Hi, I’m Michanae
I'm a photographer based in Routt County, Colorado, documenting weddings, elopements, portraits, families, and all the beautifully ordinary moments that end up meaning everything later.
My work is for the sentimental people. The happy criers. The awkward laughers. The deeply in love. The families in their real-life chaos. The people who want photos that feel like memories instead of performances. I’m not here to make you look like someone else. I’m here to help you feel comfortable enough to show up as yourself.
Why Photography Matters to Me
Photography has always been more than just taking pretty pictures for me. It became a way of paying attention when life felt overwhelming. When I felt anxious or untethered, I would go outside with my camera and photograph flowers, trees, little patches of light, and the quiet details I might have missed otherwise.
It helped me slow down and notice things again — like the way leaves filter the sun while softer light reaches the soil beneath them, or how something small and ordinary can still feel breathtaking when you really look at it. That way of seeing has shaped the way I photograph people, too. I’m always looking for the small, honest details that hold the most feeling.
My Approach
I care about how the moment felt, not just how it looked. I’m drawn to nervous hand squeezes, wind-blown hair, happy tears, crooked smiles, quiet glances, kids running wild, and the way someone looks at you when you are not paying attention. Those are the moments that feel the most honest to me, and they are usually the ones that mean the most later.
My approach is calm, collaborative, and gently guided. I know being in front of the camera can feel vulnerable, and most people tell me they are awkward before we even start. Honestly, that’s completely normal. I’ll give you direction when you need it, prompts when things feel stiff, and space when the moment needs to breathe. You do not have to perform for the camera. You just have to show up as you are, and I’ll help with the rest.
What I Want Your Photos to Feel Like
Your gallery should feel like opening a little time capsule — warm, nostalgic, cinematic, and completely yours. I want your photos to remind you of the season you were in, the people you loved, the version of yourself you were becoming, and all the little things that made it worth remembering.
I don’t want your photos to feel overly posed, overly trendy, or like they could belong to anyone. I want them to feel lived in. Like your people, your energy, your love, your chaos, your softness, and your story.
A Little More Human
When I’m not behind the camera, I’m probably chasing good light, binge-watching reality TV, getting emotionally attached to someone’s love story, or pointing out a view like everyone else in the car hasn’t already seen it. I love soft colors, windy fields, mountain light, sentimental details, dramatic sleeves, dogs at sessions, and people who swear they are not photogenic before being absolutely adorable.
I’m also very much the photographer who will hype you up, fix your hair, carry your flowers, remind you to drink water, and probably tear up during your vows. No shame. It’s part of the experience now.
You’re Safe Here
All love, all families, all bodies, and all beautifully unconventional stories are welcome here. You do not need to shrink yourself, perform perfection, or fit into a specific version of what photos are “supposed” to look like.
Come as you are, bring the love you have, and I’ll meet you there.
