A Traverse City photographer has turned her own apprehension about turning 40 into an empowering artistic project that celebrates women over 40. Jamie Kirschner, owner of Crackerjack Photography, launched her "40 Over 40" photo series in spring 2024 after feeling uneasy about approaching the milestone birthday herself.
Kirschner has spent the past year photographing 40 northern Michigan women over the age of 40 from her studio and event rental space located in the original Mundos Roasting building across from The Kitchen. The images capture women in moments of pure joy – jumping with excitement, lost in thoughtful reflection, or caught mid-laugh as metallic confetti falls around them.
The project stems from Kirschner's desire to challenge negative cultural perceptions about aging women. "I really wanted to do this project to show myself that it wasn't something to be afraid of and it could actually be something that's celebrated, that there are things to look forward to," she explained. She emphasized that reaching a certain age doesn't mean life becomes less vibrant or meaningful.
Kirschner describes the photo series as integral to processing the next decade of her life while exploring what it means to maintain momentum as the years progress. "It's not like you reach a certain age and then you just expire or it goes downhill after that," she added, reflecting on society's often unfavorable attitudes toward women of a certain age.
The project has been featured in this week's Northern Express, a sister publication of The Ticker. The Northern Express is available to read online or can be picked up free at more than 650 locations across 13 counties in northern Michigan. Through her lens, Kirschner is reshaping the narrative around aging and showing that turning 40 can be a cause for celebration rather than concern.
