Behind her lens, Carmel Valley photographer Jessica Napier Faehnle finds the art in every body, in every strong or graceful or purposeful movement.

“The Movement Project”, her portrait celebration of athletes, dancers, and movers of all kinds of body types and abilities, will be on display on Tuesday, Oct. 10 at AleSmith Brewing Company from 6-9 p.m.

“It is a project that shows appreciation for the human within the body and the great things the body is capable of,” Napier Faehnle said. “I want to pay tribute to the incredible humans that have made this project possible. They are the true stars and have such beautiful stories. I just happened to have captured their images in their most active and wonderful form.”

While her career has taken her in a few different directions, Napier Faehnle has always had a love for photography, “I picked up a camera when I was five years old and never stopped,” she said.

With her business, Napier J Photography, she specializes in portraits and headshots but sports and movement are her true passions. A former professional dancer in New York City for many years, she has been an athlete and a mover her entire life.

“I move every day,” said Napier Faehnle, who still dances, does CrossFit and performs with a Zumba dance group.

The idea for “The Movement Project” came when she moved to Carmel Valley four and half years ago. New in town and soon followed by a global pandemic, she didn’t know many people so she began a quest to find possible portrait subjects, those interested in building their model portfolios or showcasing an amazing weight loss transformation. It began rolling from there.

As the project progressed, she began asking to photograph her friends, many of whom were reluctant at first, saying they weren’t a model or an athlete. But Napier Faehnle sees something inside of everyone and wanted to celebrate their body for being able to play tennis or walk a mile every day.

“Everybody is worthy and everybody is an athlete and a mover,” she said.

For the project, she photographed over 40 people, subjects from ages two to 75 years old, including her two young daughters. Many of her subjects were nervous at first but at the end of the no-frills, relaxed sessions, she said people would hold their heads up with pride and smile. When seeing the finished product, often people would look at their body with surprise, “That’s me?”

“There is a special light inside of people that they don’t recognize,” says Napier Faehnle. It’s her job to bring it out.

The exhibit will be in the large event space at AleSmith with food, beverages and a raffle, a way to build community and celebrate all of the participants. Napier Faehnle did one exhibition many years ago in New York City but this will be her first art show really stepping into her power as a photographer: “It’s a great way to step into who I really am,” she said.

Tickets to “The Movement Project” are $10. AleSmith is located at 9990 AleSmith Court, San Diego, 92126. Learn more about Napier J Photography at napierjphotography.com/