WeddingDay Pro Spotlight: Elisha Kaldahl, ElishaKPhoto

Almost every little girl grows up looking at wedding photos from her parents’ wedding with the dream of someday getting married and having similar pictures to pass on to their future children. Therefore, your wedding photos should perfectly capture your joy so you can look back on them for years to come with smiles plastered to your faces. Your children and children’s children should be able to look at them and hope to be as happy and beautiful on their wedding days.

With ElishaKPhoto, you, your future spouse and timeless photos are the main focus. This husband and wife duo dreams of telling your unique stories through the moments they capture. They know how difficult it can be to get to your wedding day, so they want to make sure they deliver photos that make you feel the same joy and love years from your special day. WeddingDay had an exclusive chance to sit down with Elisha and learn more about what she loves about her job!

What inspired your business? What keeps you motivated?

"I was born with a camera in my hand and have spent my entire life documenting moments. I love photography, but I also love running a business. Documenting the love stories of my clients is what keeps me motivated. My wedding photographer never delivered my wedding photos and it still breaks my heart, everyday. I want to give my clients every memory of the best day of their lives, not just for them but also for their grandkids."

Tell us about your experience and skills.

"I have spent more than a decade capturing hundreds of wedding days. When I walk into any room, I know where the light is without having to think about it. I know how to tweak a pose to make you look your absolute best in photos. I can get through your family formal list efficiently so that you can get to your party. I also have a solid knack for catching grandma busting a move on the dance floor."

As a business owner, what do you wish to accomplish with your customers? What can a couple look forward to when booking you?

"My goal in serving my clients is to take the moments of their wedding day and turn them into timeless photos they will treasure forever and will live on for generations to come. When a bride books with me I find out what the most important things are to her about her wedding day—the details, friends and family, moments with her future spouse—and I put a priority on documenting those things. I assist with timeline planning to allow my bride to enjoy her day and get the photos she wants."

Give us an overview of your services. What makes your business unique?

"Our philosophy is to do one thing and do it crazy well, so we only capture weddings and engagements. We are a husband and wife wedding photography team. That means that our clients get a second photographer as well as a male and female perspective on their wedding day. As a husband and wife team, we have a succinct style and an unparalleled trust that cannot be duplicated working with any other second photographer."

Photo: Beth Waterman Photography

Tell us about your favorite part of your job. What keeps it fun for you?

"My favorite part of being a wedding photographer is documenting the love stories of the couples I get to work with. Like every love story, every wedding day is unique. Even after hundreds of wedding days I still tear up at some point. There is something so special about bearing witness to such intimate moments. I thrive in chaos so weddings are a natural fit for me."

What do you love about the industry you work in?

"We live and breathe weddings, and I love the community that exists in this industry. The wedding industry is full of professionals that will not only support you but also will drive you to be better; people that I love to work with but have also become my friends."

What’s the most common question you get from couples? What’s your answer to it?

"'Have you captured a wedding day at my venue?' I have had the opportunity to work in so, so many of our local venues, but I have not shot them all. What I tell my couples is that I can create beautiful images anywhere, and that is the mark of an excellent photographer. While I may not be familiar with your venue, I am familiar with composition and lighting, and I can do that anywhere."

What are the best tips you have for helping couples prepare for their big day? Any other words of wisdom to share?

"Your wedding day is going to go so fast, in the blink of an eye. I want you to enjoy every moment of your wedding day. Timeline planning is key to this. Create breaks in your day to just be together. I help my couples put their timeline together in a way that allows enough hours of photography coverage and makes sure they have time to be fully present on their wedding day."

Take a moment to brag about something you’re proud of!

"I am so proud of my sense of adventure. I am always up for trying something new in both my personal and professional life. When I’m not shooting weddings I might be climbing mountains, looking for the perfect taco or seeking new adventures with my husband and kids."

How do you calm the nerves of anxious clients? What do you do to make them feel comfortable?

"Most of my clients are not naturally comfortable in front of the camera. I use an active posing approach where I encourage my couples to naturally interact. This not only calms my couples’ nerves but also creates authentic photographs.

Capturing an engagement session with my couples gives us an opportunity to work together prior to the wedding day. Because this is so important, I include engagement sessions in my most popular collections."

What are your future goals for your business? How do you see it growing in the future?

"I am so excited for the future of my business! In addition to continuing to create timeless images for my wedding clients, I am entering the photography education space to help other photographers grow their businesses as well. I have spent my entire career seeking education to best serve my clients, and I am honored to be able to build back into the photography education space."

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