Winking Photography

About Kristen & Neil Winking

We are a husband and wife photography team in Quincy, Illinois. Photography began as a hobby and passion for both of us long before we had ever met one another. Once we did meet, photography was a mutual interest we shared and something we enjoyed doing together. We both have very different strengths that coincide quite well with one another. Kristen has always had a natural artistic eye and creative vision, while Neil has always had a strong technical sense and the ability to turn a vision into an image. We push each other creatively, technically, and artistically, to continue to develop and grow. It was very natural for our hobby of photography to turn into the business we have today, which we are very dedicated to and passionate about.

We love capturing those special moments for our client and giving them something to tell their story. Whether it’s a family enjoying some time together at the park, sharing in the joy of a newborn baby, or an emotion-filled wedding day – from beginning jitters to the last toast – our focus is on our clients and their memories.

Travel Photography is also a very unique interest that we share and love. We were both born to travel and we love to capture the rare and stunning beauty we find in the world around us.

Our photography, simply put, is life and art personified.


About Kristen

My educational background is in theatre, which lends itself well to photography; both are focused on storytelling, just in different mediums. Photography allows me to embody emotion through a lens. I also love the directorial aspect of it – creating a scene to capture. I see photography as silent, still theatre. It’s about creating a mood, conveying a feeling, sharing someone’s story and capturing their relationships.

I have created collages since I was about 10 years old from cut-up Vogue magazines and a glue stick. My creative style and design have evolved over the past couple decades, but collages are still something that I enjoy creating and I love being able to give that custom-made, lasting creation to our clients to enjoy. I also love to create unique photo books and albums for our clients because they help tell their story so well. Our collages, photo books, and albums become a family heirloom for our clients and something that they love to show off. It’s about creating something lasting to help our clients cherish their memories, remember the details, and share their story with others.


About Neil

My educational background is in engineering and IT, which has become very beneficial to my photography ever since the digital change came onto the photography scene. I have always been intrigued by figuring out how things work and that quest continually makes me a better photographer. It is also very exciting to me how fast technology is constantly changing and evolving. There are so many impressive gadgets and tools to use to improve photography. It is very fulfilling for me when I use my technical knowledge to manipulate the camera to create a vision or concept. I enjoy capturing beauty, the things I see, and the world around me. I like the prospect of capturing the perfect image. I am always striving to shoot that perfect image for our clients to share and appreciate.