She’s a homeschool mom, a wildly talented photographer, and the only person I trust to navigate three kids, state taxes, and a wedding timeline without dropping her snow cone. She rides around town on a bright yellow Madsen bike like she’s starring in the most wholesome and chaotic indie film you’ve ever seen. Her husband’s a biology teacher, she’s got southwestern roots deeper than a cactus, and she knows where every hidden local gem is. She can name constellations and color palettes in the same breath.
She’s got heart. She’s got grit. She’s got a library card that should honestly have its own zip code. And if you don’t love her yet? Just wait five minutes. You will.
all about Marquette!
Okay LISTEN UP, everybody! over-enthusiastic internet bestie here to tell you...
miles on the madsen
Naps per week
4
gen southwesterner
7th
years of experience
15+
You can find us visiting National Parks, exploring forest and county roads, seeing what we can carry on our Madsen bikes, homeschooling, playing board games with cousins, or wandering the college campus where Cameron teaches biology.
Hey there, I'm Marquette. I'm head over heels for my big yellow Madsen bike, the capital R in my middle name, and anything orange!
2k+
A little about us
MARQUETTE & CAMERON:
Cameron and I were best friends before romance set in (funny tidbit: he friendzoned me!), and have been up to shenanigans as Mr & Mrs since 2006!
DARROW, IONE, & MOLLY:
These three little people of ours keep us running, laughing, and up at night. And we're completely and totally smitten.
THE BIG YELLOW BIKE:
After dreaming of one for years, we finally got a Madsen bike. It immediately became one of my favorite family decisions! It carries kids, plants, groceries, wood pellets, etc.
MARQUETTE & CAMERON:
Cameron and I were best friends before romance set in (funny tidbit: he friendzoned me!), and have been up to shenanigans as Mr & Mrs since 2006!
THE BIG YELLOW BIKE
After dreaming of one for years, we finally got a Madsen bike. It immediately became one of my favorite family decisions! It carries kids, plants, groceries, wood pellets, etc.
DARROW, IONE, & MOLLY:
These three little people of ours keep us running, laughing, and up at night. And we're completely smitten.
PRICKLY PEAR:
With our own method of juicing the fruit, we've come to LOVE any and all things Prickly Pear! Jelly, syrup, soda, sorbet, smoothies, marinades, etc. It's the best!
ORANGE:
I don't know why, but I LOVE orange. It grabs my eye anytime I see it. It's a slight obsession and it truly is the happiest color.
EXPLORE WHERE WE LIVE:
We are fascinated with exploring where we live. Local family owned restaurants. Mom and Pop shops. State and National Parks. Forest roads. Simple hikes. And if it has water to throw rocks in, it gets extra brownie points from the kids!
PRICKLY PEAR:
With our own method of juicing the fruit, we've come to LOVE any and all things Prickly Pear! Jelly, syrup, soda, sorbet, smoothies, marinades, etc. It's the best!
EXPLORING WHERE WE LIVE:
We are fascinated with exploring where we live. Local family owned restaurants. Mom and Pop shops. State and National Parks. Forest roads. Simple hikes. And if it has water to throw rocks in, it gets extra brownie points from the kids!
ORANGE:
I don't know why, but I LOVE orange. It grabs my eye anytime I see it. It's a slight obsession and it truly is the happiest color.
SOUTHWEST:
Growing up in NM & AZ, we have a deep love for the landscapes, cultures, foods, and people of the American Southwest.
WILDERNESS MOWERS:
The name is a bit of an inside joke, but basically we love learning ways to be more resourceful, frugal, and digging into our rural living roots!
PHILOSOPHIES:
I firmly believe that life is what you make of it, that hard work trumps IQ or talent, that any day is a good day to dress up, that orange IS the happiest color, the bus ride is the best part of any field trip, and that someday pigs will fly!
PHILOSOPHIES:
I firmly believe that life is what you make of it, that hard work trumps IQ or talent, that any day is a good day to dress up, that orange IS the happiest color, the bus ride is the best part of any field trip, and that someday pigs will fly!
SOUTHWEST:
Growing up in New Mexico & Arizona, we have a deep love for the landscapes, cultures, foods, and people of the American Southwest.
WILDERNESS MOWERS:
The name is a bit of an inside joke, but basically we love learning ways to be more resourceful, frugal, and digging into our small town/rural living roots!
Photography wasn’t something I always planned as a career. I spent hours as a kid with a 110 film camera posing my brothers in wrestling matches on the front lawn, hanging blankets to create makeshift backdrops, and experimenting with outdoor light. What I didn’t realize at the time was that I was learning to tell stories through my camera.
I didn't know this could be a job.
Fast forward to college, where I enrolled in an oil painting class. I took photos to use as references for my work, but I quickly found that I loved photography much more than painting (sorry Mr. Rhodes). I began photographing my cousins—family, friends, anyone I could, and I noticed something incredible: my photos made people feel good about themselves. The joy I felt capturing their emotions was mirrored in their reactions to the images. That’s when it clicked—I wanted to make people feel seen and celebrated through my work.
The moment it clicked:
Cameron's first year of teaching was at an alternative high school with under-served students. We gifted the seniors with portraits and the joy in their reactions were some of the most rewarding moments of my early journey. That experience opened my eyes to how photography can do more than just capture memories—it can give people a sense of pride and belonging, and showed me how much of a difference I could make by serving others through my craft.
Serving through photography:
The senior photo experience made me realize that I could do more than just take beautiful pictures—I could actually make an impact. Photography could help support my family while allowing me to extend my ability to serve others. That’s when I decided to fully embrace it as a business, with the intention of using my craft to tell meaningful stories, help people feel seen, and capture the beauty in life that often goes unnoticed.
Passion into Purpose
Photography wasn’t something I always planned as a career—it started with a 110 film camera and a love for capturing moments. I spent hours posing my brothers in wrestling matches on the front lawn, hanging blankets to create makeshift backdrops, and experimenting with outdoor light. What I didn’t realize at the time was that I was learning to tell stories through my camera.
I didn't know this could be a job.
Part 1/4
Fast forward to college, where I enrolled in an oil painting class. I started taking more and more photos to use as references for my work, but I quickly found that I loved photography much more than painting. I began photographing my cousins—family, friends, anyone I could, and I noticed something incredible: my photos made people feel good about themselves. The joy I felt capturing their emotions was mirrored in their reactions to the images. That’s when it clicked—I wanted to make people feel seen and celebrated through my work.
The moment it clicked:
Part 2/4
Cameron's first year of teaching was at an alternative high school with under-served students. We gifted the seniors with portraits and the joy in their reactions were some of the most rewarding moments of my early journey. That experience opened my eyes to how photography can do more than just capture memories—it can give people a sense of pride and belonging. It also showed me how much of a difference I could make by serving others through my craft.
Serving through photography:
Part 3/4
That same year, I realized I was done waffling about whether to keep photography as a hobby or make it a business. The senior photo experience made me realize that I could do more than just take beautiful pictures—I could actually make an impact. Photography could help support my family while allowing me to extend my ability to serve others. That’s when I decided to fully embrace it as a business, with the intention of using my craft to tell meaningful stories, help people feel seen, and capture the beauty in life that often goes unnoticed.
Passion into Purpose
Part 4/4
Evolution of a Photographer
PROGRAM DEVELOPMENT
My 110 film camera went everywhere with me as a kid. My photo album was full of prints of cousins, zoo animals, siblings, road trips, and 4-H projects.
ALPHA TESTING
After discovering I liked taking photos more than painting in college, I drug my siblings, cousins, and friends everywhere taking pictures of them.
BETA TESTING
The first people to ask me to take pictures of them was my sister and Cameron's brother after they got engaged (yup, sisters married brothers). Wait...people might want this? I kept shooting for friends and family who asked.
PROGRAM DEVELOPMENT
My 110 film camera went everywhere with me as a kid. My photo album was full of prints of cousins, zoo animals, siblings, road trips, and 4-H projects.
BETA TESTING
The first people to ask me to take pictures of them was my sister and Cameron's brother after they got engaged (yup, sisters married brothers). Wait...people might want this? I kept shooting for friends and family who asked.
ALPHA TESTING
After discovering I liked photographing more than oil painting in college, I drug my siblings, cousins, and friends everywhere taking pictures of them.
CONTINUED BETA TESTING
For 7 years I waffled on if I wanted photography to be a hobby or a business. I started building a brand, but didn't know if I was "serious", especially when our first baby came in 2013.
THE LAUNCH
In 2015 I decided it was time to go all-in. I made the business legally official, started working with a brand designer, and dove into education like crazy.
MARQUETTE LAREE 1.0
I photographed everything. Weddings, senior sessions, families, couples, babies, you name it. I wanted to do all the things and I loved it! We grew to a family of 4 and every minute was full.
CONTINUED BETA TESTING
For 7 years I went back and forth trying to decide if I wanted photography to be a hobby or a business. I started building a brand, but didn't know if I was "serious", especially when our first baby came in 2013.
MARQUETTE LAREE 1.0
I photographed everything. Weddings, senior sessions, families, couples, babies, you name it. I wanted to do all the things and I loved it! We grew to a family of 4 and every minute was full.
THE LAUNCH
In 2015 I quit waffling and decided it was time to go all-in. I made the business legally official, started working with a brand designer, and dove into education like crazy.
THE SABBATICAL
After four years of pouring everything into the business, I felt strongly that I needed to step back and focus on family. I had no idea if I'd open up again.
MARQUETTE LAREE 2.0
After 18 months of business rest I relaunched the business in the middle of the pandemic. I had more clarity than ever before and niched down to weddings only.
THE UNKNOWN
When my Mom died in 2021 I was devastated. My clients from that era have a soft spot in my heart for all the love and grace they showed me. I quit taking inquiries. Life felt flat. I didn't know if I wanted to keep the business going at all.
THE CRASH
When my Mom died in 2021 I was devastated. My clients from that era have a soft spot in my heart for all the love and grace they showed me. I quit taking inquiries. Life felt flat. I didn't know if I wanted to keep business going at all.
MARQUETTE LAREE 2.0
After 18 months of business rest I relaunched the business in the middle of the pandemic. I had more clarity than ever before and niched down to weddings/couples only.
THE SABBATICAL
After four years of pouring everything into the business, I felt strongly that I needed to step back and focus on the family (including my mother and her health issues). I had no idea if I'd open up again or not.
THE HEALING
The first inquiry after my mom's funeral was in 9/21. I told them I was pausing all inquiries until April when I'd know if I could give clients the Marquette LaRee experience they deserved.
THE REEMERGENCE
After some professional help with my grief, I reached back out to the couple 4 months earlier than I told them I would. And they'd waited for me! I was ready to dive in again.
MARQUETTE LAREE 3.0
January of 2025 I launched my new brand and website to reflect years of growth and clarity. I love serving my Arizona couples and our local businesses, and putting as much good in the world as I can.
MARQUETTE LAREE 3.0
January of 2025 I launched my new brand and website to reflect years of growth and clarity. I love serving my Arizona couples and our local businesses, and putting as much good in the world as I can.
THE REBOOT
After some professional help with my grief, I reached back out to the couple 4 months earlier than I told them I would. And they'd waited for me! I was ready to dive in again.
THE HEALING
The first inquiry after my mom's funeral was in September 2021. I told them I was pausing all inquiries until April when I'd know if I wanted to continue or not...if I could give clients the Marquette LaRee experience they deserved.
Photography is more than just taking pictures—it’s about serving people. This includes not just my clients, but the wedding vendors I work with. I’ve made it a point to gift images those vendors, building a culture of collaboration and trust that’s rare in the industry. These relationships have been crucial to my business, and I believe that by helping vendors showcase their work, I’m making a real difference in their success.
At the heart of my business is the belief that people matter more than anything.
I’ve had brides reach out years after their wedding, grateful for a photo I captured of a loved one who has since passed away. Like this 2020 photo I cherish of my mother and I (and baby Molly) from my brother's wedding. She passed at age 55 in 2021 and photo is one of my treasures. That’s why I do what I do—because the memories I help preserve can have a lasting emotional impact on families. I know that what I offer is more than just photos; it’s a way for people to hold onto the moments that mean the most.
At the end of the day, my business exists to celebrate the goodness in people and their stories. Whether I’m working with couples, families, or small businesses, I aim to shine a light on the good I see. Through my work, I want to uplift others, help them see the beauty in their own lives, and create something lasting that they can hold onto for years to come.
My photography exists to preserve the fleeting moments that matter most.
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