Today, I tried to remember back to a day when technology didn’t fascinate me and I drew a blank. I have always needed to know how everything works which led me to taking all my toys apart as a kid. I knew where the intricate parts belonged to my seemingly “broken” toy and meticulously pieced it back together. In middle school, my friends and I started creating movies. Editing became a skill I acquired so our films would really “pop” and stand out from the other techies our age. Often, I scoured how-to videos late into the night as I became obsessed with mastering the skill of editing for both video and photo. Fast forward five years, I started working as a technician for U.S. Cellular, which was very fitting for me: tearing phones apart and fixing them. As much as I enjoyed this (and I really did love my job!), I discovered that I wasn’t feeling truly fulfilled. I was asked to join U.S. Cellular’s leadership team and it was there that I thrived. Training others and ensuring they were reaching their full potential was definitely something I had a strong passion for, however, I missed continuously learning. It was around this time that my (now) business partner, Sheryl, was inquiring about how my skills could take her newer business to a professional level. And in that moment I just knew: training others while forever challenging myself, this was what I was born to do. It’s my goal to always improve and luckily there is consistently something new in the realm of photography. When I learn a technique, I seriously can’t wait to show our team. This is part of the reason why our entire group is equally talented and if you see a shot on our page, any of us can recreate it. 🙂
Meet Adam
I started with Sheryl as my only student and as our abilities grew, so did the amount of couples that wanted to book us. We are thrilled to say that we had the opportunity to add to our team! My dream is now a reality – constantly learning and training others. Although, much of what I know is self-taught, we definitely have a pool of talent in our group so I have also acquired knowledge from picking our photographers’ brains. My favorite part of wedding photography initially was challenging myself to get that “money shot,” the one that all others were asking what my settings were, then editing it to the stunning masterpiece I had already envisioned it to be. I will always be excited about this but the more weddings I shoot, the more I fall in love with our couples. We have the most wonderful couples out there and getting to know them on a personal level then spending their most special day with them just feels like it was where I was supposed to be all along. Every aspect of wedding photography: from the photos to the people that make up my days, are the reason that I am so grateful to be able to make this incredible statement… I do what I love for a living.
What’s your favorite place?
My family has a lake and land in the Upper Peninsula, MI. It is the most perfect and peaceful place to get away from everything and unwind. I always make it a point to spend a few days up there in the middle of wedding season to rest up!
If you could have any super human power, what would it be?
Teleportation. As much as I enjoy listening to music or podcasts as I drive, how cool would it be to snap my fingers and instantly arrive at my wedding for the day? Or, maybe I could summon the power to teleport others around me? Wouldn’t it be awesome to have your wedding party photos in the streets of Italy or Hawaii?? 😊
What is your dream job?
My dream job would to be travel the world to work with and document all of the amazing people doing good in this world. There are so many, truly selfless, hardworking people in this world doing good for others and I know there is often a missed opportunity to have their stories told which, in turn, would help them raise support or funds so they can continue or expand their work!
If you could go to Mars, would you? Why or why not?
In a heartbeat! From a young age I’ve always had a love and appreciation for space and our solar system. I find it absolutely fascinating that there are other planets and terrestrial bodies that are within arm’s reach and I hope to see mankind on Mars in my lifetime! Also, the moon is so overrated at this point, so it would have to be Mars for me 😊
What’s your guilty pleasure?
Bigfoot and alien documentaries. I use the term “documentary” VERY loosely.
Do you collect anything?
I once again refer you to the photo of me and my 4 dogs! I also like to collect anything NASA or space adjacent (patches, books, Lego kits, models etc…)
Are you a dog person or a cat person?
Please see the photo of me and my 4 dogs.
“I just wanted to say again how we ABSOLUTELY love the pictures. They are beyond amazing and spectacular. We have no regrets in the decision we made. Like you said, it is so worth waiting as every picture has such amazing quality. The lighting, color, and just editing detail is so noticeable on every picture and it does not go unrecognized. I know other people who got married and had their pictures within a week but when I look at mine now, there is SUCH a difference. Thank you so so much! We are so beyond happy. Wade’s words were, “they look amazing! I am so glad we decided to go with them. Best choice.” That is exactly what I think also!
We will be referring you to everybody. A matter of fact, Wade’s cousin already booked you for next June! Maybe we will see you again then!”
-Devin and Wade
“SB Photography is very thorough in their prep work. They were all ready to start taking photos from the point they walked in to the moment when they left. They both arrived early to the hotel where my wife and the girls were getting ready. Nailed all the photos that she wanted and then more. Adam stayed with the girls and continued their photos up to the ceremony. Josh left and met with the guys to get the groomsmen photos out of the way. I am one that is hard to keep in one spot for too long. Josh did an amazing job keeping me in line and focused on the task at hand. We had a lot of issues with our DJ who was supposed to do our ceremony and reception music. I couldn’t keep my focus, Josh did more than just take photos, he was like a wedding coordinator in a way to keep me from focusing on the lack of a DJ and kept me distracted and redirected me towards the photos. When Adam arrived at the ceremony site, we had a brief discussion of where he was going to be and where Josh would be during the ceremony. Adam and Josh were in the right spots to make sure no matter what they were getting the photos from every angle. After the ceremony Adam and Josh both kept all of us going forward and nailed all the photos and more than what we asked for. Through the whole night they were there to make sure they got the shots of not just my wife and I but they got all the guests as well. They knew when to keep their distance and when to get in close. I just can’t put down how many compliments we got about Adam and Josh and how much we feel like we hit a grand slam with them. You two made our night so much easier. When you look at their price I will tell you they do not charge enough. SB Photography are the best professional photographers you can hire. They will ROCK your world and your wedding! There are not enough words to say how thrilled we were with you. We cannot Thank You enough!”
-Jamie and Craig
“Let’s just start from the beginning. After I got engaged, I immediately started looking at photographers because these are the individuals who will capture your day and the memories that you share for a lifetime. I was searching and searching for photographers for a month or two and nothing really caught my eye – the photos were good, but I was looking for something more… more artsy, more unique, just more. The only photographers I was even remotely interested in were charging $8,000 minimum for a base package – NO THANKS! Then I came across SB Photography and Design over Facebook – they were offering a nice, large package for an extremely fair price. I looked through their photos and I was extremely impressed – basically to the point that I thought it was too good to be true. I went to their website and they had so many different packages to choose from – almost to the point where you can customize it. I immediately emailed them to set up an appointment. My now husband and I met with Adam for this meeting – he was extremely professional, kind, and knowledgeable. We booked with him that day! What is even better, is that the special package that they were offering at the time included our engagement session – BONUS!! Adam shot our engagement session and he definitely made my husband and I feel comfortable – it’s not everyday that you have an hour long photo shoot and still feel like smiling towards the end of it. The turn around time for the photos was very quick and we had a large variety of photos to choose from. SB Photography and Design is also very organized and had us fill out a timeline/survey to make sure our wedding day went off without a hitch – this helped ease our nerves in that everyone was on the same page. The day of, ADAM and our second photographer ERIN arrived early for set up. Let’s say this again – THEY CAME EARLY for set up. During our getting ready photos, first look, and bridal party photos I could begin to see both Adam and Erin’s personalities come alive and they both made all of us feel extremely comfortable. During the ceremony I made sure to take a quick glance around at everyone – I saw one of our photographers roaming around and shooting FROM THE BUSHES – I definitely chuckled at this and thought to myself, “I am so glad we booked them.” Throughout the night they were always around ready to snap shots but I also didn’t feel like they were hovering. At multiple points throughout the dance I saw them shooting photos while standing up on chairs, laying on the floor, you name it – they were everywhere!! I had so many guests saying how impressed they were with our photographers, saying “Did you see them?! They were rolling around on the floor to get the perfect shots! I’ve never seen that before. They really know what they are doing! I wish I had them for my wedding.” We haven’t received our photos back yet because it has only been two weeks but my husband and I CANNOT WAIT to see the photos taken by both Adam and Erin. We especially can’t wait to view the more intimate moments my husband and I shared throughout the night – first look, sunset shoot, and the night shoot. Both Adam and Erin were such a fabulous team to work with and I definitely recommend this company to anyone looking for artistic photographers and a company that doesn’t break the bank – they were SO WORTH IT!!”
-Emily and Derek
“Choosing a photographer is such an important part of wedding planning. After speaking with numerous photographers and looking at countless websites, I decided on SB Photography & Design. It was the best decision I made. We worked with Adam for our engagement pictures and he was so patient with us (mainly because we’re not picture taking people and we had a year old puppy who we included). Adam and Kara photographed our big day and they made the experience easy, painless, and amazing! They took the lead and gave us directions, but made sure to be efficient with everyone’s time. You barely noticed them throughout the day and didn’t know they were there. We had such a fun time and they made the day painless with pictures. They captured the images we wanted and also made sure we were able to get to our cocktail hour to mingle with guests for a bit. They also made sure they were there at the right time to capture shots with our guests. They were amazing to work with and I would choose them again and again. I highly recommend SB Photography for any photography needs you have.”
-Gretchen & Travis
“We just got home last last night from our honeymoon. As bummed as we were to come home to snow, seeing this email really made coming home a lot more exciting. Again, you have left us speechless. We absolutely love them! I don’t know how we’ll be able to choose for the photo album. You guys did an amazing job capturing our day. It was so much fun to be able to relive it on this cold Monday morning. We laughed and we cried. I can’t believe how well you captured all the emotions of that day! Thank you so much! They are absolutely beautiful!”
-Andrea & Chanc
“I spoke with quite a few photographers before talking to Sheryl at SB Photography, but after our one phone call I knew none of the other options measured up. I couldn’t be happier with my decision to hire them for my wedding day (which was May 11, 2019). If you’re considering a wedding photographer, do yourself a favor and give this incredible company a call. SB Photography has more than fair pricing, the team is incredibly knowledgeable, and our photographers worked hard to make sure they captured every detail (even asked us weeks prior to the wedding to make notes of what we wanted and referred to them all night as to not miss anything important to us). Not to mention, they’re friendly, responsive, and very easy to work with! We had the pleasure of working with Adam and Kara on our wedding day. What an amazing team they are!! My husband hates pictures and even he had a good time because Adam and Kara were just so fun and easy to get along with! They kept us laughing, making sure the wedding party was having a good time, and even though they were by our side all night capturing every detail they never seemed to be in the way. Their professionalism was incredible as well, because even though they felt like friends of ours by the end of the night they stayed on task and made sure they captured everything. I’d say they went above and beyond for us, but I truly think they are this incredible for every couple. I’ll never forget Kara sprinting across the driveway of the venue with her equipment flailing behind her to capture my little cousins doing something cute. Seeing how important every single detail was to them was incredible. I also let Kara know before the wedding started that I had a lot of anxiety and her and Adam both reassured me all night that everything was on time, running smoothly, and I could just take a breath. They were more than just photographers. They are truly wedding experts. Prior to the ceremony there was a bit of a hold up and I was panicked because I didn’t know what was going on. I asked Kara to look into it for me. She kindly asked my family members to find their seats (per my request), figured out why things were delayed, and calmly relayed the details to me. She had such a positive attitude and it really helped me get through the pre-ceremony jitters. Both Adam and Kara will hold a special place in our hearts forever, as they were such a huge part of making the day perfect. From hyping me up allll day and making me feel like an absolute queen to squealing over sunset pictures, we had the best time with them. Thank you SB Photography for all your hard work! To all the brides out there – hiring SB Photography is the right choice. I promise!”
-Sarah & Preston
“These are amazing. I smiled the whole time I looked through them!! Thank you for capturing our day so perfectly. I absolutely love all the candids, they are by far my favorites – I’ve never liked my “staged” smile but all these candids show us really smiling and having a great time! I will definitely recommend you guys to other brides in the future! We’ll be in touch for picking out our canvas – just needed to say thank you right away!! Thank you so much!”
-Maggie & Dylan
“Good Afternoon,
Thank you so much! We could not be happier with the images you captured. I loved seeing so many images of our friends and family enjoying the day as well. I know both of our families appreciate the candid snapshots so much.
Thank you once again, I rave about SB to any newly engaged couple I see.”
-Natalie & Danny
“We are honestly speechless. We booked SB about a year and a half before our wedding because we fell in love with their photos. Our engagement photos were unbelievable. Adam asked if we would like a few further edited and to be honest, they didn’t need it! Our photos represented who we were as a couple, Adam nailed it. At our wedding we received nothing but COMPLIMENTS about how professional our photographers were. Additionally, I want to thank both Adam and Molly for making an additional stop at my grandfather’s house to take photos. He was unable to attend the wedding due to health reasons so being able to stop at his house meant the world to me. Those will be photos Ryan and I treasure for a lifetime. We both cannot thank you enough. Thank you for everything you do!!”
-Kim & Ryan
“We are so very happy with our photos! We can’t thank you and Katie enough for being a part of our wedding day and capturing its many special moments so well. We will absolutely be recommending you to any friends we know with weddings coming up!
Again, thank you so much for our beautiful photos! We will treasure them for a very long time.”
-Allison & Nick