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Soul Archetype Portrait Journeys
in Asheville, NC

Empowerment Photography & Coaching for Women
Integrating Every Part of Themselves in Life and Work

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 Hey there, I'm Melinda.

As an Asheville, NC Photographer and Women's Empowerment Coach, I guide women through transformational portrait journeys that merge coaching, embodiment, and art.

Each experience begins with embodiment coaching, guided visualization and intention-setting to help you inhabit your next chapter with confidence and grace.

The resulting portraits become sacred mirrors & visual reminders of your integration, power, and wholeness.

"I believe portraiture can be more than an picture. It can be ritual ~ a mirror that reveals the hidden facets within us, guiding us back to power, beauty, & wholeness."

asheville portrait photographer
Asheville womens photographer

You are not just one woman...

Inside you live the Queen, the Witch, the Nymph, the Crone, the Mother, the Sage, the Wild Woman, the Slut, the Rebel,— and more still waiting to be revealed.

Too often, life’s transitions: marriage, divorce, motherhood, loss, midlife — bury these parts or make us forget them.

 

This journey is your invitation to call them back.

natural boudoir photography
ritual photography
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on your portrait journey...

You'll experience a deep union and homecoming within yourself.

The Journey begins with somatic and intuitive coaching to discover the Archetype leading you into your next chapter.

 

The path then unfolds into a ritual portrait experience where you step into that archetype fully — letting her move through your body, your breath, your gaze.

The Journey culminates in images that carry her potent essence. and your Portrait Grimoire, Wall Talismans, and Altar Prints—

sacred artifacts of your reclaimed self.

This artwork is more than a photo album or framed photo.

It becomes a guide back to self-acceptance,

a touchstone you can return to whenever you lose your way.

Some women come back year after year, creating new works as they evolve. For others, the art becomes a legacy heirloom and a gift of reclamation to pass down to their daughters.

"The photos are stunning, yes, but they are more than images, they are reminders of who I am at my core."

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What Clients Say

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"Each pose, each breath, felt like an initiation into the next layer of myself. Melinda created such a safe and inspiring space that I could fully embody the woman I was calling forth.
 
I saw myself as I have longed to be seen, and it gave me the confidence to show my family, “This is who I am.”"

Jeanie~ Mom, Occupational Therapist & Women's Coach

The Talismanic Art Experience

"The photos are stunning, yes, but they are more than images, they are reminders of who I am at my core." ~ Soul Archetype Client

Your private gallery is a sacred place to sit with your portraits after the reveal~
a quiet temple where you commune with your archetype.

From this view-only space, you select your most potent images that will become your Portrait Grimoire™, Altar Prints, or Wall Talismans to anchor your 

transformation into your reality.​

I personally design, order, and deliver each piece, ensuring your artwork arrives as a true sacred artifact.

"Through ritual portraiture, we don’t just create images ~ we create sacred artifacts. Each portrait is a reclamation, and each book a touchstone you can return to, a legacy of self-love to pass forward."

Soul Archetype Client Galleries

Archetypes are universal, yet no two women express them the same way.
These galleries of past clients show how different women bring personal archetypes to life

as an inspiration for your own journey.

Who will you become?

Click an image to explore their gallery:

Jeanie's Spiral with her Inner Jaguar

At Wintergreen Falls, Dupont Forest

Jaguar ~ Snail

womens empowerment photography

Melinda's Re-wilding Journey

At Her Home

Fairy - Queen - Lover

healing photography

Jamie Embraces the Priestess

At Her Home on the Swannanoa River

Priestess ~ Quiet Feminine Confidence

Asheville adventure photographer

Your Journey

Coming Soon!

portraits asheville
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This 3-part Experience fuses...

​Archetype coaching, ritual portraiture, and creative collaboration — designed to help you see yourself through the eyes of your eternal self. Unlike a traditional portrait or boudoir session, this is not a single day of posing for the camera. Rather it's a multi-session journey into becoming yourself. Our time together begins with deep conversation and creative direction, flows into a guided embodiment experience where the archetype moves through you, and culminates in a collaborative reveal of the images that hold her essence. It’s not just about how you look — it’s about how you feel when you see yourself clearly, and the story that unfolds when you do. ​ Session 1 — Archetype Visioning (1.5 hrs) We begin with an in-depth coaching and creative direction session where we explore the archetype calling to you — who she is, why she’s emerging now, and how you long to embody her. Together we design the visual mood and narrative of your session, from lighting and location to wardrobe and emotional tone. ​ Session 2 — Embodiment & Photoshoot (1.5–2 hrs) Your photoshoot becomes a living ritual. Through intuitive prompts and embodied coaching cues, you’ll move beyond posing into presence — allowing the archetype to reveal herself through you. This is where the magic happens: photography as initiation. ​ Session 3 — The Reveal & Refinement (1 hr) In our final session, we review your gallery together. You’ll see a curated selection of top images and collaborate on the finishing touches — including feedback on color tones and preset moods — before I complete the final edits. When your full gallery is ready, you’ll have the opportunity to design and order your Portrait Grimoire™, a sacred art book capturing your transformation. This can be a deeply impactful launchpad into your next era — whether you are becoming The Mother, The Sage, The Executive, The Rebel. One powerful journey can help you claim your authentic power and see yourself as the woman you are becoming.

"Tell the story only a picture can write."

The Soul Archetype Portrait Journey

Are you interested in beginning your Transformational Portrait Journey?

The first step is simple. Book your initial consult and we'll go over the whole path, your needs and goals, and book your session if it's aligned for us to work together.
Whether you want to re-brand your soul business or create Talismanic Wall Art Heirlooms, book your free consult to get started...I can't wait to talk to you!

"Every woman deserves to feel powerful, sensual, and at home in her own skin. My work creates the safety to explore every facet of who you are, so you can be seen, celebrated, and remembered."
~Melinda

"Each pose, each breath, felt like an initiation into the next layer of myself. Melinda created such a safe and inspiring space that I could fully embody the woman I was calling forth."
~Jeanie

"The experience was profoundly therapeutic. I left feeling stronger, more rooted, and with a renewed sense of confidence that I continue to carry with me. The photos are stunning, yes, but they are more than images, they are reminders of who I am at my core." ~Jamie

explore the blog...

Frequently asked questions

© 2025 by Melinda Raines

Soul Archetype Portrait Journeys & The Portrait Grimoire

Asheville empowerment photographer, Asheville portrait photographer for women, Transformational photography Asheville, Archetype portrait photographer Asheville, Women’s portrait photographer Asheville,

Fine-art portrait photography Asheville,  Asheville Natural Boudoir Photograper

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