Today we’d like to introduce you to Elizabeth Byers.
Hi Elizabeth, we’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
Before becoming a wedding photographer, I worked in pharmaceuticals while running a small handmade-goods business on the side. I often struggled to photograph my products in a way that felt satisfying. At the time, I only had a phone and knew very little about photography, but I became increasingly curious about light, composition and how an image could influence the way something was experienced.
During that period, I was also a vendor at Katie & Company, a local shop specializing in Michigan-made goods. I began taking photography more seriously through my own business and marketing, often going out into nature to study different types of light and then applying what I learned to my product photography. I was still photographing and editing entirely on my phone, but the process gave me a creative outlet I had not realized I needed.
When the shop needed someone to photograph its products and manage social media, I stepped into the role. It was around that same time that I purchased my first camera and decided to pursue photography more intentionally.
A friend I had met while working in pharmaceuticals was also a wedding photographer and needed an assistant. Through BTS work and helping wherever I was needed, I had my first real introduction to the wedding industry and the way a wedding day unfolds from a photographer’s perspective.
When I first became interested in photography, I was drawn to static moments that created a curiosity around them. It wasn’t until I started to realize that people bring life to an image, and that the static moments around them create the energy and emotion within a photograph. That was when photography began to take root as a real passion.
I prepared to photograph my first wedding by working alongside her, learning not only how to create images, but how to help a wedding day function and provide a thoughtful experience for the couple. I quickly fell in love with photographing weddings for reasons that extended far beyond photography itself. There is something incredibly special about connecting with couples and their families while documenting a day filled with joy, anticipation and emotion. Witnessing the surreal moments that put time into perspective and the future it leads to is an experience that continues to stay with me
Over time, I took what I had learned and fused it with the quieter, more observational perspective that first drew me to photography. Today, I am a full-time wedding photographer, and it is an honor to preserve celebrations that are unique to the people at the center of them.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
It has not always been a smooth road. I entered photography without a formal background in the field, so much of my growth came through observation, practice and learning in real time. Weddings require far more than creating beautiful images; they demand adaptability, clear communication, technical consistency and the ability to remain calm while navigating an event that cannot be repeated.
One of the greatest challenges has been learning to balance the creative side of photography with the realities of running a business. Pricing, client communication, administration and maintaining a sustainable workload have all required a different kind of growth than the photography itself.
I have also had to learn to trust my own perspective. In a creative industry, it is easy to measure your work against others or feel pressure to follow trends. Developing a body of work that feels honest to me has taken time, experimentation and a willingness to keep refining. Those challenges have ultimately made me more intentional, both in the way I photograph and in the way I serve the people who trust me with their memories.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
I am a Michigan-based wedding photographer specializing in imagery that blends an editorial perspective with a documentary awareness of the day as it naturally unfolds. My work is rooted in light, atmosphere and emotional nuance, with an emphasis on creating photographs that feel intentional without losing the honesty of the people and relationships within them.
I am especially drawn to the balance between the composed and the unplanned. I love creating portraits that feel refined and visually strong, but I am equally attentive to the quieter interactions, gestures and details happening around them. Those moments often carry as much meaning as the larger events of the day and help create a fuller record of what the celebration actually felt like.
I am most proud of the trust couples place in me and the body of work that trust allows me to create. Every wedding has its own atmosphere, relationships and history, so I do not approach them as a formula. What sets my work apart is the way I combine direction with observation, helping couples feel supported while still leaving space for genuine moments to unfold. My goal is to create photographs that feel personal to the people in them and remain meaningful long after the day itself has passed.
Where we are in life is often partly because of others. Who/what else deserves credit for how your story turned out?
There are several people who deserve credit for helping me reach this point. Katie & Company was where photography first became a professional opportunity for me. They trusted me to photograph products, create content and manage social media before I had fully imagined where photography might lead. That experience gave me room to develop my eye, build confidence and begin treating photography as more than a personal interest.
From there, another employer gave me the opportunity to photograph cannabis products, which expanded my experience creating imagery for a very different type of business and strengthened my understanding of product photography in a professional setting.
Alasandra Photography later introduced me to the wedding industry and gave me the foundation I needed to begin photographing weddings. She taught me core concepts, helped shape the mindset behind how I approach a wedding day and gave me invaluable on-site experience before I photographed weddings on my own.
My husband has been my greatest supporter from the beginning. I genuinely could not do this without him. He has supported the dream, the long hours and everything required behind the scenes to make this business possible. My children are some of my biggest cheerleaders and are always proud to see what I am creating.
Many friends also trusted me enough to step in front of my camera while I was learning, giving me the freedom to practice, experiment and build confidence. My business may carry my name, but it was built with the trust, encouragement and support of many people along the way.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.tenthirtyfourphotography.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tenthirtyfourphotography
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/tenthirtyfourphotography/
