The 9 Best Fashion Photographers in St. Louis

We set out creating these guides of the best fashion photographers in different metro areas aiming to help aspiring models, studios, makeup artists, and lifestyle brands find creatives who can take their portfolios to the next level. We take pleasure in assembling these guides, as the work of the photographers we feature is always inspiring, challenging, and gorgeous. The most talented St. Louis fashion photographers are doing your city proud — they’re all trendsetters and visionaries who are deeply entrenched in a thriving creative community. Check out their work!

1. Katryn Dobkin of Blue Burst Photography

Katryn Dobkin of Blue Burst Photography takes evocative portraits and emotion-filled editorial fashion photos. Her photos have a cinematic quality to them, as though they are directed by a skilled artist with a real knack for telling universal stories. She uses digital development amazingly well, never in a way that feels inauthentic. She’s never hiding the people she photographs or trying to shoehorn them into an aesthetic that doesn’t fit them. Everything she does emphasizes the people she photographs and the story she’s telling.

2. Pendilton Whaley of Whaley Visuals

Pendilton Whaley is a young St. Louis photographer specializing in travel shots and branding photos. He’s trusted by St. Louis brands and models to take lifestyle and editorial fashion photos that build identities and tell powerful stories. His style makes great use of negative space and landscapes, as well as dynamic, centrally framed objects and people to create striking, unforgettable images. His shots are relatable yet glamorous. This is real-world fashion, not ethereal fairytale fashion, and we love it.

3. J-Var Photography

J-Var Photography is Jervias Johnson, and he takes dramatic, light-and-shadow filled photos that showcase the intelligence, humanity, and spirituality of the people he photographs. He’s an extremely playful photographer who is always looking for new ways to see his subjects. There’s a no-frills drama to his work that makes it clear he’s not out to prove a point to anyone else — he’s thoroughly exploring and seeking the truth.

4. Danny of Feels Good Let’s Go

Danny of Feels Good Let’s Go, is a St. Louis fashion photographer, graphic designer, logo creator, and the curator for @stlfaces. Last, but certainly not least, he’s the co-founder of Studio Daze events. His style is bright and futuristic, natural and yet mysterious, as well as highly eclectic. His models’ makeup is always impeccable but not overdone, and all of his post-production work is similarly understated. St. Louis also shines in his pictures, with many recognizable backdrops making their way into Danny’s photos. Overall, the man behind Feels Good Let’s Go is a talented individual who has an ear to the ground on the latest fashion trends and boasts a style that allows his models to be who they are. We really appreciate his openness and willingness to experiment.

5. Casey Otto

Casey Otto is a fashion photographer who takes classically composed yet subversive fashion photos of some of St. Louis’s most recognizable personalities. He is extremely playful, combining textures, playing with perspective, always willing to try something new to achieve something pleasantly startling. Take note: his portfolio is very much NSFW. Nevertheless, his photos are hilarious and extremely inspiring. If you take pictures yourself, Casey’s work will inspire you to go out shooting new work in no time.

6. Kevin Avington

Kevin Avington is a St. Louis fashion photographer and well-known portrait artist. He has an amazing skill to direct his subjects, as well as capture gestures and expressions that are singular and evocative, yet easy to relate to. He always puts his photographic subjects in their best possible light, making them truly beautiful. He also has a knack for capturing landscapes in such a way that his photographic subjects really pop. Check out his portfolio and see for yourself what a talented artist he is.

7. Ed Aller

Ed Aller is a ridiculously talented commercial artist who takes amazing product and food shots (some of the most delicious food shots we’ve ever seen, in fact). He also captures portraits and fashion photos that are highly textured and dynamic, with an air of mystery. Ed’s especially adept at capturing the texture and detail of hair. And this one skill alone means that no matter what, his fashion photos never seem like the photos that other photographers take. In addition, his punny name doubles as a good philosophy for an artist: Aller Nothing. 

8. Preston Page

Photographer Preston Page works with designers, stylists, makeup artists, and models to help them build robust portfolios. He has a photo studio in Grand Central and takes some of the most eclectic fashion photos around, ranging from extremely retro and Gothic to psychedelic and futuristic. He uses a variety of techniques and tools to take memorable photos that are sure to stand out. And that’s just part of the reason why he’s one of the best St. Louis fashion photographers.

9. Max Grubb of Miles Witt Boyer Photographic Collective

Max Grubb is a member of the Miles Witt Boyer Photographic Collective and one of the most trusted portrait photographers in St. Louis. He is perhaps better known for his wedding photography and high school senior photography, though his editorial photos are frankly stunning. He has an eye for expressions and capturing people in a way that makes them gorgeous, whether they are experiencing one of life’s highs or lows. He simply turns people into art.

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