Hey, I'm Kris

I’m Kristopher Shinn, a photographer and creator based in Seattle, Washington.

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My work moves between personal projects and commissioned photography, with a shared focus on observation, atmosphere, and a strong sense of place. Whether I’m photographing a ferry crossing Puget Sound, a quiet street in Kyoto, or creating imagery for a client, I’m interested in finding the moments that feel honest, unexpected, and worth remembering.

 

I primarily work with film, using 35mm and medium format cameras to create photographs that feel tactile, understated, and grounded in the world around me. My personal work has taken me from the ferries of the Pacific Northwest to Japan, Norway, Iceland, and beyond, often exploring the relationship between people, landscape, movement, and stillness.

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My ongoing project By Way of Water began with a fascination with the Washington State Ferries and has grown into a visual record of life on the water—its passengers, landscapes, windows, crossings, and fleeting moments. Other bodies of work, including Still Kyoto and Northern Observations, continue that exploration through different places and perspectives.

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Alongside my personal work, I collaborate with brands, publications, and organizations on commissioned photography and creative projects. I bring the same visual sensibility to client work that informs my personal photography: an emphasis on natural moments, thoughtful composition, authentic environments, and images that feel lived-in rather than overly constructed.

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For me, photography has always been about paying attention. It’s a way of slowing down, noticing what’s happening around me, and turning fleeting moments into something lasting. Whether the photograph is part of a long-term personal project or created for a client, the goal is the same—to make something that feels true to the moment and stays with you.