The 8 Best Fine Art Photographers in Washington, DC

Washington, DC, the most northern of Southern cities, is a hotspot for photography. Whether you want a snapshot of the US Capitol or the diverse neighborhoods of DC, there’s something for everyone here. Fine art photographers are easy to find as well, with galleries to grace your walls and numerous portrait styles ideal for your next wedding or photoshoot. We’ve assembled a list of the top fine art photographers in Washington, DC, for your convenience. Have a look at whom we found!

1. Robert Dodge

Robert specializes in fine art portrait, documentary, and travel photography. Having worked in journalism for 30 years, as well as publishing his own book, Vietnam 40 Years Later, his knowledge of photography, business ventures, and public relations is unparalleled. Looking through his portfolio, it’s clear Robert’s personal style is diverse. His portraits range from candid travel snapshots to on-location headshots. Fine art outdoor images of models, as well as Vietnamese workers on the street, are captured with equal talent. Robert uses both color and monochrome photography, with the latter often showcasing skin textures, highlights, and tonal ranges, while color brings out background elements to help tell the story of a person.

2. Andrew Prokos

Offering framed physical prints and licensed high-resolution images, Andrew is one of the best fine art photographers in Washington, DC, if you’re in need of wall art to add classiness to your commercial or living space. His iconic images capture famous sights from Washington DC, including the US Capitol Dome, the Reflecting Pool at night, the Library of Congress, panoramic views of the White House, and much more. And if you’re looking for diversity, his portfolio takes us on trips to Brazil, Europe, and the Western US. Skylines, farmhouses, rocky landscapes, and forests are just a sampling of Andrew’s photography. He uses color as often as monochrome to provide clients with tonal ranges to their tastes.

3. Alan Sislen

Alan’s work is focused entirely on landscapes and architecture photography. We love that he confines his style to a singular range because within that genre there’s so much to explore. His portfolio touches on the sand dunes of Death Valley, CA; lobster shacks on the coast of Nova Scotia; and sunsets in Yosemite National Park. His work uses a very natural color palette as well; without the neon colors and over-recovered highlights and shadows common with today’s photography. What you see is the photographer’s vision, lightly touched by post-processing. His captures of expansive vistas with distant mountains and the occasional foreground interest point are breathtaking.

4. Kelly & Kalina Schneider

This Washington, DC-based husband-and-wife photographer duo specializes in fine art portrait photography. Each luxury heirloom art piece goes far beyond typical portraiture, bringing in elements of fantasy, environmental portraiture, and personal artistic flair. Many clients opt for medieval-themed photoshoots with backdrops of castles and palace ballrooms. Even their children and high school senior portraits bring wondrous elements that break up the monotony of classical posed portraiture. Their style uses a strong retouching style to create their look, yet it remains consistent across their albums. If you’re looking for an element of whimsy, fantasy, or history for your fine art, then Kelly and Kalina are by far the best choice!

5. Susana Raab

Susana’s photography showcases North and South American culture in the travel, fine art, and photojournalism spheres of interest. Her work is held in the collection of the Library of Congress, the Art Museum of the Americas, the DC Public Art Bank, and several other notable locations. As a film photographer, Susana’s incredibly adept at capturing slices of life across the Americas, from the Andean mountains to the streets of DC. Using normal- to wide-angle views, Susana uses documentary and environmental portrait styles to give context to the lives of her subjects, preferring this over-blurred backgrounds and heavy post-processing. People looking for true-to-life representations of her vision are spoiled for choices here! We strongly feel that Susana is one of the most creative fine art photographers in Washington, DC, working today.

6. Adria Michelle

If you’re in need of fine art documentation of your family, newborn, and milestone moments, Adria has you covered, especially for important milestones, from maternity to fresh 48, as well as babies’ three-six-nine-month milestones and birthdays. And then there’s family and relationship milestones like anniversaries, bar mitzvahs, graduations, and much more. Adria’s work uses glowing highlights to create a soft, peaceful look to her images. She also employs documentary photograph techniques to tell the story through context rather than portrait poses, a technique that’s especially helpful with willful children. 

7. Jozsef Daniels

Jozsef runs a fine art creative portrait studio in Washington, DC. After being published numerous times, as well as working as a photographer for America’s Next Top Model, he’s opted to strike out on his own. His goal is to make Vanity Fair/GQ-inspired styling available for all clients. Indeed, looking through his profile, we see the very epitome of the studio photographer’s art. Jozsef has mastered natural poses that emphasize the beautiful qualities and enhance our understanding of each subject. Lighting choices run from window natural light to studio light that emphasizes and flatters skin complexions. Tattoos, hats, clothing, and chairs all help create portraits that go beyond headshots and profiles and into true fine art portraiture.

8. Jennie Raff

As a fine art film photographer, Jennie truly appreciates the physical quality, grain, and skin tone rendering of her chosen medium. In her words: “There’s something beautiful about shooting film; I think it might be like reading a novel by the fire on a snowy day vs. reading something on your phone.” Still, her work includes digital imagery as well, to capture as many moments as possible. Jennie uses stunning pastel color tones and white natural light that creates a glow over her clients. We love that every aspect of her photography contributes to the image, from background elements like columns and trees to the subject’s poses. Her work is a mixture of environmental portraiture, classic portraits, and documentary wedding photography.

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