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When I think about life, I see it all in photos. It is my belief that you can find life and beauty in almost everything if you simply open your mind to it. I have seen life in the way that a groom’s eyes sparkle with a fire so bright as he smiles at his new bride, and I have seen life in my great-grandfather's old, wrinkled hands that saw so many days of labor in their beautiful 96 years. I have seen beauty in the pouring rain on a quiet, cold October wedding day, and I have seen beauty in the setting sun peaking through a thick line of trees. When I see life, I wish to photograph it...to capture it for others to relish.
Focused on timelessly capturing one of the most monumental days of your life, I would describe my style as "artfully classic." I am especially drawn to producing images that speak to my desire for minimalism, beautiful light and authentic moments. I am not a fan of over-edited photos that look like you slapped an Instagram filter on them. I thoughtfully process each and every one of my images to ensure that the scene is forever captured just as it was the day the photo was taken. This custom process is very important to me, as my goal is to produce images that will be cherished for years and years to come.
Fully licensed and insured, I take exceptional care of my bride's engagement, bridal and wedding images - as if they were my very own - by shooting onto two separate professional grade Nikon cameras that each have dual slot memory cards and by backing up to three external hard drives, my iMac computer, as well as one off-site cloud service. I use 128 GB ProMaster Velocity Memory Cards and rotate them out every four months, versus the inexpensive cards that are often used and are prone to failing. I have spent years investing in the highest quality cameras and lenses as well as in continuing my education daily to produce work that can be printed at considerable sizes with no compromise in quality. From start to finish, I pour my heart into my work and into your wedding experience. If this is what you are looking for out of your wedding photographer, I would love to speak with you!
As far as a little bit about me: I have dreamed of owning my own business for as long as I can remember. Even though I thrive on creativity and music, I am kind of unusual in that I am also super obsessed with organization. (Usually people are one crazy or the other!) As far as photography goes, I learned just how much I love my craft while at The University of Alabama completing my degree in Telecommunication and Film. (And as a former Capstone Woman of UA, I MUST insert a big “Roll Tide!” here.)
If you know me well, you’ll also know that I wear the proud badge of “Coach’s Wife". My husband, Matt, is a football coach, and it has required us to move – a lot. God really smiled on me the day that he chose to lead us to each other. Matt is a Special Needs teacher and the Offensive Coordinator for football at Andalusia High School in Andalusia, Alabama. We have lived in six different homes in our ten years of marriage: Andalusia, AL; Thomaston, GA; Mobile, AL; Demopolis, AL; Prattville, AL; and now back to Andalusia again! Matt and I are both originally from Andalusia, Alabama but we actually started dating during our time at The University of Alabama. My photography business is so special to me in that it only takes a bit of extra paperwork and licensing to pick up and take it with me, and I love that it is one of my big constants in this crazy football coaching life we live. Matt and I have a son, our sweet sweet Charlie, two doghters (Dora and June), and a goldfish that Charlie has so creatively named Nemo. Charlie was born in March 2020 and is the love of our life!! My favorite job in the world is being "Momma" to my sweet Charlie. Being able to stay at home with him while working has been the biggest blessing in my entire life. If I ever find myself with spare time, I absolutely love reading a good crime novel, playing guitar, piano and singing. You'll rarely find me without music playing while I work, and - truthfully - I've even considered bringing it along to make my engagement sessions that much more fun. As far as other things I love: indoor plants and essential oils are my jam. I love white walls, and I love minimalism in my home...my in-laws make fun of me for constantly Marie Kondo'ing my home (before Marie Kondo'ing was even a thing). My favorite time of the year is when we get to take our annual RV trip in the summer. We love to travel!! We have driven to the Grand Canyon and to Maine and all the fun spots in between, and we love to go camping and trout fishing in Suches, Georgia each summer! Thankfully, Charlie shares our love of traveling, and we love seeing the world through his little eyes!
I look forward to meeting and working with you!
Feel free to browse my Frequently Asked Questions for more information on booking,
or contact me below to get started!
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clara@claramellownphotography.com
251.289.1636
HOURS OF OPERATION:
Monday-Thursday 10:00 AM -5:00 PM
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