Portrait & Wedding Photographer based in Chicago, Illinois!

From “I do” to the dance floor, I’ve got you covered

Explore our Chicago photographer's portfolio showcasing exquisite wedding engagement and grad photography services
 
 

Time to find out if I am the ONE for you

 

Hello hello welcome welcome!!!

WOW I am so glad you found your way here! My name is Karly Payne. My maiden name is Ellis and I got married in July of 2021 to my high school sweetheart!! We were Wrigleyville residents for 7.5 years and in the Spring of 2024 we bought our fist condo in Wicker Park!! You can typically find me sipping on my coffee curled up in my hammock with a good book or editing photos until I can’t see straight!! When the afternoon rolls around I am outside chasing that warm golden hour light with the best clients I could ever ask for. What I love most is the opportunity to connect with couples to capture moments that truly matter. My style is rooted in storytelling—combining light, vibrant colors, and authentic emotions to create photos that not only reflect the beauty of the day but also the love and connection shared between you and your loved ones.

There is nothing I love more than photographing your belly laughs, happy tears, and cuddles in the sunset.

After these perfect sessions you’ll find me trying to find the best spicy marg or sushi in Chicago. -If you have any recommendations you better add that piece of knowledge to your inquiry message!!

  • Chicago wedding at union station

    Katie + Drew Reichenbach

    Choosing Karly as our wedding photographer was one of the best decisions we made for our wedding! She captured our engagement session, rehearsal dinner, and our wedding day. From the very beginning, she made the entire experience feel incredibly personalized. She took the time to understand who we are as a couple, our style, and what we envisioned for our photos.

    Her commitment to her clients is truly remarkable. Not only did she take beautiful, heartfelt photos, but she also worked closely with our wedding planner to ensure the day ran smoothly. We were so impressed with how seamlessly she coordinated with the entire team to keep everything on track. She organized a second shooter and brought her assistant Lexi to help, ensuring that no moment was missed and that everything was captured from multiple angles. Lexi took many videos of the day and shared them with us after in an album. 

    And then there’s the photography itself—just stunning. Her work truly speaks for itself. We continue to receive countless compliments from family and friends about how incredible our wedding photos are. Every time we look at them, we are instantly taken back to those special moments, and we couldn't be happier with how they turned out.

    But beyond her undeniable talent, what really sets Karly apart is her warm and caring nature. She is such a kind-hearted person who made us feel so comfortable and at ease throughout the entire process. Her genuine care and positive energy made the day even more special for us. We are so grateful to have had her by our side on the biggest day of our lives.

    We truly adore Karly and can't wait to have her capture more important milestones in our lives. We couldn’t recommend her more highly to anyone looking for a photographer who is not only incredibly skilled but also a wonderful person to work with.

  • Amanda LaChance

    First off, if you are considering Karly - my vote is don't wait. Book her now. As soon as we got engaged, I knew I wanted to use Karly as our wedding photographer. She had captured two of my siblings weddings very early on in her photography career and even then her skill/ photos were gorgeous and fit our aesthetic. Not to mention, I knew that Karly was kind, outgoing, and dedicated to her work. All of these were important for us when it came to making sure our special day was captured.

    Karly was incredible from the start, from the initial consultation to follow ups, timeline review, location scouting. She had never shot at our wedding venue before so she met up with us to check it out before the wedding to get an idea of lighting and potential spots for photos.

    You know a photographer is top notch when your family members and friends are telling you how awesome she was with communicating and organizing the group photos! Not only is Karly amazing and worth every penny! Her photo assistant Lexi is also awesome! I will never forget when Lexi pulled out a collapsible basket for all the groomsmen to empty their pocket contents.

    Not only were we amazed by the quality of our photos, but we enjoyed working with Karly and her team! They helped us keep track of our timeline and really made the day more relaxing and enjoyable for us! Thank you Karly! We love you!

  • Kelsey Spangenberg

    Where to even begin... I truly cannot say enough positive things about Karly! A friend of mine recommended Karly to me, and when I saw her Instagram feed, I was immediately sold! I loved the vibe of her photos, so I reached out right away to learn more. She was quick to get back to me and we immediately hit it off! She was so welcoming and personable - we booked her for our wedding that same day. We had our engagement shoot about a month ago and it was AMAZING! Karly provided SO much guidance before the session and was always so available (& excited!) to answer my questions. She helped us with locations, timing, outfits, parking - EVERYTHING!

    During the shoot Karly did such a great job of providing us with posing prompts and made us feel so comfortable! We were both able to enjoy ourselves which definitely shows in the photos. We also brought our 70lb dog with us, and she did a great job of including him and creating my favorite family photos to date!! Honesty they all turned out so amazing, it's hard for me to pick favorites.

    We also have so much variety! Karly has a pop-up tent, so we were able to easily change into different outfits, and pop around to a handful of locations. We finished up at North Ave Beach and it was PERFECT!

    As if that all wasn't enough, since we wrapped up our shoot early-ish, Karly sent us a handful (20+) of sneak peeks THAT NIGHT! I was dying to see them, so it was so nice not having to wait. Less than a week after that we got our "real" sneak peeks, which felt like a gallery in itself! I immediately texted Karly that she better be ready to be stuck with me for the rest of her career. I truly love the photos so much and have been recommending Karly to everyone I know!!

  • Alyssa Korinek

    Where do I even begin?! Karly has been photographing my family for almost 10 years and every single session far exceeds our expectations. That being said, it was a no-brainer to choose Karly as our wedding photographer! From the engagement session to the final wedding album, her sweet personality and creativity was constant. Karly helped me create our wedding day timeline, traveled almost 3 hours away for our wedding and captured every moment beautifully. Her assistant, Lexi, was the ultimate hype girl and veil queen! We received a sneak peek of about 20 photos before our wedding weekend was even over, a big sneak peek less than a week after our wedding and our full wedding gallery on our 1-month anniversary. Karly and her team are absolutely incredible! Highly recommend for anyone seeking a talented and reliable photographer for their special day!

  • Krya Hartley

    I cannot say enough wonderful things about Karly!! Even from our first phone call during our search for our wedding photographer, she was friendly, professional, and bubbly! She not only made my fiancé and I feel completely comfortable during our engagement shoot, but she also captured us perfectly. Our friends and family also absolutely love our engagement photos, and now they all are so excited to take pictures with Karly on our wedding day. She also provided the gallery for our engagement pictures very quickly! If you are looking for a fun, experienced, and kind photographer, Karly is your girl!!

  • Cassie Hall

    I am sooooo so happy that Karly was recommended to me by a close friend. She did an AMAZING job making my fiance and I more comfortable taking pictures in front of a lot of people! Our pictures turned out better than we could have ever imagined. I'm so excited for our wedding day now as I'm confident Karly will catch all the right moments :) If you're looking for a fun, genuine and amazing photographer for your special day, SHE IS IT!

  • Sara Mojek

    Karly is the most amazing photographer! She can make anyone look beautiful and feel so comfortable in front a camera. I am so happy I received her as a recommendation from a friend and booked her to photograph my engagement and wedding! I plan to use Karly for any/all future photos! She brings the most positive energy to all her sessions and knows how to make it fun for everyone! Do not hesitate to book her for all your photo needs, you won't regret it!

  • Victoria Espat

    Karly did an absolutely amazing job with our wedding photos. The turn around time was so fast, we received our full wedding gallery just 1 month after the wedding. Every photo from that day came out beautiful and her editing style really enhanced the natural beauty of our outdoor wedding. From the very beginning Karly was personable, she made us feel special from the first phone call you could tell this isn’t just a job to her, she really does care about her clients. As someone who doesn’t pose for photos often Karly made sure I felt comfortable, and helped guide me into different poses that created effortless photos. And she works so fast that a 2 hour photo shoot feels more like 20 minutes because you’ll be laughing and having fun the whole time with her. I will forever recommend her services to anyone looking for a dependable, talented, and professional photographer

  • Jerry Huang

    My fiancé and I flew in from out of town to take engagement photos and make use of the beautiful, summer Chicago skylines. From start to finish, Karly made the process so smooth—from the FaceTime, brainstorming all the locations we wanted to shoot at to receiving the sneak peeks and all of our gorgeous photos! She's responsive, experienced, and just like her photo style, full of life! Karly was a pure joy to work with and made our session very dynamic and fun. A big draw for us in choosing her were the moving gifs she also included in her package. We'd highly recommend her as your next photographer and can't wait until the next time we can work with her again!

  • Jordan Smason

    Karly is our wedding photographer and we had our engagement session last month and all I can say is WOW! Planning locations was a breeze and she made sure we felt comfortable going into the night! She gave so many different posing prompts and captured our natural selves! I got 30 sneak peeks the next day and a full gallery of 400 AMAZING photos! I can’t say enough about her and I recommend her to anyone getting married, she outdid herself! We cannot wait for the wedding!

  • Kayla Cordova

    Karly and Lexi are truly an amazing team to work with. Karly was so nice and accommodating to last minute changes the day of. She was organized and efficient. I had a super tight timeline and was stressed about timing but Karly made sure to capture everything I had wanted. I cannot begin to explain how happy I am with my pictures. I look forward to using Karly for future life events and photos. I HIGHLY recommend her to everyone!!! My family and friends were also truly impressed with her work and her personality. Thank you again for your amazing work. You are talented beyond belief.

  • Katelyn Shymanik

    If you’re looking for stunning wedding/engagement photos, Karly is your girl! We knew from the moment we saw her galleries that she fit our vibe perfectly, and after meeting her for our engagement session we were even more thrilled to have chosen her! Karly is the biggest hype girl, and made even my normally picture hating husband feel comfortable. Karly & Lexi were so fantastic at our wedding, and the pictures we have gotten back so far are so beyond our expectations - we absolutely cannot recommend her enough.

  • Kaitlin Cristino

    Karly was my photographer for my wedding and I just have to say, she was AMAZING! Every picture captured was perfection and so very special. Right off the bat, I felt I had known her for ever. Her personality and kind heart did not go unnoticed! I had compliments from so many of my guests just in regards to Karly and her gorgeous assistant! My husband and I could not be happier! I HIGHLY RECOMMEND Karly! Thank you so much for capturing our special day girl!

  • Crystal Miller

    I don't think it's possible to say one bad thing about our experience working with Karly. We had an amazing time during our engagement pictures which made us super excited for our wedding day, but the wedding day itself was even better than we could have imagined! She is so easy and fun to work, and I recommend her to every single person I come into contact with. Not only is she an angel of a human, but every photo she takes is something worth posting in a magazine. They are so bright and beautiful, and it is hard to choose a favorite when all of them turned out so magical. We can't wait to continue using Karly in the future for all our photo needs!

  • Alison Kalsbeek

    Look no further - THIS is the photographer you have been looking for! We hired Karly for a wedding in October 2022 in La Porte, IN.

    Karly is a dream to work with. From the moment we connected for a phone consult, we were put at ease. My husband and I are a bit camera shy, but we were confident that Karly would create an environment where we could be our playful, goofy selves. Not only did she make us feel so comfortable for our engagement and wedding photos, but she also delivered on the product. I've never been more impressed with a photographer.

    We had our wedding at an orchard both in a farm and out in the fields. I swear that this artist had scoped out every inch of the property and knew how the light was going to hit (and when) so that we could capture some beautiful moments. She was tactful about pulling us away for some quick shots and letting us enjoy the party that we planned all year.

    Leading up to the wedding, we had bonus logistics to sort out, as we are based in California. When we arrived in Chicago in April, we were so fortunate to experience a midwest storm (wind and rain included). Karly was quick to pivot, providing ample solutions the day before. She still sent us on our way with some amazing photos!

    Karly is sweet, professional, and brilliant at her craft. She communicates well and often, is highly detail-oriented, and is our forever family photographer. You better believe we'll be flying back out to Chicago for other life events needing photographing!

  • Maggie Bernard

    Karly recently did an engagement session for my Fiancé and I, and the pictures all turned out absolutely AMAZING! I will absolutely cherish every photo and can't narrow it down to 1-2 for our save the date (currently have 163 favorited to pick from lol). She made us feel so comfortable and was the best hype women possible throughout the long 3 hours we spent together - which actually flew by! We picked 4 locations and 3 outfit changes to get a good variety and I would definitely recommend her to anyone out there looking for professional pictures.

  • Stephennie Hajec

    Karly Ellis Photography was a pleasure to work with! From our engagement photoshoot, to our wedding day, and all of the chit-chats in between, Karly was attentive and responsive to our many questions. She made us feel at ease behind the camera. Our photos came out perfect, as she has such a stunning eye for detail. Karly and Lexi, her assistant, are the dynamic duo. They were prepared, professional, and a whole lot of fun! Not to mention the turn around time for sneak peaks and galleries was as promised, in fact, quicker. We will cherish these photos forever. Thank you, Karly and Lexi!

  • Madison Moon

    Karly is the absolute BEST!!! Do not know how it has taken me so long to write a review as my family and I have had multiple sessions with her over the years. She only gets better, didn’t even know that was possible!

    Karly is so attentive to details. Always reminding each family member in the group that their sunglasses need to be hooked on the back of their shirt or to sneak that silly hair tie you don’t want on for the picture in your pocket. She coordinated an extended family shoot for us and the pictures turned out beautifully! It isn’t easy to coordinate a group of 13 and she did so effortlessly. She took the time to remember everyone in the family’s names prior which is a task in itself for that many in the group. Karly is fantastic and her energy is unmatched. I don’t know how she does it all with having a “mini sneak peak” ready in just the next few days. She is outstanding! I cannot recommend her enough. She is perfect for every occasion! Too excited to see what she does with my sisters engagement photos coming up.

    If you’re thinking about booking Karly, this is your sign to DO IT!

  • Ingrid Lemay

    Karly’s talent is limitless!! Not only is she talented but she is also SO amazing to work with. Her communication, her personality, her eye for detail in getting the perfect shot are just a few ways to describe her passion for what she does. The pictures she took, of our daughter, are absolutely priceless and we can’t thank her enough. We will use her over and over for years to come.

  • Sara Dawn

    I’ve been admiring Karly’s work from afar for years now. As a retired wedding photographer and now the chance to create our own day…with only weeks to plan, the stars aligned and Karly Ellis Photography was available.

    She captured all the LOVE flying around on our wedding day between Joe and I , our families and friends. All the magical, funny and God blessed moments will always be something we will easily be able to see in photos and most importantly FEEL🤗. Karly’s sweet, easy going personality makes you feel like she is part of your family on one of your most special days ever.

    Thank you Karly- if FB gave the option for 10 stars I’d give you 11 ⭐️! #SOJO

  • Nick Barsanti

    Karly is by far the best photographer in the Chicagoland area. She is flexible, adjusts to your needs, and has top tier recommendations for photo shoot locations if needed. Her business is as professional as they come and could not think of any other avenue I’d rather pursue. My experience with Karly went above and beyond what I expected and I’m happy she was the one who captured my special moment!

From joyful engagement sessions against iconic city backdrops to heartfelt wedding moments captured with precision and artistry, our images reflect the romance, beauty, and timeless elegance of your special day.
 

Your story begins here

Where I make sure that you can relive it all

From weddings to engagements and intimate portraits, my style blends candid moments with stunning backdrops, creating images that are timeless, dynamic, and uniquely yours.

 

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