meet Katie
I can trace my journey as a wedding and portrait photographer back to when I was a child. For as long as I can remember, I have loved the arts. As a kid, art class was one of the only subjects I truly enjoyed and excelled at.
In college, I resisted the pull of majoring in some kind of art because I didn’t think it was practical. After a couple of years of taking elective painting and drawing classes, I finally surrendered to the fact that I was meant for a career in the arts. I tried my hand at graphic design for a very stressful 3 semesters, and during this time I also took my first photography classes. I fell in love with the darkroom, and after some urging from one of my teachers, I decided to change my major.
I graduated in 2007 with a Bachelor’s of Fine Art, and began working in the photography section of a crime lab while photographing families and weddings on the side. I took my business full-time in 2011 after my son was born.
As a young photographer I was consumed with creating “pretty” images and photographing details details details. I isolated my subjects against blurred backgrounds on every single image. At weddings I didn’t feel accomplished until I got that one staged *epic* portrait of the couple. As I grew and evolved, my photography style did too. It became more important to me to see full scenes and document human connection. Years of trial and error, experimentation, and education eventually led to a style that is more mature and meaningful than where I started, and it’s important to me to continue to learn and grow as an artist.
While I still love details, great style, and beautiful portraits, my main goal is to document real, raw moments in a way that feels timeless, nostalgic, and honest, yet elevated. I love imperfect imagery and catching small moments that others may not see. After almost 20 years of photographing I still get a flutter of excitement when I know I’ve captured something special.
I believe that all love is valid and I work with couples and families from all walks of life regardless of race, age, sexual orientation, gender, or religion.It’s an honor and a privilege to be able to preserve memories for all of those that step in front of my camera. Please head to my contact page if you’d like more information on my wedding or portrait services.
I can’t wait to hear from you <3
-Katie
I’VE PHOTOGRAPHED IN:
Glin, Ireland
Palm Springs, CA
Julien, CA
San Francisco, CA
Joshua Tree, CA
Idyllwild, CA
Milton, NY
Long Island, NY
Austin, TX Flagstaff, AZ
Chicago, IL
New Orleans, LA
Nashville, TN
Atlanta, GA
Kansas City, MO
Chittenden, VT
Denver, CO
Key West, FL A PEEK into MY LIFE
I live in south St. Louis city with my husband Mike, our son Fox, our dogs Ranger + Clementine, and our cat Finn. I’m passionate about interior design, traveling, and pizza. In addition to photography, I have an antique booth at The Hill Antique Market where I sell curated vintage items and some of my own artwork. I specialize in making super tiny paintings.
I love rainy weather, winter, and being cozy at home. I truly believe the happiest place on earth is the dog park.
View my fine art website at www.katieforbis.comMy antique booth IG account is @vv_collected_interiors