day’s genuine moments. It’s a process that prioritizes the couple’s experience over any visual “formula,” allowing me to deliver something that feels uniquely theirs.

Have you learned any interesting or important lessons due to the Covid-19 Crisis?
The Covid-19 crisis taught us a lot, especially about resilience and adaptability in the wedding industry. Surprisingly, 2020 turned out to be our busiest year yet, and demand has only grown since then. We quickly learned that, pandemic or not, love finds a way—couples were still determined to get married, and we were committed to capturing those moments for them.

One interesting shift was that couples became more cautious and started asking more “what if” questions, especially around unexpected scenarios. For instance, we were suddenly fielding questions like, “What happens if you get seriously injured… or, you know, die?” It was a unique adjustment, to say the least! While it’s a serious question, we’ve come to expect a bit of humor in these unexpected asks, and it’s helped us develop clear contingency plans to give couples peace of mind no matter what.

Pricing:

• Our photography pricing begins at $1800
• Our videography pricing begins at $1200
• We offer a 10% discount for bundling both!

Contact Info:

• Website: https://authentic-moments.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/authenticmomentsmedia
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AuthenticMomentsMedia/
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@AuthenticMomentsMedia
• Other: https://vimeo.com/authenticmoments