photography that reveals the sacred in your beautiful, ordinary life.

Your life—in its days, moments, connections—is made up of little slivers of magic. These sacred ordinary moments deserve space to reveal themselves. As author Lyanda Lynn Haupt says, “We are always standing upon holy ground.” We have only to notice.

A young girl in a pink skirt, denim jacket, and boots is hanging from a branch of a tall evergreen tree in a sunny yard with green grass and other trees in the background.

SEE THE PHOTOS.

‘A photograph is the articulation of something, and not the mere portrayal of it.’

-Tim Carpenter

For over a decade, I have helped reveal and memorialize people’s most intimate, sacred, ordinary moments. It’s one of the greatest honors and joys of my life to accompany you in this way.

  • Imagine a photo session that doesn’t feel like a photo session. We work together to choose a location that is meaningful and fun. Where your kids can play. You hang out and I capture moments and connections as they happen. No forced smiles or demands—just you and your family living in the moment. I take care of the rest.

    • families

    • newborns

    • weddings

    • Bar Mitzvahs

    • adoption hearings

    • senior portraits

    • headshots

    • brand sessions

    • Twin Cities

    • Chicago

A woman holding the hand of a young girl, walking on grass outdoors with trees in the background. The girl is holding a small stuffed animal.
portfolio.

PHILOSOPHY & STYLE.

‘One should not only photograph things for what they are but for what else they are.’

— Minor White

SHOOTING STYLE

I like to call my shooting style documentary-forward. That means that I take a photo journalism approach to your session. I’m an observer—revealing moments. While I try not to interfere at all, I might gently move you to better lighting, for example. I do very little posing, but I’ll still take portraits at your family session or wedding. Portraits are de-prioritized in favor of moments and photographing things, as White says, “for what else they are.”

EDITING STYLE

I bring my documentary-forward approach all the way through your shoot into my editing. That means I’m not heavy handed in my edits and attempt to be as true-to-life as possible in both color and scene. My philosophy is that there is beauty—even sacredness—in your ordinary moments. Everything in an image is meant to be there. It’s part of your story, and it's beautiful even in its imperfections. Oh, and I’m a bit obsessed with black & white!

Person giving a small bunch of daisies to a girl in a field during daytime.
A young child with curly blonde hair sitting in a shallow puddle, wearing a plaid shirt and muddy boots, with a reflection visible in the water.
Young girl lying on grassy ground, crying, being comforted by adult."
A young woman with long, wavy light brown hair wearing a strapless navy blue top in a garden with yellow flowers and greenery in the background.
A person holding a girl with curly red hair in their arms on a sidewalk during autumn. The girl is wearing a purple dress and black boots, and the person is wearing an olive green jacket and beige pants. The background shows colorful fall foliage and
A woman holding a baby on her lap, smiling and touching hands in a playful gesture, sitting on a beige couch in a living room.
Young man with dark hair wearing a blue polo shirt, white pants, and white sneakers standing on a golf course, holding a golf club.
A woman with shoulder-length wavy hair observing children on a ropes course outdoors.
A young boy holding a bouquet of flowers stands in a kitchen, looking ahead with a curious expression. The kitchen has wooden cabinets, a tiled backsplash, and a door with a window in the background. A cat is partially visible in the lower right corn
A man adjusting a white wedding dress on display in an indoor space with a colorful mural of yellow flowers and a green and blue background on the wall.
A couple shares an intimate moment, standing close with their foreheads touching, during sunset outdoors. The woman is wearing a backless white dress with a tattoo on her lower back, while the man is in a black suit and white shirt.
A man with colorful tattoos on his arms and wearing a baseball cap is helping a young girl in a pink swing. The girl has curly hair and is smiling, looking up. The man is adjusting her harness while she holds onto the swing ropes.
A young girl in pink pajamas with a Disney princess print holding a sleeping baby in her lap, with an adult unseen holding the baby's hand; they are sitting on a teal-colored couch.
Person in a green sweater holding a fluffy brown dog, possibly a Goldendoodle, outdoors on a grassy area.
A newborn baby sleeping peacefully while being gently held by an adult.
A black and white photo of a room with a basket of glass cups in the foreground, a table with a patterned cloth to the right, and a woman in the background folding laundry near a window.
A woman with long brown hair and fair skin, smiling outdoors with a blurred stone wall in the background.
A baby lying on a changing table while an adult gently places their hands on the baby's chest.
Two people enjoying ice cream at an outdoor table under an orange umbrella, with an Orange Julius stand in the background.
Person holding a large metal bowl filled with red and dark purple chili peppers outdoors in a garden.
A group of excited and surprised children, some pointing and some with mouths open, gathered indoors at what appears to be a party or celebration.
A person harvesting kale in a green farm with rolling hills in the background.
A wedding ceremony taking place inside a spacious, modern building. The bride, dressed in a long white gown with a veil, stands facing the groom and officiant. The groom, in a dark suit, holds a book or notes. Several guests are seated on the right s
A young girl dressed in traditional Mexican attire of a white dress with blue ribbons dances inside a room with green walls and a wooden lattice window.
A black and white photo of a cozy living room with a couple sitting on a sofa, looking at a book or photograph. There are two cats on the floor, one lying down and one sitting, near a dollhouse and a window with curtains. A lamp is on a side table ne
A young woman with brown hair wearing earrings, a bracelet, a necklace, and a sleeveless red top, laughing outdoors with trees in the background.
A man with a beard and mustache sitting on a dark couch, wearing a light-colored, patterned dress shirt, in a dimly lit room with a dark background.
A woman and a young girl walk on green grass in a park with trees and sunlight in the background.
Woman with glasses performing a Reiki healing session, placing hands over a person's body with a crystal ball nearby.
Two young boys in suits and sunglasses standing in front of an audience, possibly during a formal event or ceremony.
A woman and two young children outdoors, with the woman gently touching one child's head, capturing an intimate moment.
A man is making a bed with a young child lying on the sheet inside a child's bedroom decorated with space-themed items and toys.
Two young girls with long blonde hair hiding behind willow tree branches, both dressed in light denim jackets and floral skirts.
A young girl with curly hair, green eyes, and wearing a white floral top with denim overalls, looking directly at the camera against a burgundy background.

WHO IS DOCUMENTARY PHOTOGRAPHY FOR?

I believe documentary photography is for everyone, but it might resonate with you if:

  • You see the beauty in everyday life (me too; let’s connect)

  • The idea of a traditional photo shoot stresses you out

  • You appreciate storytelling and photojournalism

  • You want to remember life as it is

  • You crave authenticity and balk at trends

A young boy with curly dark hair sitting on a couch, with a woman and a newborn baby in the background. The boy is touching his nose with his finger, and the woman is smiling.

  • Ours wasn’t a typical wedding. Our story isn’t typical. But I still wanted to capture the celebration of our life together. The moments of real and beautiful time together with our families. To capture what others see between us. Katie’s amazing candid, photojournalistic style was the perfect choice. Not only is her photography beautiful, she has an eye that sees the sweet and special moments and she captures that in all its realness. Through all of our chaos she gave us photos that showed the love, the peace, the warmth, the wonderful. These are the memories I wanted to have of that moment.

    Tarah

  • I have worked with Katie for over seven years, and I can honestly say she is the best documentary style photographer I have ever met. She has captured my family’s personality, growth, and milestones in a way that no one else could. She is a storyteller. I am grateful for the memories she has preserved for us.

    Alli

  • My son is on the autism spectrum and it’s hard to capture his true personality. Katie did his senior pictures and she made him feel comfortable being his authentic self. I get so many compliments on how his pictures turned out. Katie is a true creative talent with an intuitive ability connect to others.

    Jenny

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