A Colorado Herbalism Branding Session with Sunray Herbs (Eben G. Fine Park)

Branding Photographer in Boulder, Colorado 

There’s something magical about photographing someone right in the midst of transition, that tender in-between where one chapter is closing and another is opening. That’s exactly the energy of my branding session with Rachel Cook, herbalist and founder of Sunray Herbs, captured just days before she left Colorado and turned to the lush green of the Pacific Northwest.

We met at Eben G. Fine Park in Boulder, surrounded by cottonwoods, flowing creek water, and that soft golden light Colorado does so well and wandered up towards the hills nearby. As someone who also works with herbs and nourishment, I felt immediately connected to Rachel’s gentle presence and grounded approach to healing and I love getting to connect with her about plants. She is always full of great ideas for what to make for dinner or how to quickly transform a few ingredients into an amazing sauce. 

This session wasn’t simply a photoshoot.  It was a celebration of her time in Colorado, her friends, her herbal studies here, and the clients she has supported. And it was also a chance to create imagery that will carry her work forward into her new PNW chapter.

Meet Rachel: Herbalist, Educator, and Gut-Health Guide

Colorado herbalist photos • Boulder gut health support • hormone balancing herbs

Rachel’s path into herbalism began with her own healing journey. Before she ever mixed an herbal infusion or studied materia medica, she was someone simply trying to understand her digestion, her stress levels, and what her body needed.

As she shared:

“I struggled with gut health for many years, and it wasn’t until attending herb school that I figured out the root of my issues.”

This kind of lived experience is what shapes her offerings today — especially her passion for supporting people through:

• Gut health and digestive function

• PMS and menstrual cycle challenges

• PCOS support

• Perimenopause shifts

• Stress and nervous system nourishment

• Mineral-rich herbal infusions

Her work is both practical and deeply caring — and her clients feel that immediately.

Herbal Tools, Yarrow, and the Importance of Learning

During the shoot, Rachel carried a woven basket filled with herbs — including yarrow, which felt like the perfect symbol of her work.

Yarrow (Achillea millefolium) has been used traditionally for centuries and is often associated with:

• Boundaries + energetic protection

• Resilience

• Supporting the body’s natural cycles

• Seasonal transitions

We photographed her holding it and integrated it naturally into the shoot.

There are also several images of her reading and studying herbs, which reflect how seriously she takes education. Herbalism is a lifelong learning path. A path that that requires curiosity, research, respect for tradition, and thoughtful application. I loved documenting that part of her practice. It’s easy to romanticize herbs, but Rachel brings a grounded, well-informed approach that honors both science and ancestral wisdom.

Our Conversation: A Written Interview with Rachel Cook of Sunray Herbs

I absolutely loved weaving her words into this session. Here is the full Q&A we shared, now included as part of her story.

Was there a personal experience that inspired you to focus on gut health and hormones?

Rachel:
“Yes! I have struggled with gut health for many years and it wasn't until attending herb school that I finally was able to figure out what was at the root of my issues and my digestion is so much better today as a result.

I learned to really listen to my body, to nourish myself with foods that agree with me and to avoid those that don't and to understand the connection between gut health and stress. Of course making medicinal-strength herbal infusions almost daily certainly has been one of the greatest gifts I could give my body as well.

As for hormones, I have seen so many women come into Rebecca's Apothecary wanting support with PMS, PCOS and perimenopause. I myself have had an irregular cycle before and I know just how challenging this can be.

I have seen herbs really shine here as well by helping provide vitamins and minerals, support our detox pathways and help us to adapt to life's challenges. Herbalism reminds us to follow our body's natural rhythms and rather than thinking of our cycle as a burden, to think of it as a health monitoring system.

We are actually so lucky as women to have this!” 

How do you blend modern nutritional science with traditional herbal wisdom in your practice?

Rachel:
“I love this question! I am a big fan of clinical trials when it comes to herbs. However, there simply is not enough. Generally, studies on isolated constituents to be used in pharmaceuticals are what get funding priority in this country. However, we have a beautiful materia medica from thousands of years of traditional knowledge to pull from when the clinical studies we seek are lacking. But truly the best way to get to know an herb is through personal experience so I make an effort to try new herbs all of the time and in as many different forms as I can. This was something I was taught to do in herbalism school and I love how simple and powerful this practice is.“

How do you define holistic wellness?

Rachel:
“I think of holistic wellness as whole body wellness at the root. Rather than considering something like a headache to be related to say our brain, holistically it could be an imbalance related to nearly any body system. Everything is connected. The root is also important because we must consider what is causing that imbalance in the first place. We wouldn't just take a tincture to make the headache go away, but we would also consider what our body is trying to tell us with this symptom. It is all about backing it up and maybe I am biased but more often than not, these things begin in the gut :)“

How do seasonal changes influence the way you support your clients’ health?

Rachel:

“This is another great question and so important to consider. This goes back to living in rhythm with our natural cycles. I frequently remind clients that their diet, lifestyle and tea blends will shift during different seasons to support our body's physiology and needs. For example, I would not be recommending that someone start incorporating more smoothies in the winter. Rather, I would recommend a gorgeous green soup instead if their aim was to get more greens into their diet. Similarly, I wouldn't be formulaying a chai style herbal tea in the summertime because this would be far too warming for this hot season.”

If you could offer one message to people struggling with their health, what would it be?

Rachel:
“Less is always more.”

The Photoshoot: Earthy, Warm, and Rooted in Place

Boulder branding photographer • Colorado outdoor photos • wellness brand photography

We leaned into:

• Colorado sunlight

• The natural greens of Eben G. Fine Park

• Her books, notebooks, and plant guides

• Herbal tools and baskets

• Yarrow, plants, books and making medicine

The result is a collection of photos that feel grounded, nourishing, and deeply connected to her work.

Serving Colorado

branding photographer •herbalist photos • wellness branding

I’m based in Boulder and love photographing:

• Herbalists

• Birth and postpartum workers

• Wellness practitioners

• Creatives and makers

• Plant-centered businesses

Photographing Rachel reminded me just how special Colorado is — with its wide-open skies, mountain air, rich plant medicine traditions, and the amazing community of healers and makers here.

I’m grateful to be based in Colorado and to work with so many inspiring herbalists, wellness practitioners, and creatives across the state.

If you’re in Colorado and looking for thoughtful, grounded branding photography that truly reflects your story, I’d love to connect and create something beautiful with you.

Connect With Rachel Cook

Website: sunrayherbs.com
Instagram: @sunrayherbs

Ready for Your Own Branding Session?

Whether you’re an herbalist, postpartum worker, maker, or someone building a heart-centered business, branding photos help your clients feel connected to you before they ever meet you.

A couple of tips if you’re thinking about booking a branding session:

• Bring a few meaningful props that tell your story — like herbs, tools, books, or anything you love working with.

• Pack a couple of outfit changes so we can capture different sides of your brand vibe — from casual and cozy to polished and professional.

These little extras help make your session feel natural, authentic, and uniquely you.

Let’s tell your story — in Colorado or wherever your work is rooted. 🌿