Hi. Karina here.
A name change, a new chapter, and everything in between.
(film image by Lexi Brenner)
Karen is out, Karina is in. Over the summe I filed paperwork with the courthouse to officially change my first name from Karen to Karina, and by September my passport read Karina Christina Pride. I was tired of the baggage that came with my old name, so I took a little skip over to Karina, and here we are. Gotta say, I’m really enjoying the change.
Up until this sweet, late October, it was a shaky year and some change. Starting in June of 2024, my world got rocked in a multitude of ways. Like, shaken-it-all-up snow globe style — a messy storm of chaos (that was still extremely beautiful much of the time). Now, the scene that is my life is settling in a way that looks familiar yet is rip with differences.
I’ve found it difficult to write here, wanting to find a balance between sharing my life and not saying too much. As an all-or-nothing type of person, I was struggling to find that cozy middle ground of words that felt right.
Still, my words today feel choppy, a little difficult to follow, but bear with me. Condensing big life living into little paragraphs isn’t my greatest skill, but here we are. Lately, I’ve been wondering if maybe the way forward is to send these newsletters more frequently but keep them shorter — a little essay about whatever’s on my mind that week. I think I might try that. We’ll see.
From Boulder, Utah
Currently, I’m writing you from a breathtaking property in Boulder, Utah. My friend’s best friend owns this house, and I was lucky enough to sleep here last night. One entire wall is made of floor to ceiling sliding glass doors that look out upon a mesa — beige and buttery yellow stone streaked with copper, dotted with small trees on top.
Soon my friend and I will go climb those rocks, and I’m hoping to convince her to strip down and make some nude photographs with me (update: she agreed). Skin and stone, existing together.
Last night, I stargazed from a very comfortable king-sized bed, and this morning I watched the sun rise while cozied up on a leather couch with my Americano, journal, and book nearby. I’ve been in Utah for five days — hiking, having long and loving conversations, and recharging after a full-speed-ahead summer and fall, as well as those larger sixteen months of shakiness.
Tomorrow morning I fly back to Portland bright and early. A couple of hours after I land, I’ll head to The UnTattoo Parlor, where I’ve decided to begin removing the large tattoos that cover my upper arms. Tomorrow is my second of many appointments.
I’ll have two busy weeks in Portland — wrapping up edits on three weddings and one session, making one more batch of pottery, delivering gifts to my wedding couples, cleaning gutters, putting away sprinklers, and painting a few window ledges before the winter rains arrive. It’s going to be a marathon.
Come early November, I’ll head to NYC and then onward to Spain and Portugal for a month to begin the search for the new place I hope to call home. More on that soon — maybe even weekly updates while I’m abroad.
It’s a season of change for me — a name change, a change to my physical body, and sometime next summer, a change in where I call home.
These changes feel right. I turn 44 in December, and I’ve decided this is the beginning of the second half of my life. When I’m feeling extra woo-woo, I think of it as a rebirth. Whatever it is, I am genuinely curious about what part two has in store for me.
(image by Natalie Gildersleeve)
I’ll mostly be taking a break from photography in 2026, first to work an interior design job from January through March, then to sell my house in April and (if all goes as planned) to move to Europe next summer.
That said, I do have availability for weddings, elopements, and sessions in the United States throughout May (with the exception of May 23rd), as well as the first or fourth weekend in August, along with some mid-week August openings.
If those dates happen to work for you, and you’d like to create together, please get in touch. I’d love to connect.
A few fun links to some of my favorite things -
A friend gifted me HAVSNø Sea Salt, and I now believe we all need to keep a box of this “Snow of the Sea” in our kitchens. It also makes a lovely gift for the foodie in your life.
Even though our sunny days are dwindling, I still think this sun hat from Imogene & Willie is a fantastic investment.
The Face Pencil (a concealer stick) by Jones Road has become a staple in my makeup routine. I like to apply it using this brush.
Bronzer and contouring were never part of my makeup routine until now. I’m dipping my toe in with the creamy Bronze Balm by Merit Beauty, applied with this brush. I use just a little bit, but it gives me that perfect glow.
Turns out I’m in a new makeup mode lately, which led me to VIOLETTE_FR Lip Nectar in Pois de Senteur. It’s pretty and lasts a long time.
Following my breakup with a musician early in the summer, I had a hard time listening to all music for a couple of months. But then I watched American Symphony, which warmed my heart and brought music back into my life.
The documentary Will & Harper chronicles a cross-country road trip between Will Ferrell and his good friend Harper Steele, who had recently come out as a trans woman. Throughout the journey they learn about each other, have beautiful and sometimes difficult conversations, and share endless heartwarming moments. I believe Will & Harper is a must-watch for everyone.
I spend a lot of time editing photos, which means I spend a lot of time listening to podcasts. Lately, I’ve really been enjoying Amy Poehler’s fun interviews on the Good Hang podcast, and I never miss an episode of The Interview by The Daily.
Alison Roman’s Tiny Salty Chocolaty Cookies are the best thing I’ve baked lately — and they’re gluten-free without even trying.
Till next time, with love,
xoxo
Between Us is a gift from me to you, but if you are enjoying this newsletter and feel inclined to become a paid subscriber, you can do that here. xx
Glad I found you Karina!
I 💛 your writing ✍🏼 ✨Karina! xoxo