Oregon Wedding Photographer
LET'S GET TO KNOW EACHOTHER
I'll Start!
wow, wow, wow! Hey everyone, I'm Claire - a wedding photographer based in Oregon! I, obviously, take pictures, but my passion is people. I loveeeee people. I love figuring out what makes others tick. I love being able to guess people's reactions (am I weird? yes.) I love connecting and bonding over silly things. I love watching people live through one of the happiest days of their life.
You know that feeling when you are watching a romcom and at the end, the couple gets married? The emotions and feelings that overwhelm you, just from watching two people come together? Well, that basically my job.
Florida Girl turned oregonian
I was born and raised in North Florida and lived there up until I was 20. Florida is/was great, but I always had a drive in me to live in a different state/culture. I love experiencing new things, meeting people of all sorts, and seeing God's glory everywhere He brings me.
I went to FSU right out of high school (go noles) and got involved with this college ministry that was in the area. Come to find out, it actually was a network of churches all over the US with a passion for college students and wanting to plant a church at every major university.
Simply put, I could not have gone farther from where I grew up.
this is where the story starts to come together...you ready?
Flash forward, 2 years into college and I'm planning to graduate early. I'm still a part of that same college ministry and the network announces that they are planting a new church in Eugene, OR for the Ducks.
I'll give you a spoiler...I MOVED TO OREGON.
Within 3 months, I decided I was going to be a part of this church, graduated, packed up all my belongings, and drove across the country to my new home.
The past few years have been a crazy adventure but I have loved every second of it.
Boy meets girl
My Own Love Story
Andrew has a very similar story to me - got involved in the same network in college, graduated early, and decided to move to Oregon to plant our church; except he's a born and raised Iowa boy.
It honestly is just so crazy how two people that were raised in such different parts of the country, and both independently moved to the same place, for the same reason, at the same time. Simply mind blowing.
Florida Girl turned oregonian
this is where the story starts to come together...you ready?
Boy meets girl
LET'S GET TO KNOW EACHOTHER
We met the first day he got into town and have been together since! We are literally the same person, different fonts haha. He quickly became my best friend and it has been so amazing to create memories and explore the state we now live in. We are big outdoorsy people and love to hike and find new activities to do. We are Crumbl obsessed and single handedly keep the Eugene branch open (not really, but kinda).
How I found my Passion
Never is a bajillion years did I think I could be a full-time wedding photographer, documenting memories for people to look at for decades upon decades. And to be completely honest, it never came across my radar until my senior year of high school.
It all started when I was taking my senior photos.
I booked a local photographer and had multiple sessions with her. During one of our sessions in October, she had mentioned that I was posing myself and had an eye for composition and taking photos. We got into a deeper conversation about it where I had explained that I loved photography but have absolutely no clue on where to start. She offered to mentor me and teach me the ropes if I wanted to learn.
That year, I asked for a camera for christmas.
That next spring, I photographed as many of my friends as I could and spent A LOT of time on YouTube. My senior photographer met me countless times to teach me camera settings, editing, posing, and all things business. She taught me the importance of community over competition and is still a mentor and friend of mine today (Shoutout Behold Photography by Lori).
At first, I just loved learning the craft and seeing progress. but then, something changed.
It was a good little side hustle. I eventually branched out into couples; and in the summer after I graduated, I photographed my first solo wedding. That's when something changed inside of me. I was so giddy after that wedding because it was the first time that I understood how my creativity can make others feel so loved and valued. I knew then that I wanted this business to be focused on weddings and love between two individuals.
Even though I Loved being a photographer, I decided to pursue a law degree
Off to college I went! I still was booking weddings and running my biz, but I was also going to school, working at a law firm, and studying for the LSAT. It was A LOT to say the least. The winter before I was set to graduate, the Lord had put it on my heart to hold off on law school. My "side hustle" had been doing so good that I was at a point where I could graduate and do that full-time. So I did! I gave myself 1 year to hit some goals that I had set.
within that year, I uprooted my business and moved cross-country.
A few months after deciding to go full-time, the Lord pushed me to move to Oregon. I'm not going to lie, the thought of moving my business to the opposite side of the country, to a place that I do not know a soul, and leaving behind all of my loyal clients was HARD. Quite a few tears were involved...but God had a plan, I just had to trust Him.
And that's where i am at today!
After almost 4 years of learning, growing, and a whole lot of adventures, I am a full-time Oregon wedding photographer; and I wouldn't have it any other way. I am so thankful that I have found something that inspires and motivates me everyday in a place that I love living in. I know which direction I'd like to take my business, and I'm SO EXCITED for what's to come!!