Top 10 Contemporary Nashville Photographers To Watch

She got her first “professional” camera when she was 13, and all through high school she took photos. Liza Hippler fine-tuned her photography skills in the laundry room of her home, which she converted into a darkroom. After moving on from taking close-up shots of flowers to photographing friends for her school’s yearbook, Liza started capturing the beauty of anything that caught her eye, no matter how random. Today she specializes in portrait and lifestyle photography.

Shortly after she received her first Polaroid Sun 600 camera at 10 years old, Amiee spent the next several years honing her photography skills and developing black and white photos in a darkroom. She went on to earn her BS in Photography from Middle Tennessee State University (MTSU) in 2012. The native Nashvillian specializes in contemporary pet portraits, concert and entertainment photography. She is also the official photographer for the Nashville Zoo. Her studio space is located at the UltraViolet Gallery, which is open every month during Nashville’s First Saturday Art Crawl. (Oh, and she’s also a former professional wrestler!)

http://instagram.com/p/BHrzviXjh6a/?taken-by=amieestubbsphotography

Her specialties are senior portrait photography and modern portraiture. Emily McGonigle consults with clients prior to their sessions to discuss what they envision for their photo shoots. She works with a team of hair and makeup professionals to make clients look and feel great. Her other interests include music, television and suspense stories, and she considers herself a social media addict. The intertwining of these interests is reflected in her creative photography work.

He grew up as a punk rock teen in South Florida, spent time on hippie communes, but now David calls Nashville home. David Bean has a 5,600 square foot photography studio, but travels throughout the U.S. or abroad to do shoots. David’s photographic goal is to create photos that are edgy but also incorporate timeless photographic elements, to strike a balance between style and substance. He also offers workshops and mentoring.

http://instagram.com/p/3NQjSERIZc/?taken-by=davidbean

Teale and Justin are the team behind Teale Photography. The duo are parents to Liam and Boaz, and enjoy traveling all over the world for both professional and personal adventures. The couple strives to create photographs that bring their clients’ stories to life. They do this by having people (mostly couples) dance, laugh and be physically close to one another, but not in a way that is stiff or too posed. While based in Nashville, Teale and Justin travel for weddings, but a travel cost is added to the price of their services.

In 2011, conceptual music and portrait photographer Matthew Simmons transitioned from working as a graphic designer to doing photography. He studied under photographers like Jeremy Cowart and Dan Winters, expanding his knowledge of photography techniques and learning how to master the perfect lighting for taking photographs. Matthew’s artistic abilities don’t stop behind the camera lens. He enjoys painting, writing and illustrating and tries to incorporate these interests into his photography. While he considers himself a professional, you’ll be sure to find a smile on his face when he’s snapping shots of his clients. He strives to make the experience as enjoyable as possible.

Since middle school, photographer Rachel Moore has been interested in photography. She used the art form as a creative outlet to express herself and would take her camera to school with her. After receiving her degree in photography in 2010, Rachel launched her own photography business. Now a Nashville photographer, her work has been featured in Southern Living, Style Me Pretty, Ashley’s Bride Guide and Coastal Bride.

Now a full-time photographer in Nashville, Matt has had an interest in photography since he was a child. He booked his first wedding while still in college and enjoys sharing his creative skills at every shoot he does. His styles include conceptual portraiture and documentary, in which he uses film cinematography and fashion photography for inspiration. He uses dramatic lighting, interesting shooting locations and themes to add to the candid moments that he enjoys as a photographer.

Originally from Geneva, Illinois, Krista Lee has been a wedding and portrait photographer for over fourteen years. She has studied under photographers like Joe McNally, and has had the privilege of photographing numerous celebrities over her career. Krista and her team specialize in natural light photography, and also use artificial lighting with studio strobes, something that sets her apart from other photographers.

Jenny Cruger Photography serves Nashville and the surrounding areas and specializes in organic and natural newborn, baby, maternity and family photography. Jenny uses calming tones, simple props and beautiful, natural light for her shoots. She plans to intimate portrait sessions for her clients, including her most popular package, The Collective. This session covers three or four portrait sessions over an 18 month period.

With a Nikon Pro-Digital camera as his primary equipment, John has over 15 years’ experience as a wedding, portrait and commercial photographer. He grew up in Nolensville, Tennessee and earned a degree in psychology from Trevecca Nazarene University in Nashville. John’s studio is located downtown in the Marathon Motorworks building.