Well, I am still in shock. The Embark Challenge Awards were held on November 6, 2025, and I am beyond humbled to share that Mabel and I were named the overall winners for not one, but two categories: Splash and Party Time.

And then came the moment that truly took my breath away. Out of 103 participants, 56 completed and submitted their final portfolios for judging. These portfolios were evaluated not just on creativity but on growth, storytelling, and improvement after feedback. I was thrilled to see friends’ names called for second and third place. But when they announced first place — they said my name.

Mabel and I had won First Place Portfolio for Embark 2025.

I sat there stunned, tears in my eyes, trying to process what had just happened. I had joined this challenge at the very last minute after receiving an email from Unleashed Education that asked, “Are you in a creative rut?” It felt like the universe had sent it directly to me.

2024 had been a hard year filled with some scary family medical emergencies that took a lot out of me emotionally and creatively. I was in a complete funk. I realized I had barely picked up my camera for anything personal, and Mabel — my muse, my heart — hadn’t been in front of it for far too long. This challenge felt like exactly what I needed to heal and find joy again.

Over the next six months, Mabel and I photographed our way across the Black Hills, creating images that captured everything from Badlands sunrises to Deadwood neon nights. It became about more than photography. It was therapy, connection, and laughter.

And I didn’t do it alone. I had my amazing support team — my husband and assistant Adam, my best friend and Mabel’s Aunt Toni, and my dear friend Stephanie, who has been my photo angel, my devil’s advocate, and my biggest cheerleader through every single challenge. Every other week, I anxiously waited to watch our feedback videos and see the amazing work from the other photographers in the cohort. It was inspiring to be surrounded by people who lifted each other up instead of competing.

I have been a photographer for what feels like forever, but I’ve only specialized in pets for the last four years, mostly in the studio. The Embark Challenge pushed me outdoors, forced me to problem solve, and reminded me how much I love creating for the simple joy of it. I didn’t go into this expecting to win anything, I just wanted to find my spark again. And wow, did I ever.

Thank you to everyone who helped me along the way, who held light stands, threw treats, offered advice, or simply cheered us on. And thank you to Charlotte and Craig at Unleashed Education for creating something so special. This challenge was the joy and distraction I didn’t even know I needed.

You can see all the Embark 2025 Award Winners here:

👉 https://www.unleashed.education/blog/embark-awards-2025-winner

And if you want to read about all our individual adventures, you can find them here:

🐩 Coloriffic
🏞️ Get Down
🌄 Dogscapes
⬆️ Up Ups
💭 Soul Searcher
🏛️ Composition 101
🌀 Say What
✨ Glow Up
🌆 City Slicker
🐾 Front Runner
💦 Splash
🫧 Party Time

Here’s to healing through art, finding joy in the everyday, and always saying yes to adventure.

— Erica (& Mabel)