I feel very blessed to have wonderful friends that are also incredible muses. My friend Noreen joined me and Ray in Valley of Fire for some camping and also wanted to be my muse! I figured this red rock and desert landscape would be an amazing environment for the type of portraits I like to do— merging people and nature.
I had already spent a few weeks in a similar desert landscape in Death Valley and had imagined portraits that would seamlessly integrate the female body into the natural environment and rock formations. Ray and I had played around a little bit with me as the model which is fun too, but I yearned to be behind the camera rather than in front of the lens. It was early morning, and after some coffee we decided to wander around behind the campground for a casual photo shoot. Just as I thought the red rock formations gave us wonderful little crevices and interesting shapes to use.
On a different day, Noreen had a vision of a shot that she really wanted. Her out on the red rocks, with a specific pose. We went out again to achieve the shot she had in mind. We were only out for 30 mins or so— and accomplished her shot!
“I met Emily during a women’s spiritual retreat in Costa Rica, a really personal and meaningful space that allowed us to connect beyond surface level. It was there that I witnessed the moment she became inspired to create Wandering Wild Soul. During one of our waterfall healing days, she began photographing the women around her, and you could feel something shift. What started as inspiration quickly turned into intention. What I admire most about Emily is how naturally she turns vision into action. From that moment on, she began building this venture with clarity and purpose, and it’s been beautiful to watch it grow. Her background in photography, combined with her spiritual awareness and understanding of feminine sensuality, gives her such a balanced and intuitive approach to her work. I had the opportunity to be a muse for one of her shoots, and seeing her work firsthand showed me how thoughtful and passionate she is. She genuinely wants to bring out the most empowered, confident version of the woman in front of her camera. She pays attention to angles, energy, and comfort, creating a space where you feel supported and fully seen. Wandering Wild Soul feels like a very natural extension of who Emily is. I’m really grateful to have witnessed this journey up close and to support a venture that so beautifully celebrates women in their power.”