muse (noun) a person or personified force who is the source of inspiration for a creative artist
At Unraveled, we’re always paying attention to the artists whose work lingers a little. The images you keep thinking about later for no obvious reason. The ones that feel like a mood, a memory, or maybe even a song.
That’s what The Muse is for. A place to slow down and share the artists, sessions, and creative process that inspire us and remind us why we fell in love with photography in the first place.
Brianna Wiesenthal has quickly become one of those artists for us.
Her edits, her angles, the movement, the playful compositions, the way she takes the chaos of family life and turns it into something that feels both nostalgic and wildly alive. Her work has so much personality, and we're loving every bit of it.
Brianna is a valued member of our Unraveled Academy community, and we had the pleasure of finally meeting her in person at our Driftless Retreat. And let us tell you, the sparkle in her eyes, her infectious energy, and the whole damn aura of this woman are every bit as cool as the art she creates.
We have a feeling she's only just getting started, and we cannot wait to see where her creativity takes her.
An up-and-coming artist, to say the least. Definitely one to watch.
Keep doing your thing, Brianna. You are killing it and we're cheering you on!
Brianna Wiesenthal of Wandering Wies Girls Photography: INSTAGRAM | WEBSITE
Tell us a bit about this session! (your inspiration, what you were trying to accomplish, the story behind it, etc)
My client is newly pregnant. She found out that she would be delivering in February and really wanted to get those "Hudson Valley Fall" photos. I suggested we make it a pregnancy announcementfamily themed shoot and she was totally down! I knew doing this at an apple orchard would be so much fun for this family in particular because they are such an outdoorsy family and the kiddos are a ton of fun!
What gear/equipment did you use for this shoot?
Canon r6mIII, Canon 28-70 2.0 and an ND filter to diffuse some of the harsh shadows
What programs, presets or techniques did you use to edit these images?
For shooting with families I lean into games for the kids. How many apples can you fit in your hands in 30 seconds, go! Or everyone grab an apple and make someone in the family take a bite in 3, 2, 1. Always ends in laughter. For editing, I learned from the Driftless retreat that editing can be simple. After that trip I really stripped down my editing process. I used Phil Chester PS pack on these, made sure to bump up saturation on the apples by using a color mask in lightroom and always made sure that their skin tones were correct. A lot of the lighting scenarios were similar in this session so I synched a lot of the edits!
What advice or best technical tip would you give to new or aspiring photographers?
Someone once told me that you need to be consistent in your editing style and I just think that's BS. I edit for the mood of the overall session, the personality of the people in the photos and the environment we're shooting in. Every session calls for something slightly different and let me tell you I never get bored!
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Unraveled Academy is more than photography education. It's a creative community built for photographers who want to keep learning, growing, and finding inspiration along the way. With an ever-growing library of courses, creative challenges, artist features, in-person retreats, and opportunities to connect with like-minded creatives, we're here to support both the art you make and the artist you're becoming. Whether you're just starting out or have been behind the camera for years, there's a place for you here.
Come for the education. Stay for the community.
INTRODUCING THE SLOW SEASON STUDIO!
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With nearly a decade of experience building Unraveled Academy alongside our own successful photography businesses, we're bringing everything we've learned to the table.
Through weekly lessons, actionable checklists, live Q&As, and group support, we'll help you tackle that never-ending business to-do list, strengthen your systems, and set yourself up for a more successful 2027 season.
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Come make the slow season count with us!