Welcome

I am a wedding and elopement photographer who delights in all things love and storytelling. My hope is to document your day, from the quiet moments in the morning, to the emotional hand squeezes as your partner speaks their vows, to hitting the dance floor to capture the celebration. My approach is to observe and document your wedding story as it unfolds. I am a former sushi chef, game enthusiast, cinema lover, amateur snack reviewer,. in an international marriage to an avid hiker, general homebody, aspiring handcrafter, I cannot wait to hear the quirks you love about each other and how you met.

Many photographers photograph so they can make a picture. They’re attracted to the structural nature of the image and the kind of hunt involved in picture-making. But for me, photography has always been a tool rather than an end in itself, a way of attempting to understand what it means to feel kinship with another – what, I think, could be called empathy.

– Larry Fink

Sam Hugh standing in front of the Chicago skyline at the Art Institute

I am a photographer, father, chef, husband, cinephile, and conversationalist. My work is informed by my lived experience and curiosity to know more about the people who surround me. I am honored to document couples’ weddings and elopements.

Learn more about me here.

Sam Hugh is standing in his childhood home with a patterned red shirt and a backpack.