Bozeman Engagement Photographer Middle Cottonwood Canyon couple
  • Bozeman Engagement Photographer Middle Cottonwood Canyon couple

The other day I photographed the Middle Cottonwood Canyon Engagement Portraits of my wedding clients Lisa and Noah in Bozeman Montana.

Lisa and Noah wanted to feature a special place as the setting for their engagement session.

It was here that Noah brought Lisa on their second date for a hike up Middle Cottonwood Canyon.

These two have been living in their new home in Washington for the past year. Lisa works as a software engineer and is Noah working away on his pursuit of a science graduate degree. They were home visiting family and wanted to have their Middle Cottonwood Canyon Engagement photos to remind them of their Montana roots.

When it came time to plan their wedding day, choosing their Montana home as the backdrop was a no-brainer for them. These two will be tying the knot tomorrow up Kelly Canyon! I’m so excited for these guys! Stay tuned for their wedding photo preview! -M

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  • wedding-couple-in-yellow-wildflowers-Bozeman-Wedding-Photographer-Springhill-Pavilion

Spring in Montana lately has been a sight to behold. Yesterday could not have been a better setting to photograph the Springhill Pavilion Mountain Wedding day of Camille and Matt just outside Bozeman, Montana.

The warm spring rains promised in the weather reports failed to dampen the day. Not that it would matter.

This was a group that shrugged off inclement weather.

The wonderful combined family energy of Wisconsinites and Montanans raised the level of a wedding celebration to a new high bar.

They raised their Coors Light libations with smiles and focused on the task at hand, celebrating two special people through hugs, laughter, songs, and dance during their Springhill Pavilion Mountain Wedding.

I met Camille at a fishing friend’s house over ten years ago. I was working at a newspaper in Northern California and spending my weekends chasing steelhead in the multitude of incredible nearby rivers. We ran in the same flyfishing circles. Camille was about to graduate high school, and the buzz in the fishing circles was that she was already quickly becoming one of the most successful women anglers in the United States.

Camille was raised between Montana and Alaska. Every summer growing up she was at her family’s fishing lodge on the Nushagak River in Bristol Bay. She began guiding at a young age. She has since enveloped herself in the national fly fishing community and has become an advocate for the great outdoors.

Presently, Camille is dominating the internet. She divides her time advocating against the Alaskan Pebble Mine efforts and works as Alaska & Christmas Island Program Director for Yellow Dog Flyfishing. She is living her dream of traveling the world guiding with a fly rod in hand.

It was only natural that she would find a partner with the same passion for the outdoors. Through Camille, I got to know Matt. He’s a kind, caring, and incredibly talented hunting and outdoor lifestyle photographer based here in Bozeman.

Their shared love of the outdoors helped influence their Springhill Pavilion Mountain Wedding day style.

Yellow flowers intermixed with whitetail deer antlers accentuated the venue. As their wedding guest dined on wild game appetizers and sipped local Montana wine and microbrew. The wedding couple’s mutual love of fishing was highlighted by artwork details of fly fishing files for the table settings and incorporated into the bridal party boutonnieres and corsages.

Their wedding day was a wonderful and complete representation of all that was important to them in their lives. I loved meeting all of their loved ones and photographing the festivities during their wedding day.

I could not be more thrilled for these two newlyweds! Congrats Camille and Matt! It has been a pleasure getting to know these two over the past year. I am convinced that anyone would be hard-pressed to find a better pair of people so perfectly suited for one another. Wish you guys a lifetime of happiness! -M

Livingston Wedding Photographer Yellowstone River couple portrait

This past Monday, I had the absolute pleasure of photographing the Livingston Montana Wedding Day Photography of Erika and Josh on the banks of the Yellowstone River at the Livingston KOA.

For newlyweds Erika and Josh, it was all about returning to the source.

Little did they know after a chance encounter over a foosball game table in Livingston, Montana, two years earlier, they would be surrounded by friends and loved ones celebrating their wedding in the beautiful Paradise Valley just south of town.

Both being well versed in hospitality (Josh as a chef at Feast Raw Bar & Bistro and Erika as a former wedding planner) wanted to have their wedding day be “about letting their friends and family know how much they’ve impacted us in our lives.”

Great food, meticulous decorations of 1,000 paper cranes and rock cairns, homemade booze-infused cupcakes and the right tunes to keep the dance floor busy.

It made the day a true delight.

Not even the constant rainfall throughout the day could dampen the spirits of those in attendance.

While I’m still working away at editing all the fun photographs, I wanted to share a small preview of their awesome wedding day celebration. Congrats to the newlyweds! Stay tuned for more photo goodness. -M

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Spring in Montana is a sight to behold and yesterday could not have been a better setting for my couple Camille and Matt’s wedding day celebration at the Springhill Pavilion just outside Bozeman, Montana.

The warm spring rains promised in the weather reports failed to dampen the day and the energy of Wisconsinites and Montanans was raised to a new high bar.

It was such a fun day.

So much so, that I have my work cut out for me editing through all the 10,000+ awesome moments taken throughout the day. For now, here are a few of the many favorites photographs that stood out. I could not be more thrilled for these two! Congrats Camille and Matt! Thank you so much for letting me and my photo team be apart of your special day! So much more goodness to come. Stay tuned! -M

Rockin TJ Ranch Greener Visuals Photobooth Prospera Business Network
  • Rockin TJ Ranch Greener Visuals Photobooth Prospera Business Network

Last night’s Prospera Business Network Prosperity Party Photobooth at Rockin TJ Ranch in Bozeman Montana was a huge hit!

I had a blast playing in my Greener Visuals Photo Booth with the attendees of this year’s Prospera Business Network Prosperity Party.

Great people having fun and supporting Montana business owners. While all the photos were taken by the people in the photos, here are some of my favorite moments that stood out.

Greener Visuals Photography strives to support local organizations that work towards bettering the community in Montana.

So glad I could be apart of the celebration. Check out the awesome and enjoy! -M

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  • expecting-couple-cuddle-in-yellow-flowers-during-their-Bozeman-Maternity-Family-Portraits-session
    I had the pleasure of photographing some friends Lacey and Rory for their maternity portrait session here in Bozeman, Montana. These two were so excited to have their photos created. We will be doing part two later this year when their little one gets a little bigger. For this part, we decided to hike around the "M" Trail at the edge of the Bridger Mountains just outside of town. The evening light made for not only a lovely walk but also prime light for making some cool photographs. We had a great time. Here are some of my favorite images from the day.

Back in late May, I had the pleasure of photographing Bozeman Maternity Family Portraits of Lacey and Rory on the “M” Trail in Bozeman, Montana.

These two were so excited about their new family and wanted to create some environmental portraits of them in the town they love. For ease of outdoor access, we decided to hike around the “M” Trail at the edge of the Bridger Mountains just outside of downtown Bozeman.

I love the summertime!

The evening light during our photo session made for not only a lovely walk but also prime light for making some sunset photographs amongst the endless hillsides covered in yellow Arrowleaf Balsamroot wildflowers.

A great setting combined with enthusiastic expecting parents made for a great time.

Here are some of my favorite images from their Bozeman Maternity Family Portraits session. I’m excited for you and your new family Lacey and Rory. Congrats again! -M

El Western Resort Wedding Photos Becky and Kyle
  • El Western Resort Wedding Photos Becky and Kyle

This past Saturday, I stepped in last minute to photograph the El Western Resort Wedding day of Becky and Kyle in Ennis Montana.

Sometimes in life, you can’t always plan for the unexpected.

I woke up to an early morning message from a photographer friend of mine. Overnight she had become quite ill and woke up the morning of her client’s wedding day unable to work it. That is a nightmare situation for any working creative. Thankfully, here in southwest Montana, there is a strong community of supportive, talented wedding photographers. When called upon, we strive to help out one another.

Luckily, I was available and took over the reins for her agreeing to photograph her client’s El Western Resort wedding.

It makes me proud that I live amongst a community of wedding professionals that go the distance for their clients. By helping each other out, we are able to provide the best service possible for wedding couples having their celebrations in southwest Montana.

While it wasn’t ideal news for bride Becky and groom Kyle to find out the morning of their wedding day, they understood and were grateful for the help.

Not having any time to get to know them before their wedding day, I stepped up to make the best wedding photography experience I could for them. The result was a fun, country wedding celebration filled with good people in the heart of horse and fly fishing country.

A great time was had by all. I have a lot of great photos to edit through but I wanted to share a few favorites so far that have stood out to me. I’m excited to show them all the goods from their special day. Stay tuned for more wedding photos! -M

Rocky Creek Farm Styled Wedding Photo Session of Tara and Sky
  • Rocky Creek Farm Styled Wedding Photo Session of Tara and Sky

With the help of fellow wedding vendors, I photographed a Rocky Creek Farm Styled Wedding Shoot in under 24 hours’ time.

The idea for a Rocky Creek Farm Styled Wedding Shoot sprouted last Tuesday as I was talking on the phone with my friends Jacy and Matt, owners of Gallatin Valley Botanical. For the last couple of years,  I’ve been photographing and supporting their local Bozeman organic farm here in Gallatin Valley.

They mentioned that they would soon be taking over management of the popular Rocky Creek Farm just down the road from theirs. In addition to farming the increased acreage of land, they would also be pushing to make Rocky Creek Farm a successful new farm wedding venue. While gathering material together for their wedding advertisement for this past weekend’s Bozeman Bridal Walk, they realized they would need some wedding photography to showcase their new venue to prospective wedding clients. They didn’t have much time.

I told them I could help. The answer…

We decided to have a Rocky Creek Farm Styled Wedding Session. The next day.

Our time was short. We set our photo shoot time for 2 pm the following afternoon and let them know I would take care of everything. After hanging up the phone, I sprung into action. First and foremost, we would need models. I decided to get in touch with my engaged friends Sky and Tara and invited them to be my models for the afternoon. Thankfully, they agreed.

If we were going to have a properly styled wedding photo shoot, we would need to make our volunteer wedding models look amazing.

We were in need of a fine suit and beautiful wedding dress for my models to flaunt. I called upon the talents of Persnickety Formal Wear owner Anne Porter. In between all of her fittings for the busy prom season, she happily agreed to help. Sky and Tara were outfitted with some classy wedding attire that looked incredible.

For Tara’s hair and makeup, I stopped into Indulgence. My friend, the lovely owner Deirdre Quinn, saw to it that Tara looked radiant as a bride for our Rocky Creek Farm Styled shoot

It all came together so well. In all, we organized our impromptu wedding photo shoot in under 24 hours.

Our styled wedding photography shoot turned out awesome.

The Wednesday morning rain clouds had subsided by the time our two-hour afternoon photo shoot commenced. We were given a nice, calm weather window to utilize and we made the most of it.

It turns out Rocky Creek Farms has a lot to offer both in capacity and scenery.

I photographed Sky and Tara against various canvases found on the farm. We made good use of Rocky Creek Farm’s old barn wood backdrops, apple orchards, and open farmland under the views of the nearby Bridger Mountains. We even took photo opportunities along the on-property spring creek.

I could have photographed there for hours.

We even utilized a few baby lambs and my new labrador puppy, Tippet, to be featured in our photo shoot.

It was a perfect way to spend a Montana afternoon. The styled wedding shoot could not have happened without the hustle and team effort of my fellow vendors. At a moment’s notice, everyone worked together to make something special happen on such short notice. I’m so grateful for their willingness, enthusiasm, and professionalism.

Congrats to Sky and Tara on their engagement! Well wishes to Matt and Jacy as they grow their new wedding venue out at Rocky Creek Farms! -M

Yesterday, I had the pleasure of meeting dozens of new brides-to-be during the annual Montana Bridal Tour event at the 1915 Barn in Bozeman, Montana. Greener Visuals Photography has participated in the Fall bridal event (run by the talent event planner Abby Turner, of Reed & Lee Event Planning) for the past couple of years and really enjoy the face time connection with all of the excited brides as they begin their wedding planning process. As a whole, the Montana Bridal Tour is a chance for the newly engaged couples in the Gallatin Valley to tour multiple wedding venues around the Bozeman area and meet talented wedding vendors at each location. For a fun-filled day, four buses rotate driving participants from place to place where they get to sample the wares, get inspiration for their own wedding day and ask questions to participating wedding vendors. It’s so much fun to see the excitement on their faces.

In between chatting with brides all day long, I made some photos from the event at the 1915 Barn in Bozeman, Montana. For information on attending next year’s tour, you can visit their website here. What a fun day. -M

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  • wedding-couple-in-field-with-tractor-during-1915-Barn-Bozeman-Wedding
    I had the pleasure of photographing the wedding of two incredibly giving and generous Bozeman people this past weekend. Bride and Groom Dee and Chris decided to have their friends and family gather at the beautiful 1915 Barn in Bozeman, Montana for their DIY Montana wedding day.

I had the pleasure of photographing the 1915 Barn Bozeman Wedding of two incredibly giving and generous Bozeman people this past weekend.

I’ve known Dee and Chris for years through volunteering with the adult special needs non-for-profit Reach, Inc. I would be hard-pressed to find such selfless individuals as these two. They both have done so much for the Bozeman community. These two decided to have their friends and family gather at the beautiful 1915 Barn in Bozeman, Montana for their DIY wedding day.

The large remodeled barn was the perfect setting to shelter their indoor wedding festivities. The evening was spent conversing with good people, eating great food, and dancing to the live tunes of Montana Rose. It was a true pleasure to photograph their wedding celebration. Wishing these two newlyweds all the best! -M

wedding-couple-on-Whitefish-Mountain-Resort-Wedding-summit
  • wedding-couple-on-Whitefish-Mountain-Resort-Wedding-summit
    Over the 4th of July weekend, I was up at the Whitefish Mountain Resort in Whitefish, Montana photographing the summer wedding day of Tim and Jill. These two Bozeman locals wanted a destination feel for their wedding celebration without leaving the Big Sky state. Northwest Montana was the perfect answer.

Over the 4th of July weekend, I photographed the summer Whitefish Mountain Resort wedding day of Tim and Jill in Whitefish, Montana.

Whitefish Mountain Resort is a ski resort located at Big Mountain in northwestern Montana. It is west of Glacier National Park in the Flathead National Forest, four miles from the town of Whitefish.

These two Bozeman locals wanted a destination wedding celebration feeling to their special day without leaving the Big Sky state. This couple loves to explore the outdoors together and also enjoy skiing in the wintertime together. Northwest Montana was the perfect answer for their wedding plans.

When their wedding day arrived, this Bozeman wedding photographer traveled north to Whitefish, Montana where I was able to join up with Tim and Jill’s Whitefish Mountain Resort wedding entourage as they were getting ready.

Tim and Jill planned to say their vows on the summit of the ski mountain at sunset. To get there, everyone hopped onto a chairlift to get a ride up the mountain. The view up on the mountaintop was gorgeous and was a 360-degree view of the surrounding valley. On a clear summer evening, it was a lovely sight to behold.

After a sunset wedding ceremony at the summit, we took the chairlifts down to the reception where we all dined and danced while celebrating the union of the newlyweds. You could not have asked for a nicer summer day. It was a true pleasure for me to be present and to document their wedding day festivities.

Wishing Tim and Jill all the best and many years of happiness! -M

Over the 4th of July weekend, I was up at the Whitefish Mountain Resort in Whitefish, Montana photographing the summer wedding day of Tim and Jill. These two Bozeman locals wanted a destination feeling for their wedding celebration without leaving the Big Sky state. Northwest Montana was the perfect answer. There are so many more great photos to show you all. For now, here is a preview of a few favorites so far from the wedding day. I’m hard at work editing the rest. My congrats to the newlyweds! Stay tuned for more awesome. -Mike

  • Had a blast photographing the fun at the destination wedding celebration of Kim and Preston a few weeks back at the Big Yellow Barn in Belgrade, Montana.

I recently photographed the Big Yellow Barn destination wedding day of Kim and Preston in Bozeman, Montana.

These two lovebirds hail from Washington D.C. and wanted to make their Big Yellow Barn Destination Wedding day special for their out-of-town guests with an authentic Montana rustic barn wedding in Bozeman.

I’ve photographed a few weddings at the Big Yellow Barn over the years and it’s a great Bozeman barn wedding venue option for hosting your celebration.

Situated 10 miles north of Bozeman, the big yellow barn looks out to a prominent unobstructed view of Ross Peak and the surrounding Bridger Mountains. Take some time with your wedding photographer during the “golden hour” to walk the grassy property. It’s a perfect, clean mountain backdrop for wedding portraits.

The barn itself has plenty of space for them and their guests. Kim and Preston set up the catering downstairs which created a good flow to feed their guests via buffet. It worked really well to get everyone through and fed.

The upstairs barn loft is massive. There’s lots of room for seating your guests for dinner and it can double as a spacious epicenter for your wedding dance floor. In between songs, you and your guests can mingle out on the elevated deck and down on the lawn. Overall, it serves as a really great layout for a wedding.

Kim and Preston wanted their special day captured in a documentary photography style so they reached out to me. The Big Yellow Barn offered the perfect setting for them. Warm weather, a couple in love, great people, excellent Montana barbeque, cupcakes, and an assortment of epic dance moves made the day not only memorable but one heck of a party.

I love the energy they and their guests brought to the celebration. I was so glad I could be a part of it. Here are some of my favorite photos from the day. Wishing these two all the best and many years of happiness. Congrats to the newlyweds Kim and Preston! -M

Had a blast photographing the fun at the destination wedding celebration of Kim and Preston this past Saturday at the Big Yellow Barn in Belgrade, Montana. Warm weather, a couple in love, great people, excellent Montana barbeque, and cupcakes and an assortment of epic dance moves made the day not only memorable but one heck of a good time. I’m hard at work editing through all the wedding photos of the day but wanted to share a few that have stood out so far. Congrats to the newlyweds Kim and Preston! So many more fun photos to show you all. Stay tuned…M

  • Had a blast photographing the fun at the destination wedding celebration of Kim and Preston this past Saturday at the Big Yellow Barn in Belgrade, Montana.
newlyweds-walk-mountain-landscape-at-chico-hot-springs-wedding

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I photographed the Chico Hot Springs wedding day of Heather and Andrew in Pray, Montana a few weeks back.

When Heather and Andrew booked me to photograph their outdoor Montana destination Chico Hot Springs wedding day last September, I was half expecting their early Spring event to be in the snow or rain. I’ve lived in Montana for a combined twelve years now. Some assumptions regarding annual Montana weather patterns tend to hold true. Planning a wedding in April can be a bit of a gamble.

When their wedding day arrived, Heather and Andrew along with their guests were blessed with the first sunny 70-degree day of the year in Montana. Chico Hot Springs wedding day was the perfect setting to welcome all of their out-of-town guests.

Photographing their wedding day was an absolute pleasure. Over the past year, I got to know the newlyweds during our phone conversations that culminated in their winter engagement photo session. These two are great humans. I knew their wedding day would be a wonderful joyful celebration and it did not disappoint. Despite a bit of wind, the warm weather added to the already lifted spirits of the wedding attendants. They had their wedding ceremony on the steps to the lodge and then guests moved into the convention center for the reception to dine and dance. Laughter smiles, and stories were present everywhere you looked. It made for a really fun time making photographs.

Heather and Andrew are an amazing couple and their family and friends welcomed me with open arms. It was such a fun day. Wishing these newlyweds all the best! -M

  • exterior-of-renovated-Lake-Yellowstone-Hotel

This past Friday I had the pleasure of photographing the Lake Yellowstone Hotel 125th Anniversary Event in Yellowstone National Park.

The event was in conjunction with the 1ooth year anniversary of the National Park Service. To celebrate the National Historic Landmark designation of the “Grand Old Lady”, the National Park Service held a grand party in the renovated space Friday evening. The historic building recently received a two-year, $28 million facelift. All of the 153 guest rooms, public spaces, dining rooms, and much of the interior were renovated during this time.

I was hired to document the evening festivities and distinguished guests during the Lake Yellowstone Hotel 125th Anniversary Event. It was a lovely time complete with live music, a seven-course meal, and a celebration amongst good people dressed up in traditional black tie affair.

So glad I could be a part of it. -M

125th-Lake-Hotel-Round-GreenerVisuals

A few weeks ago, I had the pleasure of photographing the destination wedding celebration of Heather and Andrew at Chico Hot Springs in the small town Pony, Montana.

Such is the case with early spring weddings in Montana, I was expecting to photograph this wedding in the snow or rain. Alas, when the big day came, we were blessed (by some miracle) with the first sunny 70-degree day of the year. You could not have asked for better weather…well perhaps a little less wind. That’s always a fun challenge. Spirits were held high by all in attendance at their Chico Hot Springs Wedding Day.

Heather and Andrew are amazing people and their family and friends welcomed me with open arms. Such a fun day. Here is a preview of some photo favorites that have stood out in my editing thus far. Many more photos to come. Wishing these newlyweds all the best! Stay tuned for more photos. -M

After celebrating the holidays with friends and family here in Montana, I jumped right into my 2016 wedding photography season to photograph the Gallatin River Lodge wedding of Kiera & Collin in Bozeman Montana.

I’ve been looking forward to this wedding for a while now. I had a great time earlier in the year photographing this couple during their couples portrait experience in downtown Bozeman. These two are great and brought lot of energy to their photo session.

For their wedding day, this couple brought a small gathering of their loved ones together to help them celebrate their union at the comfortable, top-rate fly fishing lodge just outside of Bozeman, Montana.

When wedding couples have their wedding day in Montana, it goes without saying that you need to have some portraits taken out in the majestic Big Sky scenery. Kiera and Collin were a blast and were up for anything.

In this case, we all braved the chilly 10 degrees of Montana winter weather for a series of quick Gallatin River Lodge Wedding portraits around the perimeter of the lodge. Despite being freezing cold, these two were beaming ear to ear with smiles. It was so cold that I had to ask them to hold their breath so that the cold fog wouldn’t block their faces.

It’s so much fun to photograph people in love. I had a great time with these guys and their crew. A great way to kick off the New Year! Wish these two all the best, -M

Happy 2016 everybody! After celebrating the holidays with friends and family here in Montana, I jumped right into my 2016 wedding photography season to photograph and document Kiera and Collin’s Gallatin River Lodge wedding day outside Bozeman, Montana this past weekend. I had a great time getting to know these two lovebirds during their downtown Bozeman engagement photo session back in early December with me. This past Saturday, the wedding day finally arrived. A small gathering of their loved ones braved the chilly 10 degrees Montana winter weather to help them celebrate their union at the comfortable, top-rate fly fishing lodge. Here is a preview of a few favorite photographs I made during their wedding day. I’m hard at work editing through the rest. Congrats on getting married you guys! More awesome is on deck. Stay tuned… -M

 

  • As the final hours of 2015 count down I find myself looking back on the wedding photos I made from this past year with a lot of gratitude. I feel fortunate to have been able to document my wedding clients on their special day. Here are a few of my favorite wedding images that I made from the past year. Looking forward to the new smiles and faces I’ll meet and photograph in 2016.

It is with great pride that I present my Best of 2015 Wedding Photos from Greener Visuals!

As the final hours of the year countdown, I find myself looking back on my client’s wedding photos I made over this past year with a smile and a lot of gratitude.

I feel fortunate to have been able to document and celebrate my wedding clients during their special events. I have a lot of fun telling stories with photographs and I am so thankful for their support.

This past year I traveled all over southwest Montana to photograph weddings. Each new venue set the stage for me to explore and get creative documenting candid moments that told the story of my client’s wedding day. This past wedding season kept me busy. I was on a quest for good light and color. The changing outdoor color schemes of the seasons were my muse at the moment.

Here are a few of my Best of 2015 Wedding photographs that I made in the past year. Now booking for the 2016 wedding season. I’m looking forward to the new smiles and faces I’ll meet and photograph in the new year.  Happy holidays everyone! -Mike Greener