Loveland Pass held one of my favorite views when I first moved to Breckenridge, CO. It remains such today, a heavenly mountainscape I still look upon fondly. Driving up the winding road surrounded by rugged peaks brought peace at a time in my life when I felt a bit well, lost. Taking in those magnificent views, I found some solace on the mountain and would spend hours hiking around and feeling quite small and insignificant. Other times I would watch colorful sunsets while listening to the whipping wind sweep its icy breath across the landscape; all from the inner warmth of my car. Some of my favorite memories on this pass are from outings spent with close friends, chasing stars in the depths of the darkest nights. I love astronomy and have always been fascinated by the starry sky. Looking back, it was actually here that I first learned to photograph the stars. It’s a special place and for a while, I had been loosely holding onto the idea for a celestial lunar themed autumn styled shoot. The views on Loveland Pass beheld the ideal setting and I finally decided to ask my friend Elizabeth, an incredible videographer, to collaborate with me and make it happen. We began thrifting for various items that fit the interstellar galactic concept and reached out to vendors who might be interested in the project. I found and purchased a gorgeous black sparkly dress that I knew would make for dramatic and moody attire. Close up, it shimmered like a galaxy filled with twinkling stars. At the time we were planning this styled shoot, I was in the thick of finishing nursing school. I asked one of my classmates, a gorgeous blond Californian named Audrey, to model with her boyfriend Brad. They obliged and were unbelievably perfect for this session. It happened to be way colder than expected but they both put on brave faces and we encouraged them to cuddle more than was necessary for the photos. The weather, the mountain backdrop, and the colors came together for an ethereal terrestrial feel. Before I go too far with this story, I want to share that this blog post has been a long time coming and was actually quite difficult for me to write. You see, Audrey passed away shortly after our shoot. This was devastating for me, Brad, and all of her friends and family. I suppose I am writing this as a bit more of a memoir for her vs. solely sharing the beautiful photos that came from this fun session. Before I finish telling the story of the day, I’d like to share a little about Audrey’s beautiful soul.

I am sitting to write this on 3/22/2023. Audrey passed on 3/22/2020. Audrey was a twin, born on St. Patrick’s Day which seemed to infuse her with good luck and plenty of magnetic charm. Audrey was so beautiful (I’m talking like she could be a model beautiful) and very kind to everyone she met. She was truly a ray of sunshine who loved the tangible world and the magic waiting to be found in it. She had a brilliant laugh, the warmest hug, and a knack for inspiring others. She always found the silver lining and saw the best in others. Audrey graduated from nursing school in December 2019, passed the NCLEX in January 2020, and accepted her dream job of being a transplant nurse in February 2020. Before she passed, Audrey traveled to Oregon to celebrate her 29th birthday with her twin sister, Kelsey. They spent the week enjoying time together while indulging in all of their favorite activities. The evening they celebrated their birthday, Kelsey noticed a change in Audrey; she was having difficulty breathing and her lips had turned a bluish hue. Audrey was taken to the emergency room where she was diagnosed with Pneumonia. Audrey had had a dry cough for months prior as we were finishing nursing school, (as early as October from my memory of it) but none of us, even her closest friends, were too concerned. Even with Audrey in the hospital, she was in every way what was considered the epitome of health. A passionate yogi, health food connoisseur, recent marathon finisher, young, and also presented without any chronic health issues. Unfortunately, her condition worsened the following day and she was taken back to the ER where she was then admitted to the ICU. In just a few short days, her health declined drastically. I will share a link to the story with info provided by Kelsey of the days leading up to their birthday and the following days in the ICU. I do not think it is my place to write an account of this moment in time, but solely to share my experience with her as my friend. If you wish to read more of her story, you can find the article HERE.

In regard to my thoughts and memories, it is hard to even begin to articulate and condense all that there is to say about my friendship with Audrey. She was like a ray of sunshine that brought warmth and positive energy into a room. When I met her, Audrey immediately came across as a forever friend; someone who showed a genuine interest in my life while readily opening her own heart. Audrey was adventurous, wild spirited, authentic, and innately intentional. In a rushed world, Audrey appreciated slowing down. She saw the world from a unique perspective, one that saw all of the potential within the seemingly normal happenings around us. This perspective came from being curious and looking for enchantment amongst the everyday monotony. Simple joys are often overlooked by most but they were sought after and each one soaked in by Audrey’s fervor to acknowledge them. She was intentional in taking a needed deep breath and finding the time to slow down; to see, feel, and experience each miraculous moment. In Audrey’s passing I was reminded that we rarely think deeply about our time until it is gone. None of us know the amount of time we are given, and what matter most is the time that we do have. Creating quality of time over quantity, using it wisely and with the utmost intention while we have it. In the time I shared with her, I clearly saw that Audrey’s life was marked by intentional joy. The kind of joy that shines through when you choose to be positive, even when life is not easy. One of her most relished attributes was her wide smile, gosh, she was always smiling! This smile induced a tinkling laughter from her that sparkled like a chandelier scattering light in the morning sun. You could not help but join in giggling alongside her, it was infectious. It was evident by her smile and laugh that she found joy in experiencing life with you; which was so special to all who encountered her friendship. Audrey was also incredibly hard working and studious, standing out at the top of our nursing cohort. In the immense stress of school she actually felt like the calm within a storm; serene and confident, taking things one step at a time. She cared so much and poured her heart into her nursing practice with her patients and her team mates. I can’t help but feel that her passing was such an injustice to all of the lives whom she would have and could have touched.

These words do not fit in all that I could want to say about Audrey, but I live each day with a little more intention and strive to find joy in simply being. While that may sound a bit silly to some, I think all of us can agree that life can at times feel quite mundane. Audrey actively sought to eradicate the monotony and instead find small bits of magic in the world everyday. Within this quest, she found beauty that often goes unnoticed and unappreciated. I hope you find her life inspiring and if you would like to hear even more of her story, I would encourage taking a look at the Audrey Ellis Foundation HERE or support her sister’s passion for the Waves of Grief Collective HERE.

In hindsight and with Audrey’s story in mind, this styled shoot was much more than just a fun project. It has since become a very dear photoshoot to me. Here’s how the rest of our evening together on Loveland Pass went. Elizabeth and I arrived early to set up the backdrop and table scape. Elizabeth has a stylists eye and with our collective thrift finds, my elk antler sheds and various cattle skull collection, we brought to life a dreamy celestial themed scene complete with golden stars and deep blue and black colors to resemble the night sky. For a pop of warmth we accented by adding pomegranates, dried citrus, and brass amongst the dark tones. This created the perfect fall color palette and could even pass for a spooky deep autumn Halloween wedding. We decided to further offset the dark and moody hues with neutral toned antlers and skulls to allow for a unique look. I think it came together perfectly as a celestial evening night sky theme sprinkled with a little rock and roll grunge and taxidermy inspiration. I honestly think it’s incredible what you can create with a small budget and a keen eye for color and design. Audrey and Brad drove to Summit County met us on Loveland Pass a few hours before sunset. It was a chilly October afternoon and the sky was streaked with dark looming clouds that threatened us with possible snow. The stormy setting cast cool witchy tones across the mountainscape which only amplified the mood for the shoot. We set up alongside one of the hairpin turns that has a stunning view across the valley and interstate-70 which sits far below. Loveland Pass happens to be the highest mountain pass in Colorado and the slopes quickly descended into cliffs and steep terrain beyond where we stood. The road can be treacherous during the winter months but it remains open, even in blizzards, thanks to all of the snowplows. This high alpine pass sits on the Continental Divide with an altitude of 11,990 feet above sea level. Being this high in elevation, we had already seen snow and were anticipating the coming ski season. There are two ski areas gracing Loveland Pass, Loveland Ski Area on the northwest end and Arapaho Basin to the south/southeast. Only the highest peaks held their dusting of snow which made for a picturesque background during our photo shoot. Audrey and Brad were dressed to the nines in black wedding attire and absolutely adorable together. They spent time cuddling up and kissing, pretending to read vows to one another, and sharing sips of whiskey in order to stay warm. Post faux ceremony we had them take their seats at the picnic table and share a tasty charcuterie board along the cut into the delicious cake. As the sun set behind the clouds we all began shivering. It was time to pack up! I encouraged Audrey and Brad to go on a fun date for dinner because they were all dolled up for the occasion. These photos mean so much to me and I am so thankful I asked Audrey and Brad to model. Without us knowing it, these photos were some of the last professional shots she had taken of her. I love them and think the starry décor and interstellar theme are not only beautiful but so representative of who Audrey was to so many. She was truly a shining star that lit up the space surrounding her. These photos have set on my hard drive for far too long and it is finally time to share them in honor of Audrey’s life. I hope they not only inspire you in the creative realm but in living and loving life a little more intentionally from here on out.