Shawnee Custalow Studios
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Location
Richmond, VA USA
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Email
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Website
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Categories
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Price
Starting at $3000 Smaller elopement and weekday pricing available
The moments that you captured are utterly priceless. You’re a wizard, a wizard of art and memories. Its the only explanation. I always felt completely comfortable around you, and I honestly can’t tell you just how grateful and happy we are with the photos. You’ve absolutely blown us away.
Featured Work
This Is How to Get Killer Wedding Photos When You Hate Having Your Picture Taken
This Is the Queer, Feminist Photographer You Want for Your Wedding
These Wedding Photos Will Make You Want a Pole Dancer at Your Wedding, Too
This Southern LGBTQ-Friendly Photographer Will Make You Type in All Caps for Days
For $15K This Couple Hosted 180 Guests at a Bohemian Fall Wedding
Our $3K Wedding Was Beautiful, Intimate, and Just Right for Us
Travel Policy
Some form of travel is included in every package. We want to be there for you, no matter where you are!
Elopement Policy
Special rates available for weekday elopements and small intimate weddings.
Describe your business in 1-3 short sentences.
We are a team of badass babes who fight for love and equality, and will be your personal wedding day champions.
Shawnee started this business to create a safe and creative space for the queer community. We’ve been photographing LGBTQ+ unions and celebrations since before they were legally recognized, and pride ourselves in amplifying the beauty and importance of these moments.
We’re passionate about photographing kind-hearted folks who are unapologetically themselves. Our favorite couples to work with believe in giving back to their communities, that #BlackLivesMatter, that climate change is you know…real, and choose to embrace their own unique quirks and talents.
Why do you want to work with APW couples?
So many incredible folks have found us through APW (YES to thoughtful feminist weddings!). We are humbled to have so many clients turned friends, and can’t wait to work with more wonderful folx just like you!
What is your artistic approach to weddings?
You want to look amazing, but also like yourself.
We’ve got you covered.
We won’t overly direct you, interrupt what is naturally happening, or put you in weird awkward poses. We’ll give you games to play together, and little fun tasks to keep you more in tune with each other and less focused on the fact that there is a camera in your face.
In the end, you’ll look like yourself but also like you walked off the pages of a magazine.
What are your non-work-related hobbies?
When Shawnee isn’t photographing rad folks in love, you can find her: rollerskating at the local skate park, exploring the country in her camper van Arlene, photographing badass babes in the body positive boudoir studio, or cooking elaborate meals for friends and drinking wine around the fire pit.
What's your favorite book?
Hands down, the Harry Potter audiobook series read by Jim Dale. If I ever need a pick me up, it always does the trick. Although I believe JK Rowling wouldn’t get an invitation to Hogwarts, TERFs aren’t magical!
If you could have a one minute dance party at your desk, what song would you pick?
Lizzo – Good as hell or Robyn-Dancing on my own
Pros
Shawnee made us feel totally at ease. Many of our photos are of the two of us cracking up-- both our engagement and wedding sessions exude joy. In a wedding industry full of assumptions, we found Shawnee to be super open-minded and easy-going, happy to go follow our lead and make us look great! :) We also loved Shawnee's work. She really captured the spirit of our wedding, and when looking back over the photos we were able to relive our wedding day and see other special moments that we missed.
Cons
We had a small miscommunication with Shawnee about how long it would take to get back our engagement photos, so we waited longer than expected. However, Shawnee gave us a print credit and was exactly on time with the wedding photos.
Pros
The photos turned out amazing! The experience was even better. Shawnee was kind and easy to be around, like hanging out with a good friend. We aren’t generally comfortable having our photos taken, but she did an amazing job pulling out of our shell by giving gentle prompts that led to some outstanding natural photos. Shawnee was incredibly helpful for us in navigating our elopement. Her support and experience allowed us to achieve a day that was better that we could have imagined.
Pros
Shawnee was amazing to work with! First of all, her photos are amazing!! She was able to capture our essence, and the joy of our friends and family. We had multiple interviews that helped us craft what we were looking in capturing our wedding. We talked about what types of photos we wanted, who should be in the photos, etc. This made it much easier when we were actually taking the photos becaus we knew what to expect. Shawnee was great at guiding us as we were taking the photos and made us feel really comfortable. Also, her website is super user friendly and you learn right away what she is able to offer. Her prices are transparent and she makes her own travel arrangement. We highly recommend Shawnee Custalow for wedding photography!
Cons
none!
Pros
Shawnee was amazing. As soon as we met her, we knew she was the right fit. Affinity for the LGBTQ+ community, takes beautiful photos, and a great human we enjoyed spending all day with:). We are love with our pictures, and we legitimately had a blast taking them. Highly recommend!
Cons
None!
Pros
Shawnee is absolutely amazing. However she manages to capture the essence of us - goofy, sweet, ridiculous and tender - she does so with a special perspective even we couldn’t imagine. She instantly makes you feel comfortable, confident, and beautiful. Throughout the process - both before, during, and after - she coached us patiently, was happy to explain what was going on, and had a beautiful, artistic vision for all the weird ass places we dragged her around to. Thank you for being with us during Just Another Day and freezing such perfect moments in time that we can truly treasure forever. We're actively looking for future opportunities to work with her again!
Cons
We only got to spend six hours with her (we would have liked her to just stay and hang for as long as she wants... or just move to Fort Worth so we can be friends!).
Pros
Shawnee was beyond fabulous for our wedding and a post-wedding family reception (two months later, way out on Long Island). She took so many gorgeous photos, and I'm literally tearing up right now thinking about the emotion in so many of them (example: a longtime friend of both me and my husband gave a perfect, emotional speech at our reception, and she managed to get photos that perfectly captured both him as he spoke and our reactions). Plus she is an absolute joy to have around - super fun, willing to put up with silly photo requests from friends and get some great shots out of them, a low-key and comforting presence when relatives are being difficult or just the volume of people around gets overwhelming... I cannot recommend Shawnee strongly enough.
Cons
It took a couple weeks longer than we were told to get back the finished photos (but we literally didn't care at all because they were completely perfect).
Pros
Shawnee was absolutely amazing! We can't say enough about her professionalism, warm spirit, and artistic ability. She captured some amazing moments - even in the dead of a rainy winter day. The photos are stunning, and we had a great time goofing off with Shawnee. She put us both at ease. She's definitely the bamf you need taking your wedding photos. We can't wait to work with her again!
Cons
None. Not one.
Pros
I have nothing but great things to say about Shawnee. She is so deeply talented. She's every where all day but is never in the way. She caught so many special moments from our wedding day that I revisit constantly to relive it. Her eye is incredible. She has creative ideas and can make ANYONE feel comfortable in front of the camera. I told her recently that I am never so vain as when I get a new folder of photos from her. She makes me look great! She is so fun and funny and doesn't get frustrated when you ask her for something specific. She is all around the GREATEST!!! I recommend her to any and everybody. You will not be disappointed!