Emmy Warner stepped into the Michigan Birds series with curiosity and joy, arriving with a handful of birds in mind.
We landed on the European Starling — a bird known for its ever-shifting plumage. From a distance it reads as black, but in the light it reveals flashes of green, purple, and oil-slick iridescence. A bird that transforms depending on how you look at it.
And Emmy met it there.
Her hair caught the light in a way that made the entire look shimmer — like the bird itself, revealing depth and brilliance in motion.
How We Met
I first met Emmy at the Cosmic Bodies fashion show, and we reconnected later at a Latin Dance night at The B.O.B.
Our conversations quickly circled around color, movement, and the way clothing changes how we carry ourselves. Emmy has stepped into modeling later than many, navigating the internal voice that says you don’t belong — and choosing to show up anyway.
At Michigan Fashion Fest, she placed herself into something new, unfamiliar, and expansive.
And she rose to it.
Who She Is
Emmy is the owner of Dynamic Energy Studio, where she creates handcrafted signage with over a decade of experience working across mediums — from sandblasted wood to gold leaf to carved lettering.
Her work is tactile. Grounded. Made by hand.
And yet, she also carries a playful, exploratory energy — bringing bird illustrations from a recent trip to Australia and cultivating creative practices like drawing and dance to keep her hands and mind moving.
She is both maker and mover.
Why These Colors
The European Starling is known for its ability to mimic the sounds of other birds, adapting to new environments and learning as it goes.
That adaptability felt deeply aligned with Emmy.
She has stepped into new spaces — modeling, performance, creative exploration — not because she had mastered them, but because she was willing to try, observe, and grow.
Like the starling, she listens, learns, and then becomes.
The palette we chose reflected this depth:
- Raven Black
- Imperial Purple
- Olive Drab
At first glance, these tones feel dark and grounded. But in the light, they shift — revealing dimension, subtle color, and quiet radiance.
Just like Emmy.
The Look
We built a layered look that echoed the starling’s iridescent plumage:
- Imperial Purple stretch denim
- Raven Black scarf halter
- Olive Drab scarf kerchief
- Raven Black rayon wrap shawl
The purple held the depth of the bird’s hidden color.
The black anchored the center — strong and defining.
The olive drab softened the transitions, like shadow blending into light.
Emmy used the rayon wrap as both garment and movement piece — pulling it over her head, letting it catch the wind, playing with it as she moved.
It wasn’t static.
It shimmered.
The Session
We shot at Riverside Park on a bright but cold afternoon.
The sun was out, but the landscape still carried the stillness of winter — muted, quiet, almost dormant.
And then there was Emmy.
Alive.
She moved with the wind, climbed trees, and danced along the riverbank with a grounded freedom that felt both earthy and expansive. At moments, it felt like she was taking flight — not in a dramatic way, but in a deeply rooted, connected way.
Like she belonged to both the sky and the ground.
Color Connection
These are deep winter tones — Raven Black, Olive Drab, Imperial Purple.
Colors that don’t shout, but hold.
Many of us crave these shades when we’re in seasons of reflection, growth, or quiet transformation. They allow us to feel grounded while still carrying complexity beneath the surface.
These are the colors of depth, shadow, and subtle brilliance.
And when worn fully, they reveal just how much light can live inside darkness.
Find Your Bird
Every person carries a bird within them — sometimes hidden, sometimes waiting for the right light to appear.
The Michigan Birds series is about discovering that reflection through color, movement, and presence.
If you’re ready to explore your own transformation, I’d love to create that space with you.
✨Book a session and let’s find your bird. ✨
