STAG & BIRD CURATED PHOTO EXPERIENCES

Unapologetically
different

From consult to final artwork, this is handled.

Stag & Bird Curated Photo Experiences is built on care, direction, and intention. You’re not left guessing. You’re guided, seen, and fully taken care of every step of the way.

We photograph weddings, elopements, boudoir, seniors, families, and bold brands for people who want more than “nice.” You want powerful. Real. Images that hit.

Rich, vibrant edits. True-to-skin coloring across every shade, for every person,. Emotion intact. Direction with purpose so you walk away thinking, "I didn't know I could look that good! I didn't know I could feel that good!"

This is curated. Crafted. Intentional.

You don’t just get photos.
You get proof of who you are.

about.

ABOUT STAG & BIRD PHOTO'S CULT OF CULTURE

You either get it or you don’t.

Stag & Bird isn’t built on mass appeal, and it isn’t trying to be. In an industry that often rewards neutrality — soft edges, agreeable personalities, safe images that offend no one — we chose culture instead.

When you work with us, you’re not just hiring a photographer. You’re stepping into a metaphorical club. A collective. A space where black sheep don’t have to explain themselves and misfit moms don’t have to shrink back into who they used to be. Where strange bird seniors are celebrated, not corrected. Where couples don’t feel pressured to reenact a Pinterest wedding.

We’re for the brands who refuse to blend in. The women of whimsy. The families who don’t see the point in pretending to be polished if polished was never the goal.

This isn't cheap chaos. It’s curated.

The culture here is elevated. Structured. Intentional. We guide you. We direct you. We handle the details so you can actually be present instead of wondering where to put your hands. From the first consult to final delivery, you are cared for. Your story gets pulled forward and shaped into something that feels like you, not like a template.

There are entry-level ways in. There are white-glove, fully styled, hair-and-makeup, wardrobe-curated experiences. The level is your choice. The standard is not.

Kansas City has voted us Best of KC ten times through The Pitch — best engagement photographer, best wedding photographer, best photography business (three times), and best boudoir photographer. That didn’t happen because we’re agreeable. It happened because we’re consistent, hands-on, and very good at what we do. And we can do it just about anywhere. Culture travels.

The editing is rich. Vibrant. Skin tones rendered accurately across every melanin level. Deep color. Sharp detail. Cinematic without tipping into performance. The kind of art you hang on your walls and still feel years from now.

I run this business the way I live: no fluff, no fake energy, no playing small. My husband Micah and our boys race motocross, so life here is fast, loud, loving. We got married in April 2024, and I’ve lived the planning stress and the joy right alongside my couples. I get it — not theoretically, but practically.

And because culture means values — ours are clear. We are proudly LGBTQ+. Cannabis-friendly. Pro-Black. Pro-brown. Pro-women. Pro-freedom.

If that makes you uncomfortable, we’re not aligned. And that’s okay.

But if you read this and felt something steady in your chest — recognition, maybe — then you probably already understand.

You don’t just book here.

You belong here.

Hit the contact button.

Let’s fckn' go.

— Court

just who the hell do we think we are?

Courtney Specht

Court is the unapologetic heart behind Stag & Bird—an artist, storyteller, and visual rebel with over two decades of experience behind the lens. Known for her bold imagery and people-first approach, Court creates cinematic, emotional, and wildly real photo experiences for clients who crave something different. She leads a powerhouse team of creatives and runs her West Bottoms studio like a creative playground, collective hub, and home for Kansas City’s misfits, lovers, and dreamers.

team stag & bird

Kansas City’s Unapologetically Different Photo Collective

We’re not just a photography business—we’re a collective of artists, creatives, and visual storytellers capturing love, power, and personality in every frame.

Led by founder Courtney Specht, Stag & Bird has grown into a vibrant team of photographers, videographers, hair and makeup artists, and behind-the-scenes support who are all wildly talented and fiercely people-centered. From high-energy wedding coverage to intimate boudoir sessions, bold branding, and senior portraits that celebrate individuality, we show up to create more than pretty pictures—we create connection.

Based in the historic West Bottoms of Kansas City, with a second hub in Belton, MO, our studios are as dynamic and intentional as the people we serve. Whether you’re saying “I do,” reclaiming your story, or building a brand that breaks the mold, we’re here to help you feel seen—and look damn good while doing it.

This is art. This is story. This is the weird and wild heart of Stag & Bird.