Cat Palmer took a leap and made Salt Lake City her home at the tender age of 21, just in time for the original Olympic excitement. Hailing from the vibrant music and poetry scene of Orange County, California, she spent her teenage years capturing the raw essence of punk legends Spoon and Squid on the bustling streets of Los Angeles. Her 20s and 30s were shaped under the guidance of the esteemed Al Thelin, a former U of U photography professor whose own mentor was the legendary Ansel Adams.

Now in her 40s, Cat juggles raising two teenagers with her grassroots advocacy work on Capitol Hill. Her creative spirit thrives at The Bogue Foundry art studio in downtown Salt Lake City, where she’s often immersed in her latest projects.

A true renaissance human, Cat pens a monthly column titled “Small Lake City” for City Weekly and makes regular monthly appearances on the ABC lifestyle show, Good Things Utah.  She spent years volunteering with the VA teaching photographing with a recreational therapy class and now she is mentoring a high school teen in photography, for their SLCSE Capstone Project. 

During the pandemic, Cat eloped in a cozy, private ceremony in Pat Bagley’s backyard with her best friend, M. You can follow their gardening and cooking adventures on Instagram @TheArtOfQueerCooking.

Cat is available for hire for headshots. (She has resigned from family portraits, events, & weddings.) 

Cat Palmer is a local photographer & artist in Salt Lake City, Utah