Today we’d like to introduce you to Riley Fean.
Hi Riley, thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, maybe you can tell our readers some of your backstory.
I grew up in a small, rural town in Northern Indiana. My journey with photography started when I picked up a camera for the first time as a twelve year old. Photography mostly started as a hobby in 4H—taking photos of flowers, my friends, or anything that I thought looked “cool”. I saved up for my first DSLR camera by the time I got to high school and started taking on paid shoots for people in my community. Fast forward a few years, I photographed my first wedding the summer before my sophomore year of college. What started as a creative hobby, quickly blossomed into the career that I am so grateful for today. I am currently in my 1oth year photographing weddings, having crossed the 100th wedding mark earlier this year (2026). I take on about 13-15 weddings per year, and the amount of sessions varies based on scheduling and personal commitments.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
For me, it’s honestly been pretty smooth. I haven’t experienced any major obstacles in getting to where I am today, but I am self-employed after all, and with that comes hard work, perseverance, trial and error, and lots and lots of learning. I’m not a perfect photographer or business owner, but I am proud of the one I’ve built up to this point. As a single-member small business owner and photographer, I struggle with the things that most entrepreneurs do—time management, work/life balance, imposter syndrome, burnout, and probably more. First and foremost, I am a wife and person with a real life outside of photography, so trying to juggle it all can be challenging at times.
As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about what you do?
I am a wedding and family photographer based out of South Bend, Indiana. With 10+ years of experience photographing people and their connections, and 9+ years photographing wedding celebrations, I am your go-to gal when it comes to documenting life’s most treasured moments. I love documenting real and authentic interactions with those you love. Any direction I lend will always bring you back to the act of being present. After all, that’s the secret to the very best photographs.
What started as a creative outlet or hobby, developed into a passion overtime with a deeper meaning behind my “why”. I lost my dad suddenly when I was young, and it completely changed the way I view quality time and making memories with friends and family. When you lose someone, photos are one of the most valuable tangible things you have left of that person. I love being able to capture memories and moments for the big and small milestones in people’s lives that they will get to look back on for the rest of time.
I believe I am known for being a mix of professional and fun! I love being prepared and organized prior to the wedding day, but I love being present on the day of because all the seriousness fades away. All of the joy and celebration surrounding the couple is one of my favorite things to experience!
I am so proud of the business and relationships I have built up to this point, starting from a young age. A lot of my regular session clients are repeat clients-turned-friends, and the word-of-mouth referrals from them are never ending. I am so thankful and grateful that they continue to choose and trust me over and over!
In an industry full of trends, I truly believe that my work is timeless and will remain that way for years to come. My shooting style is authentic and my editing style is true-to-color. I may dabble in trends here and there, but a “documentary” approach to photography can’t be replicated from session to session or wedding to wedding. Each wedding day is unique because the people are unique. That’s what I love the most!
Pricing:
- Wedding packages start at $4500
- Family/Lifestyle sessions are $400
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.rileytrott.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/rileytrottphotography
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/rilesphoto
