Intimate wedding photography on film

Intimate Michigan Wedding Photographer

For the nostalgic, sentimental, creatives

Black and white photo of a bride and groom standing close together outdoors under trees, with the sun shining through the branches, holding a bouquet of flowers.
Close-up of black cursive writing on a white background reading "dramaay.com.beautiful.sad"

For the beautiful souls. For the wildly in love. For the joyfully celebratory. I believe you have a story that matters. You have a love that is unique. A spirit worth capturing authentically and genuinely.

I’m here to document all the moments and seasons of life you’ll want to hold on to forever. Authentic, photo-documentary storytelling that effortlessly holds your sweetest moments suspended in timeless beauty.

Black and white photo of bridal accessories and wedding invitation, including a pearl bracelet, a ring in a box, a pair of high heel shoes, and dried flowers. The items are arranged on a flat surface with shadows creating pattern.
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Young woman standing on rooftop terrace, wearing glasses, beanie, beige jacket, white shirt, light blue jeans, black boots, smiling, with clear blue sky in background.

hello friend!

Text reading "I'm so glad you're here" in a handwritten style.

If we haven’t met, I’m Elana, a Michigan-based documentary and editorial photographer.  

Though I’m currently in Michigan, I love to travel wherever :) I find that my business is honestly less of a business and more of a creative project/storybook for me.

I tell stories.

But I use images instead of words, and I’m really more interested in re-creating emotion and feeling. Rather than taking photos that answer “what” and “where”, I’m much more interested in photos that answer “who, why, and how.”

I create photos that are the “I want to show my grandkids one day what life was like when we were young” kind of images.

If this sounds like you, then you’re in the right place. I would love to chat more with you over a cup of coffee (or tea :) )

more about me :)
  • A man lying on a checkered sofa, looking relaxed with eyes closed, in a dimly lit room with a window letting in natural light.

    Narrative

    People-focused, story-driven work.

  • Black and white photo of three people sitting at a bar, with a window showing a field with cows in the background.

    Scene

    Scenes from travel and wanderings around the world, a different kind of story.

  • A bartender in a cowboy hat pouring a drink behind a bar, with people laughing and enjoying themselves in a cozy, warmly lit pub or bar.

    Connection

    Engaging with the world, cultivating relationships, friendships, and delight in small things.

  • "ELANA IS THE MOST ORIGINAL AND AWE-INSPIRING PHOTOGRAPHER YOU WILL EVER MEET!!! Just did my senior college photos with her and the photos turned out exemplary. She is somehow able to capture life's ephemeral moments in such a truly humanistic way; her editing style is timeless and really knows how to direct!"

    — Rebecca

  • "I don’t even know where to start! Elana is amazing! I can’t rave about her enough! She worked with us so much we had some complications with our wedding and she made the day perfect! And to top off how amazing she was the day of she told us our photos would be ready in 3 weeks and we got them in One!!! She’s incredible and has a beautiful talent I could go on for days about how amazing she is!! 25/10!!"

    — Christian and Zoe

  • “Elana has THE EYE. She gets you to feel comfortable to really get you those natural joyful smiles that you want to frame! I always love working with Elana and would recommend her every time to someone who needs a down to earth, sweet, and talented photographer! 10/10 I would work with again!”

    MORIAH