The Heart Behind the Lens

Thank you for being here.
If we haven’t met yet—welcome. My name is Kallie, and I’m the heart behind Iris + Roam, a woman-owned photography studio based in Madison, Wisconsin. I’m a lifelong wanderer, a collector of quiet moments, and someone who sees the world through both a lens and a compassionate eye.

Iris + Roam was born from a longing—to reconnect, to heal, and to offer something beautiful to others. The name is a reflection of that dual purpose: Iris, for the eye, the lens, and the part of me that practices optometry and honors the science of sight; and Roam, for the part of me that finds solace and inspiration in movement, in getting lost among trees, mountains, and skies. Together, they tell the story of how I see and move through the world.

Photography was my first love. I studied visual communications at Madison College in 2008, drawn to the way a single image can hold a memory, a feeling, a truth. Over time, my path shifted—from film to life sciences, from artist to optometrist. But the thread never broke. I chose optometry not just as a profession, but as a way to help others hold onto their ability to see the world clearly. That choice was deeply personal: my grandmother, a gifted artist, began to lose her sight to macular degeneration. My grandfather, an optometrist himself, spent his life helping people preserve that sacred sense. Their legacy shaped mine.

I’ve carried a camera for nearly 20 years, but this is the first time I’ve shared my work so openly. This year changed me. I lost both of my grandfathers—two of the most grounding, inspiring presences in my life—just days apart. Grief cracked something open in me, and in that space, I found the quiet pull back to photography. Not as a hobby, but as a lifeline. As a way to honor what I’ve lost, and to share what still holds me together.

Nature has always been my refuge—steady, wild, forgiving. Through my lens, I try to capture its quiet power, its whimsy, and its way of gently reminding us to breathe, to wonder, and to heal. My hope is that these photographs don’t just decorate a wall—but invite you into stillness, presence, and a sense of connection to the world around you.

Iris + Roam is where my worlds meet. It’s a home for the parts of me that seek beauty, that long to share it, and that believe in the healing power of art and nature. I’m honored you’re here. I hope what you find brings a bit of light into your own story.

—Kallie