My Process
When you book me, you're getting more than just a photo album, You're getting my heart and soul, a piece of me in exchange for a forever saved moment in time.
Pictures preserve the history of us. The bonds we share between each other, forged by our determination to truly live. I honor the depth and complexity of real love with reverence. This is the birthplace of my creativity. I yearn to know love intimately and to live so fully that each moment pushes the boundaries of what I knew before. My feeble attempt at holding this in my hands is all I have to offer in this life. I want to give you the chance to hold it too. A fragment of your life, forever frozen, capturing the love that occupies each breath you take together and all the other seconds in between. There will never be another moment like this.
Now let me explain how I do it.
I believe...
I WANT TO KNOW
HOW YOU LOVE
whether you’ve never had your photo taken, or you model on the regular, I want your entire session to feel like an extension of your soul. We will find a quiet corner of the earth where you don’t have to hold a stiff pose, smile until your eyes lose their shine, or relive your prom night photo shoot. Your wedding day is, at its most distilled level, a promise to the person you love most. There is deep, passionate emotion at its center and my job is to document that in its truest form, in a way that comes naturally to you. This is different for everyone, and I spend time getting to know each of my couples so I can best understand that vulnerable, honest place and reflect it back to you in the best way I know how.
ORGANIC
Don’t panic! This might sound scary— especially if you’re not used to being photographed, but I promise I won’t leave you high and dry. I prefer to give gentle, simple guidance to maximize the space between posed and candid and get impactful, emotional photographs. I want you to remember our time together as an experience you shared with your lover— not the time you were frozen in front of a camera. I’ve always got an extra beer in the cooler (and a travel-sized fireball) to get us comfortable, and a curated playlist to add a soundtrack to the afternoon. This grounds me as an artist and reminds me of why I do what I do, and my couples have the comfort of music to soften the edges of the shutter click.
uNPOsED
We crave it. Your favorite photo isn't a school picture from the local photo studio, or the Macy's family pictures from years ago. It's the one your best friend sent you after spending the day together, when they caught you smiling, laughing, tending to your baby, sipping your coffee, picking out the freshest bouquet. It's the one you took of your partner when they weren't looking. It's the photo of your daughter fast asleep, your son running through the yard. You know the one.
Those are the moments I document for you. The way you interact with the people you love without the pressure of smiling for a camera. You don't have to find everyone matching PJs (unless you really want to). I come and sit for a while in your perfect life, whatever it looks like right now, and watch you spend time together. You don't have to change for me. I encourage you to leave the bed unmade and the dishes in the sink.
There will be a day when your kitchen stays clean and the laundry gets done quick, and that's when you'll look back at these pictures and wonder where the time went.
AUTHENTIC
The most important, underrated piece of the puzzle. My promise as your photographer is that I will always put you in the best light. I will find you pockets of warm sun, sunset colors draped over your skin, and every once in awhile that paparazzi flash as you break it down on the dance floor. The loveliest light of course comes from mama nature, and so I do everything I can to plan our shoots around sun placement, and help you organize your wedding day timeline to make sure we have a moment to steal away and get beautiful portraits before night falls and the party gets started. So many words and so much emotion can be conveyed in the rise and fall of shadows and the soft dance of sun on your cheeks, and I will guide you there.
LIGHT
I shoot with forever in mind. These photographs are for you, and every generation moving forward. These are pictures you’ll keep for the rest of your life, which is why I choose to stay away from anything too trendy (I’m looking at you, letter boards…) I encourage you to interact organically with your surroundings. From calm afternoons inside with a record spinning, to your camping trip in the desert, you don’t need to manufacture interesting subjects, because YOU are the interesting subjects. I don’t want your story to feel forced, I want to observe its natural progression. I take as much time as I need to make sure you have a collection of photos that speak louder than little plastic letters. I want to tell your story exactly the way you experienced it.
TIMELESS
I’m based out of a small town right outside of Phoenix, Arizona! I love the desert like crazy, and shooting out here is nothing short of magical. I grew up in Washington State, however, and I often have people fly me back to Washington for shoots. I’m happy to travel anywhere in the world and I don’t charge for travel in places I’ll already be, so keep an eye on my travel schedule to see if I’ll be near you!
Once you send your non-refundable retainer fee, your date is locked into my calendar and your it is non-transferable. If you need to reschedule, you will need to pay a new retainer fee. This helps me protect my time and energy, and show up best for my clients, so I highly recommend making sure the date you select is going to work for you!
Each shoot varies— I don’t set a specific number for any my packages, and I don’t cap my deliveries to try and upsell individual photos. I’ll make sure you have all the best pictures from your day, without having to pay additional fees later.
This is probably going to be your number one question— and I totally get it! Picking outfits can be the most fun AND the most stressful part of prepping for your photoshoot. Lucky for you, I’ve got your back. Once you book, I will send over my curated “what to wear” guide, that walks you through all my best tips for choosing an outfit. In general, I suggest picking neutral, simple outfits with comfort at the forefront.
No, I do not give out my RAW files.
I understand, nature doesn’t care about photoshoots and you might be panicking if you wake up to find it raining on your shoot day. Don’t worry! I love embracing whatever the day holds, and sometimes that unexpected rain cloud makes for an amazing memory, and beautiful photos. You will need to put down a new deposit to reschedule, unless the weather is deemed dangerous, or I’m concerned that it will trash my equipment.
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Frequently Asked Questions
She has documented so many monumental and special moments for us and our family! I don’t trust anyone the way I trust her! Every penny you spend on her will be WORTH! IT! Her style is whimsical, classy, and truly her own.
"EMILY IS A GEM!"
We've looked through ALL the pictures and it was such an experience. Lots of laughs and tears and memories rushing back. Thank you so SO much for what you did for us. You did such an incredible job. THANK YOU.
We will never be able to repay you...
I was never someone who invested in photographs until I met Emily!! I love her approach, her aesthetic, her wit-she will definitely make you laugh, and her ability to make you feel at ease in front of the camera. I adore her and her work.
I’m obsessed with them ALL!
Emily’s style is unique and I’ve never seen anything quite like it. She’s creative, adventurous, and so easy going that it takes no time getting comfortable.
You’ve found the right photographer...
Emily is amazing and if you are even taking the time to read all her five star reviews, why are you wasting your time? Book her. She is by far one of my favorite photographers and favorite people. I cannot recommend her enough!
BOOK HER.
