One element I enjoy about photography is meeting, and reconnecting with, people. Whether behind the camera or in front of it, photography heightens our senses through light, color, and texture as if we are seeing the world for the first time. This experience allows us to connect on a deeper level, beginning a very beautiful, graceful, journey together.
I had the absolute pleasure of photographing Ashleigh Alm, host of the Adventure Certified podcast series, a few weekends ago. Ashleigh and I go a ways back, having worked together at an employment verification company known by many names over the years. Our photography session together served as a reminder of why I admire her so much and how she makes the perfect model for any session and woman.
She radiates life, full of light, textures, highlights, shadows, depth. All of that comes through the lens. It's impossible to view a picture of her and not feel the passion she has for life. Adventure Certified embodies that passion on a deeper level, challenging listeners to reflect on their mental and physical health, much of it journaled through Ashleigh's own travels, alone, across the US. The light and darkness of being a woman, of being alive in this world, at this time.
Catching up with Ashleigh also allowed me to reflect on my own photographic journey from a young child to the woman I am today, from the pictures I capture to the stories I want to tell through those images. Each one is an adventure, a story of transformation, raw power, and unbending light ready to be told.
