I'm a documentary-style Portland wedding photographer drawn to what’s real — the candid glances, the quiet in-between moments, the big, joyful bursts of emotion. My approach is rooted in presence and trust — creating a space where you can feel comfortable, seen, and completely yourself.
Whether I'm documenting your wedding day, your growing family, or the many ways love shows up in your life, I’m here to tell your story with honesty, care, and a sense of calm joy. I work all across the Pacific Northwest and beyond, and I absolutely love traveling for weddings and elopements — from mountain tops to coastlines and everywhere in between.
Let’s tell your story, together.
Whether candid or gently posed, my approach is always rooted in connection — creating space for comfort, laughter, and those beautifully honest moments to unfold. Through real conversations well before the big day, we’ll build trust that allows your love story to be told with heart, emotion, and a touch of magic.
Karen creates honest, raw images of her subjects through her artful, candid approach—during our session, she encouraged us to be ourselves while gently guiding us into the good light and helping us pose or relax when we felt awkward about being in front of the camera. Additionally, as a lesbian couple who present masc and femme, Karen didn’t make assumptions about who should be holding who based on height, haircut, or clothing style—we were free to hold one another the way we naturally do.
Karen’s work is sensual and intimate, and she has a meticulous eye for detail—intertwined hands and legs, the pursed lips of a kiss, fingers braided through hair, the blur of a couple rolling around in bed. Through her lens, she bears witness to our humanity and shows us just how beautiful we are. The way Karen captured the love between me and my wife is as sacred as the love itself.
My wife and I worked with Karen for our wedding day, and absolutely could not be happier with both the experience she provided from start to finish, and with the photos. She has an amazing eye for which moments to capture, and does it while hardly being noticed. We seriously can’t recommend Karen enough - not just for weddings, but for any major moments in life.
Karen has a gift for being in presence with people - offering them the space to be however they are in that moment and capturing the honesty of it. Pregnancy and parenting has offered me a newfound sense of intimacy, but I've also found it hard to know where I end and my family begins. Our shoots with Karen offered me a reflection that let me relish in that complexity, to see the swirl of individual and communal as the magical mess it is. It's been a gift to be held in the authenticity of each moment we share with her - knowing that she's capturing the hidden magic of our everyday experiences with spontaneity and a reverence for light, composition and astounding beauty
Karen took my wedding day to the next level. She went above and beyond to make sure she captured my special day perfectly. She was incredibly kind and sweet and really made the whole day that much more fun! She even included Polaroids and old film style photos which I really loved. The photos turned out absolutely beautiful and I could not be more happy with them. My husband and I couldn’t stop giggling and smiling looking through them. If I could leave more stars I would because we really loved working with Karen. She’s the best!
I was born and raised in Michigan, and first fell in love with travel at age ten, on a plane ride with my aunt. I still remember staring out the window, full of wonder as we rose into the clouds. That sense of awe has stayed with me ever since. It’s what brought me to Portland at 23, where I spent years as a chef and restaurateur before photography became the heartbeat of my current chapter.
Today, I’m a Portland documentary wedding photographer with a deep love for the road. Whether you're planning an intimate celebration in the Colorado mountains, a sun-soaked elopement in Mexico, a romantic Italian escape, or a city wedding in San Francisco — I’d be honored to come along for the ride. The world is full of beauty. Let’s meet somewhere magical and tell your story there.
Portland + Nashville, TN
April 2025
September 2025
Portland, OR
Portland + Sicily, Italy
May 2025
October 2025
Portland, OR
Portland + Michigan
June 2025
November 2025
Portland, OR
Portland + Boulder, CO
July 2025
December 2025
Portland + Michigan
Portland, OR
August 2025
January 2026
Portland + Sayulita, MX
These are the moments that make my heart skip. Honest, intimate, and full of soul. While weddings and elopements are a big part of what I do, my love for storytelling extends far beyond the ceremony. I’m endlessly inspired by the quiet magic of everyday life. The connection between a growing family, the deep tenderness of pregnancy, the way long-time lovers still make each other laugh. From soulful portraiture to spontaneous moments with your kids in the backyard, these are the stories worth remembering too. Whether we’re in Portland or chasing light somewhere new, I’m here to document your life with care, emotion, and intention.