Collection: Ashleigh Monaco: Photography

Ashleigh Monaco

Photographer

My photography captures the beauty of change. I moved between several different landscapes: the midwest plains, the jagged peaks of the Tetons, the lively deserts of Utah, the moody mountains of West Glacier, and everywhere in between, for both work and travel.

The world felt like it was constantly changing around me, and the change is where I began to derive my inspiration from.

I

" Morning Fog " , Grand Tetons, Teton National Park, Wyoming

fell in love with the small details: how a mountain reflection on a lake could be pristine one minute and completely muddled the next with the blow of a breeze; how light could shine between storm clouds for a brief moment, illuminating a canyon wall for a couple of precious seconds; how a trail you know by heart can seem completely different under the color of aspens in autumn, amplified by the sound of bugling elk; how the colors of a sunset changes with the movement of clouds; how the first snowfall brings a sense of calm and quiet, signaling the start of the season of rest; and on a larger scale, how the reintroduction of a species can restore balance to an ecosystem.

 I embrace change and am constantly inspired by it. I settle into these moments of change and allow myself to fully be in that moment. 

My art is unique because of my perspective on the landscapes I photograph. 

" Mornings at Jenny Lake " Asheleigh Monaco Photography

Having changed my physical location so many times over the last several years, both by changing homes and jobs and by traveling extensively, I have become quite familiar with change and what is often associated with it.

" Peeking Peaks " Ashleigh Monaco Photography

 What I pay attention to in my art are the details of change in many forms -- seasonal changes, different wildlife behaviors, the movements of clouds and light and shadows, how places look and feel different in different seasons, and more. 

Rather than let change evoke fear, I try my best to embrace it in my artwork and showcase the beauty of change