We had the good fortune of connecting with Carmen Adams and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Carmen, can you share a quote or affirmation with us?
I’m currently trying to figure out what Maya Angelou meant in writing: “I belong every place. I belong no place. I belong to myself…”

I’m exploring the areas I’ve previously felt lacking as an artist, namely belonging, self-acceptance and worthiness. As I get closer to knowing who I am, I look forward to calling myself “home” and better identify my calling.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
My folklore & feelings photography is fueled by coffee & matte paper poetry. I love photographing women & their connections: to their loves, themselves, and their brand. In other words, I shoot bespoke weddings, elopements, family, brand and empowerment. I have tried it all and found my niche is advocating – and offering permission – for women to be themselves. It’s something I have fought to earn myself, not realizing it was there all along.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
Rossland, BC, my slow-living, tiny-town is known for world class downhill skiing and mountain biking. I enjoy approximately, neither. But I love a walk downtown to my post box for conversation, Ferraro Foods for groceries, Alpine Grind for coffee, and Mountain Nugget Chocolate and Sister Sister Mercantile for gifting. The Josie hotel offers a boutique hotel experience and many of my neighbors have incredible airbnb listings. It’s the kind of place where strangers greet you with a genuine smile and a friendly “hello” on the street. That’s what sold us on moving from a larger city.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
Folklife Magazine – representing Vancouver island and surrounding islands – has inspired me to seek out a matte-paper aesthetic in photo-processing and a hunger for the “real”. Real stories, real people and real representation. Their motto is “slow the folk down”, which suits my inland, already slow-living, tiny-town experience in the Kootenay Rocky Mountains, BC.

Website: https://www.freshphotos.ca

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/freshphoto

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/freshphotos.ca

Image Credits
@FRESHphoto

Nominate Someone: ShoutoutArizona is built on recommendations and shoutouts from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you or someone you know deserves recognition please let us know here.