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Photographer · Florida · New York City · Colorado · South Carolina · Tennessee · Wyoming

Destination

Makaela Skinner Photography

Lived-in, editorial imagery rooted in presence, connection, and the beauty of what’s real.

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Makaela Skinner Photography

Makaela Skinner Photography documents weddings with a lived-in, editorial approach rooted in presence and connection. Blending digital, film, and Super 8, Makaela creates imagery that feels elevated without losing the honesty of the moment. Her work is drawn to the quiet gestures, imperfect in-betweens, and relationships that give a wedding its meaning. With a calm, intentional presence, she gives couples the space to fully experience their day while preserving it as it truly felt: warm, nostalgic, deeply personal, and entirely their own.

In their words

A short interview

What draws you to weddings?

There is something so special and sacred about two people choosing one another, and in so many ways, two families coming together. Generations are gathered in one place alongside the friendships and relationships that have shaped them into who they are. Getting to be in the midst of it all, witnessing the realness of the day and preserving all of those different histories coming together, is such a gift. I am such a romantic and draw so much inspiration from classic romance films and always want my imagery to feel like stills from your own love story.

How do you want couples to feel when they experience your work?

I want my couples to feel rooted in their own story. Staying true to who they are is at the heart of how I document a wedding, allowing the photographs to tell their story rather than shape it into something it isn’t. I want them to be transported back into the day: how it felt to hold each other, the people surrounding them, the nervousness before the ceremony, and the joy when everyone finally let loose. More than anything, I want their photographs to feel unmistakably like them, not like they stepped into someone else’s idea of what their wedding should look like.

Where do you find creative inspiration outside of weddings?

I find so much inspiration in old photographs, cinema, travel, architecture, fashion, and the way ordinary life looks when you actually slow down enough to notice it. I’m especially drawn to imagery that feels nostalgic and imperfect in the best way, like something pulled from a family album or a frame from an old film. A lot of my inspiration comes from observing real life rather than wedding trends. I travel a lot and love to bring my film camera to capture moments like these.

What are your favorite moments on a wedding day?

When everyone is truly present and there is room to breathe between each part of the day, I’m able to document moments as they naturally unfold rather than always having to set them up to happen. There is a time and place for both, but the moments that move me most are often the ones already happening: a couple praying together during a first touch, the groom seeing his bride walk down the aisle, or a father looking at his daughter and realizing she’s all grown up. Every relationship carries its own story, and getting to preserve those emotions as they happen is such a gift.

Is there a dream location you'd love to work a wedding in?

Sea Ranch in California has always inspired me, and I would love to photograph more weddings in the mountains out West, especially Wyoming, Montana, Colorado, or Utah. I’ll also never turn down an excuse to travel through Europe. But more than any specific destination, I’m drawn to couples who choose a place because it feels like an extension of their story. Whether that’s a field under the stars, a vibey speakeasy in the heart of their city, a historic castle, or the family property they grew up on, the dream location is one that means something to them.

Gallery

Selected work

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Get in touch

Reach out to Makaela Skinner Photography

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