I've never taken a portrait of a soldier. If I have, I didn't know their story so their photos didn't slap me in the face like this. But this young lady right here man.

This is my baby cousin Jimie. At 17 years old with the help of Jesus Christ she stands tall over her past. In this photo, I can see her dark past and current struggles. I'm grateful to have the opportunity to shoot with her because I've always struggled with telling someone's personal story through a photo. The fact that so much energy, emotion and history is able to be compiled to one image is MIND BLOWING! Why am I just realizing this? I'm not sure. But I do know this photo ignited the artist/story teller within me.