I’m Flee Kieselhorst, photographer and owner of FotosByFlee, based in Oakland, California. I specialize in family portraiture, food photography & wedding photography but I am always willing to take on a photographic adventure of any variety, be it event coverage, product work, or something different.

I once considered my camera an extension of my vision… now I consider it an extension of my heart. When I join you for your big day (whether it is your wedding day, the launch of your new product line, or opening night at your new restaurant) your big day becomes my big day.

I put my heart into it. I love stepping into your world for a brief moment. I become part of the family. I bond with you, with your project, and with your vision & I invest my own energy in your success. I’m proud of what I do and want you to be proud of it also.

The FotosByFlee Experience

I’m a farm kid living in the city. This means I bring the genuine kindness and enthusiastic personalized service you’d expect to find in a small town to each shoot, plus city-honed professionalism, experience & efficiency to make our interactions run smoothly.

The messy parts of life are usually the most beautiful. I want to create images that show you laughing, loving, enjoying. I want my photos to showcase the hard work, sweat, & gumption that lead you to the moment we are preserving in pictures.

No matter the genre of our shoot, I’ll work to make you feel comfortable through my own confidence, friendliness, and humor. I’ll put my heart and soul into your experience so you can enjoy it without worry. To that end, all my photoshoots include: fast turnaround, custom editing, professional equipment, liability insurance, & solid customer service before and after your shoot.

I have an M.F.A. in Photography and a B.A. in Visual Arts, so you are in well-educated hands! I am also a Phase One Certified Professional.

For me, photography is not a job, it is a passion & I’m excited to share it with you!

My Work

My photography is best described as intimate. I strive to create images that go below the surface, showing a glimpse of the inner person, object, or space & the authentic nature of the subject I am photographing.

I’m drawn to calm moments of introspection but love capturing the explosive energy of real personalities as well. I like to observe people, emphasizing the true persona of individuals in my photos.

My work is colorful, clean, and often playful. I engage the surrounding environment as actively as possible, creating layers of information about the subject and adding context within a single moment in time.

Who Am I?

I'm a plant-loving, too-much-tea-drinking, adventure-taking queer gal and I'm a Solo Mother By Choice to a donor conceived, firecracker of a human who goes by Pickle.