About Kate — Milwaukee Wedding & Portrait Photographer

Hey, I am Kate. Let's be friends? 

I’m a documentary-style photographer based in Milwaukee who specializes in weddings, engagements, and portraits for people who hate feeling posed.

I’m not your person if you want stiff, formal, perfectly posed photos. I’m your person if you’d rather just be yourselves and let me worry about the rest.

Immigrant soul, with a Midwest ease

What do I do

I photograph:

  • Weddings & elopements (the kind that feel personal, not performative)
  • Engagement sessions & surprise proposals (relaxed, fun, never awkward)
  • Branding photography for creatives and small businesses
  • Senior portraits (for seniors who want something different)

9 facts about me

  1. My real name is Ekaterina — tricky to pronounce, easy to shorten.

  2. I’m not into small talk.
    But I love real conversations — about culture, art, life, and everything in between.

  3. My fuel is black coffee and 90s grunge.
    Sometimes both at the same time.

  4. You don’t need to know how to pose.
    Seriously. That’s not your job.

  5. One of my superpowers is reading people quickly.
    I adapt to your energy, not the other way around.

  6. Dogs are always welcome.
    You’ve been warned.

  7. I love shoots where people can move, laugh, and be a little weird.
    Real always beats perfect.

  8. I’ll photograph your mountain wedding for food.
    (Joking… mostly.)

  9. My ideal client is someone
    who doesn’t take themselves too seriously
    and isn’t afraid to just be human.

A little more context (if you’re curious)

I moved to the U.S. in 2020—mid-pandemic, no English fluency, zero safety net. Because apparently I like a challenge.

That experience taught me a lot about resilience, reading people across language barriers, and finding beauty in uncertainty. It’s also why I care so much about making people feel comfortable and seen.

I grew up in the USSR and later Russia. I didn’t bring much with me — but I did bring my way of seeing people, my curiosity, and my love for storytelling.

I believe everyone is beautiful.

Not in a perfect, polished way — but in a very real, human way. That’s the beauty I’m interested in photographing.

If being in front of a camera makes you nervous, you’re not alone.
Most people feel that way. My job is to make it feel easy, calm, and surprisingly normal.

Photography isn’t just about light and composition (though yes, I care about that).
It’s about having fun, staying present, and letting things be real.

If this all makes sense to you, we’ll probably get along just fine.

Let's Chat!