Find the Best Photographers in Charleston

Waybright Photography operates out of Cross Lanes, a Charleston suburb, and is run by Justin, a father of three with more than 20 years in photography overall and a background that includes managing an Olan Mills portrait studio and shooting for newspapers and magazines. That mix of studio-management and photojournalism experience shows up in newborn and baby sessions priced openly on the site starting at $275, a straightforward, published rate rather than a custom quote requiring an inquiry. The business markets itself as an affordable, one-stop option covering newborn and baby portraits alongside children’s, senior, family, wedding, and even real estate and faith-based photography, making it a generalist rather than a boutique newborn specialist. Justin has picked up eight national photography awards over his career, a credential that points to technical skill built well before newborn photography became his focus. For Charleston-area families who want budget-friendly, professionally lit newborn portraits from a photographer with decades of broader experience, Waybright Photography offers an accessible, established option. 

HEK Productions is run by Hillary, a Charleston, WV-based photographer and videographer who maintains a dedicated Fresh 48 page on her site alongside separate sections for weddings, kids, maternity, and seniors. That structure signals Fresh 48 and newborn work is treated as its own specialty rather than something offered only when asked. Hillary describes her focus as documenting small, easily overlooked details — soft baby hands, a wisp of hair, the texture of a swaddle — the same instinct she applies to intricate wedding-dress beading in her bridal work. As a wife and mother herself, she brings personal experience with newborns into how she reads a session, staying calm through both quiet moments and the more chaotic ones a new baby can bring. Her client galleries show a working photographer with regularly scheduled sessions across weddings, real estate, and family portraiture in addition to newborn work, rather than a single-category specialist. For Charleston families who want a Fresh 48 or newborn session with a photographer already established across multiple genres locally, HEK Productions offers that range under one studio. 

Lauren Love Photography takes on only six lifestyle newborn sessions a year, a deliberately small number meant to keep every session personal rather than treating newborn work as a volume business. Based in Charleston, Lauren blends a photojournalism sensibility with everyday parenting moments — feeding, naps, quiet play — documented in the family’s own environment rather than a studio backdrop. Her newborn work often ties into a broader ‘First Year’ documentation plan, tracking a baby’s growth across twelve months rather than photographing a single isolated session. She’s known locally for using Charleston’s own scenic and cultural spots, from the Carriage Trail to Downtown’s Power Park and neighborhood boutiques, giving sessions a genuine sense of place rather than a generic backdrop that could be anywhere. Before a session, she takes time to learn a family’s preferred colors and style, incorporating small local or vintage touches into the final images. For Charleston parents drawn to a natural, unposed documentary style over a heavily staged studio look, Lauren Love’s small-batch approach offers a more intimate alternative, with the tradeoff being limited yearly availability. 

The Oberports are based directly in Charleston and have built one of the state’s most reviewed photography businesses, with 109 reviews backing a portfolio that goes well beyond the wedding work they’re best known for. Their online galleries include real, completed newborn sessions with titles like ‘Emmet’s Newborn Photos,’ plus something few photographers in the state offer at all: in-home birth photography, which they’ve made available in the Charleston area on a case-by-case basis. That willingness to document the actual birth, not just the days after, points to a studio comfortable with intimate, unscripted, fast-moving situations rather than only controlled portrait sessions. Their overall style favors colorful, magazine-style storytelling images over generic staged portraits, an aesthetic that carries over from weddings into newborn and family work. Being physically based in Charleston rather than commuting in from another city, The Oberports offer newborn clients a well-reviewed, documentary-style photographer already embedded in the local community. 

Haley B. Photography brands itself directly as a Charleston, West Virginia newborn photographer, with a business built around heirloom-quality products rather than a simple digital-download package. Haley’s own story started after the birth of her first son, when she says she realized how quickly early moments pass and decided to help other families preserve them the same way. Sessions follow families from the maternity stage through the newborn period and on to early milestones, with Haley guiding parents through wardrobe, posing, and product choices along the way rather than leaving them to figure it out alone. Client reviews repeatedly mention her patience and gentleness with newborns, including families who drove two hours for a session and called it worth the trip. Rather than handing over a folder of digital files, the studio leans into framed prints, canvases, and other physical keepsakes meant to be displayed in a home for years, positioning the business around long-term memory-keeping rather than a quick, low-cost sitting. 

Burns Exposures Photography, LLC runs out of an actual storefront studio at 305 Washington Street West in downtown Charleston, giving the husband-and-wife team behind it, Cathleen and Jeremy, a fixed local home base that a lot of traveling photographers in the region don’t have. Newborn sessions sit alongside maternity, family, headshots, and senior portraits in their published portfolio, all shot with the same clean, well-lit style that defines their wedding photojournalism. Their site’s dedicated newborn gallery includes work like a session for baby Isla Jaclyn Harwood, showing soft studio lighting and simple wraps rather than an overload of props. One WeddingWire reviewer described the pair as “both so talented and creative,” a description that holds up across their newborn and family work as much as their wedding galleries. Because the studio also shoots maternity sessions, some Charleston families end up building a running relationship with Burns Exposures that starts before a baby is even born. Appointments can be booked directly by calling (681) 753-4749. For Charleston parents who want a newborn photographer with a real physical studio downtown and years of published portfolio work to browse beforehand, Burns Exposures is a solid, established option. 

Rebecca McDaniel built her Charleston business around the idea of being a one-stop photographer for West Virginia families, and newborn sessions are a natural extension of that philosophy. She’s the kind of photographer clients return to across years, not just for a single event — the same person who photographed an engagement or a wedding often ends up back in the picture once that couple welcomes their first baby. Her style leans on natural light and unscripted emotion rather than heavily directed posing, an approach that suits newborn sessions especially well since it lets a baby’s actual expressions and small movements carry the images instead of a stiff, formulaic setup. On social media she’s known simply as the “WV Wedding Photographer,” but her portfolio spans senior portraits, family sessions, maternity, and newborn work alongside weddings and elopements. A 100% recommendation rate across her Facebook reviews reflects a client base that keeps coming back and referring friends and family. Clients can reach her directly at (740) 706-2382 to ask about newborn availability. For Charleston-area parents who want a photographer invested in a longer relationship rather than a single transaction, Rebecca McDaniel offers that continuity from engagement to wedding to newborn portraits. 

Emily and Brandon Ferguson are best known around Charleston for wedding photography, but newborn and maternity sessions have long been part of the studio’s full-service lineup. The same photojournalism-driven eye that’s earned them 97 reviews on WeddingWire for candid, in-the-moment wedding coverage carries over into how they handle a newborn appointment — chasing genuine small moments like a yawn or a tiny grip on a parent’s finger rather than forcing a baby into a rigid series of poses. Because the studio already covers engagement sessions, weddings, seniors, and family portraits, many Charleston-area parents end up working with the Fergusons across several life stages, sometimes starting with maternity photos and continuing straight through to a baby’s first birthday. Their editorial, magazine-style approach to editing means newborn galleries come back with the same polished, wall-worthy look the studio is known for in its wedding work, rather than a generic snapshot feel. The team is reachable directly at (304) 205-9647 for scheduling. For Charleston parents who already know the Fergusons’ wedding portfolio and want that same warm, documentary style applied to a newborn session, Emily Ferguson Photography is a familiar, trusted choice. 

Andrea Martin got her start photographing friends and family around Beckley before turning that hobby into a full-time portrait studio that now serves families across Southern West Virginia, including regular newborn sessions in the Charleston area. Her newborn work leans toward warm, outdoor-inspired setups — a baby swaddled in a mustard wrap and tucked into a basket surrounded by marigolds, or wrapped and photographed against soft floral backdrops — alongside more classic indoor posed portraits for families who prefer a controlled studio environment. Because the studio also handles maternity, family, and children’s sessions, many clients build a running relationship with Andrea across pregnancy, the newborn stage, and every birthday after, which gives the portraits a sense of continuity that’s hard to replicate with a one-off session. Newborn appointments are generally scheduled for the first two weeks after birth, and Andrea works around a baby’s feeding and sleep needs rather than forcing a fixed timeline. Parents driving in from Charleston, South Charleston, or St. Albans should expect a relaxed, unhurried pace and a photographer who is comfortable troubleshooting a fussy newborn without rushing the session. Past client galleries are available directly on the studio’s website, giving prospective families a clear sense of the finished product before they ever book a date. 

St. Albans sits just a short drive from downtown Charleston, and it’s home base for Timber N Twine Photography’s newborn studio work. The team leans into a soft, timeless aesthetic — cream wraps, hand-knit bonnets, and natural textures like wool and wood baskets — rather than trendy props that date a nursery wall in a few years. Sessions are built around the baby’s schedule, not a rigid shot list; a newborn who needs a feeding break or extra swaddle time simply gets it, which keeps things calm for both baby and parents. Families booking a newborn session with Timber N Twine typically also browse the studio’s maternity and wedding work, since the same eye for soft, natural light carries across all three. The studio has even published a behind-the-scenes newborn workflow post on its blog, giving prospective clients an unusually clear look at how a posed session actually unfolds, from safe positioning to the layered blankets that create depth in the final images. For Charleston-area parents who want portraits that read as heirlooms rather than trend pieces, that consistency matters. Sessions are typically scheduled within the first two weeks of a baby’s life, when sleepy poses come easiest, though the studio also works with older infants when timing doesn’t allow for an early session. Online inquiries go through the studio’s contact form, and the team responds with available dates and a rundown of what to expect before booking. 

HEK Productions is run by West Virginia photographer Hillary, who built the studio around a philosophy of capturing life through bold, vibrant color and close attention to the small details other photographers might walk past. Serving the Charleston, WV area, HEK Productions covers full wedding day photography as well as combined photo-and-video packages for couples who want both mediums handled by one connected team rather than two separate vendors. Her wedding galleries move from candlelit ceremonies inside grand chapels to bright, sunlit portraits, always shot with the same saturated, energetic color palette that has become her signature. Beyond weddings, HEK Productions also photographs maternity, couples and family sessions, boudoir, kids and senior portraits, giving Hillary a wide-ranging client base across the region. Couples can reach the studio at 304-941-3138 to check wedding date availability. For Charleston couples who want their wedding album to feel rich and colorful rather than muted or overly neutral, and who like the idea of working with a photographer who notices the details other vendors miss, HEK Productions offers a distinctive, vibrant alternative to more traditional wedding photography styles in the area. 

Lauren Love Photography has been photographing Charleston, West Virginia weddings with a style she describes as fine art blended with photojournalism, an approach built around noticing the small details of a wedding day that most people miss. “I love the details of life, and on a wedding day, there are endless details,” is how Lauren sums up her philosophy, and her galleries reflect that: rings on a windowsill, a grandmother’s handkerchief, the specific way a bouquet was tied. Beyond wedding day coverage, her studio also offers engagement sessions, boudoir and lifestyle photography, giving Charleston-area couples a photographer who can document their relationship well before and after the wedding itself. Her client testimonials, collected on her site under “Love Letters,” speak to a comfortable, unhurried shooting style that helps even camera-shy couples relax. Lauren can be reached directly Monday through Friday, 9 to 5, at 304-545-6781, or by email at [email protected]. For Charleston couples who want a photographer as focused on the quiet, easily overlooked details of their day as on the big ceremony moments, Lauren Love Photography offers a genuinely detail-oriented eye. 

Erin Hurst Photography splits time between two home bases, Charleston and Lewisburg, West Virginia, giving Erin a wide reach across the central and southeastern parts of the state for wedding and elopement coverage. Her site sums up her philosophy simply: “Makin’ memories is your job, capturing them is mine,” and her client testimonials describe her as an enthusiastic presence on a wedding day, with one bride calling her the “Ultimate Hype Girl” for the way she keeps wedding parties relaxed and having fun in front of the camera. Beyond weddings and elopements, Erin also photographs families, senior graduates, couples sessions, corporate events and business branding, giving her a broad, adaptable client base throughout the region. Her Charleston studio can be reached at (304) 417-3746 or by email at [email protected]. For couples getting married anywhere between Charleston and the Lewisburg and Greenbrier Valley area, Erin’s dual home base and destination-photography experience make her a natural fit, particularly for couples who want a photographer whose energy matches their own on the wedding day itself. 

Burns Exposures Photography, LLC operates a photo studio right in downtown Charleston, West Virginia, at 305 Washington Street West, giving the husband-and-wife team behind the business a physical home base that many photographers in the region don’t have. Their portfolio of documented weddings is extensive, spanning dozens of full wedding galleries on their site from ceremonies at historic downtown venues to outdoor mountain celebrations, each shot with clean, well-lit photojournalism. Beyond weddings, Burns Exposures also handles engagement sessions, family and kids portraits, headshots, maternity, newborn and senior sessions, along with commercial and event work, making them a true full-service studio for Charleston-area clients. One WeddingWire review praised owners Cathleen and Jeremy as “both so talented and creative,” a sentiment echoed in the studio’s large volume of published wedding work even though formal online reviews remain limited. Couples can reach the studio directly at (681) 753-4749 to check availability. For Charleston couples who value working with an established local studio with a real storefront rather than a home-based or traveling photographer, Burns Exposures offers that rare combination of a fixed local presence and a deep, varied wedding portfolio. 

Sarah Garland Photography is based about an hour southeast of Charleston in Summersville, West Virginia, and regularly travels into the capital city for weddings alongside coverage in Beckley, Fayetteville, Lewisburg, Princeton and out to the DC area. Sarah describes wedding photography as her genuine passion, and it shows in a portfolio built around real reception moments, playful traditions and unscripted joy rather than stiff formal lineups. Her 11 reviews on WeddingWire point to a photographer who has built lasting relationships with couples across southern West Virginia, many of whom found her through word of mouth. Beyond the ceremony and portraits, Sarah is known for sticking around to catch the small, chaotic, fun parts of a wedding day, the kind of candid images that end up being everyone’s favorites years later. Couples can reach her studio directly at (304) 222-9506 or by email at [email protected] to check availability. For Charleston couples getting married at a rural venue or looking for a photographer comfortable working outside a big-city studio setting, Sarah’s regional experience across southern West Virginia makes her a reliable and well-reviewed choice. 

Michelle and Tom Breiter shoot as a husband-and-wife team under the name The Breiters Photo and Video, pairing Michelle’s photography with Tom’s videography for couples around Charleston, West Virginia and well beyond. Since founding the studio around 2018, they’ve documented more than 120 weddings and elopements, a body of work that ranges from Appalachian mountain ceremonies to destinations in Mexico, Italy, Spain and Iceland. Their site describes their approach as “soul filled imagery that says goodbye to the rule book,” and their client reviews back that up: couples consistently describe the experience of working with them as feeling more like hanging out with friends than hiring vendors. With 18 reviews on The Knot and a perfect rating across every category measured, from responsiveness to professionalism to value, they’ve built a reputation for genuinely relaxed, documentary-style coverage rather than stiff, over-directed images. For Charleston couples drawn to a natural, photojournalistic wedding album, and who like the idea of a real married couple capturing their own wedding day, The Breiters offer both a photographer and videographer working in sync, so no moment falls through the cracks between the two mediums. 

Rebecca McDaniel Photography works out of Charleston, West Virginia, offering wedding and elopement coverage alongside senior portraits, family sessions, maternity and newborn photography. Rebecca has built her business on being a true one-stop photographer for West Virginia families, the kind of relationship where the same person who shot a couple’s engagement session ends up photographing their wedding, and later their first baby. Her Facebook following, which reflects a 100% recommendation rate across 20 reviews, points to a client base that keeps coming back and referring friends. On Instagram she’s known simply as the “WV Wedding Photographer,” and her portfolio favors natural light and unscripted emotion over heavily directed posing, letting a couple’s actual relationship carry the images rather than a formula. Clients can reach her directly at (740) 706-2382 or by email to inquire about wedding day availability. For couples in the Charleston area who want a photographer invested in more than a single transaction, Rebecca’s mix of wedding, family and milestone photography offers a long-term relationship with someone who will already know their story by the time the wedding day arrives. 

Melissa Kincaid Photography has spent over a decade building a reputation for editorial, magazine-quality wedding imagery from her home base in Charleston, West Virginia. Founded around 2015, the studio has since been featured in publications including Magnolia Rouge and Cake & Lace, and Melissa’s client list stretches from The Greenbrier resort to destination weddings in France and Greece. Her aesthetic is described on her own site as work for “the stylish, soulful and romantic,” favoring soft, refined light and quiet, meaningful moments over anything overly staged. Locally, she’s become closely associated with Greenbrier County weddings, but she photographs throughout Appalachia and beyond, including Morgantown, Williamsburg, Charlotte, Savannah, Houston and Nashville. With 42 reviews and a 100% recommendation rate cited on her Facebook page, Melissa has built her Charleston-area business almost entirely on repeat referrals. Couples looking for a photographer who treats a wedding day as an art form rather than a checklist regularly point to her as one of the most requested names in the region, and her packages, which start in the low thousands, reflect the full-service, editorial experience she has built her name on since 2015. 

Married photography team Emily Porter and Bobby Oberlander have been telling West Virginia love stories as The Oberports since 2009, and the Charleston-based duo has amassed 82 reviews on WeddingWire along the way. Their signature look leans bright and colorful rather than moody, with one couple describing their work as capable of making “picking a wedgie” look like the most beautiful picture ever taken. That sense of humor runs through their whole approach: they want wedding days to feel like a party they’re lucky to be invited to, not a performance for the camera. From their home base in Charleston, the Oberports regularly travel to Fayetteville, the New River Gorge, Huntington and Morgantown, plus assignments across Ohio, Pennsylvania, DC and Maryland. Beyond wedding day coverage, they also shoot branding and portrait sessions, senior portraits, family photos and engagements. After 17 years shooting side by side as a couple themselves, Emily and Bobby bring a lived-in understanding of what it feels like to stand at the altar, and it shows in the vibrant, unguarded images they hand back to their Charleston clients. 

Emily Ferguson Photography has been a fixture of the Charleston, West Virginia wedding scene for years, earning a following of 97 reviews on WeddingWire for a photojournalism-driven approach the studio describes as creative, fun and relaxed. Rather than posing couples into stiff formal shots, Emily and her team chase the candid in-between moments: the nervous laugh before a first look, the flower girl mid-spin, the exhale after the vows are said. Based out of Charleston at (304) 205-9647, the studio has built a full-service portfolio that spans wedding day coverage, engagement sessions, high school seniors, family portraits, maternity and newborn work, giving many West Virginia couples a photographer who has already documented their family before the wedding ever happens. Their online galleries showcase venues across the Mountain State, from mountaintop ceremonies to riverside receptions, always shot with the same warm, unforced style. For Charleston couples who want a wedding album that reads like a story rather than a series of poses, Emily Ferguson Photography remains one of the most reviewed and requested names in the region.