VoyageHouston gives a great write-up and introduction to Donna Carnahan, and her newly created La Donna Foto of Italian Landscape photography.
This article also appears on VoyageHouston site
Today we’d like to introduce you to Donna Carnahan.
Donna, can you briefly walk us through your story – how you started and how you got to where you are today.
I am an International Photographer from Houston, Texas. While traveling to Italy in 2015, I was inspired by the beauty of Renaissance Art in Florence, Italy, known as the cradle of the Renaissance.
Upon returning from my trip, I began to learn the Italian language and have returned many times since, immersing myself in the beauty, art, language, food, and wine. My natural ability to capture the majestic Italian landscapes with my camera, created my desire to share these photos back in Houston, last May 2018.
After finishing my second year of Italian language class at University of Houston, I met the owner of a fashion boutique in the museum district whom I collaborated with to create my first exhibit of fine art photography. Having traveled to many places besides Italy, including Switzerland and Costa Rica, I created a tabletop display under a large chandelier, invited my friends and family to attend “Art for Fashion”, and started La Donna Foto, complete with business cards, a website, Facebook Page, and Instagram.
The word spread and soon I was creating more fine art photography exhibits all over Houston. Beviamo International on Clay Road, Bollo on W. Alabama, Michael’s Cookie Jar on Fountain View, and Salento Bistro on Rice Blvd. Six new creations for purchase are currently at Meru Merus Boutique Fashions in River Oaks at 2360 W. Alabama. The landscape photographs encompass
• Lake Garda at twilight in Northern Italy,
• heavenly Cinque Terre,
• majestic views of the Amalfi Coast,
• Villa Cimbrone in Ravello,
and
• the natural reserve and waterfalls of Valle delle Ferriere.
On June 16, I will be hosting an Art Auction at the Bordel, a new event space next door to Boheme in Montrose. Part of the proceeds of sales that evening will go towards the making of my good friend, Dy’Lan Ashton’s debut album. Currently, I am working on production of new pieces of my photographs that will include landscapes of summertime in Alaska from a waterplane and Barcelona, Spain. La Donna Foto’s first silent auction will allow our guests to share in the excitement of two creatives collaborating!
Overall, has it been relatively smooth? If not, what were some of the struggles along the way?
While I was in Amalfi, Italy this summer, my camera was stolen along with about two weeks worth of photos I had shot in Tuscany, Rome, and the Amalfi Coast. Lesson learned: backup my camera every night and keep the strap around/across my body.
Please tell us about La Donna Foto.
I don’t know of another photographer in Houston like me. I travel frequently and come back and do exhibits of my trips with photographs created on aluminum metal, canvas and fine art paper, some framed and some behind acrylic. My hope is to inspire and ignite a passion in my clients and admirers, to travel to beautiful places and experience our world outside of Houston.
I like using the elements of water and sunshine in my photographs that express the joy and peacefulness I feel when I am on a shoot.
I give back to my community every chance I get by donating pieces for galas and silent auctions and raffles for nonprofit organizations, including:
Sailing Angels Foundation
St. Michael’s Catholic School
St. Theresa’s Catholic Church and School
Holy Ghost Catholic Church-St. Joseph’s Altar
Hispanic Health Coalition
Katy Wine Fest
If you had to go back in time and start over, would you have done anything differently?
Backed up my camera in Amalfi and not let it out of my site! But, it’s okay because I am returning to Amalfi this summer and I hope I have gained some experience since then, to create even better photographs.
Pricing:
- 30 x 20 inch aluminum metal prints $600
- 16 x 20 inch aluminum metal prints $350
- 17 x 24 inch canvas prints $400
- 24 x 36 inch canvas print $800
Contact Info:
- Website: www.LaDonnaFoto.com
- Phone: 832-928-4961
- Email: ladonnafoto@gmail.com
