Wedding & Elopement Photographer

Based in The Hudson Valley 

Photography focused on the romance that brought you here in the first place.

Let it be cinematic.

Let it be you.

Photography for those adventurous romantics.

Eloping is a beautiful alternative to a large wedding for those storybook romantics and adventurous hearts. My wife and I eloped and we wouldn’t have done it any other way!

A bit about me.

What do you get when you roll up a former student filmmaker, writer, and all around helpless romantic: the photographer you’ve probably been searching for.

Every time I pick up my camera, my goal is create something beautiful and real using a client-focused, artistic mindset. Not one to yield to whichever aesthetic trends permeate the influencer-dominated landscapes of social media, I endeavor to look inward - capturing instead the essence of the real human beings I photograph. There’s only one you, and I empower you to shine through every frame.

  • If you want to be blown away with happiness when you receive your wedding pictures - choose Michael. There aren't enough stars on here to rate him sufficiently - he was phenomenal. From our first initial phone call, through the weeks and days leading up to our wedding, then our wedding day itself - Michael was an absolute joy to work with. He is fantastic. He is a photographer who really listens and who will go the extra mile to make any visions you have for your big day happen. A true professional, he is down-to-earth and genuinely approachable, very friendly, and punctual (he was early!). Let's talk about the photos. The attention to detail that Michael was able to convey is almost unreal. You try to remember as much as possible from your wedding day, but as time goes on you want something tangible to bring you back to precise moments. We relived the whole day in gorgeous detail through the photos Michael took. He captured ALL of the small, intimate moments that made the day so special, while still capturing everyone and everything in what felt like the day's entirety. The quality of the photos is breathtaking. I look at these photos and tear up almost in disbelief that someone was able to so perfectly capture so many feelings and moments visually. I truly can't say enough wonderful things about Michael. He was beyond worth every penny and then some. I will definitely book him again for any photographed event, and recommend him tenfold to anyone who wants their memories beautifully captured!!

    Niki Garguilo ~ Google Review

  • "Michael did an incredible job taking Save the Date photos for me and my fiancée, Brianna. We weren't sure about whether we should take photos, but decided to give it a try and figured we could always just have them for ourselves even if we didn't send them out to our guests. Fortunately for us, Michael did an excellent job and we are truly thrilled with the photos. He was about to make us feel comfortable and relaxed during the photo shoot and he found some really beautiful locations for us. He even included our dog in a few photos! We really loved our experience and the photos, I can't recommend him enough!!"

    Mike Luongo - Google Review

    engaged couple photographed in the hudson valley surrounded by fall foliage
  • "I trust Michael can make anyone's ideas come to life and exceed most client’s expectations. I had been on photoshoots with dogs before (even trained like these two) but it is just a lot of work and this was effortless and he didn’t apply any stress and when needed we just “rolled” with it and you could never tell by these photos. Most importantly his photos are just out of this world beautiful."

    Samantha Duerst - Google Review

    woman photographed walking alongside her two dogs while surrounded by fall foliage
  • "Michael photographed my entire immediate family with little notice, which includes four siblings, grandparents and five grandkids ranging in age from 9 months to 5 years old. He is incredibly talented, kind, and tremendously patient. The photos are among my favorite and will be cherished by us for years to come. Michael captured the kids’ personalities perfectly and so many special moments. He felt like a member of the family and made everyone feel immediately comfortable and at ease. I cannot recommend him enough! Book him - you won’t regret it."

    Desiree Murnane - Google Review

FAQs

  • I work primarily from the Hudson Valley and am willing to drive throughout the New York, New Jersey, and Connecticut areas. If you like my style and would like to hire me for something outside of these areas, I’d love to discuss that with you, however just be aware that additional travel rates may apply.

  • Absolutely! I have travelled coast to coast for all sorts of events. Depending on the distance and necessary means of transportation, additional rates may apply.

  • ABSOLUTELY! I support and encourage the free expression of love in all its forms. I believe, at a foundational level, that no person should be made to feel excluded on the basis of their gender identity, sexuality, or lifestyle. Furthermore, I will decline any business that I do not believe aligns with these values. I am here to photograph you as you are, inclusive of everything that makes you who you are.

  • I am currently practicing law on a very limited, periodic basis in the state of New York only. My services as Michael Cort Photography are completely separate and unrelated to legal services of any kind.

  • I believe in delivering focused, consistent, and personalized experiences. For that reason I work alone as the sole photographer for all events, including weddings. I sacrifice being everywhere all at once for being in the places that matter most and seizing on those small, blink-and-you’d-miss-it moments that make all the difference.

  • I started a photography side-hustle back in 2013 when I began shooting events and headshots for friends and colleagues. I continued part time through 2021, when I finally decided to quit my day job and do this full time. I have a varied portfolio, which you can see more of here on my website!

  • My style is you. I know that sounds corny, but I channel a lot of my creative energies from my subjects and the love they have for each other. This will often subconsciously influence the creative choices I make while taking photographs. I will happily take client preferences to heart should you decide to share those preferences with me, but my priority is to capture you as you naturally are!

  • Hawk-eyed site visitors might notice a slight cinematic flare to my work. I love a good epic wide shot or a deeply emotional shallow focus.

    My discovery of photography stemmed from my work on various short films. Films and filmmaking in general are a very powerful form of expression and I do often tap into that energy while shooting photography as well.

    I find this aligns with my objectives as a photographer rather organically. After all, actors on a screen are telling a story, which they convey through emotion and expression. My goal is to tell your love story as you feel it — except here there are no lines, no artificial or unnatural posing. All you need to do is be in love, and I will work my magic in transforming your story into beautiful photography.

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