Kari Whitling Photography

I'm a graphic designer and natural light lifestyle photographer in Springfield, Illinois. I love how a photo can capture and redefine beauty. I'm gonna let you in on a little secret: my favorite photos are NOT the perfectly posed, every shirt tucked in, everyone looking and smiling at the camera ones. No, those are probably my least favorite. What do I love? I love to capture a mom and dad being silly with their kids. I have yet to photograph a 3-year old who wanted to sit still and smile for the camera. Instead, I'm usually following their adventurous spirit, capturing fun moments of them running, getting their hands dirty and, yes, even being fussy. That's the stage they're in, so why not capture the real-life stuff!

 

In a world that is saturated with perfect imagery, it's the marks of life, the scars, the imperfect and raw emotion that defines beauty in this world. It always amazes me what a photo can do for the soul. If it can make a scarred woman or a bullied teen feel valued and beautiful or give a renewed sense of confidence and self-worth in someone who's facing challenges, I want to help capture that. I also feel God has given me a passion and a drive to use my photography in an unconventional way. So, for each photo session, 100% of the profits will go toward different non-profit organizations or missions each month. It is my hope that hearts will be transformed by the generosity of those who book a session.