Carina Skrobecki Swain

Over the years I  have felt both extremes of the “social impact” spectrum. Maybe you’ve been there too? One side being hyper-responsibility and an urgency to make every issue feel all or nothing. The other being hopeless futility and truly believing that nothing I did would ever matter. While it took some time, I discovered those were two of the biggest lies I’ve ever told myself.   If there is a happy medium I now strive for in both my personal life and the way I conduct my business it would be empowered contribution: to leave something at least a tiny bit better than I found it. And yes, I know taking photos isn’t world-changing, but the sobering truth is I’ve got only a short blip of time on this spinning rock, so why not make it count in the ways that I can?   If you know me or been following my work for some time, you know the outdoors, nature, this planet is one of my passions (I mean, it should be all of ours, but I digress...). It’s actually quite hard to describe what it means to me without sounding trite, so I’ll leave it as this: it’s where I feel most alive & inspired and over the last 15+ years I’ve tried to bring it as close to my life and work as possible.   That’s why I’m proud to share I’ve officially joined @1percentftp   The core principle and commitment of this worldwide program is simple — members commit 1% of their revenue (not profit) to vetted environmental causes. That means every shoot, print sale, and teaching opportunity I take on will contribute to that 1%. There is no middleman, meaning donations are direct & certified and membership is tracked. To date, the organization has channeled over $784 million to environmental partners like Mad Agriculture, Wetlands Institute, National Park Foundation, American Rivers, and hundreds more around the globe. I’m proud that starting in this 2025 fiscal year, I will be contributing to causes I care about through this program (while being held accountable to do so!). I wouldn’t have had this movement if it wasn’t for the people, causes, and businesses who continue to inspire me to put my money where my mouth is.   So thanks to YOU for being part of that, too. I’m excited to dig in!

And here we are—this tiny dot in a vast, endless universe. A spinning rock in space. Holding both everything we know and everything we don’t. Oceans that stretch farther than we can see. Honeybees that speak to one another. Flowers that only bloom every 7 years…or trees that have stood for thousands. Whales navigating without maps. Rock formations that still leave even the most studied minds wondering. Both violent eruptions and slow glaciers carving, shaping, deciding. Mushrooms threading unseen networks. Parts no one has set foot and parts where thousands wait their turn just to see it with their own eyes. It’s absolutely incredible. Lest we forget how rare it all is. Happy 🌎 Day.

That first hint of summer has officially hit the PNW—and like clockwork, it reminds me we somehow landed in one of the most beautiful corners of the world. These are a few of my favorite Washington moments, layered with quotes I stumbled across this past year—some funny, some grounding, some just the right nudge at the right time. No grand thesis here….just a small counterweight to the chaos. Hope something here meets you where you are. ☀️

Taking a deep, full breath of Spring freshness in this project for @edition.82 🌸 Have had the pleasure of working with Laura in multiple capacities over the last 10 years (former bride of mine!) and can’t wait to see what else she has in store. So much talent & even more wit, and that combo is 💯 in my book. Design: @edition.82 Builder: @archersmithremodel Styling: @edition.82 Photo: @caskro

Do you know about this super cute boutique hotel in Queen Anne? The building used to be the Ford Engineering School and then became apartments and eventually the hotel you see today. This renovation on the @marqueenhotelseattle was done by the super talented (and hilarious and sharp and beautiful gal I get to call a friend) @cusack_co_design & Marisa really outdid herself…between the colored walls, custom furniture, and keeping some of that 1920s refinement alive, it’s all wow. AND there’s a super cute bar @tinlizzieseattle in the lobby. AND pups are welcome. Win, win, win.

Meet Carina Skrobecki Swain | @caskro Carina began her career as a graphic designer before transitioning into wedding photography in 2012. A few years later, commercial work found her. She approached it the same way she approached weddings. With intention, detail, and a deep respect for collaboration. Her journey is proof that growth does not mean abandoning what you’ve built. It means expanding your perspective. Her relationship with ARC runs deep. “ARC has given me both the tools and the community to grow my photography career. Even as I transitioned from weddings to commercial work, so much of what I learned here carried over. It shaped how I collaborate with teams and approach each set.” At ARC 2026, Carina is demystifying commercial photography. Not as a dramatic pivot, but as a natural extension of the skills many wedding photographers already have. From portfolio positioning and pitching to understanding usage rights and working in B2B environments, her session will challenge how you think about your next move. At ARC 2026, she’ll be sharing from lived experience. Not theory. Not trend. A real evolution. We’re grateful to have you back in the room, Carina. 🖤 #ExperienceARC #ThisIsARC #ARCMomentumMasterminds #CommercialPhotography #WeddingPhotography CreativeCommunity

Beyond honored to see Jason & Patrick’s wedding featured in @vogueweddings As many close to me know, I’ve taken a small step back from photographing weddings in recent years, but the ones that do come my way remind me exactly why this work mattered to me in the first place: capturing love in its truest form — and not the ideals of it. Love shaped by connection, circumstance, and most of all, the choice to keep fighting for it. Their day was rich with culture, intention, joy, and a really damn good time. Especially in a world that so often complicates it (and especially right now) bearing witness to love like this feels like one of the greatest privileges of this work and one I’ll always, always celebrate. I feel honored to have been a part of it. It also wouldn’t have come together without the marvelous team listed below. Cheers to these two legends. 🍾 Planning: @eventfulmomentsllc Photo: @caskro Second Photographer: @jamesmoesweddings Film: @plustwofilms Second film: @_dianagas Floral: @callaroseandco Paper florals: @pinkandposey Sound: @ottomaticmm Venue: @theadmiralshouse Catering: @fairmontolympic Paeback Ceremomy: @blueboxbakery , @seattlekoreanweddings LSE: @crimson_haze_lighting

Tucked away in northern Norway, overlooking the Grøtøyleia strait, is @manshausen_island . A stunning, quaint, well-designed escape…and while it takes a bit of effort to get to, it’s worth every second. From the seawater pool and sauna, to the greenhouse and free-roaming sheep friends, it was one of our favorite & most unique stops. They focus heavily on environmental impact, foraging and growing a lot of their own ingredients, being good stewards of the land & neighboring areas, all while creating a beautiful spot to appreciate this planet. Thank you to @upnorway & @manshausen_island for a wonderful stay! We’ll be back. ✨

A few moody frames from around the world 🕯️ 1) Sidewalk offerings in Siem Reap 2) Music inside the souks of Marrakesh 3) Lillies in Kenya 4) Sunrise with monks at Angkor Wat 5) Hiram Bingham on the way to Machu Pichu 6) Big & small views in Egypt 7) Maasai women in the Mara 8) Spices in Morocco 9) Andean weaving in Chincero

Chasing this beautiful light from kitchen > dining > living with a stunner of a project from @cohesivelycurated . ✨ Have now also added the need of a kitchen fireplace and resident wiener dog to my list. 🙃 Design: @cohesivelycurated GC: @complete_construct AD: @cozbi_jean_ Florals: @fionalouisedesign Photo: @caskro

Didn’t think it was possible to take this many images of a single bathroom, but when @ayeshausmandesign designs it and it looks like this, anything is possible. ✨🤩 Design: @ayeshausmandesign Styling: @maisonburel Photo: @caskro

The golden hues of India ⭐️👑🔑