Hi there my name is Kate (she/her)

From running around the yard slaying dragons with my two kids to mountaintop kisses with my husband, I believe in life’s extraordinary, ordinary adventures. Life really is a beautiful, wild, heart-thumping thing.
That’s what I’m all about—the heart thumps, the moments that make you feel. I try to see them in my everyday life and to help my kids find them. I want to see my kids grow into who they are without expectations or boundaries. There is so much to learn and I never want them to feel limited. I want them to know it’s not us against the world, it’s us in the world.
You deserve to have your story documented!
People inspire me. Traveling opens my mind and my heart, renewing my work. Trips to document the stories of nonprofits all over the world fill me up in a way that is unique and gives me purpose. This is a giant part of who I am. It reminds me that I am human and my most basic desire is to connect with the community around me. Life is all about finding your village, I hope to be a part of yours.
A connected observer, I pride myself on being a thoughtful photographer that embraces the journey in this adventure we call life.
I live my own life with the steady acknowledgement that it all matters. The big and the small. The hard and the easy. The simple and the complicated. Every experience builds on the last and forms us into exactly who we are supposed to be. I love connecting on the experiences that got you here and watching your family grow. Getting to know my clients and their stories grounds me and allows me to do my best work.
"Kate, you are such a phenomenal photographer, artist and person. Your gift is in how much thought and love you put into every single moment you photograph." -Kendra
Hi, I am Sarah! (she/her)
At Kate Carlton Photography we consider printed images "touchstones"-they are visible daily reminders that refocus us on what's important in life.
As a mother of two, nearly teenage boys, I can speak first hand to how fleeting our moments are together.
Time flies and memories fade.
Having fine-art family portrait displayed on our walls allows us to hold onto our memories, this combined with the research proving that displaying photography in your home helps your children have a sense of belonging and raises self esteem, creates a no brainer for me.
I am excited to meet you and to walk with you from booking to delivery. This service feeds my creative soul.
You are safe here.
This is a HATE FREE BUSINESS. Those from every walk of life are not only welcomed but embraced in front of my camera and in my life. I support and am a social justice ally. LGBTQIA+ and the lives of black and brown people matter and should be seen and shown more often in the photography communities. YOU are welcome with me. YOU belong in my village.
Associations and Memberships
"Kate Carlton creates a different kind of portrait — raw, real, and beautiful, her work captures the journey of motherhood. A birth photographer, she won’t get photos of you and your family looking your prim and proper best, but will deftly capture the moment you become a family — or the moment your family expands, the moments you will want to cherish forever. Her portfolio is full of strength, tenderness, and love. If you are looking for a birth storyteller, Kate is your gal — we cannot recommend her highly enough." -Liz
Birth and Family Portrait Photographer in Colorado Springs | kate@katecarltonphotography.com