I chose a wedding that felt deeply intentional for my husband and me in Traverse City in 2017, a perspective that still guides my work today.
Rather than focusing on expectations, we focused on what mattered most to us: celebrating in a place we loved, with the people who mattered most, and fully experiencing the day as it unfolded.
That experience taught me something I now bring to every wedding I photograph: beautiful images matter, but so does the experience of creating them.
Today, whether I'm documenting a wedding weekend on a private estate, a celebration along Lake Michigan, or a destination wedding abroad, my goal is to create a thoughtful, seamless experience that allows you to remain fully present while every meaningful moment is preserved with care.
Few things matter more to me than providing a thoughtful, intentional experience that allows you to be fully present throughout your celebration.
Meet Chel, Documenting Refined Celebrations Across Michigan & Beyond
my approach
connection first
Connection comes first. I take the time to understand who you are, how you naturally interact, and what matters most to you so that being photographed never feels forced or performative.
The result is imagery that feels genuine...preserving not only how your celebration looked, but how it felt to be there.
steady guidance
You won't navigate the photography process alone.
I work closely with your planner and vendor team to thoughtfully coordinate timing, locations, lighting, and portraits so that everything feels effortless and well-considered.
My role is simple: to provide steady guidance around the details that shape your photographs, allowing you to feel confident, cared for, and fully present throughout your celebration.
A CALM, confident PRESENCE
A calm presence can change the entire experience.
Throughout the day, I offer gentle direction when needed and step back when moments are unfolding naturally. The result is an experience that feels relaxed, unhurried, and true to who you are, allowing your connection to take center stage.
I grew up in Traverse City, Michigan, surrounded by water, open landscapes, and a mother who never stopped documenting our lives.
She kept a box filled with Fujifilm disposable cameras, always ready to capture something ordinary before it slipped away. I remember the anticipation of waiting for prints to come back and flipping through each image, not yet understanding how powerful it was to preserve a moment.
In 2009, my family purchased our first "real" camera. I still remember turning the dials for the first time, fascinated by something so simple, yet so transformative. I had no idea then that it would shape the course of my life.
What began as a curiosity eventually became something much deeper. Through photography, I discovered the privilege of helping people see themselves the way those who love them see them, to preserve not only how a moment looked, but how it felt.
The heart
behind my work
One of the most defining seasons of my life unfolded in 2017, the year I lost my mother and, in the same breath, met the man I would marry.
Grief and love existed side by side.
Losing my mother was devastating. She was the one who first nurtured my curiosity for photography and taught me to notice the beauty in everyday moments. In the midst of that loss, I also experienced the beginning of a love that would reshape my life.
Those experiences deepened my understanding of the significance of photographs. They become anchors. Reminders. Tangible pieces of moments we can never revisit.
That perspective guides my work today.
Photography, for me, is more than creative expression. It is stewardship. It is honoring what cannot be recreated and preserving it with care.
When you choose to work with me, you're choosing someone who understands the weight of that responsibility...someone who approaches your celebration with intention, steadiness, and deep respect for the moments entrusted to her.
A few things that make me, me
What fills my cup:
TRAVELING | Books | Laughter | Coffee | gym days | Hiking | Trying new foods | Polaroids | Music | Art
