Hi friend, I’m so glad you’re here!
I wanted to take a moment to introduce myself a little more personally and share the heart behind the lens.
My love for photography started at a very young age — younger than most. My aunt was a photographer, and I spent many afternoons dressed up for photo sessions in her studio or in my grandparents’ yard. She captured so much of my childhood, including some of the only photos I have with my dad. He passed away just before I turned 18 months old. Over the years, my aunt lovingly photoshopped him into images with me, giving me a connection to moments I didn’t even realize I’d missed. That act alone showed me the power photography holds: how it freezes time and keeps our loved ones close, even when they’re gone.
In high school, I had the chance to study photography more formally, learning to develop film in a darkroom. Shortly after graduating, I was gifted my first camera with a detachable lens. I was blown away by the image quality and immediately started capturing meaningful moments for friends and family — surprise engagements, military homecomings, maternity milestones, and all the little in-betweens.
Then life moved fast. I spent the next decade climbing the corporate ladder in the financial sector, and photography took a back seat. Cell phones became the everyday camera, and my old DSLR collected dust.
That all changed in 2021 when my son was born. I had every intention of returning to work, but those 12 weeks of maternity leave weren’t enough — I couldn’t bring myself to leave him. I picked my camera back up and started photographing his milestones, monthly growth updates, and themed sessions for every holiday.
I spent the next year immersing myself in photography all over again. I learned to master my camera settings, how to import, export, and organize memories, build reliable backup systems, and create secure contracts that protect both my clients and myself. I developed a consistent editing style that stays true to life and captures real emotion. Thanks to a decade of experience in banking, I had the skills to confidently build the back end of a business. I'll admit — I'm still learning how to be a content creator and marketing expert — but I’ve found my rhythm and my joy in preserving life’s most treasured memories.
It started with childhood friends and family trusting me to document the chapters they never want to forget. Now, I’m meeting friends from all over the world who trust me with their new babies, their "I do’s," their growing families, or simply capturing the everyday magic. I’m here for all of it.
Thank you for taking the time to read a little about my journey. I don’t take lightly the honor of being invited into your lives and trusted with your most meaningful moments. I’m so excited to share more of my world with you — and hopefully, be there to capture some of yours too.
With so much gratitude,
Chelsee
Photography by Chelsee
Tallahassee Wedding and Lifestyle Photographer
The photoshopped image of my dad standing behind my mom and me was taken during my first Christmas without him.
The original was a family photo, and my aunt created the edited version using a studio portrait she had taken. She was also one of the first people to introduce me to concepts like copyright, photo ownership, and file sizes — lessons that stuck with me as I grew into photography myself.
Studio portraits of young me, courtesy of my aunt.
What you can’t see are the M&M’s tucked in my hand — a little bribe to keep me smiling. Sometimes we all need a bit of positive reinforcement!
One of those front yard photos taken at my grandparents' house.
I remember my Nana accidentally buying a tinted chapstick — but even at a young age, I was obsessed. I had to have it. To this day, chapstick would absolutely be one of my three must-haves if I were stranded on a deserted island.
There were definitely times when all I wanted was to do anything else and when I was told to “look at the camera” or “sit up and smile,” well… this is what you got.
Now, as a photographer, I keep sessions fun and laid-back to capture genuine smiles and avoid those forced faces — but trust me, I get it. I was that kid. I have those kids.
So if it happens, we’ll roll with it and make the best of it anyway!
