Hi Ya’ll

We’re Elle & Troy Helgeson.

 

 

I’m Elle.

      Raised by my Dad it was inevitable I became a tomboy, I belong in the wild among the trees and animals. I grew up hiking, camping, throwing knives, canoeing, spelunking, shooting bows, guns, meditating, and practicing Kung Fu. It was an interesting childhood to say the least.

I’m the shorter louder half of Elle x Troy. Most days I can be found working in my home office, or doing a nature project with my little homeschooler. Black cat on my lap, tea in my hand, kid cuddled close, and a golden retriever at my feet. 

      I am mostly known for my obsession with rocks & minerals, natural living, and a need to pet every kitty I see (I can’t even apologize, I love them all). 

I was given a 1970s Kodak Hawk-eye when I was 4 and I admit, it never left my hand until I received my first digital camera as a teenager. Growing up watching my Dad photograph nature I too developed a passion for photographing nature. Hiking throughout the States I captured the views that surrounded me. I was enticed by natural light, tall pines, steep cliffs, and “The waters edge, where my feet turn to fins.”

Capturing love when you can truly connect, in the wild where your love has no boundaries. Being a fly on the wall and focusing my attention on the real moments. I focus on creating a moment, to be still and present in. To take a deep breath, hug each other tighter, kiss friskier, and love a little deeper. I serve couples who are looking for a natural, emotional, & artistic, laid back style and want the focus of their day to be on their love, and sharing their most intimate day surrounded by quality people and intentionally selected handcrafted details. 

I wear flannels. A lot of black. Drink Whiskey. And stay up way too late staring at the stars sitting around the bonfire trying to contemplate why we exist and when are they ever going to beam me back up to the mother ship. 

As Midwestern Photographers our work has been featured on Offbeat Bride, Wisconsin Bride, The Modified Dolls, Discover Wisconsin, Nothing is Ordinary, & Historic St. Charles.  

If you’re dying to hear more, (because honestly I sound quirky as hell, right?) here are five things you might find even odder about me:

I’ve always lived in haunted houses, and am interested in the supernatural an unnatural amount. Ghosts just seem to love me. It all started with the house I was born in and lived there until I was 30. Now we reside in a 1904 Dutch Colonial Revival Farm home in Allouez. Everyone who stays the night seem to encounter someone.

I’m not even 5′ tall. I’m a whopping 4’10! I’m a few inches taller than my Mom and a whole foot shorter than my younger sister. 

I’m obsessed with going on long drives. Mostly hoping Sasquatch or a Werewolf will cross the road in front of me. I could spend an entire day just cruising and staring out the window, making turns down random roads leading hopefully somewhere new and exciting.

Foods & drinks I can not live without: pickles, tea (hot & cold), lemons & limes, slushes, crushed ice, nachos ( I have a potato & carrot recipe you would never know is dairy free & good for you. Crazy weird, I know! ), & gourmet hot pretzels.

I love the snow & cold weather. We’ve only lived here in Wisconsin for three years and I’m ready to move closer to the Arctic Circle. 

And because you’ve probably noticed….I’m long winded so here’s one more for good measure. I’m a Missouri girl who fell in love with a Iowa boy and I sing way too loud and have dance parties in the kitchen almost every morning. 

Elle x Troy + Cole

We fell in love over odd coincidences, always being in the same places at the same time throughout our lives. Our journey began hiking throughout the Midwest snapping an annoying amount of images of each other and our travels. We were married in 2011 and had our perfect little monkey, Cole in 2013. Three years ago we moved to Wisconsin. And now we are hopping our way through the North Woods one cabin and brewery at a time.

Our story is nothing of significance yet it’s beautiful and meaningful to us. We all have a story to tell, someday our great grandchildren will be looking back at our images and we want them to be able to get a feel for who we were and the love we had for each other.

We specialize in creating a visual story to forever remind you of your love, right here in the now. Perfect for the couple planning a Wedding that’s a bit non-traditional and often in the woods or on the edge of the water.