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Karra Kostya Photo & Co. - Wichita KS

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Wichita, KS
Karra Kostya Photo & Co. - Wichita KS

Karra Kostya Photography works with businesses to make engaging marketing images to sell their products

12/24/2025

When I say this year has been a century, I know that I am not alone in that sentiment.

In places that see snow, the world is given time to sleep and rejuvenate this time of year. People cherish the days of bright sunlight and the charming crunch of snow in very cold temperatures.

In the lower Midwest, the ground sometimes sees a snowy rest. However, this year we are looking 65F and dense fog this Christmas. The air is so dry.

Instead of snow this year, we are getting fog and haze, which has been so metaphorically present all year. It has felt like we are wading through a denseness that we haven't seen in years.

Nothing is clear, nothing is straight forward -Everything is shrouded in darkness and we haven't had a flash light or a match to light our way in our businesses.

In my personal life, I have one kid grown and flown, with another waiting in the wings, our family took a once in a lifetime trip, I had a milestone birthday and I started to address stuff that has long needed addressing.

As we enter 2026, change is a foot. I have been quietly working on changing up how I approach my business, and where I choose to invest my most precious resource, time.

If you choose to come along for the excitement, stay tuned and hang on. If this is your stop, may the road always rise up to meet you.

See you in 2026!

10/21/2025

I could write a book on finding hidden gems at any location. I like to think of that as one of my gifts. I’m not sure if I was born with it or just my overactive attention to detail - I tend to see the veins on the leaves on trees instead of just a bunch of trees.

Wanna try it? Trust me my dear reader, you have to train yourself to observe the leaves blowing in the Sunday morning breeze, while it is lit by the sunlight peeking through the clouds, while the grass is kissed with water drops from the morning dew. It is not just the weeping willow in the backyard on a windy day while the grass is wet.

Think visually poetry and not the mass market pulp fiction we are constantly being fed.

If you open your mind, you can find setups that are magic. Sometimes it’s a still life image for a blog post or sometimes, it is a wry smile that only those who know you best recognize. And it could be an alley that you walk past daily.

Some of the best business advice I have ever received was to steal like an artist.

Now before you start all caps yelling at me about artists’ rights and all things Napster, let me explain.

But first, remember plagiarism is illegal. Never ever copy someone else’s work and claim it as your own - ever.

We are all camera users these days for whatever purposes we need to use our images for. Some people use images to remember moments, some people use them as bifocals while others, use it to store ideas that would otherwise be forgotten.

Create a folder on your phone and start snapping away. Get inspired by screen capping that set up that looks interesting, that color scheme of your favorite restaurant that you want to decorate your office like, or that hidden gem near where you park your car every day because you think you want your head shots taken there next month.

Not sure about the angle - just tilt your phone. Think it might look better in black and white, copy it and play with filters. Can’t quite get the vision you have in your head? Shoot wide, copy the photo and crop away.

Always keep an unedited original and make a copy before you start ‘being creative’.

10/01/2025

I was a business zoom call a while ago with other business owners where we support/push/encourage each other to get stuff done.

There is always a takeaway. Sometimes it’s a little mental ni**le that rests in my sub conscious for a while and other times, it hits me like a slap in the face.

The most recent one was a slap - a polite but firm slap and one I needed. One of the participants summed it up as ‘Sometimes no is a complete sentence.’

Thank you, I needed that hard truth.

Here’s another hard truth - Not everyone is ready for a branding session.

If you haven’t done your background work, you aren’t ready for a branding session.

I can take your money and provide you amazing images but if they don’t fit your brand, both your time and money are wasted.

What do I mean? Read the following statements.

* If you are thinking a session will be a quick fix, you probably aren’t ready.

* If you don’t know who you are as a business, you aren’t ready for a session.

* If you are re-locating your business’s location in the next 3 months, wait until you are re-established in your space before you plan a session in your new space.

* If you are just trying everything to see what sticks and your brand isn’t solid visually or you don’t know what you need other than to say ‘I just need pictures’, you might need to chat about strategy before you plan a full brand session.

* If you suffer from shining object syndrome, maybe some brand housekeeping is in order.

Be honest with yourself - did reading those sentences hurt? It hurts because it may in fact, be true.

Solve your brand’s housekeeping problems before you spent more money.

Everyone’s time and money is valuable, but more importantly - as an entrepreneur, so is yours.

If a service provider is all too willing to take your money and doesn’t care about preparation, planning or whether they can actually help you effect change, maybe you are using the wrong service provider .

Saying the uncomfortable truth is part of being an effective guide to clients.

09/23/2025

Owning a business is like dating. It’s truly a lesson in rejection and a popularity contest.

For the record, I despise both of those. I’ve never been popular and I feel rejection in my core. And yet I own a business. I’m a living, breathing lesson in self flagellation or at least that’s how it feels most days.

No matter where I have lived, I have always been the observer of the world around me and rarely an active participant. I seem to float along the flow of the current but rarely one to engage.

Always the observer. Maybe that is why I ask so many questions of my clients when we are working towards a photography session.

Whether it is a portrait session, branding or content session, the back story matters.

Have you ever watched the facial expression of a mom describe her child when she remembers her child’s youth? It doesn’t matter if that child is biological, adopted, or even their kid’s best friend - there is a twinkle and warmth that emanates from their eyes, their body language and their words. It doesn’t matter if you understand the verbal language they are speaking, you need only observe.

That is the difference between someone who takes a picture and those who craft a picture that tells a story beyond the 2D image that you see on first glance.

Crafting an image, using emotion, circumstance, and the subject to telling a non verbal story that silently communicates a message to the viewer.

That is what differentiates a person who takes a photo that is just ok and someone who crafts an image that stands the test of time. It’s not a trendy filter, an esthetic or vibe, it’s the story.

Image taker versus image maker, I’m the later. I craft image not just click a button.

Need an example - Google the afghan girl. I first saw that photo on the cover of a stack of National Geographic magazines my uncle (the traveler who dabbled in photography). If he could only have known it would start a life long journey to tell picture focused stories.

09/16/2025

An open letter to all my past, current and future clients:

First, thank you for being my friend, hype person and maybe my customer. You are an awesome person working to build your business, just like I am. We maybe friends, acquaintances, or even just members of the same organizations.

This does mean you have to hire me, or recommend me but I would love it if you did. You should never work with someone just because of your connection. That is also a two way street. I may not feel like we are good fit and that is totally ok.

We can be all of those things and still not be a good fit for each other. That’s okay.

I will still say hello to you when I see you, cheer your successes and like your posts on the socials - the whole nine. I do this because we are all in the same boat and as such we all have the same obstacles.

I’ve learned that energy and vibes are as important to a working relationship as they are in personal relationships. There will always be someone that you just don’t jive with.

If I’m not jiving with you, that’s okay. Please hire someone you do jive with because it is so important. Believe me, we can struggle through your session but it will show in the images until we are both on the same page.

I’m a Virgo, Rabbit, Enneagram 6 and a slight omni-vert. What does that all mean? Im a recovering perfectionist who is a no linear visual thinker who loves a good efficient system and I can smell a lie at 50 feet.

Not ready or maybe my upfrontness scares you? That’s ok!

It’s lonely out there in business land and knowing I will see a friendly face (yours) at my next networking event - means more to me than you will ever understand. I will probably be holding up the walls, but I will be there if you need me.

09/14/2025

Trigger warning - there's a personal post ahead. If you don't want to hear some personal truths, keep scrolling as they say.

I pulled out my yoga mat at home this morning, for the first time in I don’t remember how long. And I’m not going to lie, I’m kinda old, kinda fluffy and I put my self last - every.day. With my trusty 4 legged shadow was by my side who thinks he needs to look out for me. I’m glad I have him because I don’t look out for myself.

I proceeded to try a YouTube morning routine and proceeded to fail miserably.

I realized a few things I already knew - I am beyond stiff. I spend way too much time sitting in front of a computer and give too much of myself away without compensation. Sometimes my only solace is my nightly legs up the wall that helps me relax enough to sleep.

As you age, you start to realize that a little self care doesn't make you bougie, it makes you human and more self aware than most.

Sadly many don’t become that aware until they are faced with a health condition. And sometimes by that point, it’s too late.

This week I did have a breakthrough of sorts. I used a word I don’t use often - I said no when someone asked me to do something. It was something that I knew I couldn’t easily do so within my leaky boundaries.

Empathy for others is a wonderful thing and I have so much time for others. For myself, I have little time to be self empathic.

Sometimes you just have to be selfish with our most valuable resource - time.

09/09/2025

1. Update your social media avatars - Yes that little icons on all of your email and social media, those are called avatars and need a photo of you!

2. A cohesive social media presence - While I'm all for variety, when it comes to your brand, consistency is key. Brand colors, general vibe and a personal touch will make you stand out.

3. Update your website! Yes, this seems like a no brainer, but it does make a difference.

Stock photos can only get you so far ... having a stock image library featuring you improves your image in the eyes of your target audience!

Sell the sizzle not the steak!

4. Refresh your blog and collateral - Would you like to add a photo to your business card? Wanna create a brochure? Update your blog with images from your branding library? Yes, yes and yes all can be done courtesy of your branding session.

5. Speaker and Industry profile pictures - much like updating your social media avatars, you can update your speaker/coaching/industry profiles.

Why is this important? When your potential client searching through a sea of faces and credentials, you need to every tool available to you and what is the first thing they look at - Your smiling face ... let's make that a good one.

09/06/2025

Taking that one imperfect action is worth a thousand false starts.

If I look around my office, I have notebooks fill of ideas, price lists, product samples and reminders that I have failed to launch.

That failure to launch, haunts me daily. I seek out support from those around me and get mixed results.

Some say you go girl, some say you have chosen a tough industry, some say you are too expensive, change this or that while others say yea I wouldn't do that. At the end of the day, everyone has well intended opinions.

At the end of it all, I am the only one who needs to support myself. And only my opinion is the one that matters when it comes to my business.

READ THAT AGAIN.

The bumble bee shouldn't be able to fly but yet it does. The Phoenix burns up and is reborn to live again. Helen Keller was born without sight or speech, and yet she was able to communicate.

When the door is closed, find a window, or even just a crack in the wall.

So what does that all mean?

You, yes my darling YOU have to be your own advocate. You must put you and your dreams first even when it seems pointless.

At your next trade show, stand and look at your booth from the eyes of the attendees and take photos for social media.

When you package up your client's next order, take a photo so you remember how it felt to create something beautiful ... and you can use it in your marketing.

The next time you dress for a networking, take a selfie because you will be able to look back and feel those feelings of confidence again. And now you have a new headshot for LinkedIn.

Just start. Just do one thing. Just try. You got this girl, now go jump.

08/13/2025

Hey Momma, how are you doing? Yeah me too.

We are both, are staring at the calendar, watching the days are ticking down until we get to be that mom who posts on Senior Sunday. Hiding behind our phones while tears stream down our cheeks, remembering all those trips to the zoo, trying to celebrate our newly minted seniors, soon to be minted newly college students.

Wasn't it just yesterday that they were boarding the school bus while you silently cried that the part of your heart that lives outside your chest is starting school?

The years that passed between then and now have been much faster than you could have ever thought. That older mom at the post office was right, the days are long but the years are short.

And here you sit, making a Pinterest board of ideas. You have started planning for senior announcements, senior party and getting those last few minutes before they are grown and flown documented.

I know you want to organize it all and tell them what you want. I'm there too. But this is one of the first things you need to let go of what you want l, maybe just a little and let them decide what them want.

Gasp, yes Momma, it's time to channel your inner Elsa and let it go.

Just like your grown baby's future, it's not about you, it's about them. How do they see themselves? How do they want to remember their senior year? What stories do they want to tell?

Now before you send out the pitchforks and torches for me, hear me out.

I'm a firm believer that your senior's photo session needs to accommodate both sides. It's not just about them and not just about you. It's a meeting of the minds and a conscious effort to compromise.

Yes they get to put the coolest filter on the otherwise vibrantly timeless photos that you will cherish.

Working with your senior will get you far more than fighting with them. This year is our last chance (for many of us) to live close to them while they make small adult inclined decisions.

Wanna chat about how we can work together?

08/06/2025

Falling forward.

That sounds like one of those bad motivational posters from 30 years ago ... but it still holds water.

That has been the goal for this year. Stepping back isn’t an option, I need to keep building on the steps I have made thus far. It’s a bit wobbly and sometimes I’m sure I’m going to fall off the questionable foundation. An old mentor tells me that you need to jump out of the plane and plan on the way down.

Falling down feels so foreign to me but maybe that’s what I need to do. Fail, get back up and fail again. Perfection isn't a goal, it's a cage.

P!nk calls it a trustfall. Van Halen said to just jump. The juxtaposition of P!nk and David Lee Roth is quite the visual. Both are mildly flamboyant but the message is the same.

Being an entrepreneur is a journey unlike any other. You are a pioneer of sorts, who has to use all the options available to you. You try one option, see if it works, evaluate the results then tweak as needed. The goal is not perfection but a constant modification, re-energizing of effort and then implementation etc. Round and round the cycle you go.

I’m not sure why perfection is always the goal. In any given session, the digital reality is that you take a photo, chimp the back of the camera and re-adjust as needed, like adding salt and pepper to your meal.

You have an idea in your mind as to the end goal is but you also know what you can do in camera and what will need to be done in Photoshop. Such is the job of the photographer. Know your craft, know your tools, know your clients goals.

And some times, you have to reevaluate your own. Some times, we have to plant ourselves for a while to figure out where we need to grow next. Lotus flowers grow first in the mud before they bloom.

That is how you plan a successful session and business. Plan, execute, evaluate and realign.

07/31/2025

Have you ever actually looked at your social media stats? Have you actually looked at what are your images, be they stock or custom, showing potential customers? Are they telling your business story? Do you need to switch up that headshot from 3 haircuts ago or do you need to refresh your visual brand story?

Are your social media images showing your customer what to expect when interacting with your business? How could they tell the story more effectively? What would you change if you could redo your images?

Are they showing your potential who you and how you interact with your customers? If you answered no, how would you change them? Is it an easy fix or do you need another set of eyes to help realign your visual brand?

Did you answer no to any of those questions?

Maybe it's time to up your image game. I’m here to help because I know from countless conversations, sessions and clients that entrepreneurship thing is not for the faint of heart or something to be tackled alone.

07/28/2025

Nothing says you have been in business for a long time like having clients that you have known since they were small children.

One such client is this lovely young lady who is headed to WSU in next fall. I have known her family for many many years. Her dad and I have known each other for nearly 25 years and is the reason we live here ... I stopped blaming him for that years ago, lol.

When this young lady's mom contacted me about doing her senior photos, the first thing I asked after I said of course I would be honored to do her photos, was are we doing a cosplay option? Please tell me we are.

As long as I've known this wonderfully brilliant girl, she has been the one wearing pink Bat Girl tshirts while making Star Wars cookies.

The weather was super chilly but we were able to get updated family photos done. After the family photos, we got some in her band uniform - her mom was able to help her into her uniform for the last time. That was a little bittersweet.

Then came the fun part, the Jedi. Super fun to plan, execute and edit! The weather was perfect and cloudy which lent itself so well to the end result!

May the 4th be with you!

Address

Wichita, KS

Opening Hours

Monday	2pm - 8pm
Tuesday	2pm - 8pm
Wednesday	2pm - 8pm
Thursday	2pm - 5pm
Friday	4pm - 7pm
Saturday	10am - 5pm
Sunday	2pm - 5pm

Telephone

+13162909857

Website

https://karrakostya.com/#contact

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Karra Kostya Photo & Co. Hounds, Hashtags & Headshots - Wichita, KS

You probably know 6 other photographers in town and nope I'm not a wedding photographer. Now that we have that taken care of - Hi! I'm Karra of Karra Kostya Photography, it's a pleasure to meet you. I specialize in Hounds, Hashtags & Headshots.

Sorry, what? Yes Karra Kostya Photography is probably the most eclectic, non traditional photography studio you will find in Wichita and we love it that way. We work with you to create crafted photographic stories of of your pet, your business and you! Photographs tell the stories you want to share of your best four legged friend, to your business's customers and to the world about you!

Whether you are having your pet photographed, your business or product photographed or if you are getting fresh headshots - you are telling a story. Photographs are silent unless you give them a voice. The voice give them is your location, your wardrobe, your expressions, and even your props you use communicate a message to those who see your story. Photographs tells a story that your written words cannot in our fast paced world of sound bites, memes and swipes. www.karrakostya.com