i was lucky enough to grow up watching an epic love story unfold in real time—my grandparents were high school sweethearts, and they were married for 50 years, side by side through every chapter of their lives together. they showed me that love is real & it's everlasting.

to this day, their house is full of photo albums stacked like time machines: high school dances, road trips, birthday cakes, and playing pool in the basement with friends and family. real memories, of all of the moments of their live, my mom's life, and my own life. flipping through the albums always feels like living their story—and mine—all over again.

when i was younger, my grandma never went anywhere without her camera (including the grocery store, probably). fortunately, she passed that instinct right down to me. the call to document it all—all of the big moments, and especially the small, in-between ones. the random tuesday nights spent playing dominos, or watching movies, or the warm, summer afternoons just chatting out on their balcony.

so that’s why i do this.
photos are more than just pretty pictures—they’re tangible evidence.
proof of love felt deeply, of a life well-lived, of the way things felt.
being able to give others the gift of those memories we all long to hold onto? there is no greater feeling.

hiya friend—i'm carlie :)

your camera-wielding bestie, snack holder, and expert in photographing all the good stuff while you’re busy just being in love.

i’m not here to stage a rom-com (well, not unless you want me to) i’m just here to capture you exactly as you are—weird, wonderful, and wildly into each other.

nice to meet ya, friend 

i'm so happy

you're here!

my friends & family often say that i am the kind of person who always has strangers telling me their life story—the cashier at a grocery store, the clerk at a gas station, or a stranger in passing at a concert.
it happens, without fail, every damn time i'm out in public.

but i love it—i love the human connection.
i love hearing people's stories. i went to kent state university for photojournalism because of this natural talent, if that's what you want to call it. and because of my passion for documenting all of the moments that weave our lives together.

my clients always say that working with me feels more like hanging out with a friend—i want to hear how wedding planning is going, i want to know why having family photos every year is important to you. i want to know you, and in knowing you, i'm able to document the biggest and smallest moments of your life in a way that are truly authentic and tailored to your life and your experiences.

you can count on me to notice the teary-eyed hug with your grandma, the under-the-table hand squeeze between you and your lover, and every emotion-soaked moment in between. i've always got a bag full of snacks, i'm ready to jump in and help if your train needs fluffed, and i bring a calm to the chaos of a wedding day, while still hyping you up and getting emo over your love. 

i approach weddings with a candid, documentary approach—i like to be a fly on the wall unless you want or need some guidance. i step in to help with direction during family photos, wedding party photos, and use movement an prompts during portraits of you and your partner. 

i shoot both digital and 35mm film, giving you both modern and timeless nostalgia. i've spent the last two wedding seasons training my best friend, stephanie, and we now offer super and  digital video packages, as well as a digital super 8 "content creation" add-on, in case a full video package isn't what you want or need!

and at the end of it all, i'm still sticking around, because what are friends for? so when you want all the other moments of your life documented, i'm so ready, and so excited. 

xoxo,
carlie gabrelcik photography