🎞️✨ Through the lens of analog photography, Karissa Kelly captures the raw energy of live music, the surreal beauty of self-portraiture, and the poetic contrast of urban and natural landscapes—all with a signature gothic twist. Based in North Hollywood, Karissa brings a fearless, experimental approach to film and video art, blending multiple exposures, character-driven storytelling, and unconventional creativity to create imagery that lingers in the mind. Whether navigating the chaos of a concert or embracing the intimacy of self-expression, her work is a testament to the magic of film and the emotional depth it can reveal.
📸 In this feature, we dive into Karissa’s journey—from childhood curiosity to a deep love for analog photography, her inspirations, creative process, and the unforgettable moments she’s captured along the way.
Q. What initially inspired you to become a photographer?
A. For as long as I can remember, I have expressed myself visually. When my grandmother gave me my first point-and-shoot digital camera when I was about 8 years old, I fell in love with documentation. I would film school field trips, take pictures of birds or flowers I thought looked interesting, or I would follow my dog around with my camera just to see what he’d get up to. Eventually I began to dabble in stop-motion claymation films, though unfortunately, I don’t have any of them anymore. (I wish I did!) In college, as I learned more about modern video production, which is just about completely digital now, I found a deep desire to go back and learn more about older techniques and mediums. That search for a deeper understanding of the moving image led me to work at a film lab, Valley Photo Service in Valley Village, CA where I gained a intimate understanding and a deep passion for the still image, and the chemical miracle that is analog photography. (Shoutout to Noe, the owner of Valley Photo and a certified super cool guy.)
Q. How do you manage to stay creative when working in fast-paced environments like concerts?
Concerts feel like home to me because that’s the environment in which I learned to shoot. My first videography “gig” was when I took my mom’s 90’s camcorder to my friend’s show at a bowling alley. I had no idea what I was doing at first, but I was in it. It wasn’t long before the camera started to feel like an extension of my eyes and my body, and I felt that I could capture the experience of being in that venue, just by how I moved through that space. I still navigate videography and photography in that way. When there’s a camera in my hands, I am in a “flow” state, where everything else but me and the subject fade away. I am laser focused on getting the shots I want.
I actually think that live music events are the perfect training grounds for any videographer photographer looking to get started or to improve their skills because it forces you to think on your feet. You have to be mindful of the people around you who are just trying to enjoy the show– don’t be that guy with the huge, obnoxious gear and blinding flashbulb that’s bumping into everybody, completely unaware of their surroundings. It comes with the territory that you’ll also have to plan and execute your shots in a matter of seconds. Learning to anticipate movement, developing pattern recognition in the music itself, and adjusting your camera’s settings to achieve the result you’re looking for, are all skills that I developed at live music events, and have helped me tremendously as a filmmaker. Each step of the process; writing the story, storyboarding and executing the image; takes place in seconds on the job, so it’s a whole lot easier when you have more time to plan it all out for a short or feature!
Q. Are there any artists or photographers who have influenced you?
A. Absolutely! I’m always inspired by Kris Kameron’s work, (@kriskameron_ on instagram) another LA analog photographer who I deeply admire for her propensity to experiment and push the limits of the art form. Her self portraits inspired me to start doing my own, which has blossomed into a journey of not only self-acceptance, but self-love for me. Inventing and embodying different characters, temporarily seeing through someone else’s eyes makes me appreciate being myself all the more.
My videography style hasn’t been influenced by anyone in particular, but my earlier work was definitely inspired by footage from the early days of the punk scene, like this video of The Damned at the Roxy in 1977. Since all I had to work with at the time was a 20+ year-old camcorder, I really leaned into the rugged, “diy” aesthetic, and it will always have a place in my heart and my art.
Q. Do you have a favorite artist you love to shoot?
You can always find me lurking around a Church Burglars show. They were one of the first bands to take a shot on me when I first started, and I owe a lot of my artistic growth to the hours I’ve put in at their shows. I also want to send a big “thank you” to the Burglars for always giving me something exciting and stimulating to shoot.
Q. What’s one thing you wish concertgoers understood about concert photography?
I don’t have a lecture for concertgoers necessarily, but rather for venues that make you pay a ridiculous rate for a photo/video permit while everyone else there is shooting on their phone. Sure, I may have more “professional” gear that I’m shooting with, but what’s the actual difference? If it’s because I have a camera you assume I have money to spare, I assure you that I’m holding a camera because I’m broke!
Q. What’s the most memorable or emotional moment you’ve captured during a show?
I’ve had plenty of those, and every single time it’s a blessing to witness. This is one of my favorite photos I’ve taken, from a gig in Venice Beach. As we were walking along the street shops in-between sets, I could hear piano in the distance. At first, I thought it was playing from a speaker or something, but as we followed the sound, it led us to the gentleman in the photo, playing away. When he wrapped up his song, we talked to him for a little bit. I wish I remembered his name now, but I’ll allways remember the way the keys looked to him the way the knobs and switches on my camera look to me. He would seamlessly glide across them as if he had each and every one of their voices committed to memory. He was easily the best pianist I’ve ever seen in-person, and best of all, he had a good message written on his intrument. If I ever won the lottery, I would buy a music hall just so I could pay this guy to play whatever he wanted every night.
Q. Do you have a playlist/artist you would like to share?
Outside of photography and videography, my day-job is being on the radio so in a way, I make playlists for a living! I have two shows on 88.5 HD3 Bilingual Sounds; Thursday nights you’ll hear my show “Kickin’ It with Karissa” where I play music from all over the world and yap away about music I love, from 6-8p.m. PST and Friday nights is my other show “Support Your Local Scene” where I bring on local musicians to spotlight their work and interview them about their creative journey, from 6-7 p.m. PST! I can also be found on 88.5 The SoCal Sound from time to time, so keep an ear out for my voice over there too! I’m always dedicated to serving up great playlists for my listeners, so if you’re looking for something new and fresh, I’m your girl!
88.5 The SoCal Sound/Bilingual Sounds is a badass collective of some of the most talented, hard-working and passionate people I’ve ever met. I’m proud to think of the station as my home-away-from-home, and the people there as my family. (A special thanks to Byron, Mookie, and Hillary if you guys are reading this!)
Thank you so much again to Polyjamorous Magazine for reaching out to me and for showcasing my work!
XOXO
– Karissa A. Kelly
You can find Karissa below:
https://www.instagram.com/karissaakelly
https://www.instagram.com/bilingualsounds
