Deb Schwedhelm

Born in Detroit, Michigan, Deb Schwedhelm was originally trained as a registered nurse and subsequently spent 10 years employed as a nurse in the Air Force. Although she has been passionate about photography since her early 20’s, it wasn’t until Deb left the military that she was finally able to pursue the medium as a full time career.

Deb’s photographs have been exhibited widely and featured in numerous publications throughout the world. She has received awards from PhotoNOLA, New Orleans, LA; MPLS Photo Center, Minneapolis, MN; The Perfect Exposures Gallery, Los Angeles, CA; A. Smith Gallery, Johnson City, TX; Santa Fe Photographic Workshops, Santa Fe, NM; and The Art of Photography Show, San Diego, CA. Deb was named one of the Top 50 in Critical Mass, 2013. Her photographs have also been selected for the permanent collection of The Center for Fine Art Photography, Fort Collins, CO.

Deb is married to a Naval Explosive Ordnance Disposal Officer, who is on the brink of retirement. Deb and her family are currently based in Virginia, where they will remain for the next six years. Once her children have graduated from high school, Deb and her husband will begin traveling the Americas via sailboat.

From the Sea

In this series, Deb is exploring a sense of place and belonging. Being in the military system for over 20 years, Deb and her family often live in a world of uncertainty. Untethered, without an anchor. The sea acts as an allegory of their lives, shifting and moving with the tides — forcing them to tread, swim and stay afloat through the changes, dictated by the sea. While Deb is photographing her children and friends, she is also photographing herself, moving in and out of focus, allowing the liquid world to illustrate my journey.  The photographs in this series were made in the waters of Florida, Minnesota and Asia between 2012 and 2016.

To view more of Deb’s work please visit her website.