Meet Belle Stanton

We were lucky to catch up with Belle Stanton recently and have shared our conversation below.

Hi Belle, really happy you were able to join us today and we’re looking forward to sharing your story and insights with our readers. Let’s start with the heart of it all – purpose. How did you find your purpose?

I came out later in life, and met my now fiancée in 2022. Since coming out and discovering my sexuality, I became passionate about creating LGBTQ+ representation, as I know this is something that would’ve helped me so much growing up. When we got engaged, the photos felt like a celebration of our love, and it clicked for me that photographing couples and weddings could be a way for me to combine my creative hobby of photography with sharing queer love stories that deserve to be told and truly celebrated! I feel so genuinely lucky and fulfilled to work with couples who trust me to document their special moments, and showcase all kinds of love.

Let’s take a small detour – maybe you can share a bit about yourself before we dive back into some of the other questions we had for you?

I grew up training in the performing arts which has lead to my artistic style as a photographer today. I love to tell stories through my work and aim to capture genuine interactions and human connection rather than posing my couples in stillness. I’ll say something like “chase each other into the ocean” or “write each other a love note” and then aim to capture the movement and joy that comes with that action. I hope to create a relaxed and fun experience where couples feel like they are on a date, and I’m simply in the background capturing the memory of it.

There is so much advice out there about all the different skills and qualities folks need to develop in order to succeed in today’s highly competitive environment and often it can feel overwhelming. So, if we had to break it down to just the three that matter most, which three skills or qualities would you focus on?

1. If you have any creative interest at all, don’t listen to the people who don’t think it can lead to a “real job”. Listen to your gut and pursue what makes you happy. Be relentless in your pursuit of your passion.

2. Believe that you can be your own boss! The true belief that you can work for yourself will empower you to take control of your career. There is a learning curve, but there is so much information available online. Watch youtube videos of creators doing what you want to do, be a vendor at or visit markets to meet small business owners in person, and invest in classes or workshops to learn more about your craft.

3. Use social media to connect with others in your field! I got to photograph my first wedding after I replied to an instagram story of one of my favorite photographers who needed a second photographer in my area. Put yourself out there, you never know what can come of it.

How can folks who want to work with you connect?

I would love to collaborate with other LGBTQ+ owned wedding vendors in the East Coast Area! I’m always looking to expand my recommend vendor list for my clients and want to support other queer creatives while doing so. I can be reached at [email protected].

Contact Info:

Image Credits

Belle Stanton Photo

Headshot: James Jin

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