Making the Investment
storytelling portraits for real people
Every session includes guided posing, comfort-first direction, and the moody, cinematic editing Life is a Darkroom is known for.
Please keep in mind that any photo prints or digital files outside of the included (8) images must be purchased during your reveal. The standard session fee only includes 8 images.
STANDARD SESSION FEE: $50
2026 session investments
1. SCHEDULE YOUR FREE CONSULTATION CALL
You may reach out to Rae via any of the contact options available on this site. There's even a straightforward online booking page for no-contact until it's time to discuss!
2. Book Your SESSION
You reserve your date with a $50 session fee, which requires a 30% up-front payment. The rest must be paid in full by your session date*. This covers all the creative magic — planning, styling, shooting, the vibe, the energy, the whole experience.
3. The Gallery Reveal
After your session, you receive a private online gallery with 15-40 edited previews. You choose only what you love.
4. Choose Your Collection
Additional digital sets, print collections, print release, or luxe albums — Build the experience that feels right for you.
5. Delivery
Your chosen images are fully edited and delivered within 2–3 weeks. Prints and wall art are printed in-house for smaller pieces, or produced by a professional lab for heirloom-quality results.
here's how we start our process
the life is a darkroom experience
moody, intentional, inclusive, and built on storytelling.
i don’t sell photos — i breathe art, feel emotion, and provide a safe space to be fully yourself.
how investments work
every session begins with a $50 creative fee.
after your reveal, you choose the 8 digital images that are included with your session fee. after this, you may choose a collection or print set that fits your story. you only purchase what you love — nothing more, nothing less.
digital collections
styled for minimalists, storytellers, and complete gallery lovers.
print collections
luxury albums, wall pieces, keepsake boxes, and heirloom-quality fine art.
payment plans available
emotion over money stress. always.
portraitS
for individuals, families, couples, seniors, anyone who wants to feel seen.
every session i book starts with a free consultation — 20-30 minutes, by call or in person, where we plan your shoot together. styling, locations, mood, what you want this to feel like. no booking is finalized without it.
this isn't a formality. it's how i make sure your session feels like yours — not a template, not a pose-and-go, not just another tuesday. if you've ever felt unseen in front of a camera before, this is where we make sure that doesn't happen again.
The WARMTH — $85
60-MIN SESSION | 1 LOCATION IN SW IOWA
- 10 fully edited digital images delivered via private gallery
- 3 in-house prints (any combination of 4x6 or 5x7)
- print release for personal use
- styling/wardrobe guidance before the session
✨ best for: a single person, couple, or small family wanting a polished portrait moment
The FULL Bloom — $175
90-MIN SESSION | UP TO 2 LOCATIONS IN SW IOWA | OPTIONAL OUTFIT CHANGE
- 20 fully edited digital images delivered via private gallery
- 1 (8x10) + 4 (5x7) + 6 (4x6) in-house prints
- print release for personal use
- styling/wardrobe guidance before the session
✨ best for: families, milestones (graduations, anniversaries), or anyone who wants the full experience
EDITORIALS
the dark, cinematic, gothic, horror-mystery side of the house. for the wallflowers, the alt community, the people who've been told their aesthetic is "too much." it isn't. it's exactly enough.
every session i book starts with a free consultation — 20-30 minutes, by call or in person, where we plan your shoot together. styling, locations, mood, what you want this to feel like. no booking is finalized without it.
this isn't a formality. it's how i make sure your session feels like yours — not a template, not a pose-and-go, not just another tuesday. if you've ever felt unseen in front of a camera before, this is where we make sure that doesn't happen again.
The SHADOW STUDY — $275
90-MIN SESSION | 1 THEMED CONCEPT | INDOOR OR OUTDOOR
- pre-session mood board collaboration (we build the vision together)
- 12 fully edited digital images with editorial-grade retouching
- 4 in-house prints (any combination of 5x7 or 8x10)
✨ best for: a single subject wanting an editorial portrait moment — your goth-coded best friend's birthday gift to themselves, the local tattoo artist's portfolio shot, the person who's never felt photogenic in "normal" portraits
The FULL MYTHOLOGY — $475
2-HOUR SESSION | UP TO 2 THEMED CONCEPTS OR WARDROBE CHANGES
- full pre-production: mood board, location scout consult, prop guidance
- 25 fully edited digital images with editorial-grade retouching
- 2 (8x10) + 4 (5x7) + 6 (4x6) in-house prints
- print release for personal use
- 1 BTS reel for your own social if you want it
✨ best for: serious creative collaborations, models building portfolios, people who want a full thing — a complete visual narrative they can post in chapters
ENGAGEMENTS
warm, documentary, golden-hour soft. for the couples who want to remember exactly how this felt.
every session i book starts with a free consultation — 20-30 minutes, by call or in person, where we plan your shoot together. styling, locations, mood, what you want this to feel like. no booking is finalized without it.
this isn't a formality. it's how i make sure your session feels like yours — not a template, not a pose-and-go, not just another tuesday. if you've ever felt unseen in front of a camera before, this is where we make sure that doesn't happen again.
The FIRST CHAPTER — $250
60-MIN SESSION | 1 LOCATION
- 15 fully edited digital images via private gallery
- 5 in-house prints (any combination of 4x6, 5x7, or 8x10)
- print release for personal use
- styling/location guidance pre-session
✨ best for: couples wanting beautiful announcement photos and a few prints to hold
The LOVE LETTER — $425
2-HOUR SESSION | UP TO 2 LOCATIONS (GOLDEN HOUR ➝ BLUE HOUR IDEAL)
- 25 fully edited digital images via private gallery
- 2 (8x10) + 4 (5x7) + 8 (4x6) in-house prints
- 1 set of save-the-date-ready edits sized for print and social
- print release for personal use
- styling consultation (30 min via call)
✨ best for: couples who want this to be its own event — a date night with a camera, full archival quality
ELOPEMENTS
southwest iowa is gorgeous and underrated. let's prove it. for couples choosing intimacy over spectacle.
every session i book starts with a free consultation — 20-30 minutes, by call or in person, where we plan your shoot together. styling, locations, mood, what you want this to feel like. no booking is finalized without it.
this isn't a formality. it's how i make sure your session feels like yours — not a template, not a pose-and-go, not just another tuesday. if you've ever felt unseen in front of a camera before, this is where we make sure that doesn't happen again.
THE QUIET VOW — $650
UP TO 3 HOURS OF COVERAGE | CEREMONY + PORTRAITS
- ceremony documentation (vows, rings, first kiss, the in-between moments)
- 40+ fully edited digital images via private gallery
- 3 (8x10) + 5 (5x7) + 10 (4x6) in-house prints
- print release for personal use
- pre-elopement planning call (30 min)
✨ best for: courthouse + dinner elopements, backyard ceremonies, "just us and one witness" moments
The LONG WAY HOME — $1,150
UP TO 6 HOURS OF COVERAGE | FULL ELOPEMENT DAY DOCUMENTARY
- getting-ready coverage through ceremony through portraits through whatever-comes-next
- 75+ fully edited digital images via private gallery
- 5 (8x10) + 10 (5x7) + 15 (4x6) in-house prints
- print release for personal use
- pre-elopement planning call + location scout collaboration (60 min)
- 1 lab-printed 11x14 fine art print of your favorite image (this is the splurge piece — added value at no extra cost to you because lab prints run ~$8-12)
- BTS reel (optional, if you want it)
✨ best for: full-day elopements, small-ceremony weddings (under 30 guests), couples who want it documented like a film
Digitals + PRINT RELEASE
• single image — $25
• 5 image bundle — $100
• 10 image bundle — $175
• full gallery — $275-325
IN-HOUSE PRINTS
• 4x6 — $10
• 5×7 — $15
• 8×10 — $25
OUTSOURCED Prints
• 5×7 — $25
• 8×10 — $35
• 11×14 — $65
• 16×20 — $125
• 20×24 — $200
OUTSOURCED Albums
• 6×6 mini — $175
• 8×8 album — $325
• 10×10 album — $475
• velvet / leather upgrade — $50
A La Carte Upgrades
