( soulful )
( enduring )
( artful )
emotive form, soft in-betweens. tender truths.
Chicago Photographer with a Coastal Heart
Art that lives softly. In the grain, the light, the pause. Built on presence, restraint, and the quiet art of noticing. Moments of stillness, softness, where emotion becomes form, form becomes art.
My approach is gentle and intuitive. Every session begins with permission to simply exist together. I believe we all carry a tenderness we rarely give ourselves room to feel. Sometimes we just need space to return to ourselves, to soften, to breathe, to be seen. Through thoughtful, intentional direction, I create a place where emotive souls can slow down enough to recognize their own lives as art.
I'm Kristina, I've always been someone who feels everything a little more deeply. Growing up, I didn't have the words for it, only the sense that I absorbed the world in a way that felt both tender and overwhelming. I noticed the things others passed by—the unspoken energy in a room, the emotions tucked between the lines. Maybe that's where this all really began.
My sensitivity has never been a flaw. It's the thread that has shaped every part of who I am. It's why I gravitated toward people and their stories, why I studied Social Work and psychology, and why I've spent my life trying to understand the human heart. It taught me that the smallest moments are often the most meaningful, the ones that live quietly but stay with us. Art and expression have always been my language. For as long as I can remember, I've made sense of my inner world through imagery, through the quiet poetry of color, texture, and movement. Visual language has always spoken what words sometimes can't.
Photography became the natural place where all of that could live. The grain, the light, the pauses between moments—they hold the emotions I've spent my life trying to understand and honor. It felt like coming home to something I'd been reaching for all along.
That feeling became the name of my work: The Still Grain. The texture of real life. The quiet emotion. The pieces of our stories that become keepsakes we return to years from now and still feel in our bones.
The Artist —
-Keegan + Kyle
“Working with Kristina has been an absolute joy every single time. She has a natural ability to make us feel completely comfortable in front of the camera, which makes every shoot feel effortless and genuine. Her vision and storytelling through photography are truly remarkable, she has a gift for capturing moments that feel intimate, meaningful, and uniquely us.
Every session with her feels natural, never forced, and the final images always speak for themselves. Kristina’s artistry is evident in every photo, and we’re so grateful for the beautiful memories she’s preserved for us. Highly recommend her to anyone looking for a photographer who combines talent, heart, and an incredible eye for detail.”
from clients
