An Open Letter to You

     Photographs have always meant so much to me because growing up, my family and I moved constantly. Due to the continuous downsizing/relocating, I never was able to keep sentimental items/souvenirs. 

But….we did keep photographs.

Yes, TONS of them, in an oversized plastic bin which were all tossed together at random. And I CHERISHED those photographs; they were the only memories I had of anything. As a child, I would sit on the cold basement floor and shuffle through them for hours every week, overwhelmed with fuzzy feelings. Today, nothing pleases me more than being able to produce those types of happy memories for others through my work.
   During the week, there’s nothing I love more than a strong latte, Lana Del Rey (whose music I feel is a motif blend of pure demure, modern nostalgia), and my cat, Evie, by my side while I edit away. 
   I'm an old soul and I am obsessed with anything vintage; antiques of all kinds --jewlery, clothing, furniture-- venues, historic landmarks and towns, houses --I actually own a 3-story Victorian that I fixed up all by myself in my early 20's-- and old-timey music. I can't say I'm a "cool" pop-culture girly who's up on the latest trends...but trends are already so yesterday, am I right?! Honestly, I'm here for the timeless s*** that never goes out of style. 
   And lastly, I am a true adventurer! I've discovered that the real key to happiness in life is not money or power...it's always having another vacation planned in your calendar. So on average, I'm out of the country at least every other month and enjoy smaller domestic trips in between with my closest friends and my adoring husband. This world has so much to offer!

Passions

  • Photographer

    Photography has never ceased to teach me, inspire me, and challenge me. I feel like looking through my lens has and forced me to see the world in a whole new light and to recognize the beauty in and around us all that I was completely blind to before.

    Wherever I go, you can bet my camera will be attached to me like another limb; hiking in a forest, swimming through a river, or wandering around an iconic city.

  • Traveler

    I believe traveling the world shouldn't be a luxury, it should be a right. I've backpacked all over, with my camera in hand, couch surfing for free, just to be enlightened by other cultures, enhanced by strangers, and to indulge in exotic and delicious foods. I love to seek adventure and am never underwhelmed with what I discover. There is so much out there to be enjoyed and captured!

  • Cat Mom

    Meet Evie, my pride and joy. I have a lot of friends, but she may be my best! I'm convinced in another life she was a dog; considering how friendly, loyal, playful, and talkative she is.

    Not only is she my most photogenic subject, but she is also my head editing supervisor during long weekdays at my in home office. She knows how to keep me on track!

  • What People are Saying

    We hired Mikayla for our destination wedding to the Dominican Republic, and I have to say hands down that was the best decision I made for my wedding. My pictures are GORGEOUS but the best part is that's not even the half of it! She was my right-hand man the day of my wedding and I wish there was a better way to express just how grateful we are for her being there. She did my hair the day of the wedding -which I never expected but was immensely grateful for because let's face it, I am so bad at hair- and it looked AMAZING! She helped with my makeup and just about everything in between. I was not stressed out getting ready that day and I really have to attribute that to all of her help. I have no idea how she wears so many hats and manages to also capture so many beautiful moments, but she does it all with a smile on her face! She really was a joy to have on such an important trip for us!

    We not only got pictures the day of the wedding but she was down to go to a beach (Macao beach) that was a little off the beaten path with us and she found a BEAUTIFUL Mediterranean village she took us to for pictures as well. I have not stopped looking at these pictures, I'm still in awe! I have never felt so beautiful before. Also, I think it's important to note my husband hates taking pictures and he told me he actually enjoyed it! She has a way of making you feel comfortable and confident. It seriously was a ton of fun!

    If you are looking for a destination wedding photographer (or really a photographer in general) I would just stop looking and hire Capture the Canvas Photography, you will not regret it! We will be using her for every occasion in the future! Thank you so much Mikayla, for everything, we are so glad to have had you on this trip with us. Thank you for the wonderful, amazing, magazine quality photos, and thank you for the memories we made along with them!

    — Justine Simmons

  • What People are Saying

    Mikayla is absolutely incredible. Her photos contain an elevation in quality that has moved pictures of mine and my fiancé’s image to an artistically honest capturing of the beginning of our legacy. Aside from her beautiful and unparalleled work, she has a contagiously friendly spirit and comfortable professionalism that made me and my fiancé feel not only natural and relaxed during the shoot but confident in our own skin.

    Additionally, my fiancé contracted her for our surprise proposal and he has commented to me that she was incredibly organized and personable as she not only captured the perfect moment but carefully helped him plan the finite logistics of the moment which included having all of my closest family and friends present. For me on my end of the proposal, it was absolutely perfectly done and I could not be more thrilled with that special day. It is clear that for Mikayla, photography is not just her job, but her distinguished art and calling. Mikayla and her work are worth far more than the cost of the investment. I cherish the photos she has done for us and I absolutely would not ever consider asking anyone else to take our photos.

    Thank you, Mikayla!

    — Madison Schultz

  • What People are Saying

    Mikayla captured our wedding day brilliantly! My husband and I hired her based on a recommendation. After seeing her beautiful portraiture work online, I knew I had to meet her to see her work in person. Her personality was just what we were looking for in every vendor we hired for our wedding day: personable, energetic, passionate and friendly.

    Mikayla exceeded our expectations with her quick responses, reminders, ideas and end product. When we came back from our honeymoon, a mere week after our wedding, we already had a Facebook album up of our Sneak Peak edits as well as a USB full of thousands of photos en route to our home! What a true talent. We would highly recommend Mikayla and Capture the Canvas for any sort of photography, including photo shoots and portraits. Pose, smile and let Mikayla work her magic! Thank you for truly capturing the best day of our lives!

    — Allison Gegenheimer

  • What People are Saying

    I've had Mikayla photograph me twice now, and I will definitely hire her again in the future when the time is right. She's extremely easy to work with, and very helpful when giving you instructions or suggestions for a pose. She knows what works well, and how to quickly get good shots. This is very important when working say, in cold weather, which I've done both times with her! Not only does she put her subjects at ease (and works very well with pets!), but her editing skills are so impressive.

    I absolutely love the look and feel of the photos Mikayla produces. I adore not only the photos of me and my family, but her entire portfolio truly has a very dream-like nature to it, which I love. She makes her subjects look their best. Mikayla took several shots of my brother and his wife shortly after they were married. The two pictures she delivered to us are better than their entire wedding album. She captured a spirit and love between my brother and my sister in law that I didn't see in their wedding pictures. I can't wait to have an excuse to hire Mikayla again!

    — Kristen Johnson

  • What People are Saying

    I cannot recommend Capture the Canvas highly enough! My husband and I hired Mikayla a year ago to do our engagement photos last summer, and then our wedding photos from July 6, 2019. The photos from both shoots were absolutely fantastic, and we could not be happier.

    Professionally, Mikayla is extremely talented and captured every moment of our wedding without being imposing. She is super responsive, too, and the turnaround time on pictures was really quick. Personally, she a truly kind and caring person that brings positive energy wherever she goes. Even the guests at our wedding have come back and told us how awesome she was, and what a great hire she was (we agree!). We would hire her again without hesitation. Thank you, Mikayla!

    — Melissa Jorstad

  • What People are Saying

    Mikayla is amazing and so insanely talented. She photographed our wedding and the pictures will forever hang on our walls, literally magazine quality gorgeous and a beautiful reminder of a perfect day. She showed up early, was so patient photographing our entire family, was creative in posing, and I have never felt more beautiful than I did the day I got the proofs back. She has since done family photos for us and is wonderful with children and so efficient! We recommend her to EVERYONE! If you want QUALITY, book your shoot today!

    — Kayla Thompson

  • What People are Saying

    Wow, what an amazing job! Thank you, Capture the Canvas Photography! Mikayla went above and beyond our expectations capturing memories that will last us a lifetime. She's so sweet and did her job with such grace! My wife and I married two weeks ago, and various friends continue to compliment how beautiful our photos are. We contacted many photographers, but when we met with Mikayla, we were confident of our choice. You will immediately notice her genuine charisma and professionalism when interviewing her -and that personality made our wedding day so much more special! She came prepared and was so pleasant! Of all the vendors we had at our wedding (we had many), we were most happy with her! I know she will be our go-to-photographer for a very long time! Also, the photos speak for themselves- like out of a MAGAZINE!

    — Daniel G.