The 6 Best Fine Art Photographers in Indianapolis

Indianapolis is the state capital and most populous city in Indiana. With that distinction comes all of the benefits of a modern city with the charm of the Midwest. Indy is second only to Washington, D.C., in the number of public artworks and monuments on display. It also has an arts scene that’s continuing to grow as young creatives continue to transform the Railroad City. Fine art photographers are increasingly common here, giving the Indy resident a wealth of great choices for their next photoshoot! If you’re in the market for a shutterbug, then look no further — we’ve curated a list of the top Indianapolis fine art photographers for your photography needs.

1. Molly Carr

Molly Carr is a professional fine art portrait and wedding photographer that embraces environmental, classic, and documentary portraiture in skillful ways that have us coming back for second and third looks. In her own words, “As a fine art destination wedding photographer, I approach my work with an editorial approach combined with a love of candid photography to create painterly images that are romantic, ethereal, and timeless.”

We especially enjoy her take on ethereal and timeless, using soft focus, pastel color palettes, and monochrome combined with bright highlights to render her subjects in a dreamy rendition of their special day. As a destination wedding photographer, she boasts excellent work that takes us on journeys to Greece, Italy, Paris and across the United States. Molly Carr is one of the most refreshing fine art photographers in Indianapolis.

2. Cliff Ritchey

Fine art location and commercial photographer Cliff Ritchey offers a travel portfolio that takes us on journeys across the United States — including Indiana, Colorado, Wyoming, Michigan, and South Carolina — as well as around the globe to Indonesia, Turkey, Mexico, and Nicaragua. His work centers on exploring the links among connection, experience, and presence.

In his own words, “Whether I am sitting on the Sea of Cortez, watching the sun make its way over a mountain ridge, watching playful children dancing about before a wedding, or bearing witness at a concert when the artist loses himself in the song, I am always striving to explore the subtle connections between human experience and art.” With a mixture of candid documentary and street images, he shows people going about their lives in an intimate, unself-conscious way. Cliff mixes monochrome and color, whichever style best suits the ambience and story he wishes to tell. Plus, he employs a light touch in his editing to better convey the experience of the setting.

3. Jeff Jeffries

Taking photos of the extraordinary is simple, but Jeff’s expertise lies in finding beauty and interest without going halfway across the world to do so. As he puts it, “I like an ‘honest’ image — a simple one that shows something about the true personality the subject, even if that subject is simply a can of peas… The exotic is everything that isn’t in your every day, and sometimes it is only a couple of counties over.”

To reach that end, he uses very natural color grading and editing to bring out his vision in a direct style focused on composition and color theory. His landscape images take something as seemingly simple as the sky, then show us how clouds, water, air, and light interplay to create dramatically different scenes that easily go underappreciated. Whether it’s a smartphone, DSLR, or Hasselblad, Jeff Jeffries can find a creative take on a shoot. 

4. Gina Shuppert of Piper + Claire Photography

Award-winning child and family photographer, as well as lead photographer of Piper + Claire Photography, Gina Shuppert has been working with children, families, babies, newborns, and high school seniors since 2004. As one of the best fine art photographers in Indianapolis, Gina’s worked on over 1,500 photoshoots since her first foray into the photography world! We love that Gina works to bring out the spontaneous elements in children — she shoots in natural light and seeks out silliness, spontaneity, and innocence.

She gets kids at their best, be it at play, making funny faces, whispering to one another, or creating their own art. Her creative vision is one of authenticity over perfection, conveyed even better in how naturally she uses color and monochrome instead of strongly adjusted tones. From colors to light to expressions, we get to see children as they are, in a fusion of classic, environmental, and documentary portraiture that can’t help but make you smile!

5. Joslyn and John of Crowe’s Eye Photography

The husband-and-wife photographer duo behind Crowe’s Eye Photography have created fine-art wedding and portrait photography for over 15 years in the Indianapolis area. Their work uses a mixture of styles, including a documentary approach that uses background elements and candid moments to carry the story. Joslyn and John also deftly employ stunning environmental portrait styles — by using buildings, gardens, venues, and even skies — for takes ranging from classic to minimalistic. They excel at finding creative angles in diverse scenes, earning them a place among the top fine art photographers in Indianapolis.

6. Adam and Becca Davis

Covering Indianapolis, Chicago, and the rest of the Midwest, photographer couple Adam and Becca Davis consistently impress with the quality of their work. They capture intimacy and connection in an honest, true-to-life manner without relying on flashy filters or dodgy edits.

In terms of a documentary approach, they’re able to adeptly capture intimate candids, as well as maintain a fly-on-the-wall angle during wedding shoots. It’s as if the photographers are invisibly behind the scenes with no one the wiser! Adam and Becca also cover families, high school seniors, branding, newborns, and commercial photography, with an emphasis on storytelling and timelessness.

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