Katie Walsh
April 30, 2024
Katie Walsh’s photographs speak to the quiet intimacy between friends and lovers. A haircut in the backyard, snacks in a driveway lovingly shared or an embrace at the park are moments of closeness that may sneak by the casual observer. However it is these moments that Katie is so adept at capturing. She finds the spark of connection between people and renders it on film. In portraits of individuals, she creates her own. We viewers cannot help but be compelled to join in her embrace.
Based in Los Angeles, Katie has been photographing for over a decade. Most of these photos were taken in California between San Francisco and Los Angeles with a few shot in New York City and rural Vermont. Working exclusively with film, her pictures are grounded in a visceral reality that lends itself to the tactile nature of photo emulsion. This tactile nature only heightens the intimacy of the images.
Katie is close with many of the people in her photos but there are a few who are strangers. She told Laser Angel that, “I would describe my work as curious, intimate, appreciative, loving. It’s like the calmer corner of a house party where the introverts retreat to. Or the best people-watching bench outside your favorite coffee shop that isn’t too trendy. Or when that couple at the crosswalk misses their chance to walk because they were too busy making out.” We as viewers are overjoyed that Katie is sitting on a metaphorical bench in front of a coffee shop peering through her camera’s viewfinder waiting for couples to kiss. When she catches that moment, it feels like we’re right there with her.
