Aloha, y’all! My name is Chelsea Stratso, and I am a Texas native living a photographer’s dream on the island of Oahu, Hawaii. When I first started working as a photographer, I never imagined the places that my camera would take me. But eight years later here I am, photographing true love in one of the most beautiful places in the world.
When I started shooting, I was mostly interested in freezing time for myself and creating images that would bring me back to a certain emotion. I quickly found out that I loved being able to bring that feeling to others even more than I loved having it for myself, so I decided I wanted to learn everything I possibly could about photography. I was very fortunate to get a job working for a successful wedding photographer in Denton, Texas who showed me the ins and outs of the business. During that time I majored in photojournalism at the University of North Texas where I studied the art of storytelling through photography.
I worked at our campus newspaper, where I eventually became the Editor-in-Chief. After I graduated, I took a leap of faith that landed me in California as a motocross journalist, where I spent two years as a motocross journalist (yes, that is a real, really fun job). After two years of photographing racers and telling their stories, I truly missed being a portrait photographer. I once again followed my heart which was heavily influenced by the gorgeous scenery of Hawaii, and I moved my business to the north shore of Oahu.
Being a destination wedding photographer in Hawaii is as amazing as it sounds. My couples are extremely laid back which leads to some lively receptions in front of incredible backdrops. I am constantly inspired by the love that surrounds me, and I am driven to capture the raw emotions that come with a wedding day. I keep my style natural and very photojournalistic, so that each photo can take them back to the exact feelings they experienced on the biggest day of their lives.
I don’t have a favorite session per se, but I’ll never getting this wedding where they had their dog dressed in a mini tux, and had traditional Hawaiian dancers at the reception.
Chelsea Stratso is based in Waialua, Hawaii, and serves the surrounding areas and neighbor islands.
COMPANY: Chelsea Stratso Photography
WEBSITE: https://www.chelseastratso.com/