The Journey No One Saw Coming

I didn’t set out to win awards.
I set out to live a life that mattered.
One that felt aligned — not expected. One that broke molds — not followed maps.

I started as a Psychology student, deeply fascinated with how people think, feel, and cope. But life, as it does, had other plans. I became an RN. I cared for people through their darkest, most vulnerable moments. I learned what holding space truly meant. What it meant to be the calm in chaos.

But something kept tugging at me — quietly at first, then loudly enough that I couldn’t ignore it. Creativity. Connection. Legacy. A different way to serve.

So I pivoted. I picked up a camera.

At first, it felt wild — leaving a “stable” profession to capture headshots, brand images, and storytelling portraits. But soon I realized I wasn’t just taking photos.

I was helping people see themselves — maybe for the first time.
I was helping women launch dreams, build brands, reclaim their confidence.
I was helping chefs reveal their scars, not just their sauces.
I was giving voice to the quiet, light to the unseen.

Fast forward to today…

📣 Lehigh Valley Style’s Most Influential Woman of the Year, 2025.

This isn’t about the title. It’s about the journey.
About every version of me that brought me here — the overwhelmed nurse, the burnt-out mom, the scared woman launching a business on faith, not funding.
It’s for every 3 a.m. brainstorming session, every “no” that forced a bolder “yes,” every time I chose purpose over perfection.

So today I accept this award with tears in my eyes, grit in my soul, and a fierce fire in my heart.

Not just for me.
But for you — the woman reading this, wondering if her dream is too big, too messy, or too late.

It’s not.
Keep going.
Build the thing.
Tell the story.
Break the boundary.
Say yes to the life that’s waiting on the other side of your fear.

If this RN-turned-photographer-turned-brand-builder can do it, so can you.

Zero Limits. Always.
— Elaine Zelker