About Me     |     Approach     |     FAQ

my family

Before anything, meet my family whom I am incredibly proud of, blessed by, and grateful for.
If you know them, you know me.

Eloise
head in the clouds
prolific reader
believer in unicorns
wants to be an artist
(or a scientist)

AUDREY
incredibly keen
always pondering
fashionista
wants to be a photographer
(like daddy)

DANIEL
classic goofball
is “very strong”
loves to snuggle
wants to be Spiderman
(of course)

MELINDA
ever-practical
sharply witted
cribbage champion
works as a nurse
(and is amazing at it)

my story

As Eloise was just learning to walk back in California, I began the transition from being a Youth and Worship Pastor to being a Wedding Photographer. What I discovered in the process was that wedding photography combined what I loved most about pastoring – serving others – with a love for capturing moments and telling stories. For me, it was perfect.

We now call Rochester, NY home and I still consider it an absolute honor to provide for my family through photography. I am incredibly grateful to shoot weddings and to make a career out of creatively serving others.

my story

As Eloise was just learning to walk back in California, I began the transition from being a Youth and Worship Pastor to being a Wedding Photographer. What I discovered in the process was that wedding photography combined what I loved most about pastoring – serving others – with a love for capturing moments and telling stories. For me, it was perfect.

We now call Rochester, NY home and I still consider it an absolute honor to provide for my family through photography. I am incredibly grateful to shoot weddings and to make a career out of creatively serving others.

Photos That Feel.

Photos That Feel

Let’s make imagery that emotes.


Evoking a sense of significance and weight to the moment; telling a simple story that something greater than what appears before us is happening and something more significant than simple romance is taking place.

This sentiment is what I love and what I seek to create with couples on their wedding day through photography. It is not perfect, because people aren’t perfect and moments are messy. But it is genuine, sincere, and real.

Your photos should be heartfelt. Creating a connection, drawing a memory, and reminding you that the commitment you are making is beautiful.

Because at the end of the day you want photos that stand the test of time. That evokes the same sentiment 40 years down the road when you are showing your grandchildren your wedding album.

the art

of the

moment

The candid time between the lines when we simply live in the present. For all of the planning and arranging that goes into weddings, you can’t plan moments. They simply happen. This precise lack of forethought is what makes them beautiful. It is what makes you lose yourself within them and linger on their memory.

Thus, the art of the moment for me is a planned improvisation of life captured in a meaningful way. A small frame that encapsulates the larger picture.

keep reading below to see how it happens.

How it happens: With Intention

What goes into a more personal experience.

CONNECTION – Personal photos don’t happen with strangers. What I mean by that is this: From connecting prior to booking, to sitting down and planning timelines, to hanging out and taking engagement photos: every interaction I have with my couples is intentionally used as a way to become more of a friend than a stranger. I make the time to get to know couples because I know it will lead to more personal photos on their wedding day. That, and it’s also just fun.

PLANNING – While the great moments are often the most spontaneous, without careful planning, you limit the space you have for spontaneity and authenticity. Thus, I approach every wedding with a plan created with my couples with extra time allotted with each portion of the day to give the day room to breath and allow for some ebb and flow.

BALANCE – If you’re worried about not know what to do with yourself in front of the camera, you’re not alone. It is the single most common thing I hear from my couples. My process of portraiture combines a balance between directing couples while also giving them space within to be themselves, to chat, to laugh, and to be intimate in their own way.

SPACE – Everything leading up to this point is geared toward one thing: Creating Space. This is the space to be yourselves, to be real, and to live in the moment knowing that everything is taken care of. It’s within this space that all of the best moments and in-between moments happen. And you can be fully in the present celebrating your love with the one you love.

“Our wedding would not have been the same without Matt! Not only did he capture all the special moments we wanted to remember, but he made having a camera present seem completely natural. I feared that having someone follow us around with a camera would feel awkward, but it couldn’t have been less so. He made an effort to get to know us and encouraged us to feel comfortable being ourselves…

Our photos reflected that beautifully.”

– Max & Gianna

FAQ

What if I don’t know what to do in front of the camera?

Not to worry. It is very normal to be nervous about having your picture taken, but I always appreciate it when my couples express their anxiousness. I’m never the one to tell you to forget about the camera. What I do encourage couples to do is to embrace it and do their best to be themselves with me. Beyond that, I strike a balance in my shooting between posing couples and letting candid moments happen. I think of it more about getting you in a pose that is natural and romantic, and letting you be in the moment from there.

What if you’ve never shot at our venue before?

I actually enjoy shooting in new places and new venues! I find it quite inspiring, actually. More over, I do my best to not view any other images of a venue to give you as fresh and unique of perspectives of the venue as possible.

Do you travel?

I do, indeed! I shoot weddings all over the East Coast, West Coast, and passport is up to date for weddings around the world. I love to travel and love to shoot in new and beautiful places.

Travel fees will apply.

What kind of gear do you shoot with and is it insured?

I shoot with 2 full frame, professional quality cameras and a collection of lenses I have specifically chosen to aid in my storytelling approach. I always have a flash in my bag, but try to shoot as much with whatever light is available so your photos turn out as you remember, rather than augmented with extra light. And yes, equipment breaks and stuff happens, so I always carry extra gear, insurance, and most importantly, my camera backs up your images to two memory cards as I shoot. Thus, if one card fails, your photos from that camera are still safe on the second card.

How many images do you deliver and when?

Curating your images to shape your story as it happened might be my most important roll as your photographer. With that in mind, I deliver only a selection of the thousands of images I take during a wedding day. Both to tell your story well and not to overwhelm you with images. At the end of the day, I typically deliver 75-100 images per hour shot.

Furthermore, I always send out a preview of your photos within a couple days of your wedding to swoon over and share. I typically have the full gallery of images ready 6-8 weeks following the wedding, 8-10 weeks during peak months

Can You Make Me Look…

I believe people are beautiful just as they are and I want my editing to reflect that. Thus, I maintain a natural editing philosophy in my post processing which does not alter anything that is natural to who you are. If a blemish pops up morning of, though, I will gladly edit that out for you.

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How did you meet? Favorite things to do together? What do you envision for your wedding? What are you excited for?