Karlee Rae Photography

Morgan in the Garden🌸🤍

I am SO behind on sharing here because my editing queue is approximately 47 miles long right now 😂 But I’m going to start prioritizing not only showing up here again, but also giving myself permission to be a human being outside of that queue.

Because I don’t think we talk enough about the guilt that comes with being a photographer during busy season.

When I have galleries waiting, everything I do that isn’t editing somehow feels wrong.

A night on the couch? I should be editing.
Dinner with my husband? I should be editing.
Working on our house? I should be editing.
Taking a personal day? I should be editing.

And God forbid I POST about doing any of those things. 😂

Logically, I know I am a living, breathing human who is allowed to have a life outside of my business. I know turnaround times exist for a reason. But knowing that and actually believing I’m worthy of taking time for myself when people are waiting on me are two very different things.

This season has been a lot. Between losing my brother in law, remodeling our house, working a full time job, running this business, and wedding season, I’ve been learning how to hold grief, life, work, creativity, responsibility, and rest all at once.

Through all of it, I cannot put into words how grateful I am for the gracious angels I get to call my clients and friends. Your patience, kindness, excitement, and “take your time, we know they’ll be worth it” messages mean more than you know. 🤍

So I’m trying something new. I’m going to share the beautiful things I’ve been photographing. I’m going to share pieces of my life. I’m going to take a day off when I need one. And I’m going to keep pouring everything I have into these galleries without convincing myself I have to stop being a person until the queue hits zero.

And if you have a photographer in your life during busy season, check on them. 😂🤍

If they’re anything like me, they’re probably having crippling anxiety about posting an Instagram story from Target because someone might think, “Shouldn’t she be editing?”

We’re working on it. 🤍

The coast had been buried in fog for WEEKS, and then somehow on the night of their engagement session it decided to do this🥹 The kind of evening that just kept getting prettier the longer we stayed.

This was my first time meeting Ethan & Jami, and within about five minutes I could already tell theirs is the soft and silly kind of love. The kind where they lock eyes and start laughing because they already know exactly what the other is thinking🤍

And the next time these two are in front of my camera, they’ll be getting MARRIED with a mountain view😭🤍 California, I’ll see you soon.

POV: It's the morning of your wedding🥹

You're only a few rooms, a few miles, a few moments apart.

One of you is buttoning a dress.
The other is straightening a tie.

You're surrounded by your favorite people, but your mind keeps wandering to your favorite person.

Wondering what they're doing.
If they're nervous.
If they're counting down the minutes, too.

And then, all at once, two completely different mornings become the beginning of the same forever🤍

Erin & Hunter🥹🤍

You'd think after 27 years in the Pacific Northwest I'd be over the trees by now... not a chance🌲✨

There is just something about the way the light filters through, the quiet, and the feeling that every forest wedding is tucked away in its own little world. I'll never get tired of it.

Living out my Twilight dreams one PNW wedding at a time😌

Normalize making a big deal out of your accomplishments🤍

Take the photos.

Buy the dress.

Bring the ch*****ne.

Life moves fast. Celebrate the wins when they come🫶🏼

Apparently my Instagram posts stopped cross-posting over here back in MAY and I somehow never noticed because, well… wedding season 😫😂

So apparently I have a few months of catching up to do. Apologies in advance for the spam that’s about to hit your feed 🤪🫶🏼

Beautiful, Shantae🤍✨

I think one of the most beautiful things a woman can do is become fully herself without apologizing for it.

Not more digestible.
Not more convenient.
Just authentically, undeniably her🕊️

I’m working on becoming ✨her✨ every single day🫶🏼

You, me, your love, & a round trip flight going anywhere 🫶🏼

They chose quiet over chaos, intention over tradition, and a day that actually felt like them.

Elopements are so special to me because I get to be there for every moment, not just the big ones, but every single in-between one too.

The deep breaths, the hand squeezes, the “we really did this” kind of smiles.

It’s not about what anyone else wants. It’s about you and your love. I’m just there, quietly documenting it all as it unfolds 🤍