Behind the Lens - Haley Circelli

Haley Circelli, our next Behind the Lens feature. Let's have a look at another wonderful Nordic Lens community member and discover the stories behind her favorite photos.

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Feb 11, 2024

Welcome to the third issue of Behind the Lens, a series that shines the spotlight on the talented artists of our Nordic Lens community. This series delves into the work and perspectives of one member at a time, offering a unique glimpse into the diversity of our community.

In contrast to traditional interview formats, Behind the Lens empowers artists to showcase their creativity and share the stories behind their favorite photographs.

After all, who better to narrate the tale than the person behind the lens?

What is Behind the Lens?

At the heart of Behind the Lens is a simple concept: Community members share their favorite photos and provide insights into why these images hold special meaning.

This opportunity allows us to explore the depth and richness of our community through the lens of its creators.

Those featured in the series have the freedom to choose works that resonate deeply, whether they're recent creations, all-time favorites, personal or professional, or a combination of all four. This flexibility ensures a genuine representation of each artist's journey and evolution within the community and beyond.

There are limitations to it, however—they must do it in 5 photos or less. This adds a personal, authentic, and intriguing touch. It compels them to choose and encourages them to be as mindful as possible about their favorite photos.

Behind the Lens is not your average interview series as it is consciously kept as personal as possible to preserve authenticity, the focus is solely on the photographers and their photos.

This fosters a more personal connection between the community and its members, allowing us to appreciate the richness of talent within Nordic Lens.

By offering a platform for members to share their favorite photos and personal insights behind them, Behind the Lens aims to inspire, connect, and deepen appreciation for the community's exceptional pool of talent.

Unlike the bi-weekly photo challenges that highlight the best submissions, Behind the Lens celebrates the authenticity of individual expression.

Our feature for this week is Haley Circelli, whose work embodies the beauty and professionalism that we strive to capture in this series.

So let's welcome Haley and have her introduce us to her favorite photos.

Haley Circelli

A lifelong writer and artist of many disciplines, I've always felt a little different from everyone else. Most of my world existing within my head, always deep in thought and reflection, I've found myself to be somewhat of an introvert except when in the company of likeminded people who hold no expectations for how a person should be.

I've always been fond of the outdoors and entranced by the whimsy and magic of nature, it's where most of my inspiration comes from for my writing and obviously the subject of most of my photos.

Moments captured in an instant, never to be exactly the same again but preserved in time to be cherished forever. I enjoy extracting the wisdom and lessons nature has to offer and applying them to life the best I can.

Combining that with the power of music and written word, engulfing myself in the mystery of life through artistic expression. I currently reside in Jacksonville, Florida though I have big dreams for owning land and creating a homestead and sanctuary in the mountains with my husband one day soon.

I long to spend my days immersed in the natural world and all the insight and serenity it has to offer me.

Find Haley on: Instagram

Haley’s Favorite Photos

From one of my favorite places in Florida, a beach access about an hour south of where I live where I spent many memories with my best friends and now husband. We'd pour ice cold beers into styrofoam cups and lay our bums right in the sand where the water would come up to meet us, pooling around us and cooling us off from the relentless summer sun.

We'd stay until sunset before heading over to the inter-coastal side that faces the west and watch the sky burst with oranges and pinks before heading home with slightly burnt, sandy feet hanging out of the open windows as we cruised down A1A.

The rocks were not typical of Florida beaches and we felt transported to another place altogether, away from the tourist crowds and into our own little slice of heaven.

A lifelong Floridian's first snow in covid-era Baltimore, Maryland.

We gathered two of the friends we'd made from work, being the only place to meet people in isolation and headed immediately around the corner to the Charles Village Pub where we ordered the 24 oz. BOH's and drank them quickly to warm ourselves from the inside before setting out into the snow.

We borrowed our upstairs neighbor's 3 year old's sled and ran down to the park at the end of our street where many others already gathered to slide down the generous snow covered slopes it offered.

We played in the snow for hours, ill-dressed for the occasion but enthusiastic nonetheless, one of my fondest memories of our mere 7 months spent living there before returning home to Florida.

An ethereal shot from the base of a waterfall where my now husband and I swam after a long hike to it during a trip to Tennessee.

The water was cold, as mountain springs and waterfalls usually are, but we dove right in and swam around as the waning sun shone down through the trees, warning us to head back soon as to not get caught wandering in the dark.

In all our hiking adventures, we always seem to find ourselves seeking out water. Waterfalls, rivers, creeks and lakes.

A foundation of our love together and our love of nature.

A poppy standing tall in the sunrise on the farm where I used to work.

We planted wildflowers along the banks of the river and the poppies absolutely captivated me. Their bright, bold hues, the intricate detail of each little hair along it's stem and pod, the delicacy of the petals that only last a few days before falling victim to a gust of wind.

It made you wonder about the weight of the giant bumble bees that would land atop and nestle among the pollen, how strong the stem must be to support it without breaking.

The force of this photo is certainly captured in it's magnanimity. The rushing glacial waters in a crisp ice blue transport me back to the chill of the wind the water brought with it.

We rode our electric bikes winding through Glacier National Park, clicking them into turbo when we passed a bear roadside. The waters are strong yet calming, the rocks unfazed by the impact.

I can hear the sound just by looking at this photo and it overwhelms me with peace as I feel the bite of the cold air in my lungs.

Thank You Haley!

Haley’s approach – rich in memory and experience with a professional feel. This approach not only feels alive but also brings the world to life in the photos. Haley absolutely nailed it.

Behind the Lens aims to showcase the authenticity of Nordic Lens members, whether it's through unfiltered photos, professionally edited works, or nostalgic memories and Haley hits the ball out of the park with her gorgeous photos so rich in memory and experiences.

I want to provide a platform for community members to express themselves honestly, personally, or professionally, revealing what makes them tick.

I am incredibly grateful to Haley for accepting my invitation and for continuing this series so strongly.

Her work is inspirational, and I can't wait to explore the creativity of more Nordic Lens members through Behind the Lens.

Don't forget to subscribe to Haley’s publication, Lost Hearts, and be sure to give her a follow on Instagram.