A very loud shoutout to Mikaela Hamilton, the Composition Queen. I’ve met Mikaela a few times, and she is undoubtedly one of the most unassuming members of the WELD community I know. But behind every hidden door is a hidden surprise, or in this case a hidden wealth of photographic talent. She has a remarkably keen eye for form, composition, and their interplay with space and light. Running parallel with these freely God-given gifts, too, is her ability to tell a story within a single image.

So many photographers bleed and sweat and cry for talent like this, talent that really can’t be learned, and to Mikaela it all just seems so natural and effortless. So simple and nonchalant. Maybe it’s her personality that paints this illusion and I’m really the one getting fooled here. My honest guess is that, while displaying an affront of quiet brilliance, in private she’s sword-in-hand, ferociously chopping away at Resistance and its allies, because no great talent is easily earned.

I think what probably happened is that I met Mikaela when she had just come out of battle and is tired and weak and contemplative — having through blood, sweat, and tears, just mastered an emotion and photographed a masterpiece.

But what do I know, is even if I’m wrong though and she’s the loudest extrovert known to planet earth, MY first impressions of her were simply this: She is an artist who feels deeply and passionately, and instead of doing a bunch of talking like everyone else, she lets her work do the talking for her.

For more of Mikaela’s work, visit her website: www.mikaelahamilton.com, or follow her on Instagram @mikaela_hamilton

All Hail, Queen Hamilton!