Cate Connery Bury
Cate Connery Bury
Photographic Portrait Artist
Photographic Portrait Artist
Helping you see the beauty, strength, and connection already within your family.
You’ve Given Your Heart to Your Family. Your Story Deserves to Be Seen.
You’ve poured your whole heart into raising your family — supporting every milestone, every transition, and every quiet moment that has shaped who your children are becoming. You want your home to reflect that devotion in a way that feels honest and meaningful. Not just for the sake of having portraits, but because your family’s story deserves to be seen.
I Understand That Feeling — Because I’ve Lived These Seasons Too
I understand that desire deeply. I grew up here in Nashville, surrounded by families who invest so much love, intention, and presence into their children. As a Harpeth Hall graduate and a mother of three — with kids now stepping into their college years — I know how quickly the seasons change and how important it feels to hold onto the moments that matter. That lived experience shapes the way I guide families, seniors, and women through their portrait experience. I see the strength, the tenderness, and the transition because I’ve walked through it too.
Before Photography, I Was a Teacher — Guided by the Same Belief
Before I became a photographer, I spent years as a first-grade teacher — work guided by the same belief I carry today: that every person holds a unique and infinite value within them. Teaching taught me how to meet each child exactly where they are, to see their strengths before they see them themselves, and to build trust through warmth and presence.
It also means there is truly nothing children do that unsettles or overwhelms me. I love kids of every age, and I know how to help them feel comfortable, confident, and seen.
My Role: To Help You See the Beauty Already in Your Life
My role now is to bring that same compassion, clarity, and intention into your portrait experience. I listen closely to what matters most to you and create artwork that reflects the truth of your relationships — your love, your resilience, your connection — with honesty and care.
You don’t need to perform, pose, or be anything other than who you are. I’ll guide you through each step so the experience feels grounded, supported, and personal.
Artwork That Lives in Your Home With Purpose and Heart
Every detail of our time together is designed to help you feel seen and valued.
The artwork we create — whether a Wall Art Collection, a 3XM Treasure Box, or an Heirloom Album — becomes more than something you display.
It becomes a daily reminder of the life you’ve devoted yourself to building and the family you love most.
A Level of Craft Honed Through Years of Dedication
Alongside the emotional heart of this work, I bring a deep commitment to craft. My recognitions include:
2026 – TNPPA Best Senior Portrait and Best Children's Portrait
2024 – Master of Photography degree, Professional Photographers of America
2024 – Silver and Bronze Medals, PPA International Photographic Competition, including Silver in High School Senior Portrait Photography
2024 – Judges Choice Award TNPPA
2023 – Tennessee Photographer of the Year (TNPPA)
2023 – Silver and Bronze Medals, PPA International Photographic Competition
2021 – Certified Professional Photographer (CPP), Professional Photographers of America
2021 – People's Choice Award, TNPPA Convention
Because Your Story Holds Infinite Worth
This work is not simply about photographs.
It’s about helping you see your worth, your love, and the story you’ve built — so you can step into the next chapter with clarity, pride, and confidence.
Let’s create artwork that reflects what has always been true:
You are loved. You belong. And your life holds infinite worth.
2023 TN Photographer of the Year
2026 TN Best Senior Portrait
2026 TN Best Children's Portrait
Cate Connery Bury Photography is a high school senior and family portrait studio in Nashville, TN specializing in creating portrait experiences and artwork where college-bound seniors who struggle with perfectionism and comparison feel celebrated both during the experience and in the artwork we create together and come away believing that their worth isn't measured by what they've accomplished, but instead simply for who they are. The artwork we create together reminds them that their worth is there just because they are, and their parents feel joy and pride every time they walk past it on the wall. We also photograph families, creating experiences that feel polished but not stiff and artwork that makes them proud of the family they've poured their life into, see all they've accomplished, and step into whatever comes next knowing they'll be just as successful there.