See life through a new lens with photographer Molly Wolff. She’s an outdoor enthusiast with a creative side and an exhilarating perspective. Molly rips jeans, sleeps in her van, lays down in the mud, runs alongside rivers, climbs rocks, stuffs herself in holes, battles copperhead snakes, and lives for photography. If she has to drive like a madwoman to chase down the perfect storm or sunset she’s there.

Molly is a juried artist of Tamarack: The Best of West Virginia. Last month she participated in Lewisburg’s Share the Love Fest and her work has been featured with Blue Ridge Outdoors, Mountain Magazine, WV South, WV Weddings, The New River Gorge Guide, WV Explorer, ACE Adventure Resort, Adventures on the Gorge, New River Climbing School, Wild Mountain Soap Company, We Love Rivers, Lafayette Flatts, Kroger and more! Learn how Molly describes her artistic palette and how she became a photographer with our LBSPY “WV Artist on Display” Q&A:

1. How do you describe your palette?
My palette incorporates mostly blues, deep greens and golden browns with a hint of haze. I like to shoot on overcast days for optimal color saturation and dreamy tones. There are so many things that make a great shot. My favorite element to incorporate is motion. I love to show a train moving, a river flowing, clouds passing, grass swaying. Motion invokes more the senses in an image that just sight. It helps trigger a sounds or even a feeling for the viewer.

2. What’s your greatest accomplishment?
My greatest accomplishment is realizing that I can live my dream of being a full time photographer and breaking away from other occupations that have not fulfilled me. The accomplishment has been facing my fears and being willing to take great risks.

3. What obstacles do you need to overcome to find your creative space/muse?
My greatest obstacle is when I feel like I need to get out and shoot for work. This is not ideal. I need to get out unpressured and without a great mission. When I set out to simply explore and play I create the best.

4. How do you find your inspiration?
I find inspiration through exploration. I try to be open minded and allow for my subjects to call to me. If I allow myself to experiment my creativity flows much stronger.

5. How did you get started in photography?
I have always had a camera and I have always taken photos. I remember saving allowance money as a kid to purchase film. Whenever we were on a trip as a family, I would be the one to document everything. In high school I had the opportunity to learn more and go manual. I took a few photography classes, and yes this was before digital. Learning to shoot with film and process in a dark room gave me a solid foundation. At that point in my life my two greatest passions were outdoor adventures and photography. Over the years, I invested in pro gear, built a website, acquired a business license, and quit my job. Today, I get to play outdoors and make a living selling my images. It took realizing that unless I took a great risk and faced possible failure I would never really have the profession I dreamed of.

5. What advice do you have for other artists?
Don’t listen to people who say your field is over saturated or there is no future in your career. Don’t try to be like other artists. Grow and develop your unique style and it will set you apart from the rest.

7. Where is your art available?
Tamarack, Serenity Now Outfitters, Fine Art America, and Swift Water General Store. I am setting up an artist booth at several events this summer including: Charleston’s Festivall and the Mountain Music Festival (in Minden) this June; the Mountain State Art & Craft Fair in Ripley in July; the Augusta Festival in Elkins this August; and Bridge Day in October.

8. How may our readers contact you?
My portfolio is available at MollyWolffPhotography.com. Please connect with me at my website or @MollyWolffPhotography on facebook and instagram. For any questions or comments, my email is mollywolffphotography@gmail.com

– LBSPY #66, June 2015