Chicago engagement photographer
Time together, thoughtfully documented.
Candid, editorial engagement photography for couples who want
photographs that feel polished without feeling overly posed.
Your session should feel less like performing for a camera and more
like spending meaningful time together. I’ll help with the location,
wardrobe, timing, and direction so you can stop managing the details
and settle into the experience.
- Location
- Chicago + available for travel
- Approach
- Candid · Editorial · Relaxed
- Investment
- Sessions beginning at $625
The experience
You do not need to know how to pose to look like yourselves.
You can be polished and playful. Quiet and expressive. Romantic,
ridiculous, composed, and completely yourselves—all within the same
session.
Rather than moving you through a rigid list of poses, I create space
for movement, conversation, closeness, and the small interactions that
make your relationship recognizable.
I’ll provide direction when it helps, adjust the details you should
not have to notice, and step back when the moment needs room. The
result is a gallery that holds both the beautifully composed portraits
and the wonderfully unplanned moments between them.
More than a wedding formality
A chapter worth remembering on its own.
Engagement photographs can celebrate this particular season while
also giving you space to slow down, reconnect, and create something
that feels personal to the two of you.
01
Celebrate the season
Document who you are together right now—not only who you will
be on your wedding day.
02
Become comfortable together
Experience my approach before your elopement or wedding and
learn how natural direction can feel without memorizing poses.
03
Make it personal
Choose a neighborhood, activity, landscape, or setting connected
to your relationship rather than recreating someone else’s
session.
04
Create photographs with range
Build a gallery with space for composed portraits, natural
movement, quiet connection, laughter, and the unexpected.
The Unroyal difference
Enough direction to feel confident. Enough freedom to feel like you.
Your engagement session will not depend on your ability to arrive
feeling instantly relaxed or instinctively know what to do in front
of a camera.
I’ll help you move into the experience gradually. That may mean
beginning with walking and conversation, offering a clear prompt,
adjusting your placement for the light, or giving you a moment with
no direction at all.
The goal is not to manufacture spontaneity. It is to create enough
comfort and structure for something genuine to happen.
- Location recommendations shaped around your personalities
- Wardrobe guidance without putting you into a uniform
- Natural direction instead of rigid posing
- Room for both editorial portraits and candid interaction
- A calm process designed to reduce unnecessary decisions
This may be for you if
You want your photographs to feel like your relationship—not a
photoshoot formula.
-
You like an editorial look but do not want the experience to feel
stiff or overly produced. -
You want clear guidance because being photographed does not come
naturally to you. -
You want photographs that include both polished and unguarded
moments. -
You want help choosing a location, wardrobe, timing, and session
flow. -
You care more about personality and connection than recreating a
trending pose. -
You want to be present with each other rather than manage the
photography experience.
Choosing a setting
Start with the feeling—not a list of popular locations.
Chicago offers architecture, lakefront movement, neighborhood
texture, quiet gardens, cozy interiors, and city energy. The best
choice is not necessarily the most photographed place. It is the
setting that supports how you want the session to feel.
What to expect
Thoughtfully supported from the beginning.
You do not need to arrive with every part of the session already
decided. We will shape it together.
-
Tell me about you
Share what you enjoy together, the photographs you are drawn
to, what makes you nervous, and anything you already have in
mind. -
Shape the session
I’ll help narrow the location, timing, wardrobe, and visual
direction so your plan feels cohesive without becoming another
project to manage. -
Spend time together
During the session, I’ll provide direction when it helps, create
opportunities for interaction, and make room for real moments
to unfold. -
Receive your story
Your photographs will be individually edited and delivered in
a private online gallery for downloading, sharing, and printing.
The investment
Choose the space your story needs.
Every collection includes preparation, location guidance, wardrobe
support, photography, natural direction, individually edited
high-resolution images, personal printing rights, and a private
online gallery.
01
Essential
Best for a focused session in one meaningful or visually
distinctive Chicago setting.
- Up to 60 minutes
- One general location or neighborhood
- One primary look
- Location and wardrobe guidance
- Curated high-resolution gallery
Beginning at
$625
02
Most versatile
Story
Best for a relaxed pace, more visual variety, and time to
settle naturally into the experience.
- Up to 90 minutes
- One general area with varied settings
- Optional outfit change
- Expanded planning support
- Curated high-resolution gallery
Beginning at
$825
03
Editorial
Best for couples who want a more expansive story, multiple
visual environments, or a developed creative direction.
- Up to two hours
- Up to two nearby locations
- Up to two looks
- Expanded concept and planning support
- Expanded high-resolution gallery
Beginning at
$1,075
Studio rental, admission fees, permits, extensive travel, florals,
styling, and other third-party costs are quoted separately when
applicable.
Included with every collection
Thoughtful preparation is part of the experience.
Planning support is not reserved for the largest collection. Every
couple receives the guidance needed to arrive feeling prepared
without being overwhelmed.
Pre-session questionnaire and consultation
Location and lighting recommendations
Wardrobe and visual-direction guidance
Weather alternatives when needed
Natural direction throughout your session
Private gallery and personal printing rights
More than one chapter
Continue the story beyond your engagement session.
Planning an elopement or microwedding after your engagement
session?
Combined collections are available for couples who want a consistent
visual approach and one familiar photographer across more than one
part of their story.
Your engagement session also gives us the opportunity to work
together before the celebration, making the photography experience
feel more familiar when the day arrives.
Behind the camera
A calm process for people with full lives.
I know how exhausting an unclear process can feel—especially when
your everyday life already requires you to make important decisions.
My background in neuroscience, law, travel, and BigLaw shaped how I
approach photography. I prepare carefully, communicate clearly,
notice small details, and remain steady when plans shift.
You’ll receive enough guidance to feel supported, enough preparation
to reduce uncertainty, and enough freedom to remain yourselves.
Kind words
How it felt from their side.
“Replace this text with a verified review from a couple who mentions
feeling comfortable, receiving helpful direction, or recognizing
themselves in their photographs.”
Client names · Engagement session, Chicago
Questions, answered
Before your engagement session.
You do not need to arrive knowing all the answers. We’ll work
through the important decisions together.
What if we feel awkward in photographs?
You do not need experience in front of a camera. I’ll offer
clear, natural direction and begin with simple movement and
interaction so you can ease into the experience gradually.
How do we choose a location?
We’ll consider how you want the photographs to feel, places
meaningful to your relationship, your preferred visual style,
accessibility, weather, lighting, and permit requirements.
What should we wear?
You’ll receive wardrobe guidance based on the setting, season,
and desired mood. The goal is not to make you match or put you
into a uniform—it is to help your choices feel cohesive and
recognizably yours.
Can we bring our pet?
Absolutely. Tell me about your pet when you inquire so we can
choose a suitable location and allow enough time for breaks,
movement, and unpredictability.
Can we use two locations?
The Editorial collection includes up to two nearby locations.
Travel time between settings counts toward the session, so I’ll
help you select locations that provide variety without using
most of your time in transit.
What happens if the weather changes?
We’ll monitor the forecast and discuss the best option based on
safety, the conditions, location restrictions, and the visual
atmosphere you want. That may mean adjusting the start time,
moving indoors, embracing light weather, or rescheduling.
When should we schedule the session?
If you need photographs for invitations, a wedding website, or
printed materials, schedule early enough to allow for planning,
gallery delivery, and design. Otherwise, choose a season that
fits how you want the experience to feel.
When will we receive our photographs?
Replace this sentence with your actual delivery policy. For
example: “Engagement galleries are generally delivered within
three weeks of the session.”
Ready when you are
Let’s make photographs that feel like the two of you.
Tell me what you enjoy together, how you want the session to feel,
and anything you are still figuring out. You do not need to have the
rest decided before reaching out.