Kate Thompson

Kate Thompson believes there’s a right photographer for every couple and when you find that match, your wedding photos encapsulate a sense of ease and natural expression. After photographing 200 weddings from India to Iceland and California to Charlottesville, Kate says her couples are all about being present on their wedding day, connecting with friends and family while Kate moves into the right lighting at the right moments.
 
As a regular freelance photographer for the New York Times and Wall Street Journal, Kate lends a unique journalistic eye to the day. She sees each wedding as a collaborative opportunity and keeps creativity alive with a rotation of a dozen different film cameras.
 
“I tend to get a lot of clients who are more fashion forward and design knowledgeable,” she says. “They’re looking for someone with a more creative approach. Almost like hiring an artist to come to your wedding over your usual wedding photographer.”
 
Kate’s editorial storytelling approach draws her lens to moments beyond the predetermined wedding day timeline and shot list. She loves capturing the quiet getting ready moments between family, candid laughter during wedding party portraits and the beautiful unscripted flashes newlyweds share.
 
“A lot of the most interesting things happen outside of the shot list,” she says. “I have that anticipatory eye for composition. That ability to capture artistic moments without staging them.”
 
A client questionnaire — asking things like what’s the best wedding you’ve ever been to and why — and in-person meetings allow Kate to get to know her couples. She gathers clues about what’s most important to them. Is it the food experience or the energy of the dance floor? Are there family dynamics to be aware of or a grandparent with a mobility issue to consider?
 
For Kate, it’s really about tapping into creative flow and cultivating an energy of awareness. She has honed the art of knowing when to step in and give direction and when to be a fly on the wall. Couples often comment on her calming presence and ability to read the room.
 
Her Charlottesville wedding photography packages include a second photographer and Kate always packs two to five film cameras. Editing is light and natural, with no heavy filters or color corrections.
 
“More and more couples like having the mix of digital and film,” Kate says. “Film can tell an emotional truth sometimes that digital is almost too clean to capture.”