Congratulations to Mikayla Pentecost on becoming our latest Unraveled Expert Artist! We are beyond thrilled to have her. We were lucky enough to meet Mikayla in person at an Unraveled event and the best part about her (and worst part, actually) is that she has absolutely no idea how talented she is. She has more creativity in her pinky finger than some of us do at all. We truly believe that there is so much more to see from Mikayla and that this is JUST the beginning.

Mikayla is a documentary and lifestyle photographer based in Sonoma County, California. A lover of visual arts since she could hold a drawing utensil, Mikayla has turned to creativity as an outlet her entire life but fell in love with photography when she was a new mother battling postpartum depression while in the middle of law school.

Now a practicing poverty law attorney, Mikayla continues to lean into photography to maintain balance in her life and keep her creative spark alive. Mikayla finds abundant purpose in using photography to preserve special moments for families in her community but her greatest joy comes from creating with her own family. She is most at home documenting life's everyday moments so her family has a visual journal to look back on for years to come.

For more inspiration from Mikayla:

Instagram | Website | Facebook

Here is Mikayla, Unraveled….

What inspires your art?

Without getting too melancholy, my inspiration comes from my past. I grew up in poverty with exposure to many things kids shouldn't have to witness. I spent a lot of time alone in my room drawing pictures of castles and fancy things or of myself standing on a mountain top. Art was an escape that I always truly believed could take me to beautiful, heart-lifting places. Family members told me I had my head in the clouds; always trying to convince me that I was a dreamer in a fantasy world that was a far departure from the bitter place they thought the world was.

Now that I have moved into a chapter of my life that I get to write myself, I make sure art is a central part of it and most importantly, a central part of my children's lives. I am so inspired to document as many of their joy-filled moments as possible so they will always have an archive of proof that life can be sweet, there is copious amounts of beauty in the world, moments are precious, and most importantly, that they are endlessly loved.

What do you shoot with? Camera body and favorite lens?

Canon 5d Mark IV and 35 mm lens.

What other ways do you express your creativity?

Drawing, watercolor painting, and singing really poorly in the shower.

How do you de-stress at the end of the day?

Step 1: Take my bra off! Step 2: Put on my coziest loungewear and fuzzy socks. Step 3: Curl up in my nook with a book and a cup of chamomile tea.

What kind of music do you listen to while editing?

I never shook my emo phase so 7 out of 10 times its probably a mix of The Used, My Chemical Romance, Paramore, Taking Back Sunday and the usual circa 2007 playlist.

The other 3 out of 10 times it is either classical for focus or 90s Rap and hip hop. Apparently my music mirrors my photography and I can't just pick a thing and stick with it :p

What is your favorite book?

Half the Sky by Nicholas D. Kristof and Sheryl WuDunn

Name one movie that inspires you.

The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind

How do you handle self-doubt or creative slumps?

Self doubt is tough and as a chronic imposter syndrome sufferer, I don't yet have an answer for that one. I am reading a book about imposter syndrome right now though so stay tuned, an answer may be on the horizon.

When I hit a creative slump, I like to turn to other visual art mediums outside of the photography world. I will study paintings I like or sketches that speak to me and try to figure out why I am so drawn to them. Whether it be a color combination, symbolism, or something else, I will see if I can build a photo project around whatever it is I love and that usually gives my creative engine a little jump start.

What has been the most difficult part of your creative journey?

BALANCE! I'm the type of person who could easily lose hours on an art project and not even think twice about it. That becomes a problem when you have a full time job and a couple of babies to raise. I've found it incredibly difficult to balance an unrelenting hunger to learn and create with other important demands and responsibilities.

I also find running a business to be a bit of a creativity-sucker at times. Being vulnerable and tapping into the parts of my past that bring forth emotion is so challenging when I attach the business aspect to it. Honestly, I am still struggling to be my true self and really connect with clients. One of this year's goals is to make my walls smaller so that my client work can start to become more inspired and authentic.

What is your favorite pizza topping?

I will die on the hill that pineapple does not belong on pizza.
Black olives are always a hit though.

What is your most favorite kind of light and why?

I love backlight. I am drawn to the softness and the dreamlike quality backlight can provide. Don't get me wrong, I am absolutely down to throw my kid in a patch of bright direct light to play around but at the end of the day, sun flares will always have my heart.

Who is one of your favorite photographers?

Cornell Watson

What is your favorite course or lesson at Unraveled?

So many it is really hard to choose but probably Shooting in Full Sun with Ace. I haven't watched it in over a year but it was a game changer because after completing it, I gave myself permission to experiment and challenge myself with shooting in conditions that weren't "trendy" or "gold-standard" and that led to so much growth.