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Soul Archetype Portrait Journeys
in Asheville, NC

Empowerment Photography & Coaching for Women
Integrating Every Part of Themselves in Life and Work

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 Hey there, I'm Melinda.

As an Asheville, NC Photographer and Women's Empowerment Coach, I guide women through transformational portrait journeys that merge coaching, embodiment, and art.

Each experience begins with embodiment coaching, guided visualization and intention-setting to help you inhabit your next chapter with confidence and grace.

The resulting portraits become sacred mirrors & visual reminders of your integration, power, and wholeness.

"I believe portraiture can be more than an picture. It can be ritual ~ a mirror that reveals the hidden facets within us, guiding us back to power, beauty, & wholeness."

asheville portrait photographer
Asheville womens photographer

You are not just one woman...

Inside you live the Queen, the Witch, the Nymph, the Crone, the Mother, the Sage, the Wild Woman, the Slut, the Rebel,— and more still waiting to be revealed.

Too often, life’s transitions: marriage, divorce, motherhood, loss, midlife — bury these parts or make us forget them.

 

This journey is your invitation to call them back.

natural boudoir photography
ritual photography
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on your portrait journey...

You'll experience a deep union and homecoming within yourself.

The Journey begins with somatic and intuitive coaching to discover the Archetype leading you into your next chapter.

 

The path then unfolds into a ritual portrait experience where you step into that archetype fully — letting her move through your body, your breath, your gaze.

The Journey culminates in images that carry her potent essence. and your Portrait Grimoire —

a sacred artifact, a forever album of your reclaimed self.

This book is more than a keepsake photo album.

It becomes a guide back to self-acceptance,

a touchstone you can return to whenever you lose your way.

 

Some women come back year after year, creating new volumes as they evolve. For others, the grimoire becomes a legacy heirloom and a gift of reclamation to pass down to their daughters.

"The photos are stunning, yes, but they are more than images, they are reminders of who I am at my core."

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What Clients Say

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"Each pose, each breath, felt like an initiation into the next layer of myself. Melinda created such a safe and inspiring space that I could fully embody the woman I was calling forth.
 
I saw myself as I have longed to be seen, and it gave me the confidence to show my family, “This is who I am.”"

Jeanie~ Mom, Occupational Therapist & Women's Coach

The Talismanic Art Experience

"The photos are stunning, yes, but they are more than images, they are reminders of who I am at my core." ~ Soul Archetype Client

Your private gallery is a sacred place to sit with your portraits after the reveal~
a quiet temple where you commune with your archetype.

From this view-only space, you select your most potent images that will become your Portrait Grimoire™, altar prints, or wall talismans to anchor your 

transformation into your reality.​

I personally design, order, and deliver each piece, ensuring your artwork arrives as a true sacred artifact.

"Through ritual portraiture, we don’t just create images ~ we create sacred artifacts. Each portrait is a reclamation, and each book a touchstone you can return to, a legacy of self-love to pass forward."

Soul Archetype Client Galleries

Archetypes are universal, yet no two women express them the same way.
These galleries of past clients show how different women bring personal archetypes to life

as an inspiration for your own journey.

Who will you become?

Click an image to explore their gallery:

Jeanie's Spiral with her Inner Jaguar

At Wintergreen Falls, Dupont Forest

Jaguar ~ Snail

womens empowerment photography

Melinda's Re-wilding Journey

At Her Home

Fairy - Queen - Lover

healing photography

Jamie Embraces the Priestess

At Her Home on the Swannanoa River

Priestess ~ Quiet Feminine Confidence

Asheville adventure photographer

Your Journey

Coming Soon!

portraits asheville
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This 3-part Experience fuses...

​Archetype coaching, ritual portraiture, and creative collaboration — designed to help you see yourself through the eyes of your eternal self. Unlike a traditional portrait or boudoir session, this is not a single day of posing for the camera. Rather it's a multi-session journey into becoming yourself. Our time together begins with deep conversation and creative direction, flows into a guided embodiment experience where the archetype moves through you, and culminates in a collaborative reveal of the images that hold her essence. It’s not just about how you look — it’s about how you feel when you see yourself clearly, and the story that unfolds when you do. ​ Session 1 — Archetype Visioning (1.5 hrs) We begin with an in-depth coaching and creative direction session where we explore the archetype calling to you — who she is, why she’s emerging now, and how you long to embody her. Together we design the visual mood and narrative of your session, from lighting and location to wardrobe and emotional tone. ​ Session 2 — Embodiment & Photoshoot (1.5–2 hrs) Your photoshoot becomes a living ritual. Through intuitive prompts and embodied coaching cues, you’ll move beyond posing into presence — allowing the archetype to reveal herself through you. This is where the magic happens: photography as initiation. ​ Session 3 — The Reveal & Refinement (1 hr) In our final session, we review your gallery together. You’ll see a curated selection of top images and collaborate on the finishing touches — including feedback on color tones and preset moods — before I complete the final edits. When your full gallery is ready, you’ll have the opportunity to design and order your Portrait Grimoire™, a sacred art book capturing your transformation. This can be a deeply impactful launchpad into your next era — whether you are becoming The Mother, The Sage, The Executive, The Rebel. One powerful journey can help you claim your authentic power and see yourself as the woman you are becoming.

"Tell the story only a picture can write."

The Soul Archetype Portrait Paths

3 Journeys of varying depths. Choose your own Adventure.
Not sure which is right for you? Book your initial consult for any path
and I can help you decide which is right for you.

The Soul Archetype Portrait Journey

The Signature 3-part experience blending archetype coaching, ritual portraiture, and creative collaboration. The Process: Inquiry Call ~ Jump on a 20 minute meet and greet call where we see if we're a good fit for working together. Session 1 – Archetype Visioning Explore the archetype calling to you and design the visual mood, lighting, and wardrobe for your session. ​ Session 2 – Embodiment & Photoshoot Step into her energy through a guided photo-coaching experience where Portraiture meets healing and intuitive coaching prompts replace posing direction Session 3 – The Reveal & Artwork Design View a ritual slideshow of the artwork and collaborate on the design of your custom Portrait Grimoire™, Talismanic Wall Art, and Altar Prints to anchor your transformation in your everyday life. Transformation Journey: $777 Typical Artwork Orders range from $495 for the base Portrait Grimoire - $1,595 for a Signature Archetype Bundle including a 60 image Portrait Grimoire, Large Talismanic Framed Wall Art, Altar Portrait, and the corresponding digitals. *payment plans and Afterpay available.

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"Each pose, each breath, felt like an initiation into the next layer of myself. Melinda created such a safe and inspiring space that I could fully embody the woman I was calling forth."
~Jeanie

The Soul Portrait Alchemy Immersion

A Year of Becoming through Art, Embodiment, and Transformation The Soul Portrait Alchemy Immersion is a sacred, year-long mentorship blending Archetype Coaching, Somatic + Hypnotic Embodiment, and Ritual Portraiture. Across four seasons, you’ll experience four complete Soul Archetype Portrait Journeys — one for each elemental season of your becoming: Spring, Summer, Autumn, and Winter. Each season invites you to embody a new archetype through ritual, coaching, and fine-art portraiture — creating an evolving visual mythology of your transformation. Over the year, these portraits become living mirrors of your power, growth, and wisdom — tangible symbols of who you are becoming. ​ This journey gives your nervous system the spaciousness it needs to integrate lasting change, calm photo nerves, and translate your images into real-life momentum. It’s designed for women seeking deep transformation, accountability, and creative awakening — not just stunning portraits. ​ Transformation Journey: $2,999 Typical Artwork Orders range from $1,111 for the Portrait Grimoire Soul Archetype Anthology Edition- $2,444 for a 60 image Portrait Grimoire and 4 Talismanic Framed Wall Art (including the corresponding digitals). You have the opportunity to order artwork after each chapter of your journey and at the end of the year. *Payment plans and Afterpay available

"The experience was profoundly therapeutic. I left feeling stronger, more rooted, and with a renewed sense of confidence that I continue to carry with me. The photos are stunning, yes, but they are more than images, they are reminders of who I am at my core." ~Jamie

​Archetype Initiation Portrait
Mini Session​

1 day Ritual Portrait Experience​ ​ Day 1 (~3 hours total) Hour 1 – Intuitive Archetype Reading & Photoshoot Visioning Plan​ Hour 2 – Embodiment & Photoshoot: Step into her energy through a guided photo-coaching experience where Portraiture meets healing, and intuitive coaching prompts replace posing direction Day 2: Integration & Reveal (45 min) Integrate your experience and receive a preview a of your most potent images. Collaborate on Designing your Portrait Grimoire Album, Talismanic Wall Art, and Altar Prints. Transformation Journey: $444 Typical Artwork Orders range from $295 for a Talismanic Wall Art Portrait- $749 for an Invocation Bunde including 15 image Invocation Portrait Grimoire, 11x14 Talismanic Framed Wall Art, and a small Altar Print (including the corresponding digitals). *Payment plans and Afterpay available

"Every woman deserves to feel powerful, sensual, and at home in her own skin. My work creates the safety to explore every facet of who you are, so you can be seen, celebrated, and remembered."
~Melinda

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© 2025 by Melinda Raines

Soul Archetype Portrait Journeys & The Portrait Grimoire

Asheville empowerment photographer, Asheville portrait photographer for women, Transformational photography Asheville, Archetype portrait photographer Asheville, Women’s portrait photographer Asheville,

Fine-art portrait photography Asheville,  Asheville Natural Boudoir Photograper

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