Sara + Orion | Camp Wedding

We LOVE this wedding. If we were to bottle up a concoction of the perfect wedding it would be pretty damn close to this one. Childhood camp, barefoot, intimate, adventurous, emotional, meaningful. That's the recipe. Sara + Orion took that and added a whole other element of awesome. 
Meet Sara + Orion, they met in New Zealand while Sara was on a Lord of the Rings expedition (nerd talk for exploring middle earth). These two God-loving humans belong to the same church and were both embarking on ministry journeys. They fell for each other immediately.

Fast forward to this beautiful November day at Stony Glen Camp in Ohio, which is Sara's childhood camp. The groomsmen and the groom get in their traditional Maori floral dress shirts and eucalyptus leis while Sara and her girls don their traditional American wedding attire. Sara, also a seamstress, adorned her dress with the lace sleeves that made it so perfect for her. Their ceremony included a foot washing ceremony and really emotional vows while the reception honored Orion's heritage with a traditional Haka dance. 

The entire day was filled with so many meaningful moments. There were so many emotions pouring from everyone! We were so happy to be there to document it all for them! Orion spent the entire day barefoot and they never let go of each other, that's what it's all about folks!

Here's Sara + Orion's Ohio Camp/Maori Style Wedding! It's an epic wedding mashup! 

Lisa + Jakob | Romantic Industrial Warehouse Wedding

These two have style. This wedding was off the freaking charts amazing. Lisa + Hawk (short for his last name) are creatives, they run a needle felt business together while Jakob is also a film documentarian working on an awesome project right now. I love having creatives as clients because they really understand things like light and authentic moments, which this day was stocked with! 
There venue was transformed from a industrial warehouse to a romantic landscape of reds and purples making it the perfect urban fairytale for these two true love birds. Hand written vows, cultural dances and so many hand made items left us wanting to document more unique weddings like this one! 

Meet...

Floral: Blooms by Plantscaping
Venue: Red Space
Planning: Kirkbrides
Hotel: The Schofield

2016 Review

There are only four days left of 2016 and that's just wild. Normally, I would say how the year flew by and how awesome it was but this year was a bit of a snail for us while we struggled through some lifestyle adjustments and changes on our way to minimalism. (If you haven't been following along, we're downsizing from 1500 sq feet to 150 sq feet + planning to travel full time. Read more here.)

I always procrastinate this post because it's time consuming but to be honest, this year I'm really glad I sat down to do it. I realized how many stories we were a part of this year even though our calendar was slimmer than years past. I realized how many amazing places we had the opportunity to experience and document together and with our awesome client-friends. This review always helps to showcase to us behind the scenes areas where we should focus our efforts in the coming year and areas where we got stronger from the following years. It's cathartic to reflect this way.

We're so ready for what 2017 has in store for our life & business. 
To name a few:
-Travel Schedules
-Workshops
-New mediums & outlets of expression will be shared
-Life in the camper
-Another year of amazing weddings, clients + stories

But before we get to 2017 we have to honor all that was 2016!

2016 took us to Oregon, Colorado, Virginia and to some of the best venues this state has. We met a dozen or more new friends and these are the notable images from those adventures! It was a tough selection process to give a comprehensive review! We hope you enjoy these pieces of history from 2016.

Thank you so much to our clients + friends who support us, tell their friends about us and encourage our crazy dreams! We couldn't do this without you!
Cheers to 2017!

Emily + Andy | Hale Farm Wedding

Emily + Andy are adventurous, they met exploring a National Park, so when it poured down rain and the thunder roared on their outdoor ceremony these two made the best of it! Guests huddled under umbrellas as they waited for Emily to walk down the isle. Just as their vows began the rain cleared and this beautiful fog rolled over the hills of Hale Farm. A barn party, an evening walk and a bon fire completed the night! We loved this wedding for it's location, simplicity and fun vibe! Emily + Andy were so relaxed and tuned in to one another! Take a look!

Gail + Toby | Honey Run Falls Session

We met Gail and Tobias at the trail head, just a few feet from a little stream and a 25 foot waterfall. A place none of us had ever been. We got to know each other briefly as we sat on top of a big boulder. They sank in to the cool breeze, only noticing each other, quietly and affectionately while we watched the light drape itself, like ribbons of white chocolate, over everything. Gail + Toby have this slow and quiet way about their love. They were a joy to explore with, to have conversation with and a dream to photograph. Check out the video of this session here.

Jarrett + Chrissy | Autumn in the Midwest

It was a lovely evening intertwined with giggles, rain drops and the most beautiful autumn colors. We're excited to document this sweet, sweet love between these two! 
Meet Jarrett & Chrissy

Wildflower Vow Renewal

Lisa & Chad wanted a way to reconfirm their love after 10 years of marriage. They wanted something intimate and romantic and special. And with that spark this wildflower field elopement vow renewal was born!
We met them at sunset in a big field of fall wildflowers and the rest was seriously magical. They quietly spoke their vows through giggles and tears and then tucked the notes away in a keepsake box with some mementos from their decade together. Just before the golden sun sunk down behind the hills we met up with their two adorable boys for a family cuddle. 

Flowers by Ashley's Floral
Lisa's Dress by Jessica Howard
Chad's suit by Express

A Sweet Social | Autumn Inspiration

We had the privilege of collaborating on a last minute shoot with an awesome team of vendors and it was later featured on Inspired By This.

Autumn in Ohio can be finicky, you wait and wait for the leaves to change and every year it seems like they change over night and then they're gone. Last October, our sweet friend Krissy from Sweetwater Caravan waited until the perfect day to put this theme together. It's a perfect, sweet social get together. A night of wine and sweets drenched in golden rays and amber leaves. Pure magic. Consider these ideas for your next autumn gathering, intimate wedding or sweet social girls night, like we did!

Vendors:
Venue: Varian Orchards | Mobile Bar: Sweetwater Caravan | Styling: ReInspired Bride | Stationery: Lovely Invites | Floral: The Red Twig | Baked Goods: A Cupcake a Day | Carved Pumpkin & Apples: Chef Dave Holland | Rentals: Miller's Party Rental | Accessories: Rivercrest Farm, Watershed Distillery

Moon Child

We really love documenting things other than weddings, too! This session was a spontaneous evening spent wandering around the woods. We shot from sunset into the moon light and Jessica was an awesome model! She had a blast just letting her spirit free!

"There are nights when the wolves are silent and only the moon howls."
-George Carlin

Kaylen + Jon | Mount Hood Adventure

Kaylen + Jon married a year ago and we were lucky enough to document that day. This year they picked up and headed West (like we're about to do) and have been exploring the peaks and valleys of Oregon + beyond. It just so happened to be just about their one year anniversary when we were in town and by some random stroke of kismet they were free for this super spontaneous Mirror Lake adventure. 

The hour long hike was as glorious and moss covered as we imagined an Oregon hike to be but the best part was walking into the Mirror Lake clearing to see a glorious and snowcapped Mount Hood in the distance. We hiked around the lake, down onto the shore and spent as much time in the pine forest as we could until that last little bit of light sunk below the horizon. Then we hiked back to the car. 

We truly love these kinds of sessions, like more than anything else. The intimacy, the meaning, the adventure...the obvious beauty and the memories made by all. Not a contrived for the camera set of images but a story that all involved were completely present for. 

Downtown Portland Couples Session

These Portland models showed us the best of the city back in July! Their chemistry is obvious and we had a great time exploring the city with them! 
Meet Malaika & Denio!

Lauren + Jonah | Gervasi Vineyard Wedding

This intimate wedding was so fun to photograph back in June. The day had very little to do with timelines and formalities, it was mostly just Lauren + Jonah being together as husband & wife with their awesome friends and families in this beautiful place. Those are truly our favorite wedding days to document. 

Natalya + Charlie | Peacock Ridge Farm Wedding

Adventurers, world-travelers, always hand in hand, lovers of photography. That's Natalya + Charlie, so naturally you know we hit it off. Charlie proposed in Iceland (bummer we missed that!) and they planned a close-to-home wedding at Peacock Ridge Farm in Ohio. A perfect backdrop for their adventurous spirits. This was our favorite wedding this year mainly because at sunset Natalya jumped up and down in excitement for their portraits in this giant golden field. It was breathtaking and they took in every single bit of it. 

Meet Nat + Char! 

Venue: Peacock Ridge Farm
Floral: Bouquet Studio
Catering: Casa D'Angelo
Dress Designer: Liancarlo
Hair & Makeup: Eyedomakeup and Hair

Becca + Vic | Oregon Coast Adventure Session

The Oregon Coast is majestic. It's rough and dark and scary. It's serene and massive...and all at the same time the most beautiful place I've ever seen. Becca + Vic just moved to the Manzanita area and it just so happened that we were in the neighborhood. You may recognize these two from their wedding earlier this year. 

We loved that just a few weeks after they settled in we were able to document a piece of their hearts here in Oregon, on their latest adventure! We hiked, stood on cliffs and in the cold salt water. They showed us a secret trail to a cliff edge hundreds of feet above the most emerald water and crashing waves. It was unforgettable. If you can stand at the edge of the earth and be insignificant and everything all at once then you'll be as changed by Oregon as we all have been. 

Katch Silva Preset Review

A Katch Preset Review

Over the years I've had a number of different presets in my arsenal. I've tried making my own and those were never very consistent. And finally Katch Silva came out with this set. When she came out with her presets I knew right away I would try them out. I had been a fan of her work for years and would often lose myself in the depth and the velvety tones.

As far as a preset goes, these guys are powerful! Presets are never a one-click fix for me, I always adjust and personalize but these are the closest thing to one click I've found. I'm big on editing less and shooting more so these totally speed up the editing process for me. I also love the consistency that using a preset brings to the portfolio. I figured I'd share my experience after using Katch's presets for the whole 2016 season! 

How I Use Them:
I love the temperature adjustments that each set provides but I mainly stick to the Katch 1.1 (an updated release) for it's warm shadows and softened hues. Out of the box it has a slight fade in the shadows which I don't love so I take my shadows back down in the tone curve and then I also decrease the whites for those soft highlights. Each set has it's own suggested use and from each of them I can pretty much do a 1,2,3 click edit on any session or wedding.

Favorite Details:
The Katch 5 BW set is a complete killer -- It's literally the perfect black and white. Warm highlights, dark darks and tons of contrast and detail! I may bump contrast and exposure on this a little because I tend to like a slightly less soft black and white. 

Pros:

1. These sets are clean edits. They don't muddy up the colors like I found vcso sets to. If one set doesn't look awesome on an image one of the others is the perfect match because the split toning and temperature adjustments are on point. 
2. They're not that expensive and are TOTALLY worth the investment
3. They're not over-done. With vsco sets, I found myself back peddling out of a preset just to make the work feel like my own again. Instead, these give me a very awesome base layer that keeps the shot I exposed for in tact. 

Cons:

1. Sometimes I find Katch 1.1 to be slightly too de-saturated for my taste, I often have to go in and add orange/yellow hues back in so that skin tones aren't too paste-y. Total personal style con, has nothing to do with the function of the preset. 
2. These presets are so good that I find myself playing with ALL of them on my images instead of just selecting one, tweaking and moving on. :-)

Overview:
Totally recommend Katch's presets if you're into bringing out the natural beauty and tones in the photo with adjustments in split toning/shadows, etc. They work well in every situation and are a great starter preset for new photographers because they are very easy to manipulate! Would love to hear your thoughts if you decide to try them out! 

Happy editing!
-M

Taylor + Tony, Ohio Barn Wedding

We truly adored Taylor & Tony. Just something about their love and sense of humor really struck us. We met up with them a few times over the last year or so (once for their engagement you can see here) and every time they both had us howling. We adored these two so much we printed one of their wedding photos just to put up in our office! What sweethearts they are to everyone and what a lovely wedding day they had!

Venue: Hoover Hall, Walsh University
Florals: Twigs & Twine

Jessica + Dani | The Club at Hillbrook Wedding

Jessica, from Cleveland, and her doting beau Dani, from New York, convened with their awesome families for a perfectly intimate ceremony and reception at The Club at Hillbrook in Chagrin Falls, Ohio.  The forecast called for rain and they moved the ceremony into the covered porch but the heat and humid weather brought this unbelievably beautiful haze into the pine forest behind the club. It felt like the enchanted forest. This wedding was full of so much to love, champagne & cigars under the setting sun, cheese foraged from their favorite NYC chefs, a foliage abundant chuppah that made my heart skip and an epic dance party.  Meet Jessica + Dani. 

Traveling, Gypsy Photographers.

My brother and my mom had a conversation, unbeknownst to me, that Justin and I should call the ourselves 'Gypsy-Tographers'. It has a certain charm to it, I'm not gonna lie. But it's more the sentiment that I like, I think. The idea of the open road, no home, no roots at least for a little while. Wanderlust fulfilled and life simplified + prioritized. Well, that's what we've been planning for the last two years.
--
It's time to finally share here, making the whole thing seem more official than it has, our adventure and travel plans!  We're hitting the road in a few months! We'll be wheels rolling for a while, for as long as we can stand it, I hope. Our plan, plain and simple, is to book shoots and weddings as we're touring America in our vintage camper. We'll even take our big girl across the borders if you'll take us there! 

We've been working hard (really really hard) to save money, pay off debts, pare-down our belongings and prepare for a life of full-time travel now the only thing left unplanned is where we will go and what we will shoot. See, that's where you come in! Help us share our story by following along on our blog here and our Instagram here. Tell your friends in other states about our business and our story. The more people we're able to reach the more stories we can tell, the more places we can explore! As a thank you we'll send you free adventure prints and even offer up our spare bed in the camper! 

We're super excited for this next chapter of our life & business. Read more about all that on our blog The Motorhome Memoirs. 

Collected 2016

Each year we have the honor and privilege of sharing a day with a bunch of awesome creatives in a vibe-y space to take photos and indulge in some R&R. This year was pretty epic. The cast of vendors was simply perfect and the photographers who joined us to photograph the goods were so so great! We couldn't have asked for a better Collected group and we can't wait for whatever next year has in store for us. 

It's so important for us to tune into our artist hearts from time to time. To tune out the world that is filled with daily inspiration boards and shot lists and IG posts. To create something with our brains instead of recreating something with our eyes. That's what Collected is about. That's what these creative vendors get to do. Take a look at what came of this year's collaboration (complete vendor list at bottom of post):

Collected Hosts & Event Coordinators - Mallory + Justin McCrea, Lauren Huddleston
Venue: Epiphany Pietzcker - The Piggery at Anna Dean Farm
Band: Scenic Route
Catering: Brian Bower - Taproot Catering
Bar Service: Happy Camper Bar Car
Hand-Lettered Elements- bar & buffet menus- With Love & Whimsy -
Printed Stationery Suite- - invitation & place-setting menu- Baci Designer
Styling & Furniture Rentals - Julie Eifel - Borrow Rentals
Backdrop Set Installations - ELBOWGREASE Designs
Floral Design - Ashley's Floral
Bakery -  Hummingbird Bake Shop
Gowns & Accessories -  Moon and Back Bridal
Beauty -  Beauty Therapy Inc
Bride #1 -  Sophia Termine - Wearing a Claire La Faye gown/ Sash by The Yellow Peony Hair by Jolene and Make Up by Jami of Beauty Therapy
Groom #1 - Brandon Marlowe - Suit by Coppley
Bride #2 Sydney Bolek - Wearing a Pure Magnolia Gown, Hair by Erica Snodgrass | Make Up By Jami of Beauty Therapy
Groom #2 - Ross Newbauer wearing Express & JC Penney.