Story Mansion Christmas Party for the Bozeman Young Presidents’ Organization – Bozeman Event Photographer

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Last week, I photographed the Story Mansion Christmas Party for the Bozeman Young Presidents’ Organization in downtown Bozeman, Montana.

I was asked by my chef friend Carrie McCully, of ADOUR Good Food, to photograph a swanky Story Mansion Christmas Party she was hosting for the Bozeman Young Presidents’ Organization. The famous Story Mansion was built in 1910 and is a gorgeous historic mansion on the north side of downtown Bozeman. There is so much history to this place.

For the themed event, guests dressed in 1920s attire which combined with the surrounding architecture, made the party feel so authentic. Like we had all stepped back in time!

Each room was designed with a different theme in mind complemented by the lighting, food and desserts, and signature drinks. Guests were also treated to a live professional swing dancer performance.

I had just a great time with these folks. My job was to capture the fun and document the details all in the span of two hours. I love a good challenge.

Here are some of my favorite images from the evening event. I loved playing with all of the colored lights and highlighting all of the fun guests were having. What a great way to ease into the holiday season! Happy Holidays everyone! -M

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San Francisco Jewish Naming Party Photos for Gillian & Jeff’s daughter

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One of the surprising twists and wonderful honors I’ve been fortunate enough to experience as I grow my wedding photography business is returning clients. In the wedding industry, that rarely happens. Much like age has brought some wisdom my way over the years, outcomes of how I once thought my path would play out, rarely in fact, did so. I’m so grateful. I have been fortunate in ways I never thought I would have had a chance to be. I photographed Gillian and Jeff’s wedding day years ago in Sacramento, California and ever since they have continued to bring me back into their lives to document their special events over the years. For those of you who may not know, weddings are just one of many facets to my creative photographic outlets. Years ago, Gillian expressed to me just how much I made her feel comfortable in front of a camera. I feel privileged that I can continue come back into their lives to document their celebrations. Without even realizing it, I find myself in the role of a documentary family photographer. These two have been huge supporters of my photography from early on in my career.

A month ago, I left Bozeman, Montana and hopped a plane to San Francisco to spend a Sunday afternoon with my old friends/clients to document the new addition of their daughter Miriam. I spent the day documenting a traditional Jewish naming ceremony at their home and the celebration afterwards complete with the portraits of numerous family and friends. Gillian was very clear in what she wanted – as many photos of her little girl as possible. I was happy to oblige. What a cutie. It was a wonderful time. I recognized many familiar smiles from the wedding years ago and realized I had seen many of Gillian and Jeff’s coupled friends back then early on in their relationships. Fast-forward five years and now I had this new window back into their worlds seeing them with kids in tow. Add some good caterer BBQ with sunny weather to boot and you’ve got all the ingredients for a beautiful San Francisco Bay Area fall day. It was fun for me to spend time with these good folks again. My, how time flies. So glad I could be a part of it. -M

To see all of the party photos and portraits click here.

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A Montana Wedding Magazine features Greener Visuals Photography in the new 2014 wedding planning guide

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Hot off the presses, I just got some copies of the brand new 2013/14 A Montana Wedding Magazine wedding planner. I’m pretty excited about it because it is just littered with my wedding photography. If you are looking for some Montana inspiration for your wedding day, this wedding planner guide will be a great resource for ideas, tips and info to find top notch Montana wedding vendors. I’d be happy to send any of you a copy. Shoot me an email if you are interested. I have extras. I was really pleased that the editors of the magazine just ran wild (and BIG) with my storytelling wedding images. It’s the quickest way to bring a smile to this photographer’s face. As you can see they made full use of photographs. I highlighted a couple above but there are so many more to see. I went big myself and invested in a three-page advertisement for my wedding photography business. I think it will be a great boost to get the word out around Montana and beyond that Greener Visuals Wedding Photography is open for business and accepting bookings for the 2014 wedding season. Psyched. If you or a friend you know is in need of some kick ass wedding photography, I know this great guy they should talk to. I look forward to hearing from you. -M

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Hyalite Reservoir Family Portrait Photo Session of Kim & Daniel

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A few weeks ago, I photographed the Hyalite Reservoir Family Portrait session of Kim and Daniel.

It started when I got a phone call from my cousin Kim.

Her husband Daniel, herself, and their little daughter Adleigh would be passing through Bozeman on a family road trip. Montana has been experiencing just beautiful weather this summer. Kim and Daniel wanted to have some Hyalite Reservoir family portraits made to highlight this time in their lives as a young family.

Thankfully, I had a rare break in the action from my busy wedding season. We decided to meet up and head over to Hyalite Reservoir just outside of Bozeman.

I’m a sucker for the outdoors and will always default to nature for my portrait backdrops. It just seems more natural. Pun intended. Lucky for me the whole area is one big scenic postcard.

After a sunset picnic dinner from Roost Fried Chicken, we started playing with the light of the setting sun. I wanted to photos to be about them and their relationship with each other, not their clothing. This was a family that was naturally photogenic.

With the help of my assistant/sister Katie, we explored and made some fun images during their Hyalite Reservoir Family Portrait session. We laughed all evening at Adleigh’s reactions. Thanks for looking, -M

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Vail Colorado Wedding Day Photos at 4 Eagle Ranch of Ali & Drausin

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After a relaxing evening photographing Ali and Drausin rehearsal dinner at the base of the Vail ski mountain at the Manor Vail Lodge Friday night, I turned my attention to documenting their big wedding day. The two Yale alumni chose to have their wedding day at this cute ranch called 4 Eagle Ranch outside of Vail, Colorado. For many of my clients, choosing the venue is a big decision. The venue is the keystone in which all other vendors and wedding task fall in line behind. Once you have it, everything else tends to fall into place a lot easier. For them Ali and Drausin, who were simultaneously planning/executing a long distance destination wedding, moving from Philadelphia to New York City all the while figuring out their honeymoon plans to China, picking their venue was as easy as seeing the background landscape in a photograph on the website and asking where to sign the dotted line. Go figure. I appreciate working with a couple that knows what they want. Getting hitched surrounded by their loved ones while engulfed in the beautiful surrounding Colorado rocky mountains scenery was a recipe for a great time. You could not have asked for a prettier day. With the help of my assistant Josh Couper, we were able to document the fun well into the night including a surprise flashmob dance party coordinated by Ali’s sister. I am so excited for these two. I wish them all the very best and many years of laughter and happiness. -M

To view Ali and Drausin’s entire wedding, you can view them here.

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Vail Colorado Rehearsal Dinner Photos at Manor Vail Lodge of Ali & Drausin

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I returned to the rocky mountains of Colorado a couple weeks ago to document the wedding weekend of Ali and Drausin in Vail, Colorado. It was a wonderful crossroad of my past and my future. Ali, has been a buddy of mine for years now. Back in college, while my journalism peers were seeking out newspaper internships, I opted instead to work two summers as a summer camp counselor at Cheley Colorado Camps. Ali was a campfire counselor at the adjacent girls camp. It was a job that paid pennies but rewarded you with an entire summer exploration of the surrounding mountains while sharing your passions, skills and goofiness with great outdoorsy kids. It’s amazing how certain places in your life really leave an impact on you. My two summers in Estes Park, Colorado and the people I met there, like Ali, played a big role in making me a better person. Besides helping to shape me on my path, the experience gave fruit to really great friendships. I was lucky to keep in touch with her.

When Drausin and her emailed me about photographing their wedding rehearsal and wedding day back in the mountains stomping grounds of my earlier youth, I was stoked. I love mountain weddings! The soon to be newly weds decided to have a causal relaxing rehearsal “dinner” at the base of the Vail ski mountain at the Manor Vail Lodge. It was quite the place. Instead of a formal sit down dinner, they had a tapas style buffet and a bar which worked out really well. It allowed everyone to go at their own pace and socialize.

They also spread out the toasts throughout the evening rather than one right after the other. It gave each speaker a chance to really express themselves without feeling rushed. It was so special to listen to the incredibly eloquent speeches from friends and family in such a warm (and green!) setting. There is a lot of love and support for these two newlyweds. Here are some of my favorite images from the evening. I’m hard at work finishing the wedding photos. So excited to show you all. It was quite the weekend. Stay tuned… -M

To see the entire rehearsal dinner photo shoot click here.

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Vail Colorado Wedding Day Photos at the 4 Eagle Ranch Preview of Ali & Drausin

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What a weekend! I’ve begun editing through and reliving the fun wedding photos of Ali and Drausin’s celebration I made last weekend at the 4 Eagle Ranch in Vail, Colorado. I wanted to share a sneak peek of some of their wedding photos. Many more to come. My work is cut out for me. Congratulations to Ali and Drauslin! Stay tuned. -M

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Bigfork Montana Wedding Day Photos at the Cougar Trail Ranch of Cierra & Brian

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Montana! I love it! Especially when it means I get to make a road trip through the state to photograph a wedding up near Glacier National Park. A couple weeks ago, I headed north towards Bigfork, Montana where I photographed Cierra & Brian’s wedding day festivities at the Cougar Trail Ranch. These newlyweds have been making a life together working in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania but decided they wanted to marry closer to home, their friends and their family and opted for a Montana wedding. The place they found, the Cougar Trail Ranch, was in a classic northwest Montana setting complete with dense, surrounding lodge pole pine forests that opened into golden grass pastures bordering the property line. The big fancy house offered tons of space for the wedding party staging and it’s huge big windows offered this photographer great light to work with. Cierra, an old college rugby friend of mine, contacted me about a year in advance to book my wedding photography services and it was great to finally watch her walk down the isle to marry the boy of her dreams. It never gets old photographing the weddings of old buddies. The day went off without a hitch. As the festivities turned to dancing, I struggled to hold in my laughter at the sight of seeing some of the wedding guests cut loose and begin tossing kids into the air as they danced, celebrated and sang the words to every DJ song. It was one big, awesome Montana party! Such wonderful energy throughout. I had a blast documenting these guys. I wish them all the best for many years to come. -M

 

To see Cierra & Brian’s entire wedding click here.

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Ashley and David’s Montana Wedding Day at the Teller Wildlife Refuge Slack House and Barn in Corvallis, Montana

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I’ve been excited to post these photos for a while now. A couple of weekends ago, I drove over to western Montana to photograph the wedding day of Ashley and David at the fantastic Teller Wildlife Refuge Slack House and Barn in Corvallis, Montana. Ashley has been a longtime friend of mine since our time together attending The University of Montana and the two are making a living in Butte, Montana as social workers. You would be hard pressed to find a cuter couple. I had an awesome time photographing the fun throughout their wedding day. Thinking back on it makes me smile. The entire time I was hanging out with them, you could tell their excitement by the big grins they had on their faces all day. It’s such a fun thing to witness two people completely head over heels for one another. I think that emotion really shines through in their wedding photos. Having photographed at the refuge years ago, I had a pretty good idea of where my best images would come from. This place was a Montana wedding photographers dream. I used the rustic Montana farm backdrop to it’s fullest by exploring the variations of color schemes and trying to capture the feeling of their wedding day. It is such a joy for me to document the union of friends. I’m thrilled for these two and wish them all the best! -M

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Bigfork Montana Wedding Day at the Cougar Trail Ranch Photo Preview of Cierra & Brian

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This past weekend, I traveled towards the Flathead Valley in northwest Montana to the town of Big Fork to photograph Cierra and Brian’s wedding day held at the beautiful Cougar Trail Ranch. Here’s a sneak peak at some of the fun photos I got to make on their big day! This is just the tip of the iceberg and I’m excited to show you all the rest. Many more photos to come. Check back soon. Congrats you guys! -M

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Charleston South Carolina Wedding Day Photos at the Creek Club at I’On of Josh and Elizabeth

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A couple weeks ago, I saddled up from my home here in Bozeman, Montana and hopped a flight bound for Charleston, South Carolina to photograph Josh and Elizabeth’s beautiful wedding day festivities. I love traveling for weddings! Photographing in new places all over the country is like an artist working with a brand new canvas and I couldn’t wait to start. It was my first time exploring the charming city and my first time being completely submerged in the throws of southern charm, cuisine and lifestyle that the folks in the deep south continue to proudly cultivate. It was pretty surreal walking along the historic streets and adorable old buildings that date back to the Civil War. For Josh and Liz, who hail from the suburbs of Chicago, it was that southern soul that they wanted to incorporate into their wedding celebration. The couple decided to have their wedding at the Creek Club at I’On in the small town of Mt. Pleasant just outside of Charleston, South Carolina. The place offered a perfect setting along the banks of picturesque Hobcaw Creek for both the couple’s wedding ceremony and reception. A huge convenience not to be under estimated if you are ever planning your own wedding day. Despite ninety degree temperatures and full-on humidity, the day was packed with all the right ingredients of a gorgeous southern wedding day and the couple’s small gathering of friends and family celebrated their union well into the night hours. It was an incredible weekend with these two and I wish them all the very best! -M

To see Josh and Elizabeth entire wedding day photographs click here.

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Teller Wildlife Refuge Slack House and Barn in Corvallis Montana Wedding Photo Preview Ashley and David

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The fun continues! I just got back from photographing Ashley and David’s beautiful Montana cowboy styled wedding at the Teller Wildlife Refuge Slack House and Barn in Corvallis, Montana this past weekend. Here’s a sneak peak at a couple snaps from their wedding day. Many more to come. -M

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Charleston South Carolina Wedding Day Photo Preview of Josh and Elizabeth

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I just got back from documenting Josh and Elizabeth’s beautiful wedding day in Charleston, South Carolina at the Creek Club at I’On. It was my first time exploring this charming city. Here is a sneak peak at some photos that caught my eye from the day. So many more to come. Stay tuned…M.

Update! The wedding photos are ready! Check them out here. 

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Bozeman Montana Engagement Photo Session on the Madison River of Candace and Andy

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I can not think of a better way to start my 2013 wedding season. A couple weeks ago, I went out for a fun, wedding engagement shoot float with Candace and Andy on the Madison River. The two found me through a recommendation from a friend here in Bozeman, Montana and reached out to me in a bit of a panic. The two were disappointed with a previous photographer’s engagement photos and they called me looking for a last minute remedy. I was happy to help. The two wanted photos that conveyed their relationship while mixing in their mutual love of floating Montana rivers. For those of you that haven’t met me personally yet, flyfishing and floating a river are two of my favorite past time activities. Mix in a great photogenic couple, some great Montana evening sunlight with a photographer in his ultimate happy place…well, you have yourself a recipe for some awesome and unique engagement photos. I had a lot of fun with these two. We set out west from Bozeman (boat trailer in tow) towards our river put in. Candace and Andy brought along their English Springer Spaniel puppy “Bobo” for his first floating experience. Sometimes it’s those little added ingredients like a curious, young dog that can help set the stage for some fun moments. Upon casting off shore, two things were quickly revealed to me: first, Bobo had never in water before (let alone floated on top of it) and secondly, this dog had never seen a trout before. Hilarity ensued as Candace and Andy reacted to their pup’s new experiences in between each portrait set up and I was there to document it with my camera. The end result was some uniquely Montana-style engagement photos that they were really happy with. The two will be tying the knot later this summer. I wish them all the best. -M

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Greener Visuals Wedding Photography Awarded in Wedding Photojournalism Association Quarterly Photo Contest

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Good news! I found out recently that a couple of my photographs were recognized in a national wedding photo contest. I’ve been a member of the Wedding Photojournalism Association, a national organization of professional wedding photojournalists, for a couple years now and every quarter they hold a contest to honor the talents of its members. It’s always fun to see how you stack up again other talented peers in the industry. There was a lot of inspiring work that was awarded and I was excited to learn I was amongst them. I won 3rd Place in the Reflections category and then won 17th Place in the Great Natural Light category. I’m pretty stoked! I had a lot of fun shooting Michele and Brian’s Wedding and Melissa and Brendan’s Wedding where these award winners were made. Click on their names to check out their fun wedding photos! Thanks for the support everyone! I’m looking forward to making many more award winners for my upcoming wedding season. I’ll be a traveling man. Headed to Oregon, Colorado, South Carolina and all over Montana this summer. There’s always room for more. I’d love to hear about yours or a friends wedding day plans and tell you how Greener Visuals Wedding Photography can help capture the fun. Talk to you soon, -M
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Photographing Grandparent Portraits – Greener Visuals Photography

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Finding a window of opportunity with two extra days off from the newspaper this week, I packed up my gear and headed over to Missoula, Montana to visit my family yesterday afternoon. My parents had informed me that my Grandma Jean was being honored for 50 years of volunteering for a PEO (which is womens philanthropy sorority) and they wanted a nice portrait of her. Enter photographer grandson. I wanted to show people the grandma I know and love. The one who giggles at her own stories, the one who cooked our amazing family meals and a the formatable opponent who dominated the countless family boardgames growing up. It was a chance to photograph my second mother. I was excited about this photo shoot. I began by looking over her wardrobe. When making portraits of people, I always want them to wear clothing that is simple and not distracting. Remember it’s about the faces and not the clothing. I choose a solid navy color, non-pattern sweater for her (that also happened to make her blue eyes pop, bonus!) and choose similar color palette for Aca (my grandpa). He is a man that appreciates his flannel. A good trait by any other circumstances except for portraits with other people. I want the viewers eye to go right to the person’s face. not the pattern of their shirt. Different patterns on shirts can clash too easily with each other. Tip – This can be a good thing to remember when photographing your own family. I chose the most simple pattern I could find and set them against a blue piece of sewing material borrowed from my mom. I liked the effect of blue on blue. From there it was all about capturing the interaction between the two of them. They will have been married for 58 years this June. One of the immediate benefits to photographing a family member is that you know just the right way how to make them laugh. It didn’t take long. The end result are photographs I think really captured their personalities. Looking over these again, realized I am really going to cherish these for the rest of my days. So glad I was able to finally do it. Hope you like them as much as I do. -M

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Best Wedding Photos of 2012 from Greener Visuals Photography

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Happy New Year everyone! Well, I finally got around to editing down my favorite wedding images from 2012. It’s great to look back and relive all the fun memories of my wedding clients celebrations. I feel privileged and proud that I got to be apart of them all for that, I raise my glass to all  of my brides and groom’s continued happiness. 2013 is already shaping up to be my best wedding year yet and the bookings are pouring in. If you know of any friends or family members that are looking for a unique way to have their wedding day documented, I hope you send them my way. Hope everyone had a great holiday and that you’ll continue to support my storytelling wedding photography in the new year. I feel very blessed. Cheers! -M

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Bozeman Montana Family Portraits at the Rockin TJ Ranch of Chris and Molly

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Happy New Year folks!

I don’t shoot many family portraits due to being so busy with the newspaper or weddings, but every once in a while an opportunity presents itself. My close friends from college Chris and Molly called me up over the holidays and asked if I would make some portraits of their family and of their new son Jude. They were back in Montana from Davis, California for the Christmas break. I love seeing old friends. I met the crew out at Rockin TJ Ranch just outside of Bozeman where they were staying for the week. The place is a cute little wedding venue during the summertime and served as a quite, cozy place for their family to stay. With temperatures hovering in the teens and knowing I would have limited infant enthusiasm for pictures with Jude, I elected to photograph their family in the large banquet hall where there was lots of pretty light and warm indoor heating. It was a pretty versatile space to work in and I was quickly able to set up a couple different portrait scenes. I had a great time on this shoot and was pleased with the results. Who knows? I may have a future in baby photos. Jude was so stinking cute. What a smile. Thanks for looking everyone! -M

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