We had the good fortune of connecting with Alima Blackwell and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Alima, what role has risk played in your life or career?
I am not a huge risk-taker in general; However when it has come to decisions regarding love and my career, I was guided by the thought that I would rather regret a decision I made, than not do it all and always wonder “what if”… In both instances, I got lucky. Not only did I pursue (fell in love with and married) the right man, but I also found a career with the flexibility to have a good family/work balance, but also something that fulfills my creative side, connects me with other people, and brings joy to others.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
As a former elementary education teacher and a mother of a kiddo, I LOVE kids and love connecting with families through my photography. I spend time playing with the families I work with, empowering high school seniors during their sessions, and reassuring new moms with a birth of a newborn baby. I love capturing the emotions and connections that families have with each other; the playfulness, the cuddles, and the chaos of real life.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
A couple of years ago, my family and I moved back up to Evergreen (where I lived 20 years ago, right out of college). We love taking our canoe out on the lake and our favorite hike is at Elk Meadow. For food and drink, you really can’t go wrong in Evergreen these days. We LOVE breakfast tacos from Kittredge General Store and food from Muddy Buck. Delicious lunches can be bought at Wildflower Cafe and Evergreen Bread Lounge, local wines from Creekside Cellars and local brews from Lariat Lodge. Willow Creek and The Bistro are our “go to” places for special dinners out.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
When I first started pursuing photography as a career, I thought photography had to look a certain way. It wasn’t until I came across Kirsten Lewis Bethmann’s “Creative Live” class that really spoke to me. I loved the way she captured families as they were- no stiff poses, no forced smiles… just photographing families for who they were and what was important to them at the time.

Website: www.ravensnestphotos.com
Instagram: www.instagram.com/ravensnestphotos
Facebook: www.facebook.com/ravensnestphotos

Nominate Someone: ShoutoutDenver is built on recommendations and shoutouts from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you or someone you know deserves recognition please let us know here.