Meet Michaela — Rapid City Family & Wedding Photographer
Capturing the real, unhurried moments of your life in the Black Hills of South Dakota.
I believe the moments that matter most are the ones that don’t ask to be documented.
The way your child leans into you without thinking.
The laughter that comes out of nowhere.
The quiet, ordinary parts of your life that, somehow, become everything.
That’s what I’m here to notice.
My work is focused on the theme of belonging—what it looks like when nobody is performing, when people are fully themselves, and when connection happens naturally. Whether I’m photographing your family, your wedding day, or your senior year, the goal is the same: images that feel lived in, familiar, and true.
To pay attention, this is our endless and proper work.
Because i want you to see how beautiful and important your story is.
My approach is simple:
- Gentle guidance, never stiff posing
- Space for real moments to unfold
- A balance of film + digital for depth and texture
Family sessions feel like time spent together, not a performance. Wedding days are documented as they happen, present, emotional, and real. Senior sessions are built around who you are right now, not who you think you’re supposed to be.
I’ll guide you when you need it and step back when it matters most.
Here's why you can trust your memories with me:
My Lens is a Mirror to Life’s Quiet wonder
It’s vulnerable to be seen, to want photos that feel like you, that reflect your people the way you experience them every day.
I understand that weight.
Because I’m a mom, too. I know how quickly things change. I know what it feels like to want to hold onto a season while you’re still in it.
That’s why I photograph families the way I hope someone photographs mine:
honest, relaxed, a little messy, and full of life.
I don’t believe in stiff poses or forced smiles. My job is to create space for you to show up as you are—messy, joyful, quiet, loud—whatever your love looks like. Because the best photos aren’t perfect, they’re honest. And those are the ones you’ll want to hold onto forever.
Photographing people is inherently intimate and vulnerable.
why this matters to me
My husband will make a coffee run to Black Hills Blend and come home with a fun special latte, we'll cuddle on the couch, kids will play, we'll make breakfast, and catch up on the previous night's SNL, because we can rarely stay up that late these days.
When I was little, my mom and grandma owned a bridal boutique. I grew up greeting customers, playing dress up, and had role models in women's entrepreneurship. I have learned so much about serving others from my mom and grandma throughout the years.
Having kids has taught me more about photos that matter than any of the photography classes I took in college.
My first years were in the wedding business.
My favorite family ritual is our sunday mornings.
I'm a wife to dan, and mama to Hank and Willa.
