Shell Creek Photography

Shell Creek Photography Creating adventurous elopement experiences for couples who want bold + colorful images Hey, I’m Malachi! Contact me to get started!

I specialize in elopement photography & help couples create the most amazing wedding days in nature. I include planning assistance with every elopement to help you find amazing locations, the best vendors, coordination of permits, & so much more.

There are elopement days that go exactly to plan & then there are days like this one, where the mountains rewrite the ti...
04/20/2026

There are elopement days that go exactly to plan & then there are days like this one, where the mountains rewrite the timeljne a bit.

Monica & Scott built a life around the mountains in Colorado, but wanted to experience someplace new for their elopement day. They loved the lushness & greenery of Washington state & decided to get married around the Mount Baker region, which is one of my personal FAVORITE elopement locations in Washington!

They wanted a day that felt like an adventure, something a little wild but still really intentional. We started at their Airbnb in Glacier, WA & then headed up towards the Mount Baker region for their elopement.

They did their first look at Heather Meadows, then we hiked Chain Lakes Trail as the weather rolled in & out. It was moody, dramatic, & constantly changing, with glimpses of Mount Shuksan & Mount Baker coming & going through the clouds.

Partway through the hike, after their ceremony, Monica surprised Scott with a pregnancy reveal! It was such a special moment for them & really added to the energy of the day.

We kept hiking up to a mountain pass for sunset & right when it mattered most, the clouds opened up & both mountains showed off. Golden light, blue hour, everything you hope for after a day like that.

We hiked out in the dark with headlamps, got a few hours of sleep, then woke up early to do it all again for sunrise. After sunrise, we went back to their super cool Airbnb in the forest. Coffee together, hanging out, ending the whole experience in the hot tub in the trees. No rush, no pressure, just time together.

This is why I love days like this. You can build something that actually feels like you, include special things (like making coffee together), plan it around whatever landscapes you love, & it ends up being such a special way to get married!

How do you end an elopement day?There’s no one way to do it, and honestly… that’s the best part.Some couples wrap up wit...
04/10/2026

How do you end an elopement day?

There’s no one way to do it, and honestly… that’s the best part.

Some couples wrap up with a dinner reservation somewhere nice. Clean clothes, a good meal, a slow moment to sit across from each other & actually take it all in.

Some keep it out in the mountains. A picnic table, takeout, maybe a private chef if you want to lean a little more into it. Eating with your hands, still a little dusty from the day, watching the light fade.

If you started your day at sunrise, maybe you flip it & celebrate after with brunch. Coffee, real food, & that feeling of “we just got married” sinking in. (And probably a good nap afterwards.)

Some head straight into town & find a place with a little energy. A spot like the Million Dollar Cowboy Bar where you can grab a drink & listen to music.

Or you go the opposite direction & stay out even longer. Wait for the stars, throw on layers, & take it all the way into the night.

You could head back to your Airbnb & cook together. Open a bottle of something, play music, sit on the floor because you’re too tired to do anything else.

There’s no “right” ending. It doesn’t have to look like a reception or follow any kind of timeline. It just has to feel like a good way to close out a day that was actually yours.

If you want epic elopement photography in epic landscapes, the secret isn’t just finding a beautiful place.It’s building...
04/08/2026

If you want epic elopement photography in epic landscapes, the secret isn’t just finding a beautiful place.

It’s building a day around it. Exploring, getting a little dirty, staying out past sunset, actually being there together, & having FUN!

Pick a place that makes you feel something & plan a day that you’re actually excited to live through, not just pose for. Somewhere you’d want to explore even if no one was documenting it.

That’s what turns a location into something more than just a backdrop & when a location can become a special place that you want to keep coming back to.

Alison & Andrew’s day in Telluride felt like the perfect mix of intention and adventure. They stayed at Mountain Lodge T...
04/06/2026

Alison & Andrew’s day in Telluride felt like the perfect mix of intention and adventure. They stayed at Mountain Lodge Telluride, tucked right into the ski slopes, and built a day that was equal parts exploring and celebrating.

What I loved most is how they blended the feel of an elopement with a few of their favorite wedding traditions. They were all in for the experience, so we hiked out to a partially frozen waterfall, navigating a trail that was a little icy & muddy (but definitely worth it).

Afterward, they shifted into celebration mode with a cozy reception back at the lodge with their families. Their colorful florals & decor brought so much life & personality into the lodge.

And to end it all, we rode the gondola up into the mountains for sunset. Alpenglow faded into blue hour & they wanted to just linger here at the top & soak it all in.

Right now in spring is one of the best times to explore the deserts of Arizona, Utah, Colorado, & California. The temper...
04/04/2026

Right now in spring is one of the best times to explore the deserts of Arizona, Utah, Colorado, & California. The temperatures are a bit nicer, the light stretches longer into the evening, & everything just feels a bit more inviting before the summer heat settles in.

I love Moab and I always will. It’s iconic for a reason. But there are soooo many other places out here that deserve just as much attention for your elopement in the desert! Quiet stretches of desert where you can wander, explore, & feel like you have the whole landscape to yourself. And some of theses landscapes are truly otherworldly.

If you’ve been thinking about getting out here, take this is your sign. Go explore a place you’ve never been, take the long way, stay out past sunset. The desert is a special place & can be truly incredible if you just take the time to explore it & appreciate the beauty here.

You wanna hike on your wedding day. In your actual wedding clothes. To somewhere most people will never see.That's not w...
04/02/2026

You wanna hike on your wedding day. In your actual wedding clothes. To somewhere most people will never see.

That's not weird. That's honestly the best idea! Here's how to actually pull it off...

You've got three options for how to handle your attire on the trail: hike the whole thing in your wedding fit (my personal fave for the most amount of photos in your wedding attire), hike up in regular clothes & change at the top & hike back down in wedding attire, or hike up & change at the top then change back out for the hike down. There's no wrong answer, it just depends on your trail, your attire, & your comfort level.

If you're wearing a dress, go for a-line or flowy styles over mermaid or column cuts. Those can be too tight around the hips to move well on a trail. If you're in a suit, look into stretch fabric options & make sure slim fit doesn't mean can't-take-a-big-step-uphill kind of fit. And if neither of those sounds like you? Wear what feels like you. Jumpsuits, colored dresses, suspenders & dress pants, this is your day!

When you try anything on, actually move in it. Squat, raise your arms, take a big step. If it pulls or restricts, don't buy it. Also your attire will probably get a little dirty. Let it! That just means you did something worth remembering on your wedding day.

Bring layers no matter the season, broken-in shoes, plenty of water, snacks, & extra socks. Blisters are not the vibe.

Hiking elopements are some of my favorite wedding days to help couples plan. There's something really special about saying your vows somewhere you had to work to get to!

Just a few photos to show you why I absolutely LOVE Western Colorado & why I call it home! Western Colorado is a bit mor...
03/20/2026

Just a few photos to show you why I absolutely LOVE Western Colorado & why I call it home!

Western Colorado is a bit more chill, full of charming mountain towns that are slower paced, with mountain roads that lead to views you didn’t have to fight a crowd for. The San Juan Mountains are one of my favorite places in the world & make for an amazing elopement location in Colorado.

Here, there's also opportunities for adventure for everyone. No matter what your level of adventure is, there’s something for everyone. Whether your idea of adventure is taking a Jeep tour in Silverton, or climbing the via ferrata in Telluride or Ouray, there are various degrees of adventure for people just wanting a taste of adventure to the people who want the ultimate adventurous experience.

There's so much more to Colorado than most people realize once you get out of Denver & deeper into the mountains.

My first elopement of the year was unexpected & beautiful in the best way! These two had traveled into the U.S. from the...
03/18/2026

My first elopement of the year was unexpected & beautiful in the best way! These two had traveled into the U.S. from the Netherlands & while they were in Utah they got engaged!

And a few days later (while most people are still calling family or posting the engagement) they were already thinking “What if we just… keep going?”

So we did!

We pulled together an elopement in Grand Teton National Park in just a matter of days. No months of planning. No overthinking. Just two people who knew they didn’t want to wait!

We pulled it off in such a short period of time & also got really lucky with some sunny weather after a storm. If you’ve ever thought about doing something like this… taking the trip, making the decision, skipping the wait, this is your reminder that you actually can. You can truly pull off an amazing elopement in such a short period of time.

Sometimes the best stories are the ones you decide on halfway through the adventure!

Let me influence you to consider a light or colored suit for your elopement day by sharing something I’ve seen over & ov...
02/12/2026

Let me influence you to consider a light or colored suit for your elopement day by sharing something I’ve seen over & over in real galleries, & by sharing some of our own wedding photos...

Yes, darker suits are the “classic” choice. Black. Navy. Charcoal. They’re timeless. They’re safe. But when we’re talking about outdoor elopements with big landscapes, dramatic skies, red rock, alpine lakes, wildflowers, desert cliffs, etc. darker suits can sometimes visually blend into the environment more than you’d expect.

Here’s why this matters👇

A white wedding dress almost always stands out against nature. Even in those tiny people, big landscape photos, the dress naturally pops against greens, browns, reds, blues. It reflects more light & draws in your eye.

Darker suits absorb light. So in wide scenic images, especially in forests, mountains, or moody weather, they can visually recede into the background. That’s actually why I sometimes suggest taking off the jacket for some photos if there’s a lighter shirt underneath. It instantly creates more contrast & separation from the landscape in your elopement photos.

Now imagine this instead:

• Cream or tan in the blue mountains or against dark evergreens
• Sage or dusty blue in the red rock desert
• Rust or muted earth tones against blue alpine lakes

When you choose a suit color that contrasts with the landscape you’re eloping in, it creates depth & separates you from the background.

And honestly? It can feel more like you!

This doesn’t mean dark suits are “wrong.” It just means if you’re planning an outdoor elopement, it’s worth thinking about how your outfit looks with the environment.

If you’re unsure what would work best for your location, that’s something I can help with during planning too. I’m always thinking about light, contrast, & how to make you stand out in the right way against the landscape.

When your photos come back & you’re glowing against the mountains instead of blending into them, you’ll be so glad you thought about this detail!

Big life update that some of you may know about... ✨I have officially moved back to Colorado at the beginning of this ye...
02/09/2026

Big life update that some of you may know about... ✨

I have officially moved back to Colorado at the beginning of this year! And honestly… it feels really damn good to be back here.

Colorado has always felt like home to me. Big mountains, wide open space, dramatic mountain weather, quiet mornings, & landscapes that remind me why I love being outside in the first place. Being back here feels grounding in the best way & settling back into something familiar.

One of the best parts is where this puts me for the kind of work I love most! I’m now super close to Moab, the Southwest, the Tetons, & so many of the places I’m already photographing couples. Desert cliffs, alpine lakes, high country passes, red rock, snow capped peaks, all of it right in reach.

And just to be clear, this doesn’t mean I’m staying put. I still live for the road, for travel days, & I absolutely love to travel. Sometimes I feel like I literally cannot stay in one spot! Colorado is just the launch point now.

If you’re dreaming up an elopement or small wedding in the mountains, the desert, or somewhere that feels a little off the beaten path, I’m very much in my element right now & cannot wait for all the amazing elopements coming up this year. So far this year I'm traveling throughout Colorado & will also be headed to Alaska, Moab, Washington state, Croatia, Italy, Wyoming, Yosemite, & so many other rad locations!

Address

3208 Ravens Crest Drive
Montrose, CO
81401

Opening Hours

Monday 8am - 5pm
Tuesday 8am - 5pm
Wednesday 8am - 5pm
Thursday 8am - 5pm
Friday 8am - 5pm
Saturday 12pm - 5pm
Sunday 12pm - 5pm

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(402) 615-3061

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