+ What’s the difference between a documentary wedding photographer and a traditional wedding photographer? 

Traditional wedding photography is centered around a lot of posing. Documentary photography, on the other hand, includes very minimal posing and is mostly capturing real life as it occurs. I love documentary photography because you will still get a few of those essential wedding portraits, like the one with your grandma or a photo of you and your partner in front of the venue, but the remainder of the gallery is filled with the big emotions you normally cannot capture in those portraits. 

+ What are your qualifications?

I am a professional photographer and former photojournalist, which is distinctly different from most Pittsburgh area wedding photographers. I earned a bachelor’s in Communications Media from Indiana University of Pennsylvania in 2008 — the same year I began photographing weddings as a part-time job. I was a photojournalist with The Indiana Gazette and the Valley News Dispatch from 2008 – 2016, when I left journalism to focus on my business full-time. I have received several awards throughout my career, spanning my time at the newspapers and also more recently from the Wedding Photojournalist Association. Speaking of organizations I love, I’m also a member of Photographers Without Borders and have an Ethical Documentary Photography certification.

I’m based in Slippery Rock, PA, so I mostly photograph weddings in the greater Pittsburgh area and Southwestern Pennsylvania. But I also love to travel, whether it is to somewhere close by like Cleveland or Philadelphia, or across the globe. Please note that weddings outside of the Pittsburgh area will incur some extra travel fees. Let’s have a conversation about your specific situation so I can give you a more exact price quote. 

Visual storytelling is a demanding job, so I need to be sharp come wedding day. To achieve that, I limit the number of weddings I take on each year to just 30, and only shoot one wedding per weekend. If you are considering working with me for your wedding photography, please reach out sooner than later to hold your date and make sure you’re one of the 30.

My most popular wedding photography package includes 8 hours of coverage and a second photographer. If you are having a big celebration, and/or you want every single moment of your wedding captured, this is the one for you. 

If you’d like, I would be happy to help you determine the best option for you personally. Please reach out and we can discuss this one-on-one. 

If you could only choose one, I suggest a second photographer because my value lies in candids, and having a second photographer there will get you the most candids. Engagement sessions will give you practice being in front of the camera and fosters a relationship with me as your photographer, but it is not critical to my signature documentary style. 

My second photographers are professionals with current or past experience in photojournalism — an identical background to my own. This is important because I understand the level of training each of these professionals has, and it ensures our work quality is similar. I have personally worked with each of my second photographers and absolutely trust them. I would not invite them to be a part of your wedding if I didn’t. 

Yes, absolutely. I take some portraits of the couple and your family (both normally occur after the ceremony), but that’s typically it. I’ll help you formulate a list of what portraits you’d like before wedding day arrives so we get those essential shots, but please know that this is the only time I like to work with a photo list. 

Of course! I will give some direction on where to stand and use verbal prompts to help elicit real reactions so the emotions I photograph are genuine. That is mostly where my advice stops, though. If I interject too much, then the gallery loses its charm and starts to look like a more traditional wedding gallery, which just isn’t my style (and I don’t think it’s yours, either). 

There are lots of amazing wedding photographers in the Pittsburgh area, but I can’t speak to what it is like working with them. I can only tell you that when you work with me, you can expect:

● A gallery full of big moments and side moments alike, lots of vibrant true-to-life colors, and storytelling of your day from all angles — including the perspective of your guests.
● To work with a professional. I’m a former photojournalist with years of education and formal training influencing my work, and I am a full-time small business owner. I take your wedding day very seriously. 
● An accepting photography experience that is inclusive of all genders, sexualities, religions, ethnicities, body sizes, and abilities. 
● To make a friend for life.