Allison Usavage

Photography documenting real life

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About Me

I believe that honest imagery is vital to any storytelling mission. I work as a documentary-style photographer for a variety of clients, from brands to small businesses, individuals and couples. My favorite subjects are those that showcase the vibrance and bounty of real life.

I’m so lucky and inspired to be part of a community filled with makers, farmers, bakers, and creators of all types that have beautiful stories to tell. I’m living my dream job, helping these people share the beauty that they’re already putting out into the world.

I balance corporate, academic, and non-profit client work with wedding and family work, and I love documenting the honest and joyful stories of real love at all phases of life.

My work has been featured in local and national publications including National Geographic, Culture Magazine, Buzzfeed News, Sift Magazine, and Edible Finger Lakes.

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Love

Weddings are a whirlwind. Somehow, your wedding day can be packed with more emotion than you've ever felt at one time before... and yet it will fly by in the blink of an eye and feel like it's over before it even began. My mission is to create images that spark memory and reflection, capturing the people, community, and emotion that tells the honest and beautiful story of your day so you and your loved ones can relive not just the outfits and the decorations, but the warmth, togetherness, and radiance of your celebration.

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preparation

The anticipation of the "before" moments is so beautiful. Tiny moments while you're getting ready can be the most poignant representations of your relationships with your closest loved ones– your mother buttoning up your dress, your best man schooling you on a windsor knot, a quiet whisper of some words of wisdom from an elder, a snuggle with your child, or just a small moment of reflection by yourself.

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ritual

The ritual comes in all shapes and sizes, but is the centerpiece of most wedding days. Whether your ceremony is at the courthouse, in the forest, or at your place of worship, my job is to capture the real moments of love and connection and community while documenting your ceremony thoroughly.

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community

Honestly, my favorite part. Who you choose to surround yourself with (and where!) are some of the biggest planning decisions to make, and I don't overlook those details. Your loved ones are there to support you and they're an integral part of your day. While I appreciate (and do take!) those details shots of your ring, that ring will be on your finger for a long time, but this is the one day that this group of loved ones will be together celebrating in joy and love and the signficance of that community will not be lost in your photos.

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portraits

You might not be looking forward to this part... I know I don't, when I'm the one being photographed. Or maybe you love being in front of the camera! Either way, my goal is to make sure you're so incredibly comfortable and just feeling your love in these moments. Portraits should represent you completely, so prompting a snuggle, a giggle, a stroll, or a joke are my ways of making you look and feel comfortable as your true selves without directing the tilt of your head or the spread of your fingers.

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celebration

Party time! A toast, a dance, some wine... another dance... if you were feeling any anxiety earlier, it's all gone now and we're in full relaxation mode! What a great time to capture those genuine smiles, those dancing bodies, those happy tears, and hugs from everyone. And the food. Don't forget the food.

Planning a wedding?

I am currently booking for 2022.

I offer hourly rates to fit budgets of many shapes and sizes, and am committed to meeting every couple (in-person or virtually from afar) before we sign a wedding photography contract to ensure we’re a good fit and that we’re designing the best photography plan for your day.

I pride myself on telling the complete story of every couple’s day. When you reach out to me with your date and venue, I’ll send some links to some complete galleries of wedding celebrations that match the energy and intention of what you’re planning so you can see what the start-to-finish story of an individual day looks like.

I’m also a proud co-founder of Sweet Bough Wedding Collective with wedding coordinator Rachel Conroy. We’ve made the commitment to support couples planning weddings of all makes, shapes, and sizes in the Finger Lakes region, above and beyond our own clientele. Learn more about our guiding principles of inclusivity, respect, collaboration, and flexibility at sweetboughcollective.com/terms-of-engagement.

Want to stay up-to-date on my work and offerings? Join the mailing list... I promise I send out updates monthly at most, and you can unsubscribe at any time.