Meet Karrie

— Learn more about me, my background, my mission, and what gets me up in the morning to do this work that I love so much!

About Me

Welcome! I'm Karrie Porter, a professional photographer based in Key West in the beautiful Florida Keys. Come on in, take a look around, and learn a little more about me and my team!

Heavy Metal

My earliest days in photography were in 1998 when my dad gave me an all-metal Mamiya film camera and several lenses.

It was solid metal, 100% manual, super heavy, and I hadn't the slightest clue what I was doing, but so began the long path that would lead here.

From Lab Coat to Photo Lab

When I began shooting for a local wedding studio in my hometown in 2001, it was really just as a fun part time job. I had no intentions at the time of becoming a wedding photographer...actually, I was headed to medical school!

By the time I was accepted, I had by then built up a decent local clientele, was having a great time, and couldn't imagine wearing a white coat the rest of my life.

I declined the offer, enrolled in a Photography program, and never looked back.

Triple Whammy

I’ve had the unique perspective in working, shooting, and running a business in three totally different markets. The first iteration of my business was laid in the somewhat suburban overgrown outskirts of the Tampa Bay area bordering on a town still clinging to its rural southern roots, where there’s a CVS on every corner and conversations center around kid’s extracurriculars and how they can’t believe they’ve turned that cow pasture into yet another strip mall.

I then moved to Nashville…first in a very conservative area with an adorable town square where I had my first retail studio space, shared with another partially-retired photographer…then in the heart of downtown Music City where the energy and the atmosphere alone was enough to get the creative juices flowing.

I then made my final move to the Florida Keys, landing in Key West in early 2010, and quickly learned how to run a destination-based business where your clients aren’t located in your own back yard. I’ve been here ever since and have no intention of ever leaving.

Reins and Manes

As I mentioned, I grew up in a partially rural area so animals were always part of my life.

We had chickens, rabbits, and a goat that rode around on our pot-bellied pig's back (true story!). But my real love was always horses.

I practically grew up on the back of a horse, training in dressage on my Arabian gelding "JD's Regal King", and later my Quarter-Horse mare "Fanfaron", who I donated to a kids' riding program when I could not bring her to Key West.

I also took care of the weanlings at a local Thoroughbred farm. People often tell me I'm one of the most patient and persistent people they've ever met, qualities I attribute to this early work!

“Hay” Day

In 2021, I was fortunate to bring horses back in my daily life when I started riding again at a stable near my house - YES, we have horses in the Florida Keys 😅.

Then in 2022, I purchased this handsome boy, my gray Andalusian dressage mount, Quintero. Here we are working on some lateral movements inside the arena, but we also hack out on the trails all through the mangroves and natural habitats of the Lower Keys.

I ride almost every day if I can, and when I’m not working, you’ll usually find me at the barn. So if we have a meeting and you notice a bit of hay in my hair, just ignore it. 🤷‍♀️

My Team

I would not be where I am today without my amazing team! From assisting at shoots, to editing, to social media, to all around second-brain-right-hand-man (and woman), these are the people who help me keep it all running smoothly!

My Path

➡️ 2020 - WE ALL KNOW WHAT HAPPENED ➡️ 2021 - THE BUSIEST YEAR OF MY CAREER…178 shoots in 365 DAYS! + First Major Industry Seminar on platform with thousands of Photographers + Asked to Speak at T.A.P.P.A ➡️ 2023 - Still at it and loving it every day!

The Journey of a Lifetime Starts With a Single Click

Air-Time

When I’m not shooting or taking care of clients, I host a show on Apple Podcasts called Key West Perspective. It’s a personal passion project of mine, all about local life in Key West, where I interview interesting characters, community leaders, business owners, and basically anyone I want to talk to about what it’s like to live and work in Key West.

Karrie Porter Bond interviewing Beth Moyes for Key West Perspective Podcast.jpg

Don’t be surprised, though, to hear me introduce myself a little differently on the show. When I got married, I officially became “a Bond girl”, marrying into probably the coolest last name a girl could ask for, and while I keep Porter as a way to honor my father who passed away when I was a child, locally I’m known with both last names, and it’s why you’ll hear Karrie “Bond” greet you when you tune in!

If you care to have a listen, you can find it here:

Apple Podcasts • Spotify • Google Play

Behind the Scenes

I know you have lots of options when choosing your photographer, and it's important to me that you choose the right person.

If that's with me, great! If not, that's okay too.

There are some photographers in destination cities like Key West who like to see how many they can cram into their schedule, and they wear this number like a badge of honor.

But I'm in the opposite camp.

I would rather brag about things like the stories I remember, the people I met, or the details I saw.

If you're looking more for the type of photographer who will clock in, check off your pre-written list, and clock out, then we might not be the best fit...not because I can't do that - I definitely can - but because I feel I can make a greater impact shooting while inspired.

I love working with clients who are excited about photos, who look forward to what we will create, and who aren't phased if I stop the car at an unplanned spot and ask you to step into a corn field (or sea wall, or hilltop, or tree branch...fill in the blank).

If you enjoy looking back on a photo and bringing to memory why it was special;

if you enjoy the surprise element of seeing the same thing presented in new ways;

or, you simply don't want the same everyday photos that every other Key West wedding has, then we are already off to a great start!

If you enjoy a bit of humor, education, and self-deprecation, pop over to my TikTok feed

Or if you prefer, check out my BTS over on Instagram Stories

Personal Work, Awards, and Creative Projects:

Blog

Funky Photos from Fantasy Fest 2019

Finalist in Wedding Details Competition

Why I Photographed My Mother, And You Should Too

Proud to Win Bronze Merit for Two Images at Portrait Masters!

What Happens When A Photographer Revisits Their Work Years Later?

The Right Ratio

For my more analytical couples, you'll appreciate this! Photography is just as much a science as it is an art. I know this because an image might be the most technically-correct photograph you've ever seen, but still not inspire you. Similarly, when hiring a photographer, it takes more than a beautiful portfolio and an artistic eye to be the right photographer for you. What attributes do you appreciate the most?

Background

Weddings require a mixture of skills. Throughout my career, I have worked for, learned from, or specialized in all the areas that make for great wedding photos.

Experience

I've been shooting weddings since 2001, and there isn't much I haven't seen. Whether it's a broken lens or mother nature not cooperating, you want someone who knows just what to do and can take it in stride.

Personality

Your photographer is the one vendor who will be with you the entire day and you'll continue to interact with afterward. It's important that you "mesh".

My Driving Force

Everybody has their "why" - their reason they jump up out of bed every morning and put 110% into what they do. I'm no different, and I would love to share my reasons with you.