"You have to own every square inch of your story. Otherwise you have all these bits and pieces you don’t know what to do with. Embarrassing stuff, the awkward stuff, heartbreaking stuff, stuff that’s locked in a black box at the bottom of the ocean. And when you look back on your life – the awkward, embarrassing, heartbreaking tragic stuff – is often where the new life came."
Bring nothing but yourself, and together we'll celebrate your life.
What is your dream to always have remembered?
Imagine a session where your photographer asks very little of you, where you get to spend your time doing what you truly value. No portraits for hours on end. Getting to focus on your life, your loves, your dog squishes in the park. You don't need to shop for new clothing. You don't need to redecorate, to put on a fake smile. Everything we build together is based on things you already own, with emotions you're already feeling.
Getting to have the day you always do, with no interruption.
And photographs that will last a lifetime to tell this story. This is your life.
This is your legacy.
- The Minimalists Podcast, ep. 252
Photographs that look and feel like the memory they represent - with little memory of the photographer that took them.
the approach
You'll get to hang with your family, your friends, your spouse, do whatever it is that you're wanting to tell the tale of.
And I'll be there, photographing it. Up close and personal. Intimately. But with no constant giving of direction, no "do that again". Only the way things unfold. We'll create memories of the things you naturally do, whether it's a hike in the woods or your Tuesday night dinner.
We'll create magic of the things as they are.
Whether an engagement session or just an everyday couple's session, love stories are built between people who share that particularly special type of relationship together. Available to add on to a wedding collection or to experience individually, love stories are built around the things you love to do together and what makes your relationship what it is.
THE
LOVE
STORY
Looking for a portfolio? This is it. But this isn't just a collection of pretty people looking pretty in locations that are beautiful.
These are normal people, living out a story they've lived a thousand times before. Their favorite park with their dog, a downtown area they met for coffee while dating, all things that are celebrating their everyday.
Each of these images shares a real-life event, a truly lived story. Each of these stories was given as much attention and care as the next, and will live on to remind people of the happenings for long after we're gone.
HUMANITY DISPLAY
on
Whether you're moving into the next chapter of your life, moving up in your career, or just wanting to celebrate you, portrait stories cover a wide variety of session types. They're also built around the things you love and how you celebrate your life, to create images that take you back to this time in your life.
THE
PORTRAIT
STORY
We forge special relationships of all kinds. No matter your reason for celebrating, pet stories are designed to share tales of your lives together, what you spend your time doing, and capturing all the personality quirks of your favorite friends.
THE
PET
STORY
Meredith D., 2020 Life Session
"Wow, Makayla we are speechless! We just opened the session package and are floored with appreciation for your talent. Thank you so much for helping us commemorate what was a really intense first year for us. Your conversation guidance made the session so much more than just photos of a moment in time."
don't just take it from me:
Kim, Mom of 2018 + 2020 Seniors
"We needed a senior portrait photographer and we found Makayla - she has a style that is out of this world. Her personal interaction with my daughter was so much fun to watch. She captured my daughter’s beauty and personality. We love every single picture and video she took. It was an experience to remember. We would highly recommend her for your senior pictures!"
don't just take it from me:
Anna J., 2018 Life Session
"Makayla has a way of making you feel like you've known her your entire life. When you hire Makayla, you gain a friend. She is warm, energetic, adventurous, and authentic. She doesn't direct you, she lets you be yourself. We are blown away by the photos. She captured the essence of us. We will treasure these photos forever."
don't just take it from me:
Kam, 2019 Life Session
"From the first email her amazing personality shines through! She made us feel comfortable and captured such sweet little moments without having us do "fake" or uncomfortable poses - five stars is not enough! HIGHLY RECOMMEND."
don't just take it from me:
These images aren't just for the "right now".
They're answering the future question of
what the hell your life was like.
the big "why"
When you've been married 10 years and your lives together feel like a blur.
When a friend brings up all the plants you parented during a pandemic.
When you're old and grey and get to tell these stories to children.
Portrait photography is sometimes distracted by the flashy, by the gorgeous, by the latest trend in landscapes and clothing and you-name-its. We love to create images that are pretty and garner us love and attention.
But at its core, let's turn it into something more: telling the real-life story of what the hell your life was like (all while also creating gorgeous images).
You know what matters to you now. And decades from now you'll either have images that truly tell your story... or you won't. And wish you did.
Let's get started
Portrait investment varies based on what products and prints you choose to invest in. Sessions including digital image files start at 575, with many folks investing approximately 500 in printed heirlooms from their session. All sessions and products are customized, so don't hesitate to reach out to talk about what fits your needs.
I recommend reaching out and having a conversation to see what will fit you the best, to make sure your portrait photographs are something out of your dreams.
INVESTMENT
the
