NEWSKARIZZA – an Extraordinary Ukrainian Photographer Who Conquered the World With Her Art
March 3 2025, Published 1:56 a.m. ET
In a world where visual culture shapes our perception of reality, the name Karina Poltavtseva, known under her pseudonym KARIZZA, sounds like a challenge to the ordinary. Her works are not just photographs; they are entire stories where emotions speak louder than words, and light and shadow create magic. She is an artist who reveals new dimensions of beauty through her lens, making viewers feel, admire, and immerse themselves in her world.
Since childhood, Karina has seen the world differently. She has been inspired by colors, lines, and textures, and photography became the tool through which she expressed her thoughts and feelings. She did not merely learn to shoot; she infused every frame with life. A self-taught artist, experimenter, and visionary, she chose not to follow established paths from the very beginning, opting instead for an art form in which rules are created and broken in a single movement of the lens.
After moving to New York, KARIZZA solidified her name in the history of photography by winning prestigious awards: the National Award Global Hit 2021 (Celebrity Photographer of the Year) and the Global 100 Reputation Awards 2022 (The Independent Photographer). Her contribution to the industry has been recognized at the highest levels — she is a member of the Corporate Media Association of Ukraine and the Eurasian Union of Artists.
However, her influence extends beyond the camera; she now not only shoots but also teaches, mentors models, and judges competitions. In 2021, she served on the jury for the "Best Corporate Media in Ukraine," and in 2023, she evaluated participants' works at the Global 100 Reputation Awards — a competition she herself won a year before.
For over ten years, KARIZZA has created masterpieces that grace the pages of L’Officiel, Harper’s Bazaar, Cosmopolitan, Glamour, Yahoo, and many other well-known publications. Her style is unmistakable — bold, sensual, rich in subtle details and profound meanings. She works like a Renaissance artist, but with the tools of the 21st century, transforming reality into visual metaphors.
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Her project Apple Incision, presented in 2024 in the capital of contemporary art in America — the city of Miami — exploded viewers’ perceptions. This is not just a series of photographs; it is a dialogue between technology and art, between tradition and the future. Here, the images are imbued with philosophy, raising the hidden question: where is the digital era leading us and how is our understanding of beauty changing? This is a kind of art that makes you think, admire, and debate, but certainly does not leave you indifferent.
Her lens is known and loved by celebrities: Alina Baikova, Victoria Silvstedt, Diana Sirokai, Mandy Dyonne, Paris Hilton, Olivia Culpo, Kylie Jenner, and many more. Each shoot is a story that reveals the personality, uniqueness, and energy of the model. As KARIZZA herself says: “People are perfect — just highlight it appropriately!” Her photographs are not just visual images; they are a journey into the soul of a person. The artist creates the perfect portrait, a genius creates a journey into a personality! This approach makes KARIZZA not just a photographer but a master who penetrates deeper than meets the eye.
KARIZZA knows no boundaries — her art grows, transforms, seeks new forms and meanings. Her style does not conform to fashion; it creates it. She continues to inspire artists, photographers, models, and viewers, proving that passion, vision, and courage can change the world. Each of her frames is not just a picture. It is an emotion frozen in time. And as the world changes, one thing remains constant: KARIZZA creates photographs that make you feel!
