This summer I embarked on a journey to capture pictures that tell my story and as they say, a picture is worth one thousand words. In the beginning, I honestly was not sure what my story was. Initially I thought my story was to serve as a mouthpiece - a way to tell other women's stories of outdoor adventure and relay them to the world through photography and writing. While this is something I'm passionate about, it made me question what I had to share of my own experiences. It was through learning their stories that my own became clearer. I thought that interviewing friends who enjoyed the same activities as myself would provide some kind of commonality between all of us. While we had similar core values, we also were wildly different. For example, over half the women were introduced to the outdoors because it was what their family grew up doing. In contrast, the others did it as an almost rebellious act because it was so different from anything they had done before. This realization of how unique everyone’s experiences were was a big realization for me. It showed me that not just one kind of person enjoys the outdoors and spending time in nature.
F4.5 | 1/400s | ISO 200
F5.1 | 1/320s | ISO 250
F5.0 | 1/125s | ISO 100
So how does this relate to figuring out my own journey into the outdoorsy world? For the longest time, I told myself a story that I did not belong in these spaces. It was a form of self doubt to limit myself and my opportunities. I didn’t see myself as fitting the exact mold of a backcountry skier, hiker, backpacker, climber, mountaineer, you get the point. So how could I take up space in those places? And the fact that these spaces are very exclusive, involve financial commitment, and are known to gate keep knowledge made the story seem factual. I did not know where to start but I wanted to be competent and bold in these outdoor spaces.
This leads to one of the most important points I learned from hearing other women talk: What we tell ourselves is so important, we can write the story we want to be a part of. If we want to see more women in the outdoor industries, we need to be those women there bringing others along with us. This allowed me to realize how much control I have over my own life. Whether it be learning a skill like how to shoot on a new camera or going on an adventure in the backcountry.
F2.8 | 1/160s | ISO 100
F 3.5 | 1/250s | ISO 400
The adventures that I have taken with other women have made me question my beliefs and test my boundaries. If you had told me three years ago that I would be summiting mountains, skiing down volcanoes, rock climbing, or going for multi-day backpacking trips, I would not have believed you. Doing all of these activities constantly remind me that I can do hard things and have fun while doing them. I was talking to a friend while backpacking this summer and she said that there is something truly magical about going on an all-women’s trip.
She was right because I don’t think I would have ever tried so many of these incredible things like skiing hard lines, hiking before the sun comes up, diving into alpine lakes every weekend - without the support system of women that I have come to love. But in reflecting further on these adventures, I don’t only see physical growth, I see changes in thought patterns. I think the conversations that I’ve had with friends while walking on a trail or while driving to an adventure are unmatched. They have led me to see the world in a different light, questioning my own thoughts when I hear others’ opinions.
F6.1 | 1/200S | ISO 200
F5.6 | 1/400S | ISO 100
Being in nature allows me to connect with a completely different side of myself. It is almost like opening a portal to a more creative version of myself. When I go outside with my camera, it is like time goes away because I become so absorbed in what I am creating. Having a camera like the OM-5 that is durable and portable allows me to run with my imagination. As someone who has a day job in engineering, this creative outlet in photography is something that I am so grateful for. I take my experience with my camera and use it to bring others along on my adventures. I am learning and seeing so much on every trip, and I want others to have those same experiences. Being outdoors fully changed my life, and I know it can help others as well. Hopefully, just like my friends’ stories inspired me, mine can be a diving board for you to jump in and explore your own story.
F5.0 | 1/100S | ISO 500
F5.0 | 1/100S | ISO 500
F5.0 | 1/100S | ISO 500
Bio - Caitlynn Weeden
ABOUT CAITLYNN WEEDEN
IG: @weeden_wanders
Caitlynn is one of the photographers selected to participate in the OM-5 Tell Your Story project. She is from Pennsylvania where she found her love for hiking growing up on the Appalachian trail and going to summer adventure camps. She went to college in Rochester New York where she studied Mechanical Engineering and swam on the Varsity Swim and Dive team. After graduating mid pandemic she knew that she needed a big adventure to turn her life around. So she moved to Washington and fell in love with exploring the beautiful PNW. She is known for her cheesey puns which is how Weeden Wanders started. She was just trying to think of something that sounded nice with her name and thus her instagram was started!