They’re never the every-hair-perfectly-in-place days, you know what I mean? The days I want to hold tight to with my family are this beautiful jumble of laughter and tears and snuggling and playing. They’re not perfect, but they’re ours.

I am so, so lucky to work with families like yours who aren’t looking for perfect, but something SO much more. Of course we’ll always get those holiday card shots (aka, everyone looking at the camera with a smile), but we’ll also document movement, emotion, personality, connection. Because you and I both know life with kids is all that and more. It’s not static, so your photos shouldn’t be either.

My favorite days
have flyaways…

I know this

How can I preserve meaning for you? →

The story of your family is told in the neighborhood walk to the park and the cold day on the couch watching movies. It’s a big, soothing hug to an overtired toddler and the stack of books on the nursery floor that you page through together.

As a mom, I can tell you that when parenting gets tough — and it does get tough — picking up meaningful, sentimental photos of my own family can pull me through. It helps me pause for a moment and realize how dang thankful I am to have these beautiful people by my side. (I’m also thankful for bedtime, let’s be honest.)

…And there’s meaning in the quiet moments

Before photography, I was a home care nurse. Which sounds like the polar opposite of photography, but hear me out. Being in someone’s home, caring for them when they were vulnerable … the heart of my job was about seeing a person for who they really were and honoring their life, their humanity.

As a photographer, I’m doing the same thing. I’m taking care to notice — who you are as a family, what moments make you feel the most connection. Whether I’m in your home or outside with you, I still carry with me everything I learned as a nurse.

That right there is why I adore working with families around the Twin Cities so much. Photography fills me up, but it also does something more than that. It helps other parents just like me appreciate the beauty in their everyday life.

The why behind
my photography

My three kids — Austin 10, Adri 8, Arlo 6 — are my muses

My husband Nick and I are high school sweethearts, which is wild to think about

Our rescue Boxer/Pitty mix, Dolly, is the love of all of our lives

Summer vacay for our fam is roadtripping our next National Park

On the weekend, find us juggling kid activities (#momlife) or exploring the beauty of Minneapolis's seasons

After bedtime, Nick and I have a standing Netflix date with some dark dramas

A peek into my life in Minneapolis

The Snapshot

Rachel

Thank you for capturing the tenderness and joy of our transition to a family of four.”

“You stunned us with your talent.

Chelsey

I had a pretty clear vision of the "vibe" I was looking for, and I really appreciated that she took the time to hear my ideas and understand my vision, then came prepared (and excited!!) to make them a reality. The day of the shoot, she was SO easy to work with and made us both feel super comfortable. I really appreciated her attention to detail, like adjusting loose fabric on my dress to accentuate the baby bump. So thankful we have these beautiful photos to cherish forever.”

“I'm so glad I hired Kate for our maternity session!

Jessica

She captured our essence. She is a master of setting and has an intuitive sense of how to use the scene to complement (rather than overshadow) her subjects. Moreover,
she knows how to engage children and adults alike. Our session was playful and Kate managed to keep things fun and light. Our children were never irritable…and Kate helped them feel like they were involved in a collaborative, artistic endeavor.”

“Kate is the perfect photographer for our family.