I could sit here and tell you about every camera I owned from the time I was a kid but that wouldn’t explain why you are here, checking out my website. So instead, I will tell you about the moments that changed my life and led me to typing all of this on a snowed-in Saturday morning.

I haven’t had an easy road. I have found almost every pothole to fall into. I tell people that my life is just one big fever dream and that I wish the stories I told were lies. I spent so many years of my life at rock bottom that I found out it has sub-levels. While addiction has haunted me since the age of 10, I am building a life I don’t need to escape from. Even though my path has left me with countless scars, I look in the mirror and I am proud of the woman I see – and photography played a part in getting me there. Sometimes healing shows up as a person, holding a camera.

I met Brianne when my son was 6 months old. She wanted to photograph my centering group (mom to be classes) and all our precious babies. From there, she took me under her wing. Not only did Rhett grow up in her studios, but I did too. She took me and my broken wings and gave me a purpose. Over the past 6.5 years, she has led me on a path of empowering other women. In this process, I learned to tell my story, to speak my truth, and how to hold my head above water when the water got deep. So, after many years of ignoring my passion, I finally picked a camera back up again – taking on the mantle of capturing the moments where someone sees themselves and feels alive.

Sweetwater Blooms is named after the one place in this world where I felt true peace. Our time in Sweetwater, Colorado was short-lived, but it felt like a flower shaking off the last of winter’s frost to bask in the sun again. When I capture your journey, I want the world to see you blooming. Lotus flowers rise even from murky waters—and so do you. While I may not be your typical photographer, my hope is to inspire others to keep going. Whether you are running, walking, or crawling, keep moving forward. Together, we’ll show the world the light that overcomes the darkness.

If you feel like you have a story to share, you’ve come to the right place. I hope we get the chance to showcase how incredible you are.

Peace and Love,

Ashley