Hi I'm Holly Stevens

• Hi I'm Holly Stevens •

I’m a queer parent and interdisciplinary photographer living on unceded Duwamish territory in Seattle, WA.

I am a college dropout, a polytheistic animist, and a deeply inquisitive person. I'm honored you're here checking out my work and I hope we get a chance to connect!

Raised between Montana and Florida, I picked up photography as a pre-teen and never put it back down. Like many kids, I started out taking pictures of flowers and dogs before slowly discovering the thrill of photographing people. After my first "official" portrait shoot with a friend at age 15, I was hooked. There is just something incomparable about the experience of taking someone’s picture, giving them a chance to feel truly seen.

Although photography is the foundation of my artistic practice, I have several other creative touchpoints that keep me grounded and inspired. I am an avid walker, quilter, flower essence practitioner, and nonfiction reader. I love sharing my favorite books, many of which have informed the anti-oppression lens through which I approach my work. If you're interested, you can find my book recommendations here!

Above all, I love connecting with people and conversing about what gives life meaning.

My values

In my work I explore themes of anti-perfectionism and radical presence, in addition to emphasizing connection to land, each other, and ourselves.

Photo credit: Elisa Law

Coming from a background of religious trauma and gender conformity, I am deeply committed to a lifelong healing process, both collectively and as individuals. Photography has been an incredibly restorative part of my journey, and the goal of my work is to be a channel for other people to access that power.

I endeavor especially to document and elevate the lived experience of the queer community as well as other communities that face underrepresentation and erasure.

I am on a lifelong journey of learning how to make my photoshoots truly inclusive and truly accessible to all. If you are part of a marginalized community and having trouble affording a session with me, feel free to reach out so we can discuss a discount, payment plan, or trade.

What’s it like working with me?

"I worked with Holly to do headshots for my business and it was truly the most phenomenal experience. Holly is so considerate and kind at every juncture and they made me feel SO at ease with the photos and the process. I have had film photos taken before and there were some that I didn't love. Holly is so careful with each shot, without being rigid. Every single shot is lovely! I feel so lucky to have gotten to work together and will absolutely be calling her with every photo need in the future!"
— Anna C.
“Both the experience of being photographed by Holly and the photographs themselves were wonderful! I also feel like my asking to have photos of taken of my mural as well was a challenging request (I have such a hard time getting good photos of them!) and Holly managed it with apparent ease. I was also very nervous about being in the photographs myself, but Holly made the process really fun and relaxing, and now I have beautiful photos of myself and my work that I can use on my website that feel like a real representation of both.”
— Claire D.
“Holly is a photographer I would come back to (and did!) again and again. Mainly because of the ease they bring to a shoot. My husband and I have felt consistently comfortable with her and pleased with the photographs as a result. I love art but I don’t feel like a natural subject - however Holly makes me feel just right how I am.”
— Taryn B.
"It is truly a joy to get to work with Holly. It can be awkward to shoot with strangers but from the moment we met I felt extremely comfortable. The images turned out gorgeous and give me the feeling of being seen. Thank you Holly!"
— Rita B.
“Being photographed by Holly is a dance of light, place, and collaboration - a mutual wondering and listening, letting the process of being seen melt and mold the body and spirit into image. Holly is a gifted space holder and can see beyond what is just immediately visible to the eye; she can frame you in a landscape and imagine how to have that place lift you up and reveal some of your depths in a photograph. I have been photographed by Holly many times and there have been so many moments of feeling like, “…oh shit, yes, there I am.” They are kind, warm, and wildly enthusiastic about their craft.”
— Mary C.