One of the best things about photography is that it helps me connect (or re-connect) with friends - new and old! Katelyn was in the same sorority as me when we attended Northern Arizona University in Flagstaff, Arizona but our paths didn't cross as often as I wish they had. Since graduating, we've been fortunate to keep in touch via social media and support one another's life accomplishments year after year. So you can imagine how happy it made my heart few weeks ago I received an email from her inquiring about my photo sessions for her next upcoming accomplishment: graduating from nursing school in Northern Arizona!
If ever you find yourself in a hospital (hopefully you don't!), Katelyn is the kind of nurse you'd want on your team. She has a sweet and calm demeanor paired with a powerful understanding of her field that would allow you to rest assured you are in the best care. Talking with her about the time and energy she puts into the health care industry gives you so much appreciation for this field. No matter how many times I work with nursing students or nursing graduates I am always humbled by all they do. The crazy hours they work, the patience they have in high-pressure situations and the absolute sense of purpose it brings their soul is unbeatable by any other career path I can think of. Katelyn is no exception!
She's also the kind of photography client you'd want to work with. Katelyn and her husband Marcos (AKA my prop assistant for the evening) were so easygoing throughout the session. I did misjudge the timing before the sun dipped behind the mountains, but it was a great opportunity to play with softer evening light in this location. We ended up using my new favorite location just east of town. This is the same spot I used for Julen + Lauren's family photos a month or so ago. For Julen + Lauren's session we had the opposite problem! For their session we had too much time and too much sunlight toward the end of our session. I was hoping that the timeframe I chose for Katelyn's session would give us a better opportunity for a photo with the peaks as the backdrop. However, during her session the lighting was a touch too dark for the peak picture I had envisioned. Fortunately, Katelyn's smile stole the show every time and we still got a use-able photo with that backdrop!
I'm so grateful for where I live, who I work with and the roles my clients play in our Flagstaff community. Something I wanted this year was to feel more connected to the community and photography has given me such a great opportunity to do just that! In my Manifestation + Self Growth class, we recently covered the Universal Law of Divine Oneness. In describing this Law, Novalee Wilder shares, “'Every single atom inside of you is connected in some way, shape, or form to the rest of the universe you move through.' This means that everything we do has a ripple effect and impacts the collective—not just ourselves" (Jessica Estrada, Well + Good). And I think it's pretty neat that my job prioritizes the power of human connection + sharing stories of how individuals in our community are making an impact in the world.
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