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Weddings

About

First and foremost, I'm going to be myself with you. I'll make jokes and tell stories and ask questions and get excited and say four-letter words (but not around delicate little ears) and generally treat you like I treat my best friends. Oh and I'll make you laugh. I promise I will make you laugh. Oh and I'll never, ever, EVER tell you to say "cheese."

But not just because I like to perform (though I do); it's not an act--not some ploy to make you like me (though I do want you to). It's pretty simply just how I work best. Think about how you act around your best friends. Do you say what you're thinking? Do you laugh when you're amused? Do you share your excellence AND your insecurities? YES OF COURSE YOU DO. That's the definition of being yourself!

Now, I understand I'm not among your best friends. We've likely not met. But part of my expertise comes from the ability to show up to our shoot and just be myself. To say what I'm thinking, to laugh when I'm amused, and most importantly, to share my excellence AND my insecurities. Because I believe you won't judge me. I TRUST YOU. So mayyyybe you'll see that this is a safe place: that you can say or do anything.

This is why instead of asking you to smile during our shoot, I'll set you up to laugh with your partner: because your laughing face--not your photo smile--is who you ARE. It's why I don't spend a lot of time or energy posing: because your body language toward each other is SO MUCH MORE representative of your relationship than anything I could suggest.

I'm here to help create SPACE for you and your partner to be yourselves. THIS is my skill--my expertise--the reason I'm so valuable. THIS is where the amazing pictures start. My entire philosophy and body of work relies upon the simple theory that the images you'll love the most are those where you can see yourself as your truest self.

If this sounds good and reasonable to you, let's talk.

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Frequently asked questions

Which of the following are included in the starting price?

High-Res Images
Multi. Locations
One Event / Day

Which of the following are included in the price of your most popular wedding package?

2nd Shooter
Add'l Hours
Engagement Shoot
High-Res Images
Multi. Locations
One Event / Day
Albums
Digital Files

What primary photographic style do you identify with?

Contemporary
Natural
Photojournalism

What photography services do you offer?

Additional Hours
Destination / Travel
Engagement Shoot
High-Res Images
One Event / Day
Second Shooter

What photography items do you offer?

Albums
Canvas
Digital Files
Flush Mount
Matted Prints
Prints
Save the Date
Thank You Cards

Reviews of Shutterhead Studios

This AI-generated summary gives you a snapshot of the overall ratings and feedback from the reviews this vendor has received.

Review summary

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Mike, a highly praised wedding photographer, has garnered stellar reviews for his exceptional work capturing weddings and engagements. Renowned for his skill, humor, and ability to put clients at ease, he goes above and beyond, fostering a comfortable atmosphere while flawlessly immortalizing special moments. Clients appreciate the thoughtfulness he extends, from personalized photo booth features to caring gestures like sending a care package along with the photos. With a knack for candid shots and a delightful personality, Mike's services come highly recommended for couples seeking memorable and high-quality photography experiences for their events.

Review summary

Powered by AI
This AI-generated summary gives you a snapshot of the overall ratings and feedback from the reviews this vendor has received.

Mike, a highly praised wedding photographer, has garnered stellar reviews for his exceptional work capturing weddings and engagements. Renowned for his skill, humor, and ability to put clients at ease, he goes above and beyond, fostering a comfortable atmosphere while flawlessly immortalizing special moments. Clients appreciate the thoughtfulness he extends, from personalized photo booth features to caring gestures like sending a care package along with the photos. With a knack for candid shots and a delightful personality, Mike's services come highly recommended for couples seeking memorable and high-quality photography experiences for their events.

C
Cameron Sent on 12/02/2023
5 out of 5 rating

Hands down, the absolute best

Mike Stempler at Shutterhead Studios went above and beyond to make every moment of our big day so special and memorable. He was very personable, and had us laughing the entire day and night. All of my guests and wedding party loved him as well, because he extended his professionalism and kind, silly personality to everyone he interacted with. He captured so many amazing and beautiful photos of not just myself and the groom, but of all of our guests. There are so many candid moments he captured that my husband and I will look at for years to come with a smile. The photos taken of our wedding day and night perfectly captured the essence and the story of our ceremony/reception and all of the in between. He’s extremely easy to work with and communicate with, very kind, and has the best humor for making people laugh and somehow flawlessly captures every moment, big and small. I would recommend him to anyone and everyone. We can’t thank him enough for the amazing work he did and for how fun he was to work with. He started as our photographer and quickly became a friend. If you’re looking for the perfect photographer to capture all of the perfect photos, Mike Stempler is your guy!
Alison
Alison Sent on 04/21/2025
5 out of 5 rating

Best photographer ever!

Mike did an excellent job on both our wedding photos and our engagement photos! He has a way with people that I can’t even describe, and makes you ease up right out of your comfort zone. Not only was Mike professional; he makes you feel like he could be your best friend with the energy he gives off. He was very timely and well priced, and went above and beyond our expectations. Definitely plan on hiring him again in the near future.
~ Alison and James Schmitz
Tyler
Tyler Sent on 01/08/2025
5 out of 5 rating

My New Bestie, Mike

What can I possibly say about Mike that I wouldn't say about a new, trusted, dear friend! My wife and I had a small and generally low-budget wedding, but as soon as we saw his portfolio of work, we were absolutely struck by the quality and artistry of his captures. We agreed immediately that we'd spend what we needed to have Mike capture our wedding.

He immediately demonstrated a unique friendliness that I knew I would click with right away. He instantly became more like a best friend (we still chat to this day). He brought charisma and happiness to every virtual session we hopped on, and to our wedding day. As could be expected, our wedding did not go exactly to plan and we had to get really creative in a big way - it relied on Mike's understanding and help and enthusiasm.

The wedding was a total success at the end of the day, with big thanks to Mike. He took the most beautiful photos, and brought energy that transformed it from a day of potential stress and headache to one that we truly enjoyed. He stayed tight through the process, and knew just what to do and say to get us and our guests to loosen up and enjoy ourselves. He guided us through the entire process and my wedding would NOT have been the same without him!

~Tyler T.
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Awards

47
WeddingWire Couples' Choice Awards 2019 Winner
WeddingWire Couples' Choice Awards 2017 Winner
WeddingWire Couples' Choice Awards 2014 Winner

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