Nick + Jenny are both art majors, which immediately made me super stoked to cover their wedding. I knew that if any couple would let me get weird during the portraits, it would be them. Its an artist to artist understanding. But even more than that, I knew they would actually appreciate it. Here are a few captures from the day. The weather treated us so well and I am in love with the highlight/shadow glory that is going on here.
When Kendyl got ahold of me and asked me to shoot her wedding I was so excited- Redding is one of my favorite places and it is SO beautiful! Its in the Northern part of California, not what most people picture when Cali comes to mind. It is peaceful and down to earth- Just like Kendyl and Torsten. Their love is something insane. I have never witnessed a ceremony bursting with pure, raw love as much as theirs. When the couple walked up the isle after their first kiss they had to stop, take a breath and let the most beautiful cry out. It was as if they finally reached the finish line after all the preparing, preserving and sacrifice.. along with the fun along the way too. It was such a beautiful thing to witness and I couldn't help but cry a bit behind my camera as well.
Let me start by saying that Savannah and Jacob are two of the sweetest people I have ever met. Savannah was giving all her bridesmaids compliments the entire day of HER wedding. And Jacob just had the most precious look in his eye towards his bride that would make anyone melt who witnessed it. I was so honored to capture their day! It is couples like them that make my job SO easy and enjoyable!! Congrats you two! You will outlast them all!
One of the best ways for me to feel "special" in the world of photography is when I push myself to continually create. There are SO many crazy talented photographers flooding my news feed and yours too. It could be so easy for me to go into "comparison mode". And sometimes I fall into that trap unwillingly. But every once in a while I get my own "AH-HA" moment and I can truly say "I haven't seen an image like this before". And 90% of the time that I say that, It is because I tried something out of my norm. I love my usual style of editing, and I am a firm believer that consistency is key. But every now and then I actually NEED a creative shoot to fuel me for the rest of my paid endeavors (specifically wedding season). These shoots are ones that I never forget. from these, I almost always produce work that I am stoked out of my mind about and reminded how much I realllllyyyy dig this creative pursuit of photography.
Well folks, today I want to share one of those shoots with you. In the midst of the wedding season madness, I made it a priority to get out and shoot for funzie. I hit up a willing couple and we headed to Silver Beach in MI! In the following photographs you will see work that may be pretty dang different than what I normally produce. You will see a new technique that I have grown very fond of (even though it is incredibly hard) and you will see some harsh spotlights, and also some images that make you think you are watching an episode of Star Trek... maybe? Anyways, bring on the photos.. and feel free to comment below and tell me what you think or if you have any questions :)
Well hello there! I'm so thrilled that you stopped by!
A lot of things have been blooming through this past season and so much more coming to life in just a short amount of time. With all of this happening I figured it would be the perfect time for me to finally do the re-branding that has been on the back of my mind for a while now! Having a business named "Snyder Photography" when my last name is no longer "Snyder" was creating some confusion. On top of that, to me, it lacked creativity. I always aim to be different and having the typical <insert last name> photography, just wasn't vibing with me and didn't get me excited.. it didn't create wonder and have an artistic twist to it, which is what I want to put off! Which brings us here.
So why "By The Free"?
My main objective in re-branding my business is to create an image that represents myself as a photographer, and as an individual. I want my potential clients to stop by and immediately get a feel of who I am and how I work! So who am I exactly.. and how DO I work? I am a free spirit. I find joy in the small things. I thrive off of nature- My inspiration almost always comes from the Lords creation. Nothing brings me more joy than seeing a beautiful couple surrounded by all things natural and fresh! On that note, natural is a great thing! I love to capture my clients in their natural element. Lets go on an adventure and ill just be behind my camera slightly creeping on you through the whole thing! :) I want to capture your personality. I hope to inspire you to feel completely free with me! I want to see movement and dimension. I want to FEEL something and be able to show people that image and bring them directly into the same moment (but not in real life, because that would be strange).
Lets talk about the logo. I designed it by hand to have simple, delicate flowers that weren't perfectly symmetrical, but instead felt organic. Think of walking through a field and foraging some wild flowers. I hope you are seeing what I am seeing! Simple, wild, and just as it is.
With all of these aspects pulled together I hope that you can get a better idea of who I am and what my shooting style is! Feel free to stay around a while and explore the new site! Check out the "WERK" tab to see some features from my past shoots. Hit that "HOLLER" button if you are interested in session- I always love making friends through my sessions! Or just say hi! I always like that, too :)
Thanks for stopping by!
Xx Kelsey