Why Values Matter When Choosing a Photographer

I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again; your photographer is more than a camera. We photographers capture you through our literal and figurative lens. Our viewpoint and our experiences are directly seen in your images, which is why your photographer’s values matter.

Values Matter

A photographer’s values are going to show up in the way they interact with guests, direct moments, notice emotions, and tell a story. If their worldview fundamentally clashes with yours, you will probably feel that tension all day long, even in small ways. It’s important to weigh the pros and cons of the people that are right by your side the whole time during your wedding day; they have a bigger impact than you think.

If you are catholic and have a catholic ceremony, you may want to choose a catholic photographer. They are going to inherently understand that reference to your religion, and how to photograph it accordingly. If you have a multicultural ceremony, find someone willing to put in the work to learn those customs for you so they don’t walk into a ceremony wearing black if black is considered a bad omen in your culture, for example.

Hire the photographer that will ask questions and put your day and wants first. If you don’t believe in gay marriage (first of all, ew, be offended, I don’t care), then choose a photographer that aligns with that so they speak about love and relationships in a way that aligns with your partnership.

What I Put First

I tried so many different forms of art until I found photography. At first, it was just taking photos of pretty plants and things because those made me happy; but once I figured out that I should probably include people in my portfolio for art school, I started to look at it differently.

I love old photographs of people that I've never met and handwritten post cards from the antique store. It's a very uniquely human trait to want to pass down who we are and I want to remember those people in their handwriting, in their portraits of their children, in their home movies, and throughout their lives. Creating art through photographing people is a way to be remembered and to remember others.

Conservation

For a long time, I described my work as preserving memories, a phrase that’s easy to reach for and often repeated in photography spaces. But I’ve come to realize that what I care about more is conservation, not preservation.

Preservation implies keeping something untouched, pristine, and carefully set aside. 

Conservation, on the other hand, allows memories to live, change, and remain accessible over time. I don’t want moments to sit on a shelf, perfectly packaged and rarely revisited. I want them to be returned to, learned from, and carried forward. I use photography as a way to ensure memories have long-term availability, so they can continue to hold meaning, spark reflection, and grow with you as life unfolds.

Support, Not Just Observation

Some photographers prefer to remain distant from the people they photograph, but that isn’t totally me. I chose a different approach because I believe part of my role is helping people feel grounded, confident, and cared for during meaningful moments in their lives. That support shapes the images themselves because people photograph differently when they feel safe. They relax. They become more honest. They stop performing. It creates the vibes of personal instead of transactional.
At the end of the day, photography is not just shaped by what a photographer sees. It is shaped by what they believe matters enough to preserve. Out of everything in the world I could point my camera toward, I have chosen to center humanity, memory, emotion, and connection because those are the things I believe are worth carrying with us.

Comfort

The comfort level of my clients takes precedence over all else. If you aren’t comfortable with me, the space, the vibes, ect., you can see it in the images, and that does not make for intentional, thoughtful art. From small things to allowing you to take a break and change your outfit, take off your shoes, or bigger things like 

Safety

Safety is not always a given within the current environment of the US, and while that sucks big time, I do everything in my power to have the space where we can get away for a few moments. Whether it’s a maternity shoot and we’re celebrating the birth of a new member of your family, or we’re celebrating the love between two people, I’ll do everything I can to make sure you feel safe when you’re in front of my camera.

Connection Over Perfection

The two of you together are better than any pose that I could come up with, so I prioritize capturing what’s real and in front of me rather than trying to create some manufactured “perfection.” I stay consistently prepared, attentive and fully present so that you feel supported every step of the way, because my clients deserve to be themselves and unapologetically in love. This helps me get actual connection on camera, because I give couples the space to be themselves exactly as they are without stupid expectations or judgement. 

No Trend Chasing Here

My perspective makes me the right fit because I am not approaching photography as someone chasing perfection, trends, or performance. I approach it as someone interested in human connection, memory, and preservation. My work consistently centers on people feeling seen, safe, and emotionally present instead of overly curated and on a strict timeline (although I do love a timeline and I build in time for those times).

My Ideal Clients

Lovers and dreamers

So, I’m searching for a home right now with my fiancee, and I’m going to use my home search as a mechanism here: I am interested and actively searching for older homes with characters that have been loved because they have the quiet evidence that someone and their family existed and mattered.

Adventurous and driven

Similarly, my target audience is an adventurous and diverse group, for those whose love is evident. I cater to individuals who are open to exploring various photography genres. My dream clients are wanderers at heart, those who crave exciting experiences, seek to create lasting memories, and live for the thrill of the moment. Ideal SRP clients are likely emotionally driven people who care deeply about relationships and intentionality.

Many of my clients find me because they are drawn to slower, more personal wedding experiences rather than highly performative or traditional expectations. My clients are unapologetically themselves, and able to be that way in front of my camera because my work is rooted in conservation rather than consumption. Clients hire me because I understand the emotional weight photographs carry over time, not because I simply create content for today.