Hi, I'm Emily!

A born and raised Wisconsinite, I've also never been particularly good at sitting still. I'm a perpetual wanderer, flitting about the world, pointing at things and announcing, "Look how pretty!"

Fortunately, I've managed to turn that habit into a career.

So, what's with the name?

Ivory & Sable is a little tribute to my fascination with contrasts: light and dark, joy and grief, beginnings and endings. I’ve always been drawn to the way those forces co-exist and, in many ways, make the other more meaningful. Photography, in many ways, is about exactly that: finding light, embracing shadows, and making the two work together.

For those of you that know me, you’ll also catch that the name sneaks in a few personal nods. "Ivory" tips its hat to my lifelong love of music and the piano, while "Sable" honors one of my favorite authors and the namesake behind my beloved dog, “Poe”.

So what do you do, really?

I stare at you until you forget there’s a camera around.

No, really…. If you're worried about being awkward in front of a camera, excellent—we already have something in common. My job is to make it as painless as possible.

The moments I love most aren't usually the ones anyone planned for. They're the quick glances, the inside jokes, the wind-blown hair, the happy tears, and the split-second expressions that disappear as quickly as they arrive. The things that make you laugh years later and say, "Yep, that's exactly who we were."

Don't get me wrong—I'll absolutely guide you when needed. “What do I do with my hands?” IS a universal experience after all. But my goal is never to make you fit into a pose. It's to create a space where you can relax, be yourselves, and maybe even forget there's a camera around.

Whether you're here to talk photography, weddings, music, travel, or (most importantly) my dog, I'd love to hear from you. Give me a shout below!