Kylee + Mike | Casa Ybel Wedding | Sanibel Island, Florida

Kylee and Mike’s wedding honestly seems like a dream, now. They tied the knot in mid-February down in Sanibel Island and danced the night away under starry string lights, warm seas breezes and so much love from friends and family.

I’ve known Kylee since kindergarten and remember how she used to talk about her wedding when we were kids. She and her dad already had a song picked out for their father/daughter dance all those years ago and to see it come to fruition was so beautiful and I don’t think their was a dry eye in the tent.

Their day was perfectly planned ( by Kylee, of course) and had so many personal touches that made it one to remember. Maybe it was a combination of the sunshine and warmth in the middle of a long winter and the light at the end of the tunnel of an extremely hard 2 years, but this was a wedding where every guest was dancing and celebrating all night long.

Needless to say, they killed their golden-hour portraits and have beautiful images to share for a lifetime. I know I say this all the time, but photographing friends just makes my job extra special and meaningful.

If you’re planning a destination wedding - might I suggest someplace warm during the winter? And oh, yeah, book me so I can come with ya ;)

Brittany + Sam | Toledo Botanical Gardens Engagement Session | Toledo, Ohio

My sister is getting hitched! I was so happy and honored to do her and Sam’s engagement photos last summer, since I won’t be able to be the wedding photographer. We had a blast at the lovely Toledo Botanical Gardens and I LOVE how every single photo turned out. The sun came out after an overcast afternoon and it was a bit chilly but you’d never know it looking at these photos! I mean, come on!! They seriously look like models!

I can’t wait for her wedding and all the festivities leading up to the big day! Maybe I’ll post some personal photos from the celebration when the time comes :)

Erin + Bill | Covington Skyline Engagement Session | Covington, Kentucky

It’s hard to explain how fun it is photographing your friends. We get to hang out and create some beautiful photos of a special milestone in their life. When Billy asked me to do some engagement photos for him I jumped at the chance to visit an old friend and finally meet his bride to be!

We met in Covington, KY, across the Ohio River from downtown Cincinnati, OH. We got to explore the town, see the beautiful skyline and pop champagne on a rooftop. It was a perfect summer evening and I couldn’t wait to get these photos to my friends! If you’re ever in southern Ohio, cross the bridge and explore Covington! It’s charming, pretty and has great local eats.

Kylee + Mike | The Scioto Mile Engagement Session | Columbus, Ohio

I was beyond thrilled the evening my phone went off and with a photo of a ring and text saying, “I’m in the market for a photographer, you know any??” It was from a lifelong friend, Kylee, who I’ve known since kindergarten. Anytime I get the opportunity to photographer friends, my job feels extra special. Of course I said yes and we planned her engagement session right away.

I travelled down to Columbus, Ohio where she and her fiance, Mike, live. I had only had the chance to meet Mike once and it was brief, so being able to visit and get to know him before photos was great! We waited til the sun got low and golden and headed to downtown Columbus to have some fun! It felt good to be with friends and explore downtown together making photos. I can’t wait to photograph their wedding in Sanibel Island, FL next February!

A Re-Introduction - Kristen Norman Photography | Grand Rapids Wedding and Portrait Photographer

Hey There!

My name is Kristen and I’m the photographer behind Kristen Norman Photography. I recently relocated to Grand Rapids, MI from Chicago and wanted to share a little about me with my new clients. My fiance, Brian, and I are loving life in the mitten! We can’t wait to meet new people and explore more of West Michigan as spring and summer roll in.

Self-Portrait, 2020

I’ve been a photographer a little over 10 years now and have been running my own business for 6 of those years. I went to school for photojournalism at Ohio University (Go Bobcats!) where my love for photographing everyday life and people grew.

Documenting life and sharing those images with the people I photograph is what I love most about my job. Everyone should have the opportunity to have beautiful photos of the ones they love.

When I’m not photographing weddings, families and engagements, I shoot editorial and documentary work. My work has appeared in The New York Times, The Washington Post, TIME, The Wall Street Journal, NPR, BuzzFeed News, ESPN, O Magazine, VICE, Uber, Honda and NPR, among others.

I love to travel and I’m game to go wherever you need photos made! I’ve traveled around the country for weddings and portraits. And I’ve worked internationally in Thailand, Cambodia, Vietnam and The Democratic Republic of the Congo for my photojournalism work.

With my background in photojournalism, my style is timeless, authentic and natural. My philosophy is, the less posing the better. My clients want their photos to look and feel real and they do – because the moments are! Whether it’s your wedding day or photos of your family at home – I’m there to observe and document.

Here are a few of my favorite things:

PET: My dog, Harvey, she’s a Hurricane Harvey rescue and the best girl.

BOOKS: Harry Potter, always.

HOBBY: Weaving on my loom, you can never have too much yarn!

ACTIVITY: Hiking and camping, anything outdoors.

PLACES TRAVELED: Vietnam, The Democratic Republic of the Congo, Thailand and Cambodia

MOVIE: Jurassic Park + Harry Potter (duh!)

PLANT: ALL of them. I have a pretty good collection of house plants, 30 and growing!

DRINK: Daytime, coffee + Evenings, a bold Cab

FOOD: Thai - the more noodles the better.

HUMAN: My partner in crime and fiance, Brian (that’s him in the photo). We’ve been together for 10 years and have lived in 3 states together!

I can’t wait to make photos exploring everything Michigan has to offer. If you love my work, let’s chat! Emails are great but socially distanced coffee meetups are even better (once warm weather finally gets here) Feel free to send me a note here. :)

We love to go camping and take Harvey along for the adventure.

We didn’t have formal engagement photos done. So I brought my camera and tripod to take some photos of us while on a camping trip!

We spent a lot of time hiking and exploring the suburbs of Chicago last year. Chicago had pretty strict COVID guidelines and we needed the fresh air and nature to help us get through the year.

Here’s my journalism partner in crime and writer extraordinaire, Erin Ding, and I in the back of a truck in the DRC. She and I have been fortunate to report as a team from around the world.

The quickest and coolest way to navigate the busy streets of Hanoi is by motorbike! Erin snapped this photo as we rode next to each other on our way back from working on a story.

Lindsay + Rich | Winter Maternity Session | The Spot at Oak Openings

I was so excited when Lindsay and Rich asked me to come down to Toledo to take their maternity photos. I’ve known Rich since college, he’s friends with my fiance, and it’s always extra special to be the one to document the next chapter in our friend’s lives. I did Lindsay and Rich’s engagement photos a few years ago and couldn’t wait to work with them again. We met up at “The Spot” in Oak Openings Metro Park in Ohio. I was stoked to finally shoot a session in this beautiful and popular spot! The tall trees, snow and sun made for a perfect session.