We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Rachel Howard a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Rachel, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. What’s been the most meaningful project you’ve worked on?

During the height of COVID year, I had a nursing home/assisted living reach out to me to photograph some “Pictures of Aging” of their residents. The images would only be delivered as black and white, taking out any distracting color visuals and really focusing on the subjects truest self. This project was near and dear to my heart for many reasons, First, I started my RN career back in 2014 as a hospice nurse and spend the next 5-7 years at the bedside with patients/families as their loved ones took their final breath. The geriatric community is the reason I went into nursing, and now as a photographer I was able to capture some precious moments of residents as a gift for their families, even though they were not able to visit due to restrictions. I took some of their last photos ever taken, and something that important sure does hold some weight. This project gave me the opportunity to connect with residents in a way that transcended words – through my lens, I could honor their life stories and the beauty of aging. These images not only became a gift to families but also a personal reminder of why I chose to work with this community in both roles as a nurse and photographer. It was a project that combined my passions in the most profound way and left a lasting impact on me.

Rachel, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?

MY JOB IS TO FREEZE TIME – YOU GET TO KEEP THE MEMORIES.

RAW Images was born in 2016 after I decided to snag a Black Friday deal on a Canon Rebel. Since then, God has blessed me with this incredible business, which has allowed me to quit my full-time nursing job in 2019 and serve amazing clients all across the US.

I photograph all the things: weddings, babies, headshots, couples, events, products, etc.

Now in my eighth year of business, I’m incredibly proud of reaching this milestone. Along the way and especially after having my first baby in 2023, I’ve learned that taking a step back doesn’t mean failure—sometimes it’s a step toward balance and growth. After three studio moves in downtown Hartselle, I just recently decided to pack up and move home at the end of the year – cutting all studio expenses entirely and going back to traveling to clients. Most of my work happens behind the scenes, but when I do shoot, whether it’s inside or outside, I can guarantee to make every client feel comfortable and confident. You’ll leave the session not only with beautiful memories but also feeling like you’ve gained a bestie (or at least that’s what my clients say)!

Is there something you think non-creatives will struggle to understand about your journey as a creative?

A paycheck isn’t guaranteed from day to day or week to week, so the mental strain of that alone adds more stress compared to someone who gets a direct deposit every other week. I respect that each person views life different and has their own set of morals, but for me personally, to help with the weight of the “unknown” I study scripture, attend bible study, and spend a lot of time in prayer. My joy comes from knowing God provides all my needs. Not every clients who reaches out to me is meant for me, and there is enough to go around. Anytime I get low on funds or have a cancelation, there is always something bigger and better that comes in the place of that, I just have to remind myself not to stress.

Some people say I own my own business, which is very true as I pay taxes every month and all the overhead, but I say I own my own calendar. That mean more to me than being a business owner, and I find myself scheduling more time off than time working, just because I’m in a different season of life now with a new baby and want to take advantage of every second I get to spend before he grows up.

In your view, what can society to do to best support artists, creatives and a thriving creative ecosystem?

Please spend your money on what you value. Professional photography is not “cheap” by any means but the images captured can be a gift that can be given year after year, and it only adds more value as time goes on!

Contact Info:

• Website: https://rawimageswithrach.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/raw_images_with_rach
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/RAWImages2

Image Credits

All images that were uploaded are all “RAW Images” :] headshot was a self portrait on a timer and the Pictures of Aging were the actual project images