Michael Keel Photography

Introduction: First and foremost - I love what I do. I feel privileged to be able to make art every day and to share it with my clients. My goal is to make images speak, exposing "how it feels". I try to achieve in my work: balance, beauty, consistency and continual growth. I think my photography stands out from others as I have shot on film my entire life. I focus on "real moments", a more journalistic style of wedding photography. When I make photos, I strive to get the shot right the first time "in camera" - not in Photoshop! A lot of photographers overly utilize Photoshop and manipulate their photos far beyond what they originally shot. With my work, I only use Lightroom as a "digital darkroom" to develop my colors of what I saw and try my best to make that shot perfect in my eyes to begin with. Photoshop is only used in my work if something major needs to be done, mistake, or a client has a special request for that magazine look of brushing, for example a fashion shoot, modeling ad and so on. No one should "rely" on Photoshop. You should rely on your "photography skills" - while on the job. I get the freedom to express how I see the world through my lens. These images are seen through my eyes with the help of my camera. My intention has always been to put the viewer in the moment, of actually feeling like they are in the photo, standing at the viewpoint, gazing, and leaving it up to the viewer to interpret their own feelings. I want to find the camera angle from which this feeling can be the most that they can be whatever that is. If it is the grace of the clouds, then I want the angle from which that grace becomes the absolute most it can be at that moment. And so it leads me on, to explore angles, space, reflections, and light. I strive to make "moments" make sense visually, and trust that the metaphor, meaning, will follow. Note: I want to add that I edit my own photos, this is my business. You will see many "companies" that will reach out to you with their photographers . But the photographers do not edit their own photos. I think it is VERY important the person making the photos, edits their own shots. It makes zero sense to me that the artistic side of the photo, or exactly how the shot was taken by the photographer shooting - is edited by someone else. I would not say the company does not care, but this is more "mass produced" photo work in my opinion. Most just throw the same filter effect onto every photo. I do not use fake filters, I actually care about each photo I take, and each one is meticulously edited. No one else touches my work, and each shot personalized with my eye for your special day. Lastly, I cannot make you smaller, look thinner, tuck chins, and basically make you look like someone else with my editing. I'm a photographer, not a graphic art designer, nor a Magician. A photographer. If you're looking to have every single thing you don't like about yourself removed, I'm not the photographer for you. If you want beautiful, natural, real, in the moment, non-fake photos that actually represent your day - and your already beautiful self inside and out. Showing your happy expressions, joy, love, surprise, and so on. I'm your photographer.