"1 dream of telling
epic stories
a window into
the past
for future generations
to cherish."
that will outlive me.
"1 dream of telling
epic stories
a window into
the past
for future generations
to cherish."
that will outlive me.
About the Artist
Meet Rebecca
Rebecca's passion lies in telling epic stories. She approaches a wedding commission just as she would an assignment from a travel magazine, mixing B-Roll with still life details, art-directed fashion influenced portraits, and raw documentary moments to tell a story that is so much greater than the sum of its parts.
She has a B.A. from NYU, where she studied Photography, Art History, and Aesthetic Philosophy. She combines her background in photojournalism and fashion photography to create a portfolio of images that capture her clients spirit, suspended in time.
Rebecca lives in Los Angeles with her documentary filmmaker husband, Nick, and their rescue maltipoo, Margo. She draws constant inspiration from fashion, hospitality, and travel and has photographed in over 60 countries and 6 continents.
As Seen In
A portrait is not made in the camera, but on either side of it
— Edward Steichen
Artist Statement
My ethos
How I fell in love with photographing love
I’ve wanted to be a photographer since I was 12 years old, and while my path to weddings was unexpected, in retrospect it seems meant to be. I dreamt of telling epic stories that would outlive me, a window into the past for future generations to cherish. My love of photography brought me to NYU where I studied photojournalism, fashion photography and aesthetic philosophy, focusing on photography’s ability to mold the way we see the world. After years of working in fashion photography and photojournalism I found my passion in documenting weddings with a unique editorial style.
I love that on the same day I get to create wildly romantic portraits, style still life vignettes, and then become a fly on the wall recording some of the rawest, most vulnerable, achingly beautiful moments of our lives. All of those images come together woven into a unique tapestry that captures the unique ephemeral essence of your wedding weekend.
My aim is to create a layered and nuanced portfolio of images that transports you back to the magic of your wedding day and will stand the test of time for decades to come. I seek out luminous light, a beautiful setting and gently art direct when needed—all while letting the magic unfold in front of my lens. My intention is to seek out where raw meets refined—capturing the intersection of your most exuberant authentic self with your most confident sophisticated self. I subtly imbue my clients with confidence—art directing rather than posing—never interrupting a moment, but giving direction so you can trust that your wedding memories are in good hands.
One of my favorite aesthetic philosophers, Roland Barthes, broke down his analysis of a photograph into two parts: the studium and the punctum. The studium is what a photograph denotes. It is subjective. Every photograph has one. The punctum, however, is personal. It is what the photograph connotes. It is what jumps out of the photo and wounds you, personally connecting you to the image. The punctum can coexist with the studium, but it changes it. It transforms an image you like into an image you love.
My intention is to create images full of punctum- images that pierce you. Images that stay with you for the rest of your life."
Most people can identify an image they like, but will not know why they like it. It is my job to know. It is my job to combine the contemporary observant eye of a street photographer with the compositional intention of a neoclassical painter, and the awareness of light of an impressionist painter. Because at the end of the day that’s all I’m doing. I'm painting with light, which after all is the literal definition of photography (photo=light, graphy=drawing).
Inquire
“When you find the love of your life, there’s a certain way that you look at them that's indescribable. Words can’t begin to express it. But Rebecca’s photos can.
Kind Words
—Sarah & Nick
"I don’t have words to express how grateful we are for your photos. They’ll be on display in our home always and will be how we see and share the wedding forever. So much love!"
Kind Words
—Ashley I & Jared H
"What truly sets Rebecca apart is her genuine commitment to understanding and connecting with her clients."
Kind Words
—Shannon Leahy Events
"I knew I could completely trust her to capture everything. my husband and I couldn't be more thrilled with or grateful for Rebecca."
Kind Words
—Britt and Brian
"Rebecca shines a spotlight on the personality of our couples with her thoughtful approach. Her galleries are woven with emotion and cherished moments."
Kind Words
—Heather of Amorology
"Rebecca instantly puts all those around her at ease. Reflecting back, nearly a decade later, our images still feel timeless and transport us right back to the emotion of our day."
Kind Words
—Alex & Bridgette
My Approach
Editorial Imagery
Layered storytelling where raw moments meet refined portraits
My true passion lies in storytelling, getting to step into the microcosm my couples create with their planners and tell a story that is so much greater than the sum of its parts. All my photos work together to bring back not just what the wedding looked like, but truly allow you to relive what it felt like.
I approach a wedding commission just as I would an assignment from Condé Nast Traveller, mixing raw documentary moments with B-Roll of the location, styled details, and art-directed fashion influenced portraits. I work with you and your team to understand not just the literal details you're creating, but more metaphorically the ambiance and unique soul of your event so all my images can live within that space. Which in turn allows the magic you create to live on eternally through my images.
I am committed to the promotion of diversity, inclusivity and celebrating our differences as they are what makes us beautiful. I pledge as a business to accept, respect and include clients, employees and fellow vendors of all races, colors, religions, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, ancestry, special needs, or disability. I pledge to be an active participant in the collective journey to overcome the fear of difference and replace it with the power of inclusion.
I am a believer in love knowing no bounds
My studies in school focused on how photographs not just mold the way we see the world but how they can actually change it. My photographic heroes are Lewis Hine and Jacob Riis who, respectively, brought an end to child labor in America and brought housing reform to the tenements of New York through their images. I will always have a love for documentary photography and I work with many non-profits both in Los Angeles and internationally. I serve as an ambassador and advisory council member for VOW for Girls and am a member of UNICEF's Next Generation and have been in the field with them in Rwanda and Mexico. In addition, my business actively supports WWF, Black Lives Matter, GLAAD, The Birthday Party Project, and Best Friends Animal Sanctuary, among others. My maltese-mutt rescue pup, Margo (named after photographer Margaret Bourke White), is the official RYP mascot and loves to meet clients over Zoom.
Giving Back
BRAND + WEBSITE BY SARAH KAY LOVE
Video clips courtesy of our preferred partners:
Payton Anne Frank, For The Love Of It, Sam Eng, Caleb Jordan Lee, Miguel Garcia
Wedding and Engagement Portraits of Rebecca and Nick by Anya Kernes