A Healing Journey: Caitlin, Ruger & Jaimie in Crested Butte

Some sessions leave a permanent imprint on my soul. This was one of them.

I had just returned from two life-altering experiences—two weeks deep in the Amazon, sitting with a shaman, peeling back the layers of my own spirit, and a three-day rafting trip down the Tuolumne River in California, where I spent time with one of my favorite musicians, John Craigie. My body was back in Colorado, but my heart and mind were still floating somewhere between the jungle and the rapids, still unraveling all that I had seen, felt, and learned.

And then, Caitlin’s inquiry landed in my inbox.

She was coming to Crested Butte for something deeply personal—a journey of remembrance, a pilgrimage of love. She wanted to honor her late husband, Jaimie, in a place that felt like home to her. And she wasn’t coming alone.

She brought Ruger, their dog, the last living tie to the life they had built together.

Carrying Jaimie With Her

Caitlin wasn’t just bringing memories—she was bringing physical pieces of Jaimie with her. She carried vials of his ashes, a cowboy hat she had engraved with sayings and art that reminded her of him, and his favorite Coors Light. She wore his shirt, wrapping herself in the fabric that once held him. She brought his hat, still adorned with his fishing pin and other small mementos. Every single thing she carried with her was intentional. A symbol of their love. A way to bring him into this moment with her.

We met at a stream she said felt like home. The sun stretched long across the water, and the air held that perfect September crispness that signals the shift between summer and fall. She spread some of Jaimie’s ashes, letting the current take him, blending his spirit into the landscape. We played in the creek, wandered through the meadows, and let the weight of the moment settle in.

It was quiet. It was sacred.

One More Session, One More Memory

The next day, Caitlin reached out to me again. Ruger hadn’t been feeling well in the days leading up to our first session, and she wanted just one more chance to capture the two of them together. She didn’t know how much time she had left with him. She didn’t want to regret not having enough.

Of course, I said yes.

We met in Lake George, one of my personal favorite places, where the water stretches wide, and the mountains stand tall like guardians. The light was perfect. The air was still. Caitlin held Ruger close, pressing her face into his fur, absorbing every last ounce of love between them.

Later, she got one of the images we created tattooed on her body—a permanent tribute to Jaimie, Ruger, and her time in Colorado. The way photography can mark moments in a way that stays forever never ceases to amaze me.

More Than a Session, a Connection

Caitlin and I didn’t just meet for a session—we truly connected. She invited me to Princeton Hot Springs the next day, and I went. We sat in the warm mineral waters, talking about life, loss, love, and the way grief changes you but never truly leaves.

I think about how, just days before, I had been sitting in ceremony in the Amazon, reflecting on the ways love and loss shape us. How I had been riding the rapids of the Tuolumne, feeling the thrill of surrender and trust. And now, here I was, witnessing a different kind of surrender—one filled with grief and gratitude, with the letting go of what was and the holding tight to what still remains.

This is why I do what I do.

My clients are not just clients. They are people I deeply care about. I don’t just take photos—I hold space. I listen. I witness. And I am endlessly honored to be invited into these deeply personal, vulnerable moments.

If You Need to Hold Onto a Moment Forever

If you’re in a season of life where you need to capture something meaningful—something that won’t last forever but deserves to be remembered—I would be honored to help. Whether it’s love, loss, celebration, or simply a deep connection you want to preserve, let’s create something that will last beyond a lifetime.

Reach out today to book a session that goes beyond the ordinary. Let’s tell your story together.