Testimonials
Full testimonials
children’s portraits / grown-ups’ portraits / wedding / commercial / landscapesCHILDREN
We are a family with two girls aged 10 and 4. We had a photo taken of our first daughter at age 3 that has been hanging on our bedroom wall for 7 years. Since being able to express herself, our second daughter has been grumbling that there is no photo of her, so as soon as she turned 3 we started looking for someone who could take a suitable photo. We finally met Karen at a stall at Eastridge about a month before Sophie’s 4th birthday – she and Sophie hit it off, so we booked her. Karen was very adaptable to a “know what she wants” 3 year old girl and a “know what she wants” mother – who needed something to keep the whole family happy.
The outcome was fantastic – Karen was very understanding of minds being changed and we now have two photos of 3 year old daughters of similar shades and sizes to keep everyone happy. We are also thrilled to have a collection on CD and a canvas on awesome photos of our 2 girls very happy as sisters playing in their garden. A canvas of five of these photos was presented to me for my 40th birthday and it honestly brought tears to my eyes as the photos perfectly capture the personalities and joy of two little girls who are growing up so fast. Many people who know the girls comment on how perfectly it has portrayed them and captured a really special piece of time in their lives.
Karen was awesome to work with. She very quickly swayed the girls into posing and discussing ideas with a bossy 3 year old as well! A very easy process.
I would recommend Karen to other parents with any reservation. The process was great fun for all and we have a fantastic set of photos. We are thrilled to have got something that captures the girls’ personalities as well as looks, as they grow up so fast!
Alison & Mark, Orakei, October 2008
I wanted a photographer who had the patience and personality to work with young children and to capture them naturally (or in a fly on the wall way). Karen fitted the bill perfectly. She listened and asked questions to ensure she knew what I wanted, and she was really upfront and transparent about costs. She put my little girl at ease and worked tirelessly to get some fantastic photographs – she has the patience of a saint. When Karen showed me the photos she’d taken, I was blown away – there were so many great ones to choose from, which was a nice problem to have!
If you’re looking for someone who will find out what you want, put your child at ease, and who will go above and beyond to make sure you get some amazing photos, then use Karen. The process is so easy and she’s very customer friendly.
I wanted to give my husband and parents framed photographs of our little girl for Christmas. They are absolutely delighted with them and I’m sure we’ll be ordering more shortly.
Kirsten, Onehunga, December 2008
We had decided that for Christmas it would be nice to send our relatives (overseas) a recent picture of our daughter. I hunted through the pictures we'd taken as a family, but we'd always had a problem capturing the right look at the right time and were never able to really get the picture we wanted with our own camera. I therefore thought I'd look into using a professional photographer. I initially searched on the internet for photographers, but was aware that for children it's important to get the right person to bring out the best in them. I was therefore delighted to meet Karen at Eastridge where she was displaying some of her work. I warmed to Karen immediately and knew that she would be a good match for us.
We loved ALL of the photos to the point that we have struggled so much to narrow it down to which ones to choose! Similarly, despite sending our family a photo for Christmas, they've all come back to us asking for more photos. We've also had people comment when they come into the house. The canvas always gets a big reaction as it's just so natural, yet captures our daughter perfectly. This isn’t an easy thing to do with a toddler! We chose a selection of photos which captured different sides to her, which we've never been able to do with our own camera.
The whole experience was very positive. I was unsure at first how my daughter would be with Karen as she's usually a little apprehensive around strangers, but I had no need to worry. Karen spent time initially just getting to know her, playing with her and it wasn’t long before my daughter was playing with her appearing very relaxed. Karen was very patient, was keen to check on what we wanted out of the session and was able to offer advice where needed. It was a very easy process with great results.
I would definitely recommend using a professional photographer. The quality and variety of photos is far superior to those which you can catch with your own camera. I would be very happy to recommend Karen to other people. She did an amazing job and ensured the process was totally painless. The worst bit had to be deciding which of the amazing photos we were going to choose!! Thank you.
Rachel, St Heliers, November 2008
As a young family we were looking for a photographer to capture our children in this stage of their lives. We were hoping for photos that would show the girls having fun and being themselves (action shots rather than a serious studio pose!); Karen has portrayed the girls perfectly. The photographs show how much fun a 5 and 4 year old can have, but also there are some fantastic photos that have truly captured each of them. They are a great memory keeper.
Everyone that has been to the house has noticed and admired the photos – they love the relaxed nature and how well the photos seem to represent the girls.
From my point of view, the whole process was extremely easy. Karen came to the house and the children were automatically relaxed around her and desperate to please! Karen has a great rapport with all people and particularly with children so there was no problem in getting them to smile for the camera!
I am constantly recommending Karen and this experience to others who are thinking about having family photo’s done. The only difficulty we have experienced is in trying to decide which pictures to use – we run the risk now of plastering the house in family photos!!
In addition to her photographic skills, Karen has also been extremely helpful in recommending frames and sizes of photos to get the best impact from the pictures we have chosen.
Helen & Simon, Mt Eden, September 2007
My delightful granddaughter Lucca, then 20mths, was soon to be leaving with her parents to visit family and friends in Europe and I wanted to capture Lucca and our special relationship before they left. Only a photographer of excellence would be acceptable; by chance I happened to view a few photographs taken by Karen Knighton and from that moment knew I wanted her services.
We arranged to meet at Mission Bay and it was only a few minutes before Karen had struck up a great rapport with Lucca. Lucca laughed, played, showed off and had so much fun. Karen photographed for over 2hrs, capturing a happy child and a very close granddaughter/grandmother relationship.
The photographs are stunning - second to none and all who have viewed them exclaim their beauty and the brilliance of the photographer. They make me feel happy as I remember the day, proud of my delightful granddaughter and very warm towards Karen for doing such a good job. For those who want to capture a special time in their lives I would encourage them to get in touch with Karen. Only settle for the best - a photographer who can relax and relate to people and in my situation a little child.
Pamela, Henderson, March 2008
I had just had my first child and Karen came to our coffee group one morning to take some photos of our babies. Having never had professional photos taken (except for our wedding) this was very exciting.
Karen took the most amazing photos, which totally captured the babies’ personalities. She managed to get a lot of James smiling which was great. I gave all the family a photo for Christmas (how easy was that for a gift!) and everyone totally loved their photo. The grandmothers (and great grandmothers) all cried and all the photos are displayed very prominently.
The day itself went very smoothly especially seeing as we had four babies with the potential to scream the place down. Karen was very relaxed and cheerful and was very happy being silly to get those all important smiles. She spent lots of time getting that perfect shot. She was also prepared for when the babies got tired and was happy to keep changing positions, photos etc to ensure the baby stayed happy. I had a great time and it was so much fun. James loved all the attention. Karen is just a natural when it comes to working with kids.
Vivienne, Onehunga, November 2007
My sister very kindly arranged the photo shoot for me as a gift. I have always wanted to get some black and white photos of my girls but have never been able to afford it – I was wrapped when Michele told me about Karen. I am a solo mum with 3 year old twins and I have to say Karen’s photos are certainly affordable and great value. They were brilliant for family Christmas presents!
When I saw the photos (without sounding corny) they brought tears to my eyes – the quality was incredible. I loved the variety of shots; the clarity was fantastic so much so that you could even see the water droplets on my daughter’s hair. It was great to be able to compare the coloured versions to the black and whites. I have one particular photo, which I have mounted on my wall at home, which is a constant talking point for visitors – it really stands out – it truly depicts my girls and their personalities.
Because I wanted to have photos of my girls taken outdoors our photo shoot was very weather dependent. Karen was extremely flexible - I think we rescheduled about 3 times due to weather, sick children etc. Karen came to our home and immediately made the girls and I feel at ease – we literally carried on with our lives (outdoors) while she just snapped away. I loved the fact that there were not any cheesy poses – they were all very natural shots. Our photos ranged from dress ups, the paddling pool, throwing daisies in the air to just sitting in the garden – it is great to have a variety to choose from.
Without a doubt, don’t look any further – you have to use Karen Knighton!
Catherine, Torbay, October 2007
GROWN-UPS
My mother’s fiftieth birthday was approaching, and my sisters and I really wanted to give her a present that celebrated her life so far. One of the most important aspects of life is family, therefore we wanted to capture this and celebrate it! And what better than a milestone birthday!
Karen was wonderful to work with. Not only did she perfectly capture the fun that we have together, but she made the entire process so easy. We had such a laugh at the photo shoot, and Karen’s photographs really reflect this.
I would totally recommend Karen to anyone needing a photographer. She has such a passion for her work, and that really reflects in the photographs she takes. It is not often that you find someone who cares about their work the way Karen does, and without a doubt, it reflects in every photo she takes. Thank you Karen!
Bridgette, Cornwall Park, October 2008
As a singleton in my early 30s I decided to have a photoshoot with Karen in order to boost my self-esteem and to give me a portfolio of photos that I might be able to use to attract some eligible men! Prior to using Karen's services I had never experienced an official photoshoot before, and apart from cute photos of me as a child I rarely liked photos of myself.
I was and still am amazed by the range of beautiful photos that Karen took of me. They made me feel so much better about myself and lifted my self-confidence. Friends and family that I have shared them with have marvelled at the quality and have requested copies!
The process of booking my photoshoot with Karen could not have been easier; she was very accommodating with the times that I was available and was very easy to discuss options with. Although I was quite nervous at the beginning of the shoot, Karen's enthusiasm, warmth, kindness and great sense of humour helped me to relax into the shoot and made it a very enjoyable experience!
I highly recommend Karen as a photographer, and even though she only photographed me on my own, I would not hesitate to hire her for any other occasion - maybe if the photos assist me in my quest to find a 'man' she could photograph my wedding day!
Tanya, St Heliers, January 2009
My partner and I decided that after being together for 4 years, we would like to have something to solidify our blended family of five children in their twenties and teenage years. We were referred to Karen by a work colleague, so we commissioned her to do the work.
Karen acted solely with the children and quickly befriended them with her down to earth personality. All of the children commented that any awkwardness that they had was soon eased by Karen with fun and laughter and expressed how much they enjoyed their photo shoot. And that sense of excitement clearly shows in the end product - we were all blown away with the results!! Each photo Karen took undoubtedly shows off the children’s own individual personalities, captured in the most natural and relaxed sense.
Our objective was to get stills that caught the children in their energetic vibrant youth, which Karen has most certainly achieved. We recently purchased an old villa and have our pictures of the children hanging on the hall wall where we thought it an ideal setting to celebrate our family. We consider these pictures not as portraits but ageless art that not only compliment our walls well but give the children that sense of honour that comes with belonging to a family. Everybody that has visited has complimented and praised at how well these pieces grace our home. These compliments and praise belong to Karen.
We would easily refer Karen as an expert in her profession and is unreservedly capable of getting the results through photography that anybody may be looking for.
Yoie, Pukekohe, March 2008
I had a very small window of time to get my three daughters and a photographer together. I called Karen who made herself available and came to the home to do exactly what I wanted – which was to get some very candid photos of the girls together – I didn’t want posed studio photographs, I wanted photos that would capture their personalities and the relationship between them, and I realized that that would not be easy. The whole session was fun, the girls thoroughly enjoyed it and Karen captured the moments in a spectacular way. We are thrilled with the finished products and the photographs are greatly admired both here in NZ and overseas. Thanks Karen, we really love your work.
Gail, Remuera, October 2007
I was looking for some great photos that I could send overseas to my friends and family in the UK, and also to my family here in NZ. The beauty of working with Karen is that she can balance strong ideas with spontaneity, and Karen’s friendly manner ensures that you feel very relaxed which means that you can play around, resulting in great pictures. People have commented on how lovely and natural they are. They capture the essence of my personality, especially the smiley one with all the hair! For good portraits, you need to get someone you feel relaxed with and who you trust, because it brings out the best in you. I will be asking Karen for her professional expertise when it comes to our wedding photos! So she better not go back to the UK....
Amanda, Wellington, May 2007
I gave the photos out to the ones I bought them for and they all loved them - she looked quite “Pacifica” the non Aucklanders thought. She looked what she was - mischievous, gentle and good hearted. Karen totally captured who she was so I endorse her work.
Marie, regarding her late mother, Lucie
Auckland, November 2007
My mother was approaching the age of 86 years and she was still active and alert and I wished to capture an image of her at this late stage of her life.
I met Karen and asked her to contact my mother and make a suitable time to visit at my mother’s home for a photo session. I was a little concerned that Karen and my mother would get on together and result in a productive shoot.
As it turned out there was nothing at all to be concerned about. Karen advised that my mother was a little stiff and formal but after some conversation she relaxed and the resulting photos were all that I hoped for. Karen captured my mother’s bearing and demeanour and brought out her familiar personality in the photos.
So I can warmly recommend Karen not only for her skill as a photographer but also for her manner treating with her subject to generate really outstanding portraits.
Peter, Kohimarama, October 2007
Being the person who invariably takes the photos, I didn't have that many self-portrait shots that I actually liked very much. That combined with being a keen dancer, I very much liked the idea of having some professional photos taken; I suppose to capture this stage in my life as well as to take the opportunity of being photographed properly for the first time.
I was thrilled with both the process & the outcome. Some photos worked better than others, & overall, the more close-up/portrait style images were most effective. Of the ones I liked most, I felt they captured a part of me - be it happy, thoughtful, sensual or fun. All comments I have received from others have been positive - they have consistently been referred to as beautiful photos.
I thoroughly enjoyed the whole package, from discussing the ideas I had with Karen & being guided as to what Karen thought would work; to being pampered on the day & seeing the end results. Karen very quickly put me at ease by her professional yet personal approach (& dare I say it, I could have happily kept on posing for longer!).
If you’re considering having a shoot with Karen, go for it! The skill of a photographer is seeing you in a different way to the way you perhaps see yourself or assume others see you. There is an honesty in the results which is liberating & something to be proud of - yourself.
Debbie, Wellington, November 2007
WEDDING
Prior to getting engaged I'd met Karen through one of my very good friends. Through social events I'd gotten to know Karen and had the opportunity to view her work (art!), so when Pete and I got engaged it was an easy decision to ask Karen to capture our day.
Throughout the whole process Karen was awesome to work with. She took the time to listen to what we were hoping for on our day and prior to the wedding visited the wedding location to identify the best spots.
The weather for the day was looking atrocious so Karen had come up with a multitude of innovative inside shots however, as it turned out, the weather cleared for the ceremony and provided for some stunning photo opportunities, especially with a cathedral length veil in the rather strong breeze. Castaways and the beach below provided gorgeous scenery which Karen captured exceptionally. All of our guests have commented that the photos are absolutely stunning and that they have never seen so many outstanding photos for one wedding. Karen was very easy to work with; she was relaxed and made the photo-taking a heap of fun!
Karen's photos of our wedding day exceeded our expectations (the odd tear escaped when we first saw the pics), she captured simply stunning moments that we will treasure forever.
Tina & Pete, Castaways, October 2009
Well what can we say! Karen was a joy to work with. We really wanted relaxed wedding photos with a true Kiwi feel that showcased the wonderful landscape around us as well as capturing our special day – Karen did all this and more! Everyone we have shown the photos to just loves them, especially the ‘paparazzi’ shot which now has pride of place on our mantle piece. We would not hesitate to recommend Karen’s services to other couples or to anyone just wanting fabulous photographs. Thank you so much, Karen, for giving us such a fantastic reminder of our special day!
Ben & Saffron, Arrowtown, January 2009
The best decision I made (aside from choosing the hubby) was to choose Karen Knighton as our wedding photographer.
We had a small destination wedding, and keen to maintain a relaxed and casual feel, briefly toyed with the notion that we did not need photography, back in the early days of planning.
Everyone has their own ideas about their wedding and we initially (and mistakenly) thought that photography wasn't a must have. What we didn't consider was how quality photos are the keys to the treasure trove of memories that becomes one of the most significant days in our lives. The fun we had in the shoot on the day was just an added bonus, and personally for me, a highlight.
I had seen some of Karen’s work through a friend who had contracted her for children’s portraits. Before the wedding we discussed details about what we were after, our ideas and budget. Karen was really keen to get a feel for our needs and expectations, and to be honest, prompted us to think about what was important, when previously we had been flippant.
With the usual wedding day hiccups (a forgotten bouquet) I arrived excited but anxious. Karen quickly stepped into action. Professional to the end, within a few moments she had turned my delay into a family photo opportunity, and as for my nerves....what nerves?
We opted for a coffee table book, a contemporary way to enjoy our pictures, and one which ensures they are enjoyed frequently, by us and our guests. I especially enjoy peoples reactions to our photos, as they allow us to self indulge a little more as we relive the memories.
Looking back now, I am so thankful that logic prevailed and that we found a professional who has created great memories of the day and delighted us with beautiful artwork to enjoy forever.
Kyle & Peta, Sydney, October 2008
When we were planning our wedding, Karen was recommended by a close friend. Karen provided exceptional photos and we are especially impressed by our canvas and photobook. She captured our beautiful day perfectly with great ideas to ensure we relaxed and had lots of laughs! Our bottle of bubbles and 5 minutes in the car to appreciate the moment was so thoughtful.
We can’t thank her enough for the awesome job she did of capturing our wedding day on film. We are so impressed and so are many of our guests - everyone has been suitably impressed by her lovely personality and awesome work! Karen made it an easy, effortless process that was stress-free, very personable, reliable and accommodating.
If you’re looking for a wedding photographer, go for Karen!
Melanie & Anthony, Orakei, January 2008
COMMERCIAL
WHK provide accounting and financial advice throughout New Zealand and Australasia. In 2009 the WHK Group launched a new brand; the vibrant new look and feel highlights our goal to provide “better advice for a better life”. Underpinning our new look is a strong focus on people and relationships – and this needed to be visually prominent in all our communications from our website and brochures to our 2010 graduate recruitment campaign and client communication.
Karen was able to not only capture professional images of our clients and staff that were warm and inviting, she also has an uncanny knack of making people feel comfortable in front of the camera - drawing out some great shots. I believe the final images have played a big part in bringing our tagline “better advice for a better life” to life. Clients and staff love the new look!
Karen was great to work with - easy to talk to, a great source of ideas, fantastic with our clients and staff (all 160 of them!), and has delivered on brief every time.
Karen has an obvious passion and this shines through in her work. If you are a business or corporate looking for a professional photographer who is able to deliver shots with that extra special something then Karen is who you’ve been looking for.
Damian Bennett, Marketing Manager, WHK, December 2009 www.whk.co.nz
FCm Travel Solutions is the corporate arm of Flight Centre Limited NZ, which operates a travel management service for companies with an easy and cost effective way to book their ‘work travel’. FCm hadn’t updated their marketing collateral in over two years and we really wanted to do a photoshoot to capture staff in ‘real’ shots depicting the products and services FCm offers. These photos would be used on the website, in sales collateral, press ads and other marketing material. As Marketing Manager, I was responsible for pulling the photo shoot together. We did a selection of different shots for two of the FCm Travel Solutions brands (FCm and CiEvents). There were a total of about 50 scenarios that we wanted to photograph, ranging from CiEvents staff interacting with local hotel staff to FCm staff having a meeting in the boardroom.
The experience was great, and Karen made every part of it easy. She was quick to turn around quotes, to deliver the finished images and was flexible with times and dates. She made the process much easier than I have experienced in previous photo shoots, working with me to develop a brief for each of the shots and to make sure we had all the relevant props and a range of models available. With 30 models to co-ordinate on the day, all of which had to be away from their desks for a minimum amount of time, Karen was able to work with me to set up the shot, quickly take the different photographs using the various models and ensure minimal disruption to the working day. She was also flexible enough that if a certain model was photographing well we were able to pull together some extra shots that we hadn’t originally thought about and as a result have some great extra impromptu images. I have worked with photographers in the past where this either wasn’t possible or the price would increase dramatically. This wasn’t the case with Karen - she was accommodating and exceptionally helpful through the process.
We were thrilled with the shots that we received from Karen, they all absolutely met the brief. There were a total of about 30 models that were used throughout the two day shoot and they were all thrilled with the results, as were the senior management team. We have used the pictures on the FCm website, in sales collateral, in powerpoint templates and press ads, and I am sure we will be using the photos from the shoot for many more marketing collateral items over the next year or two.
If you need a photographer for a corporate shoot then I would highly recommend Karen. She is professional, flexible and reasonably priced. I know if I ever need to do a photoshoot again I shall be calling on Karen’s services. She was a pleasure to work with and we were thrilled with the finished results. All in all a great experience – thank you.
Olivia Nichols, Marketing Manager, FCm Travel Solutions, August 2008
Prior to choosing to engage Karen Knighton Photography New Zealand Tertiary College used a number of alternative photographers. Not being entirely happy with the resulting images we continued looking for a photographer to offer a more personal service to the college reflective of our professional early childhood focus.
Assignments to date have included the college annual Graduation ceremony, an international forum on early childhood teacher education and photographic briefs for marketing and teaching images.
New Zealand Tertiary College was especially impressed by Karen’s ability to acutely understand our individual needs and her ability to listen to, interpret and respond to the brief presented to her. The results reflected this.
Karen offered a professional and responsive service at all times respectful of the subjects – from the youngest infants to our mature international professionals. Throughout the engagements Karen was additionally open to changes, new needs and additions to her brief that came about.
If you would like a photographer that has the ability to capture your personal, professional and individualised moments to treasure – I highly recommend Karen – as her ability to listen and interpret our needs has led to highly successful results for her national projects for New Zealand Tertiary College and the international project for the World Forum Foundation.
Selena Fox, Chief Executive, New Zealand Tertiary College, October 2007 - May 2008
LANDSCAPES
We were looking for a unique and special wedding present for some good friends, and decided that a piece of art was an option. Through a personal connection we were referred to Karen's website, decided that we liked several of the images she had on display and thought they might make a nice gift.
The outcome was fantastic. We wanted something that related to the area where the couple met (Eastern Bays of Auckland) and thought that the black and white image of Rangitoto worked really well. We ordered a framed version of this and the couple really liked it.
Karen was great to work with. She suggested several different images in her collection that fitted the criteria given, and she appeared to have images from many different NZ scenic locations...so there were a lot of options. The process of ordering the print was easy. We did it all via email and internet transfer (which suited us) and Karen was very helpful with selection of frames/mats etc.
Karen has some really stunning photographs in her collection. She was helpful, insightful and she did her best to accommodate our needs. I would definitely recommend her and use her again in the future.
Kevin & Nicola, Mt Eden, March 2008