"This job has been given to me to do. Therefore, it is a gift. Therefore, it is a privilege. Therefore, it is an offering I may make to God. Therefore, it is to be done gladly, if it is done for Him." - Elisabeth Elliott
"This job has been given to me to do. Therefore, it is a gift. Therefore, it is a privilege. Therefore, it is an offering I may make to God. Therefore, it is to be done gladly, if it is done for Him." - Elisabeth Elliott
loved ones and those who love well, backyard weddings, wedding cake, the photos that get hung on the refrigerator door, black suits, worship during the ceremony, film photographs, the imperfect photographs, messy tables at the end of the night, crowd surfing, grandparents, my holga, outdoor ceremonies and receptions, dinner parties and long reception tables, moments where you're fully present with your people, getaway cars, impromptu dance parties, wedding planners (thank goodness for you), really good djs, dad and daughter first looks, first dances, last dances, those unplanned moments that end up being your favorite, welcome parties, hand drawn wedding stationery, whatever feels like you.
I remember the day I photographed my first wedding in a little church on the outskirts of my hometown, filled with so much joy, a notebook full of ideas, a little bit of anxiety, and an overwhelming sense of assurance that I was doing what I was supposed to be doing. Over the past few years the Lord has been endlessly faithful to provide that same assurance and bring some of the best people into my life through photography. I love traveling and taking any opportunity I can to jump on a flight, I'm an avid concert-goer (I've been to too many to count), read way too many books on neuroscience and how the brain works, and am often re-watching old episodes of New Girl or This is Us or White Collar while editing. My absolute favorite part of my job is getting to really know people and being able to document their best days in an authentic and intentional way. Most days this all still feels a lot like a dream. Thank you for being here, for reading some of my favorite stories and for reading up on my little corner of the webspace universe.
"I will praise you, Lord, among the nations; I will sing of you among the peoples. For great is your love, reaching to the heavens; your faithfulness reaches to the skies. Be exalted, O God, above the heavens; let your glory be over all the earth." Psalms 57:9-11
ABOUT KYRA
TELL THEM YOU LOVE THEM
A NOTE FOR YOU
take a step back from the details and design just for a moment and dream with me. all of your people together, for one day in one room. the people who have changed you for the better. the ones you have created core memories with. the ones you called to tell when you found the one. soak in every single simple moment alongside them. and of course, your person. the one who is a reason you know love to be true, who instantly makes you feel safe when you walk into any room. how a silly little crush, turned into so much more, and now you’re celebrating with the people you adore. these are the moments that matter most.
AN INCOMPLETE LIST OF SOME OF MY FAVORITE THINGS: WEDDING EDITION
do you have a package that is all film? email me and let's talk! I don't recommend this without having someone else shoot digital, but have a package for those who are just desiring film images.
will you have a second shooter? all of my wedding packages include a second shooter. why? it's helpful for both you and me. I've found that I am able to be more present and document the day better when I have an extra pair of hands to help out and another person to help communicate.
why film? it’s the same reason we choose to linger at the dinner table, run to the beach at dusk, light candles around our homes, throw on our favorite sweatshirt as the wind gusts during our morning walk, the reason we stop to take photos of flowers, the reason we’re always dreaming. it proves that the little things really do matter just as much, if not more than the big things. film inspired photos and film just aren't the same. you can't recreate the colors or style.
what should we ask a wedding photographer when inquiring? always jump on a call or meet in person to see if your personalities jive first! ask to see a full wedding gallery (not of a styled shoot or from second shooting), whar their turnaround time is, if they shoot film (if this is important to you), their approach to shooting,, if they are a legal business and have a dba or llc. most venues now want this/insurance and this protects you and them.
"Kyra is the most amazingly talented photographer. We were so honored to have her do our engagement session & our wedding & the pictures are incredible!!! She captured our favorite moments so beautifully and we will cherish them forever! She also sent us sneak peaks so fast & made all of our photography dreams come true. We are so blessed we found her & can’t wait to get more pictures done & hang out with her again!!! WE LOVE YOU!!" - Addi and Michael
"Choosing Kyra to document our wedding day was one of the best planning decisions we made! She is so friendly and brought such a cheerful energy to the wedding day. She captured our day so well, from all the big moments to the little in-betweens that we will always want to remember. We are in love with our photo gallery and will cherish it forever. We can't recommend her enough!" - Hiliary and Bryce
"I still am short on words for how to best describe Kyra and her work. Kyra is a phenomenal photographer and an even better person. I loved working with her and am beyond grateful she was able to document out wedding. She specializes in natural and organic photography, and I feel like her images captured us and our day so perfectly. It is the most cohesive wedding gallery I’ve ever seen. I cannot commend Kyra and her talent enough. If you have the opportunity to work with her - do it!!!!!!" - Zsofi and Alex
"I can not recommend Kyra enough!!! She was so supportive throughout the entire planning of our elopement/micro-wedding. I spent so much time searching for someone who has the vision, purpose, and eye that she has. Our wedding gallery BLEW me away. My entire family was in awe of her and our pictures are priceless. She is always there for you, which is so comforting during the planning process. She is flexible, understanding, helpful, and such a beautiful human. I will always go to her for future picture's for all life's moments. 5 stars just isn't enough for how amazing she is." - McKenzie and Morgan
"I cannot recommend Kyra enough! She became a friend throughout our wedding planning process and went above and beyond to provide me the best photos and time on my wedding day! She is someone you want around the entire day!!! We received more photos than we thought and every single one of them we loved!" - Kylea and Carson
"Kyra is an amazing photographer and so fun to work with! Her work is so beautiful, and I had no doubts hiring her for our wedding. All of the pictures came back so beautifully edited, with natural tones, and the turnaround time was so fast! We received our pictures back exactly one month after our wedding and I was shocked by how fast that process was! Not to mention, we also received sneak peeks the night of our wedding!! I seriously cannot say enough how talented and artistic Kyra is. You will not be disappointed hiring her for any photographer needs! I personally cannot wait to find a way to work with her again in the future! The photos she takes are simply amazing!" - Katie and Matthew
"PURE JOY. From the second I found Kyra on instagram I knew it was something perfect waiting to happen. My gut was so right!! My husband & I felt so comfortable taking photos and kyra highlighted who we were together so perfectly. Engagement session and Wedding day was so easy and so enjoyable which is exactly what I was looking for. Completely felt like I was living in the moment not just posing for photos. Now Kyra is definitely a dear friend and she already knows she’s our photographer for a lifetime. love you kyra, proud to know you!" - Piper and Ethan
"Kyra is such a precious soul with an incredible eye for detail and the ability to make magic happen. As someone who hates taking photos, it means more than words can express for me to have wedding photos that I genuinely LOVE. She was such a fun addition and captured some really adorable candid moments I hadn’t expected to see. On top of that, she communicates consistently and clearly and had our full gallery sent out within three weeks of our wedding. I highly highly HIGHLY recommend her and if I ever want photos taken in the future, I know exactly who I’m asking." - Jessica and Jasiel
Kyra was an absolute JOY to work with & I could not be happier with her results!! There was not a moment with Kyra that we were not smiling or laughing! Over the process of planning my wedding, Kyra not only was our wedding photographer but she became a friend. She truly poured her heart into us as a couple & into our photos. She made our wedding day go so smooth even though it poured rain on our outdoor ceremony, and she absolutely made the most of it! She worked together with all of our vendors so well and made it so obvious that she truly wanted the absolute best for us! - Maddy and Evan
"The best thing I loved about your photography style during our wedding was that it was noninvasive. it didn't recreate. It didn't get in the way of the moment in order to make a new one, it simply caught the one that was in its original making. I honor that so much, especially as I looked back on our photos because I remember the moment, instead of something that had to be created to make it." - Michaela and Ethan (My very first bride and groom) :,)
To say Kyra is talented is a serious understatement and choosing her to photograph our wedding was truly one of the best decisions we made. Throughout the entire wedding planning process, she was responsive and ready to offer ideas or help and from our very first consultation call, it was so obvious that she is not only talented, but cares deeply and is passionate about her work. We got wedding sneak peaks back the NEXT DAY and our full 1200+ photo gallery back within a month. She captured our wedding so, so beautifully: all of the big moments and the little moments in between, the nerves, excitement, and utter joy of everyone involved. We truly will be looking back on these photos with so much love for the rest of our lives. On a personal note, Kyra is such a joy to be around - she is a gentle soul that radiates kindness and I feel immensely blessed to know her. I would recommend her without reservation to anyone looking for a photographer and I can't wait to work with her again in the future! - Audrey and Elliot
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
can we have the raw images? I do not deliver raw as stated in my contract. it's like giving you an unfinished piece of art!
what is your turn around time? turn around time for portraits are 2-2.5 weeks, weddings are 5-7 weeks. my goal is to always get the images back to you as quickly as possible while still giving each individual image time and attention in the editing process.
do you travel? yes! I love traveling to new places, especially for weddings. inquire for my destination and travel packages that have all travel fees already built into the investment. we'll be in new york, colorado, utah, flordia, alabama, kansas, texas, and arkansas of course this next year already! we have a bucket list featured on the investment page of places we would love to go/go back to!
can you photoshop me to look a certain way? I do not photoshop anyone to look a different way. I, of course, can help with blemishes/acne if wanted, but do not photoshop anyone's body. you are wonderful the way you are.
we're awkward in front of the camera., can you help? I hear this almost every session and almost every time I hear it, it's never true. I'll guide you using prompts to get those candid images we all love.
I have this strong belief that I was created to create. I am a part of one of the most emotional and important days of people's lives and I do not take that lightly. I want to walk into each wedding day and session leading with empathy and humility. I love a guided documentary focus that is centered around your love and the people you love most. I heavily rely on client relationships in order to document the day well and capture those candid fleeting moments that we all love. Your day should not be about the photos, but the photos should tell the most beautiful story of your day. I desire to work in a way that allows you to feel exactly how you felt in that moment looking back on the images - genuine and artful imagery rooted in emotion with a documentary focus. I want each of my clients to feel so well loved and supported throughout the process and like I am an old friend showing up to celebrate your wedding. I am so grateful for the brides who have extended full trust to me and have released the idea of perfect that has allowed me to create in a much more genuine and honest way. read a letter to the lovers here.
why photography?
It's heart work. It's always been. The subtle glances from across the room, a day full of the people you love celebrating the two of you, the speech your best friend gives that makes you cry, your loved ones faces as they watch you walk down the aisle, the less-than-formal family portraits, the relief of taking your heels off and putting on your tennis shoes for the reception, the song that took you forever to pick out for your first dance that feels just right, the excitement of seeing all of your people as you walk back down the aisle, your wedding party cheering you, on, hugging your parents right before you get into the getaway car, really epic dance parties, slow mornings with your family, getting ready doing everyday life, kids running around barefoot in the backyard.
It's the moments that we feel that we hold close to our hearts. it's chaotic. it's candid. it's the in-betweens and a little bit of everything, but really it's just the moments that tug a little extra at our heartstrings.
Kyra is the best. From our initial meeting she was a kind and genuine - this translated to the rest of our time working together. I cannot thank her enough for the work she did and the moments she captured of our wedding day! She made us feel valued, loved, and comfortable to be ourselves!!! If I could do it all over again, I would choose her every time. I highly recommend Kyra - she is such a light! - Lexi and Joe
