Hey,
WEDDING & LIFESTYLE PHOTOGRAPHER
I’m Kim Johnson, the passionate, playful cheer coach behind the camera.
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I believe wedding photography that feels 100% you is one of the best ways to support your marriage… here’s why.
“To be loved but not known is comforting but superficial. To be known and not loved is our greatest fear. But to be fully known and truly loved is, well, a lot like being loved by God.
It is what we need more than anything. It liberates us from pretense, humbles us out of our self-righteousness, and fortifies us for any difficulty life can throw at us.”
All of that begins on the wedding day.
(Yep, really. Actual cheerleading coach here)
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I met now-husband, Curtis, when we were just 18 years old (that’s him in the pic!). But our age didn’t matter— after our first date, I confidently told my roommate, "I'm going to marry this guy."
Even though that felt exciting in the moment, I truthfully had no clue what marriage could mean. As we did premarital counseling and met with older married couples that we admired, we began to understand that there was more to marriage then just being forever roommates and carpool buddies! We came upon this Tim Keller quote about marriage and it changed our focus entirely.
Now, 6 years married, we have gotten a glimpse of the love described in this quote. And a glimpse of what it means to uphold the vows we made- for better or for worse.
but weddings don’t actually make a marriage.
(yep, it's true)
Your wedding (as special as it should be!) is just ONE day. It simply opens the door for a lifetime of experiencing even better, together. So, YES, our wedding day was awesome, but I am so much happier now as a wife to Curtis than I was as a bride. And that is why I was (and still am) absolutely obsessed with our wedding album. (So much so that I make every single person who visits us go through it. Yes, for real.) Because it was the very beginning of a story I never could have written for myself. #Godisthebestmatchmaker
yes!
this is us!
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known & loved
From that moment, I knew I wanted to help other couples feel completely cared for, creating a wedding day experience that is not only joyful and unforgettable but also sets the tone for a strong, lasting marriage.
Our Story
the timeline of
Curtis and I met during our first semester at Liberty University, and I was SO into him. Later I found out that he had tons of amazing qualities (strong leader, good friend, loves Jesus, great sense of humor, etc.), but to be honest, at that point,
2014
I just thought he was really hot.
I was a total creep and found which classes he was taking the next semester and switched into most of them so we would get more time together (yes, I'm serious). He FOR SURE should've taken that as a red flag and run far away but it totally worked and he asked me on a date, woohoo!!
2015
We dated all of college, and not only did he make me laugh more than I ever had before, but Curtis showed me that I was VALUED and LOVED- and it totally changed my life. We quickly became best friends and realized we'd make really good life partners. So he took me to his family farm in North Carolina to ask me to marry him,
2017
(And he teases me about that to this day!)
and of course I said YES!
We got married on September 22, 2018 and oh my gosh I have never been so happy in my life. Walking down the aisle was SURREAL. And I ugly cried, lol. As I got walked closer to Curtis, he realized how hard I was crying and he let out a legit LAUGH. The day ended in a terrential downpour and Curtis made me wear my SEATBELT in the limo as we left our wedding that night (the weather was that bad). Even so, it was the most amazing day ever and I'll never forget it!
2018
Since being a bride myself, I definitely approach wedding photography so differently (and with SO much extra excitement!!)
Plot twist! Rather than getting an apartment and 9-5 jobs, we bought a 1976 Airstream camper, renovated it, and are spending our first year of marriage traveling and living in it full time!! We ate PB&J for every lunch, and got to experience the part of our vows "for richer or for poorer." We traveled to California and back, seeing tons of beautiful places and meeting cool, new people. And I must say this- we absolutely love adventures, but the best adventure of all has been being married.
When I met Curtis in 2018, I told my roommate that I had officially fallen in love for the last time. Turns out I was wrong. Because in June of 2023, I met our son Wells, and I fell head over heels all over again. Welcoming him into the world was no small feat. Wells tipped the scales at nearly 10 pounds and required a complicated emergency C-Section, making my recovery a long journey. Curtis stepped in to care for us both, fulfilling our vows, "in sickness and in health."
2019
2023
MARRIAGE. IS. AWESOME.
Our family grew, and my heart did too.
We decided to slow down and put down roots in Richmond, VA. We bought a house, made some friends, & added our dog Wally to the family. While traveling is fun, getting involved in a community is just as rewarding. I started coaching & Curtis loves working in the concrete industry. Curtis photographs most weddings with me now, & it's so special. He loves getting to know the groom, groomsmen, & probably your grandma too (women over 70 often tell me how handsome he is...lol).
2021
But my favorite part of having Curtis by my side is the slow dance that we always sneak in at the end of the night!
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Fun! Let's get started
I aim to capture your one-of-a-kind energy & love with
wedding photography that exudes joy
And my support goes well-beyond creating a shot list + showing up on your big day. I act as more than just a wedding photographer for my clients: I’m an advocate for their day, a support system during the planning process, and a friendly face to turn to whenever things feel overwhelming or out of hand.
At the end of the day, your wedding day is about YOU as a couple: your love, joy, happiness, and the lifetime ahead of you.
There’s nothing I want more than to be here for you every step of the way, to give you a gorgeous album full of photos that supports your marriage in all seasons of life—to have something you can look back on, forever.
And that album is also something you can force everyone to look through the second they step inside. (No? Am I the only one who does that? Okay, cool.)
Curtis & I lived full-time in a 1976 Airstream (lovingly referred to as our 31' Aluminum Burrito). We’re natural-born adventurers, and still travel almost every single weekend!
Before buying our first “traditional” home in 2021,
Supa-Dupa Quick Fun Facts!
I have officially given him the titles “Most Attractive General Contractor Award” with ALL of the hard work he’s put into our bajillion home projects and "Fastest Diaper Changer."
He is a pro with the Huggies!
Speaking of Curtis…
Becoming a Waffle House Regular. My go-to is the all-star special with hashbrowns and we share the chocolate chip waffle!
Greatest Accomplishment:
Being a guide and discipler for high school girls is one of my biggest passions in life, outside of photography, marriage, and cottage cheese (don't judge).
I’m also a cheer coach & young life leader!
Hot & Spicy Cheez-Its. It’s a very refined taste, obviously, and I proudly consider myself a connoisseur of the perfect cheesy crunch.
Most Embarrassing Snack Obsession
If you’re thinking to yourself, “We’re not really very good at pictures…”
Fear not, my friend. I’m a pro at unleashing your REAL love dynamic so when you get your digital gallery back, you’ll be saying, “this is so us” with every photo I capture.
