Sometimes in life, great things come in small packages. When Boston-based commercial photographer Webb Chappell arrived at the home of Juli Windsor and her husband, Blake, for a recent shoot for InTouch Ministries magazine, he found “an amazing life force” in one of these packages.
Standing at just three feet, nine inches tall, Juli recently became the first woman with dwarfism to finish the Boston Marathon. For a race that is held in such high regard by even the most proficient of runners, this is no small feat for a woman of Juli’s size. Running can be particularly difficult for people with dwarfism because the condition often comes with spinal problems, and the impact is tough on such a small frame.
Webb showed up early and chatted with Juli about possible shot ideas, decided on natural light for spontaneity and feel, and simply let the shoot unfold.
Juli has been interested in running ever since high school, with her top goal (like so many other runners) being the Boston Marathon. Although she almost made it in 2013, the tragic bombings occurred with Juli only 1/2 mile from the finish. She trained all through the rough winter and finally crossed the finish line in 2014.
Webb’s only challenge with this shoot was running backwards while trying to get some good running shots of Juli. In the opening shot (below), Juli is laughing as Webb almost ran backwards straight into a tree branch. He definitely made the most of it!