luxehousephotographic

A deep gratitude for all the beautiful humans who I have had the pleasure of making portraits with!! I am humbled by your beauty and in awe of how nature holds us all. So excited to be doing portraits this weekend in Barnardsville on March 9th! I look forward to seeing familiar faces and meeting new people. 🧡 I have a few spaces left if you’d like your portraits made or updated please reach out. #NatureLover #LoveYourself #MakeArt #Appalachia #PortraitPhotography #NaturePortraits #BeautifulHumans #AshevillePhotographer.

Portrait of @indyofficinalis in the Appalachian forest. 🌱 #naturelovers #appalachia #forest #hollowtree #ashevillephotographer #ashevilleportraitphotographer

Announcing…March 8th/ 9th…Winter Wildcharmer Sessions, A Celebration of Self-Love in our Appalachian Splendor . Come, mother, maiden, queen, mystic, huntress, wise woman, lover. To the forest we go! To celebrate the wonder of being alive. . Come celebrate your power and uniqueness in deep nature with one-of-a-kind portraiture by Luxe House Photographic. . . Session Details: Date: March 9th, 2024 Location: Deep nature outside of Asheville, NC, providing a private and magical backdrop for your portraits. . Link in bio to sign you or someone you love up. <3 . #Self-love ritual #wildcharmer #ashevillemade #ashevilleportraitphotographer #naturelover #natureboudoir

The fog hangs low this morning, thick enough to quiet the world. It’s the kind of silence that lets you sit still, stare at the hazy landscape, and lose track of time. I need it. Lately, I’ve felt at odds with the land—a strange confession for someone who has spent a lifetime trusting it. The rivers and forests have always been more than backdrops to me. They’ve been collaborators, offering something wild, something ancient. My fine art portraiture is steeped in their presence—people framed by the crevices of mountains, cradled by riversides, and embraced by roots and rocks. These places, with their deep shadows and dappled light, have always felt like sanctuaries, like the earth itself was holding us in its hands. But now, after the hurricane, the land feels unfamiliar. Where it once held me, it now looms. The rivers don’t invite; they warn. The sycamores that used to whisper with the wind now creak and groan, their branches threatening to split. The steadfast evergreens seem fragile under their own weight. The oaks stand knee-deep in debris, while the river birches bend toward a sky that feels impossibly heavy. I am not a victim. I am not broken, though I carry the weight of what’s been lost. We will turn this grief into strength. We will find a way through the ruin, as we always have, alchemizing what has been taken and forging a new path forward. And so, this morning, I say To the sycamore and the hemlock, to the birch and the oak, to the rivers and the stones they carry— Grant me the grace to accept what cannot be undone, the wisdom to see what remains. Forest, Let me trust you again. Let me remember the way your roots hold the soil, the way your branches stretch toward the sky. Let me remember the way the water carries light, even when it drowns in darkness. Let me rest beside you, to feel your pulse steady mine, to make peace with the weight of what you’ve taken and the pieces you’ve left behind. -R

Happy 14th birthday to my tall baby. ⭐️🦅

The Good News! Today, my heart feels full—wide open with gratitude for the goodness I’ve seen this week. It’s been one of unexpected blessings and quiet victories, and I want to share. First, the Bowens family. They lost everything in the flood—two homes swept away. But here’s the incredible news: @samaritanspurse found out about their story and is building two ADA-compliant homes. One will go to the Bowens family of five and the other to the wife’s parents, who lived next door. It’s a life-changing gift. Your generosity through their GoFundMe is helping them replace clothes, furniture, appliances, Raigan’s medical equipment, and tools for Casey to work again. Step by step, they’re rebuilding. Another win: A family in Madison County, connected with an out-of-town donor, is receiving a fully equipped RV with HVAC and Christmas cheer. It’s arriving just in time to bring warmth and shelter this holiday season. On a personal note, I received news this week that a grant I applied for was approved! This grant will help me begin the process of reopening my studio—a space for creativity, connection, and healing. There’s progress in other ways, too. Yesterday marked 74 days since the storm, and FEMA finally sent someone to assess the damage to my home. Monday is my daughter Trumie’s 14th birthday. I’m so grateful for her strength and joy. Celebrating her resilience is a reminder of the importance of pausing to honor the wins, even amidst challenges. I also want to highlight local organizations like @gcpc_avl , Swannanoa Communities Together, and @_roar_wnc They’re meeting urgent needs for food, supplies, and shelter but are critically underfunded. If you can, please donate—every bit helps. None of this happens without people—without you. Every act of kindness, big or small, creates ripples of hope. Thank you for showing up, giving, and caring. ❤️ #CommunityLove #CelebrateTheWins #RebuildingTogether #Gratitude #luxehousephotographic #helenerecovery #wins

Do you want to see something beautiful? Look at this—a town whose heart keeps beating, no matter what comes its way. When the floodwaters took away downtown and the places to gather, these people came together and created something extraordinary. It’s in the care of the chefs crafting meals with love, in the warmth of neighbors sharing tables and stories, in the music that rises above the loss. It’s in the details—the thoughtful decorations, the laughter in the air, the hands that keep giving even when they’ve lost so much themselves. Through the heaviness of what’s been lost, I feel lucky to witness this kind of care, this level of compassion. It’s a reminder: community isn’t a place. It’s the people. #MarshallNC #CommunityLove #ResilienceThroughArt #MadisonCounty #helenerelief @nanostead @marshallreliefalliance @luxehousephotographic

✨ It is Official, I still LOVE photographing people. ✨ The past months have been a whirlwind of recovery, resilience, and pouring my energy into helping my community after Hurricane Helene. It’s been necessary and deeply meaningful work, but I’ve also missed creating portraits—those moments of connection, laughter, and storytelling that remind us of our beauty and belonging. As we move into the new year, I’m excited to focus on reopening my studio and returning to portraiture. I look forward to welcoming so many of you into my space again and creating images that celebrate your unique stories. Here’s to a season of rebuilding, reconnecting, and rediscovering joy. Thank you for being on this journey with me—I have felt so much support from my family and community. 💛 #PortraitPhotography #AshevillePhotographer #StorytellingThroughArt #CommunityAndConnection #StudioReopening

Yesterday in Burnsville I spent the day in Burnsville, making several stops to deliver much-needed supplies: snow boots, art supplies for a child, propane to keep homes warm, delicious food from Gemelli in Asheville, and warm winter coats. I also captured photos for organizations doing incredible work in the Burnsville and Pensacola areas. Even now, 2 ½ months after the flood, the devastation is overwhelming. The community is still in need, and there’s so much work left to do. Driving through these places of heartbreak is hard, but it strengthens my resolve to help, to share these stories, and to remind others of the ongoing struggle here—long after the headlines fade. To everyone who has donated or supported this mission: thank you. Your kindness is making a difference, and I’m endlessly grateful. Let’s keep showing up for each other. 💙 #CommunitySupport #FloodRelief #TogetherWeRebuild #WesternNorthCarolina #burnsvillenc #luxehousephotographic

🎶close my eyes and start again 🎶

We’re all a little bit hurt. That’s for sure.

This moment at the @oldmarshalljail reminded me of my favorite painting at the @metmuseum Title: An Egyptian Woman and Her Child Artist: Léon Bonnat Date: 1869–70 Medium: Oil on canvas Described as: True and vital portrait of two clearly realized individuals with a wonderful dignity, sobriety, strength, and beauty. . . I see beauty. In people, skies and tiny flames. . . #skies #flames #marshallnc #balladsingers #sunsets #ashevillephotographer