COME AS YOU ARE
& NO ONE ELSE.
I capture the tender truths found in life’s softest edges and wildest corners, through photographs that you can tangibly feel: as if both the essence of the moment and the humans that made the moment are still within reach, just beyond the photograph.
And I can only do that when you bring your whole self, and nothing but your whole self, to the other side of my lens.
kinfolk
couples/weddings
families
boudoir
THANK YOU!
// select your service
Your inquiry is on its way to my inbox, as we speak!
While you wait for me to get back to you soon, know that your story is in good hands. Speak soon!
the meet and greet
HI THERE, I'M MADS!
Not only am I a photographer in the Twin Cities, but I’m an every-stage-of-life-and-then-some photographer in the Twin Cities. Eighty years old and want your new marriage captured? Let’s do it. A mixed family of stepkids and adopted kids? Bring on the chaos. A woman who wants to embrace her body after she’s felt betrayed by miscarriage or infertility? Let’s lean into that brutally hard-earned self-love.
Life is a trek of peaks and valleys, through the wilderness and back again. You’ve just so happened to find yourself someone to join you on the journey, camera in hand.
more about me
the meet and greet
HI THERE, I'M MADS!
Not only am I a photographer in the Twin Cities, but I’m an every-stage-of-life-and-then-some photographer in the Twin Cities. Eighty years old and want your new marriage captured? Let’s do it. A mixed family of stepkids and adopted kids? Bring on the chaos. A woman who wants to embrace her body after she’s felt betrayed by miscarriage or infertility? Let’s lean into that brutally hard-earned self-love.
Life is a trek of peaks and valleys, through the wilderness and back again. You’ve just so happened to find yourself someone to join you on the journey, camera in hand.
more about me
KIND WORDS FROM
STORIED
FOLK
DANA + AUSTIN | BRIDE + GROOM
“Somehow, you manage to capture feelings and things unseen that no one else can... It was an absolute privilege to have you by our side. Mads, you’re an absolute treasure. Never stop doing what you do because you work makes people feel so good and so love... The world needs more of Mads Lizotte.”
ELYSE | MAMA + PERSONAL ATTENDANT
“Pictures have always meant more to me than they probably should. I love the reactions, to love, the impact, and everything about getting them back from the photographers. After some major medical issues myself, I couldn’t wait to get some done, and Mads was my first choice as a photographer... After our mini session and quick delivery of pictures, I fell in love. These were some of the most important to date. Mads nailed it, and now, I’ve found my forever photographer.”
KIND WORDS FROM
STORIED
FOLK
ALEX | MOM OF TWo
“These sessions would truly be something worth dreading if we didn’t have you. You do some sort of beautiful voodoo magic with the kids, are so patient, and have the kindest heart.”
DANA + AUSTIN | BRIDE + GROOM
“Somehow, you manage to capture feelings and things unseen that no one else can... It was an absolute privilege to have you by our side. Mads, you’re an absolute treasure. Never stop doing what you do because you work makes people feel so good and so love... The world needs more of Mads Lizotte.”
ELYSE | MAMA + PERSONAL ATTENDANT
“Pictures have always meant more to me than they probably should. I love the reactions, to love, the impact, and everything about getting them back from the photographers. After some major medical issues myself, I couldn’t wait to get some done, and Mads was my first choice as a photographer... After our mini session and quick delivery of pictures, I fell in love. These were some of the most important to date. Mads nailed it, and now, I’ve found my forever photographer.”
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
DO YOU DO SNEAK PEEKS?
FOR WEDDINGS | Within one week of your wedding, you will receive a sneak peek gallery, providing you a full snapshot of your day for you to hold onto while I edit the full gallery!
FOR ALL OTHER SESSIONS: I know that you are SO excited to see the images we created together, and believe me when I say that I can’t wait to show you! However, the reason I do not deliver sneak peeks for couples, family, boudoir, and Kinfolk sessions is because it helps me get your final gallery in your hands much faster. Instead of a five week turnaround time with sneak peeks, we’re looking at more like three weeks without.
WHY ARE SOME PHOTOGRAPHERS SO EXPENSIVE?
I’m going to be honest with you: In a saturated industry where everyone thinks they can pick up a camera, shoot on auto and call themselves a photographer, you get what you pay for. The reason my sessions feel “effortless” is because I have spent 10+ years learning how to make them feel effortless. Learning how to think through an artistic decision while being in the middle of chaos (toddlers who want to be entertained, dads who are eager to get out of there, wedding days that are falling far behind schedule) takes a lot of skill and experience. Trust me when I say, when you are investing in memories, you want someone who has honed their craft and is able to direct you in a way that will result in moments captured authentically. That’s not even touching on the cost of gear, education of that gear ,and the upkeep of backups required to keep your memories safe.
HOW MANY IMAGES ARE INCLUDED IN A FINAL GALLERY?
Long story short? Every wedding day and session is SO different. For weddings, it largely depends on the size of the bridal party, the size of the family, how you set up your timeline, if there’s a lot of travel involved, etc. I typically strive for 75 photos per hour you hire me, but I’m never going to throw out a photo because we’ve reached our quota! Throwing away a perfectly good image would hurt my heart far too much!
WHAT HAPPENS IF THERE IS BAD WEATHER FOR MY WEDDING?
Ultimately, it is your day, so the decision to move forward would be entirely yours. I personally love a rainy wedding: the overcast skies give the perfect backdrop for all of your details to pop, and clear umbrellas are a classy way to still have the awesome natural light pictures. I encourage my couples to really embrace whatever your wedding day weather looks like because that’s how it really happened, and how it happened is how you ultimately how you want to remember it.
HOW WOULD YOU DESCRIBE YOUR PHOTOGRAPHY STYLE?
Some buzz words that I would use to describe my style? GLADLY. Warm, natural light, poignant, movement, gentle direction, evocative... just to name a few.
DO I HAVE TO BUY PRINTS THROUGH YOU?
Not at all! You receive an online gallery where you can download and print the images wherever you would like for your personal use (I highly recommend Artifact Uprising or MPIX). My only two rules with using the images that you receive are: 1) They cannot be reedited-- please please for the love of all things good, do not put filters over the images I worked so hard to create for you!). 2) When used on social media, I kindly ask that you provide credit by tagging @madslizotte.
WHAT DOES YOUR BACKUP PROCESS LOOK LIKE?
ALWAYS make sure your wedding photographer is shooting with a dual slot camera! This means that your photographer is shooting on two different cards at once so, if one fails, they have a back up. After your wedding, one of the SD cards goes into a fireproof box until the gallery is delivered to you. That’s the first line of defense. After I get home from your wedding, the very first thing I do (after kissing my son on the head, of course) is back up your images onto a hard drive. While I sleep and rest my tired feet, that hard drive is backing up even another step further to the cloud.
WHAT HAPPENS IF YOU GET SICK OR HAVE AN EMERGENCY?
If shxt hits the fan and something out of my control happens, I will do everything in my power to make sure that there is a trusted associate there capturing your day, at no extra cost to you. I am part of a tight knit photography community that has each others' backs in rare instances like these. Regardless, I would do all the post processing work, editing and delivering your gallery, so that it still looks as if I had been there beside you the entire time.
DO WE NEED A WEDDING COORDINATOR IF WE HAVE YOU?
While I have done my fair share of weddings and know a thing or two about a thing or two, I am ultimately not a wedding coordinator. Sure, you and I will establish a day of timeline based on how you'd like your day to unfold, so that we get all of the photos you're envisioning, but a wedding coordinator possesses a totally different skillset that will help your day unfold that much more seamlessly.
RE: BOUDOIR // WILL YOU SHARE MY PHOTOS?
I want to shout out to the world how amazing you are and show off what we've created together! (Tastefully and without giving the world too much of a show, of course!) When sharing anything, though, I have a very strict rule to never share a photo that I wouldn't be comfortable sharing, if it were me. While sharing some of your images on our private instagram is a great way to get other women excited about this experience, the decision is yours. When your images are delivered, you will fill out a questionnaire that gauges your comfort level, from sharing pictures that don’t identify you to absolutely no sharing at all. Those preferences will be 100% respected!
RE: BOUDOIR // DO I HAVE TO WEAR LINGERIE OR BE NUDE?
Wear whatever the heck you want, girl! Some of us feel sexiest in lacy little things; others feel incredible in sweatpants and a comfy bralette! I will always follow your lead on what you are most comfortable wearing and doing. I do have a strong opinion that every woman should end their session tastefully wrapped in sheets because almost everyone is surprised by how flattering it is… but that is completely your call.
RE: BOUDOIR // DO I NEED TO HAVE A PARTNER TO GET THESE?
Absolutely not! Sure, these sessions make great gifts to a significant other, but they ultimately will inevitably turn into a gift to yourself, to celebrate you and remind you that you are WORTH investing in and celebrating.
