Life & Work with Haleigh Grundherr of Los Angeles / OC

Today we’d like to introduce you to Haleigh Grundherr.

Hi Haleigh, we’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
I’ve always loved storytelling. I was always the friend in the group documenting our adventures, making little videos, and capturing moments that I knew we’d want to look back on someday.

It wasn’t until I was 19, when my sister gifted me a Super 8 camera, that I really fell in love with filmmaking. I love anything timeless and there was something about the imperfection and the nostalgia of analog film that drew in. Super 8 quickly became my favorite way to document life.

That eventually led me into photography. My grandma shoots film, and she taught me a lot about it. She actually gifted me my first manual film camera, and I started taking photos alongside making videos. The more I did it, the more I realized how much I loved the process of documenting people and their lives.

At some point, I realized this could actually be a career, which was a pretty scary but exciting realization. I decided to take the risk and started putting my work out there. Things just kind of unfolded from there, and now I get to do this full time as a photographer and filmmaker, primarily documenting weddings.

I think what I love most is just getting to tell someone’s story. I’m really drawn to the moments that happen naturally—the little interactions, the in-between moments, the things you might not even realize are happening while the day is going on. I want to document things as they actually felt, rather than making everything feel overly posed or perfect.

There’s something really special about being able to give someone a way to remember not just what their wedding looked like, but what it felt like to be there.

Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
It’s definitely come with a lot of failures alongside the wins. I’ve had film not turn out, cameras malfunction, and periods where I really struggled with pricing myself or finding consistent work. There have also been times when I felt stuck creatively, or realized I didn’t have the best systems in place for booking clients and networking.

But I think all of that is just part of the process. A lot of the things I know now are things I only learned because I had to figure them out the hard way. I don’t really think you can grow without failing along the way, so in a weird way, I’m grateful for those experiences because they’ve made me better and more resilient.

I definitely still struggle with a fear of failure and perfectionism, but I’ve learned that waiting until everything is perfect will only keep me from creating. Whenever I start feeling stuck, I remind myself that the only way forward is to keep moving forward… to keep creating things, keep learning, and not stop.

Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
I’m a photographer and filmmaker with a deep love for storytelling. I primarily specialize in weddings, shooting both photo and video, and I’m especially drawn to anything that feels nostalgic, timeless, and alive. I love working across film, Super 8, and digital because each medium has its own way of capturing a feeling.

When it comes to weddings, I’m not really interested in following a cookie-cutter formula or making every wedding look the same. I’m much more drawn to documenting the day as it naturally unfolds—the in-between moments, the little interactions, the emotions, and all the things that make each story feel like your own. I want my work to feel honest, so when someone looks back at their photos or film years later, they’re brought back to how it actually felt to be there.

I care less about creating something that looks perfect and more about creating something that feels real and personal, but also doing it with excellence. I’m always looking for those little moments that might otherwise go unnoticed.

As far as what I’m most proud of, honestly, it’s just how far I’ve come. When I look back at when I first decided to take myself and my work seriously, I’m proud that I kept going. There have been plenty of moments where I’ve doubted myself or felt like giving up, but I kept creating, learning, and figuring things out along the way. I think sticking with it and continuing to grow has been the biggest accomplishment for me.

Alright so before we go can you talk to us a bit about how people can work with you, collaborate with you or support you?
I love collaborating and I’m always open to connecting with other creatives, brands, couples, or anyone who has an idea they want to bring to life. I’m always down to dream up something together, whether that’s a creative project, a photo or video collaboration, or just getting together and making something for the fun of it.

As far as supporting me, sharing my work, sending someone my way, or simply following along means more than people probably realize. I’m really grateful for anyone who takes the time to support what I’m creating.

Pricing:

• Wedding photo- starting at $4000
• Wedding video- starting at $4000
• Wedding photo + video- starting at $7000
• Engagement/couples session- photo starting at $400, video starting at $800, photo + video starting at $1500
• Brands- starting $1800

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.byhaleigh.co
• Instagram: by.haleigh
• Other: byhaleighgrundherr@gmail.com