Evince Magazine
M
ichelle Dalton is all about the love and for her, photography is love. The combination of love and a passion for photography brings to our area beautiful images in soft light and the mesmerizing outdoor splendor of colors in wedding photos that carry a sense of photojournalism into the old-fashioned world of posed settings. “Every wedding has something unique and I try to find that uniqueness in a photograph. The younger generation does not want the old posed formal wedding photos like those of their parents,” Michelle says, “They want more fun poses, something stylish and different from their parents and something different from their friends’ wedding photos.” She loves the romance that engaged couples reflect and wants to share that in her photos. “Images take you back to a moment in time. What better way to reflect back to the days when you were young and in love and planning your wedding? I try to capture that feeling in my photography,” she explains. Michelle works hard to make grooms feel a part of what their brides are experiencing. She encourages them to joke around and stages different types of poses, so they become caught up not in the picture-taking, but in the positive feeling that comes from being in love and happy at the moment. In her sample wedding albums, viewers will see groomsmen playing cards before the wedding or carrying the groom like a sports star while laughing and enjoying the day. Many couples have come back to Michelle with thanks for making the experience fun. They realize that the smiles, the tenderness, and the warmth of their relationships have been brought to life for others to see forever. Michelle’s unique photography style probably comes from seeing the love her parents shared and observing their creativity. She was a daddy’s girl and often helped her father tend the plants at a local department store, where he was the manager of the garden center. She enjoyed working with her dad in the family’s home garden and frequently saw her mother sew school clothes and paint beautiful flower gardens on the woodcraft created by her father. Born and raised in Danville by Keister and Betty Pruitt, Michelle received her first 35 mm camera at the age of seven and quickly became the family photographer, carrying the camera to every family outing and recording each tradition. Michelle’s long winding path to being a creative
Michelle Dalton It’s All about the Love by Larry W. Oldham
Ryder Mahoney, son of Dr. and Mrs. Mark Mahoney of Martinsville, sleeps through the photo shoot.
photographer started in Chatham at the Bassett-Walker plant where she worked for 14 years. When the plant closed, she enrolled at Danville Community College and earned a degree in nursing. She worked as a LPN for Dr. Tim Hooker for 3 years and for Dr. Ivan Lazo for 6 years. A turning point in Michelle’s career came when Dr. Lazo started advertising in Eddie’s Colyum using the theme “We Love Our Patients.” Michelle photographed the patients whose pictures appeared in the ads and Dr. Lazo hung some of the portraits on his office walls. Soon, his patients were asking if the pictures could be purchased. Because of this success, Michelle left the medical profession in 2009 and became a full-time professional photographer. In addition to weddings and individual portraits, Michelle is
known for her unique photos of babies in unusual settings, featuring nature-provided lighting, which is softer than the harsh lights of the studio. The babies love it because it lulls them to sleep and the parents love it because their children look angelic. That pleases Michelle, because for her photography is all about the love… and it shows. n For more information visit www. michelledaltonphotography.com, call 434.724.2669, or visit the studio at 493 Hunting Hills Road in Danville. n Michelle Dalton Photography is a member of the Professional Photographers of America and the PP of North Carolina. n Michelle is the 2009 Star Tribune Reader Choice Award for Best Photographer winner; Showcase Magazine 2010 Rave Award for Best Photography Studio winner; 2010 Best Photographer Award as voted by the Showcase Magazine readers.
Mike Dunlevy’s friends celebrate his good shot.
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Testimonials "Michelle Dalton is an amazing person and a phenomenal photographer. She possesses exceptional talent and is an incredible artist. She is very dedicated to her profession and works eagerly to find new ideas for your photo shoots. She is not only very professional but she is also fun and creative. She has photographed family members, close friends and most recently my newborn son. Michelle is a very inspiring person and that shines through in her work. She captures the essence of everything she photographs making it magical. Michelle also takes the time to develop professional relationships with her clients, making them feel comfortable and relaxed. I first met Michelle five years ago when she photographed my wedding and to this day she is still capturing every precious moment that I will cherish throughout my life."
—Laura Alderson
“We fell in love with Michelle and her work when she photographed our wedding almost five years ago. Now she is capturing memories of our baby girl. We adore the way she wants to catch her just being herself. It is obvious that she truly loves what she does through her ability to see something the rest of us have overlooked. We are blessed not only to say she is our photographer, but to count her as a dear friend.”
—Jamie and Amanda