Community Spotlight: Olivia Rae James

Our last spotlight of 2021 goes to the lovely Olivia Rae James of Olivia Rae James photography. We have had the pleasure of working with Olivia at a few events around the country that hold a special place in our hearts. Olivia’s work is so resonant of the charm and reality of each wedding day & her photos capture the pure emotions and moments that arise. We asked Olivia to share something she has learned from her work to which she replied: “Only you can be the best version of yourself. Everyone has their own lens through which they see the world and that alone makes it special”. 

More From Olivia:

“ My approach is to discreetly capture the raw beauty of the moment while calmly embracing the unknowns of the day, helping people feel relaxed in front of the camera, and celebrating the individuality of each wedding.

I treat each wedding as a blank slate and document the day as it plays out. Inspiration comes from the people, the light, the way the wind carries the bride’s veil, how the grandmother smiles at the ring bearer—all things that are unique to the day and can’t be planned. I’m always looking for that magic.I’m sentimental to a fault — I’m constantly feeling nostalgic (often about the moment I’m currently in) and wanting to remember each feeling forever. In this way, I think inspiration comes from life happening around me! Natural light in its many beautiful forms, my daughter discovering the world around her, seeing a new place for the first time, seeing a familiar place for the millionth time, friends, family, I don’t know, all of it! My favorite aspect of my job is getting to be a part of such a momentous time in someone’s life — and witnessing the energy and excitement and beauty and stress and everything in between. It’s magic!”