the journal
The Badlands have a way of pulling people in. Faith and Tyler traveled all this way for a couples session in Badlands National Park. It’s quiet in a way that feels different than other places. Wide open. A little raw. Like there’s space for you to actually feel what’s happening while you’re in it. For […]
Senior guys don’t usually wake up thinking, “I can’t wait for my photo session.” I get it. Cooper’s senior photos took place over two weekends — one in the dramatic landscape of Badlands National Park and one along Spring Creek Trail near Rapid City in the Black Hills. Two totally different backdrops. Two different energies. […]
Joe and Lilly have a thing for national parks. So when Joe finished his Doctorate of Physical Therapy (which is no small feat!), they knew exactly how they wanted to celebrate: a quick escape to South Dakota’s rugged corner of beauty, the Black Hills and Badlands National Park. They planned for sunshine, of course. But […]
Lauren and Ben packed up their car in Indiana and pointed it west, chasing open skies and new memories. Somewhere along the way of planning, they decided that documenting this chapter—their engagement—while on the road felt just right. Because their love? It’s equal parts cozy and brave. The kind that belongs in campfire stories and […]
I'm Michaela mader Tully
The Michaela you'll find making beautiful images of your family.
I’m a storytelling photographer based in the Black Hills of South Dakota, specializing in family connections, intimate weddings, and elopements.
My style? Think warm evening light, authentic moments, and a dash of Mary Oliver poetry—because life’s best stories are a little wild, a little soft, and always real.
When I’m not behind the camera, I’m probably chasing my kids, hiking trails that smell of Ponderosa pine, or sipping coffee that’s gone lukewarm because, well, #momlife.
