Becoming A Divorce Photographer

Becky:

As the product of divorce and a divorcee myself, the concept of creating art out of the confusion, pain, and joy that comes with regaining your freedom through heartbreak was a chance I couldn't pass up. I was trying to figure out how to do it for myself while also being the photographer.

In stepped Becky! A proudly ex-Mormon divorcee with a story to burn and move on from. She and I discussed the concept, the location, and what we could do to alter our dresses to portray the darkness of our marriages. I decided to sew black beads into the bodice of her dress and sleeves while soaking the bottom in an almost black dye. I dyed mine the same way but kept it simple at that. We invoked the help of the beautiful Irina and set out for our destination: the local asylum ruins. What came from that first shoot was POWER. Becky and I teared up at the feeling of overcoming our pasts and turning them into stories for ourselves. Something we could look back on and be proud of.

Jaydon

There seems to be a slightly ongoing theme of "godly" women who get divorced also leaving the church. For Jaydon's dress, I brought in the body substitute of Jeanna because Jay has transitioned since his divorce. Je did a phenomenal job of creating the feeling I wanted to portray with these photos and I always love working with her. As Jay and I are best friends and went through our divorces and subsequent deconstruction together, I wanted to build off the idea of "divorcing the church" and the feeling of being trapped in a binding contract with both, your spouse and religion.

I called on the rope-tying skills of my friend S/C and his ropemaking partner Huldra Ropes for the beautiful and binding knots you see below. And Je brought her dried bouquet -- which we'll get to later.

JeAnna

Je and I have always done weird or grungy sessions together so, to do her "trash the dress" session at the old asylum with a half-gallon of FX blood was only normal. I called this one "Nothing's Fair in Love and War" but then Taylor Swift's "Who's Afraid of Little Old Me" dropped and that's all I can think of.

"You caged me and then you called me crazy

I am what I am 'cause you trained me

So who's afraid of me?

Who's afraid of little old me?"

Because while she's seemingly lured and destroyed by someone, she's rising from the pain with a badass attitude that can't be kept down. And you should truly be afraid. Because, if she can survive this, what can't she dominate?

This shoot felt super redemptive and I truly hope it was as healing as it was sticky AF!