We recently had the chance to connect with Kenna Schott and have shared our conversation below.
Good morning Kenna, we’re so happy to have you here with us and we’d love to explore your story and how you think about life and legacy and so much more. So let’s start with a question we often ask: What is a normal day like for you right now?
Life has changed a lot in the past year since having my son in August 2024. I went from being hyper-obsessed with work to slowing down a bit and savoring the moment with my little one. At first I wondered how I would ever get back to work, but once my husband and I got our routine figured out I realized my love for my son actually inspires my work and it has changed how I photograph others. Right now, my day looks mostly like spending time with my son at home and heading off to sessions in the evening. Most all of my work gets done in the evenings when he goes to sleep! My husband follows me to my evening sessions (90% of which are at the beach) and swims with him while I get to work. It’s a blast to be able to photograph couples and families while seeing my son and baby boy enjoying themselves in the distance!
Can you briefly introduce yourself and share what makes you or your brand unique?
I’m Kenna Schott, a wedding and portrait photographer based in Florida. My work blends artistry with storytelling, capturing weddings, couples, and families with a style that feels elegant yet personal. I’m endlessly inspired by real connection and the beauty of the Florida coast. Whether it’s the joy of a wedding morning, a couple wrapped up in each other on the beach, or a family playing together in the sand.
My own love story, marrying my husband in a small coastal town in Mexico after meeting in Spain, shaped my belief that photography should feel like a living memory. That belief has only deepened since welcoming our son, who turns one this month, and experiencing firsthand how quickly each season of life changes. Every session is a collaboration between me and those I’m photographing, tailored to reflect their personality and heart.
Lately, I’ve been especially drawn to photographing families, creating images that feel natural, full of warmth, and true to the season they’re in. Whether it’s sandy toes during a beach vacation or cozy moments at home. Above all, I aim to create photographs that will still make people feel something decades from now.
Thanks for sharing that. Would love to go back in time and hear about how your past might have impacted who you are today. What relationship most shaped how you see yourself?
When I met my husband in December of 2019, I had just stepped into photography full time and was constantly wrestling with imposter syndrome. The way he saw me and loved me, and still does, gave me the courage to share my work confidently and value it appropriately. There’s something powerful about being loved and believed in by someone you admire so deeply. It made me realize there must be something extraordinary in me, too.
What did suffering teach you that success never could?
The suffering in my life and career has always caused me to turn inward and uncover more of why I do what I do both in business and in life. It’s taught me the importance of being fully present, because the next moment is never promised. We only get a short time here with the people we love, and I’ve learned to cherish it all, to look for the positive, and to never leave feelings unspoken.
That perspective, learned through times of suffering, shapes my work. The awareness of how quickly time passes makes me want to photograph it to quite literally freeze moments in time. We can’t go back and feel our grandmother’s hug on our wedding day, or remember exactly how our newborn’s hair felt in our hands, but a photograph has the power to bring us right back. For just a moment, it lets us hold on again.
So a lot of these questions go deep, but if you are open to it, we’ve got a few more questions that we’d love to get your take on. Where are smart people getting it totally wrong today?
I think the biggest tragedy of our generation is our consumption with our lives online. Ironically, I say that as I write on my computer. We have such beautiful lives right in front of us, and yet when I look around a crowded restaurant I see couples and families completely disconnected from each other. It’s something I struggle with at times too, but I’m always trying to be more conscious of time spent on my phone.
Okay, so before we go, let’s tackle one more area. Are you doing what you were born to do—or what you were told to do?
I believe I’m doing exactly what I was born to do: to be a mother and wife above all else. That role feels like my true calling, the center of everything in my life. Through that deep love and perspective as a mother, my photography has been given new meaning. It’s not just about taking beautiful images. it’s about preserving the fleeting, irreplaceable moments we have with the people we love most. Motherhood has made me see time differently, and it’s what inspires me to create photographs that let others hold onto the same kind of memories I never want to lose.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://kennaschott.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kennaschott/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/kennaschottphoto
Image Credits
Kenna Schott Photography
