Hello
Thanks for taking the time to learn a bit about me!
I specialize in family, newborn, children, HS seniors and maternity photography but I also love photographing events! I've photographed everything from birthdays, baby and wedding showers, grand openings and gender reveals.
I have been blessed with an amazing family who fill my life with much love and laughter! We have lived in Geneva, IL for over 30 years and enjoy all that it has to offer…the Fox River, wonderful forest preserves, the bike path, the quaint downtown restaurants and shops.. and so much more.
I am a University of Illinois graduate and have taken many photography classes, as well. Ever since I was a small child I have been interested in the arts. My love for art stems from my maternal grandmother, who was a talented painter. She encouraged me in all of my endeavors and instilled a passion in me to pursue all of my dreams. I will always be grateful for the time I had with her. I was born in Wisconsin and lived on my paternal grandparents farm when I was a small child which also inspired my love of nature and hard work.
Some other things I enjoy in life are traveling, visiting the dog park with Hemingway, going on picnics, playing board games (I'm a little competitive!), running on the bike path, coffee breaks and spending time with my family and friends.
I look forward to meeting and working with you. It’s an honor to capture beautiful moments in people’s lives. It’s a gift to call this my job.
Randy & Family
"My experience with Kristi taking family pictures was incredible. From the get go, I saw how knowledgeable, experienced, and flexible Kristi is. With a large family, scheduling a late summer photo shoot that fit everyone’s schedule was no easy feat and Kristi’s flexibility made a daunting task so much easier.
Kristi is an incredible photographer with so much knowledge and experience. She had seen past family photos and knew exactly where they had been taken. She used that knowledge and recommended a venue that was also in the area to give us a different feel and that venue was perfect.
The weather on the day of the photo shoot was less than cooperative and left us with a very short window of time for the shoot. However, Kristi’s preparation, knowledge, and ability to adjust to all of the kids’ different personalities so quickly made it all work and come together in such a short period of time.
I am truly grateful to Kristi for capturing this moment in my family’s life, because things change so quickly!"
A.J., Anne & Jimmy
"Our days of using a photography studio were over after Kristi photographed our son as an infant. Her photographs are so genuine and natural. She always captures the uniqueness of the moment.
Kristi asked us questions about our son’s likes and dislikes. Over the years she has incorporated his favorite stuffed animal and toys in her photographs. She would tell him jokes, get him to laugh, and even played with him. He loved seeing Kristi and getting his photograph taken. Kristi became his friend.
Our son is now a tween. Kristi has photographed him throughout his entire life. Her photographs are so good and authentic that my extended family has had her photograph them.
Kristi believes the location of the photograph is important. When our son was a baby she traveled over an hour to our house. Now that he is a tween she has suggested some breathtaking locations. She has taken photographs of us by Lake Michigan, in a forest preserve, in our public library’s garden to name a few.
Unlike a studio Kristi is flexible and open to suggestions. Her photographs are not contrived. If you have an idea in mind or know how to get someone to laugh she will find a way to incorporate it into the photograph. She wants to create a memory and have you enjoy the experience. I can’t tell you how many amazing memories she has created for us. I would highly recommend Kristi."
Mike, Terri & Francesca
"Kristi McCarty Photography provided beautiful pictures of our family that we will treasure forever!! Kristi is a professional that went above and beyond our expectations. Before our session, Kristi discussed her vision of what would make memorable pictures. This enabled us to prepare for a successful photo shoot.
Because Kristi was willing to travel, our photo session took place at the University of Notre Dame. She was able to photograph our daughter, a cheerleader, as well as the whole team in the moment!! An ND football game is loaded with tradition, and Kristi captured the events of the day in a way that expressed the excitement and energy of college football. We had dozens of pictures of players, coaches, television crew, cheerleaders, family and fans as well as the beauty of the campus on a fall day.
Even more, she helped me select and create a family photo book that I gave to my husband as a Christmas gift. We sat together and chose pictures for the book and then she graciously offered to help with the layout of each page. Her vision and eye for detail is what made this book so special. Besides her skills, I think the most important aspect of hiring Kristi was her personality. Her 'can do' attitude and sheer desire to make the experience fun was priceless. I can’t thank her enough for creating a tangible memory of this special time in our lives.”
Mike, Lina, Luke & Emma
"We booked our very first family photo session with Kristi in December. From the moment we scheduled the session she was very involved in helping us figure out a location that suited our vision and in picking out outfits that would make our family photo stand out!
We were a little nervous about our two kiddos behaving during the photo shoot, but quickly realized that Kristi is an expert with kids! She was very patient with our 2 year old daughter, who has a mind of her own, and managed to get beautiful pictures of her. We got some amazing family pictures that we’ll treasure forever! Kristi was very professional and accommodating. My husband needed some pictures taken for his professional portfolio and Kristi was happy to take a few of him, also, even though we hadn’t asked her in advance. We would highly recommend Kristi! Her photography and editing skills are very impressive!"