Find the Best Photographers in Columbia

Ellie Johnson Photography operates out of a studio in downtown Columbia, Missouri, where photographer Ellie Johnson has built her business around what she describes as her “life mission”: documenting journeys through motherhood. That focus places newborn photography at the center of her work, alongside maternity and family portraiture that together follow Columbia families from pregnancy through a baby’s first months. Client testimonials consistently highlight Ellie’s patient, sweet demeanor during sessions, noting her ability to put both parents and newborns at ease — a skill that matters most in the unpredictable, often delicate work of photographing a baby in its first weeks of life. Her downtown Columbia studio gives local families a convenient, comfortable setting for newborn sessions, while her portfolio reflects an intimate, emotionally driven style rather than a heavily produced or prop-driven look. Beyond newborn sessions, Ellie Johnson Photography offers maternity and family portraiture, giving clients the option to build a continuous visual record across pregnancy, birth, and a child’s early milestones with a single trusted photographer. For Columbia parents seeking a newborn photographer whose entire practice is built specifically around motherhood and the earliest chapters of family life, Ellie Johnson Photography offers a genuinely specialized, locally rooted alternative to more general-purpose portrait studios. 

Three Little Foxes Photography is the work of Columbia, Missouri photographer Crystal Billington, who has been photographing families since 2013. As a mother of three herself, Crystal built her practice around what she calls motherhood photography — a portfolio spanning maternity, newborn, birth, nursing, and childhood milestone sessions that follows Columbia families through the earliest, most fleeting stages of parenthood. Her newborn portfolio favors artistically styled imagery, with babies photographed in baskets, soft wraps, and bonnets against carefully chosen backdrops and props, giving parents a more classically composed alternative to strictly lifestyle-only newborn photography. That personal connection to the subject matter comes through in client feedback, which consistently describes Crystal as flexible, patient, and creative, with sessions that stay enjoyable and stress-free even when a newborn isn’t cooperating on schedule. After more than a decade photographing Columbia newborns and growing families, Crystal has built a portfolio that reflects real familiarity with how quickly these early moments pass — a perspective she brings directly into how she paces and directs every session. For Columbia parents who want a newborn session with a more polished, styled aesthetic alongside genuine warmth, Three Little Foxes Photography offers 13 years of hands-on experience with newborns specifically. 

Holly J Greenup has been photographing professionally since 2012 and built Holly J Greenup Photography LLC into a full-time business in 2019, working from Columbia, Missouri to serve families across mid-Missouri. In the years since, her newborn work in particular has earned significant local recognition: Holly was named Best Newborn Photographer in Columbia, Missouri by the 2025 Quality Business Awards, recognized by Expertise.com as a top newborn photographer in 2024, and voted among Columbia’s best photographers in both the 2025 Community Votes and Best of Columbia readers’ polls. That specialization shows in her approach to newborn sessions, which favors natural, unforced imagery over rigid posing — a style that carries through her broader portfolio of family, motherhood, and “Fresh 48” hospital sessions as well. Beyond newborn work, Holly offers a rotating menu of seasonal mini sessions — Barn Minis, Simple Minis, Sunset Field Minis, and Creek Minis among them — that give Columbia families ongoing ways to document their children’s growth throughout the year. With more than a decade of professional experience and a growing shelf of 2024 and 2025 industry awards specifically for newborn photography, Holly J Greenup has established herself as one of the most consistently recognized newborn photographers currently working in the Columbia, Missouri market. 

Lollipop Photography has been photographing Columbia, Missouri families since 2011, giving the studio fifteen years of experience serving the mid-Missouri community from its location at 2000 E Broadway. The team — self-described “lovers of make-believe and chasers of light” — built its practice around delightfully fun, on-location photography, and that same spirit carries into its newborn sessions. Rather than a single formula, Lollipop Photography leans into whatever setting best captures a new baby’s personality and a family’s everyday magic, whether that means natural light streaming through a nursery window or a favorite corner of the family home. The studio’s portfolio of newborn grid galleries reflects a relaxed, editorial style that favors genuine expressions and interactions over stiff, formal posing. With a decade and a half in business, Lollipop Photography has built a loyal following among Columbia parents who return for milestone after milestone, from newborn sessions through cake smashes and family portraits as children grow. The studio’s mission — to make photography an easy, delightful experience for every family, regardless of background — shows up in the warmth of its newborn work, where the goal is always a set of charming, timeless images rather than a stressful, over-produced production. 

Love Tree Studios is the creative partnership of Columbia, Missouri photographers Jessica White and Aubrey Rowden, who bring a fine-art sensibility to portrait and wedding photography throughout mid-Missouri. While best known locally for weddings, the Love Tree Studios team also photographs newborns in-home, working with soft, natural light to create the same light-filled, elegant look that defines their wider body of work. Sessions featured on their blog — including welcome-home shoots for babies like Corbin Wesley, Harry, and Emery — show a documentary-leaning style that favors genuine family interaction over rigid posing, letting a Columbia family’s own home and daily rhythm frame the images. Reviewers consistently point to the team’s professionalism and creativity, feedback reflected in a 5.0-star rating across 26 Google reviews. Operating in the Columbia market since 2011, Jessica and Aubrey have photographed love stories at every stage — engagements, weddings, and now the newest members of the families they’ve already documented — giving many clients a photographer who already knows their story by the time a newborn session is booked. For parents who want their baby’s earliest days captured with the same soft, romantic aesthetic as a Love Tree Studios wedding gallery, this Columbia-based team offers rare continuity from one milestone to the next. 

B. Wise Photography is run by photographer Bryanna, known to her clients simply as Bry, who has built a devoted following across Moberly and Columbia, Missouri for newborn, family, and senior photography. Bry describes her own style as “simple. modern. clean. playful,” and her newborn sessions reflect that philosophy: rather than posed, prop-heavy studio setups, she photographs babies on location, most often in a family’s own home or a favorite outdoor spot, working with natural light to capture the small, fleeting details — a sleepy yawn, a parent’s hand wrapped around a tiny foot, an older sibling’s first curious glance. Clients and fellow photographers alike have nicknamed her the “baby whisperer” for her patient, unhurried approach to working with newborns, and her portfolio leans into raw, unposed moments over heavily styled perfection. That reputation has carried into her online presence, where B. Wise Photography holds a 5.0-star rating across 47 Google reviews from families across mid-Missouri. Serving both the Columbia and Moberly communities, Bry has become a go-to choice for parents who want their newborn’s earliest days documented with warmth and authenticity rather than a rigid, one-size-fits-all session format. 

Since founding KatFour Photo in 2013, photographer Kat has spent more than a decade photographing Columbia, Missouri babies from their earliest days through their first birthday. Working out of a studio at 3420 Buttonwood Dr, KatFour Photo built its reputation on relaxed, natural-light lifestyle sessions that never force a shot — sessions run on “baby-led pacing,” with no rushing and no forced smiles, whether the setting is the studio, an outdoor location, or a family’s own home. Newborn sessions are offered as part of a broader first-year milestone track that also includes 3, 6, 9, and 12-month sessions, cake smashes, and maternity portraits, giving Columbia families a single photographer to document an infant’s entire first year of changes. Sessions start at $275 for a half hour or $400 per hour, with all edited high-resolution images delivered through a private online gallery — no hidden print packages or upsells. That straightforward, client-first approach has translated into a 4.9-star rating across 50 Google reviews, among the strongest track records of any newborn photographer in the Columbia area. For parents who want modern, true-to-life images that capture their newborn’s actual personality, KatFour Photo’s twelve-plus years of experience in mid-Missouri homes and studios speaks for itself. 

Schaefer Photography has been a fixture of the Columbia, Missouri photography scene for years, earning the title of “Best of Columbia” from Inside Columbia Magazine readers six years running. Husband-and-wife team Scott and Shannon Schaefer bring a photojournalistic eye to newborn sessions, working out of their studio at 1121 Wood Hill Rd to document new babies exactly as they arrive into a family’s world. Rather than posed studio setups, Schaefer Photography’s newborn lifestyle sessions unfold inside the client’s own home, typically scheduled five to ten days after birth while babies are still sleepy and easy to settle. Over roughly two hours, the Schaefers move quietly through the house capturing candid, in-the-moment details: tiny fingers and toes, older siblings meeting the newest family member, pets curious about the new arrival, and personal heirlooms or props that carry meaning for the family. The approach favors authentic storytelling over heavily styled portraits, letting real family dynamics take center stage. With a 5.0-star rating across 402 Google reviews, Schaefer Photography has built one of the most reviewed photography practices in mid-Missouri. Families looking for an unobtrusive, documentary-style record of their baby’s first days consistently point to the Schaefers’ calm, experienced presence as the reason they keep coming back. 

Sheyi built SheyiKreations Photography around a decade-plus career capturing weddings, families, and seniors throughout Columbia and Mid-Missouri. A former web developer, Sheyi brings an eye for structure and detail to wedding day coverage, planning timelines carefully while still leaving room for genuinely candid, unscripted moments. The portfolio includes coverage of everything from traditional Columbia ceremonies to destination weddings, and Sheyi’s approach centers on making clients feel comfortable and seen rather than posed into stiff, generic shots. As a member of Professional Photographers of America, Sheyi stays connected to broader industry standards and technique, something that shows in the consistency of the finished galleries. Alongside wedding photography, SheyiKreations also photographs high school seniors from Rock Bridge, Battle, Hickman, Helias Catholic, and Southern Boone, plus family portraits and professional headshots throughout Mid-Missouri and Jefferson City. That range of work means Sheyi is comfortable directing large wedding parties and blended families just as easily as capturing quiet, one-on-one portraits. For couples getting married in Columbia who want a photographer with over ten years of experience, a background that blends technical precision with genuine warmth, and a track record documented across more than a decade of local weddings, SheyiKreations Photography is a solid choice worth considering. 

New Eden Studios brings a combined photography and videography team to Columbia weddings, led by founder Brad alongside teammates Nan, Landon, and Leam. Rather than couples having to coordinate separate photo and video vendors, New Eden handles both under one roof, with a shared timeline and a unified creative vision for the day. The team shoots a mix of digital and film photography, leaning into a documentary style that prioritizes capturing real moments as they happen over heavily staged setups. Coverage typically runs full-day, and clients receive a next-day preview so they don’t have to wait weeks to relive the highlights of their wedding. Wedding packages start at $3,400, reflecting the combined photo-and-video service model rather than photography alone. On WeddingWire, New Eden Studios has earned a 5-star review, with the couple praising the team’s professionalism, responsiveness, and personable approach throughout the planning process and the wedding day itself. Because the same team handles both photo and video, couples avoid the common headache of two separate crews competing for the same angles or working from different shot lists. For Columbia couples who want photography and videography handled by one cohesive, detail-oriented team rather than piecing together multiple vendors, New Eden Studios offers a streamlined option. 

KatFour Photo has been part of Columbia’s photography scene since 2013, when founding photographer Kat began building a business around natural, modern portraits with real personality. For weddings, that means Kat covers everything from small courthouse ceremonies with a few portraits afterward to full-day celebrations at mid-Missouri’s wedding venues, always favoring relaxed, authentic moments over stiff, formal posing. Because Kat intentionally keeps annual wedding bookings limited and currently focuses on shorter, five-hour maximum wedding coverage, couples get a photographer who isn’t juggling multiple weddings on back-to-back weekends, and pricing is structured hourly so couples can book only the coverage they actually need. On WeddingWire, KatFour Photo holds a 5-star rating across 4 reviews, and a 5-star rating across 6 reviews on The Knot. Beyond weddings, KatFour Photo also shoots families, seniors, couples, headshots, and small business branding, giving Kat a broad, adaptable eye that carries over into wedding day coverage. All sessions include every beautifully edited image with no upselling or hidden costs, a straightforward pricing philosophy that extends to wedding packages as well. For Columbia couples planning a smaller, more intimate wedding or elopement who want an experienced, detail-oriented photographer without a bloated package, KatFour Photo is worth a look. 

Since 2012, Berenice of Bella Faith Photography has photographed weddings and family milestones for more than 300 couples and families across Columbia and St. Louis, Missouri. Her approach to wedding day coverage is intentionally formula-free: rather than working through a rigid shot list, she stays attentive to what each specific couple loves and values, making sure both the big, obvious moments and the small, easy-to-miss details get documented. Stylistically, her images mix rich color with natural light in a way that stays timeless rather than chasing trends, so photos taken today will hold up visually for decades. On WeddingWire, Bella Faith Photography holds a 5-star rating across 8 reviews, with couples praising both the quality of the final images and how comfortable Berenice makes them feel in front of the camera on an inherently stressful day. Beyond weddings, she also photographs maternity, newborn, family, and engagement sessions, which means many of her wedding clients already have a working relationship with her well before the big day. Serving both Columbia and St. Louis gives couples flexibility whether their ceremony is a Mid-Missouri backyard affair or a St. Louis venue wedding. For couples who want more than a decade of experience paired with an unobtrusive, natural approach to wedding photography, Bella Faith Photography is a well-reviewed Columbia option. 

Love Tree Studios is helmed by photographers Jessica White and Aubrey Rowden, who have been photographing weddings together in Columbia since 2011. Their combined experience shows in a signature style the studio describes as classic, clean, and luminous — bright, timeless images that lean toward fine art portraiture without losing the candid energy of a real wedding day. Based on Broadway in downtown Columbia, the pair travel regularly for weddings across Missouri, including St. Louis and Kansas City, and take on destination weddings throughout the United States and Europe. Because Love Tree Studios operates as a two-photographer team, couples get both a primary photographer’s vision and a second creative eye throughout the ceremony and reception, catching angles and moments a single shooter might miss. On WeddingWire, the studio holds a 5-star rating across 8 reviews, with couples describing Jessica and Aubrey as hardworking, punctual, and creative. Beyond wedding day coverage, Love Tree Studios also offers engagement sessions and fine art portraiture, giving couples a consistent visual style from their engagement announcement through their wedding album. For Columbia couples drawn to bright, romantic, editorial-leaning wedding photography from an established two-photographer studio, Love Tree Studios is a strong regional option with more than a decade of experience. 

Pop Wedding Photography is a Columbia-based team — Rhiannon, Bryanna, and Diana — who have spent more than a decade photographing weddings throughout the greater Columbia metro area since founding the business in 2011. Their approach is best described as directed documentary: they give couples gentle, confidence-building direction to ease camera nerves, then let real interactions and unscripted moments take over. The result is a body of work that leans vibrant, joyful, and a little playful, favoring genuine laughter and real connection over stiff, formal posing. Wedding coverage includes high-resolution digital delivery of both engagement and wedding day images, with couples able to add extra coverage hours, additional locations, or a second shooter depending on how they want their day documented. On WeddingWire, Pop Wedding Photography holds a perfect 5-star rating across 12 reviews, with couples often noting how comfortable and at ease the team made them feel throughout the day. Because Pop works as a small team rather than a single photographer, couples get built-in redundancy and multiple creative perspectives without having to coordinate separate vendors. For couples who want bold, energetic wedding photography with more than ten years of local experience behind it, Pop Wedding Photography is a well-reviewed choice right in Columbia. 

SilverBox Photographers has been a fixture of Columbia’s wedding photography scene since 2005, when co-founders Kim Wade and Amy Enderle opened the studio. Annika Miller joined the team in 2007 and now leads SilverBox as its primary photographer, bringing nearly two decades of experience and a Bachelor of Science in Photography to every wedding she shoots. Over the years, SilverBox has documented more than 300 couples’ wedding stories across 22 Missouri counties, plus destination weddings as far afield as San Diego, Chicago, Washington D.C., and the Bahamas. The studio deliberately limits itself to around 8 to 10 weddings a year, a choice that lets Annika give each couple hands-on attention rather than spreading herself thin across a packed calendar. Her style favors bold color and genuine, in-the-moment storytelling over heavily directed posing. SilverBox’s work has earned national attention over the years, having been featured on Oprah and Entertainment Tonight, and the studio has been recognized in Inside Columbia’s Best of Columbia awards. On WeddingWire, SilverBox holds a 4.9-star rating across 14 reviews. Operating from a light-filled studio on Highway UU in Columbia, SilverBox Photographers combines two decades of institutional experience with a boutique, low-volume approach, making it a strong fit for couples who want a seasoned photographer who isn’t juggling dozens of weddings in the same season. 

Tucked into a boutique studio above Poppy in the heart of downtown Columbia, Art & Soul Photography is led by fine art photographer Lana Eklund, who brings more than 10 years of experience and a degree in fine art photography to every wedding she shoots. Lana’s style is relaxed, artistic, and a little playful, favoring genuine interaction over stiff, forced posing. While her studio is rooted in Columbia, she and her crew regularly travel to Kansas City and St. Louis for weddings and portrait sessions, and take on destination work as well. Her photography has been recognized well beyond the wedding industry, with features in National Geographic Adventurer, Inside Columbia, and Columbia Home & Lifestyle Magazine. On WeddingWire, Art & Soul Photography Inc. holds a 5-star rating across 15 reviews, with couples and their families frequently describing the team as relaxed, professional, and flexible on the wedding day itself. Beyond weddings, the studio also photographs newborns and families, giving Lana a broad, adaptable eye for capturing real relationships and unscripted moments, a skill that carries directly into how she documents a wedding day. For couples who want fine art sensibility paired with a down-to-earth, easygoing studio experience, Art & Soul Photography offers a well-established option right in downtown Columbia. 

Catherine Rhodes picked up her first camera at age ten and has spent nearly two decades turning that early passion into one of Columbia’s most recognized wedding photography studios. After training at the Hallmark Institute of Photography, she opened Catherine Rhodes Photography in 2007 and has since been named one of the top 50 wedding photographers in the United States, with feature work appearing in The Knot, Style Me Pretty, ELLE China, and The Huffington Post. Her style blends an editorial, fashion-forward eye with genuine, unposed emotion, aiming for images that feel timeless rather than trendy. Catherine maintains studios in both Columbia and St. Louis and regularly travels for weddings across Missouri and to destinations worldwide, giving couples the flexibility of a photographer equally at home at a backyard ceremony or a multi-day destination celebration. Beyond wedding day coverage, she offers boudoir sessions and has taught photography education and mentor workshops for other photographers looking to sharpen their craft. On WeddingWire, Catherine Rhodes Photography holds 30 reviews, with clients frequently highlighting how comfortable she makes them feel in front of the camera and how much care she puts into the final images. For couples in Columbia who want a wedding photographer with national recognition, editorial polish, and a genuinely warm approach, Catherine Rhodes Photography is a standout option. 

With more than 20 years photographing weddings across Mid-Missouri, Nola Dorman has built Creations by Nola Photography into one of Columbia’s most reviewed wedding studios, earning a perfect 5-star rating across 49 WeddingWire reviews. Nola typically works alongside a second photographer so couples get true dual coverage of their ceremony and reception, capturing the sweeping shots and the quiet in-between moments at the same time. Her approach blends posed portraits with a photojournalistic eye, documenting the day’s highlights as they naturally unfold rather than staging every frame. Based just outside Columbia, Nola and her team travel throughout Mid-Missouri and beyond, having photographed weddings from Jefferson City and Sedalia to Kansas City, St. Louis, and the Lake of the Ozarks. Every wedding package includes high-resolution digital files, with options for canvas prints, custom albums, and thank-you cards so couples can hold their memories in hand, not just on a hard drive. As a member of Professional Photographers of America, Nola stays current with the industry’s technical and creative standards, and her work has been featured on both The Knot and WeddingWire. Couples consistently praise her calm, respectful presence on a hectic wedding day, noting that she keeps things fun without ever getting in the way of the celebration. For a Columbia wedding photographer with two decades of experience and a track record of five-star reviews, Creations by Nola Photography is a well-established choice. 

Capture the beauty of motherhood with Erin Ellibee Photography, specializing in stunning maternity portraits in Peculiar, Missouri. 

Capture the beauty of your maternity journey with B. Wise Photography in Moberly, Missouri. Our specialized maternity sessions are designed to celebrate and document this precious time in your life.