After meeting Zoann through my cousin Erin (who I wrote about in a previous post), I asked her to sit for a portrait. My present direction in Uprooted is leading me to explore the experiences of women, and I was honored that she invited me to her home.

I sometimes know ahead of time the visual outcome of a portrait session, but I find the best results happen when I am able to put aside preconceptions of how something should look. Trusting my instincts, without fail, leads to the best picture.

I knew when I saw Zoann’s room that I wanted to create her portrait there. The lightness, sparkle and serenity spoke clearly of her current place in life, and resilience of the human spirit.