The Wedding Eye is the work of Karl Knize, a native Chicagoan whose career spans more than 25 years as a photojournalist, editorial, studio and location advertising photographer for national publication.
Teaching is also one of Karl’s passions, and he has served as adjunct professor of photography at Harper College in Palatine, IL, originating the curriculum there for the program start.
Currently, Karl divides his work between wedding and advertising, specializing in people, portrait and lifestyle for agencies, institutions and corporations.
Karl is currently represented nationally by San Francisco artist’s agent Freda Scott. www.fredascott.com
From Karl–
“As an undergrad writing for the campus newspaper I borrowed an ancient Nikon to use on a road-trip assignment, a bus trip to Texas and Mexico and my first foray into photojournalism. As fate would have it the bus kept breaking down, leaving us stranded on the side of the road, and the trip became a very minor news story that we felt was much bigger. “Stop the presses!” When I returned and processed the film, making a few prints for the newspaper, the great response I received was as if a switch had been thrown. I began shooting non-stop, studied the masters, worked day and night to learn the craft and never looked back.
Since then the bedrock of my work and style has been classic photojournalism as practiced in the golden age of news and magazine photography. Photography that tells a story, conveys truth and emotion, and doesn’t use artifice in place of having a good eye and working hard at capturing the decisive moment. The ensuing years have added some layers to this as I learned to direct and light for lifestyle and portrait work, and I use this blend of skills now for my wedding clients with great success, for today’s wedding photojournalism.
I think that weddings are life’s greatest rite of passage. For most of us our biggest day, when we commit to a shared life with all of its joys and sorrows. We gather our family and friends around us, share our love and bonds, drink a bit, laugh, cry, rejoice and dance the night away. On the surface many weddings are the same, with the same set of steps built on the same traditions, but none are really alike because of the people and their shared histories.
My role is to bring my years of experience and talent for observation to your union and tell your story in a truthful and artful way. To first and foremost capture the great and telling moments, with the kind of pictures you’d like in a frame for your grandchildren to inherit.
In the end, I think great wedding photography is about vision and balance and my goal is to give you both, with pictures that you cherish.”