Why I Create…
For much of my life, I carried the weight of not feeling like I was enough. I moved through seasons marked by shame, guilt, loneliness, and the quiet ache of becoming someone I hadn’t yet met. Photography became my way through. A way to witness myself. To grieve. To heal. To remember who I really was beneath the noise.
This work isn’t just art. It’s a reflection of my own self-return.
Each portrait I create holds space for the tender, sacred pieces we’re often taught to hide: our softness, our strength, our sorrow, and our becoming. I make images that feel like truth, like breath, like finally being seen.
Now, I photograph with the hope that my lens can do for others what this journey has done for me — remind us that we are already enough, already whole, and never alone in our becoming.
There is so much beauty on the other side of pain. And you deserve to see it, and yourself, clearly.
Contact us
Whether you're interested in purchasing fine art prints, featuring my work in a gallery, or collaborating on a portrait project, I'd love to hear from you.
Please fill out the form below or email me directly at shelbyinlight@gmail.com with any questions about artwork availability, print sizes, shipping, or commissions.
I'm based in Charlotte, North Carolina, and my photography is available for purchase online and for exhibition opportunities nationwide.
I aim to respond within 1–2 business days.