I'm so excited to "meet" you! I'm a Minnesota & Pacific Northwest elopement photographer for joyful, adventurous, and heart-centered couples. In my heart, I'm happiest immersed in nature and love exploring, as long as my best friend and love of my life, Kevin, is by my side.

I’d rather be hiking in the mountains, breathing in the sweet scent of dew-coated pines, than strolling the beach with a margarita in my hand. I am the definition of a Libra (iykyk). My best friends would tell you I’m an introverted-extrovert and I couldn't possibly agree more. When I don’t have a camera or paint brush in my hand, my hands are occupied by my kiddos' tiny hands, a caramel mocha, and at least 5 other things.

I'm so excited to "meet" you! I'm a Minnesota & Pacific Northwest elopement photographer for joyful, adventurous, and heart-centered couples. In my heart, I'm happiest immersed in nature and love exploring, as long as my best friend and love of my life, Kevin, is by my side.

I’d rather be hiking in the mountains, breathing in the sweet scent of dew-coated pines, than strolling the beach with a margarita in my hand. I am the definition of a Libra (iykyk). My best friends would tell you I’m an introverted-extrovert and I couldn't possibly agree more. When I don’t have a camera or paint brush in my hand, my hands are occupied by my kiddos' tiny hands, a mocha or vanilla matcha tea latte, and at least 5 other things.

I'm so glad you're here.

hey!

Meet payton

a few of my faves:
  • Sunset with the campfire & s'mores
  • sipping a warm cup of coffee before heading out on a trail
  • watching the joy of discovery spread across my kids' faces
  • spending quality time with my husband
  • binge-watch the Twilight movie series
  • Visit as many A-Frames as i can around the world

Let's elope!

wife.  mom.  hopeless romantic.  artist.  wanderer.  photographer.  

wife.  mom.  hopeless romantic.  artist.  wanderer.  photographer.

work with me

Meet your
photographer

Meet your
photographer

You're Not Looking For Just Any Photographer.
You're Looking For An Adventure Buddy & Lifelong Friend.

Let's cut to the chase: I'm not going to sit here and tell you that I'm not like other photographers; I'm going to show you exactly why I'm not.

First of all, stiff posing isn't my thing. And while I'm definitely going to be your hype girl, I also place the utmost value in allowing my couples plenty of space to allow their love to shine.

My goal is to capture the way your nose crinkles up when your partner wraps their arms around you. The way your fingers intertwine as if they were pieces of a puzzle fitting together. Just think of me as your professional third-wheel.

So if you're not afraid to get your dress a little dirty... lace up your hiking boots and let's document this sweet chapter in your love story.

Let's cut to the chase: I'm not going to sit here and tell you that I'm not like other photographers; I'm going to show you exactly why I'm not.

First of all, stiff posing isn't my thing. And while I'm definitely going to be your hype girl, I also place the utmost value in allowing my couples plenty of space to allow their love to shine.

My goal is to capture the way your nose crinkles up when your partner wraps their arms around you. The way your fingers intertwine as if they were pieces of a puzzle fitting together. Just think of me as your professional third-wheel.

So if you're not afraid to get your dress a little dirty... lace up your hiking boots and let's document this sweet chapter in your love story.

This is Kevin. My husband, hiking buddy, and a peanut butter to my jelly. With a passion for working with engines and an anime lover, he's a simple and loving man who stops to take his drone out to film every scenic view he sees. We fell in love in Minnesota and then together fell in love with the forest and mountains. He has the biggest heart out there. You'll meet him at your wedding (he's your bag carrier, holds your dogs, and is your driver), and by the time we're done with your photos, he'll have your heart too. 

This is Kevin. My husband, hiking buddy, and a peanut butter to my jelly. With a passion for working with engines and an anime lover, he's a simple and loving man who stops to take his drone out to film every scenic view he sees. We fell in love in Minnesota and then together fell in love with the forest and mountains. He has the biggest heart out there. You'll meet him at your wedding (he's your bag carrier, holds your dogs, and is your driver), and by the time we're done with your photos, he'll have your heart too. 

meet my love

JUST THINK OF
ME AS YOUR PROFESSIONAL THIRD-WHEEL.

You’re welcome here as long as you want to elope—we embrace couples of all genders, disabilities, orientations, and backgrounds.

all welcome, all ways.

my values

Protecting the environment is reflected in my business and my personal life with a mindful attitude toward littering, Leave No Trace, and ethical living.

Environmental justice

Trust and communication are the pillars of any successful relationship, and that applies to our relationship too! When it comes to how we communicate, there are no questions or topics that are off the table.

TRUST + COMMUNICATION

You’re welcome here as long as you want to elope—we embrace couples of all genders, disabilities, orientations, and backgrounds.

all welcome, all ways.

my values

Trust and communication are the keys of any successful relationship, and that applies to our relationship too! When it comes to how we communicate, there are no questions or topics that are off the table.

TRUST + COMMUNICATION

Protecting the environment is reflected in my business and my personal life with a mindful attitude toward littering, Leave No Trace, and ethical living.

Environmental justice

The Notebook is actually one of the reasons I became a photographer.

But it's probably not for the reason you're thinking. As much of a heartthrob Ryan Gosling is as Noah in the film ;), there's a bit more to it. It's the way that Noah recounts his and Allie's love story, despite Allie having Alzheimer's. 

We only have such a short amount of time to experience every little bit of love, don't we? And if that's not enough of a reason to document a couple's love story, I don't know what is. I want couples to be able to look back at their journey in years to come through photos and remember every little second of that moment. I want them to remember the smell of the pines blanketing the sky above, the crunch of the leaves as they strolled hand-in-hand with their lover. 

I want my couples to remember that crazy, young love; it deserves to live on.

The Notebook is actually one of the reasons I became a photographer.

But it's probably not for the reason you're thinking. As much of a heartthrob Ryan Gosling is as Noah in the film ;), there's a bit more to it. It's the way that Noah recounts his and Allie's love story, despite Allie having Alzheimer's. 

We only have such a short amount of time to experience every little bit of love, don't we? And if that's not enough of a reason to document a couple's love story, I don't know what is. I want couples to be able to look back at their journey in years to come through photos and remember every little second of that moment. I want them to remember the smell of the pines blanketing the sky above, the crunch of the leaves as they strolled hand-in-hand with their lover. 

I want my couples to remember that crazy, young love; it deserves to live on.

CALLING ALL HOPELESS ROMANTICS...

Your love story deserves to live on.

Moment of real talk:
I'm not going to sit here and tell you that I'm "not like other photographers".

That's for you to discover.

But what I will tell you is that my biggest goal is to inspire my couples to feel their love story. Every little bit of it. So much so that they feel like 2 teenagers who can't keep their hands off each other (no matter how long you've been together...).

I find beauty in the way Lake Superior kisses the shore - powerfully and intentionally. I notice the way your lover caresses your cheek as they lean into kiss you the exact same way. These little moments, no matter how
"insignificant" will be the moments you want to remember for a lifetime.

Moment of real talk:
I'm not going to sit here and
tell you that I'm "not like other photographers".

That's for you to discover.

But what I will tell you is that my biggest goal is to inspire my couples to feel their love story. Every little bit of it. So much so that they feel like 2 teenagers who can't keep their hands off each other (no matter how long you've been together...).

I find beauty in the way Lake Superior kisses the shore - powerfully and intentionally. I notice the way your lover caresses your cheek as they lean into kiss you the exact same way. These little moments, no matter how "insignificant" will be the moments you want to remember for a lifetime.

EARTHY AND AIRY TONES FOR THE WILDLY IN-LOVE.

Adair & Cody

"LOVED working with Payton!! She is so sweet to work with and knows how to capture love so well! She really knows how to make elopement visions come together. You can tell she has a passion for elopements!! If you're looking for a genuine and greatly talented person to capture your elopement, she's your gal!"

"LOVED working with Payton!! She is so sweet to work with and knows how to capture love so well! She really knows how to make elopement visions come together. You can tell she has a passion for elopements!! If you're looking for a genuine and greatly talented person to capture your elopement, she's your gal!"

let's go!

it's a perfect match

your love, my lens