R+D Creative is Rachel and Drake - best friends, photographers.

Hello there! We’re Rachel and Drake; the humans behind this small, Saint Louis-based photography business. Both creative storytellers at heart, we studied graphic design (Rachel) and journalism (Drake), and spent more than a decade pursuing careers in marketing. Over time, our ideas of success changed, and we realized that if we wanted to thrive, we needed to use our talent, skills, and creativity differently. In the words of Dolly Parton, “If you don’t like the road you’re walking, start paving another one.” 

So that’s what we did. 

We created R+D Creative - a business where we get to do things we’re good at (like visual storytelling) with people we like (like you). We want to take your picture, sure, but we don’t want to just take your picture. We want to make sure you feel seen and have fun. We want to capture the energy of your family game night and the look on your toddler’s face when you let her win a round of Connect 4. We want to show the warmth in your kitchen when you're baking cookies or passing on a cherished family recipe. We want to leave you with a photograph that always makes you remember the way your partner laughs when they really think something is funny. If you have a milestone to document or a memory to preserve, we want to help you tell your story.