Emily Karcher Photography, LLC

06/08/2026

The most beautiful pre-prom party on a perfect June evening. It was such a pleasure on Thursday to photograph all the excitement (and nerves!) as these seniors and their parents celebrated together before the kids boarded their bus. Hiring a photographer allowed everyone to fully experience these moments while I captured what looked like an actual fairy tale. Time waits for no one (Cinderella will tell you!), so what a smart idea for occasions like proms and homecomings that go so quickly. This way, everyone gets to savor the sweetness a little longer, all dressed up with their favorite people (I see you, fairy godmothers).

(Speaking of savoring, the incredible food and sweet treats were provided by chef Perri Cuttriss and ).

A special congratulations to all of these kids who graduated today as well. What a week! 🌷🎉

06/03/2026

Crofton High School Class of 2026 has kept me wonderfully, gratefully, beautifully busy for almost a full year now, and I've loved every single minute with these kids and their families. They are eager and funny and intelligent and engaging and humble and resilient and determined.

They graduated this evening, and let me be the first (photographer) to say CONGRATULATIONS with virtual open arms and a big hug. This is not goodbye; it's just the beginning!

Now, go out and save us all, please and thank you! But no pressure. But actually. 🙏

Much love and luck to each of you -- I’ll be over here always cheering you on! ❤️💛🖤

06/01/2026

About a year ago I tasted my first giant chomp of concert photography at The Anthem and ever since, am fully in love with every part of it. I crave creating art for artists, and luckily I've got no shortage of those under my own roof now, including my oldest -- a guitarist who both writes his own music and can seemingly play any covers that come his way as well. Photographing concerts is full throttle sensory mode from the first note and the first interaction with the crowd. Capturing the feeling and the energy is both a tall order and total thrill while everything is happening at once. These kids crushed it on Saturday night. They have more gigs to come, so follow for all the info.
...and if you're a musician, your photo pit's probably calling my name, so let me know how I can help show you off.

05/10/2026

Late last night, I returned from a week in North Carolina, photographing a large group of cancer survivors -- some fully still immersed in treatment, some praying they never see another form of PET scans or chemo again. Many of them mothers, many wishing they could be. Some losing much-loved mothers, sisters and pregnancies (🙋‍♀️) because of cancer. But they are so much more than cancer or survivors. Individually, they are funny and creative and determined and insightful and insanely intelligent and captivating and quirky and ridiculoulsy beautiful. As a whole, they are a force. Every time I do this, and we're all sharing one house in the Outer Banks, I stop and wonder...if only people out on the beach knew the absolute power that is under this one roof in a white shingled house at Milepost 9.5, they'd never believe it. Think Marvel superhero level x100 inside each little bedroom. Today, I'm cheering for every mom. For every form of mom. Including the ones wishing and missing and hoping beyond words that they can continue being present alongside their favorite people at every age. If you can, I'd love it if you can please send each of these women (and others we know in the fight) your best wishes and prayers. I still have my port and I'm still in longterm treatment, and I understand more than I wish I did how layered life with cancer can be. It is a beautiful thing that and lets us peel back the onion for just a week to get back to our non-cancer, adventure-seeking selves, embracing all the beauty that was there before and will forever be.
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05/02/2026

Happy gallery arrival day to these two cuties whose March wedding ushered in the first day of spring with flowers, sunshine and the funniest bridal party. 🌷🌷

04/10/2026

Happy birthday to this newly minted 20 year old!!

Lily, I swear I was just photographing you with your cap and gown. It's already been two years (time is a tricky one, and particularly for photographers) but it's amazing to watch you continue to be awesome from your proud mom's sweet FB updates.

Welcome to a pretty incredible new decade!!

(And I'm sorry that FB and Insta cut off your head in these!)

03/24/2026

It's the most wonderful time of the year! Photo sessions should be not only beautiful, but honestly...really relaxed and fun. Whenever my couples and families ask about cherry blossom pictures, remember...we've got options that don't involve crazy traffic or elbowing your fellow blossom lovers for the perfect spot. And this map doesn't even mention all the blossoming neighborhoods in Maryland and VA! Let's gooooo!

This whole ‘there are cherry blossoms’ in neighborhoods and not just the tidal basin always cracks me up. YES! The awesome Casey Trees even has a map!

02/17/2026

My nail polish is chipping, but it's still purple, green and gold from last week. These pictures are like a little 2026 love letter to NOLA, the place where my first formative memories come from. It had been far too long since strolling these streets, hearing these sounds. Seeing my old house, sitting on the steps of one of my schools. And just taking it ALL in, from night parades to people just enjoying each other. I didn't realize how much my heart and soul needed this visit. Seeing our kids so happy there was the icing on the king cake (har har).

Happy Mardi Gras today (and every day....Life is short. Live it! )

01/29/2026

Last summer, when I photographed this epic set at 's tour in DC, I had no idea I would want to unearth it 7 months later. Back then, I didn't want to mix politics and work. I wanted to keep my portfolio a basic shade of neutral. Head down. Pretty pictures. Don't rock the boat.

It's time for every artist to rock the boat.

There’s a part of me that always wants to say if it gets worse, it'll eventually get better. This is partially how I got through breast cancer treatment each time. The same for loss and grief. I keep looking for signs of hope.

I had no idea things would get so much worse in this country after I took this picture.

Prior to having a business, I was a federal employee so I worked for Democratic and Republican presidents. I worked alongside law enforcement at presidential events with tons of protesters. We always kept them safe.

None of this is normal.

I’ve since photographed political leaders (& sometimes their loved ones) on both sides. During chemo, I've sat among people I disagree with (one was a politician, another wore it on his hat), but in these settings too, I've glimpsed common threads that tie us together: love of family, helpers being uncomfortable in order to carry others at their darkest times, hope for a new day.

It’s either a blessing or a burden as a personality trait, but I put myself in others’ shoes so that I can feel their obstacles & showcase their wins. I don’t often talk about myself (or even post much), because my work isn’t about me. It’s my eye, your story.

But because authenticity is paramount in the work I create, I feel I need to be authentic as a business owner. If you support the detainment and murders of innocent people and consider Fox News your truth and support what's happening over the past entire year to make so many people suffer in myriad ways, I'm not your photographer. As my bumper sticker reminds me every day: Hate never made America great.

Life's too short for that anyway.

With me, people should feel safe. I don't care where you come from or who you love, I will happily reserve my full energy to keep telling your stories of love, of lifting each other up, and of hope for a new day.

11/21/2025

This time of year, I hesitate to post any of the (literally thousands of) new family session photos because I don't want to steal the thunder from all those incoming holiday cards adorned with new, gorgeous photos that my clients will be mailing to their loved ones.

So instead, I'll post a new, gorgeous photo from a fall headshot session last month! I meet incredible people all the time, and they have the most inspiring stories (this beauty in particular). And then I'm dumfounded by her skin on top of all of it. (If you're wondering, she is super good about protecting her skin from the sun.)

Winter is coming, which ironically is one of the best times for fresh headshots! Just gorgeous soft light. So reach out and I'd love to help tell your story next. And we'll probably laugh while we're at it.