Based in Brunswick, Maine, just thirty minutes east of Portland, I am a professional location photographer. In photo-speak that means that instead of having my clients come to a studio to get their pictures made, I take my studio to the client.
I bought my first serious camera in college, and as they say the rest is history. I knew immediately that I wanted to pursue photography professionally. I got my start as a staff photographer on a small daily newspaper in Alabama. That was followed by seven years at the largest newspaper in Mississippi, and in 1995 I accepted a job with the Bangor Daily News, at the time the largest newspaper in Northern New England. After three years with the Bangor Daily I struck out on my own as a freelance photographer, eventually relocating to Brunswick.
Moving all the way to Maine was a bold move for someone raised just minutes from the Gulf of Mexico, but I couldn't be happier in my new home just minutes from the Gulf of Maine. I'm proud to be a Mainer, albeit one with a Southern drawl.
As a Maine-based location photographer, I have one of the loveliest states in the nation as my studio. Whether I'm at a shingled hotel on the coast for a wedding or on a blueberry barren Down East for a magazine story, I am inspired by my spectacular surroundings. More than likely you picked Maine for your wedding because you, too, appreciate its beauty.
I'd like to help you realize your dream for your wedding by creating pictures that capture the spirit of your wedding day. I know that you're excited to finally be tying the knot, that you've worked hard to plan a meaningful ceremony and a fun celebration, and that you will be surrounded by the people who are dearest to you. I also know that when the big day finally gets here, things will happen so quickly that your memory will be a blur at best.
That's where I come in. My years as an award-winning photojournalist have sharpened my abilities as a storyteller. Drawing on the same skills that helped me photograph everything from prize livestock to presidents, my goal is to create a stirring record of the day which is as complete as possible. I want to be everywhere, yet still be unobtrusive, and I want to capture, but never stage, the big events and the little nuances to give you a photographic record that is fuller and longer-lasting than your fleeting memories. Afterward, I am here to help you create lovely albums, custom reprints or other products to help you preserve and share your images.
If you're curious to see what I do when not photographing weddings, visit my editorial/commercial web site at MicheleStapleton.com.
Memberships: American Society of Media Photographers and Professional Photographers of America.