I’m glad you fell down the rabbit hole.
I'm Courtney Stannard, your fav fine art photographer
I’m just a girl living on a mini homestead in Upstate New York with my animals, babies, husband + aaall my cameras & weird vintage shit. My art background led me on this wild journey, and it’s my dream to photograph couples, creatives and everyone in between (if you haven’t noticed yet, we really embrace being your badass weird self here).
curious if i'm the photographer for you?
AT COURTNEY STANNARD PHOTOGRAPHY
THIS IS THE SHIT THAT REALLY MATTERS:
nostalgia
A WISTFUL AFFECTION OR SENTIMENTAL LONGING FOR THE PAST
I think once you lose something, you realize just how important it is. And that’s why nostalgia is such a big part of what I do and who I am. It’s this achingly beautiful feeling because it means that even if you lost a moment or a person, you once had something worth missing. I want my photos to bring you back to those precious memories—whether
it’s the day you receive them or decades from now when you’re digging them out of an old, dusty box.
When my brother died, photography became such a deeply personal thing for me. It became a portal to the past, to moments and previous selves that we won’t ever get back.
It’s why I focus on the storytelling of photography, on noticing the little details that you don’t think about now, but you’ll miss later. People call me the “queen of close-ups” because I’m always looking for those little details. I did a series when I was younger of my brothers’ hands, and we still have those photos of Emmit’s hands, pudgy and dimpled. Now that we’re no longer able to hold them, we realize how amazing it is to have those photos and be reminded exactly how they felt. That’s why I focus on hands, faces, expressions—because you never know when you’ll lose them.
GIVING PEOPLE THE ABILITY TO LOOK BACK AND REMEMBER IS MY LOVE LANGUAGE.
storytelling
NOTICING & SEEING STORIES IN ALL THE LITTLE DETAILS
I’ll ask about a tattoo, a piece of jewelry, or a scar—and that often unlocks a whole new layer of meaning. Maybe it’s a necklace a bride’s grandma gave her before she passed, or a tattoo two people got to mark how they met. When I notice those details, I make sure to capture them, knowing how much they’ll mean in the future.
I’ve always been drawn to the raw, real parts of life. My own art has been shaped by my personal experiences—grieving the loss of my brother, navigating the dark as well as the light, and finding ways to express those stories visually. There’s a certain magic to capturing the essence of someone’s story in a single photo or gallery. That’s the lens I bring to every session—
UNCOVERING THE STORIES HIDDEN IN PLAIN SIGHT.
comfort
SIMPLY BEING HUMAN.
I never realized it growing up, but my mom once told me that I never had a "type" when it came to people. She said, "You see beauty in everyone, and you take people as they are. You love their flaws and accept their faults all while finding the things that make them beautiful inside and out." Immediately I thought, shit, she’s right. It’s the best compliment I’ve ever received.
That same outlook is what drives me as a photographer. I want to know you. I want to love all the pieces of you. I want you to be the most comfortable you’ve ever been around a stranger. So many people are afraid to close their eyes during a session. They are afraid of double chins, sweating, weird kisses... all of the things we’ve been told to worry about but that make us so fucking human.
I WANT YOU TO FEEL LIKE YOU CAN BE HUMAN WITH ME.
authenticity
YOUR TRUEST SELF IS YOUR MASTERPIECE.
There is a very real feeling of nakedness stepping in front of a camera. I know this, because as a fine art photography major, I did it over and over again myself. Whether you live in the art world or outside of it, that willingness to be authentic, to uncover the tender parts of yourself and your story is the most beautiful thing you can do. It’s how true connection is formed. And when I work with my clients, it’s the greatest honor to
reflect back all that beauty for you to see. I want you to finally see what your partner sees when you smile freely, how you laugh—
WHEN YOU GET A PHOTO BACK AND YOU CAN TRULY SAY: THIS IS ME, AND SHIT, I LOOK GOOD.
Courtney was so wonderful to work with! Our families and the two us have all been crying happy tears looking at the photos of our wedding day. She captured all of the most special moments, and we are so grateful to have had her as our photographer. Our celebration was untraditional in format and Courtney did everything to help us through the process and capture each moment throughout our wedding. She was so accommodating and helpful! We would highly, highly recommend her to anyone hoping to commemorate any special occasion!
- Mercedes + Nick
Our photos are gorgeous and so natural, they feel like us the in best way.
"Courtney is amazing! Choosing her to be our wedding photographer was one of the best decisions we made."
Our photos came out incredible! Her style is exactly what we were looking for. She additionally sent us a beautiful personalized gift box with our photos on a USB drive and polaroids, which we weren't even expecting! We very highly recommend Courtney to anyone looking for a wedding photographer. She captured our day perfectly and we couldn't be happier!"Courtney is amazing! Choosing her to be our wedding photographer was one of the best decisions we made."
- Jacki + Brendan
“Courtney ROCKED!!!! From start to finish we had a great experience."
Courtney was quick to respond and very easy to work with. We chose Courtney as our engagement photographer because of her amazing cinematic and moody style.Courtney far exceeded our expectations! We LOVE our photos!!! As far as the photography experience…Courtney was so much fun to work with and made taking photos such a great experience . She made us feel comfortable and we genuinely enjoyed our evening photoshoot. I would definitely recommend Courtney and hope to be a returning customer.
- Janaya + Caleb
my self portrait
Like Most Kids, I Didn't Have My Shit Figured Out, But I Loved Art.
I took pictures of everything – 3rd grade field trips, my grandma posing in front of backdrops like we were on a product photoshoot.
They were blurry and awful, but my grandparents and my mom developed them anyway. So I never stopped.
My brothers were my first models. I’d convince them to pose on logs or whatever was at hand, and I practiced all my poses and new camera techniques. I took a MILLION photos of them.
And I’m so fucking glad I did.
When i was 19, i lost my little brother Emmit just 19 days after they discovered a tumor in his brain.
From the moment he died, I have had a gaping hole in my chest. I grieve the life that I had planned with him. I grieve the person he was, the light he was. But I do have all those photos. I have all his funny faces, him laughing, the three of us kids together, his ice cream mustaches, close ups of his hands…
Because I never stopped taking photos.
AND I had no idea they were fleeting moments that would never happen again.
When he died, I was transferring to an art program at a new university. I didn’t want to go. I was devastated. I didn’t want to do anything. But my mom kept saying, you can’t stop your life, you have the rest of your life, you have to keep going. This isn’t the end of your life. Which was so hard, because it felt like it was. So I went, gaping hole and all...
Thankfully, I met a professor there that changed everything for me.
With my brother’s death, photography became the outlet for my grief. The work I was creating that semester was deeply depressing, and the professor pulled me aside to make sure I was okay. He took me under his wing and told me “you can do whatever you want to do.”
I was willing to do a lot of things other people weren’t willing to. I was willing to bare my soul, but not many people at 19 have that much to bare. But he saw me, and he understood. He brought me out again by being the most supportive, amazing and weird guy ever.
So from the start, my photography was really deep and vulnerable. I showed my work in galleries and I thought “I love this, this is what I want to do.”
And while I still do shows and galleries here and there, I knew when I graduated it wasn’t a sustainable career that would support myself and my family. So one day I went on Thumbtack and created this little photography profile and got my first two elopement gigs. And the rest is history....
exhibitions
2018 Local Artists, Grist Mill, Rensselaerville, NY
2017 Body Work, Albany Barn, Juried, Albany, NY
Body/Image, Darkroom Gallery, Juried, Essex Jct, VT
2017 Student Show, Troy PhotoCenter, Troy, NY
2017 Photo21 Show, Photographic Expressions Gallery & Studio, Juried, Troy, NY 2016 Student Show, Troy PhotoCenter, Juried, Troy, NY
2016 Photo21 Show, Photographic Expressions Gallery & Studio, Juried, Troy, NY 2016 Undergrad Show, Picotte Gallery, Juried, Albany, NY
38th Annual Photo Regional, Fulton Street Gallery, Juried, Troy, NY
2014 Student Show, SUNY Albany Art Museum, Albany, NY
residencies
Residencies:
2017 Stiwdio Maelor, Corris, Wales
2017 Burren College, Ireland
artist bio
solo exhibitions
2018 Fleming Road, Guggenheim Gallery, Rensselaerville, NY
2019 Feast or Famine: The Devine, Guggenheim Gallery, Rensselaerville, NY Swiss Fantasy, Guggenheim Gallery, Rensselaerville, NY
education
2022 - Present Master of Art History and Visual Culture, Lindenwood University, MO
2017 Bachelor of Fine Art, The College of Saint Rose, Albany, NY
2014 Associate of Fine Art, Columbia Greene Community College, Hudson, NY
2012 Diana Rehm Scholarship for Fine Art
featured in
What verse comes next?
weddings & elopements
maternity & family
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creative sessions
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