In Her Words: Capturing Six Local Female Authors

It’s a beautiful gift to be asked to capture someone’s portrait, whether it’s for their family, themselves, their professional work, or just because. Last year I had the honor of photographing six, local female authors. These images were used to represent themselves and their writing, and to connect and grow their following. The portraits had to capture – in a glance – who they are and what they want to share on websites, book jackets and in press materials. No pressure! But seriously, I loved the challenge of sharing their story through imagery while they share their stories through words. I invite you to meet the authors through their portraits. And since they’re so good at what they do, Renée C. Gage Photography also asked them to write a blurb on what it’s like to work with us!

Meet Jess Buchanan.  In 2011, while on a routine mission for her organization in Somalia, Jessica Buchanan made one seemingly small decision that would change the trajectory of her life. She ignored her intuition, and by doing so, silenced her voice. As a result, she spent 93 days as a hostage to pirates who demanded 45 million dollars for her freedom. On January 25, 2012, Jessica was successfully rescued by SEAL Team Six.

Deserts to Mountaintops, birthed from Jessica’s healing journey, is an anthology of 22 women’s unique accounts of their own desert to mountaintop experiences. Empowering stories of survival, tenacity, and resilience highlight these women’s incredible ability to finally choose themselves. By reclaiming their voice, they show us how to stand in our own infinite power, reminding us why we are here, what we can do, and who we can become.

"Working with Renée to create our elevated rebrand was incredible, not only because Renée is immensely talented, but she GOT IT. She knew what I wanted to do, how it needed to look, and executed the photoshoot perfectly. I am SO happy with the results of our collaboration and her talent is evident with the success of our new look!" – Jess Buchanan

Meet Brittany Mazique. Brittany Mazique discovered from an early age that most of the characters in her favorite books did not share her skin color. So she just reimagined them that way instead. She is the author of The Little Mermaid: Adventures on Land and Delphine Denise and the Mardi Gras Prize and Millie Magnus Won’t Be Bullied, the first installment in a hilarious and charming chapter book series featuring exuberant and irresistible third-grader Millie Magnus. Millie Magnus has huge love for many things—her mom, her friends, her baby chicken, Extra Spicy, and even her hot pink rain boots. She loves school, too, and can’t wait for Field Day, when her mom—the mayor of Washington, D.C.—will be her partner in the three-legged race.

"Working with Renée Gage on my updated brand and website photos was an absolute dream! She brings the perfect mix of creativity, warmth, and energy – making the whole process feel effortless and, dare I say, fun. Renée has this incredible way of capturing not just a great photo, but the spirit of who you are and what you’re putting into the world. For the launch of my new chapter book series, she made sure every shot reflected my personality and the heart behind my work. If you want photos that feel natural, elevated, and completely you, Renée is the one to call!”

Meet Delia Sullivan.  Delia fell in love with yoga twenty years ago, at thirty-nine. Yoga became her sacred time during her busy career as a photographer, writer, wife, and mother of three children. She loved the physical challenge and the permission to rest at the end of practice. Showing up, listening, learning, and breathing became tools to strike a balance in her day-to-day life. Eventually, she was inspired to find ways of sharing yoga, and began teaching teens and adults in 2007.

Delia is a contributing author with the captivating chapter: “The Story I Told Myself” in Deserts to Mountaintops: Choosing Our Healing Through Radical Self-Acceptance. As she shares, “In the tapestry of our lives, the stories we weave within ourselves wield remarkable power, shaping our experiences and coloring our perception of the world.

“Renée is pure magic behind the camera! She turns nerves into confidence, making every shoot feel effortless and fun. Her energy is infectious, and the photos? Absolute gold! I’m still using them everywhere!” – Delia Sullivan

 Meet Sarah DeBlock. In her memoir, The Year of Sarah, she invites readers to join her for the year that redefined her understanding of love and self. In the midst of a long-distance relationship and the heartbreak that follows, Sarah embarks on a deeply personal journey—one that ultimately leads her back to her heart. Through the practice of yoga, Sarah discovers that the path to healing is not just about overcoming loss, but about investing in her own self-evolution. As she learns to let go of attachment and embrace personal growth, her story becomes a testament to the power of turning inward during life’s most challenging moments.

This memoir speaks to anyone who has ever felt lost in love or disconnected from their true self. By reflecting on her own journey, Sarah holds up a mirror for others to see themselves reflected in her experiences, reminding us that healing and connection come from the courage to share our stories.

"I chose to work with Renée because I needed someone with an artistic eye to help me create the perfect book cover, and she exceeded all my expectations. From the start, she took the time to connect with me over the phone, discussing my vision in detail and suggesting a vision board to help her align with what I was seeking. On the day of the shoot, we spent a serene morning on the Potomac River, capturing a variety of angles and perspectives to bring my vision to life." – Sarah DeBlock

Meet Christine Gunderson. In a funny and suspenseful debut, Christine Gunderson explores the myth of the perfect mother, the bonds of female friendship, and the haunting impact of secrets in Friends with Secrets: A Novel.

What you see isn’t always what you get. Take Ainsley. The gorgeous mother of two lives a picture-perfect life with her husband, Ben―aspiring politician and heir to a candy fortune―in suburban Washington, DC. But in reality, Ainsley has no idea what she’s doing and is terrified someone will figure out who she really is and where she came from. 

"If you look closely at my author picture, you’ll see that I’m sitting at my writing desk with papers and permission slips and all the stuff from my mom life and my writing life piled behind me. Renée has this magical ability to see your best self, and then somehow capture that person with her camera." – Christine Gunderson

 Meet Kim Gilliam. Kim is a contributing author of Deserts to Mountaintops: The Pilgrimage of Motherhood. There are few journeys in life as sacred as the one that leads us to, through or away from motherhood. The low lows and the high highs of caring for children with special needs or watching identities evaporate from caretaking, or being given the enormous task of loving the world, rather than just one or two, are experienced by so many women, but rarely talked about, which is why Jessica Buchanan invited twenty-one women to share their own deserts to mountaintop experiences in motherhood.

Throughout this book, courageous women do not look away from their own pain but instead do the hard work of mining the meaning of their desert moments, modeling the simple truth that is often forgotten in the pursuit of surviving the trip to the top of the mother of all mountains: all we really need to be is love.

“After the final edits were made last fall on my memoir, Dragonfly, which was recently published in The Deserts to Mountaintops anthology, I realized the deadline for submitting a headshot for the book was fast approaching. The first person I thought of was the incredibly talented photographer, Renée C. Gage. With fingers crossed, I reached out to see if she could fit me into her schedule – and thankfully, she made it happen! On a rainy October morning, Renée warmly welcomed me into her beautifully tranquil studio – and despite feeling a bit gloomy and having a no-good, terrible, bad hair day, she worked her magic with her vibrant energy, love and laughter, and her signature shoulder shimmy as she snapped away (which is guaranteed to make you smile); all the while, Taylor Swift (my choice) belted out her power anthems in the background – I was all IN! Working with Renée was a blend of pure bliss and empowerment!” 

Creating impactful and meaningful imagery that represents these strong and caring women is everything. Reach out to Renée C. Gage Photography to schedule your professional photo session—we would love to capture you to share with the world!

SEE ALSO:  Love Capsules: Capturing Moments in Time