STUDIO HAPPENINGS ARCHIVES

Minneapolis Wedding Photographer Branding | Carina Photographics

Wedding Photographer Branding

Today I’d like to reveal my newly updated branding and packaging to the world! As a designer in a former life, I always enjoy working on projects that reconnect with that side of my creativity. I’ve worked for several months to update my logo, business card, and digital and print packaging. I love how everything looks! The identity reflects the fine art, elegant, artistic nature of my photography into a visual brand. I chose a metallic gold and dark charcoal gray as the primary branding colors. I also used the combination of a formal capped serif font along with an elegant script font for the logo.

Wedding Photographer Business Cards

First up: my business cards. I chose a unique size (for memorability!) and extra thick, textured paper. I worked with expert letterpress artist Todd Thyberg at Angel Bomb Design + Letterpress. He was great to work with and very accommodating, and made my cards really pop! I really love the gold foil paired with the subtle metallic dark gray tones.

Wedding Photographer Flash Drives

Next up: my flash drives. I chose sophisticated crystal and gold drives with engraved logos. They are so gorgeous!

Next: the flash drive packaging. Starting with a soft-touch black box with debossed logo, a gold ribbon secures the package. The ribbon is accented with a delicate photo charm of my clients.

Once inside the box, you see the Print Release card enclosed in a glassine envelope and sealed with a gold wax seal of my watermark.

Underneath the card is the flash drive itself, protected by a bed of dark gray shred.

Wedding Photographer Print Packaging

Finally: my print packaging. Using the same soft-touch black boxes with debossed logos, gold ribbon and photo charms to tie together with the flash packaging. Inside, prints are presented wrapped in gold tissue.

Read here for a little “Meet Joanna Carina” interview too!

Minneapolis Wedding Photography | Carina Photographics

By Joanna Carina

Carina Photographics 550 Vandalia St Suite 214, St Paul, MN 55114

Wedding Photography Album Design | Chris + Antonio

By Joanna Carina

Luxury Wedding Photo Album

Chris and Antonio were married at the Landmark Center in St Paul MN. They purchased a gorgeous custom-designed wedding album which was handmade in Italy. It was so spectacular, I wanted to share it today on the blog!

Graphistudio Wedding Photo Album

For all my wedding and portrait photography albums, I work exclusively with Graphistudio. They are one of the oldest and most prestigious wedding album makers in the world. They have been operating since 1982! All the albums are hand-made at their headquarters in Italy. They offer a myriad of customizations, including Italian leathers, woods, metals, crystal clear, and other unique materials. The albums also feature a patented lay-flat binding system, HD printing, professional photo paper, and an incorporated protective box.

Wedding Photo Album Creation

The process for creating the albums is very simple. Using my years of design expertise, I create an initial layout using images from your wedding day. I choose images that create an overview of all the facets of your day. I design them in a clean, fresh, timeless album layout. You choose from the many materials and colors available. We create something that is unique to you and fits your style and personality. Then you can review the layout and request edits until we create a layout that you love. I am even able to show you 3D mockups of the album so you can see the materials and colors together before we send it to Italy for production. Once you approve the layout, I send the artwork to Graphi so they can produce your masterpiece. We receive the completed album in just a couple of months.

Landmark Center Wedding Photo Album

Chris + Antonio’s wedding was a very elegant affair. They loved the juxtaposition between weathered stone and wood featured in the locations of their engagement session and wedding day first look. They also loved the vintage elegance of their Landmark Center venue. For their album box, they chose a refined rustic dark gray Maple. The cover features an elegant script font stamped in silver foil. The box was finished with metallic silver linen and a white satin ribbon.

The album itself featured a brushed silver metal cover imprinted with a photo of Chris + Antonio from their big day. The album was bound in black Italian leather. To say that we were all blown away when we saw the album in person is an understatement. The two of them were thrilled!

Additional Heirloom Artwork

Take a look at my other gorgeous heirloom artwork options too, including albums, wall art and more!
Signature Albums
Premium Albums
Engagement Albums
Wall Art
Print Boxes

I’ve got these and other artwork to view as well, so please don’t hesitate to contact me soon to see examples at my Twin Cities photo studio!

Meet Joanna Carina of Carina Photographics

By Joanna Carina

Minneapolis Photographer Joanna Carina

Today I put together a little Q&A session with me, Joanna Carina, the founder and lead photographer of Carina Photographics. Hope you enjoy!

About Joanna

I spend a lot of time during my days at home with my young kiddos as well as my hubby, who also works at home as a freelance product designer, illustrator and fine artist. Spending time with my kids is priceless. I started my photography business in 2012, and opened up my photo studio in St Paul in 2015. It’s great meeting and working with clients there, too.

Hobbies and Activities

I LOVE traveling. I’ve been all over the US and the world, although I have not yet completed my Bucket List! Camping, hiking and being in nature are important to me. The US National Parks are a big favorite. I cannot wait to take the kids when they get a bit older. Also reading and learning new things is a big love of mine, especially taking photo classes and learning new techniques.

Fun Fact About Joanna Carina

Before my husband and I got married, we took ballroom dance classes so we could really dance it up to the jazz band we had for our big day. We loved it so much that we kept up on our lessons for many years afterward. We even performed for crowds! The last name “Carina” was adopted by us when we got married. It was based on the name of a constellation, after my love of astronomy.

How Long I Have Been Photographing

I’ve been fascinated by photography as long as I can remember. When I was growing up, I taped photos of beautiful landscape photography on my bedroom walls. In middle school I joined the Photography Club. There I was in a closet under the back stairs along with eight other students learning how to roll film and use a photo enlarger. By the time I got to the College of Visual Arts in St Paul, I filled my schedule with as many photography courses as possible. I have always maintained a professional camera setup. My primary interest in the early years was travel and landscape photography. Then later I moved to portraiture and weddings. I also art directed commercial photoshoots while working for several years as a graphic designer in a marketing firm.

Why I Got Into Wedding Photography

Once we had our daughter in 2011, I decided to leave my graphic design job to stay home with her. Shortly afterward, I decided to pursue my love of photography. I found myself photographing a couple of friends’ weddings early on, and I was hooked! Seeing a couple’s love and happiness, being included with one of the most important days in their lives, and giving them such joy at visually reliving their day afterward has been so rewarding and amazing to see. And getting to meet such wonderful people, as well as their families and friends, is awesome!

My Favorite Part of the Wedding Day

The first look and couple’s portrait session are wedding highlights for me. My couples always start out preparing separately, and they are often sooooo nervous during that time. Then, when they finally get to that moment and see each other, the reactions I see are priceless! Laughter, happiness, relief, tears, hugs. Such honest, warm, genuine moments, I often can’t help but tear up myself. Then, as we spend our time during their portraits, I see them calm down, relax and look so happy and in love. It’s so amazing to witness them spend that time alone together. By the time we are done with that portion of the day, they are so relieved and happy to head out to the ceremony.

Advice for Couples Planning Their Wedding

First, I would say to make sure to surround yourself with competent professionals. There are so many amazing wedding vendors out there, from wedding planners to caterers to florists to bands. They can all help you take the stress out of one of the biggest days of your life. Next, I would say, from a photographer’s perspective, please give serious consideration to having your wedding day remembered with a high-quality wedding album. From showing your friends and family today, to showing your kids and others in years to come, to enjoying it over your married lives, there is nothing that is so treasured, timeless and secure as having a wedding album as a perfect keepsake of your day.

Also, be sure to check my other recent blog post showing the Top 10 Things to Look for In a Wedding Photographer to give more info on that aspect.

Thank You!

Thanks for reading about me, Joanna Carina! Contact me soon so we can grab a coffee or glass of wine sometime and learn more about working together!

Learn more about my St Paul photo studio too!

Minneapolis Photographer Year in Review 2016

By Joanna Carina

2016 Minneapolis Photographer Year in Review

2016 – what a year! For me, a wedding and portrait photographer, 2016 was full of amazing experiences, beautiful venues, along with wonderful couples and their families and friends.

Minneapolis Wedding Photography

A few highlights include several of my “old favorite” venues. A spectacular wedding-in-the-round at Aria Minneapolis; the beautiful Church of the Assumption in St Paul; the ever-stunning Minnesota Landscape Arboretum; the regal Landmark Center in St Paul; and the classic Saint Paul Hotel.

Minneapolis Wedding Venues

A few new entries in my 2016 weddings include two events at the beautiful Minneapolis Club; the amazing architecture of the Minnesota History Center; the sumptuous Trellis Weddings & Events in Stillwater; the rustic spaciousness of the TPC Golf Club; and a spectacular Muslim and Indian wedding celebration that lasted several days. It was so much fun. I am honored to have worked with such amazing people!

Minneapolis Engagement Photography

I haven’t even described the awesome engagement sessions I was lucky to have. They included places such as Father Hennepin Bluffs, the Como Park Conservatory, Boom Island, Mears Park, and Hidden Falls Regional Park. Nor have I mentioned the fun I’ve had working with families and newborns, as well as headshots for several of my corporate clients. I love working with each and every one!

2017 Minneapolis Wedding Photography

2017 is starting off quickly with my first wedding this coming weekend (again, at the beautiful MN Landscape Arboretum!) I’ll be blogging about my latest activities soon. In the meantime, I wanted to take a look back and reminisce on some of my favorite images from 2016.

I feel so lucky to have gotten to know and spend time with each of my clients, and to see their life stages and love they have for each other (as well as their family and friends). It is so wonderful to spend time with people during some of the biggest events of their lives. I hope all of my clients know how much I truly appreciate getting to know them, knowing their beautiful spirits and seeing their love and lives in front of my eyes. I enjoy spending my time with them, and I look forward to spending time with my 2017 clients too!

Take a look at other Year in Review blog posts here:
2015

Engagement Photography Albums | Carina Photographics

By Joanna Carina

Engagement Photo Albums

Today I would like to highlight the latest addition to my album lineup. I’m proud to offer luxury engagement albums from Graphistudio! Graphistudio is one of the most-prestigious wedding album makers in the world. They were founded in Italy in 1982. The albums are still made at their headquarters in Italy. Many of the top wedding photographers in the world offer Graphi albums. Luckily the US headquarters is right here in Minneapolis!

I’m highlighting two albums for you. One example is a traditional engagement album. The other is an example of an engagement guestbook.

Engagement Photo Album Sizes

The first few images show my albums together in various sizes. The albums come with their own protective box. They have numerous color options and a crystal clear magnetic cover. The front cover imagery is completely customizable. We can use any photo or illustration/design choice possible.

Engagement Photo Album

The next few images highlight my traditional engagement albums. I chose a photo cover on the front with materials to match the colors. Inside I used numerous images from the engagement session. The album’s professional photographic paper is bound with Graphi’s patented lay-flat technology. I also used a satin coating on the paper to protect the pages for longevity.

Engagement Guest Book

These last images show an engagement guestbook. This album uses the images from the engagement session as a traditional album would. I also added additional space on the pages for written well-wishes from wedding guests. Due to the carnival-style session, I chose colors and an illustration to reflect that theme. Then I used numerous images from the session with the additional space needed for writing.

Take a look at my other gorgeous heirloom artwork options too!
Signature Albums
Premium Albums
Print Boxes
Wall Art

I’ve got these and other heirloom artwork samples to view as well. Please contact me soon to see more at my St Paul photo studio!

Minneapolis Portrait Photography Studio | Carina Photographics

By Joanna Carina

St Paul Photography Studio

The 2014 year was very busy for me and my wedding and portrait photography business. As the year neared its close, I realized I could no longer go on holding client meetings in poorly-lit coffee shops and loud restaurants. I also never had a good indoor location for portrait sessions, image reveals or other meetings. It seemed that the time was right to begin looking for my own photography studio.

My first step was meeting and interviewing several studios around town who were looking for an additional photographer. I then also started looking into options for renting my own studio. The Vandalia Tower building, located on Vandalia Street at the 94 exit in St Paul, had an awesome option for me. The building was undergoing a major remodel. And they had great plans underway, including Lake Monster Brewing and the Paikka event space. I opted to lease my own studio there beginning in 2015. I know it’s been over a year, so I finally should blog about this major event!

St Paul Photo Studio

To say that I love my studio is an understatement. It’s an awesome space! A friend helped with the buildout so I could customize the space to suit me. Then the floors were polished and coated white. I added a small room in the center. It could be used for hair/makeup artists to work with my clients as well as a client changing room. And then my much-needed front room is my meeting space, product sample showroom. I love being able to have Image Reveal Sessions projected directly on my wall. All-in-all, it is truly awesome!

The back of my studio is the shooting area. I’ve got numerous backdrops, props and seating. Everything is set against the gorgeous light coming from a huge set of warehouse windows in the back wall. I’ve also got full studio lighting and blackout curtains in case I need to control the light in a more detailed way.

My studio is so awesome. I am so excited to share it with everyone. Please take a moment to contact me if you’d like to visit. I would love to meet with you (and photograph you) in my studio soon!

Learn more about Joanna Carina here. And learn more about my photo gear I use too.

Heirloom Print Boxes | Carina Photographics

By Joanna Carina

Heirloom Print Boxes

I am so excited to announce a new line of products that I will be adding this year – Heirloom Print Boxes!

My Heirloom Print Boxes start with a unique, exquisite, handmade glass box. The panes of glass are foiled together in copper using traditional stained glass techniques. There are several box sizes to choose from as well, depending upon the products you order – 4×6, 5×7 or 11×14. The boxes utilize a single piece of raw silk ribbon to retrieve your images. Then the boxes are filled with your photographs, which will vary depending upon the products you order.

Heirloom Portrait Boxes

The 11×14 Heirloom Portrait Boxes consist of 8×10 Canson FineArt paper prints finished with a UV-protective coating, and then mounted in acid-free, archival 11×14 mats. They come in either 5, 10, 15 or 20 images, and also include the corresponding digital files. They work great either switched out at your whim on a small easel as a keepsake, framed upon your wall, or given as gifts.

The 5×7 Heirloom Portrait Boxes consist of 5×7 Canson FineArt paper prints finished with a UV-protective coating and protected with acid-free tissues. They come as either 10, 20 or 30 images. Again, these are great as keepsakes, framed or given as gifts.

Proof Boxes

And lastly, the Proof Boxes consist of either 4×6 or 5×7 professional photographic print proofs. They come as either 100 or 250 proofs. These also work great as keepsakes or given as gifts.

Take a look at my other gorgeous heirloom artwork options too!
Signature Albums
Premium Albums
Engagement Albums
Wall Art

I’ve got these and other heirloom artwork to view as well, so please don’t hesitate to contact me to meet at my St Paul photo studio!

Photographic Wall Art Minneapolis MN | Carina Photographics

By Joanna Carina

Heirloom Photographic Wall Art

Today I want to highlight Carina Photographics’ gorgeous varieties of hand-crafted, customized, heirloom wall art. Our options include Premium Canvas, Metal and Acrylic Wall Collages, as well as fine art photographic Matted Prints.

Vibrant colors and breathtaking details – the most striking features of our stunning artwork. Carina Photographics chooses to work with Graphistudio to create our heirloom wall art. Graphistudio is one of the oldest and most-prestigious photographic artwork artisans in the world. All artwork is hand-made in a beautiful castle outside of Venice, Italy. True, vibrant, HD colors are professionally printed on cotton canvas, metal or photographic paper for an artistic look and feel. Artwork is mounted with millimetric precision and sharp wrap corners.

Graphistudio uses superior quality materials that will never collapse or allow the artwork to loosen and bulge like other artwork available on the market. Heirloom quality printing keeps our colors true and vibrant. Archival artwork finishing techniques, including UV-protected coatings and velvety laminates, protect and illuminate our pieces with true artistic representation. Carina Photographics even provides professional wall art installation for every order of our Wall Art Collage options. All of these features help to ensure that your artwork will look spectacular in your home and last for a lifetime – and beyond.

Wall Art Collections

Our heirloom wall artwork is featured in several collections. Collections are categorized by sizing. Following are some examples of the beautiful options we offer:

LUXE COLLECTION

SIGNATURE COLLECTION

PREMIUM COLLECTION

CLASSIC COLLECTION

ESSENTIAL COLLECTION

Additional Heirloom Artwork

Take a look at my other gorgeous heirloom artwork options too, including albums, desk prints and more!
Signature Albums
Premium Albums
Engagement Albums
Print Boxes

I’ve got these and other wall art to view as well, so please don’t hesitate to contact me soon to see examples at my Twin Cities photo studio!

Minneapolis Wedding Photographer Best of 2015

By Joanna Carina

2015 Minneapolis Wedding Photography

2015 – what a year! It was a time full of “firsts”. This is the year I opened my very first photography studio, started selling my first luxury products, had my first dedicated second-shooter (thanks Eric!), participated in my first wedding fair, was first published in numerous magazines and blogs, etc etc etc. 2015 will be hard to top, but I’m sure I can do it just based on the amazing couples I have lined up for 2016 and beyond, as well as a few things that are coming down the road already. I am so excited – stay tuned to this blog for more updates!

I have already been lucky enough to photograph my first engagement session of 2016 (watch for a blog post coming soon!) and this year is starting off with a bang. (Again, watch for more blog updates coming soon!) In the meantime, I wanted to take a look back and reminisce on some of my favorite images from the couples I worked with in 2015. I had weddings of all sizes and all types of locations. I had such a wonderful group of people to work with – I really feel so lucky to have gotten to know and spend time with each of them. They were all truly a joy, and it is such an amazing feeling to spend time with people during one of the biggest events of their lives. I hope all of my couples know how much I truly appreciate getting to know them, knowing their wonderful spirits and seeing their love together. I just loved spending time with them, and I so look forward to spending time with my new couples as well!

I want to wish the most wonderful lifetime together to all my 2015 couples, and an equally wonderful time to my upcoming 2016/2017 couples as well – cheers to all of you!