My approach focuses on accurately portraying real life through storytelling that uses documentary and photojournalism techniques. I aim to capture moments over poses, much in the spirit of Barthes. I embrace natural light and shadow and don’t shy away from showing some of the “unpolished” day if it captures the right feeling. I value an image’s genuineness over “epicness.” Every photo should instantly drop you right in the middle of the scene.
In addition to weddings and engagement sessions, I am active as an event photographer for Ball State University and several nonprofits in the Muncie area, and routinely photograph for Indiana Public Radio. I have taken more than 93,000 graduation photos for Ball State’s College of Information, Communication and Media!
I am a long-time ally.
Low overhead keeps your costs down and rates flexible. Book hourly or for a whole day.
Limited budget? Get in touch.
Here are some common questions that come up:
I’m awkward in photos too, so I specialize in picking out the exact moments when you look your best. Browse through my website to see lots of these peak expressions… I have no need for fake smiles. Since I employ a documentary style, you won't even know I'm taking photos most of the time, and you can focus on being yourself the whole day (except for during the formal photos, of course). That keeps the camera out of the way and keeps you interacting authentically with your loved ones.
Short answer: several thousand captured; several hundred of the absolute best ones delivered digitally in an online gallery.
Long answer: it depends on what happens during the day. Some parts will go fast, some will go slow. Sometimes there are 50 people on the dance floor with 100+ photos a minute. Sometimes it’s just the two of you collapsed on a couch at the end of the day and I only need that one shot to summarize the moment.
The world is colorful! Shadows are awesome. Moments are fleeting. Your photos will be crisp, contrasty, and full of motion: true-to-life. Nothing artificial here. My goal is to guide viewers through the story of how a day goes by. When night falls, the lighting gets dark, so the photos should get darker too. Every wedding I photograph looks completely unique as a result. No filters needed.
Great news: I’m incredibly flexible. I charge hourly and will work with you to figure out how long to book. From there, I ask for a 33% deposit that serves as a retainer blocking off the date. If things need tweaked, we’ll adjust! Plans change and that’s totally normal.
After booking, I will be in touch throughout the planning process to help you figure out when and how long to block off for photos. I can help you optimize the day for minimal stress.
Yep, I can set up a Zoom call that directly uses pro-quality video cameras so they can see it just like if they were there. Let’s talk.
All my gear is waterproof, so as long as we’re not in a flash flood, we’ll just go for it! I’ve photographed in complete downpours before and gotten my cameras soaked by one of the world’s largest waterfalls, and I lived to tell the tale.
I’m packed and ready! I once carried-on an entire suitcase full of batteries on a cross-country flight… You cover the transportation (gas or flight) and hotel, and then all other coverage costs are the same.
But if your venue is within a couple hours of East Central Indiana, nothing to worry about; I'll load up a couple podcasts and head your way.
Get in touch so we can say hello and get to know each other a bit. I want to make sure we all feel comfortable working together. There's no sales pressure at this stage. We’ll chat timelines and discuss any questions you have. Use the booking form on the website, or send a message with my contact form.
Take a sneak peek at some of Riley’s recent work.
