Katie Niemer Photography

09/07/2026

I'm a Seattle girl through and through.

I've loved this city since the minute my family arrived here in 1992, mere months before my 13th birthday.

I feel like I grew up on these cobbled streets marked by flying fish, cheap flower bouquets, freshly baked goods, an abundance of coffee roasters, craft b**r, mile-high skyscrapers, and the salty sweet air of the Puget Sound.

I'm a Seattle Stan.

And that's why I love it when a kid chooses Pioneer Square and the Waterfront for their senior portrait session.

Because not every senior wants:

A field of flowers
A beach
A forest
Golden grass blowing in the breeze.

Some seniors want brick walls, cobblestones, alleyways, architecture, and a little attitude.

Pioneer Square gives us so much texture and variety in such a small area that we can create a gallery that feels like an actual adventure in the city, and not just a series of poses in front of the same backdrop.

If "urban" and "artistic" sounds more like you, let's talk about booking a downtown Seattle session.

Now, which do you like better, color or b&w?

07/27/2026

Imagine being seen.

Truly seen for your unique personality, your incredible talents, your wit, your charm, your shy yet sly smile.

Imagine being seen and having the things that make you the amazing person you are captured in a way that you will cherish forever.

You don't have to imagine. Because that's my passion, my purpose, and my goal every time someone comes in front of my lens.

That’s why I do what I do: to capture this chapter in a way that feels both authentic and unforgettably you.

07/24/2026

This is my favorite trend for 2027.

Bring your favorite stuffies, dolls, action figures, dinosaurs, toys from childhood. The ones you couldn't live without. The ones that made it through Goodwill runs and garage sales.

The ones that tell your whole story.

BRING THEM!!!

Disney Toy Story is your franchise!

Let's make milestone memories with the toys and stuffies that got you through those 18 years!

THE LIMIT IS YOUR IMAGINATION!



Mary McClelland Lila McClelland

07/15/2026

This is the last year.

This is the final season that I will have known them as 8th graders.

This is the last crew that crossed the threshold of my classroom for three full years. This is the last group that shared their hopes, dreams, favorite books, and weird middle school jokes with me before moving onto high school.

This is the final group that I had a hand in molding through their entire middle school career, sixth through 8th grade.

This is the last group that got me as their English teacher all three years.

It's a weird thought that while I will still know a handful of seniors that hire me in the years to come, this is the last crew that I knew. Deeply knew. That I spent 555 days with. That I lived alongside. That I went through births, deaths, divorce, success, and joy with.

And while it's bittersweet, it's also life.

People move on. People change careers. People leave. Lives change.

And I'm blessed to have known and loved them for 13 years—since they were kindergarteners. And I'm even more blessed to get to capture this milestone.

Sacred Heart Class of 2027, you are so special to me. And even if I don't get to capture this milestone for you, know that I will always love you!

07/13/2026

One of the things that surprises clients about the way that I work is that I don't spend my time asking you or your children to smile.

As a former pre-K through 8th grade teacher, I've held onto a fundamental tenant:

Play is connection.

It's the most effective way to get kids to cooperate during a session. It's better than any bribe you may offer them.

Play is more effective than any treat or any amount of screen time.

Young children live in the present. "If you do this now, you'll get a treat later" isn't nearly as motivating as turning the session time into a series of playful moments.

So instead of relying on bribes, I rely on play.

I turn the session into a series of silly prompts, games, goofy songs, tickle fights, and kid sandwiches. We take snack breaks, water breaks, and snuggle breaks.

We follow the child's curiosity, instead of fighting against it.

Because when kids feel safe, seen, and are genuinely enjoying themselves, smiles stop being something that I need to ask for.

So let's go have some fun together and make memories that you can't stop smiling at.

07/12/2026

Here I was.

Minding my own business.

Just doing some barefoot, grounding gardening, replanting some beets that we're being choked out by the cucumbers, when all of a sudden there arose such a clatter. I thought somebody crashed their car into my tree.

But it wasn't a car, or a motorcycle, or even a bicycle.

An eagle had crash landed into my tree and was standing in my driveway, dazed and confused, staring at me like WTF just happened?

Of course, I didn't have my phone on me or my camera. And I stood there. Also staring. Also dazed and confused.

Hearts pounding together. Frozen in place.

And then, he came to and flew away, over my head and onto my roof. I ran into my house to grab my phone and record. I ran back out. He flew into the tree across the street.

So I took a video and a bunch of pictures.

I don't know what this means, but I have a feeling it means something good is about to happen. Fingers crossed!

Oh, and I named him/her Bruce because of the way it slammed into my tree like the shark in Jaws slams into the Orca fishing vessel. (I just finished binging the entire series of Jaws movies. The first one is the only good one.)

07/03/2026

If friends are the family you choose, then this man would be brother number three.

And it probably isn't kosher to say this, but he's my favorite of my husband's childhood friends (and always has been). Which is saying something, because my husband has a great group of guy friends.

And finally getting to meet his gorgeous wife (who is my new bestie, beeteedubs), and their new baby boy, as well as getting to see his sweet girl again made my entire month. And it's only day two!

These are the types of relationships that hold our stories. These are the friendships that grow alongside us through seasons, moves, marriages, and babies.

Getting to photograph them like this felt less like work and more like preserving something sacred; proof of love, connection, and the beautiful mess that comes with building a life together.

And maybe that's what I hope every family feels who comes in front of my lens. Not the pressure to be perfect, but the permission to be themselves. I want them to feel seen, right now, in this fleeting, meaningful season.

Because one day, these ordinary moments will be the ones that you miss the most.

If your story is unfolding in a way you want to remember. Whether it’s loud, tender, chaotic, or brand new, I’d be honored to help you hold onto it.

07/02/2026

Why was this blog post so hard to write? Because for the first time in my photography career, I am living alongside my clients. I am a 2027 Graduation Parent, and I am feeling everything you are feeling!

Seattle high school senior photography is about more than graduation photos. See why senior portraits and family sessions tell the full story.

06/27/2026

Today's Iran vs. Egypt World Cup match wasn't a light hearted moment like the last match I was at.

It was a highly political moment with issues often represented in multifaceted ways.

06/25/2026

I love a cool, breezy, rainy summer day almost as much as a crisp, sunny, fall morning.

I love the sun, but I don't like the heat.

I love the sun, but I start to miss the rain.

That's why I'm more of a fall than a summer girl. Don't get me wrong. Summers in Seattle are the best and I'm so grateful to live in such a gorgeous place.

But I LOVE the fall and I start to dream about it during the summer.

If you're like me, and your vibe is more fall, let's connect. Fall dates available now!