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ART ASSEMBLING THE LOCAL AESTHETIC
On Location
LAGUNA BEACH PHOTOGRAPHERS KRISTIN KARKOSKA AND ANNA GODDARD TAKE CLIENTS OUT OF THE STUDIO TO CAPTURE STUNNING FAMILY PORTRAITS FILLED WITH PERSONALITY .
By ASHLEY RYAN
For family portraits , Karkoska recommends wearing colors that mirror the background , like blues , grays and earth tones .
Capturing Candid Moments
I t ’ s been 20 years since Kristin Karkoska started working as a professional photographer , with a story that begins and ends right here in Laguna . In 2002 , she opened a children ’ s portrait studio that doubled as a hair salon and birthday party venue . After five years , when she made the decision to close that business , Karkoska opened a small photo studio in a downtown cottage , inviting past clients to join her for special discounted sessions .
“ We ended up having 214 families that we photographed in that three-month period and they had a choice ,” she recalls . “ They could shoot in the studio or they could shoot on location — and we only had nine people that wanted to shoot in the studio .” This quickly showed her that photo shoots were trending toward the outdoors , so she ditched her studio and hasn ’ t looked back since .
Karkoska now runs Blue Sky ’ s Studio , a portrait company that relies heavily on the natural beauty of Orange County , especially Laguna Beach . “ The thing I love about Laguna — and , honestly , it ’ s more and more that I don ’ t leave Laguna to shoot — is there is such a variety here and I still find new places . … All the beaches are super different ,” she notes . From famed locales like Victoria Beach and Heisler Park ’ s Picnic Beach to Treasure Island , you ’ ll find everything from palm trees , flowers and succulents to caves and rocks in the water to change up the backdrops . But the options don ’ t end there , as Karkoska also loves shooting in Laguna Canyon ’ s wilderness parks , in front of the artistic murals at The Hive shopping center and even around the downtown area in an effort to capture more urban scenes .
During a Blue Sky ’ s Studio session , expect to get a variety of images and an endless
Photographer Kristin Karkoska
amount of family fun from the shoot . After starting out with a few technically beautiful shots , she likes to mix it up and bring some silliness to the experience . “ I want to start out with doing it the right way and then , I think , organic is always better ,” she explains , adding that she often incorporates hugs , tickling , hand-holding , whispering and more between family members .
“ I love to be creative ,” Karkoska says . “ I love to just go out and play . … I love that every day is different .”
When it comes time to decide what to wear , Karkoska provides clients with a list of styling tips . She says to skip the typical khakis and white tops and focus instead on two to three colors ( of the same brightness level ) while also avoiding busy prints . And she says it ’ s best to try to mirror colors in the background , like blues , grays and earth tones .
Because Karkoska has been taking family portraits for the last 15 years , she has witnessed the evolution of these photographs being used for holiday cards and special announcements firsthand . And just as she did when first starting out , she provides heirloom pieces that provide tangible memories with every shoot . “ My highest value is to have people walk away with something beautiful from the session ,” Karkoska explains .
While digital photos are included with most orders , she prides herself on crafting metal and canvas prints , luxurious cards , curated wall galleries of five to six images as well as photo albums that tell the family ’ s story . “ When you have albums , when you have stuff on the wall , you look at it [ and ] you cherish it ,” she notes . “ It ’ s something that grows in value over the years .”
BLUE SKY ’ S STUDIO : 949-510-3862 ; BLUESKYSSTUDIO . COM
FROM LEFT : BLUE SKY ’ S STUDIO ; CAMERON KARKOSKA
72 LAGUNABEACHMAGAZINE . COM