Hi, I'm Sarah and I am a fine-art and experimental photographer that specializes in portraits, weddings, and otherwise capturing meaningful relationships, events, and places.
When people ask me how long I’ve been doing photography, my answer is always a bit ambiguous. I remember being around six years old and over the moon with a disposable camera in hand, intensely focusing on how best to align my ballet slippers in frame. I took ownership of my family’s compact point-and-shoot as soon as I found it in the junk drawer and brought it with me everywhere, from middle school to my grandma’s house in southern New Mexico. I got my bachelor’s in mathematics in Portland, Oregon, and pursued a master’s in theology while living in the city. A graduate program in math called me to Bozeman, where I also made the decision to start my business and let my passion for photography grow.
The best way I can describe my relationship to photography is that it lives in my bones.
My career as a photographer is multi-dimensional. I stretch photography in as many directions as I can. My personal work is observational: quiet, slightly funny pictures of the places people pass through and the things they leave behind, from roadside signs and campsites to dunes, rivers, and late-night parties. I’m drawn to the overlooked and the in-between, and to the places where people and landscape awkwardly overlap. This work also reflects both my internal world and my observation of the external, and I often explore how social media, as a platform and as a medium, influences the way photographs are experienced.
I bring the same attunement to both emotion and surroundings to my portrait and event work.
My goal for portrait work is to make images that capture the energy and personalities of you and your loved ones. I shoot with a soft, cinematic eye, favoring honest emotion, warm light, and small details that make that day or season memorable. I blend careful observation with a deliberate visual voice, so your final images feel true to the moment and still carry a sense of beauty and intention. Whether we’re in a quiet living room or an open field at golden hour, my aim is the same: photographs you’ll want to return to for years to come.
During a portrait session with me, you can expect prompts for connection and movement. I aim to capture individuals and relationships authentically and tailor my work to fit the personality and energy of those being photographed.
Silliness, play, and laughter are encouraged.
At weddings, you can expect me to document your day to the fullest. I’m an observer and people watcher at heart, which means you can count on wedding photographs that reflect your day genuinely and thoroughly. I will work to keep your day running smoothly but will never rush your experience just for the “shot.” I believe that an unhurried day makes for the best experience and the best photographs.
I live in Bozeman, Montana, and spend my days running my business, writing and making photographs, doing yoga, hiking, snowboarding, and attending local events. I often travel to Oregon, North Carolina, and New Mexico.
I love to travel and would love to come to you! Please reach out if you are interested in working with me but are not located in the Bozeman, MT area.
You can find me on Instagram at @sc_frames and @sarahclaredale. My personal work can be found at @mangomegapixels (fine-art projects) and @mangotones (film).
