For a recent shoot for Travel + Leisure, Denver-based editorial photographer Morgan Rachel Levy hit the slopes of Aspen, Colorado to photograph the locals. This was Levy’s first assignment for the magazine, and the editors asked for a variety of portraits of people with smiling faces for the “On Our Radar” section of the magazine. “I guess based on the work in my portfolio, they were a bit nervous,” Levy told PDN via email. “But fortunately they were able to see past some of my dour-faced portraits and hired me for the shoot anyway.”

Levy spent two days in Aspen shooting skiers, restaurant and hotel staff, customers and scenery. She worked with an assistant and a local PR rep, who helped with location-scouting and people-wrangling. “For the most part, I stalked interesting people on the street and on the mountain that caught my eye, ranging from octogenarians to stylish five-year olds.”

Despite a budget that didn’t necessarily allow for it, Levy shot mostly film, a format she enjoys more than digital. “I was so thrilled to be shooting for Travel +Leisure and wanted to make the best images possible. For me, those pictures still live on a piece of film and not a digital sensor…. I think it’s sometimes worth taking a minor financial hit to create work you feel proud of.”

To see more of Levy’s work, please visit her website or check out her Instagram.