Meet Our Creative Partners
We are fortunate to have a host of talented creative professionals who donate their images of public lands in and around Zion National Park. Meet the photographers and artists who help to bring the greater Zion landscape to you.
Aaron Chokbegboun
Artist’s Statement:
“I want to give a special shoutout to Zion Forever Project for selecting me as part of the first inaugural season of the Creative Partners program. My name is Aaron known as adventurer_aaron through all my social platforms. I’m a travel/in-house content creator for Naturebacks. My creative work involves traveling to various national parks taking landscape and lifestyle photos and inspiring the world through nature. In May 2022, Naturebacks partnered with Zion Forever Project, where my connection to the parks started. I traveled to Utah to experience the mighty 5 a month later. The vast unknown of Utah was the most spectacular thing ever. Out of all the parks, Zion was the one that stood out to me, what the park offered was amazing. The Narrows, Angels Landing, and Canyon Overlook… Zion offers a variety of trails that keep you in awe. To be an official Creative Partner means a lot to me. As a creator, if I can help with Innovating and expanding educational opportunities through my work and help the next generation of leaders and stewards I’m all about it!” See more of Aaron’s work at www.instagram.com/adventurer_aaron/
Andrew Barruffi
Artist’s Statement:
“I’m a nature/small scenes photographer focusing on the details of a place. Zion has been my playground for years, and I’ve always made it a point to focus on the intimate nooks of such a grand place. I enjoy taking a slower approach by appreciating the natural world first and foremost. My photography is anchored by mental health. The solemn nature of Zion filled in the cracks of my mind as I suffered through suicidal depression when I was exploring the park for the first time. I do make it a point to include context alongside my images to help ground myself in what I’m doing. Where others focus on grand vistas and sweeping landscapes, I find comfort in showing people the hidden sights off the beaten path.” See more of Andrew’s work at www.instagram.com/andrewbaruffi/
Arika Bauer
Artist’s Statement:
“My name is Arika, and I am the owner/founder of Zion Adventure Photog. I am a Southern Utah girl, born and raised. I started Zion Adventure Photog 7 years ago as a way to spend as much time outdoors as possible doing what I truly love. Being an entrepreneur has been a wild ride and besides my three kiddos it is the one thing I am most proud of. I love meeting travelers from all over the world and showing them the magic of Zion/Southern Utah. Getting to capture couples and families out spending time in nature is the absolute best!” See more of Arika’s work at www.instagram.com/zionadventurephotog/
Brady Iverson
Artist’s Statement:
“Brady Iverson is a Southern Utah-based natural science biologist and photographer. He has been photographing for almost two decades, and has traveled extensively in order to capture the diverse beauty in the world. Travel eventually led Brady to take an interest in plants, which ended up in him getting a biology degree. His studies focused on ecology and conservation. His mission is to use the medium of photography to expand the conversation about protecting our wild spaces. Brady fell in love with Zion National Park ten years ago, and has been photographing the area since. He can be found somewhere within the park borders every time there is a storm. Being a Creative Partner to the Zion National Park Forever Project is a perfect realization of his goals as a biologist and artist. He is proud and honored to take part in protecting one of the most beautiful places in the world.” See more of Brady’s work at www.instagram.com/the_swampmonster/
Emily Brough
Artist’s Statement:
“Emily Brough is a local desert rat who grew up on a ranch outside of Zion National Park. After working as a guide in the park her soul will forever be attached. Photography and being creative has been a hobby of hers since middle school. Her biggest muse has always been Zion National Park.” See more of Emily’s work at www.instagram.com/emslou2/
Gina Dodge
Artist’s Statement:
“Gina is a multidisciplinary artist currently residing in Denver, CO. Her art practice began exclusively with painting, but has expanded after power tools and material abstraction entered her wheelhouse. After earning a BFA from Southern Utah University, she has held inspiring roles that have expanded her art practice, including constructing custom frames and exhibition installations at the Southern Utah Museum of Art, handcrafting window displays at Anthropologie, and being on mountaintops with fresh flowers as a floral designer. Although her medium of choice is ever-changing, her muse will always be details found in nature. Plants, animals, and color palettes of the natural world are a common thread among her work. She is honored to be a Creative Partner to the Zion National Park Forever Project. Southern Utah holds a special place in her heart and the home where her art career began.” See more of Gina’s work at www.instagram.com/ginadodgestudio/
Joe Braun
Artist’s Statement:
“Joe Braun is an avid hiker, backpacker, and landscape photographer who has been photographing Zion National Park for over three decades. He loves spending time exploring the outdoors and shares detailed hiking information and leave-no-trace ethics on his “Joe’s Guide to Zion National Park” website. I first discovered and fell in love with Zion National Park when I was five years old during a family camping trip in the 1970s. I have great memories of hiking all of the classic trails, including Angels Landing, with my father’s careful guidance. While my family enjoyed doing road trips all around the country, we would always make a point of returning to Zion year after year; it’s like coming back home. Many years later as an adult, I still feel that giddy sense of childhood amazement whenever I get the chance to return. I hope that my photography can convey the beauty and wonder of Zion and inspire the next generation of hikers and photographers to protect and preserve this very special place.” See more of Joe’s work at: www.instagram.com/citrusmilo/
Josh Crow
Artist’s Statement:
“Josh is an adventure photographer specializing in brand, lifestyle, and destination wedding photography. Originally a Texas native, he grew up volunteering at a local nature center in wildlife conservation/education, regularly hiking, and daydreaming about seeing the world. With a background in advertising and graphic design, Josh is always pursuing ways to capture visually engaging photos of the beautiful locations he comes across, Zion being a top favorite. When not traveling, Josh can be found at the climbing gym or hanging at the closest coffee shop. The opportunity to be part of such an amazing program like the Zion Forever Project is one he’s beyond grateful for and is eager to use his art in a way that makes a positive impact. ” See more of Josh’s work at: www.instagram.com/jashcrow/
Prajit Ravindran
Artist’s Statement:
“My name is Prajit Ravindran. I am a Software Engineer by profession and a landscape photographer by passion. I’ve been photographing for the last 15 years. I started my journey in the world of photography in 2007. I dabbled into different genres of photography before focusing on landscape photography. When I moved to Utah in 2011, I fell in love with the state. During the last 11+ years I have driven 160000+ miles exploring the rich, diverse landscape that Utah has to offer. My goal is to capture unique images that represent real moments of magic found in nature. I’m constantly striving to make unique images that stand out from the millions of images we see every single day.
My passion project for the last 4 years has been to capture images of the crescent moon and its alignment with planets or features of the landscape. There are 4-5 days in a month when it is possible to capture the best images of the crescent moon. I’ve been going out on all those days each month for the last 4 years. A lot of time I get skunked by the weather. However the days when everything works in your favor is very rewarding. I love visiting Zion National Park to capture images for this project. Zion National Park provides me with numerous opportunities to capture unique alignments of the moon with the beautiful features of the park. I also love the fact that I can visit this park and in spite of the park being very popular and busy almost every single day, I can still find places to hike to that provide solitude and help me to relax and recharge. I am honored and excited to be an official Creative Partner of the Zion National Park Forever Project. This opportunity enables me to give back to a place that has been a pivotal part of my journey as a landscape photographer.” See more of Prajit’s work at: www.instagram.com/irockutah/
Rachel Ross
Artist’s Statement:
“Rachel became a canyoneering guide outside Zion National Park, with her adage ‘work hard, play harder.’ Her fast paced lifestyle became pleasantly intertwined with photography, first as a means to slow down and smell the desert roses, and then eventually to showcase a variety of narratives. Using photos and video to tell these important stories has brought her all over the map from Patagonia to Tibet, with her heart remaining in little nooks surrounded by the sandstone she continues to call home.” See more of Rachel’s work at: www.instagram.com/rach4thesky/
Ryan White
Artist’s Statement:
“I’m an artist and photographer from the midwest. I didn’t grow up in a particularly beautiful area, so I found myself being inspired by the smallest details. Most times I found beauty in the mundane, the overlooked, or simply an every day occurrence, like our neighbor getting their newspaper off the front lawn during that morning glow you only see for a few moments.
Over the years I’ve expanded my perspective through travel. These special experiences came when I was older, so I’ll never take them for granted. Now I live in the great American southwest, where vast landscapes are around every corner. Zion and the surrounding parks are a luxury to me. I’ll never get used to them. I was thrilled when I was accepted into the Zion Forever Project’s Creative Partner Program. I’m both humbled and excited to see where this takes my creativity.” See more of Ryan’s work at: www.instagram.com/marble_rye/
Wade Wixom
Artist’s Statement:
“As the son of prominent outdoorsman Hartt Wixom, I developed a deep connection with nature at an early age. Nearly every weekend of my childhood was spent fishing, hunting and exploring the public lands of Utah. At 17, I began a 23 year career as a river guide in the Grand Canyon while earning a degree in Graphic Design/ Illustration at Brigham Young University and helping to raise 3 young children. Teaching art and computer graphics at the high school and college levels in southern Utah allowed time to continue summer employment guiding 10-day river trips on the Colorado River. I’ve made nearly 100 trips through the Grand Canyon and have spent more than a thousand nights sleeping under a canopy of stars in some of the most beautiful places on earth.
With my interest in art and photography and my passion for nature, I’ve been fortunate to spend the past 7 years as the Graphic Designer and Creative Manager for the Zion National Park Forever Project, painting the red-rock landscapes of the Colorado Plateau on weekends. Photography began as an outgrowth of my painting, but has gradually played a bigger role in my creative work. I love nature, public lands and the opportunity to express the awe and wonder I feel while exploring the scenic southwest.” See more of Wade’s work at: www.instagram.com/wadewixomart/
