The Story Behind Krizia Studios | Minneapolis Commercial Photographer

I moved to the United States from the Philippines when I was 15. We came with the basics, a lot of grit, and in my case — maybe ten English words on repeat. Not ideal, but enough to get by.

That move is where this story starts. Not the studio yet — the mindset behind it. Growing up as a first-generation immigrant, you learn fast that no one hands you a roadmap. You don't get the benefit of the doubt. You earn it. You figure things out faster because you have to. That build-it-yourself, don't-wait, make-it-work mentality is still how I run everything.

Before photography, I was deep into brain research — including a fellowship with the National Science Foundation studying how people think, how they process information, and what actually drives decisions. From there I moved into corporate retail, eventually managing $250M brands. Two completely different worlds, but both taught me the same thing: how to see. Patterns. Behavior. What moves people and what doesn't.

Then COVID hit. I lost my job.

Everything got very clear very fast. I could find another corporate role — or I could finally build something that was mine. I chose the second.

Krizia Studios opened in downtown Minneapolis, and that's still home.

What started as solo work with a camera grew into a full-service commercial photography and production studio. The through-line has never changed: the work has to do something. Not just look good — perform. Move people. Support what a brand is actually trying to say.

Every project gets approached with both creativity and strategy, because the image alone isn't the point. Where it lives matters. Who it's for matters. What it's supposed to do matters.

That approach opened doors. Campaigns and productions involving brands like IBM, Hormel Foods, and Zeiss. Shoots that put me in the room with athletes like Simone Biles, Suni Lee, and Jordan Chiles — some direct, some as part of larger production teams. Each one built on the last.

Being a first-generation immigrant shaped how this business runs. It's behind the overpreparing, the systems, the attention to detail, the mindset of earning every opportunity. When you build something from nothing, you don't take any part of it lightly.

Whether it's a commercial campaign, executive portraits, or a full production in Minneapolis or beyond — the goal is always the same. Work that holds up. Work that actually works.

Looking for a commercial photographer in Minneapolis? Let's connect → krizia@kriziastudios.com / @kriziastudios