As seen in Witches Magazine… (AHHH! SO FREAKIN’ COOL)
I’m beyond thrilled to let all my blog viewers in on the exciting news of being published for the second time this year! I absolutely LOVE the month of October, and Halloween has always been my favorite holiday (see photo below for me and Reagan’s costume)! This year, I was feeling the magic stirring within me and decided to create something epic with a badass group of women. Some of my captures have been selected to appear in the winter issue of Witches Magazine, and most importantly, the group of us powerful, spiritual females created a bond and a memory that will last a lifetime! Keep reading for more about this ghoulish Styled Shoot.
I’ve always taken an interest in the occult, which I easily attribute back to my familial roots. Many strong women have stood before me and I feel connected to them whenever I’m talking about magic (inner and outer!). This styled shoot was no exception- I truly felt them with me throughout the entire process of planning, shooting, and submitting this creation. Whether you believe in the spiritual realm or not, I’m certain these images will ignite the flame and fortune of sisterhood within; a bond that cannot be broken. That’s the kind of magic that inspired me.
My parents recently purchased and built their forever home on this gorgeous piece of land in Virginia. When I saw all of the cornfields and old outhouses- the Photography Gods all squealed along with me. You see run-down, uninhabitable barns and overgrown fields- I see THE COVEN’S QUARTERS; we are not the same. This was likely just the first of many jaw-dropping shoots that will take place on this property, and MAN, what a way to break it in! Thankfully, we manifested the perfectly overcast day to photograph on, which literally built the vibe for the whole day. Thank you, Universe, for your beauty and cooperation.
Smoke bombs are a thing around here, now. I’m still wowed over how much this colorful smoke elevated this shoot, and I have to say, they’re probably my favorite for that reason. We chose all different colored bombs to ignite, but I think the red just really POPS… what do you think?? Team blue or team red? Safety Note: DO NOT TRY THESE AT HOME, unless you’ve done your solid research on safety. They’re super cool but still dangerous enough to practice careful caution when handling.
Brittany Keener of Hair by Brittany has been my go-to hair and makeup guru of 2021. If you don’t remember, she also provided her amazing skills for The Botanical Bride styled shoot I posted about earlier in the year. When I asked her to take part in this special showcase, she was all over it. Bringing her own unique, gothic-inspired looks to the table was the job, and Brittany totally understood the assignment. Dark eyes, dark lips, dark everything, please!!! We all really enjoyed seeing the transformations take place, and Brittany’s bubbly personality made for a really cheerful pre-photo shoot atmosphere. “I’m so thankful to have been a part of this magical shoot, also to have worked with so many amazing women”, says Brittany. I always appreciate her willingness to go along with my vision and look forward to working with her lots more in the future!
Constance Thomas of Sugar and Smoke played an integral part in this shoot, not only as one of my gorgeous models but also as the creator of all the STUNNING jewelry you see displayed in this shoot. Each item is carefully hand-crafted, Sugar and Smoke specializes in jewelry pieces and accessories made of old bullets. “This photoshoot was a magical experience and I am so thankful to have been a part of it”, says Constance. Her talent and quality are unmatched, along with her gorgeous personality. I’m so thankful to have crossed paths with this talented soul, and she can go ahead and get ready because the majority of my Christmas list will be coming from her shop!
The most powerful moment of the shoot was when the ladies of The Coven performed a real-life full moon ritual under the GIGANTIC October full moon. Hand in hand they harnessed their collective energy as one and let go of all the things, people, and beliefs that were holding them back from accomplishing their dreams. I personally FELT the power behind each and every declaration that was made… it still sends shivers up my spine, just remembering. On a personal level, something I released was my self-limiting beliefs. I’m BIG, I’m BOLD, I’m POWERFUL, and I’m UNIQUE. Gone are the days where I try to blend in and stay small, just to fit in with the other photographers of the world. My tribe is out there, and I will likely continue to find them by doing exactly this– embracing my own differences and creative visions. I’m SO ready for the world to have a front-row seat at watching my story play out, and I can’t thank this ceremony more for that realization.
This group of highly talented spiritual females truly made this experience a delight, and I’m so excited that the images resulted in such a huge win for us vendors. The energy from everyone involved was pivotal in making this shoot a success, so I truly thank each member of this group from the bottom of my heart for participating. And a HUGE ‘Thank You’ goes out to the UK publication, Witches Magazine for making me an officially Internationally Published Photographer! *faints*
Never stop believing that magic exists… it is deep within all of us.
Xo, Ashley
CONTRIBUTING VENDOR CREDITS:
Photographer: Ashley Dorton of Ashley Dorton Photography (@ashleydortonphotography)
Hair & Makeup: Brittany Keener of Hair By Brittany (@hairbybrittany19)
Jewelry: Constance Thomas of Sugar and Smoke (@sugar.and.smoke)
Submission: Sarah Kelly of Aligned Artists (@alignedartists)
MODELS:
Constance Thomas (@constantlyplaketket)
Laura Beth Green (@grey_jk_momma238)
Ashley Ledford (@lonelydaysrgone27)
Kaylyn Robinson (@gh0ul_mom)
Kristia Rose (@bonita_tboo)
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