5 minutes with... Dallas wedding photographer Kaylee James

A self described perfectionist, Dallas wedding photographer KAYLEE JAMES PHOTOGRAPHY aims to deliver high quality and stylish images that detail your love story in an authentic way. She understands the importance of creating organic photographs and capturing moments exactly how they unfolded and is enamoured by every love story that she is trusted to document. We're chatting with her today to learn a bit more.

WHAT MADE YOU WANT TO BECOME A PHOTOGRAPHER? Growing up, I had always been enamoured by editorial magazines such as Vogue and Harper’s Bazaar. I loved looking through all the photos of the models and fashion and dreamed that one day I would become an editorial photographer. I loved to admire art and wanted to be an artist myself one day.

TELL US A BIT ABOUT YOUR PATH TO GET THERE: Photography wasn’t my first career choice. Everyone tells you about the starving artist growing up, so it didn’t seem feasible. I was going to get a 9-5 job like everyone else in my family, despite my love for art. After not finding any peace in college, I ended up with a camera in my hands, offering to take photos of anyone who would let me. Eventually, I decided that I couldn’t lie to myself any longer and had to pursue photography as a career. It felt right and I finally felt fulfilled because I was doing something I had always loved. From pictures of my dog in my backyard, to hours of YouTubing how to use Lightroom and my camera, to now photographing some of the most beautiful weddings, it has been a dream!

HOW WOULD YOU DESCRIBE YOUR STYLE? My style is focused on what inspired me from the beginning, beautiful editorial images. I want my gallery to feel natural, documentative, and romantic all while making every image look fashionable and stylish. I chose to be a film photographer because I love rich colour and deep tones. I want all my couples to love their images in 50 years just as much as the day they received them.

WHAT DO YOU LOVE MOST ABOUT WEDDINGS? The things that I love most about weddings are that they’re exhilarating and they’re never monotonous! There is always something new that inspires me at each wedding. Not to mention the LOVE that is in the air on a wedding day. It’s contagious! I will cry at just about every ceremony, no matter how many different renditions of it that I’ve heard. It means just as much to me every time to hear a couple dedicate their heart and soul to another. And as a perk, wedding celebrations are some of the most lavish events, I love getting to work with other creative vendors to bring to life a couple’s beautiful vision.

SHARE YOUR FAVOURITE IMAGE WITH US AND TELL US WHY. I feel like all of these images featured really speak to my style and what couples I absolutely love to work with. These images are bright, rich with colour, stylish, and have emotion that tells the story.

CAN YOU RECALL YOUR FAVOURITE WEDDING EXPERIENCE? One of my favourite moments from a wedding I’ve photographed was when the couple had an anniversary dance during the reception. The last couple on the floor had been married for 68 years and looked so in love dancing together on the dance floor. I was crying crocodile tears! One of the sweetest moments I had gotten to witness.

ASIDE FROM FAMILY & FRIENDS, THREE THINGS YOU CAN’T LIVE WITHOUT? Three things I can’t live without (besides my cameras) would have to be coffee, bubble baths, and airplanes because I love to travel!

WHERE WOULD WE FIND YOU ON A SUNDAY MORNING? On a Sunday morning, you can find me chilling in my pyjamas and hanging out with my husband and my laptop not very far away. Ideally, an iced latter is also nearby with a big stack of brioche French toast.

HOW WOULD YOU SPEND YOUR IDEAL DAY OFF? My ideal day off would be spent skiing in the mountains or relaxing on the beach in Carmel, CA. I’m an avid skier and my husband and I dream of owning a house in Telluride, CO one day. My favourite vacation we ever took together was to Carmel-By-The-Sea and we would love to go back ASAP! Seeing Highway 1 was a dream, and I would love to spend another day off cruising along it.

Dallas wedding photographer KAYLEE JAMES PHOTOGRAPHY is a valued member of the Magnolia Rouge Vendor Collective. Inspired by editorial images, natural landscapes and gorgeous pastel colours, Kaylee is a fine art wedding and portrait photographer based in Texas. She has traveled coast to coast in search of creating artful photographs while admiring the world through her camera lens. Her love for art, relationships and the intentional design that goes into creating a romantic wedding celebration blossomed into her becoming a fine art wedding photographer. She hopes to serve her couples with stunning and timeless photographs that they will cherish for a lifetime. Check out more of her portfolio here.