Colette first joined the Celisia Stanton Photography team in February 2021, and she’s been an invaluable addition ever since! When Colette applied to be an associate, I fell in love with her creativity and strong attention to detail. One of Colette’s biggest strengths is capturing moments as they’re happing organically. In fact, she’s so good at capturing the energy of a moment, you might find yourself forgetting there’s a camera in front of you! Colette also brings her artistic eye to each wedding day, capturing both more traditional wedding day shots, and more creative shots that are such fun surprises to see mixed into your final gallery.

Keep reading to see Colette’s associate photos + get to know her better! You can also check out Colette’s full portfolio here.

How long have you been a photographer? 

I fell in love with photography in middle school! And I feel lucky to say I knew that’s what I wanted to do as a career by the time I graduated high school in 2010.

Tell us about your journey in photography so far! How long have you been a photographer? How many weddings have you shot? What have you learned along the way?

I started out mostly doing family photos and senior pictures for people that I knew when I was in college. Gradually I started getting more experience in all types of portraiture; I had a job doing in-hospital newborn photos, I took photos of kids with Santa, I did dance team photos for the school I graduated from, I did it all! After a lot of practice and experimenting I honed my skills and learned that I love photographing newborns and weddings the most. I’ve shot over 75 weddings and the most important thing I remind myself is that no two weddings are the same, because no two couples are the same. I love coming to each experience with an open mind and really working alongside the couple to create images that truly represent them.

What’s your favorite part of being an associate for Celisia Stanton Photography?

My love for shooting for Celisia is two-fold: One, it really allows me to have a great work/life balance. It’s great to be a part of a team and know that the weight of the world is not all on my shoulders. Two, I really align with Celisia’s morals and values on a personal level. Not only does that make me excited to work with her and proud of the work I’m contributing, but I feel like the clients she attracts also line up with her in this way. When you, as a photographer, get welcomed in to document an important moment or day for someone – it’s really wonderful to feel that kind of immediate connection with them.

What’s your favorite part of a wedding day to capture?

The couples portraits definitely, particularly if we get a chance to go get some extra shots at sunset. The sunset photos are such a great way to get you away from the chaos, to just get ten minutes to yourselves to breathe, be with each other, and let it soak in! The day is about you two and your love, so when we get to document and showcase that – that’s the whole point. 

What’s your go-to wedding day advice for soon to be married couples?”

Make sure you’re throwing the party that YOU want to have. Ditch any traditions or parts of the day that don’t feel true to you! Don’t like cake? Have an ice cream bar. Don’t like wearing heels? Wear boots. This is a celebration by you and for you – treat it as such!

What would you say to a couple who is nervous about having their picture taken?

Nine out of ten couples are nervous about photos, and ten out of ten couples will say it’s never as awkward as you fear it will be! It’s always my goal to keep it as candid and stress-free as possible. If you are in love with your partner, and can have fun with your partner – that’s what we’re capturing! Fun-lovin’ photos.

Are you a cat person, dog person, or neither? Why?

Cat! I’ve always had cats growing up, and I have a 9 year old, white fluffball named Arya currently. I love cats’ independent, sassy, weirdo vibe; their ‘love me, but also give me space’ attitude. 

That being said – I also want to meet your dog and would love to incorporate your pets into your pictures no matter what variety they come in. 🥲