Meet Debra Shepperson, Co-Owner of Relish Photography by Lee, LLC. This husband and wife team are inspired by one main thing…love! From wedding photography to maternity shoots, these two will work to make you comfortable and make your pictures turn out beautiful!

Tell us a little about your company. 
Relish Photography by Lee is a husband and wife photography team offering portraiture, engagement, boudoir, and wedding photography. We can also add aerial photography and aerial videography to a photography package.

We are all about capturing the details and preserving your valuable memories for years to come. While you enjoy every precious moment as it’s happening, we are working quietly in the background. All of our images are of the highest quality and minimally processed to preserve natural beauty. We work with all budgets, offer payment plans and can customize a photography package to meet your needs.

Lee is the founder and master photographer of Relish. He turned his love of photography into a career in 2009. Lee is also a licensed pilot and an experienced drone operator. He holds the required FFA Part 107 Remote Pilot Certification for commercial drone operation.

As for me, Debra, I manage the day-to-day activities of Relish. I work as the off-camera lighting assistant and is sometimes a second photographer for weddings and large events.

How did you get started in this business? 
One photo at a time. A love of photography. After transitioning from film to digital, Lee worked as a 2nd photographer for weddings and events before establishing Relish. I never planned to work in the field, but photography sort of fell in my lap after having worked in the field of human resources. The first time, Lee and I worked as a photography team, was for a series of pet photography sessions.

What’s your favorite wedding story?
Too many to have just one favorite! I always cry at some point in the wedding/reception and get caught up in the emotions of the day. Lee lives, and is energized by taking candid photos and always looks to capture the raw emotions expressed during the wedding.

Why do you like working with weddings? 
We love capturing love stories. It is hard to put in words, but I guess it is all about “feeling” the experience of love that happens during a wedding.

What keeps us going is the magic of couple’s falling in love, getting married, and calling them later to say “we are pregnant!” Can we book you to capture our baby reveal and maternity photos?

What’s the most difficult situation you have faced with a couple and how did you resolve it? 
Situation: The bride was on a budget and she decided to download digital images from an online gallery instead of letting us provide a flash drive of wedding images. The bride was unsuccessful downloading images after several attempts and she was very upset. To resolve the issue, we provided the bride with a flash drive of the images and also compensated her with an album. We also changed our processes for downloading photos and we now include a test download before couples sign their contract so that everyone understands the pros and cons of us not providing a flash drive of wedding images.

Fr0m a vendor’s perspective, what is the one best piece of advice you can offer to engaged couples?
Never, ever, ever….go to bed mad!

How far in advance should couples book your services? 
Six to eighteen months.

What inspires you the most/ where do you find inspiration?
We are inspired by LOVE. “The more you love, the more love you have to give. It’s the only feeling we have which is infinite…” ― Christina Westover

What do you like to do when you are away from work?
When we’re not working, we love to walk their dog, Dee-o-gee. We also love the beach, reading and just spending time together.  We seldom tire of each other!

What would we be surprised to learn about you?
Lee and I  recently celebrated 25 years of marriage. We met during a RABA bicycling event, on Halloween and married 8 months later. Through the years, we’ve moved from racing bicycles to recumbent bikes. While Lee studied for his pilot’s license, I completed her Master’s Degree in Human Resources Development. After several years of studying, Lee and I decided to have some fun and started motorcycling. Today, we both have custom Softail Harley Davidson’s. Lee’s has a wild purple paint job and mine is green with a custom Jesse James 180 rear. Since incorporating Relish in 2013, their motorcycles and recumbents have gotten a bit dusty. We plan to dust them off in 2018!

Learn more about Debra and Relish Photography by Lee on their website!