About me

It's vital that you not only connect with my work but connect with me too.

It’s safe to say that I love photographing people. I’ve been drawn to relationships, art and light for as long as I can remember.

When I was little I adored being in the garden, we lived on an orchard and I was forever climbing trees and looking out across neighbours gardens and the world beyond. My Dad had a darkroom in the cellar in our first house and in that dark, damp room magic happened. My Dad was very good on all the technical aspects and loved showing me how cameras operate. My Mum however, has been my biggest creative inspiration. She would always have a paintbrush or pen ready to sketch as she encouraged me to sit and observe and this is where I first began to study light. Growing up, I spent many afternoons in the garden creating movies and doing stylised photo shoots. I loved the interaction I had developed with light and people.

Now, I love the simplicity and intimacy of reality. The honesty in heartfelt moments, the connections documented when people are left uninterrupted. I pride myself on capturing those small but significant details that would otherwise go unseen. My love for nature, light and people paves the way for photographs that show true human connection: those subtle glances, touches, the unguarded reality of us all.

I am currently based in a little town called Lewes, East Sussex but I cover a wide area so and love to travel. I studied Photography at the Bauhaus University and Sheffield Hallam and soon after I graduated I taught Photography and Art at Further Education College so it’s safe to say I know my way around my equipment.

Outside of my photography world I love gardening, adventure and I am a member of a rowing club. I also believe in always having a picnic blanket in the back of the car.

Please do get in touch if you have any questions, I’d love to have a chat and hear about your plans.

Kate x

Testimonials

"Kate took our wedding photos 2 weeks ago and we couldn’t have been happier! Not only are her photos amazing , but Kate is the most lovely person to work with. We found Kate using an online search and from the moment we got in touch, Kate great. She responded quickly and was so helpful. We met at the venue and we really felt that she wanted to do the best job for us, and really get to know what we wanted from our photos and the day itself. She made great suggestions too. I couldn’t recommend kate and her photos highly enough. Thank you so much Kate.”

Paul & Nik

“We used Kate for our wedding photography, and she did a brilliant job of martialling some tricky crowds for the group pics, and made us feel really comfortable and relaxed. She was very unobtrusive during the ceremony, and we’re very happy with the photos which also came back very quickly.”

Fin & Cara

“It was such a delight having Kate Swanson photographing our wedding day. We were so impressed with her professionalism and her openness in taking the time to understand what we wanted and to serve our wishes. Kate was a calm, reassuring presence on the day itself, working effortlessly in the background to get some truly stunning shots. The end results are incredible and capture our wedding so well! It’s so special to get to re-live the day through these pictures and we are grateful for her skill and expertise in instinctively photographing all the significant moments – big and small. I would definitely recommend Kate Swanson Photography to anyone looking for beautiful wedding photographs that capture their day perfectly.”

Seb & Rachael

Highly recommend! Very attentive and captured all the special moments without us even noticing. Kate couldn’t have been more helpful and suggested some great ideas, especially in the run up to the wedding. She is knowledgeable and great fun. Our previews came through quickly and we are thrilled with the final photos. So pleased we found Kate ☺️ Thanks so much!

Chippy & Briony