My name is Courtney Elizabeth Young, internationally published photographer and author: oratory and visual story-teller extraordinaire. As of late I have been polishing people's narratives through imagery, but I am forever in search of Mozzarella sticks, cage-free shark dives, perfect photo opportunities, and the cure for cancer.
I have documented everything from protests and community initiatives to sporting, charity, and professional events as well as live music and art showcases, And from smaller, more intimate gatherings to single-subject portraiture; all across the span of 6 continents and over thirty countries.
I do not tell stories.
I let stories tell me what needs to be told, heard, and seen.
about my mission
full bloom photo is a humanitarian- and equity-driven art project as much as it is a service that believes in societal reparations at large being made by those who are fortunate enough to come from a place of privilege!
Driven with a passion to support the voices of populations that have consistently been ignored in society — or, stories that are often left untold: specifically those who society has pushed to the margins — means discounts on packages may be available for those who identify with items listed below:
BIPOC: (black, indigenous, latinx, people of color) • LGBTQIA2S+: (lesbian, gay, bisexual, queer-identifying, two-spirited, and any and all other gender identities) • Muslim • biracial//interracial//intercultural couples.
and/or: limited physical mobility • limited mental disability • debilitating mental health issues • chronic illness • non-English speaking • deaf/HOH • insufficient means of “valid identification” • felony conviction • first- or second-generation American • low-income-status // or (other) events that have impacted your financial status: (i.e.: widowed)
Anything not listed here, please feel free to let me know so that I can make appropriate accommodations!
In the questionnaire I send you before each shoot, you will be asked this question, but are not required to answer if you are not comfortable doing so. I ask because I believe that people with limited resources or who have faced disadvantages in life should still be able to receive professionally curated images of the life they have created for themselves despite the odds they have faced.
Your memories should be affordable & accessible!
a little more about me...
I believe one of the most telling things about a person are the things that they love. Some of mine happen to be: being alive, adventure travel, bareback horsehides on the beach in some far flung land... meeting strangers on the road -- any road, any country, anywhere -- that become friends, animals [any animal, ever], cool castles, learning new dances at camel beauty pageants in the Middle East, or at the rural edges of West Africa, books... so, so, so many books... dogs... literally everyone's dog... people standing up for justice, my faith, my camera clicking off the side of some tuk-tuk that's going too fast for me to get a good shot, the wind in my hair, rock-climbing [even if I'm bald but wearing a wig for helmet padding, and still more terrified of heights than of cancer] and most importantly, my family: my two cats Tuna and Darling, my boyfriend Brad who met me at no eyelashes, no breasts, and no hair and loved me anyway, his parents and sister, my parents and my sister, and everyone who has cheered for me along the way to make it this far.
Thank you for being a part of what I love.
a little about my adventures...
People tend to ask, so I am here to tell. The only continent my feet have not touched is Antarctica. I have seen over thirty countries across the world alone, but I am just getting started :) Although life has been pretty hard up until this point [cancer, although usually without debate --especially happening twice -- is typically the worst thing that can happen to somebody is not at the top of my list,] I have been blessed to give myself a life of adventure. :)
coffee with courtney?
it's imperative for me to know what it is specifically that my clients are looking to get out of their photos and precious memories, and it's just as important for me to drink coffee. Let me get you a cup sometime, and we can talk ideas and get to know each other :) Don't drink coffee? That's fine. There is always tea! Let's dream bigger and do bigger, together! :)
• credentials •
• Owner & Operator: Full Bloom Photo, llc [2021 - Present]
• Featured Photographer & Writer: Barren Magazine [2022]
• Photographer & Videographer: Lilac Hedge Farm, LLC [2021 - Present]
• Yearbook Photographer - Wachusett Regional High School [2021]
• Featured Photographer & Writer: DRIFT Travel Magazine [2019]
• Photojournalist & Writer: The Somerville Times, Boston [2018 - Present]