November 17, 2023

West Glacier Engagement Photographer, Abby & Kyle

When Abby and Kyle first booked me for their wedding and added an engagement session, we always planned on scheduling it in the Fall. Partially because the Fall colors in Northwest Montana are amazing, but also out of necessity. Kyle is a Wildland Firefighter, and during the summer his schedule can be extremely volatile.

Thankfully, things worked out tremendously weather-wise. We did have a heavy dusting of snow that provided a lovely contrast with the Fall colors. I am so looking forward to their wedding this spring.

November 10, 2023

Fall Glacier National Park Adventure Portrait Session, Lindsay & Brady

When is a "day after" adventure session? When it's five months later. Lindsay desperately wanted some portraits done in the mountains, in the Fall but also wanted more predictable weather for the wedding day itself. The solution? A June wedding with a Glacier National Park portrait session in late October was the obvious answer. And while we were constantly getting spitting rain as we traversed Going-to-the-Sun Road, the Fall colors were popping off everywhere. It could not have been more vibrant, moody, and more in line with what they were hoping to accomplish.

I've said it before, and I'll say it again, Glacier is a cheat code for photographers, and I am not mad about it.

November 6, 2023

Austin Senior Portrait Photographer, Holden, Class of 2024

This past fall I was delighted to receive an email from a former coworker from my very first job after school. Her son—who was just starting elementary school when we first worked together—was entering his senior year in High School and she was wondering if there was any chance I'd be in Austin over the next six months or so for a senior portrait session! After I got over the shock of feeling super old I was happy to report that I would be in town that fall. I was able to piggyback that portrait session on my time in town to cover the Formula 1 United States Grand Prix.

We met up at a county park closer to their house and then headed into downtown Austin where we used the more urban environment as a backdrop and took advantage of sunset on the skyline.

October 15, 2023

Studio Portrait Headshot Photographer, Neva S.

Another young actor I've had the privilege of photographing on stage a half dozen times or more, Neva has been in many, many Alpine Theatre Project productions—often in the same cast as my daughter—and was looking for some updated studio headshot portraits. Here are the results!

October 8, 2023

West Glacier Family Photographer, The Genthers

The Genther family, like many families I have the pleasure of working with each year, were on their way around the country while taking the time to 'road school' their kids. I guess technically you'd call it homeschooling, but when your classroom is the wide-open country that doesn't seem to encapsulate the experience. We met up in West Glacier towards sunset, headed into Apgar Village, and they ultimately ended up in Lake McDonald to close out the evening. Pretty much the perfect way to end a session on a relatively warm late-summer day.

October 4, 2023

Whitefish Senior Portrait Photographer, Cole, Class of 2024

I've known Cole and his family for a few years now having photographed him and his sister multiple times in productions put on by the local theatre non-profits Alpine Theatre Project and Whitefish Theatre Company. And even did studio headshots for both of them earlier this summer.

Cole's mom had a very defined vision for his portraits leaning into the fact he is very much a 'theatre kid.' We coordinated with the technical coordinator of the Whitefish Performing Arts Center for some photos inside the empty stage, utilized the stage all dressed up for ATP's production of "Million Dollar Quartet," and okay since we're in Montana we did just a handful of outdoor photos with a view here in Whitefish.

This leads me to my biggest advice to seniors looking to have their portraits done. You should take the opportunity to have the portraits reflect who you are and your personality. No need for boring studio portraits.

September 27, 2023

West Glacier Engagement Photographer, Ashley & Matt

Ashley and Matt were recently engaged and just happened to be here in Northwest Montana for a friend's intimate wedding day. In my extremely biased opinion, they had the magnificent idea to get some engagement portraits done while they were here. After all, it's awfully difficult to pass up the opportunity for engagement portraits at Lake McDonald in Glacier National Park.

September 25, 2023

Jennifer & Eric’s Glacier National Park Adventure Portrait Session

I met Jennifer and Eric at the My Montana Wedding Expo & Style Show in Kalispell this past January. They already had an amazing wedding photographer for their big day but weren't able to schedule an adventure session with that same photographer due to scheduling. They were on the hunt for a photographer who offered adventure portrait sessions and was familiar with Glacier National Park. I was happy to inform them that I fit both of those requirements and was more than happy to get them on my summer schedule.

We enjoyed a very hot but no less beautiful late summer wedding day along Going-to-the-Sun Road, getting to know each other, and making some stunning portraits. The session honestly couldn't have gone any better.

September 6, 2023

West Glacier Family Photographer, The Duecks

The Dueck's were on a cross-country trip visiting National Parks and just experiencing all of the amazing things the American West has to offer. We met up in West Glacier just outside Glacier National Park on a mildly smoky late summer day, which is a fairly common occurrence unfortunately. The good news is, sometimes the haze makes for some truly dreamlike light and backdrops. That feeling came through really well in this gallery of images.

September 4, 2023

Glacier National Park Adventure Portrait Photographer, Julia & Javier

Living in an area that is for many people a once-in-a-lifetime destination is a blessing and a curse. It's a blessing because it means I get to meet and work with so many couples and families from all over and often witness their first experience with Glacier National Park. The curse comes with the realization that I will not get to hang out with the vast majority of these individuals again.

But every once in a while the stars align, and I get to hang out with people who are now basically old friends. Those stars aligned for Julia and Javier when they were able to return to Montana for their first anniversary, and I got to introduce them to a large portion of Going-to-the-Sun road they never got to experience when they were here for their wedding. A wedding that was beset with absolutely relentless rain for probably 85% of the day but was one of the most memorable weddings I've had the honor of being a part of. Memories aside though, the rain prevented the appropriate amount of couples portraits that they—and the handmade dress Julia's friend made her—deserved.

Prints & Canvas

Matt Wetzler is an editorial, motorsport, portrait, and destination wedding photographer based in Whitefish, Montana.

Copyright ©Matthew Wetzler 2008–2024