Check Out Justina Thorsen’s Story

Today we’d like to introduce you to Justina Thorsen.

Alright, so thank you so much for sharing your story and insight with our readers. To kick things off, can you tell us a bit about how you got started?
I got my first camera when I was 8 years old and thus began my life long pursuit of chasing light. I double majored in ecology and fine art (emphasis in photography) in college. I loved photographing landscapes and photography and seeking photo worthy landscapes was a recreational activity for me. After graduating from college, I got my yoga certification, continued working as a barista, and did some gig photography work. Then, after about 5 years, I went back to school and got my master’s in natural resource management. From there, I worked as a civilian public servant for 10 years. I have recently left my career in natural resources and am currently chasing light and building my dream of having a portrait studio.

Some may think the transition from Outdoor Recreation Planner to Portrait Photographer is a strange one, but it fits perfectly for me. I get to combine my love for the outdoors, my love of beautiful landscapes, and the art of creating a beautiful portrait all together with on-location photography. I also love babies and celebrating motherhood and new families. So, I also have a lot of fun in the studio capturing the beauty of motherhood and the bond between children and parents. Switching over to a career in portrait photography is a natural integration of all my skills and interests. I even feel that my experience teaching yoga has helped me with being able to guide people into poses for portraits as well.

Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
Like most people, I have had my share of traumatic experiences that have shaped who I am today and the way I approach life. When I was 14 year old, I was a student at Columbine high school on the day that the infamous school shooting took place. It took a lot of years for me to fully realize and unpack the trauma and start to heal from it. It’s actually a lifelong process. I think the biggest take-away I have 20+ year later, is to not let fear stop you from living and creating the life you want. Also, for me, it’s really important to lean into the beauty of humanity and to believe that people can do better.

The transition to motherhood was also very difficult for me. It started with a traumatic birth and my son being hospitalized in the NICU for 11 days. I was told that he may have brain damage and that we wouldn’t know until/unless he missed milestones. Combine that with living out of state and having no social support network of friends or family nearby, in addition to the social distancing rules of Covid, I was living in social isolation. Not only did I not have a shoulder to cry on, but I didn’t feel that I had anyone to share the joy of becoming a mother and the meeting of my child’s milestones with. I was absolutely devastated when I had to go back to my office job after my maternity leave was over and I kept dreaming of being a solo-preneur who could have a more flexible schedule and spend more time at home with my young child. This has been a huge motivator for me to leave my previous career and take the leap into full time photography.

Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
I am a photographer. My passion for photography started with the great outdoors, mostly trees and landscapes and has steadily evolved to an interest in all kinds of portraiture. I specialize in families, from newborns to high school seniors, but I really love all portraits and any kind of creative challenge or collaboration to bring someones vision of themself to life.

From my yoga practice and studies, I have developed a core belief that each person has a spark of the divine. Photography is a creative way for me to acknowledge that spark of divine, the beauty, the teacher that lies within each person that I photograph and my goal is to capture that essence and show it to my subjects to help them feel valued and empowered.

We’d be interested to hear your thoughts on luck and what role, if any, you feel it’s played for you?
I have been very fortunate to have parents and family who have been incredibly supportive of me in many of my endeavors throughout my life. I am very lucky to have a strong support network of friends and family cheering me on.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.keepsakereflections.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/keepsakereflections
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/keepsakereflections
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/keepsake-reflections

Image Credits
Images copyright Justina Thorsen (Keepsake Reflections)