We are all made in the image of the divine and each of us reflect that beauty in our own personal way. Through both light and prose, this photo series is all about hinting at what makes people uniquely and wonderfully them. (these and more can be found on the dedicated Instagram page, @Snapshotsofasoul)

Matt

Matt lives in a state of total creativity. He sees the beauty of this world, and with it the endless possibilities to create new things. He's constantly exploring, pondering, wondering. He's a firm advocate of the idea that creativity is a God given right, and something all people are called to. Because of this, he treats creativity as something to be shared and enjoyed collectively. Though insanely talented, he never puts himself as higher than anyone, and is always excited to have others join in whatever creative task is at hand. His life is art, and he leads others to see their own lives in the same way. His hope is that the phrase "I'm no artist" would disappear altogether from our vocabulary. Instead, he hopes we would see ourselves as inherently creative simply because we are human.

Logan

Logan is a tinkerer. He has the uncanny ability to deconstruct things into their raw elements, and then rebuild them into something of his liking. Because of this, he's a constant inventor. He's often silent, pondering the underlying ways things work. Because for him, wonder doesn't exist just in the magic itself. It also exists in the science behind that magic. As his knowledge increases, so does his appreciation. This makes it a true gift to be his friend. Because it's his joy to take the time to see how you work, and then revel with you over makes you tick. 

Liz

In this photo, it's actually about 60°F outside. As you can tell, Liz gets cold easily here in the States. That's because she's used to the scorching heat of Thailand. Until recently, she's been living there and helping women get out of the sex trade. She became so tied with them, that she has trouble seeing herself as an American now. We've been friends for years, but have only met face a couple times. Yet, she's one of my closer friends. She's shown me that when you're genuine towards others, cultural barriers are broken down. And when that happens, you start to see the things all of us have in common as human beings.

Tyler

Half viking and half cowboy, Tyler is a survivalist steeped loyalty. I've known him since childhood because once you're a part of his pack, you're family. And for him, family is everything. He's one of the few friends I can say with confidence would take a bullet for me. But It's not just me he would do that for. Because he sees the value of sacrifice. He understands that sometimes things have a cost. And sometimes there's nothing to be said except for to pay that cost. In a million little ways, he does that daily for those he cares for.

Kyle

Meet Kyle, the observer. Thriving on the fringe, he's an acquaintance to many but a friend to few. I was privileged with becoming friends with him about twelve years ago, in middle school. By that time, he'd already been through 20 schools. The rest of us had formed tight circles from childhood, and he was an outsider. This carried on all through high school. It should have wrecked him and made him bitter. But instead, it became the source of his greatest quality. Instead of isolating himself, he learned to connect with everyone from afar. He thrives on empathy, and feels deeply toward the stories of all the lives he comes in contact with. He's says to many "I'm proud of what you've made of yourself", and truly means it with no ulterior motive. He often acts as a guide, showing up for a brief moment in order to offer sage wisdom at just the right time (but only if someone wants it). He's a true student of the human condition. You'll find him at home in coffee shops downtown like this one, where he listens and learns, and silently observes with a slight smile.