Find the Best Photographers in Springfield

Blue Daisy Art is the newborn and birth photography studio of Springfield, Illinois photographer Victoria Kegg. What sets Blue Daisy Art apart from many newborn studios in the area is Victoria’s willingness to photograph birth itself, in addition to traditional newborn and maternity sessions — a specialty that requires being on call around a due date and comfortable working quickly and unobtrusively in a hospital or home birth setting. Her newborn portfolio favors a natural, documentary-influenced style over heavily posed setups, capturing babies in soft, simple wraps rather than elaborate props, which gives her galleries a timeless, editorial quality. Victoria works with Springfield families as well as clients further out toward the St. Louis area, giving her a wider service radius than many single-city newborn photographers. Because she offers maternity, newborn, and birth photography as a connected set of services, expecting families can book with her once and have the same photographer document the entire journey from bump to birth to the first days home. Clients researching Blue Daisy Art will find a portfolio built specifically around the newborn stage rather than a general portrait business that occasionally shoots babies, which matters for parents who want a photographer fluent in the safety and posing considerations unique to working with infants only days old. 

Lauren Tomten Photography operates a spacious, 1,200-square-foot newborn studio in the Leland Grove area of Springfield, Illinois, at 1219 W. Ash Street. Lauren started her photography journey in 2014, giving her over a decade of hands-on newborn experience by the time most of today’s Springfield parents are researching photographers. Her newborn sessions are held within the first two weeks of a baby’s life and take place entirely in her purpose-built studio, which she keeps fully stocked with outfits, wraps, and props so families don’t need to bring anything themselves. Clients consistently describe her studio as clean, calm, and well-organized, with dedicated space for nursing and outfit changes built into the session flow. Lauren’s approach blends classic posed newborn portraiture with softer lifestyle-style images, giving families a varied gallery rather than a single repeated look. Beyond Springfield proper, she regularly works with families from Chatham, Rochester, Riverton, and Sherman, making her one of the more geographically reaching newborn specialists in the immediate area. She also offers maternity, baby milestone, family, and cake smash sessions, so many clients build an ongoing relationship with her studio across a child’s first year or two. Proofs are typically delivered within 48 hours of a session, a fast turnaround that Springfield parents often cite as a reason they choose her. 

Kate Holzman Photography relocated to Springfield, Illinois and has since positioned itself as a full-service baby and newborn studio for Central Illinois families. Kate markets herself specifically around newborn, family, and senior photography, which keeps her newborn work central to the business rather than a side offering squeezed between other specialties. Her studio was recognized as a new Springfield-area business by the Springfield Business Journal, reflecting her established presence in the local photography community since her move to the city. Kate’s newborn portfolio favors soft, warm studio portraits that highlight a baby’s smallest features, and she works to create a calm, unrushed environment so parents don’t feel pressure to move quickly through the session. Because her business also covers family and senior photography, many of her newborn clients return to her studio for milestone and family sessions as their children grow, giving Kate a long-term relationship with the Springfield families she works with. While her review count on third-party platforms is still building, the feedback she has received reflects strong client satisfaction. For Springfield parents looking for a dedicated baby photographer who treats newborn portraiture as a core specialty rather than an occasional add-on, Kate Holzman Photography offers a locally rooted option. 

Morgan Clawson Photography is a Springfield, Illinois studio best known for weddings, but Morgan has quietly built a strong newborn and family portfolio alongside her wedding work over more than 9 years in business. Her newborn sessions lean toward a clean, lifestyle-influenced studio style — soft natural light, simple neutral wraps, and an unhurried pace that lets a fussy newborn settle before the camera comes out. Published sessions on her site, including a twin newborn studio shoot and a newborn-and-family session for a client named Ben, show her comfort working with multiple babies at once and coordinating full family portraits around a fragile newborn’s schedule. Morgan carries a five-star rating across her client reviews and is frequently praised for her relaxed, low-pressure approach, a quality that matters as much for a two-week-old newborn shoot as it does for a wedding day. Because weddings remain her primary focus, Morgan takes on a limited number of newborn sessions each month, which means Springfield families who book with her tend to get more individual attention and flexibility around scheduling than they might find at a high-volume newborn studio. For parents who already love her wedding photography style and want that same clean, timeless aesthetic applied to their newborn’s portraits, Morgan Clawson Photography offers a distinctive option in the Springfield market. 

Tara Long Photography has built a loyal Springfield, Illinois following around one specialty: posed newborn photography. Rather than offering every type of session, Tara focuses her studio time on newborns, maternity, children, and family portraits, which lets her stay deeply practiced in the safe posing techniques that classic newborn portraiture requires. Her sessions are known for the soft, artful compositions typical of posed newborn work — layered wraps, gentle curls, and quiet studio lighting that highlights tiny details like fingers, toes, and eyelashes. Serving Springfield and the broader Central Illinois area, Tara has earned an award-winning reputation among local families and carries a five-star rating across 27 client reviews, with clients frequently praising her calm demeanor and ability to keep newborns settled through a full session. Many of her clients first book with Tara during maternity, then return for the newborn session once baby arrives, giving her the chance to build rapport with a family well before the shoot. Her portfolio includes extended family and milestone galleries as well, so growing Springfield families often continue working with her through a child’s early years. For parents specifically seeking a posed, traditional newborn photography style rather than a lifestyle or in-home approach, Tara Long Photography remains one of the most established specialists in the Springfield market. 

Brand New Baby by Jamie Baker Photography has been Springfield’s go-to newborn specialist for more than 13 years, working from a dedicated studio at 3033 E. Sangamon Avenue. Jamie built her business exclusively around newborn, baby, and cake smash photography, which means every prop, backdrop, and heater in her studio exists for one purpose: safe, beautiful newborn portraits. She schedules sessions during the newborn’s first two weeks whenever possible, giving her the sleepy, curl-into-any-pose window that produces the classic wrapped and posed newborn images her clients request most. Jamie’s long tenure in Springfield has earned her recognition as the area’s top-rated newborn photographer, including a 2025 “Best Newborn Photographer in Springfield, Illinois” distinction from Quality Business Awards USA and a 4.9-star rating across 32 client reviews. Clients consistently mention her patience with fussy newborns, her unhurried pacing, and the consistency of her editing style from session to session — families who return for sibling sessions or annual milestones say they get the same dependable quality every time. Beyond newborn portraits, Brand New Baby also offers maternity sessions, giving expecting Springfield families the option to book both experiences with the same photographer. For parents who want a true newborn specialist rather than a generalist who occasionally shoots babies, Jamie Baker’s studio remains one of Springfield’s most established options. 

Chandi Kesler Photography has specialized in newborn and first-year milestone portraiture since 2009, making Chandi one of the most experienced newborn photographers serving Central Illinois. Working from her studio near Bloomington, Chandi built her reputation on meticulous studio-light newborn sessions that prioritize safety and patience above all else — sessions are scheduled around the baby’s feeding and sleep cues rather than the clock. Families throughout the region, including Springfield, travel to work with her specifically for her signature soft, timeless newborn style: simple wraps, neutral tones, and classic posed portraits that avoid trendy props in favor of images that will still feel current decades from now. Over 17 years in business, Chandi has photographed thousands of newborns and built a client base large enough to generate more than 200 five-star reviews — a rare volume of feedback for a boutique newborn studio. Many of her clients first found her through referrals from Springfield-area doulas, pediatricians, and lactation consultants who trust her calm, unhurried approach with fragile newborns. She also offers maternity and milestone sessions, so many families book a full first-year package with her. For Springfield parents willing to make the drive to Bloomington, Chandi Kesler Photography represents one of the most established and highly reviewed newborn specialists in the wider Central Illinois market. 

Kristi Mitchell Photography has been a fixture of Springfield’s wedding scene from a studio on East Monroe Street downtown, and the wedding portfolio backs it up — real ceremony and reception coverage, not stock imagery, with the kind of candid, in-the-moment shots that suggest a photographer more interested in catching genuine reactions than posed perfection. Kristi describes her approach as capturing “real moments in a beautiful way,” and that philosophy shows up consistently across the wedding, engagement, and portrait work on her site.

What makes this studio worth a look for Springfield couples is the range without the corporate feel: it’s a one-photographer operation (Kristi herself, a mom of four who’s also active in the local community) rather than a large studio farming out shoots to associates. That personal touch, paired with a strong online reputation, is a big part of why she keeps showing up on local “best of” lists for wedding photography in the area.

Beyond weddings, the studio rounds out its calendar with senior portraits, family and engagement sessions, headshots, and boudoir work — so couples who book Kristi for their wedding often already know her style from an engagement session, or discover her through a friend’s senior photos. It’s the kind of local, relationship-driven business that tends to earn repeat referrals rather than one-off bookings. 

Lacey Graham Photography is a husband-and-wife wedding team based in the Springfield, Illinois area — Lacey shoots the stills, and her husband, Austin, handles wedding videography, so couples can book coordinated photo and video coverage through one studio instead of hiring two separate vendors.

The listing carries a 5.0-star average across 37 Google reviews, and the reviews we read consistently call out the same thing: a mix of polished, directed portraits alongside candid, unscripted moments captured throughout the day, plus an easy, low-stress presence on site.

Lacey markets herself as an Illinois wedding photographer who serves couples well beyond Central Illinois, including destination weddings, so she’s a solid option for Springfield-area couples as well as anyone planning a wedding elsewhere who still wants a photographer based in the Midwest. 

Morgan Clawson Photography is a husband-and-wife photo and video team based in Springfield who have spent the past nine-plus years shooting weddings across Central Illinois, with a chunk of their calendar taken up by destination couples who fly them out for the day. Weddings are clearly the core of the business, and it shows in how deliberately the packages are structured around a full day of coverage plus video.

The studio doesn’t stop at “I do,” though. Morgan also books engagement sessions, maternity shoots, and family portraits — often for the same couples years down the line as their families grow, which says something about how clients feel about working with her more than once. Reviewers keep circling back to the same idea: she puts people at ease in front of the camera, and that comfort translates into genuinely candid, unposed images rather than stiff, catalog-style shots.

On Google, Morgan Clawson Photography holds a perfect 5.0 rating across 14 reviews — a small sample, but a consistent one, with mentions spanning weddings, engagements, maternity sessions, and family photos. That’s the kind of track record built on repeat clients and word-of-mouth referrals rather than heavy advertising, which is exactly why we’re comfortable recommending them for Springfield-area weddings. 

Rachael Marie Photography is run by a Springfield native who turned her hometown roots into a specialty: cinematic, film-inspired coverage of Central Illinois weddings and elopements. Rather than the polished-and-posed look many studios lean on, her galleries favor genuine, in-the-moment emotion — quiet glances, candid laughter, small details — shot with a moody, romantic edit that reads more editorial than typical wedding-vendor fare.

Her portfolio backs it up: real weddings at venues from Chicago’s Morton Arboretum to small Illinois barns and courthouse elopements at the state capitol, alongside engagement sessions for couples across the Midwest. That range, paired with an inclusive, all-love-welcome approach, makes her a solid pick for couples who want their day documented like a story rather than a checklist.

We like her for Springfield-area couples specifically because she knows the region’s venues firsthand and keeps booking simple — everything starts with a quick inquiry through her website rather than a hard sales process. 

Lou Szoke has been photographing weddings and portraits in the Springfield area since 1980, making Szoke Photography one of the most established studios in central Illinois. Over more than four decades behind the camera, Lou earned his Master Photographer and Craftsman of Photography designations and has been named Illinois Photographer of the Year, the kind of track record that only comes from consistently satisfying couples and families year after year.

For engaged couples, that experience translates into a wedding day that runs smoothly, with a photographer who has seen just about every timeline curveball a ceremony or reception can throw. The studio’s dedicated wedding gallery shows a natural, documentary-leaning style that favors genuine moments over stiff posing, alongside classic portrait, family, and business headshot sessions for clients who want more than just a wedding album.

We recommend Szoke Photography to Springfield-area couples who want a proven, award-winning photographer rather than a newcomer still building a portfolio. Lou also offers photo and video transfer services, so multi-generational families can preserve older home movies and slides alongside their new wedding images — a nice bonus for anyone consolidating family memories in one place. 

If you’re getting married in the Springfield or Central Illinois area, Kate Spencer Photography is worth a look. Kate has been documenting weddings from this studio since 2010, and it shows in the work — full-day coverage that leans into natural light and a true-to-color, unfussy editing style rather than heavy filters or trends that date quickly. Couples describe her as calm and confident on a wedding day, someone who can direct a group photo and then step back and let the real moments happen.

Beyond weddings, she also shoots engagement sessions and a smaller slate of family and newborn portraits, so couples who book her for the wedding sometimes come back for milestones afterward. It’s a small, personal operation rather than a high-volume studio, which tends to appeal to couples who want a photographer who actually remembers their names.

We like recommending local, established names over newer studios still building a portfolio, and fourteen-plus years photographing weddings in this specific region — Springfield architecture, favorite venues, Central Illinois light — is the kind of local knowledge that’s hard to fake. 

If you’re getting married in the Springfield area and want photos that feel like real moments instead of stiff poses, Soul Focus Photos is worth a look. Allison has been shooting weddings and lifestyle sessions in central Illinois since 2014, and her approach leans documentary-style — catching genuine reactions, in-between moments, and the small details that actually happened on the day, rather than manufacturing a look.

Beyond weddings and engagements, Soul Focus also shoots maternity, newborn, family, and senior portrait sessions, so couples who book her for their wedding often come back for family photos down the road. That kind of repeat business tends to track with client trust, and it shows here: the studio carries a 5.0-star rating across 56 Google reviews.

One thing to plan for — Soul Focus operates as a lean, owner-photographed studio, so booking and questions go through email rather than a phone line. For couples who don’t mind that and want an experienced, story-driven photographer based right in Springfield, it’s a solid choice to have on the shortlist. 

Jill Gum Photography is a Springfield, Illinois-based studio that photographs weddings, engagements, and family milestones across central Illinois and the wider Midwest. The site’s wedding galleries lean toward a warm, documentary-style approach — genuine moments over stiff posing — and Jill also runs a hands-on studio space, “JGP Studio on the Square” in nearby Petersburg, for portrait and branding sessions.

Beyond weddings, the business rounds out its offerings with maternity, newborn, family, engagement, senior, and personal-branding/headshot sessions, giving couples in the Springfield area a photographer who can also cover the milestones before and after the wedding day. Jill also teaches photography and business courses to other photographers through “Jill Gum Classroom,” a sign of an established, full-time creative practice rather than a side hustle.

For Springfield-area couples who want an experienced, locally rooted photographer with a genuine wedding portfolio and a broader range of session types, Jill Gum Photography is worth a look — just note that third-party review volume online is currently thin, so we’d encourage reaching out directly to see recent galleries and availability. 

Lauren Westrich Photography brings a light, joyful touch to wedding-day storytelling from her home base in Springfield, willingly making the drive across central Illinois and down to St. Louis for the couples who want it. Her galleries lean toward soft, natural light and genuinely unposed moments — the kind of images that read more like a great candid than a staged shot list, which is exactly the vibe couples who hire her tend to be chasing.

Because she caps how many weddings she books each year, clients get a photographer who isn’t stretched thin on their biggest day, and engagement sessions come bundled in with wedding packages rather than tacked on as an upcharge. She also shoots senior portraits, so if a couple has a teenager heading into their last year of high school, it’s a two-birds situation worth asking about.

We point Springfield-area couples her way for the combination of an approachable, “ultimate joy-filled experience” style of shooting and a track record of couples saying their photos turned out better than they’d pictured — a rare thing to hear from people who spent months planning every detail themselves. 

Chris Withers Photography has been a fixture of the Springfield wedding scene for well over a decade, and it shows — the studio has now photographed 300+ weddings across Springfield and Central Illinois, plus select destination dates. That kind of repetition builds real instinct for how a wedding day actually unfolds, from getting-ready chaos to the last dance, and it’s part of why couples keep referring friends their way.

What stands out most is the consistency: a 4.9-star average across 252 Google reviews is a hard thing to maintain at that volume, and recent reviews (including one where Chris stepped in on two days’ notice after another photographer had to cancel) point to a studio that treats last-minute stress like a solved problem, not a crisis. Based out of a dedicated studio at 2160 S 6th St in Springfield, the team also shoots engagements, family sessions, seniors, and headshots, so couples can build an ongoing relationship rather than a one-day transaction.

For Springfield and Central Illinois couples who want a cinematic, candid-forward wedding photography style backed by a long local track record, Chris Withers Photography is an easy studio to put in front of clients. 

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