Lauren+Keith | Kansas City Maternity

I had the opportunity of photographing Lauren and Keith’s wedding back in 2020, during the height of the pandemic. We go together in a little chapel in Miami, Oklahoma with a small group of friends and family. And now here we are just a few short years later, and they are welcoming a baby girl into their family here in about a month! I love getting to follow families through their growth from engagement to wedding to maternity and then family sessions. As photographer, I get to capture the evolution of a family and document the changes as time passes. It’s one of my favorite things about what I do.

When Lauren asked me to do her maternity session, I did not hesitate. I love getting to work with repeat clients and it’s not often enough I get to work in the studio. We used a mocha backdrop for about half the session, and switch to a deep blue (my favorite), and then finished out with some of the exposed brick in the studio, and we couldn’t skip the wood framed windows with gorgeous natural light.

I don’t get to do very many sessions like this and I gotta say, I wish maternity boudoir was more of a thing. I think often times, pregnancy can make women feel like not the sexiest version of themselves, but your body is doing an amazing thing creating a tiny human, and this is the perfect opportunity to document that process before giving birth. Document it for someone you love, or for yourself.

When we look in the mirror, our eyes often go straight to our perceived flaws. The boudoir photography session is the perfect opportunity to erase a lot of that information we think we have about ourselves. You’ll get to see yourself through my lens and the way you see yourself will be forever changed moving forward.

Want us to photograph your maternity or newborn session? The conversation starts right here. Drop us a line to get the ball rolling!

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Ashlyn+Grant | Colorado Wedding
Ashlyn+Grant | Colorado Wedding

I’ve traveled a lot over the years for weddings to different parts of the country, and I’ve found that the older I get, the less enchanted I’ve become with the prospect of a destination wedding. But a Colorado mountain wedding just does something for my soul. It reinvigorates my passion and love for what I do, reminds me why I do it, and pushes me further forward in this journey of wedding photography that I’ve been on for over ten years now. We started back in 2012 and back then, traveling for a wedding wasn’t even a thought in my head. Now I’m headed to far off places a few times a year, and I’m forever grateful for these opportunities to see all the beautiful parts of this country.

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When Ashlyn and Grant contacted me about photographing their wedding in Colorado, I jumped at the opportunity. Colorado is a state that I fell in love with in my teenage years and early twenties, traveling out to snowboard and vacation with friends and family over the years. These days I’m in love with Colorado for a different reason. Because it provides the most beautiful backdrop for gorgeous wedding photos, and traveling out for a wedding is an absolutely excellent excuse for a mini vacation. Those two pair really nicely together. Just another reason for me to love this profession that I’ve chosen.

This new small gathering of friends and family in an Air BnB, I’m here for it. I seem to be getting more and more of this style of wedding, and it makes my job so much easier for a lot of reasons. A lot of times it means smaller bridal parties, like in Ashlyn & Grant’s wedding, which means I get to spend so much more time doing portraits with the bride and groom. I’m never mad about that. The small elopements also eliminate a lot of the hustle and bustle and distractions you get with big production weddings. Again, less distraction makes my job so much easier to do.

Being a Dad to a little girl myself, anything Father Daughter related always puts my in my feelings. Dad’s dancing with their daughters at their weddings, walking them down the aisle and giving them away or just a random Toyota commercial, it all hits me that way. So when I heard Bill start to read this letter from his daughter Ashlyn, well I’ll just say it’s nice to have such a big camera to hide my face. It went something like this as Bill emotionally read the tear filled note…“Dad….I hope you know that I am an absolute mess writing this. Not because I’m a girl, but because I have been and always will be a daddy’s girl. I’ve always looked forward to this day with you. It’s hard to come to the realization that you are officially giving me away today. I might have some of your bad genes, health wise, but I most definitely have all of your good ones that make me strong and independent like you, and hardheaded, love you”.

Ashlyn and Grant wrote the most heart felt vows to each other and read them as the snow fell down around them, surrounded by their closest group of friends and all their family. It was a magical site to see and one I won’t soon forget.

Want us to photograph your wedding? The conversation starts right here. Drop us a line to get the ball rolling?

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The #1 Question All Brides Should Be Asking Their Wedding Photographer
The #1 Question All Brides Should Be Asking Their Wedding Photographer

This article is to help you distinguish between multiple wedding photographers whose cost is in the same ballpark, but you have you have no idea what sets them apart. You don’t know this yet, but even though they cost the same, they have vastly different levels of experience, and to help you avoid a potential negative experience with an inexperienced photographer on your wedding day. The number one question I would ask when interviewing potential wedding photographer is a question that I rarely, if ever get asked when speaking with potential wedding clients. “How many weddings have you photographed?”. If you are getting married and planning to speak with photographers about shooting your wedding, put this phrase in your front pocket. Also, I should say if your goal is to hire an inexperienced photographer for less money due to budget constraints, please do that, the budget is the budget and this post isn’t for you.

I have photographed over 400 weddings in the last ten years, and have the unique perspective of being a photographer who is also a videographer. So the weddings where I’m solely shooting video, I get to work with other photographers, so I’ve got to witness hundreds of other photographers do their thing. Let me tell you, as a bystander shooting video, I’ve seen the ‘oh shit’ look wash over a brides face about midway through their wedding day FAR too many times, when they realize they hired the wrong photographer. Don’t let this be you.

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Let’s talk about why we want to ask this question. One of the many dirty little secrets is that photographers who are just starting out will take a few pretty pictures, put together a little website and instagram and slap a price on their wedding packages commensurate to professional photographers who have been doing this for years, and voila, they are booking weddings (and tricking brides). For the purposes of this conversation, let’s call this the Under 100 Wedding photographer, or Under 100 for short, and the experienced photographer we’ll call the Over 200 wedding photographer, or 200+ for short. (Disclaimer: if you’re an awesome photographer with under 100 weddings, hell yeah, do your thing. I’m only speaking in generalities based on my experience, so don’t let this be a shot at you). If you are choosing your photographer, solely on instagram posts, these two photographers may be indistinguishable from each other. But I’m here to tell you, and if you take one thing from this post, the difference between Under 100 and 200+ are VASTLY DIFFERENT EXPERIENCES LEADING UP TO YOUR WEDDING, ON YOUR WEDDING DAY, AND POST WEDDING. Here’s why…

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So let’s talk a bit about the differences in that experience. Here’s all the things Under 100 is going to do that annoy the piss out of you on your wedding day.

  1. Under 100 (because of their insecurities as a photographer) is going to ask you a shit load of questions all day, and 200+ isn’t going to ask any questions. “Where do you want to do first look?, Would you rather do portraits over here, or over here?” and the list goes on and on. Over 200 wedding guy is going to tell you exactly what to do, doesn’t have any questions for you. He’s done this so many times, he knows exactly where everything is supposed to happen. This is like breathing to him. Your photographer is the professional, they shouldn’t be asking you questions on preferences. They should be telling you what to do.

  2. Under 100 is going to short change you on your portrait session (again, insecurities…) . They’ll take ten minutes or so for the bride and groom , ‘ummm’ you to death the whole time, maybe look at their phone for pose ideas, spend a couple minutes just them and their second shooter looking at the gorgeous sun flare they accidentally got , and inevitably they’ll run out of ideas and tell you that they are all done (insert big eye roll). 200+ is going to take pictures of you and your new groom until the sun goes down or cows come home or whatever the saying is LOL, because they want to give you bang for your buck and be happy with your experience of having them as your wedding photographer. They don’t need their phone or Pinterest board for ideas. All the ideas are in their head because they’ve done this so many times.

  3. Ok, this kind of falls under #2, but 200+ is going to be doing rapid fire prompting and poses as their creativity flows quickly, because they want to give you a full bodied, versatile album that lacks in nothing and is worthy of a magazine. Under 100 is going to deliver an album that leaves you wanting so much more, because of the short changing on your portrait sessions. Under 100’s often take forever to get through their poses. I’ve worked with photographers who will have a bride and groom in the same pose for 5-10 minutes. I don’t know if they’re stuck in their head, like they don’t know what the next idea is or what, but this is way too long and your finished album is going to really suffer because of this.

4. Under 100 is going to get confused and frustrated by lighting situations that aren’t exactly what they’re used to, and your pictures are going to suffer in a big way. 200+ has seen it all and is comfortable shooting in any lighting situation. To be really REAL with you right now, there are plenty of photographers over 100 weddings who don’t even know how to work the features of their own camera, let alone a flash if needed. They don’t know how to work in direct sunlight if all they ever do is work in the shade, or vice versa.

I CANNOT STRESS THIS ENOUGH, BUT THESE TWO HYPOTHETICAL PHOTOGRAPHERS IN THIS SCENARIO COST THE SAME. THIS IS EXTREMELY COMMON BY THE WAY, A PHOTOGRAPHER WHO HAS DONE 25 WEDDINGS MIGHT COST THE SAME AS A PHOTOGRAPHER WHO HAS PHOTOGRAPHED 200. BY NOW I THINK YOU KIND OF GET THE POINT AS TO WHY THIS IS A BIG DEAL, AND WHY YOU HAVE TO ASK THIS QUESTION. WHAT WAS IT AGAIN? SAY IT WITH ME….

HOW MANY WEDDINGS HAVE YOU PHOTOGRAPHED?

the roast continues…

5. The 200+ wedding photographer is going to be THROWING full wedding albums at you when you inquire with them. They are proud of their work and every single picture they’ve taken. Under 100 is going to try and steer you toward their portfolio or instagram so you can only see their greatest works. This is a good way to tell right off the bat. Is your photographer sharing full albums with you? If not, ask for them, and not just one. You need to see a few.

6. The inexperienced Under 100 tends to be overly posey, and what I mean by that is they don’t yet have quality prompts to get the reactions that they want (or tbh they may not have even discovered prompts and just love posing) to make good photos, so they are just going to pose you instead of prompting you to get big smiles and natural laughs we all love to see in photos that make them look so candid and beautiful. You might see a couple natural laughs on their instagram feed that they lucked into. Don’t be fooled, and don’t hire your photographer based on an instagram feed while we’re at it, in case I didn’t make that point clear enough earlier on. Instagram is the exact opposite of a meritocracy, where you can increase your popularity and bookings by talking louder (posting more frequently). This is the most ass backwards thing in our galaxy if you ask me, but that’s a conversation for a different day. Instagram is a convoluted crap shoot mess of photographers that tells you almost nothing about the quality of the experience you’ll get on your wedding day and what your album that gets delivered to you will look like.

Let me reiterate, the post is to help you distinguish between two photographers priced the same, with vastly different levels of experience. Don’t get bamboozled by someone with a cool instagram galavanting as a wedding photographer. Hire a professional and don’t forget to ask…

HOW MANY WEDDINGS HAVE YOU PHOTOGRAPHED?

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Danae+Shawn | Wedding | Photographer

Danae and Shawn got married on March 13th at Christpoint Church in Galena, Kansas. Somehow, six days of straight rain stopped long enough for us to have this wedding and get beautiful outdoor wedding photos before the rain started again the next day! These two love birds got together for our first wedding this spring. They sent each other sweet love letters and read them before the wedding. They laughed and had fun with their closest friends as we took bridal party portraits. They said their vows and sealed it with a kiss! Then they made memories in the photo booth and danced the night away surrounded by their family and all of their friends. It was a pretty perfect day. Here’s a few early favorites from Danae and Shawn’s wedding day!

Want us to photograph your wedding? Drop us a line right here to get the ball rolling!

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Molly+Jeff | Fayetteville, Arkansas Wedding | Photographer

I put a bow on this year with my final wedding of 2020. Molly and Jeff got married at the Likewise Wedding & Event Space in Fayetteville, Arkansas. This space is so industrial, urban, hip, and an absolute dream to photograph in. Northwest Arkansas is full of dream wedding venues, and this place fits right in. Natural light is leaking through the windows all the way around and Molly and Jeff were the perfect couple to photograph and bring a close to 2020. Molly and Jeff were also the first couple ever to get married in this space so that’s something special that they will always remember. The bride and groom recited vows in a small ceremony, and shortly following the newlyweds tasted some delicious cake and indulged in a glass of champagne before portraits in the event space. Then we headed over to The Inn at Carnal Hall on U of A campus to finish up portraits. I can’t think of a better way to close out 2020 than this absolutely perfect wedding day! Congratulations Molly and Jeff. Here’s a few of my early favorites from their wedding day!

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Ashley+Taylor | Whitaker Point Elopement Wedding

I met my new friends Ashley and Taylor down in Northwest Arkansas for their elopement wedding on the Hawksbill Crag at Whitaker Point. I made the long drive through the mountains of Northwest Arkansas to meet up with these sweethearts and their two pups to make the mile and half hike out to Whitaker Point, where they would recite their handwritten vows. The scene from the top of Whitaker Point is absolutely breathtaking, and I can’t think of a better place they could have picked to get married. Here’s a few favorite frames from Ashley and Taylor’s Northwest Arkansas Wedding!

Want us to photograph your wedding or elopement? Drop us a line right here to get the ball rolling!

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Elena+Zach | Kansas City Wedding Photographer | The Everly Event Space

Elena and Zach got married at The Everly Event Space in Kansas City, Missouri. We explored the space in and around the beautiful event center for portraits, and took a trip on the trolley down to Loose Park as well. The bride and groom chose such a fun group as bridesmaids and groomsmen so the couple hours we had for portraits did not disappoint. We are absolutely loving all of these frames from their Kansas City Wedding. I’m so glad these two sweethearts chose me as their wedding photographer. Here’s a few favorites from Elena and Zach’s wedding day. Enjoy…

Want us to photograph your wedding? Drop us a line right here to get the ball rolling!

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Holly+Taylor | Breckenridge, Colorado | Wedding Photographer
Holly+Taylor | Breckenridge, Colorado | Wedding Photographer

Holly and Taylor got married this August 2020 in Breckenridge, Colorado. This sweet couple tied the knot at a Mountain Villa worthy of a magazine cover. They said their vows atop a log bridge above a small stream running through the property that overlooked the mountains. With so much beautiful scenery, it was difficult to even decide where to do portraits, so we explored the tall pines on the property and headed down to the lake shore for sunset. I love the way these love birds decided to have their wedding. Surrounded by a few of their closest friends and family up in the mountains. After the vows, they danced the night away with all their friends, and may or may not have ended up with all of them in the hottub! This day was a total success from start to finish and I am so glad that we got to be a part of it. Congratulations Holly and Taylor. Here are a few of our favorite frames so far…Enjoy!

Want us to photograph your wedding? Drop us a line right here to get the ball rolling!

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Baby Hazlei | Photographer

Baby Hazlei Rae made her first appearance on June 6, 2020. I went to Denny & Meagan’s home for her newborn session :) Here are a few early favorites from her photo shoot.

Want us to take your newborn photos? Drop us a line right here to get the ball rolling.

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Toni+Cam | Engagement Session | Photographer

I met Toni and Cam at Orchard Park in Bentonville, Arkansas for their engagement session. We did a little walk about and soaked up that last hour of Northwest Arkansas sunlight. They were such good sports to play along with my crazy ideas, getting in the water and playing in the willow trees. I absolutely love the way all of these frames came out.

Want us to take your wedding or engagement photos? Drop us a line right here to get the ball rolling!

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Kelsey+Dustin | Missouri Wedding Photographer

Kelsey and Dustin got married at Greystone Mill in Neosho, Missouri. Here are a few of our favorite frames from their wedding day. Enjoy.

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Kendra+Neal • Missouri Wedding • Photographer

Kendra and Neal got married at Big Spring Park in Neosho, Missouri. This was our first ‘post-quarantine’ wedding and I have to say it felt so good to get back out there. The park was alive with family outings, kids playing, ducks swimming and best of all….brides and grooms getting married again! Here’s a few of our favorites from Kendra and Neals wedding…enjoy!

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Ali+Jacob | Engagement Session

ALI+JACOB | FULL ALBUM

Want us to photograph your wedding or event? Drop us a line right here to get the ball rolling!

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Sheets Family | Front Porch Session

I hope these front porch sessions stay a thing even after the quarantine and pandemic is long gone. I love getting to photograph families in their element, from the front porch of their own homes. If you follow me at all, you’ve probably seen this sweet family before. Kayla and Jon have had me there for their engagement, wedding, maternity, and the birth of their baby boy Morrow, and now this sweet session. Enjoy!

Want us to photograph your front porch or family session. Drop us a line right here to get started!

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Nick | Galena Senior

Nick is a senior at Galena High School in Southeast Kansas and a member of the graduating class of 2020. We met up at the Galena baseball field to capture these sweet frames that show Nick’s love for baseball. Unfortunately baseball season is cancelled this year, but my hope is that these photos, when seen even years from now, will conjure up memories of the good times he had on the ball field. Here are some of my favorites from Nick’s Senior portrait session.

Want us to take your senior pictures? Drop us a line right here to get the ball rolling!

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