The 6 Best Fine Art Photographers in Milwaukee

The Cream City, Milwacky, America’s Dairyland — Milwaukee, WI, is known for beer, cows, forested landscapes, Lake Michigan, and cheese. But did you also know it’s home to some of the top fine art photographers in the United States? These artists bring their talents to the fields of wedding, documentary, boudoir, and other photography genres in ways few can match! If you’re looking for the most talented fine art photographers in Milwaukee, we’ve gathered the very best for your viewing pleasure!

1. Eddee Daniel

Eddee’s niche revolves around cultural landscapes and urban ecology. Capturing the interplay between natural and man-made forces is something that’s more important than ever. It’s also a realm that’s unfortunately very easily overlooked in our urban culture. Realistically speaking, concrete and greenery contrast in rather stark ways that go unnoticed until revealed in Eddee’s fine art photography (see his Hard Ecology series).

Does nature exist at the margins of our society, or are we creating artificial islands amidst a sea of nature? These questions are more are explored in Eddee’s photography and attest to his love of urban outdoor environments. He uses true-to-life color tonalities that help contrast the natural and urban in ways monochrome doesn’t quite capture. Eddee’s subtle skill in documentary photography makes him one of the best fine art photographers in Milwaukee.

In addition, Eddee is the Project Director of A Wealth of Nature for the non-profit Preserve Our Parks (POP). He also serves as a POP board member.

2. Sarah Glick

Featured on 100LayerCake.com, Green Wedding Shoes, and Hey Wedding Lady’s website, Sarah Glick is a fine art wedding photographer based in Milwaukee. Her style is a combination of documentary and environmental portraiture that tells the story in a way that keeps us looking at image after image. Classic portraits can sometimes fall a bit flat as they give us a subject and a smile. But Sarah gives us nuance and a story that unfolds as the images keep coming!

Sarah’s muted tonality gives her photography a style that’s timeless and true to life. It allows color to take a backseat to form, highlights, and subjects without being entirely monochrome. We also get a sense of location in her environmental portraiture — be it a beach, downtown venue, or church, Sarah always finds a flattering angle and a story to share with her photography!

3. Jen and Andy of BlueVerve Studio

Jen and Andy are the photographer duo running BlueVerve Studio! Covering elopements, weddings, branding, and boudoir, they strive to find the very best side of each and every one of their clients. Their boudoir work is especially noteworthy as fine art photography, starting with a professional hair and makeup session, and ending with images that help revitalize your sense of inner and outer glamour.

In the words of one of their clients: “I’ve never looked at myself as any great beauty… and when I saw the pictures I couldn’t believe it. I feel beautiful. I feel confident. Thank you.” We also enjoyed Jen and Andy’s wedding portraiture. They employ classic portraiture styles combined with colors that range from true-to-life to almost cinematic quality.

4. Jack Long

Jack’s eye for fine art photography using the mediums of light and water are truly unique and worth exploring. He uses self-constructed fountains and other technological additions to create his liquid aerial suspension art. Rather than digital compositions, Jack uses high-speed photography to freeze the exact moment his vision meets reality in mid-air. The names he gives his series are evocative and descriptive as well: Fire Jellies, Vortex Fountains, and The Hole all live up to their names, despite being composed of simple material like dye, light, water, and air. Each composition lasts for milliseconds yet is immortalized into art.

5. Kirat Mokha

Kirat is an engagement and wedding fine art photographer covering Milwaukee, Madison, Waukesha, and surrounding areas in WI. Seniors, families, corporate, and maternity portraits are also available, all covered using a mixture of classic and documentary portraiture styles. His attention to background elements is especially pleasing; while subjects are surrounded by pleasing bokeh due to the shallow depth of field, bokeh formed by natural light, vegetation, etc. is also shaped in a way that’s intentional and artistic.

Lines in the images are also carefully considered for maximum impact; we see a very deliberate photography process that’s the mark of an experienced, talented portrait photographer. Kirat’s environmental portrait samples also leave us wanting to know more, as scenes range from seaside to forest parks. Combined with off-camera flash and good natural light technique, Kirat effortlessly creates some of the best classic portraiture we’ve seen.

6. Martha Coaty

If you’re looking for fine art coverage of rural and urban Wisconsin, look no further. Martha has been documenting the story of this state for over 30 years. In her own words, “In rural Wisconsin and small towns, there is husbandry and spots of color in the largesse of Great Lakes industry. My vision is continuing and developing in these areas. Simplicity narrows my approach when finding geometric shapes and color on the landscape. I seek stillness to represent the peacefulness of my subjects.”

Her eye guides us from broad strokes that encompass a building or town scene to abstract takes on architecture and closeup subjects. The people, wildlife, landscapes, and weather of Wisconsin all get a voice in Martha’s photography. She often uses monochrome and true-to-life color photography that solidifies the documentary angle she presents, rather than rely on digital manipulations that take away from the story and vision presented. Martha’s straightforward documentary photography is a delight and makes her one of the best fine art photographers in Milwaukee today.

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