Interactive Prompts + Movement = Natural Photos
Hi there, future friend! I’m Allie. Remember how awkward you felt during school photos when the photographer would pose you? Yeah, we’re not going to do that.
I promise that you’re going to smile looking back at your photos rather than laughing at how awkward you look (unless your bangs look like mine did in junior high, in which case, I take back my promise).
Here’s How it Works
I’ll use a series of prompts, poses, and movements to get you interacting in a natural way so your photos won’t look stiff and awkward.
My team never discriminates.
Ready to Get Started?
- I want to level up my brand
- Tell me more about wedding + engagement photography
- I’m overdue for professional photos and have no idea where to start
Want to Learn More?
Press + Accolades
My photography work has been published in The Knot Wedding Magazine, Style Me Pretty, Every Last Detail, Houzz, Borrowed & Blue, Love Inc. Magazine, Love & Lavender and other major outlets. I’m a published author, part time Michigan State instructor, and my business advice has been published in Forbes, The Huffington Post, The Washington Post, Mashable, Yahoo! Small Business Advisor, MSN, VentureBeat, Under 30 CEO, the Business Woman Rock podcast, the Mixergy podcast and the Hack the Entrepreneur podcast.
Who I Am
My husband, Jeff, and I started a “Leap Year Project” in 2013 during an eight month stint living in Washington DC. In honor of Jeff’s leap year birthday, we decided to create a video every four years to document where our lives have taken us (yes, we started a year late—leap year was in 2012. Better late than never!).
You can see our past videos here:
We made our own video in 2020. Here’s a peek at what our lives have looked like:
When I’m not behind my camera, you’ll find me wrangling my two daughters (Zel is seven, and Arden is five), documenting the renovation of my 1970s house, enjoying life in a university town, stand up paddle boarding, sailing in Pentwater, racing as a part of the Lansing Sailing Club, and eating dessert on a daily basis. You can follow my adventures on Instagram.
I moved back to East Lansing, Michigan, with Jeff in 2011 after four years living in Chicago (we met as students in the digital media arts & tech lab at Michigan State).
I adore the creativity and challenges I encounter with photography—it’s truly a blend of art and science.
Follow Along
I’d love to hear from you. Find me on Instagram, send me a line through my contact page or give me a call (616-522-2515) to set up an appointment. You can also follow Allie & Co. Photography updates on Facebook.
About the Associates
I started my associate program in 2015 with a group of three amazingly talented photographers and friends. I’ve worked with my associates over the years to give them feedback on each wedding to make sure that they’re approaching their portrait prompts and lighting in the same way that I would (though each has a unique creative perspective).
I manage all of the wedding day details and editing with each couple, and my associate team always blow me away with their talent and creativity from the wedding day—I can’t tell you how much inspiration I’ve drawn from them.
FAQ
Where are you based?
I live in East Lansing, Michigan, and I split my summers between East Lansing and Pentwater, Michigan.
What are your specialties?
My main focus is portrait photography with a specialty in branding portraits, headshots, and graduating seniors. Check out my blog and most recent client galleries to view featured work across these categories.
I started out as a wedding and portrait photographer, but I’m currently taking on a very limited number of weddings per year so I can spend more weekends enjoying all that Michigan has to offer with my family (sailing and swimming in Lake Michigan and Lake Pentwater as much as possible).
How did you get started?
I started photographing portraits and weddings as a creative outlet in 2009 after taking classes at the Chicago Photography Center—a nonprofit led by professional photographers in the Chicago area. I officially started my business in 2010, moved back to East Lansing in 2011, and I’ve been lucky enough to meet some really neat people and travel to interesting destinations to shoot since then.
Do you have liability insurance?
Absolutely. I’m insured through State Farm.
What if it rains on the day of my shoot?
If the forecast looks like rain the day before a scheduled outdoor photo session, be prepared to reschedule for another day. If we’re in the studio, we’re good to go!
Do you have backup equipment?
Yes, absolutely. Gear failure is the stuff of literal nightmares for me.
