The 10 Best Portrait Photographers in Milwaukee

Nestled on the western shore of Lake Michigan, Milwaukee is a booming metro hub famous for breweries, baseball, and piles of snow. Lake views and urban parks accent the charm of this Midwestern jewel. Milwaukee’s portrait photography scene is also booming, with several uber-talented creatives in the area. If you’re looking for the best Milwaukee portrait photographers, you need only glance below to see our top picks!


1. Autumn of Amarie Photography

Specializing in portraits, studio work, personal branding, and weddings, Autumn is one of the premier Milwaukee portrait photographers. She focuses on helping her clients feel comfortable and natural in front of the camera. In her own words, “My job as your photographer is to take beautiful photos that capture both your inner + outer beauty, part of that may include direction, which I am more than happy to give.” Autumn’s style is bright and expansive, with environmental portraits, classic/candid poses, and documentary-style captures. Soft pastels and warm, comforting highlights feature prominently in her images.

2. Abbie Miller of Stories Framed Photography

Abbie works with families, children, and businesses throughout the Milwaukee area. Her work shows an especially sharp eye for bold colors and color-coordinated outfits. She takes advantage of a mixture of studio and outdoor natural light photography that shows her clients at their very best. Her food photography and collaborations with local restaurants are especially pleasing, with great depth of field and well-laid out plates.

3. Laura Lynne Boudoir

Boudoir is a special photography niche. While many photographers dabble in the art, few have the expertise to not only specialize but showcase stunning art. Her studio is a 1,400 sq.ft. loft in the heart of Bayview with leather, brick, and fabric textures accenting every image. Her images exemplify the contrasts of hard directional lighting, as well as deep shadow to accentuate the curves and poses of her subjects. Each shoot includes hair and makeup work, unlimited changes of clothes, coaching on positions, and much more. Laura’s work is truly breathtaking β€” in the words of one of her clients: “You don’t do a photoshoot with Laura. You are part of a group of strong beautiful women when you walk out of her studio.”

4. Ren & Caleb Lenhof of Studio 29 Photography

Ren and Caleb are husband-and-wife photographers who cover weddings, portraits, families, and commercial photography in Milwaukee. As the full-time photographer, Ren boasts a voice and style that’s a big part of her website, which has been running since 2010. She brings a degree in graphic design and journalism to the fore, and her work shows her dedication and focus to her art. Having published for such esteemed brands and publications, such as the Chicago Tribune,  Nordstrom, and West Elm, it’s clear that Studio 29 Photography is a force to be reckoned with. Their images use tastefully muted color palettes with a strong emphasis on natural light photography.

5. Tia Brindel of Little Giant Photography

Tia is a fine-art and journalism photographer with a love for honesty, loud laughter, and authentic moments. She holds University of Milwaukee graduate degrees in photography and art education, and she’s dedicated her education to understanding and teaching how to capture the beauty in the world. Her portfolio has a strong focus on maternity shoots, families, engagements, weddings, and newborns. She uses very natural color grading and subtle highlight recovery. It looks very clean β€” something that some photographers avoid in favor of more vividly overdone palettes. If you want a tasteful, timeless style, simply contact Tia.

6. Jessica Kaminski of The Refinery Photo Studio

Sometimes we want a classic, modern headshot or portrait with a carefully considered background and controlled lighting. Professionals looking for the perfect headshot should look at Jessica’s portfolio. Specializing in magazine-style portraits, headshots, and personal branding, her work exemplifies headshot portraiture. Her studio work is stunning with flattering light that softens and fills in every detail of her client’s features. Each pose is diverse and has a personality all its own. Each image of laughter feels genuine, and all of the smiles have us wondering, “What’s their story?” Jessica has a gift for capturing true individuality in what’s normally a controlled, rigid style of photography!

7. Jadon Good

Jadon’s work is a mix of classic and quirky environmental portraiture with classic portraits, weddings, and events, and much more thrown into the mix! In his wedding and engagement work, we see churches, new homes, and other eye-catching subjects filling in the background. While in more artistic pursuits, bathrobes, umbrellas, and couches are part of the set! Jadon can fill nearly any photography niche and should be one of your top picks for best portrait photographer in Milwaukee.

8. Linda of Lulu B. Photography

Having inherited her love for photography from her father, Linda realized she had a professional’s eye as she grew to enjoy photographing her nephews. She shares her loves and joys fully on her website, and her photography is a big part of that. Her breathtaking portfolio features lots of beautiful, evenly lit images with wonderfully balanced color. You can see the softness of the skin and captivating catch lights in the eyes of her subjects. Her work embraces high school seniors, families, newborns, children, weddings, and more.

9. Kelsey Jorissen

Kelsey works with high school seniors, families, and even pets in the Milwaukee metro area. She found her love of photography after her parents bought her a Canon 35mm at the age of 14. That Canon camera propelled her into the study of portrait photography in college and into the world of capturing the best sides of the people around her. She favors intimate, classic poses and gorgeously well-lit outdoor venues. Much of her work also takes place in the homes of her clients! When she’s not behind the camera, she’s an educator and farmer at Green Willow Homestead, as well as a co-host for Positively Green Podcast.

10. Robyn Vining

Robyn brings her passion for weddings, children, and newborn photography to the fore of the Milwaukee photography scene! Many of her images have a soft, almost vintage feel in how they’re captured and the use of space. Wide expanses of sky and grassy meadows create a sense of freedom and spaciousness in her work. The soft tones and bright light help accentuate the feeling of wonder and joy as well. 

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