We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Zoe Smythe. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Zoe below.

Alright, Zoe thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. We’d love to hear about a project that you’ve worked on that’s meant a lot to you.

My most meaningful projects are narrative portraits, and it’s hard to choose just one because every time someone collaborates with me to co-create a visual representation of their story, it is immensely meaningful. However, one recent photoshoot stands out.
I worked with a woman who hired me to help her regain her sense of self after a very challenging period of years. She had gone through many difficult rounds of IVF, miscarriages, a very hard pregnancy, bed rest with preeclampsia, and finally, the successful birth of her twin boys, followed by ongoing health problems. During our initial conversation, she expressed a deep desire to find herself again, regain her self-love, and come to terms with everything she had been through. She felt both amazed at what her body had accomplished and, at the same time, like a shell of her former self. She described a mix of immense happiness, deep anxiety, sadness, and an inability to recognize herself. The past four years had given her immeasurable gifts and joy, but she also struggled with feeling robbed of her health and sense of self.
Together, we designed a photoshoot about embracing change and reflecting her strength, grace, and kindness. I custom-designed armor-inspired body jewelry symbolizing the strength and courage she brought to motherhood. We styled her in a flowing blue dress with a train of light, colorful fabric, and florals to represent grace, kindness, and nurturing spirit.
For the location, we chose a flowing stream, symbolizing grace and serving as a powerful emblem of change, movement, and adaptation—qualities that are unpredictable yet beautiful, much like her journey. This setting, combined with her story, created a profound and empowering visual narrative that truly resonated with her experience.
After she saw her portraits, she reflected on how she initially felt a little awkward during the photoshoot, but that soon faded away, and the session became fun and magical. She shared that through the photos, she found her beauty again and was reminded of all the things she had handled and accomplished. The experience and the portraits made her feel beautiful and strong.
Being able to work with people and offer this kind of experience is beyond rewarding. It is everything.

Zoe, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?

I grew up in a small town in Western Canada, earned a Bachelor of Fashion Design in Vancouver, and lived and worked as a women’s footwear designer for eleven years in NYC. After the birth of my first child, I chose to follow my heart, dedicating myself to capturing emotive stories through my lens. While I love photographing weddings and milestone moments, my true passion lies in co-creating narrative portraits with individuals. After relocating to Seattle in 2020, I revamped my business to focus on Narrative Portraits. I still photograph a select number of weddings each year but limit my bookings to concentrate on this aspect of my business.
The process of creating a narrative portrait is deeply collaborative. It begins with an interview, during which I ask a specific set of questions designed to help the person share their story and identity. This conversation allows us to ideate together on how to visually translate their story. From wardrobe to location, props, lighting, time of day, and atmosphere—every detail is custom-designed to tell their story and capture their essence.
My background in fashion design has profoundly influenced my work. I merge my extensive visual and design training with photography to tell each person’s unique story. I have a deep love for fashion history and joyfully experiment with materials, fabrics, accessories, headpieces, and backdrops to create stunning, customized looks that truly reflect my clients. Each portrait is a meaningful collaboration, combining various contextual elements to capture the essence of my subjects.
What sets my work apart is the co-creative approach. This is not a photographer-driven process. I’m here to guide my clients in translating their stories into visual representations of both their internal and external identities.

For you, what’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative?

For me, the most rewarding aspect of being an artist is the constant growth and adaptation required for each new project. Each photoshoot is different. I’m here to tell someone else’s story, and I never know what that will look like until the initial interview. This means my approach needs to constantly adapt. Every job is a leap of faith. It is both exciting and intimidating. I have this visual of stepping off a cliff into the unknown, trusting that my abilities, expertise, and preparation will weave together into a safety net that brings the vision to life.
I meticulously prepare by making shot lists, gathering and cleaning my gear, researching, and brushing up on any techniques I plan to use. Each photoshoot is unique, demanding a tailored approach and continual adaptation. The learning never stops—I’m always on the lookout for new techniques, expanding my technical skills, and drawing inspiration from art, fashion, and cinematography. Every photoshoot presents its own set of challenges. In the end, it is the challenging and ever-changing nature of my work that makes it incredibly rewarding.
Co-creating with my clients is the other immensely rewarding aspect of my work. It’s deeply humbling when someone shares their story and inner self with me, trusting me to translate that into an empowering visual representation. This collaborative process, where we bring their unique narrative to life, is both inspiring and fulfilling.

Is there something you think non-creatives will struggle to understand about your journey as a creative? Maybe you can provide some insight – you never know who might benefit from the enlightenment.

I don’t subscribe to the narrative of creatives versus non-creatives. Creativity is fundamentally about problem-solving, and people from all walks of life engage in problem-solving every day. Children are innately creative, but at some point, they are introduced to the narrow idea that creativity is solely about making art. This misconception often further narrows into the belief that being good at art means being able to create realistic representations of physical objects or living things. How many times have you heard someone say, “Oh, I can’t draw that; I’m not creative”? This narrative needs to be challenged.

What I do believe is that creativity is a practice that can be honed and constantly improved. Recognizing the different stages of my creative process was key for me. My process generally follows a similar pattern for every project. It’s a bit of a roller coaster, with moments of enormous creative flow and satisfaction and moments of extreme self-doubt. Acknowledging and recognizing this as part of my process helps me push through. Persistence leads to progress. While not every project is a success, completing them offers valuable lessons.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.zoesmythe.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/zoesmythephotography/?hl=en
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/zoesmythephotography
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/zoesmythe/

Image Credits

All images taken by Zoe Smythe