I got to chat with Brianna of Brianna Parks Photography about her business. Her photography is wonderful, and if you are in the Redding, CA or PNW area, consider using her for your photography needs.

Where are you based? How long have you been in business?

I'm based in Redding, California but photograph elopements all throughout the Pacific Northwest. I specialize in Olympic National Park and Redwood National Park and have been in business for 6 years.

What got you started in photography?

I think most photographers would say that they were born with a camera in their hand, but I didn't discover photography until I was in college. At the time, I was majoring in pre-med with the hopes of one day becoming a doctor. After a few science classes and realizing I didn't even enjoy science that much, I ended up switching my major to sociology, hoping it would be more creatively fulfilling. It was, to an extent, but I needed another outlet in life. I was scrolling through YouTube one day when a video popped up of a photographer who was shooting portraits. I immediately wanted to try it. My broke husband and I took all the Target gift cards we got from our wedding and what very little we had left in our bank account to purchase a starter DSLR and that's officially how Brianna Parks Photography was born.

What do you like most about being a photographer?

I really love that I can capture memories for people. It's very cliche, but genuinely, it's the best part of the job. Though I will say that being able to be outdoors in the world's most beautiful places taking pictures and hanging out with incredible people for a living tends to be the best part of the job.

Where is your favorite place to take photos for clients?

Olympic National Park and Redwood National Park. It's hard to choose just one as both are not only gorgeous, but have deep sentimental meaning for me.

I had a chance to talk with Kate Cohen, the mind behind Katherine Elyse Media. She's an excellent photographer with beautiful work. A sample of her photography is below. If you like her work, check out her site.

1. Where are you based?

How long have you been in business? Cincinnati, OH. I've been in business for 13 years.

2. What got you started in photography?

In 2007, while in college, I started playing around with a camera I stole from a friend. I took it to a family Thanksgiving and chased around my cousins the whole time, snapping away. I really enjoyed the creative freedom it gave me and the joy it brought once I got the film developed, so I decided to stick with it. Early on I started with grad photos and fashion photos. I eventually moved on to engagements, that’s where I felt like I really started to come into my own. Obviously I LOVE people, I’m a huge empath, so being around people in love made me feel lovely and capturing that brought me a ton of joy so I knew that I had to continue to expand on that. When I transitioned to weddings I started learning from the best of the best. I took online classes, I was second shooting, networking, etc. and it really helped me grow into the true professional I am today. Since 2010, I have shot over 300+ weddings!

3. What do you like most about being a photographer?

I feel privileged that I’m able to capture love in all its forms and between so many diverse couples. I also love to travel to shoot! I’ve been invited to shoot in Hawaii, The Jersey Channel Islands, England, Montana, Missouri, Australia, Dubai and even ended up in China shooting a wedding in the Zhangjiajie National forest park!

4. Where is your favorite place to take photos for clients?

My favorite place in Cincinnati is either Ault Park or Eden Park. Both places have so many beautiful backdrops to shoot against. No matter your vibe as a couple, there are spots for you!

Alicia is a wedding photographer I got in touch with recently and her work is amazing! She's based in Oregon, and loves that she gets to make art for her job. If you need a photographer for your wedding in the PNW, you can Contact Grateful Moments Photography - Grateful Moments Photography at this link.

1. Where are you based? How long have you been in business?
I am based out of Grants Pass, Oregon but not opposed to traveling for sessions and weddings. I have been in business for 2 years.
2. What got you started in photography?
I got started in photography as a hobby to document my own family story, especially after the birth of my son. I fell in love with the art of photography and improving my skill. When a friend asked me to do a family session, I encountered family photography for the first time and loved every minute of it. I love meeting new people and documenting their stories! Whether you are planning your wedding, updating family photos, welcoming a new little one, or getting ready to launch your high school graduate into the world, I've got you covered! Let's create some beautiful memories!
3. What do you like most about being a photographer?
I enjoy working with people and learning their story. Every family and every session is different. Then I get to create beautiful art by capturing their interactions and connections. For weddings, I really like the longer term relationship of being with a couple from the engagement session to the wedding day. On one of the most special days of their lives, I get to tell the story. That will never get old!
4. Where is your favorite place to take photos for clients?
My favorite Southern Oregon location is Pacifica in Williams, Oregon. With a gorgeous pond, field area, lots of evergreen trees, and a view of the surrounding mountains, you just can't go wrong no matter what time of the year it is!

You can see more of Alicia's work below, or visit her portfolio, Your Southern Oregon Wedding Photographer - Grateful Moments Photography.

I recently spoke with Jessica from Jessica Pohly Photography about her business. She's a Huntsville Photographer serving Huntsville, Madison, and New Market Alabama. She loves taking pictures and pursuing other creative projects. Read on to hear more about her passion for photography and business.

1. Where are you based? How long have you been in business?

I am a Huntsville, Alabama photographer and have been in business for 2 years.  

2. What got you started in photography?

My love for photography started as I was photographing my daily life with my two little girls who at the time were 2 and 4. I loved documenting them playing together and going about their life as preschoolers. Photography started as a wonderful creative outlet for me as a stay at home mother. I began to want to photograph other families and document big milestones for them. Friends and family asked me to do this for them. I pursued further education and training which naturally led to me solidifying my business and serving north Alabama.   

3. What do you like most about being a photographer?

I love being able to create beauty but also capturing reality and beauty for the purpose of appreciating it further. I get to freeze moments in time that may have otherwise gone unnoticed. I also get to capture memories that will want to be remembered for many years and generations to come.

4. Where is your favorite place to take photos for clients?

My most favorite place to photograph is in downtown Huntsville and at my home studio located in Huntsville. 

Tracie and Jeremy have been in business for 20 years! That's a long time, and they have the knowledge and skills that come with being in business for so long. They know the most romantic places to photograph couples and the best wedding venues in north Georgia. Looking for the perfect Georgia wedding? Tracie and Jeremy will take the perfect photos for your perfect day.

Here's a few more details about this photo-snapping duo:

Where are you based? We’re based in Dahlonega, GA and we serve Atlanta and all of north GA.

What got you both into photography? We both just fell in love with photography as teenagers and we would go on “photography” dates where we would pick a pretty place to visit and bring our cameras and see what kind of art we could create together.  And we’ve been taking pictures together ever since.

What we like most about being photographers is preserving important memories for other people in a beautiful way.  There is nothing more important than people we call family and friends and the memories we have of them.  And the older we get, the more precious those memories become.

Where are your favorite places to photograph clients? We love taking photos of people here in our hometown of Dahlonega.  It is such a cozy, romantic little town that has even been featured recently in some Hallmark movies!

1. Where are you based? Raleigh NC

2. How long have you been in business? 10+ years

3. What got you started in photography? A close friend saw my work and asked me to help them with their wedding and I took the leap!

4. What do you like most about being a photographer? Making sure my clients get to feel radiant and relaxed on camera. Most people think photogenic is a thing when really they just haven't been made to feel themselves and natural on camera.

5. Where is your favorite place to take photos for clients? Oh my, it is the best helping couples talk through their history and love story to pick a very personal spot for their photos.

Check out her work below! The first photo is of the photographer.

Cody was kind enough to share a bit more with us about his work.

What got you started in photography?

I got started in photography after I used to make a bunch of silly YouTube videos. I got a nice camera to make better videos, and slowly got introduced to taking photos and enjoyed that much better.

What is your favorite thing about being a photographer?

The best thing about photography is getting to meet families and capturing them. I love knowing that they'll have those photos forever hanging in their house.

Where is your favorite place to take photos of clients?

I like many places for photos but I will say estates and vineyards are probably my favorite types of locations.

You can read more about Cody and his work as a Virginia photographer on his site.

Andy High is a photographer based in Colorado who was kind enough to share some information about his business and photos of his work. Read about how he got started and see his excellent photography below.

How did you get started with photography?

I moved to Durango, Colorado, in 2006 to go to college at Fort Lewis and had never been to the area before so I immediately bought maps of the region because I wanted to use my off time to explore my surroundings. These explorations took me to some absolutely gorgeous locales so I decided I needed to purchase a camera in order to document my findings! I started taking landscapes and then friends and family started asking me to bring my camera to their weddings and events and next thing I knew I had a portfolio and was a professional Durango Photographer.

When did you start your photography business?

I officially started my business during the covid pandemic although I technically have been doing professional photography since approximately 2016. I found myself with a plethora of free time, as many of us did, and I desperately needed to build a better website and start marketing myself (my business at the time was just from word of mouth); I was tired of bartending and wanted to become a full time Colorado elopement photographer.

What inspired you to pursue photography as a career?

My inspiration and passion for photography came from my peers and my surroundings. Several of my friends had cameras before me and were capturing absolutely beautiful landscapes; however, the views that we were observing on our adventures are what truly inspired me to start taking photos. I wanted to have physical copies of the beautiful sights that I had been witnessing! There is still some small residual resentment in me when I think about a few glorious days that I missed capturing because I hadn't bought a camera yet at the time.

Where is your favorite place to take photos for clients?

I love to do adventure photography and am most excited when I get to take my clients out into the wilderness. When clients purchase one of my Colorado elopement packages there is a particular area North of Durango about 25 miles with several creeks, meadows, and waterfalls in the foreground of the Twilight Mountains that makes for absolutely stunning elopement, engagement, or wedding photography. I find myself taking clients near there quite often as it is close enough to town to include in most of my "Durango Photography" shoots.

To see more of Andy's work, check out his website here

Paige is a fantastic photographer based in New Jersey. She has a passion for photography and especially loves shooting seniors. Paige has a way with her seniors and helps them relax and be themselves in front of the camera. She can get them to be their true selves while she taking pictures, and it shows in her work. All of her seniors look comfortable in their own skin, and it’s great to see. We love Paige’s work and we know you will too!

Paige was kind enough to share a bit about herself with us. Read more about her style and work below.

How did you get started with photography?

I've always had a camera with me but professionally it started with photographing friends' families and children. It grew by word of mouth from there. When I segued into seniors photography, I worked with a business coach to make the switch. I'm always working with mentors and education. I've also always had a true purpose of photographing emotions and having whomever is in front of my camera become lost in the moment.   

When did you start your photography business?

When I had my first child, I didn't want to continue working a corporate job and the desire to be a photographer was tugging at me. I bought myself a good camera and started documenting our life, which then grew into a business as a family and children's photographer. I did this for 5 years and then saw what senior photographers in the midwest and south were doing which totally spoke to me. Seniors' photography is not a "thing" in the New York, New Jersey area but it's becoming more so now! I've created an amazing business built on creating a high school senior market in my area and beyond. I also have a fashion and magazine background, both aspects of which I incorporate into my photoshoots. It's a full-on photoshoot not a sitting or a session. 

What inspired you to pursue photography as a career?

I was fresh out of college, sharing a Manhattan apartment and working at a prominent magazine. Fast forward a year to feeling like I can't breathe.

Within a few weeks, I made a career change, applied, interviewed, and left to work for Club Med Martinique. Some people saw it as running away. I saw it as running towards an adventure, a bigger world with more possibilities. That one decision opened up my world in ways that were life changing.

The most favorite image of myself is in Martinique; not much older than the teens I photograph now. I can recall that exact day and how I felt. 

It reminds me of my experiences, feeling beautiful from the inside out and, ultimately, why I became a photographer, to capture emotions.

Where is your favorite place to take photos for clients?

I'm known for outdoor, natural light images on the beach or in fields. I do have people who come to me for more urban locations though and that allows for a lot of creativity. My favorite place is most definitely the beach at sunrise or golden hour.

If you are looking for a passionate photographer who’s great with seniors and outdoor photography, look no further than Paige P! Take a look at her work below. You can see more of her work at her website.

Links: Instagram Website Facebook

Storytelling is my passion. Through my own creative words and eye for detail, I capture a narrative of romance, friendship, and new beginnings for all my couples. 

My name is Taliya Michelle (Like Leah with a "Tuh" in front), and I am the photographer behind TM Grey Photo. I've been capturing smiles since 2013, and I've been capturing love stories since 2015.

I've loved storytelling for as long as I can remember. When I was about 3 or 4, I actually wrote a little book and drew the photos myself. I even stapled the edges to complete the whole book concept. It totally would have won a Pulitzer prize had it not been plagiarism of the Three Little Pigs and also done by a toddler.

On top of being an unpublished author, I've had a camera in my hands from a very early age. My first camera was, in fact, a Barbie film camera that also came with the doll (yes, she got a little camera, too). I have my parents to thank for that. My parents used to own their own studio called Infinity Photography. They had a film studio for decades when they moved to central Pennsylvania. They closed the business when I was a kid, but I have several boxes of childhood photos of just me (not including my many siblings), so I was always in front of the camera.

Now from behind the camera, it's my chance to do what they did and capture the memories people make celebrating the best day of their lives. Every love story is different and unique.

Part of my wedding packages includes an engagement session. These are my favorites outside of a wedding day because I get to know couples and see their dynamics.

Below are my favorites from Tina & Ben's engagement session in August of 2022. Tina is a friend of mine, but I never really spent time with just her and Ben. Oh, and we cannot forget their precious baby, Willow. I love watching how they each show affection for one another and hearing them laugh when I ask them to do silly stuff.

After seeing so many adorable pictures of her online, meeting their dog, Willow, was amazing. She is such a sweet girl. I love when my clients bring their pets to sessions. Moments with your fur babies should always be captured.

After the first half of the session, which is always the more casual outfit, we headed to Dixon Meadow Preserve in their formal attire. We popped champagne and enjoyed the beautiful views of the White Marsh Preserve.

If you loved this session as much as I have, then let's chat today about what TM Grey Photo can do for you. Outside of weddings, I also capture couples, engagements, proposals, headshots, and general portraiture. Email me at smile@tmgreyphoto.com today.