Noelle Swan Gilbert is a Los Angeles native who has been in love with photography since she inherited her father’s Argus C3 35mm camera at the age of 12. Capturing the world through its lens changed the way she saw life around her, and Noelle was rarely without a camera in those early years.

Noelle is mostly self-taught, with the exception of some classes and workshops, and gains inspiration from the many great photographers whose paths she has crossed in her photographic journey. Noelle continues to live in Los Angeles, and is still rarely without a camera. Check out her website and work at http://noelleswangilbert.com

Noelle has ties to Boulder, CO which unfortunately are very tragic + sad. Her sister Laura Swan lived in Boulder with her husband and two children. In 2007 she was murdered in her home by her ex-husband Mike Strauss. Her children are now living with Laura and Noelle’s parents in Seattle, WA.

Noelle wanted to dedicate this day to the memory of her sister Laura Swan and also to Safehouse: Progressive Alliance for Non-violence. Friends of Laura have dedicated and installed a park bench in her honor at the North Boulder Park and we thought it perfect to capture this bench for the memorial photo.

If you knew Laura or know her family, please feel free to post any thoughts in the comments and consider supporting the non-profit Safehouse in their fight against non-violence.

[About this Shoot: It was a lovely sunny day when I arrived at the park to get a shot of the park bench. I quickly found the bench as the sun shone directly upon it. A single shoe was resting on the bench and appeared to be a child or small women's shoe. I don't know if it was purposefully placed there or not. Nevertheless, I liked the symbolism it shared and the long shadow it cast upon the bench, so I never disturbed or removed the shoe.

I did several shots of the bench. This one, where my girlfriends shadow is cast upon the bench (hair blowing), I thought delivered a strong and poignant emotion and memory.]

See a Large Version of this Photo here