February 21, 2024

Whitefish Engagement Portrait Photographer, Gabrielle & Christian

Gabrielle and Christian had two prerequisites for their engagement session. They wanted to include their dogs, and as winter sports enthusiasts they wanted it to be snowy.

Including the dogs was the easy part, but the snow was not so much. This winter has been so strange—and more like spring than winter for most of it if we're being honest—so we kept pushing the session date. Thankfully, Mother Nature finally delivered with almost a week straight of snow, and temperatures low enough to where it stayed pretty and didn't turn to slush. We also lucked out by avoiding the weekend when it was -28 degrees. However, we still dealt with single-digit temps as it was.

I cannot wait for these to get married next fall at Star Meadows Ranch!

February 16, 2024

Whitefish City Beach Senior Portraits Plus Bonus Family Photos

The real impetus for the Sarailles family reaching out to me was senior portraits for their son because the due date for the yearbook was coming up. Hey, it happens to the best of us. So that was the main goal, and Mother Nature blessed Whitefish with a fresh layer of fluffy snow the day before so pushing the session to the last minute was ultimately the right call.

After wrapping up those we went ahead and knocked out some quick, updated family photos and called it a day!

August 23, 2023

Whitefish Family Photographer, The Ewens at Whitefish City Beach

Reunited and it feels so good. I once again had the pleasure of meeting up with the Ewens here in Whitefish before the end of summer. If you've got a good memory, you'll recognize this family of three—though soon to be four!—from an engagement session many moons ago, and a portrait session last year. They were in town again and wanted one more chance to get some family photos before becoming a family of four, and I was overjoyed to oblige. We started at Whitefish City Beach and explored a newish trailhead on the Whitefish Trail system on the way up to Whitefish Mountain Resort.

July 17, 2023

Senior Portrait Photographer, Taylor in Whitefish

Taylor's family has moved around a lot, but have spent a couple of lengthy stints in Montana, and they own some property in Northwest Montana. Unfortunately, they were once again moved out of the treasure state, but that didn't mean she didn't want her senior portraits taken here in Whitefish. And who can blame her really?

I was able to spend a wonderful evening hitting up several spots around town with Taylor and her mom as they said goodbye to the mountains for the time being. As such, she felt the need to take one last swim in a crystal clear Montana lake before returning to their current home where the water is, shall we say, less clear.

July 3, 2023

Whitefish Portrait Photographer, The Mordis Family at Whitefish City Beach

It's always great to be able to capture stages of life for friends of ours. My family met the Mordis family several years ago through our daughter who shared an art camp at Stumptown Art Studio with their youngest daughter. Since then they've returned to Whitefish every summer and we've watched Whitefish Theatre Company acting camps together and had pool parties. This year their visit, unfortunately, coincided with my wife and daughter being on a vacation of their own, but I still managed to meet up with them at City Beach for some long-overdue family portraits.

March 22, 2023

Whitefish Family Photographer, The Cowarts at Whitefish City Beach

Those in the Flathead may recognize the Cowart name from local musician Todd Cowart. I've had the pleasure of photographing him as a performer a number of times in his work with The Alpine Theatre Project productions.

Needless to say when I got the call that his family would be visiting from out of town and he was hoping to grab some family photos with them I jumped at the opportunity to make it happen! We had an exquisite bluebird afternoon at—and on—Whitefish City Beach as our setting, and there were lots of laughs to be had.

October 12, 2022

Whitefish Portrait Photographer, City Beach, and Riverside Park

This Fall we have been blessed with the most absurdly nice weather. Normally by early October, we'd be expecting much cooler temps but we've been enjoying highs in the upper 60s. Maybe not the best thing in the grand scheme of everything, but it sure is awesome for portrait sessions. Jena booked a simple one-hour portrait session before dinner while they were visiting the Flathead Valley, so we hit up Whitefish City Beach and Riverside Park, two of my favorite locations right here in Whitefish.

July 20, 2022

Whitefish City Beach Family Portraits, The Ewens

This family was so special if even just a bit bittersweet for me. I was supposed to photograph Anna and Lex's wedding in the early summer of 2020. As you can imagine, those plans didn't exactly move forward as planned because of... things... going on in the world at the time.

They ultimately tied the knot back home in Canada, and have since added a two-legged baby to go along with the four-legged child to make a family. Much to my excitement they came down to Whitefish shortly after the border between the U.S. and Canada reopened for non-essential travel and I got to see and photograph them for the first time since their engagement photos in 2019!

July 4, 2022

Whitefish Family Photographer, The Andersons

The Anderson family have been regular visitors to the Whitefish area for years, but a global pandemic and a closed Northern border between the U.S. and Canada had prevented them from making the visit for the last several years. Hailing from Canada and points beyond, this was the first time the whole family has been together in over two years and it was such a pleasure to document the occasion with some portraits at Whitefish City Beach and Riverside Park.

April 11, 2022

Whitefish Elopement Photographer, Lianne & Ron at Whitefish City Beach

A week or so before they were to elope I received a message from Lianne to see if I were available to photograph their simple elopement ceremony with just the two of them and their officiant. I happened to be free that afternoon and was more than happy to do so. They were both so sweet, and you've got to love the expression on Ron's face as they said their vows to each other. It's such an honor to be a part of these intimate moments in people's lives.

Venue: Whitefish City Beach / Officiant: Lichen & Pines / Flowers: Mum's Flowers

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

Copyright ©Matthew Wetzler 2008–2024