Chicago Documentary elopement
& intimate wedding photographer
Chicago, Illinois, & Beyond
Drawing influence from classical and abstract expressionist painting, as well as analogue fine art photography, Rya blends candid, moment-driven documentary storytelling and editorial couples portraiture with a sophisticated artistry-creating exquisitely crafted fine art imagery with elegance and panache, and an emotional resonance that stands the test of time. A visual celebration of the unscripted, joyful moments, of love and laughter, and the memories you’ll cherish for a lifetime.
"... Urban Chic, A hint of Noir,
and A Touch of Sparkle & Panache..."
"... Urban Chic, A hint of Noir, and A Touch of Sparkle & Panache..."
Drawing influence from classical and abstract expressionist painting, as well as analogue fine art photography, Rya blends candid, moment-driven documentary storytelling and editorial couples portraiture with a sophisticated artistry-creating exquisitely crafted fine art imagery with elegance and panache, and an emotional resonance that stands the test of time. A visual celebration of the unscripted, joyful moments, of love and laughter, and the memories you’ll cherish for a lifetime.
"... Urban Chic, A hint of Noir,
and A Touch of Sparkle & Panache..."
"... Urban Chic, A hint of Noir, and A Touch of Sparkle & Panache..."
Let's celebrate Yours
"... Urban Chic, A hint of Noir, and A Touch of Sparkle & Panache..."
Our Process:
01 / inquiry + discovery
Once you reach out, I’ll send over a quick form so I can get to know more about your day. We’ll schedule a call to talk through your vision, what’s important to you, and see if our vibes align and if we are a good fit.
02 / booking your date
Once you’ve chosen your package, I’ll send over your custom proposal and contract. A 50% retainer officially secures your date on my calendar.
03 / planning support
I am here for you, not only to document anything and everything you cherish day-of, but to consult on the planning process, to lend my years of experience, and help be a guide before, during, and after your special day, every step of the way.
04 / the wedding day
I will arrive early, blend in naturally, and document every moment as it unfolds; giving direction only when needed and striking the perfect balance of candids and artfully composed images.
05 / gallery delivery
I aim to deliver a highlight gallery within 7 days of your wedding day, with full gallery delivery within 6–8 weeks. You’ll be able to relive your day through an private online gallery, with options to download, print, and share.
Our Process:
01 / inquiry + discovery
Once you reach out, I’ll send over a quick form so I can get to know more about your day. We’ll schedule a call to talk through your vision, what’s important to you, and see if our vibes align and if we are a good fit.
02 / booking your date
Once you’ve chosen your package, I’ll send over your custom proposal and contract. A 50% retainer officially secures your date on my calendar.
03 / planning support
I am here for you, not only to document anything and everything you cherish day-of, but to consult on the planning process, to lend my years of experience, and help be a guide before, during, and after your special day, every step of the way.
04 / the wedding day
I will arrive early, blend in naturally, and document every moment as it unfolds; giving direction only when needed and striking the perfect balance of candids and artfully composed images.
05 / gallery delivery
I aim to deliver a highlight gallery within 7 days of your wedding day, with full gallery delivery within 6–8 weeks. You’ll be able to relive your day through an private online gallery, with options to download, print, and share.
live in the moments that last a lifetime
Signature collections
A minimum $250 travel fee is applicable to any booking over 10 miles away from downtown Chicago.
Chicagoland & Beyond:
Additional hours billed at $600/hr, with a 10 hour maximum.
6 hours - $3600
Chicago Elopements:
- Photography coverage of getting ready, ceremony, family formals, & reception festivities, as time allows.
- Photography planning consultation
- Location permit acquisition
- Custom photography timeline
Full Day packages include:
Custom Elopement Experience:
elopements
*Can include coverage of any or all of getting ready, ceremony, & family formals, as time allows.
4 hours of tailored coverage*
90 minute couple's session.
Up to 3 locations.
3 hours of tailored coverage*
60 minute couple's session.
Up to 3 locations, as time allows.
Post ceremony/portrait session event coverage available starting at $400/hr.
City Hall ceremony, couple & family photos onsite + 60 minute couple's session, up to 2 locations.
Up to 3 hours of coverage.
City Hall ceremony, couple & family photos onsite + 30 minute couple's session, any location within walking distance.
Up to 2.5 hours of coverage.
City Hall ceremony only + couple/family photos onsite.
2 total hours of coverage.
Post ceremony/portrait session event coverage available starting at $500/hr.
5 hours of tailored coverage*
2 hour couple's session.
Up to 3 locations.
8 hours - $4800
7 hours - $4200
live in the moments that last a lifetime
Signature collections
- 2 hour session, 2 locations, 1 outfit change.
$900
- 1 hour session, any location w/in walking distance.
- 1 hour session, any location w/in walking distance.
$750
$750
Standalone Engagement Portraits
Anniversary Portrait Sessions
Couple's Sessions:
All proposal packages include full gallery delivery within 7 days, with a highlight gallery of up to 10 photos delivered within 72 hours.
- Up to an hour of portraits with the same as above, with time allowance for travel to a second location.
$300
- Up to 30 minutes of creative portraits on location, within walking distance, with no limit to what we can create.
$150
Creative Portrait Session Add-Ons:
- Posed formal portraits on location immediately following, under 10 minutes.
Documentary Proposal Coverage:
- Proposal photography
- Up to 15 minutes of complimentary wait time to accommodate for traffic/ parking/ unforeseen delays from our designated time.
- Proposal planning consultation.
$600
- 2 hour session, 2 locations, 1 outfit change.
$900
proposals & portraits
live in the moments that last a lifetime
Signature collections
live in the moments that last a lifetime
wedding collections
Signature collections
*Can include coverage of any or all of getting ready, ceremony, & family formals, as time allows.
6 hours of tailored coverage*
5 hours of tailored coverage*
4 hours of tailored coverage*
- Solo photography coverage by Ryan
- Private online image gallery
- Unlimited digital downloads for 6 months*
- Social media & print release
- Print options available upon gallery delivery
- Option to add 1 hour engagement session
All collections include:
for intimate celebrations under 50 guests
** Travel fees may be applicable to any wedding booking over 10 miles away from downtown Chicago. **
8 hours of continuous coverage
7 hours of continuous coverage
6 hours of continuous coverage
- Solo photography coverage by Ryan
- Complimentary 1 hour engagement session
- Private online image gallery
- Unlimited digital downloads for 12 months*
- Social media & print release
- Print options available upon gallery delivery
- Option to add second photographer
All collections include:
for intimate celebrations under 100 guests
for intimate celebrations on a larger scale
All collections include:
- Two photographers: Ryan + a trusted associate
- Complimentary 1 hour engagement session
- Private online image gallery
- Unlimited digital downloads for 12 months*
- Social media & print release
- A selection of frame-worthy fine art prints
- Additional print options available upon gallery delivery
8 hours of continuous coverage
9 hours of continuous coverage
10 hours of continuous coverage
** full day wedding availability is limited. Please inquire for more info.**
I am a hopeless romantic, and I know this may sound silly or corny, but I love love. I cherish shared connection and shared experience. I still cry over heartfelt vows or a perfectly choreographed first dance. I never grow tired of the sheer joy couples feel at seeing each other in their wedding attire for the first time. I am honored and privileged to get to experience and document these wonderful moments. I photograph for couples who love freely, authentically, and unapologetically, as who they are.
Hey, I’m Rya, fine art photographer and wedding & elopement documentarian. Also your new favorite queer, neurospicy introverted cat-person with a whimsical & silly side!
MEET THE artist BEHIND THE LENS
My wife and I eloped in Chicago from Nashville in December 2024. Thanks to Ryan, our love was captured beautifully, and we have gorgeous photos to look back on for years to come. They were so kind and patient waiting with us at City Hall. They’re honestly such a cool human, and I hope we get to run into each other in the future!
• Taylor •
We cannot recommend Ryan enough! They stepped in on our wedding day when our original photographer had an emergency. Ryan truly saved the day! They jumped right in to understand our vision for the day and helped us feel comfortable and confident that they would get us each and every photo we hoped for.
They captured every special moment—from the big emotional vows to the smallest, most intimate glances—with such artistry and care. The photos are breathtaking, full of life, and truly reflect the joy of our day. Ryan was an absolute delight to work with—professional, fun, and incredibly talented.
If you're looking for a photographer who will make you feel seen, respected, and celebrated while delivering stunning photos, look no further. We are beyond grateful for Ryan and will cherish these photos forever!
Thank you for making our wedding memories so magical!
• Regina •
We booked Ryan for our June wedding in South Bend, Indiana, and we are so happy we found him! He was more than accommodating to travel outside Chicago to shoot our wedding. Ryan is very responsive to emails; he was warm and genuine. You can tell this is a person who is passionate about what he does. Very reasonably priced, and so easy to work with. After speaking with him in person, we felt so comfortable that he understood what we were looking for on our special day. He arrived on time, prepared and captured so many candid moments without us even noticing. We absolutely love his work; we could not be happier with the finished photos.
We highly recommend Ryan to anyone!
• Bethany •
Ryan is fantastic! Through our conversations and the pics on his website my husband and I decided to choose him as our wedding photographer. He was amazing! Reasonably priced, on-time, stayed 30 mins extra for a few more shots. He made great suggestions and was "present" without being intrusive, professional and friendly. Our family loved him as much as we did. He was easy to work with and really got the vision we wanted. We were married at the Chicago Cultural Center and we wanted most of our photos to include architectural elements. Since the venue is open to the public we needed to be quick at getting shots so people were not walking in/out of them. Ryan got the shots and our vision right away. The end result is about 400 photos which we, our family and friends can't stop raving about! Our photos are exactly what we wanted and more beautiful than we expected! I would recommend Ryan to anyone.
• Sarah •
as featured in:
as featured in:
Frequently Asked
When is the best time to book?
The sooner you secure a date with me, the sooner we can begin planning your session. Wedding dates tend to fill up well in advance, but I also accommodate last-minute bookings for engagement proposals and City Hall elopements. However, starting the planning process with me as early as possible is always beneficial.
For weddings and elopements, I recommend booking at least 6 to 12 months ahead of time, especially for peak dates. For couples sessions, booking 2 to 3 months in advance is ideal, but feel free to reach out earlier if you already have a specific date in mind.
Let's chat asap!
when will we receive our images?
Turnaround times vary by booking. I aim to deliver highlight galleries within 72 hours for sessions and 7 days for weddings and elopements. Full galleries are provided within 1-2 weeks for proposals and couples sessions, and 6-8 weeks for elopements and micro-weddings. Images will be delivered in a private, password-protected online gallery.
how many images will we receive?
Every wedding and session is unique, and I am committed to delivering a wide variety of carefully curated moments. I will provide as many images as needed to tell your individual story fully—the big moments, the small details, and everything in between-all meticulously edited in my signature style.
How do we book with you?
To begin, please fill out the inquiry form with your desired date and a description of your vision. I will respond as soon as possible with availability, package details, and the next steps. If we feel like a good fit, all that's needed to secure your date is a signed contract and a 50% retainer.
Do you deliver unedited images?
I do not provide RAW or unedited images. Every photo I deliver is carefully edited to ensure that your final images reflect the aesthetic I am known for and meet my high standards of quality. I will always deliver images that are ready to print and perfect for sharing with family and friends.
Frequently Asked
For weddings and elopements, I recommend booking at least 6 to 12 months ahead of time, especially for peak dates. For couples sessions, booking 2 to 3 months in advance is ideal, but feel free to reach out earlier if you already have a specific date in mind.
The sooner you secure a date with me, the sooner we can begin planning your session. Wedding dates tend to fill up well in advance, but I also accommodate last-minute bookings for engagement proposals and City Hall elopements. However, starting the planning process with me as early as possible is always beneficial.
When is the best time to book?
To begin, please fill out the inquiry form with your desired date and a description of your vision. I will respond as soon as possible with availability, package details, and the next steps. If we feel like a good fit, all that's needed to secure your date is a signed contract and a 50% retainer.
How do we book with you?
I do not provide RAW or unedited images. Every photo I deliver is carefully edited to ensure that your final images reflect the aesthetic I am known for and meet my high standards of quality. I will always deliver images that are ready to print and perfect for sharing with family and friends.
Do you deliver unedited images?
Turnaround times vary by booking. I aim to deliver highlight galleries within 72 hours for sessions and 7 days for weddings and elopements. Full galleries are provided within 1-2 weeks for proposals and couples sessions, and 6-8 weeks for elopements and micro-weddings. Images will be delivered in a private, password-protected online gallery.
when will we receive our images?
Every wedding and session is unique, and I am committed to delivering a diverse collection of carefully curated moments. I will provide as many images as needed to tell your individual story fully—the big moments, the small details, and everything in between—all meticulously edited in my signature style.
how many images will we receive?
