About Kara.

Kara Mercer is an AD-approved photographer and creative director specializing in interiors, architecture, hospitality, and lifestyle. Based in Seattle and working worldwide, she brings more than 17 years behind the camera—and a genuine curiosity about the people, places, and ideas that make a space worth remembering.

Her work is grounded in a deep respect for exceptional design—spaces defined by intention, restraint, and architectural clarity. Rather than simply documenting what is present, Kara looks for the essential character of a place: the way natural light moves through a room, the conversation between materials, and the subtle details that give a space its permanence.

She is equally interested in the human element—how a space is inhabited, shaped, and softened by the people who live within it. Her photographs capture not only how a place looks, but how it feels to experience it.

That perspective comes from a career that has never fit neatly into one category. Before interiors and architecture became central to her work, photography took Kara around the world photographing travel, fashion, lifestyle, and campaigns for international brands and tourism boards. Today, that breadth informs the way she approaches every assignment, bringing together the instincts of a photographer with the perspective of a creative director.

Kara works closely with interior designers, architects, hotels, and brands to shape the visual story of a project—not simply arriving to photograph what is there, but understanding what makes the work distinct and translating that into imagery with a point of view.

Her work has appeared in Architectural Digest, House Beautiful, Dwell, Traditional Home, Sunset, Domino, and other leading design and lifestyle publications. Her clients have included Adobe, British Airways, Cuyana, Filson, Madewell, Tesla, Veuve Clicquot, Room & Board, & more.

At the heart of her work is something much simpler: an appreciation for beautiful places, thoughtful craftsmanship, and the stories that make life feel richer.

Photographer. Creative director. Observer of the details that make a place worth remembering.