Named
"Atlanta's Best Wedding Photographer"
- By LUx Magazine
“You're so much more than my photographer; I feel so much calmer. Your voice is like a meditation.”
overheard:
- Tree, bride in the throws of wedding day stress
Meet Rocheal
Rocheal Photography stands here, with you, to capture your most emotional moments, genuinely, with energetic passion and intentional style.
7 years ago I wasn't
a wedding photographer.
I was in your shoes, counting down the days to June 1, 2014...
I remember the day I met with our photographer. I knew she was the one. I felt so comfortable with her, and I knew I could trust her to get my camera-hating husband to smile.
She did. And those pictures mean so much to me.
Our wedding day came (and went) so fast. And I remember saying to my husband in the back of the limo, "Let's get married EVERY DAY!!"
When I would marry... Ready for it? My boss!
I remember the months leading up to our wedding... It was all so exciting, but also so overwhelming.
I started hearing people tell me how fast our wedding day would be here, and then gone. And I began to realize how important the photography would be.
You deserve peace of mind on your wedding day. Afterwards, I want you to say, "Let's get married EVERY DAY!".
I'd rather be
On horseback
enneagram type
Type 2, Wing 3
favorite ice-cream
Banana Split
Mixed Drink of choice
Mojito!
If I had a superpower
I'd fly
Childhood CELEBRITY CRUSH
Zac Hanson
guilty pleasure
Procrastination (ahh!!)
take my money
WoodWick Candles
secret
I'm insanely shy
listening to
Some business podcast
hobby
Decluttering
Sunday plans
Breakfast, church, & less technology
if i had a superpower
I'd fly
Childhood CELEBRITY CRUSH
Zac Hanson
secret
I'm insanely shy
listening to
Some business Podcast
guilty pleasure
Procrastination (ahh!!!)
take my money
WoodWick Candles
Hobby
Decluttering
weekend plans
Breakfast, church & less technology
Genuine, emotional, timeless memories
for couples who value authenticity
The passion behind why I'm a wedding photographer
Nice to meet you!! I'm Rocheal, and -- to put it simply: I believe that every person deserves to be known because every story can impact the world. I photograph weddings because I believe in the power of two stories coming together. I want to capture moments and give back tangible, physical memories to my couples that serve as daily reminders of who they are and why they love. I want my couples' homes to serve as a daily visual reminder of why they married the love of their life.
More about Rocheal
And I believe that can change the world...
The success of our world depends upon the people, and the success of people depends largely upon families, and the success of families depends largely upon the parents, and the success of parents depends upon the marriage. Marriage is important. Families are important. Remembering WHY you love who you love is the most important thing in this world, and it is my determination to create BOMB images that are authentic and unique to each couple and that will remind them of why they fell in love.
Why? Because my story was quite different.
A peek into my story
I sometimes wonder what would have happened if my mom and dad stayed married. If she would have had the wherewithal to seek help for their family when he hit her, or if he would have had the confidence to seek help for himself... Or for her when she had troubles. Maybe, I wonder, had they found a way to help each other, would my mom have struggled with addiction until it took her life? Would my dad still be living out what I know he desires so deeply to change? I'll never know.
More about Rocheal
But one thing I do know is this: Marriage is sacred.
I watched my mother allow men into our home so that she could afford to feed me and her addiction. I watched my dad struggle in his own difficulties... completely unable to help me because, for whatever reason, he didn't have the ability. I have such a deep desire to know (not that I would change *any*thing that happened, because its led me to a life of abundance that I love so much) who I would be and where I would have landed if my parents would have supported each other.
This is why I'm passionate about marriage.
People fall in love. Sometimes it's messy, and sometimes it's utterly magical ---
but one thing is the same: love is love. And the world needs more people who know how to love.
If I can bless my grooms with real, tangible memories that hang on their walls to remind them... when the going gets tough... how they felt when they saw their bride walking down the aisle. Or my brides with an album to retell her wedding day, I know she'll look at it. And I know that when her days feel strenuous, she'll look through her wedding album and cherish how her groom held her then, and wants to hold her now. This is why I'm passionate about how I run my business.
When we weren't at the lake in GA, we were at the beach in FL. I spent every waking moment in the water as a kid.
That's my dad, right there with the cigarette in his mouth. I was really close with him when I was little... He owned his own HVAC repair business, and I remember riding in his old blue work van with him to jobs. It didn't have seatbelts (or seats!) in the back! I'd spend the day exploring his clients' properties while he worked... We spent a lot of time together, and it was a blast.
I grew up on the beach.
My parents divorced when I was around 2, and my mom and I left family in Georgia and went Clearwater, Florida. My mom made a living as a waitress on the beach, and met all kinds of famous folks. I remember her telling me a story about Mel Gibson trying to get her to pull his hair to prove it was real. (she never pulled it...)
I also went to work with her a lot, and just walked the beach or sat in the hotel. I don't remember as much about those days, other than the sand being so insanely hot on my feet!! :)
My mom and I
Our home was constantly FULL of them. Always. My mother took them in - nonstop. (She had a huge heart)
I don't think there was a time in my childhood when we had less than 4 cats and 4 dogs, but we frequently had more- and it was awesome! One time she stole (legit) a monkey from a zoo (it's a long story). (No, this mountain lion wasn't stolen; he was my mom's friend's pet.)
Anyway... My mom instilled a love for furry creatures in my heart, and I always thought I'd grow up to be a veterinarian. :)
Animals...
But I did not become a veterinarian; I became a teacher! A lot of people don't know this about me, but I actually hardly attended school as a child. There was a lot of addiction in my family, and my mom was much more of a friend than she was a parent so I really got to do whatever I wanted to do! I dropped out of 11th grade (somehow with As and Bs) and a short time later found myself graduating from college with my teaching degree.
I've always had a passion for helping, be it people or animals, and I thought teaching would be perfect.
Teacher!
My kids in my classroom were my WORLD. We did Yoga together, played games instead of doing worksheets, and best of all: we didn't only focus on what was on the test.
I poured into my kids and they poured into each other. It was an incredible journey, being a teacher, but I ultimately did not have the freedom to teach in the ways I knew they needed (bureaucracy) so I left feeling overwhelmed and defeated at the end of the day. I met with my principal in 2017, and we both shed tears as I resigned. It was one of the best decisions of my life.
(fun fact...)
Around this time, I married the coolest, smartest, funniest, weirdest, most loyal person I'd ever met. We met in 2006, started dating in 2010, and got married in 2014. My husband, Will, is basically the complete opposite of me. He's a DIY'er- knows how to fix absolutely anything (including completely rebuilding engines) and he's his happiest when he's tinkering. I, on the other hand, would rather be exploring the earth and hanging out with my kids or friends or something. (Anything but tinkering!!)
It's perfect because we balance each other!
My Wedding!
After our wedding we left the country for 10 whole days! We stayed at Tango Mar in Costa Rica and It. Was. AWESOME. If we weren't galavanting around the sketchy outskirts of our resort, we were enjoying drinks at the pool. I laugh looking back because I remember saving all the fruit from my drinks for the lizards, and eventually they learned to follow me around because I'd feed them alcohol-infused pineapple and stuff. haha
We traveled on horseback, zip lined, and had an ATV adventure -- all through the rainforest, and saw so much stuff. It was incredible. We want to go back!!
Honeymoon
We're a pretty busy bunch! My husband runs a retail store, I run this fantastic thing right here, and together we homeschool our kids. Most mornings you'll find the kids and I crowded around the kitchen table with homemade breakfast burritos. Afternoons are reserved for homeschool fun, and evenings are reserved for beer and conversation with just my husband and I. (Okay, not every evening...)
:)
For fun we like to hit the go carts at K1 Speed - and - not to brag, but I currently hold #1 in our family's race times.
What we're up to today
Story Snippets
01 \ 05
Learn
about your story & unique values and desires
The process of getting to know you helps me learn about your unique story, values, and desires so that I know what is meaningful to you. Getting to know you helps me capture moments that might otherwise go unnoticed or be forgotten. Your story is unique; your needs and what you want captured are specific to you and important to me.
02 \ 05
Plan
strategically, based on your unique desires
Would a city scape or countryside better tell your story? Do you love romantic, bright, natural light photos or do you dig creative nighttime shots with flash? Maybe you like both... Maybe you're not sure. I'll talk to you along the way; learning more about your style so I know how to use my talents to serve you.
03 \ 05
Execute
I show up ready to work hard and shoot smart
Whether it's your wedding day or your engagement session, I show up ready to execute. I know your story, I know your style, your wants, needs, dreams, and desires. You know me and you value our ability to communicate. I show up ready to serve you --and on your wedding day-- ready to serve your family as well.
04 \ 05
Save
your story, and let it become your legacy
After the biggest day of your life, I will begin the hard work of processing through your (about 6K) photos. I'll cull through the duplicates and out of focus photos, hand-editing the meaningful and beautiful memories for your gallery. After your beautiful gallery is edited, I will design a gorgeous album that you will be proud to pass down for generations to come.
The process behind my passion
follow @RochealPhotography
inquire with me for your unforgettable experience
Eager for stiff poses and boring pictures?
Didn't think so.
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