Tag Archive for: Bozeman Portrait Photographer
In early May, I had the pleasure of photographing the StarWars-themed Ellen Theatre couples portrait experience of Lisa and Shawn in downtown Bozeman.
This couple have dated over the last seven years. In that time, these two have fostered a solid relationship and family home with Shawn’s two children.
They are self-described “goofballs” and commented that “their inner nerd matched each other’s.”
For Lisa it was his kindness and loyalty to their relationship that she cherishes. She loves how everything he does is for the family and is constantly putting others before himself. Shawn loves that she accepts him for who he is. Together they give each other forgiveness and grace both in their relationship and professional lives.
But of all their shared values and appreciations for one another, these two have fostered a passion for watching fims, especially their mutual love of the Star Wars saga.
So much so in fact that their entire upcoming wedding celebration theme will revolve around their love of movies. In fact, their wedding will be the first wedding ever at The Ellen Theatre in downtown Bozeman, Montana.
It was only appropriate that we highlighted their favorite film into their Ellen Theatre couples portrait experience.
These two love the archecture of old theaters and they maintain hopes of someday owning their own. We decided to explore the historic Ellen Theatre where we created a movie date night/Star Wars theme portrait experience for them.
We had a blast “nerding out” and creating some personal, unique photos of their relationship in a place that truly resonated with them.
The force is strong with these two. Clearly, the love as well.
Here are some favorite photos from their couples portrait experience.
I am so looking forward to their wedding celebration this Saturday! -M
The other day I had the pleasure of photographing the Peet’s Hill Couples Portrait Experience of Jenny and Cooper in downtown Bozeman, Montana.
During their busy lives working in Bozeman, these two often find relaxation and solace with their dogs, Dalia and Mr. Krill, during their frequent hikes along their favorite Bozeman in-town trailhead. For their Peet’s Hill couples portrait photographic experience, we wanted to highlight a place that was important in their relationship. Peet’s Hill was a perfect choice. On a lovely early May evening, we set out on the trail. An opportunity to celebrate this time in their lives together and make some fun photos.
These two have been dating for the past four years. From the moment you meet them, it’s clear that these two compliment each other so well. They have such a playful way about them and in conversation each commented on the absolute kindness of the other. For Cooper, he reveled at just how much fun they have together. He said he loves Jenny’s strength, her go-all-in passion for her art, and her ability to care deeply for the relationship and their friends.
“The way she approaches her life is so heartfelt and pure,” recalled Cooper, “She’s just so wonderful.”
For Jenny, she absolutely cherishes Cooper’s contagious enthusiasm for life and admires his ability to talk to anyone. Cooper’s social skillset has helped her feel more comfortable to open her own life more to others. As a result, he has positively impacted her growth into the best version of herself. Jenny loves Cooper’s commitment to being a role model. His passion for others shows when he is coaching free ride skiing to his twelve to eighteen-year-olds students. Most importantly, Cooper has a unique ability to make her feel safe. His kind presence empowers and allows her to let go of past shame. Such a gift from a loving partner.
With high spirits, we explored Peet’s Hill Park and played with their dogs as the sun set behind the Madison Mountains to the west. These are some favorite photos we created during out time together.
I loved getting to know these two and discovering all that they loved about each other and their relationship. I’m looking forward to photographing their wedding celebration at the Star M Barn venue in late August this year. Congrats to the newly engaged couple! -M
Happy New Year everyone! I’m proud to present my Best of 2020 Wedding and Portrait Photography and storied reflections on a year during great uncertainty.
What a wild ride 2020 has been.
At the beginning of 2020, my year was lining up to be the best ever for my business. I was looking forward to photographing a full schedule of wedding dates and also had a dozen or so portrait sessions already on the books.
As the coronavirus pandemic spread its way across the country and quarantine began, most of my clients, rightfully so, made the difficult decision to postpone their celebrations.
Suddenly, I was forced to pivot.
With the uncertainty of how to move forward weighing heavily on many. I too wondered how I would support my photographic livelihood moving forward. It was also a heavy time for my family with the realization that my grandmother was to be admitted into hospice for her end of life care.
An ironic twist to an already surreal time in our world.
I was at home with my family in Missoula in late March, giving support to my grandmother the week before stay-in-place directives kicked in. During that time, I came across some old, favorite family photos that I had made of her throughout the years.
I kept thinking about the nearing end of her life and all of the great times we’ve had together. I realized those photos had suddenly become priceless to me. Captured memories that brought up so many wonderful emotions of love.
I wanted to make sure that my clients had the same chance to celebrate their own relationships.
It was a reminder that good storytelling photography can be that bridge to tap into all those emotions we hold dear towards our loved ones.
How many of us have made excuses over the years, not making the time to be present with our families? And in doing so, have we missed an opportunity to celebrate them and this time together with photography?
I think we’ve all been guilty of it.
Yet, once those loved ones are gone, we would do anything to be back in their presence once more. Crave just one more time to savor their cherished expressions that encapsulates who they are.
Looking back on 2020, I think as a society, we came away with many gifts from the year. For many families it was a time of heightened awareness that while we were socially distancing from our neighbors, some of us were getting to experience the precious moments of togetherness. A new appreciation of our families, loved ones, and pets during this time of unpredictability.
That was something to celebrate.
Giving Back and supporting local charities
During quarantine, I decided to create the Bozeman Front Porch Project. I was looking for a creative path to give back and use my photography skills to help my community in any way I could. The premise of the project was a brief, socially-distanced mini family photo sessions. I photographed families on their front porches, offering it as a chance for them to refocus and celebrate all the good that surrounds them while raising money for local charities.
At the conclusion of the project, I photographed a total 55 different families. Together, we raised almost $3,000.00 that was donated to One Valley Community Foundation and Greater Gallatin United Way.
It was such a joy and highlight for me to give back to the community that has given me so much.
Best of 2020 Wedding & Portrait photography – Positivity comes to fruition
As the year went on, I was blessed to meet an assortment of new clients. Families that wanted to capture and celebrate this time in their lives. I also helped businesses and professionals put their best selves forward by creating fresh business portraits and engaging photographic content for their business websites.
While most of the weddings in 2020 had been postponed, I was still able to photograph a few wedding with their close immediate families present.
As we’ve seen from 2020 worldwide pandemic, sometimes the best-laid plans don’t always work out. But it’s amazing how we can adapt to life’s changing circumstances.
Harley and Amanda were so excited to have a snowy winter wedding at the Gallatin River Lodge. When their wedding day arrived, unfortunately there wasn’t any snow on the ground, only a frigid cold outside . Making the best of situation, we wandered out to the frozen pond to remedy the problem.
When the pandemic canceled the big wedding plans of Addie and Nate, we changed course and instead rode up a backcountry mountain on horseback to photograph their small, intimate wedding ceremony. It ended up being better than they could ever imagine.
During Jordan and Raven’s elegant wedding in the Bridger Mountain foothills, a fast-approaching wildfire forced an emergency evacuation just hours before their ceremony was set to commence. Thankfully, on short notice, another venue was secured. Despite the hiccup, we rolled with it and celebrated their relationship well into the night.
The year seemed to be full of unexpected challenges but in the end, everything worked out. Each of these unique weddings was wonderfully imperfect in its own way.
Despite the struggles of 2020, I think as a community and country we have realized some of the hidden gifts of this pandemic like cherished time with the people that give our lives meaning.
Looking back on my Best of 2020 Wedding & Portrait photography, it wasn’t the year I expected. But all of it was a blessing and a well-needed time for reflection.
Now, with hope on the horizon for the vaccines being distributed, I look forward to the possibilities of 2021. The love I’ll get to document, the families I’ll get to celebrate and the businesses I’ll be able to make shine even brighter.
I’m optimistic about what the future holds.
I’m so grateful for the clients that supported me this past year. I cannot wait to embrace my friends safely again once this storm fades.
Above are some favorite wedding and portrait photographs I created this past wild year. I hope you enjoy them. And when the time is right, I look forward to helping you celebrate what matters most in your life. Happy New Year everyone! -M
This past month, I’ve photographed environmental business headshots of the Rocky Mountain Credit Union team members located across Montana.
Working together with the RMCU marketing team, we created a variety of on-location business portraits for their online Marketing and business visual brand presence. My relationship with this great Montana business has been strong. Over these last few years, I’ve also photographed dozens of studio portraits of their RMCU board members.
From the Rocky Mountain Credit Union‘s humble beginning dates back to its founding in 1940. Through community-driven programs and providing financial service relationships of lasting value, this financial institution has become a bedrock of support for their clientele throughout Montana. Rocky Mountain credit union has branches in Bozeman, Butte, and Helena. To complement the design of their new website, they wanted to create environmental business portraits that reflected their professionalism.
Our goal was to make new environmental business headshots of their Home Equity & Mortgage and Consumer Loan Officers team. Furthermore, they wanted to have photos that were not only bright and inviting but also could showcase their hardworking employee’s personalities.
From their inception, Rocky Mountain Credit Union‘s mission has been focusing on providing exemplary service to its members/owners. They needed professional high-quality business portraits that represented that ongoing mission.
That’s where I came in.
By making the time to really understand their future goals, together, we were able to create a variety of professional environmental business headshots of their team. Photographs that showed a personal side to how they present themselves as a business.
I had a lot of fun with this group. Here are some favorite photographs from my time with them. -M
Family portraits from afar to raise money for those in need.
This past weekend, fourteen Bozeman families participated in the fourth weekend of the Bozeman Front Porch Project fundraiser from afar – to celebrate their loved ones, be apart of a community art project and raise money to support the One Valley Community Foundation.
Lately, There has been a lot of uncertainty the drastic changes we’ve experienced as a community and nation these past weeks.
Everyone is feeling the impact in one way or another due to the current health and economic crisis.
While we are socially distancing from our neighbors, we also get to experience the precious moments of togetherness with our families, loved ones, and pets during this time of unpredictability.
That is something to celebrate.
Together, we will get through this.
The Bozeman Front Porch Project fundraiser was a little something to uplift the mood of our community while maintaining safety precautions. It was a chance for families to contribute to a good cause. And more importantly a chance to create a small keepsake to remind them of all the good things they have to celebrate in their lives right now.
During our shared, sheltered experience, we can foster social distancing connections within our community.
I’m happy to announce that this past weekend together, we raised another $700.00 for the One Valley Community Foundation to help our neighbors heal through this ordeal!
Greener Visuals Photography is again offering the Bozeman Front Porch Project family portraits from afar April 25th & 26th, 2020.
How it works: Mike Greener, of Greener Visuals Photography, will come by your home next Saturday April 25th or Sunday April 26th with his telephoto lens and take your family portrait on your front porch from afar.
The Bozeman Front Porch Project by Greener Visuals Photography is fundraising to support the One Valley Community Foundation.
In return for your $100.00 booking fee, $50 will go to supporting the One Valley Community Foundation and $50 to support costs of your local family photographer.
In addition, each family will receive a beautiful matted 5×7 fine art print to remember this time and 25% off a future one-hour family portrait experience with Greener Visuals Photography. All participating families will also receive a web-friendly digital photograph of your tribe to share as a thank you for your participation and support.
Together, we will raise funds to assist the One Valley Community Foundation in helping our neighbors heal through this ordeal.
And as a result, we will have a collective group of creative portraits representing both your individual family’s strength together and our combined community’s resilience.
Next weekend April 25th & 26th, 2020 throughout Bozeman.
To reserve your spot in this weekend’s Bozeman Front Porch Project, simply on the link below.
https://bit.ly/34Q1nbu
And as a result, we will have a collective group of creative portraits representing each individual family’s strength together and our combined community’s resilience.
Thanks so much to every family that has participated! -M
Family portraits from afar to raise money for those in need.
The enthusiasm and outpouring of support for the Bozeman Front Porch Project during this time of social distancing, has been profound and I’ve decided to offer another weekend round of mini photo sessions to raise money this time for the Bozeman Area Community Foundation.
Last weekend, fifteen gracious Bozeman families participated in the first ever Bozeman Front Porch Project from afar to celebrate their loved ones, be apart of a community art project and raise money to support the Greater Gallatin United Way during this unsettling time in our community and country.
Together we raised $1,015.00 for them.
There has been a lot of uncertainty with all the drastic changes we’ve been experiencing as a community and nation these past few weeks.
Everyone is feeling the impact in one way or another due to the current health and economic crisis.
While we may be socially distancing from our neighbors, we also get to experience the precious moments of togetherness with our families, loved ones, and pets during this time of unpredictability.
That is something to celebrate.
Together, we will get through this.
As Fred Rogers said in times of trouble, “look for the helpers.”
This past week, countless, selfless people in Bozeman are offering support in various ways throughout our community, and we want to do our part!
Introducing the Bozeman Front Porch Project for April 4th & 5th, 2020.
Greener Visuals Photography again offering family portraits from afar to celebrate your loved ones, create a community art project and raise money for those in need during this unsettling time.
While I might be standing a farther away from you than I normally would, the connection with your family I’ll inspire will be felt deep within your hearts!
It’s a little something to uplift the mood while maintaining safety precautions. Contributing to a good cause and creating a small keepsake to remind you of all the good things you have to celebrate in your life right now. During our shared, sheltered experience, we can foster social distancing connections within our community.
How it works: Mike Greener, of Greener Visuals Photography, will come by your home next Saturday April 4th or Sunday April 5th with his telephoto lens and take your family portrait on your front porch from afar.
The Bozeman Front Porch Project by Greener Visuals Photography is fundraising to support the Bozeman Area Community Foundation.
In return for your $100.00 booking fee, $50 will go to supporting the BACF and $50 to support your local family photographer.
In addition, each family will receive a beautiful matted 5×7 fine art print to remember this time and 25% off a future one-hour family portrait experience with Greener Visuals Photography. All participating families will also receive a web-friendly digital photograph of your tribe to share as a thank you for your participation and support.
Together, we will raise funds to assist the Bozeman Area Community Foundation in helping our neighbors heal through this ordeal.
And as a result, we will have a collective group of creative portraits representing both your individual family’s strength together and our combined community’s resilience.
Next weekend April 4th & 5th, 2020 throughout Bozeman.
To reserve your spot in this weekend’s Bozeman Front Porch Project, simply on the link below.
https://bit.ly/3bDEVEM
If you know of a family that might be interested in participating, please share this link with them.
Family portraits from afar to raise money for those in need.
This past weekend, fifteen gracious Bozeman families participated in the Bozeman Front Porch Project from afar to celebrate their loved ones, be apart of a community art project and raise money to support the Greater Gallatin United Way during this unsettling time in our community and country.
Over the last few weeks, as the COVID-19 virus spread across the world and finally reach our Montana doorstep, social distancing commenced and our vibrant, social, outdoorsy Bozeman community suddenly felt like a ghost town.
As a self-employed photography business owner navigating the uncertainty of the COVID-19 virus, I wanted to support and create a little something to uplift the mood while our community maintains safety with social distancing.
While our normal lives have been turned into a holding pattern it’s important to remember that – Love is not cancelled. Friendships are not cancelled. Emotional support is not cancelled.
I wanted to create a reminder for these families of all the good things they have to celebrate in their lives right now.
These precious moments of togetherness with our families, loved ones, and pets – our relationships, are what will help us all get through these times of difficulty and struggle.
Through our shared, sheltered experience, we can still foster connections and our combined community’s resilience.
The enthusiasm and outpouring of support for the Bozeman Front Porch Project over the past week of social distancing, has been profound.
I am so grateful to everyone who supported this and helped me spread the word on social media. Thank you!
Right from the start, the health and safety of everyone were at the forefront of importance for me. As the week went on, this serious national health emergency continued to drastically change and escalate.
With the Thursday announcement of stay-at-home directives (starting this weekend for the state) by Montana Gov. Steve Bullock, suddenly, I was debating whether I should put the project on hold.
In the end, under my already stringent safety measures, I decided to continue forward. By photographing everyone from afar with my telephoto lens (on average at least 20 feet) and safely, we created some really genuine fun family portraits.
There was no charge to participate in the Bozeman Front Porch Project however I’m happy to announce that together we raised $1,015.00 that will be donated to the Greater Gallatin United Way!
I’m so thankful for all of the generous donations to this good cause. I’m proud to be apart of our Bozeman community and look forward to a time when we can put this challenge in our rearview mirrors.
Thank you Bozeman!
Stay safe, stay healthy and soak up this time with your loved ones.
When this storm passes, I’ll be here to help you showcase everything you love about your family relationships in your own family photographic experience.
Together, we are all going to get through this. -Mike Greener
P.S. As a candid, creative photographer, I can’t help but capture a moment if it’s happening in front of me. Here are a few bonus photos that I liked from my weekend of giving back.
And lastly, thanks to my labrador retriever and photo assistant Tippet for accompanying me on the Bozeman Front Porch Project. -M
For Belle and Angel’s West Yellowstone Couples Portrait Photographic Experience, we decided to drive back to their hometown of West Yellowstone, Montana to explore the place that fostered the roots of their relationship.
These two have been dating since high school – over seven years ago – where they first cultivated their relationship through their shared love of basketball.
While a lot has changed since high school, their relationship has never been stronger.
In Belle’s opinion regardless of where they are, Angel’s presence in her life is an immediate sense of home.
They now live and work in Bozeman, Montana – him as a chef and her as a caregiver.
Time together has helped them discover not only their love for each other but their shared passion for exploring the outdoors.
Now, as they work to finalize their wedding plans for Summer 2020, they wanted to celebrate this time in their lives by giving a nod to their shared love of camping and hiking in their old Yellowstone National Park area stomping ground.
We headed over to Black Sand Spring, a small spring creek west of town where we explored the area making photographs of them. Here are some favorites from their experience. Congrats on your engagement Belle and Angel! -M
The other day I traveled up to Ousel Falls in Big Sky, Montana for the Portrait Photographic Experience of Taylor and Josh. I love a couple that is game to get outside even in early Spring weather.
In fact, it was their love of games and hiking in the outdoors that brought them together. They met playing an intense game of parchesi at a friends place where he won on the last roll. As the Denver Bronco football season went on, they cheered and bonded over their shared passions and growing connection. He made her laugh and always knew how to cheer her up. She was loving and helped him open up out of his introverted tendencies.
In Taylor’s words, “Our weirdness meshed well.”
These two have been dating for 5 1/2 years and in early March they were engaged.
For their Portrait Photographic Experience, we decided to check out Ousel Falls which is one of their favorite places to hike in Southwest Montana. The contrast of the light snowfall and ice intermingled with the lush green of the coming Spring made for the perfect backdrop to their portrait session. Here are some of their favorites from our adventure in Big Sky. Congrats on your engagement you two! -M
On the final evening before the annual Spring road closure going up to Hyalite Canyon, I had the pleasure of photographing a stargazing portrait photographic experience for Aysha and Brad this past weekend.
For Aysha, her love of Brad’s spontaneity and ability to make her laugh won her affection over quickly. Both are dedicated to their craft – for her helping run the family plumbing business and for him working as an electrician apprentice – their relationship grew closer through their LDS faith, love of soccer and live music, and being together stargazing with each other in their Montana backyard.
Brad summed up Aysha as nothing short of amazing and kept commenting on how much he cherished how every day, she gives everything her all.
After dating for seven months, they were engaged a few weeks back while next to a campfire.
During our discovery call, we decided to highlight some of their favorite loves they share together and scheduled to meet up at the Hyalite Reservoir for their night time, stargazing photo experience.
With clear skies, plenty of s’mores, cups of hot chocolate, a warm campfire and the arms of each other created a perfect mountain atmosphere to showcase their relationship and made for a fun night.
Here are some of our favorite photographs we made from our evening together.
I’m so excited for these two and the good fortune that lies ahead for them. Congrats to Aysha and Brad! -M
To view all of their photographs from their Hyalite Canyon Stargazing portrait photographic experience, click here.
Even a Bozeman Montana winter snowstorm couldn’t dampen the spirits of Ali and Josh during their recent portrait photography experience.
Ali and Josh are seniors at Montana State University and besides finishing up school and internships, they have continued to grow their relationship. After meeting them at this year’s Montana Wedding Event, we got to talking about things they love about each other and the activities they enjoy doing together.
Hearing their story and learning about their relationship, they have found a shared interest in playing ice hockey. We decided to incorporate that shared passion for their recent portrait photography experience.
The last few weeks in Bozeman have had frigid temperatures and lots of snow. This meant most of the outdoor ice rinks around town were buried under a few feet of snow. We elected to head over to Bogert Park in downtown Bozeman, Montana to take advantage of its covered, outdoor ice rink.
After a fun hockey-themed photo session, we noticed a snow storm coming in. We shifted gears, took off the ice skates and went for a tromp around the park in the deep snow. These two had a great attitude throughout and their playful love for each other really comes through in their photographs.
Here are some of my favorites photographs from my time with them. Big things are on the horizon for these two and I couldn’t be more happy for them. -M
To see all of their fun photographs from their photographic experience, click here.
Fairy Lake, in the heart of the Bridger Mountains, is one of my favorite places in Montana to take destination wedding couples for their engagement photography session.
A few weeks back, I met up with my childhood friend Mark and is lovely wife-to-be Jennie during a stop on their Rocky Mountain road trip in Bozeman, Montana and took them out on an adventure.
The first time I talked with Jennie and Mark was during a video chat and instantly we reconnected over similar interests and many laughs reminiscing about stories from our youth growing up playing hockey together in the Chicago suburbs. It was clear to me from our online visit that these two were the perfect match for each other.
Mark’s tribe has been good family friends with my family for many years now. Despite going our separate ways almost eighteen years ago after high school, we kept tabs on each other through the parental telegram over the years and where I learned of this awesome woman named Jennie he had met. Suddenly here we were picking up where we left off years later planning out their Montana engagement session and the intricate details of their wedding day this upcoming summer in Springdale, Arkansas.
It’s always such a treat for me to photograph old friends. This was going to be fun.
Upon their arrival into Bozeman, we all saddled up into my 1984 Land Cruiser and made our way up into the beautiful Bridger mountains for our engagement portrait session. The Montana Fall colors were in full array and we took full advantage of them.
Here are some of my favorite images from our time together. I’m so excited for these two and can’t wait to celebrate their wedding day next October! Congrats to the newly engaged! -M
I love this time of year when I can reflect back on all of the fun photos I made of my clients over the course of this past year. 2017 was a blast!
I feel blessed for all the new relationships I made throughout the year and for being able to tell candid, creative stories through photographs!
Here are some of my favorite Greener Visuals Photography Best of 2017 Portrait Photography that I made during this trip recent trip around the sun. I look forward to what adventures await in 2018.
If you are in need of new family portraits, business portraits, headshots, engagement photos or an epic wedding photographer, Greener Visuals Photography is available for all your professional photographic needs in 2018!
Happy New Year everyone! -M
Greener Family Reunion Portraits in Missoula Montana
It’s amazing to me how busy we all can get wrapped up in our own lives. We are all guilty of it. While my parents are living close by in Missoula, my brother Eric and his wife Brandy are starting their new family in Anchorage, Alaska with their new daughter Molly. My sister has been busy working to finish her veterinarian school in Colorado. The Greener clan has been spread out over the last couple of years and we only manage to see each other once a year.
So when the opportunity to meet up last week in Missoula with my siblings, their families, my parents and grandma, naturally I wanted to bring my camera to document the rare family gathering. We were more concerned about hanging out and playing with my niece who is turning into a fun little kid.
We kept things casual and I made pictures when the creativity struck. Time flies when you are having fun and living life. Blink and eye and nieces, puppies and the rest of us all grow up. We had a lot of fun spending time together and I will cherish these moments. These are the good times. Here are a few of my favorites. -M
A few weeks back I had the pleasure of heading over to the Three Forks, Montana area to create the Missouri Headwaters State Park Portrait Photographic Experience of Dani and John.
These two were the winning recipients of my Portrait Photographic Experience contest at this year’s 2017 A Montana Wedding Event at The Commons in Bozeman Montana. After learning more about them and their relationship together, we decided to have their portrait experience at one of their favorite places to hike.
It’s a beautiful spot with a mixture of rocky cliffs and grasslands that overlook the confluence of the Jefferson and Madison Rivers where they form the mighty Missouri River.
These two are all set to be married in the summer of 2018 and I couldn’t be more excited for them.
Here are some of my favorites from our time together. -M
Back in November, I met up with Jessica and Matt to make some Fall family portraits of them and their 1-year-old daughter Cora. I made maternity photos of Jessica a while back and now that Cora had been born, she and Matt wanted to get their first family photos for their Christmas cards. We headed over to a park near their house in Bozeman where we took advantage of the fallen fall leaves. When photographing little kids, you tend to have brief windows of attention. Most of the time their surroundings hold their attention rather than looking into a camera. It becomes a fun game getting them to smile and look natural before their patience runs thin and they start to fuss. Cora made my job easy. She was nothing but smiles, a trait she no doubt got from her parents. Here are some favorite photos I made during our time together. Thanks for looking, -M
Here are some photos to help you think warm thoughts on this chilly December day. Earlier this summer in between all of my weddings, I made some family portraits of family friends Bob and Sydney and their sons. The two were good college friends of my parents during their time at the University of Montana back in the 1970’s. Great people. I headed over to their grandparent’s beautiful horse property in Livingston, Montana. Horses turned out to be a big theme for the day. I arrived to find a full household of their family glued to the television with intensity to watch American Pharoah Win The Belmont horse race. Before photo shoot began, I joined them in cheering on the moving horse and rider figures on the screen. Their excitement was infectious. I learned that they have a long family history of raising race horses, a labor of love business upheld by their grandfather. A dime tour of their house and backstories by Bob revealed decades worth pictures of celebrated horses, race memorabilia, and memories. It was fascinating. After an exciting finish to the race, we headed outside into the pristine Montana summer weather. Keeping in theme with the day, their sons bridled up their two favorite horses and we walked around the property making some fun family photos with equines in tow. I still geek out on the great light we had that afternoon. Here are some favorite family portraits I made of them that day. -M
Southwest Montana had an exceptionally long stretch of Fall colors this past season. I was fortunate enough to be able to get out to photograph all of its grandeur with a few late-season weddings and a couple family portrait sessions like these of my friend Beth and her family. An old friend from my days at The University of Montana, she now works here in Bozeman and they wanted to make some fun family portraits before the rains came. We found some time to go out for a walk in a nearby park on the outskirts of Bozeman. The setting sun mixed with the range of green, yellow and orange colors made for some sweet light to photograph in. Fall days don’t get much better in my book. Here are some of my favorite photographs I made from their family photo shoot. Thanks for looking, -M
I recently photographed the Gallatin Valley Botanical Labrador Puppy Family Portrait of Matt and Jacy!
For the past 7 weeks, I’ve been making a weekly trek to the outskirts of Bozeman to the Gallatin Valley Botanical farm with my girlfriend Lora to scope out her new puppy and best friend. Ten labrador puppies equal awesome. Our Wednesday visits quickly became the best day of the week for us to play with the kids.
Matt and Jacy, the owners of the local Bozeman farm, had a litter of ten puppies and one of which would soon come bouncing into my life. During my youth growing up in Illinois, my family bred labs on our five-acre wooded property. I have some good family memories growing up around Labradors. Now by association, I would get to be around once again. Awesome indeed.
Before the puppies all went to new homes, I ventured one evening over to the Bozeman organic farm with my camera and made some fun Gallatin Valley Botanical Labrador Puppy Family Portrait photos of Matt and Jacy along with their kids and an army of labrador puppies. After all, it’s not often an opportunity like this happens. We had a great time. In the end, Lora got a yellow male and is calling him “Timber”. This will be fun. The dog adventure begins. -M
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