Find the Best Photographers in Kansas City

Jessica Marlene Photography LLC is a newborn, child, and family photography studio based in Lee’s Summit, Missouri, serving families throughout the Kansas City metro including Blue Springs, Independence, Raymore, and Belton. Newborn sessions are held in a studio setting, giving Jessica full control over lighting, temperature, and props to keep tiny newborn subjects safe and comfortable throughout the shoot. Beyond newborn portraits, the studio offers indoor and outdoor maternity sessions, cake smash photography, child portraits, family sessions, high school senior portraits, and professional headshots, making it a one-stop option for families who want the same photographer to document multiple stages of their child’s life. Client testimonials on the studio’s website repeatedly praise Jessica’s patience and communication with infants and young children, along with clear, straightforward pricing that takes the guesswork out of booking a session. That patience matters particularly during newborn sessions, which often require pausing for feeding, soothing, or a diaper change without disrupting a baby’s calm state. For Lee’s Summit and greater Kansas City families looking for a newborn photographer who can also grow with their child through milestones, cake smashes, and eventually senior portraits, Jessica Marlene Photography offers that continuity under one studio. 

Husband + Wife Photography, run by the team of Terri and Josh, operates a studio in the West Bottoms area of Kansas City, Missouri and also serves families in Lee’s Summit and across the metro. The studio offers a structured lineup of newborn packages: a Studio Newborn session designed as a peaceful, baby-led experience with 20 edited images, a Family Studio Newborn session that combines individual baby portraits with family images, and an In-Home Newborn option for families who prefer lifestyle photography in the comfort of their own space. To keep every session unhurried, Husband + Wife Photography intentionally limits bookings to two newborns per week, allowing flexible scheduling that can shift around an actual delivery date rather than forcing families to commit to a fixed appointment weeks in advance. The studio also offers a Watch Me Grow Collection for parents who want to document a baby’s entire first year in one cohesive series rather than booking milestone sessions piecemeal. With natural light photography, on-hand props and styling assistance, and a husband-and-wife team bringing complementary photography perspectives to each shoot, the studio has built a loyal following among Kansas City and Lee’s Summit families looking for both studio and in-home newborn photography options. 

Amy Kuntz Photography operates from a studio inside EPIC Sports Lodge at 709 N. Delaware Street in Independence, Missouri, a space devoted entirely to photography and outfitted with everything needed for newborn, maternity, baby, and family portraits. Amy blends posed and candid photography, aiming to capture each family’s love and everyday life rather than relying solely on formal, formulaic setups. The studio serves an unusually wide swath of the Kansas City metro, welcoming clients from Independence, Blue Springs, Lee’s Summit, Liberty, Parkville, Overland Park, Olathe, Leawood, and Shawnee, which has helped build a broad, loyal newborn photography client base on both sides of the state line. Amy has spoken publicly about how much five-star Google reviews matter to a small photography business, reflecting a client-first approach to every session. Because the studio is a dedicated space rather than a shared or home-based setup, Amy Kuntz Photography is able to keep lighting, props, and temperature carefully controlled for newborn comfort and safety. For Kansas City-area families searching for a specialist with a fully equipped, purpose-built newborn studio, Amy Kuntz Photography has become one of the most recognized names in the Independence, Missouri newborn photography scene. 

Aly Marie Photography at Third Street Studio is a lifestyle family and newborn photography business based in downtown Lee’s Summit, Missouri, serving families throughout the greater Kansas City metro. The studio specializes in maternity and newborn photography, and that focus was recognized in 2025 when Aly Marie Photography was named the Best Newborn Photographer in Lee’s Summit, Missouri by Quality Business Awards USA. The studio’s lifestyle approach favors soft, natural imagery over stiff, overly staged poses, aiming to capture the quiet, unscripted moments of a family’s first days with a new baby. Clients consistently highlight the welcoming, unhurried feel of sessions at the Third Street Studio location, which is designed to give both baby and parents room to settle in before the camera comes out. Serving Lee’s Summit and the surrounding Kansas City, Missouri communities, Aly Marie Photography has built its reputation specifically around newborn and maternity work, rather than treating those sessions as an afterthought alongside weddings or events, giving families confidence they’re working with a specialist in this particularly delicate stage of family photography. 

Jessie Ann Photography has been photographing newborns and families in the Kansas City area since 2012, operating out of Kearney, Missouri and serving nearby communities including Liberty and Smithville. Owner Jessie Ann Alex focuses on capturing authentic family moments and personalities through interactive, organic sessions rather than stiff, overly posed portraits, an approach especially well suited to newborn sessions where a baby’s natural expressions and tiny details matter most. Every session includes full gallery access, downloadable digital files, and a print release, so families own their images outright rather than being locked into ordering prints through the studio. Clients also get access to a client closet for session-day outfits and wraps, simplifying preparation for exhausted new parents. With more than a decade of experience photographing newborns and families throughout the northern Kansas City metro, Jessie Ann Photography has built a reputation for a warm, unrushed session style that puts new parents at ease while still delivering polished, professional newborn portraits worth keeping for a lifetime. 

Only Young Once is a Kansas City, Missouri newborn photography studio led by photographer Kayla Sheer, who brings more than 20 years of experience to every session. The studio offers both in-studio and in-home newborn sessions, giving families the choice between a fully controlled studio environment and the comfort of their own space. The north Kansas City studio was designed with the whole family in mind, not just the baby: it includes a playroom for older siblings, a TV for dad, and a relaxed lounge area for parents while their newborn is being photographed, along with a client closet stocked with swaddles and props. Kayla describes her philosophy as ‘luxury photography for the moments you’ll never get back,’ favoring story-driven, relaxed sessions over rigid, traditional posed portraits. That approach tends to appeal to families who want their newborn photos to feel like an authentic reflection of their new baby’s arrival rather than a formulaic prop-heavy shoot. With two decades of experience behind the camera, Only Young Once has become known throughout the Kansas City metro for a calm, unhurried newborn experience built around genuine connection rather than a checklist of poses. 

Switch Focus Studios, run by photographer Diana Reynolds Luppens, has spent 13 years serving Kansas City families from its studio at 8105 S Fristoe Road in Grain Valley, Missouri. The studio built a dedicated ‘Newborn Nook’ specifically for infant sessions, giving Diana a controlled, comfortable space to safely photograph babies in their first couple of weeks of life. Safety is a central part of the studio’s process: delicate poses are achieved through composite photography techniques, meaning multiple safely-spotted images are combined so babies are never left in an unsupported position for a shot. The studio also has particular experience with sibling photos taken during the same newborn session and with twin newborn photography, a specialty that requires extra patience and technical planning. That expertise has translated into a strong reputation, with Switch Focus Studios holding a 5-star rating across 24 reviews and additional 5-star feedback on wedding and portrait platforms. Diana’s approach blends natural, emotional moments with technical precision, anticipating baby smiles and quiet expressions rather than forcing them, which results in newborn portraits that feel authentic rather than staged. 

Kimberly Diane Photography has been freezing time for Kansas City-area families since 2015, operating from a dedicated studio on Historic Liberty Square at 5 E. Kansas Street in Liberty, Missouri. The studio’s newborn sessions are posed and studio-based, filled with an extensive collection of props, wraps, bonnets, headbands, and outfits so every family walks away with a variety of uniquely styled portrait setups. Kimberly has completed professional training specifically in newborn safety and posing, a priority given how delicate proper positioning is for babies typically photographed within their first two weeks of life. Sessions can include optional parent and sibling portraits, making the newborn visit a chance to capture the whole family’s first days together, not just the baby alone. The studio has earned recognition as an award-winning newborn photographer and has built a loyal following on Facebook, where clients have left 48 reviews with a 100% recommend rating. Kimberly Diane Photography serves families throughout the Kansas City metro, including Liberty, Blue Springs, and Lee’s Summit, and is known for a well-stocked studio and an experienced, safety-first approach to newborn posing. 

Hartter Photography, LLC is a Lee’s Summit, Missouri photography studio specializing in newborn, maternity, and baby milestone sessions, along with one-year cake smashes, children’s portraits, family sessions, and senior portraits. The studio’s approach centers on creating a calm, comfortable experience for every client while preserving life’s most precious early moments through high-quality, thoughtfully composed imagery. That philosophy has translated into a strong reputation across the Kansas City metro, with Hartter Photography holding a perfect 5-star rating across 63 reviews. New parents consistently point to the studio’s patient, unhurried pace during newborn sessions, which matters enormously when working with babies in their first two weeks of life who need frequent feeding and soothing breaks. The studio’s portfolio spans classic posed newborn portraits as well as softer, more candid images that capture a family’s real connection with their new baby. Serving Lee’s Summit and the surrounding Kansas City, Missouri suburbs, Hartter Photography has become a go-to choice for families who want a professional, safety-conscious newborn photographer without sacrificing a relaxed, unhurried studio atmosphere during such a tender and fleeting stage of a baby’s life. 

Anna Marie Photography has spent more than 16 years photographing newborns, babies, and growing families from a dedicated portrait studio at 700 NE R D Mize Road in Blue Springs, just east of Kansas City. The studio specializes in timeless, natural newborn portraits captured in a calm, welcoming environment built specifically for the safety and comfort of babies in their first days and weeks of life. Sessions are fully guided from start to finish, with the photographer walking new parents through everything from planning to final image selection so nothing feels overwhelming during an already exhausting stretch of new-parent life. Beyond newborn portraits, the studio also offers baby milestone sessions and first-birthday cake smash photography, giving families a way to document an infant’s entire first year with one trusted photographer. Anna Marie Photography has built a loyal following throughout the Kansas City metro, drawing clients from Blue Springs, Lee’s Summit, Liberty, Olathe, Overland Park, and Kansas City itself. With a 4.9-star rating across 127 reviews, the studio is one of the most established and highly reviewed newborn photography businesses serving the Missouri side of the metro, known for a relaxed studio experience and portraits families keep for generations. 

Denise Jambor brings a distinctly international background to Kansas City wedding photography, having apprenticed for three years at one of Germany’s most respected advertising studios before moving to the United States in 2015 to work full-time as a wedding and portrait photographer. That commercial advertising background shows up in the technical polish of her images, while her approach to actual wedding days is calmer and more relational: she describes her focus as connection, calm guidance, and honest storytelling rather than a rigid list of poses to work through. Denise keeps a strict one-event-per-day policy, a deliberate choice that lets her give each couple full attention rather than splitting her energy across multiple bookings, and she offers a secondary photographer as an add-on for couples who want more complete coverage of both sides of the aisle. Her portfolio includes weddings at well-known Kansas City venues, including Drexel Hall and The Bauer, alongside engagement and family sessions. Beyond weddings, she also photographs maternity, newborn, and senior sessions, giving her experience photographing couples and families across different life stages. With a five-star rating and glowing feedback describing her and her second photographer as easy to work with, Denise Jambor Photography offers Kansas City couples a European-trained eye paired with an unhurried, personal approach. 

Clay Swanson Photography has been photographing Kansas City weddings since 2014, run as a husband-and-wife team by Clay and Maggie Swanson. Working together gives the studio built-in second-shooter coverage on every wedding, letting one partner focus on formal portraits and reception details while the other stays close to the couple to catch unscripted moments as they happen. The studio’s guiding line, “all beauty is God’s beauty,” reflects a faith-informed perspective on their work, and packages are built around engagement sessions, full-day wedding coverage, second-shooter service, and complete digital rights so couples retain their images long after the wedding. Based in the Kansas City area, Clay and Maggie have spent over a decade building relationships with local venues and vendors, the kind of familiarity that helps a wedding day run more smoothly when a timeline shifts unexpectedly. Their portfolio spans classic portraiture as well as candid, documentary-style coverage, giving couples flexibility in how formal or relaxed they want their final gallery to feel. With a 4.9-star average built on nearly two decades combined behind the camera, Clay Swanson Photography has become a steady, dependable choice for Kansas City couples who want a genuine husband-and-wife team behind their wedding images. 

Kelsey Admire Photography is a queer and Latina-owned wedding studio based in the Kansas City area, built around 15 years of professional photography experience. Kelsey markets her business directly to couples who want authentic moments, genuine energy, and a few dance-floor photos over rigid, traditional posing, and she is explicit about being a queer photographer who works with and for queer clients, an identity that shapes how she puts couples at ease in front of the camera. While based in the Kansas City metro, she isn’t limited to it: her practice includes a strong elopement specialty for adventurous couples and she travels globally for weddings throughout the year, bringing the same documentary sensibility to destinations far outside Missouri and Kansas. That range, from an intimate Kansas City courthouse elopement to a multi-day destination wedding, has helped her build a loyal client base with a five-star average across her reviews. Kelsey’s approach favors real interaction over stiff instruction, aiming to capture couples the way they actually are together rather than how a formal portrait session might otherwise pose them. For Kansas City couples looking for a photographer who leads with inclusivity and genuine connection, Kelsey Admire Photography has built its reputation on exactly that. 

Stag & Bird Photography is built around founder Courtney Specht, who brings over two decades of experience behind the camera and describes herself as an artist, storyteller, and self-proclaimed “visual rebel.” What started as her individual practice has grown into a full team of photographers, videographers, and hair and makeup artists, based out of the historic West Bottoms district in Kansas City with a second hub in Belton, Missouri. The studio’s imagery leans cinematic and unapologetically real, aimed at couples who want bold, emotional photography rather than a stiff, traditional look. Courtney has been candid that she runs the business the way she lives: no fluff, no fake energy, no playing small, an ethos that shows up in a portfolio built around genuine expression rather than picture-perfect posing. Beyond weddings, the studio also offers boudoir sessions, branding photography, and senior portraits, giving Courtney and her team a breadth of experience across very different kinds of shoots. With a five-star rating across its review platforms and a growing team supporting what began as a one-woman operation, Stag & Bird has become known among Kansas City couples for photography that finds beauty in the unscripted, sometimes chaotic moments other studios might edit out. 

Aubrey Erin Photography has spent more than 13 years photographing weddings in and around Kansas City, an experience grounded in a formal bachelor’s degree in photography rather than a purely self-taught path. That academic background comes through in her attention to composition and light, but her actual approach on wedding days leans warm and documentary, favoring genuine moments over rigid posing. Aubrey works with couples on weddings, engagement sessions, and family portraits, and describes her perspective as personable and full of joy, a description echoed in client testimonials that consistently mention feeling comfortable and unhurried during their sessions. Beyond the Kansas City metro, her portfolio includes work photographed nationally and internationally, giving her experience with a range of venues, lighting conditions, and wedding traditions that a purely local photographer might not encounter as often. Online booking is available directly through her site for couples who want to schedule an introductory meeting before committing. With more than a decade of hands-on experience and a five-star average across dozens of reviews, Aubrey Erin Photography has built a reputation among Kansas City couples as a dependable, personable choice for wedding-day storytelling. 

Alyssa Barletter picked up a camera on a whim and, by her own description, accidentally found her calling; she has been photographing Kansas City weddings professionally since 2012 and has now documented more than 330 couples. Her style is unmistakably lifestyle and documentary-driven: Alyssa describes her presence on a wedding day as intentionally “invisible,” moving with the events rather than directing them, so that the resulting images capture real reactions rather than a performance for the camera. That approach extends to how she talks about her work, favoring words like “chaos” and “happy tears” over the more polished language many studios use, and she puts particular emphasis on unrepeatable moments like a couple’s first dance. Based in Kansas City but willing to travel, Alyssa has built a client list of couples who specifically want relaxed, emotionally honest photography over stiff, heavily posed portraits. She is married with two sons, and her studio’s public philosophy is openly inclusive, stating plainly that every race, background, body, gender, and orientation has a place in her work. With a five-star rating across 60 reviews and packages starting at $5,200, Alyssa Barletter Photography has become one of Kansas City’s most sought-after documentary wedding photographers. 

Dannie Dan-Irabor Photography is run as a husband-and-wife team based in the Kansas City metro, and that partnership shapes how the studio works on wedding days: one photographer can focus on the couple while the other captures candid reactions from family and friends without either shot getting missed. With 12 years of photography experience, Dannie describes the studio’s style as vibrant, crisp, and clean, a blend of documentary storytelling with the polish of a more traditional aesthetic. That range comes in part from a background in commercial and fashion photography, which shows up in the studio’s attention to light and composition even during fast-moving, unposed moments. The team covers engagements, weddings, and photo booth services, and takes on elopements and destination weddings in addition to typical Kansas City metro ceremonies. Featured on both The Knot and WeddingWire, the studio has built a strong local reputation with more than 70 reviews, most of them five stars. For couples who want a team that can move quickly between directed portraits and unguarded, in-the-moment shots, Dannie Dan-Irabor Photography offers a partnership-based approach that comes from two photographers who have been working together, and shooting weddings, for over a decade. 

Call It Magic Productions approaches Kansas City weddings with a philosophy summed up in one of the studio’s own lines to clients: you don’t need to perform, and you don’t need to know how to pose. That calm, observant style comes from a close-knit team of three creative professionals who bring over a decade of combined experience in wedding photography and videography to every booking. Rather than directing couples through a checklist of poses, the team leans into a photojournalistic approach that follows the day as it actually happens, from the nervous energy of getting ready to the unscripted moments during a reception that couples often say they treasure most looking back. Packages start at $2,200 and can be built around photography, videography, or both, giving couples flexibility depending on budget and priorities. The name itself hints at the studio’s guiding idea: a wedding day is full of small, unrepeatable moments, and the team’s job is to notice them before they pass. With a 4.7-star rating built on 73 reviews, Call It Magic has developed a loyal following among Kansas City couples who want heartfelt, timeless images without a stiff, overly directed photography experience. 

Based in Olathe and working throughout the Kansas City metro, Beau Vaughn Photography & Video has spent more than 13 years building a full-service wedding team that goes beyond just photography. In addition to wedding-day imagery, the studio offers videography, photo booths, DJ services, and day-of coordination, which lets couples consolidate several vendor relationships into one team that already knows how the others operate. That kind of coordination matters most in the moments couples don’t plan for: a delayed ceremony start, a venue change because of weather, a reception timeline that needs adjusting on the fly. Beau Vaughn’s team is used to those adjustments and treats them as part of the job rather than a disruption. The studio serves weddings throughout Kansas and Missouri and takes on destination weddings as well, so couples marrying outside the immediate metro area still have access to the same team and workflow. With 171 reviews and a near-perfect rating, the studio has built its reputation less on a single signature style and more on dependability across a large volume of weddings, which is exactly what many couples are looking for when a wedding day has a lot of moving parts to manage at once. 

Epic | Photos + Films has been photographing Kansas City weddings since 2009, and in that time the team led by Eric and Dominick has documented more than 1,000 celebrations across the metro. What began as a small studio has grown into one of the area’s most recognized wedding photography and videography teams, built around a simple idea: couples deserve imagery that feels as big as the day itself. Epic’s photographers move fluidly between contemporary, traditional, and photojournalistic styles, letting each couple’s personality dictate the approach rather than forcing every wedding into the same mold. Packages are built to be customized, whether a couple wants a single shooter for an intimate ceremony or a full photo-and-film team covering a large reception at one of Kansas City’s landmark venues. The studio has been recognized with WeddingWire’s Couples’ Choice Award since 2015 and The Knot’s Best of Weddings since 2011, a streak that reflects consistency across hundreds of client experiences rather than a single standout year. For couples planning a Kansas City wedding, Epic offers the reassurance of a team that has seen nearly every kind of wedding day unfold and knows how to stay ready for whatever actually happens once the schedule goes sideways.