When someone sets a vision for themselves—and really commits to it—it’s a powerful thing to witness. And when that person is your friend, it’s something even deeper. It’s an honor.
My dear friend Michael set a goal: to transform his fitness before his 40th birthday. Not for anyone else. Not for show. For himself. And he did it—with the same strength, grace, and dedication he brings to every part of his life.
Michael has always been strong. But strength isn’t just what you can see.
Before our shoot, we sat and talked—about his journey, about healing, about the long roads we sometimes have to walk back to ourselves. What always impresses me about Michael isn’t just his discipline or his results. It’s his soul.
Michael carries a warmth, a compassion, and a depth of insight that could change the world if more people were lucky enough to hear him speak. He understands the human condition—not in a distant, clinical way—but with a genuine kindness that makes you want to be better simply by being in his orbit. I could honestly listen to him for hours.
When we started shooting, Michael didn’t just show up physically—he showed up fully. Every movement, every moment, was a reflection of the work he’s done inside and out. He gave himself a workout during that shoot, and he let me capture something beyond muscle:
Character. Dedication. Transformation. Truth.
Photographing him was a reminder of why I love what I do. Because when you get to witness someone stepping into themselves—and you get to honor it through your lens—there’s no better feeling in the world.
Michael, you are the embodiment of strength, heart, and vision. Thank you for trusting me to capture this chapter of your story. You inspire more than you know.
This is Amber. Pound Fitness Instructor. Rockstar. True Warrior.
And I know a thing or two about warriors.
When my mom was diagnosed with breast cancer, I was a teenager. I remember asking her if she was going to die. She looked at me and said, “I don’t know. But I’m going to fight every step of the way.”
And she did.
She showed up for her family, for her life, for herself—through the pain, through the chemo, through moments when we almost lost her. She never stopped being my mom. That was the moment I learned what a real warrior looks like. And once you’ve seen a warrior like that, you recognize that energy when it kicks in the door.
Amber doesn’t just kick. She’ll pound down anything standing in her way. And cancer got in her way.
From the moment I met her, I was drawn in by her stick-it attitude—the kind of spirit that doesn’t just go through life, but pounds through it. (Yes, the pun is intentional.) She was already a regular in the Pound Fitness world, and always encouraged me to try it. But I had a long list of reasons not to—my size, my knees, my coordination… you name it, I gave the excuse.
But when Amber asked me to photograph her Pound: Colon Cancer Awareness event, everything in me said yes.
When you know someone has walked through fire and is still showing up, still leading, still smiling and creating space for others to thrive—you honor that. You witness it. You celebrate it.
Photographing this event was a privilege.
What I saw in that room wasn’t just a fitness class. It was a full-blown rock concert of resilience. There was music, laughter, sweat, joy—and Amber, right at the center of it, surrounded by people who had clearly shown up that day because of her. Some were familiar faces from my past, and I knew—just by the way they looked at her—they were there because Amber got them through the door.
That’s what real warriors do.
They don’t just survive. They lead. They inspire. They remind the rest of us what we’re capable of.
And they aren’t afraid to do it with poop on their head. (Just sayin’.)
A few months back, I told Amber how much I admired that she kept showing up through everything. She simply said:
“Well, I had to.”
Did she have to? No. She chose to. But for Amber? There wasn’t another option.
That’s a warrior.
She knew people were counting on her. She knew the power of showing up. And she did it—again and again. Inspiring all the way.
What I captured that day was more than a class. It was a room full of rockstars, every single one of them pounding out fear, doubt, excuses, and showing up loudly for themselves and each other.
Amber creates that space. She builds that energy. And being in it—watching her lead with that signature fire, surrounded by people clearly there because she inspires them—**she inspired me, too.
Yoga mat? Purchased. Pound class? Located. Ripstix? On the way.
Thank you so much for capturing this event and these incredible words of strength and support! You’ve captured these incredible moments beautifully!ReplyCancel
Michelle Anderson
Ok, now I need you to come photograph my 9th Annual Indiana POUND for Pink event in October!!! Your pictures are amazing!! Do you travel out of state? ReplyCancel
Tara Jones
This is absolutely beautiful. So thankful you got to be a part of this community and share in this with us. Your photos are amazing. ReplyCancel
Every once in a while, the universe hands you a moment so perfectly aligned with who you are that you can’t help but sit back and whisper, damn, I am so lucky.
That moment? It happened when Katy Williams, puppeteer extraordinaire, asked me to photograph a session that was more than just images—it was a celebration of artistry, passion, and the joy of bringing characters to life. And where did we get to do it? The stunning Psycullescence: A Garden of Imagination exhibit at the Marie Walsh Sharpe Gallery in Colorado Springs. A place where creativity breathes, and where we got to step inside a living, breathing work of art.
I was already thrilled to be there, but meeting the mind behind the exhibit, Patrick Shearn of Poetic Kinetics, was an absolute honor. His work doesn’t just hang in a space—it moves, flows, and invites you into something bigger than yourself.
But back to the real heart of this blog—the puppeteers.
Katy Williams: A Powerhouse in Puppetry
I met Katy last year at Rocky Mountain Puppet Slam, and from the moment she stepped into my world, I knew she was one of those people. The kind who makes an impact just by existing. She educates, builds, creates, and performs. She is all in on puppetry, and it shows. When she works, you can see the love in her hands, in the way she moves, in the way her eyes light up when she brings something to life. It’s the same feeling I get when I work my own puppets. Pure, unfiltered joy.
Kilah Storm: Breathing New Life into Puppetry
Then there’s Kilah Storm—a puppeteer unlike any other. When I say she brings new life to puppetry, I mean that quite literally. She incorporates taxidermy into her puppetry, blending art and preservation in a way that is both haunting and breathtaking. She sees life as something to be celebrated, reborn, and honored. And the way she carries that into her work? Nothing short of magic.
Let’s Get Personal
Here’s where this story gets personal—the blessings that really hit me.
After the session, Katy and Kilah took me to lunch. And they didn’t just ask about my work—they asked about me. About Roxie and The Mental Felts, the casting call I had recently posted, my puppetry goals, dreams, and vision. They listened. They encouraged. They made me feel seen in a way I hadn’t experienced before—through the eyes of accomplished puppeteers.
And then? Kilah asked to hear more.
We set up a meeting, we talked, and now—she’s officially part of The Mental Felt Family. Not only is she an amazing puppeteer, but she’s also proving to be quite the videographer and, more importantly, a friend.
(Mental Felts Filming Selfie!)
Gratitude, Joy, and the Power of Connection
This session wasn’t just about capturing beautiful portraits. It was about connection. About the unexpected ways that art weaves people together. About the pure joy of watching someone light up when they do what they love.
Photography has always been a gateway for me—an open door to new friendships, new opportunities, and new stories waiting to be told. And this? This was one of those moments that reminds me why I do what I do.
Nothing makes me feel more joyful than having a puppet in one hand and a camera in the other. And joy is what life should be all about.
Some people step into the world with fire already burning in their souls. Vanessa? She is the fire.
Proud. Fierce. Unapologetically herself. A two-spirited transgender woman with a heart big enough to carry a whole community and the strength to lift them higher. She is a force—one that doesn’t just survive but thrives, loves, and leads with a kind of courage that most people could only dream of.
When Vanessa said she wanted to do a photoshoot that captured her in full—every ounce of her power, resilience, and truth—it wasn’t just about taking pictures. It was about reclaiming space. About standing tall in the light. About looking the world dead in the eye and saying, I am here, I am whole, and I will not be moved.
She chose warrior face paint—bold, unapologetic, and deeply symbolic. A reflection of who she has always been: a fighter, a healer, a guiding force in the world of recovery. To bring her vision to life, we found an incredible artist from Face Fiestas, who absolutely nailed the design with stunning precision and artistry. (Though, thanks to my own inability to read, they will forever be known in my heart as Face Fajitas—a name that has now taken on a life of its own.)
But let’s talk about what really matters here. Vanessa’s impact is bigger than words. She is a walking revolution—a beacon for those in recovery, for the LGBTQIA+ community, for anyone who has ever felt like the world tried to erase them.
She meets pain with love. Meets injustice with action. Meets every damn storm with the kind of force that turns tides.
Taking her portraits wasn’t just an honor—it was a front-row seat to witnessing power in its purest form.
And because of Vanessa, this won’t be the last time a moment like this is captured.
She is the heart behind the Rockcovery Portrait Series—a celebration of those who walk the path of recovery with strength, resilience, and undeniable beauty. Her courage sparked something bigger, a reminder that every warrior deserves to be seen, their story honored, and their light captured.
As a young girl, I always knew I’d be on stage. I wish I would have understood back then that the stage may have been a metaphorical one, but it would still include singing…and puppets.
Every rockstar has to endure some sort of incredible journey to sing about. What good is a tour without one?
Setting The Stage
The lights changed in 2017. New voices chanted. The world as I knew it was rewritten.
The medical world calls it “psychosis”. I call it the moment I broke free from a reality that was never built for me—only to return stronger, louder, and as my true self.
There were hospitalizations. There was the long, brutal work of recovery. And then there was the moment I had to make a choice.
Do I keep running? Or do I confront the voices that were leading my escape?
It happened in a hospital room, a place where everything felt out of my control—except one thing. Me.
I could fight this world, reject it, stay in the reality I created…Or I could surrender to the truth.
No one was coming to save me.
I had to save myself.
That moment—the moment I decided to stay, to rebuild, to figure out why I wanted to run in the first place—that was the true opening act. It was a choice that would echo in every act that followed. A musical reprise that would return, over and over, whenever I needed it.
And in that moment, even if I didn’t know the details or the lyrics yet—the tour had begun.
Discovering My Bandmates
Healing is not a solo act. You don’t fight your way back alone.
Somewhere along the way, I found my bandmates. The people who knew what it meant to fall and rise again. The ones who weren’t afraid to get loud about the fight to recover, to reclaim, to rewrite the setlist.
I stepped into a world where being broken wasn’t weakness—it was part of the song.
Where every scar was a lyric. Where every battle was a verse. Where every comeback was a chorus that deserved to be screamed.
Because recovery is not quiet. It’s loud, raw, messy, and real. It’s standing on the wreckage of your past, throwing your arms wide, and screaming, I’m still here.
And when you’ve made it through the breakdown? You belt it out for the whole world to hear.
Discovering My Voice(s)
I always knew I had a killer voice. What I didn’t know was that I had an entire cast of characters living rent-free in my head, just waiting for their moment in the spotlight.
Mental hospitals? Check. Internal voices? Oh, plenty. A completely unexpected plot twist? Enter puppets.
Yep. You read that right. Puppets.
Turns out, when you’ve spent years hiding in the shadows, stepping into the spotlight feels a little… exposed. So, I did what any deeply self-aware, possibly unhinged person would do—I let something felt-covered take the lead.
Why bare your soul when a puppet can do it for you?
They got to be fearless when I wasn’t. Loud when I was still finding my voice. Unapologetic when I was still learning how to take up space. And the best part? No one questioned it. Because if society has taught us anything, it’s that a puppet can say things a person never could.
At first, they were a shield. A way to speak without really speaking.
But then, something wild happened.
I realized these weren’t just characters—they were me. The parts of me that had been waiting in the wings, desperate to be heard.
And once I gave them the mic? There was no shutting them up.
And after much debate (because, trust me, they had opinions), they finally named themselves The Mental Felts.
And now? They’re ready to take the stage—louder, bolder, and in their truest form.
Finding the Sound
I built something incredible from my story. I took my pain and turned it into art. I gave my voices a stage, and for the first time, they sang.
But something was missing.
I couldn’t shake the feeling that I was trapped in my own story—like I had built a stage but wasn’t really stepping onto it.
Recovery puts us on a path of self-improvement. It’s necessary. It’s life-saving. It gave me the tools to heal. And I will always be grateful for that.
But how I owned that healing? That was up to me.
And I realized—I was owning the hurt. I was owning the survival. I was owning the struggle.
But I wasn’t owning the celebration.
I wasn’t owning the music.
And that’s when Rockcovery was born.
Because survival isn’t the finale—it’s the opening act. The real show starts when you step into the spotlight and sing it loud.
Photo by Danielle Brooks
Creating the Album Cover
If Rockcovery is the soundtrack, then photography is the album cover—the image that captures the energy, the fight, the truth of it all.
I’ve been an international award-winning photographer for years. But when my mind shattered, my passion for the camera blurred out of focus. Photography felt like a life I had left behind, and I wasn’t sure it would ever come back into view.
But it wasn’t gone—it was waiting.
It wasn’t until I coined the term Rockcovery that I realized where my camera belonged.
The most fulfilling moments I’ve had behind the lens weren’t about perfect lighting or flawless poses. They were about people standing in their truth, unafraid, unfiltered, and fully seen.
Photography became my way of capturing Rockcovery.
Not just for myself, but for everyone ready to be documented in their power. Everyone who wants to stand in their story, not as a victim, not as someone recovering, but as someone who has arrived.
So I’m building it. I’m working with people who want to be seen in their truth, captured in their resilience, and immortalized in the energy of their Rockcovery.
Taking the Stage
Everything is in place. The setlist is written. The instruments are tuned. The lights are up.
Now? It’s time to take the damn stage.
I’ve spent years finding my voice(s), defining my sound, and building the vision that would bring it all together. And now, I’m ready to share it.
Speaking engagements – Because Rockcovery isn’t just my story—it’s a movement, and I’m ready to bring it to the people who need it most. Photography – Because capturing resilience and truth isn’t just my passion—it’s a purpose. Consulting – Because organizations, businesses, and communities need a way to talk about mental health that’s real, that’s loud, that actually reaches people. A reality puppet show launching on World Mental Health Day, October 10th – Because healing isn’t boring, and mental health deserves more than a whisper—it deserves a spectacle.
Because this celebration is real. And I’m done keeping it to myself.
I’m ready to share this journey with those who are on their own. I’m ready to showcase the stories of others who are standing in their Rockcovery.
You are an inspiration and a talent that the world needs, especially now. ReplyCancel
Roxie
You are too kind Laura. I feel the same about you!ReplyCancel
Welcome
This isn’t just a blog—it’s a backstage pass into my world. A place where stories come to life, where resilience takes center stage, and where I share the evolution of a photographer, performer, and unapologetic force of nature.
Here, you'll find the journey, the art, the moments that matter—from my return to photography to the wild ride of Rockcovery and Roxie & The Mental Felts. Maybe even a little behind-the-scenes magic, a few confessions, and the lessons learned along the way.
So settle in, stay as long as you like, and let’s make some magic.
Because I don’t shine if you don’t shine.
life is all about perspective
Viva Las Roxie is where photography meets storytelling. Led by international award-winning photographer Roxie, this is a space for bold expression, timeless beauty, and the raw energy of life in motion. Whether on stage, in the streets, or in front of the lens—this is where your story shines.
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Looking for more? My work extends beyond photography into the world of storytelling, puppetry, and mental health advocacy. Explore: Roxie & The Mental Felts!
