Malachi was phenomenal. Choosing him for our adventure elopement/micro wedding ended up being far more meaningful than simply hiring a photographer (though he’s an extraordinarily gifted one).

At first, his photos drew us in (especially his breathtaking night sky star shots, one of his specialties). But what sealed the deal was his professionalism, warmth, kindness, and overall expertise. It was immediately clear that working with him would ensure the wedding experience we had always dreamed of.

His photos are nothing short of spectacular. We honestly doubted ours could live up to the stunning examples he shared, yet somehow he managed to make ours even more incredible. From starry night portraits to vast landscapes, intimate candid moments, and detailed close-ups, he’s a true master of his art. In every environment he has a creative vision, and following it allows him to capture moments that feel both authentic and magical. And even in rugged locations, he ensures you feel safe.

From our first Zoom chat to planning meetings and emails along the way, his communication was consistently clear, timely, and helpful. His website, client portal, and custom PDF guides are beautifully designed and immensely useful. Despite a packed travel calendar, he always made time for quick calls when we needed to go over plans or ask questions. He strikes the perfect balance, offering direction when you want it but also stepping back to let you take the lead when you prefer.

A big part of what makes his process so seamless is how intentional it is. We filled out several fun and thoughtful questionnaires that helped all of us clarify the intended vision for our day. Afterward, he sent a personalized location list tailored to our preferences. From this, we selected the perfect ceremony spot and a few additional photo locations.

One of Malachi’s greatest strengths is his deep familiarity with the outdoors and his ability to uncover incredible, lesser-known locations for ceremonies and portraits. He’s constantly exploring and expanding his list of amazing spots so that every couple can craft a day that’s uniquely theirs. In our case, we wanted to visit several different landscapes over multiple days, including places accessible for our grandparents while still feeling remote and private, and Malachi made it all happen seamlessly.

Above all though, his most valuable quality is simply who he is. Malachi is kind, easygoing, thoughtful, and genuinely fun to spend time with. For an elopement or intimate gathering, that matters so much. From the moment we met up with him in Utah, it felt like a friend had joined us, not just someone we’d hired. Traveling between photo spots and having him at our family dinner felt natural and fun. By the end of the day, every family member had connected with him. He’s a rare and wonderful person.

One especially moving example was that during a short break between our morning and afternoon activities, he managed to fully edit and create a stunning preview slideshow/album of our photos from that day, which he surprised us with during pre-dinner happy hour. It brought us to tears and was such a great way to start the evening.

In short: we recommend Malachi wholeheartedly and without any reservations. Whether you’re planning an adventure elopement, a micro wedding, or something entirely unique, he’ll make it happen and will surpass your every expectation. Working with him was an absolute joy. He’s truly one of a kind.

Malachi made our elopement absolutely awesome! He was recommended to us by a photographer friend, and when we met with him online and found out he was a bird person just like us, we knew he was perfect to photograph us. His work obviously speaks for itself; look through any of his photos online and you'll see he is a master of his craft. The other aspects of an adventure wedding with Malachi are that he makes you feel comfortable, can find beautiful locations to take you, and has every piece of gear you may need available in his truck and all you need to do is get married!

We met Malachi 2 weeks before our spontaneous elopement. We wanted to catch the aspens while they were still yellow so we had to move quickly and he was up for the challenge! He scouted out various locations that we might be interested in (aspens, lakes, mountain overlooks, etc.) and we narrowed down the sites we would visit 1 week before. With that said, definitely go with the full-day elopement option! It reduces stress because you don't need to stay on a tight schedule and allows you to visit a few locations for photos.

We didn't really have any specific requests for our elopement besides seeing the aspens and gorgeous nature so Malachi just offered up some great ideas and we went with those. He made the whole process super simple and stress-free for 2 very indecisive people.

The day of our elopement we had some rainy weather that would make hiking less than ideal because clouds would block some mountain views. He showed up at our lodge and offered to rearrange our order of locations so that we could still catch some clear skies. It was nice to not worry about sticking to a schedule and just do what worked for us. Malachi brought one of his super fun birds on the trip too!!!

The trail we hiked up to our ceremony was perfect. It was a beautiful forest with aspen glens that we got changed in, and only saw 2 people right when we parked. The rest of the day, we had the trail all to ourselves. Malachi took photos throughout the hike, and during and after our little ceremony. He did a wonderful job of directing 2 awkward and dorky people so that we looked natural and happy and less-than-awkward in all our photos.

The photos turned out beautifully! Everything about the day was perfect. It was stress-free, fun, and the pictures captured our love for each other. Malachi was an amazing photographer/elopement planner for 2 easy-going people so we definitely recommend him for your adventure!

I'm thrilled to have stumbled across Shell Creek Photography when my partner and I started planning our elopement. I can’t say enough about how professional Malachi is and the quality of work that he provides. He was prepared and went beyond what one could expect of an elopement photographer. My partner and I are so pleased with our session and final photographs that we will recommend Malachi to our friends planning weddings.

My (now) husband and I were so nervous about having photos taken of us because we are both so unnatural and awkward in front of the camera. This all quickly subsided as soon as we met Malachi! He has such a friendly and natural presence and way of making you feel instantly comfortable around him. Not only this, but he truly went above and beyond on our wedding day. He tied my husband's bow tie, helped decorate our cake with greenery when I was running behind, provided us hand warmers and spikes for our shoes so we'd be comfortable while hiking to get photos, the list goes on! On top of all this, I must say the photos are absolutely incredible; they perfectly captured the beauty of the scenery while still somehow keeping the focus on us. They are everything I could have hoped for and more, and people are still raving about how beautiful they are. Malachi truly blew away any and all expectations and hopes I had for our experience and I am forever grateful we chose him for our wedding day!!

Our experience with Malachi was nothing short of wonderful and he helped us have one of the best days of our lives.

Neither of us ever wanted a traditional wedding and the idea of eloping came to mind when we were visiting parks around the country on a road trip. When we first saw Malachi’s photos on his website, they were exactly what we wanted our wedding day to look like – bright, colorful, and fun.

From the start he was extremely helpful in planning the day at Valley of Fire by researching excellent shot locations, securing our permits, and helping us get a schedule of the day’s events going. Throughout the entire process he was truly kind and was always willing to chat with us or give input on even the smallest questions. An elopement like this can feel complicated and intimidating to plan, but Malachi made it feel painless and we could not have done it without his help and expertise.

When we finally got to meet in person on the day, we had a wonderful time chatting with Malachi about everything as we walked through the park. He was happy to share his travels and listen to our own all while taking lovely candid shots and stopping us to get some of the more picturesque landscapes exactly right. We had a great adventure together and it didn’t feel like being hounded by a camera crew which is exactly how we preferred it.

Malachi was well prepared too he had all the permits in his pack and even brought supplies in case we had a wardrobe emergency or needed first aid. He had even visited the park a day early to scope out some of the better locations and figure out what order we should go in.

Being in Valley of Fire is breathtaking as is but nothing prepared us for the photos when he shared them with us, and he even gave us a few quick edits as a sneak peak early on. He has an amazing eye for angles and color and our wedding photos looked like something out of a dream. They came out better than we could have hoped for and Malachi captured our adventuring and care for each other better than you can describe with words.

Malachi is an amazing photographer, but he is also a thorough professional and a fantastic human being. Our day could not have gone any better and we had so much fun the entire time. We would recommend anyone looking for an unforgettable experience and beautiful pictures to contact Malachi, we would do it all again in a heartbeat.

My fiancé and I live in Texas, but got engaged in the Rocky Mountain National Park since it has been such a big part of our story. I knew the moment we started planning I would love to have pictures that captured our joy of hiking and adventure, but still wanted the nice dressed photos. Not knowing where to start, how we would get these great photos, or when the best time was to get the colors I wanted, I did some research on Instagram. That’s when I found Malachi and I’m SO HAPPY I did!
From the first time reaching out, he was quick at responses, clear about pricing, best times to go (for us it was sunrise which I highly recommend), he allows as many changes as time permits and asking us questions that would help him capture our personalities on film. The day of, he picked us up promptly at 4a, when we got to the trail head he had headlamps, iced coffees and bars (a thoughtful touch as we were consumed with remembering outfits), and guided us at our pace, while keeping an eye out for the sunrise and getting the photos we now LOVE! Malachi is a really cool, easy to talk to, chill guy which made the whole thing less awkward and more fun. He directed us when needed, laid in freezing snow to get the perfect shot, and provided us with pictures we will cherish forever.
If you’re considering an adventure engagement shoot or adventure elopement, I could not recommend Malachi more. It was an experience we’ll never forget!

Malachi is a fantastic photographer who is truly passionate about his trade. He captured our engagement session (gorgeous hike through slot canyons in Utah) as well as our beautiful outdoor wedding in the foothills of Colorado. If you're looking for a wedding photographer who is going to do a fantastic job, look no further than Shell Creek Photography!

Malachi photographed our vow renewal in Colorado. He was so amazing with coordination. We had a meet 'n' greet via Skype where I learned about his photography background & what inspires him, as well as shared my vision of my husband's 10-year vow renewal. He offered really great recommendations on location in Colorado over our month of planning as we were from out of state. He even put together my bouquet for me. What a man of many talents! The day of our vow renewal was an adventure! Spring in the Rockies is so unpredictable and we were caught in Spring snow storm all day during our hike. But Malachi was patient, let me borrow his gloves when mine were soaked, and made sure we had fun every step of the way. The photos and video he delivered to us were exceptional and I couldn't be more happy. Thank you Malachi for giving us these memories to hold on to forever. If you're looking for an adventurous photo session or a unique way to celebrate an elopement or vow renewal, Malachi of Shell Creek Photography is the best choice.

My husband and I were married in western Colorado and we couldnt be happier with Malachi's work.he took great shots of the mesas and vineyards that we fell in love with many years ago.

Amazing job! My fiance and I are awkward in front of the camera and you can't even tell by the photos!!