About
Karen Palmer is a St. Louis–based architectural photographer who works with designers, architects, and editorial teams. Her photographs are grounded in the experience of space and in creating images that support how clients present and share their work.
Alongside her commissioned work, she develops personal projects that explore perception, memory, and movement through space. Her series Passages combines multiple photographic frames into layered compositions, allowing more than one moment or viewpoint to exist within a single image.
As Seen In
The Wall Street Journal · American Farmhouse Style Magazine · House and Garden · St. Louis Homes & Lifestyles · Cherry Diamond Magazine · Distinction · Prevention · St. Louis Magazine · Abode · The Spruce · Martha Stewart
Recognition
- Selected for FoundArtists (invitation-only platform)
- APalmanac
- International Photography Hall of Fame: Guest Lecturer — Architectural Photography and Storytelling
Selected Clients
The Wall Street Journal · Karen Korn Interiors · Four Seasons St. Louis · Dolan Co. · Patterhn Ives · Framery · Marcia Moore Design · Oculus Inc · White Cliff Studio · JCR Design Group · Gray Design Group · Victoria Pantanella Design · Caryn Boultinghouse · PTH Interior Design · Wolff Interiors · Christine Werner Interiors · Hammer & Schmidt Design · Shea Architects · Dana King Design Build · Higginbotham Brothers · Iconica
Frequently Asked Questions
Every project is different, but most interiors and architectural shoots follow a similar rhythm: planning, a focused day on site, and careful editing to deliver publish-ready images.
1. Pre-production
This includes phone calls, emails, and planning to ensure I have everything in place for your shoot day. If we haven’t worked together before—or it’s been a while—this is when we’ll walk through image licensing and fees.
2. Shoot Day
Some setups move quickly; others take more time. We’ll prioritize the most important views first so your must-have images are covered. Don't be surprised if we need to move furniture or objects to capture the most authentic yet pleasing image.
During this process you will see images on a laptop. We can zoom in and make sure everything is set in place and that we like what we see.
3. After the shoot - Post Production
Every scene captured enters the editing process. Included are color corrections, lens corrections, perspective corrections, and enhancements to deliver images suitable for high-quality print, digital platforms, and contests.
It is usual in this industry for post-production time to exceed the shooting time.
Many projects involve multiple collaborators—designers, builders, architects, cabinet makers, etc.
The package price and standard license apply to one firm. If additional partners would like to use the images for their own marketing, they’re welcome to share in the cost of the shoot. I’ll outline a simple shared package in your estimate so everyone knows their portion and what’s included. Project partners ideally should be on board before the shoot, so that images are included that meet your project partner's needs.
