I’m Danielle, the photographer behind by j’Lanee Photo + Film.
I’m naturally an observer. I notice the tiny things, the people standing at the edge of the room, the expression that happens right before someone laughs, and the moments that would probably disappear if no one thought to photograph them.
That’s probably why documentary photography feels so natural to me.
Outside of weddings, I’m a mom, a lover of good light, film, traveling, and photographs that aren't technically perfect but somehow feel exactly right. I can be quiet when I first walk into a room, but by the end of a wedding day I’ve usually been adopted by somebody’s auntie.
I care a lot about people feeling comfortable around me. Not just because it makes better photographs, but because your wedding should still feel like your wedding while I’m there.
my quirks :)
the color yellow.
synchronicities.
new places.
sand + sun. wind + waves.
publix tiramisu.
hobby crafter.
upcoming travel
TRAVELING IS ALWAYS, I MEAN ALWAYS, A YES! you jUsT TELL ME when and where & i'll be there!
TBD
TBD
AUG 17-27 '26
DEC '26
Florida
california
Most couples tell me they feel awkward in front of the camera.
You don't need to know what to do. I'll step in when you need direction and give you space when you don't.
I pay attention to body language, energy, movement, and the rhythm of the day so your photographs feel lived-in rather than overly curated.
The goal is never perfection. It’s presence.
Guided gently, never forced.
I've always called myself an intuituve photographer...
For me, that intuition looks a lot like emotional awareness.
It’s recognizing when someone needs reassurance instead of direction. It’s noticing the moments happening quietly at the edges of the day. It’s understanding how to document people honestly without making them feel observed every second.
I’m not interested in creating emotion for a photograph. I’m interested in being present enough to recognize it when it happens.
if that sounds like the kind of presence you want beside you, I'd love to hear what you're planning.
Chicago documentary wedding photography on digital + 35mm film
Based between Chicago and Louisville travelling throughout the U.S., I photograph weddings, elopements, and intimate celebrations with an editorial-documentary approach rooted in emotional presence and honest storytelling.