Before your portrait session ask yourself- why. Why are a deeper level- fully explore down to the root what and why you’re being called for this session, for this experience.

For a moment step back from what we’re doing here on a surface level- which is completely and entirely valid and critical to the process, but let’s step away. Step away from wanting to celebrate or reclaim the self or memorialize yourself for your family.

Portraiture is raw and honest and vulnerable. It’s often beautiful and freeing, but also can be painful- much like a therapy session there’s good, there’s pain, and there’s growth. It’s not an exaggeration or hyperbole to present portraiture as something like a flower blooming or caterpillar disingrating to become a butterfly or a little bird hatching or a forest burning for regrowth.

In college (stick with me here- trust me, I don’t get down with boring backstory either) I remember watching my professor- who has been working for over 50 years focused primarily on portraiture- set up a single image session. He spent more time speaking to the girl, asking about her with small, simple seeming questions. He was gentle, soft, waited for her to think, to answer, to build a level of trust where some of the layers of the masks we wear constantly can fade away.

The crux of portraiture is the self. But, what does that mean? Really- what the fuck does that mean? Who are you? That’s what we’re trying to answer here, and honestly- you can’t answer that. But, that doesn’t mean we stop the search, that we stop trying to answer the questions, to improve upon the question, to dig deeper into our answers- to find flaws to grow around and perfections to flourish in. We don’t stop trying to answer the question of why the universe exists, why life exists, what religion is or isn’t real. We shouldn’t stop trying to figure out who we are and what the self is. These questions, in the context of portraiture, allow us to remove masks we did or didn’t know we were wearing. They allow us to know what’s honest and know what isn’t. These questions allow us to cry or laugh or find our paths or answer our own questions in front of the camera.

When I take your portrait- whatever the context or reason or purpose in whatever setting we choose- it’s going to be a hell of a lot more than a picture to post or something for a phone screen or something to throw up on a wall. Our work together is going to be a creation, a journey, an act of the self. This images are going to be a constant in your life- for the rest of your life you will return to these when so many of those questions we have about ourselves come back.

Sewanee, TN is where I attended college for my BFA and I am constantly down that way to hike, photograph, and explore- I know that place about as well as I know my own hometown and I love sharing it with my clients. The campus is over 13,000 acres of open land including caves, waterfalls, and a 23 mile trail which I completed a few years ago and plan to do again soon! It would make the perfect trail for an all day hiking elopement focused on views, trail life, gettin’ sweaty, and ending the day with the perfect pizza or sandwich from the local joint owned by a Sewanee graduate. While, yes, Sewanee is a small town… that’s kind of the point. I myself am from a small town and that’s where I thrive both artistically and emotionally. Additionally- this means that the focus of the area is on the outdoors, the community, the trail systems, and getting back to the basics.

Sewanee itself has two restaraunts- Shenanigans and The Blue Chair Cafe and Tavern. Shenanigans is a sweet little burger, pizza, sandwich shop with a bar element- however, it’s completely family friendly and pet friendly. I’ve actually photographed a wedding in the bar upstairs- totally badass. Shenanigans also has a food truck which would be neat to rent out for an elopement. The Blue Chair is part cafe with a full breakfast menu, bakery, coffees, and hand-scooped ice cream. But, it’s also a tavern with beers, famous chicken wings, and an upbeat, busy vibe.

The town adjacent to Sewanee is Monteagle where there’s a few chain restaraunts, a Waffle House (up for a Waffle House Vista Elopement? Let’s do it.) the Mountain Goat Market, a few drug stores, and the best outfitters shop for gettin’ yourself geared up for those local hikes. Everything in the area is fairly assible being maybe a fifteen minute drive away from most of my favorite elopement locations, but it being a small town means when you’re in the woods- you feel like you’re in the woods.

Airbnb’s– the mountain is covered with large houses, small little cabins, and RVs to rent out for a few days or a few weeks. I have a few favorites and if you’re down to book I’ll send you my full planning guide for Sewanee sessions, elopements, or road trips. There’s also a few hotels that you can book out in the area as well. AND, if you’re into vanlife this is a fantastic area to stay in whether you want a campsite or a parking lot to stay in.

Trail Systems- This is my favorite part. I spent the better part of my life in Sewanee out in the woods, trekking around, and hiding from my homework. I do keep a lot of these places more private and only share exact locations with booked clients to focus on Leave No Trace and protecting the area which is very sacred not only to me, but to everyone who has the chance to get to visit the area. However, I’ll talk about a few of my favorite trails nearby that are already popular. ALSO- Sewanee is close to a number of State Parks, National Parks, lakes, rivers, cave systems, and has a fantastic bouldering community.

The most well known trail in the area is the Sewanee, P-Trail which is roughly 23 miles long around the domain. There are many bail out points throughout the trail so you can section hike it or, my favorite, push the full 23-miles in a day starting out early and finishing in time to grab some pizza and catch the sunset at one of the many overlooks in the area. The Lake Cheston area is absolutely stunning- I’ve spent many, many hours out there lounging around reading, snuggling with my dog, and soaking in the sun. It’s a great location for hiking, biking, or an elopement.

The Franklin State Forest is super close to Sewanee and if you wanted to grab an Airbnb in town, then drive over to the park it would be a great location for an all day adventure elopement with sites, climbing, and a beautiful scenic drive. Buggy Top is also a short drive away from Sewanee leading to an intense 4 mile hike to one of the most beautiful cave systems with a flowing river showing off shallow and deeper water under a canopy of lush trees. Honestly, this is one of my favorite hikes in Sewanee and well worth it at the top when you reach the vast over-hang, bubbling stream, and boulders.

If you’re interested in a road trip, elopement, portraiture session, or family session holler at me!