#5

“I grew up on the west coast of Canada. I spent my summers at the beaches in West Vancouver. As I grew up, my inner child remained at the ocean. Somehow she didn’t come with me to adulthood. As I hiked up a shallow rock and felt the sun nourish my skin while overlooking this beach, I saw her. My inner child. I could see her, running into the water with her hands up high. A smile so big on her face that nothing else mattered. I realized that she has been waiting for me to come and get her... for 15 years. I abandoned her. As I began to embrace her, I realized something. She is far more wise and fearless than I ever knew. I began to sit in silence around this part of my trip. I breathed in deeply and exhaled my fear. I vowed to hold her dearly and never leave her behind again. It with in this moment I gave myself permission to play. Something I didn’t know I needed so deeply in my body.”

This image is part of Saige Carlson’s collection titled “A New Light”, a series of edition 1/1 photographs taken on a 1970’s Nikon film camera during a life-saving road trip after leaving behind a toxic relationship and trying to reclaim ones sense of self.

The goal with this collection is to inspire others to step outside your comfort zone and find your New Light. If you feel out of control and hopeless in life, please reach out to somebody. You matter. So much.