Hello—welcome!

I’m Michelle Macirella, the owner and photographer of Luminaria Photography, and I live in Rochester, NY with my husband and our adorable dog, Koda Bear.

If you’re a sentimental, nostalgic, and creative person who can easily get lost down a rabbit hole on the floor of your grandma’s closet after finding a shoebox full of old family photos, you are my people. If you also love binge-watching your favorite TV shows, getting wrapped up in a good book, cuddling all the dogs, and hosting game nights—I’m pretty sure we’d be friends.

I became obsessed with looking through family photo albums from a very young age, and I’ve had a camera in my hand, documenting the world around me, since I was eight years old.

I’m a photographer who loves capturing the beautiful, ordinary moments in life that will someday become cherished memories. 

I like to think of myself as a documentarian of your family’s history—telling a story through artistic images of this chapter in your lives—not just how you looked, but how you felt and how you loved each other.

I also love to create whimsical and imaginative portraits of you or your pets, and headshots that represent your true self.

In addition to photography, I’m also a writer, educator, dog mom, recovering perfectionist, and the reigning Boggle champion in my family.

My work has been featured in several magazines and galleries. I was a finalist in the 2020 Documentary Family Photography Awards, and I was selected for inclusion in the 2021 Documentary Family Photographers Worldwide photography exhibit juried by New York Times photo editor Tiffanie Graham.

One of my favorite things about working with my clients (besides squishy baby cheeks and adorable dogs) is when I deliver their images and watch their face light up as they say, “This feels exactly like us!”

Want to swap stories, ask a question, or book a session?
Contact me here.