Winter urban street scene with historic buildings, parked cars, and bare trees against cloudy sky.

"Downtown Kalamazoo is more than a collection of city streets—it's a vibrant community with people at its heart."


City of kalamazoo

 



Kalamazoo is seriously one of those places where you can create something unique every single session. That’s why I’m always drawn to it. There’s just so much variety all in one spot. You’ve got the historical buildings and landmarks, mixed with newer architecture, and it all works together. Walking down the Kalamazoo Mall, you see the tall windows, the mix of old and new brick, the pillars, the bustle of shoppers, and those twinkle lights tucked into random alleyways. And then right off Lovell St., you’ve got the Kalamazoo State Theatre that brings in that back-in-time feel.



If you want more of a nature vibe, the parks nearby give you that too. It’s always changing, which means there are constantly new little location spots that might not have even been there before. For Sierra and Mike’s session, we picked a few spots that all gave off a different vibe. We started at the top of the Radisson Hotel parking garage for that skyline view of downtown. There’s just something about being up there that feels open and exciting. It gave us that perfect mix of city energy and romantic moments.



Then we moved a few levels down in the ramp for more of that inner, dark-to-light urban vibe. I love using spaces like that because the contrast just hits different. It felt a little moodier but still so natural for them. That right amount of light hit so perfectly that it gave a whole new feel to it.  After that, we went to the skybridge that connects the ramp to the hotel, and the warmth of the sunlight hitting them was honestly the perfect lighting situation. Everything just glowed.




We continued down to the Kalamazoo Mall and found a brick alley with twinkle lights that added the coziest feel. Behind the Greenleaf Trust building, the large windows and pillars gave us that timeless look while still feeling fresh. And of course, we had to end at the Kalamazoo State Theatre for that nostalgic, almost cinematic vibe.



The whole session felt so true to them  fun, romantic, a little adventurous, and completely genuine. Getting to know each of my clients as individuals and as a couple is the most important part of my job so that I can not only make them both feel comfortable but also provide that candid and real experience with them. As for my hometown city of Kalamazoo, being in a place that I grew up in, have had many sessions at and watched it consistently change and grow? Now that’s what I love most about shooting in Kalamazoo. It gives you so many different vibes in one place, and every time it feels new.

People walking through deep snow in front of a building on a winter day.
Looking up at ornate wrought iron light fixtures mounted on a beige stone building facade.
Black and white winter street scene showing snowy urban neighborhood with parked cars.
Romantic sequence of a couple sharing intimate moments by large windows.
Close-up sequence of hands with engagement ring against snowy background.
String lights illuminate a romantic moment in a brick alleyway covered in snow.
Red brick building entrance with arched windows and concrete steps.
Two people in casual attire dance together in an urban concrete underpass setting.
Snowy street view of The State theater with marquee and storefronts.
Winter urban scene with snow piles along building exterior.
A couple shares an intimate moment against a rustic brick wall background.
Historic red brick buildings with ornate stone facades line a commercial street.
A panoramic view of a vintage brick commercial building with large windows under blue sky.