For Wheeling-based photographer Anna Fonner, the heart of her work is simple: to help families see the beauty in their everyday lives. As the owner of ARK Photography, she has built a career around capturing raw, unscripted, emotional moments. But in 2023, while living in Greenville, South Carolina, she began a portrait initiative that may be her most meaningful work yet. Known as SOULSHINE, the project has since found a home in Wheeling and continues to grow.
A Creative Calling From the Start
Anna’s love for photography began when she was just 12 years old. “In middle school, I had a subscription to National Geographic. I never read a word of it—I just obsessively flipped through the photos over and over,” she recalls. That passion quickly turned into practice when she received her first camera for her birthday. Not long after, she won first place in the Ohio County Fair with a tulip photograph. “I felt like I was on top of the world and never looked back.”
In 2010, Anna officially launched ARK Photography, beginning as a documentary wedding and engagement photographer. Over the years, her focus evolved into what fulfills her most: documenting families and children. “Documentary photography is definitely my favorite. It forces me to be completely in the moment with my subject. Everything else in the world fades away, and my connection with them is all that matters.”
Though Anna and her husband spent eight years living away from Wheeling, they felt called to return. “We moved back to be closer to our family. We wanted our boys to experience the joy of having their grandparents in their life and endless summers playing with cousins,” she says.
That sense of rootedness is something Anna treasures, especially now that she experiences the Ohio Valley through her sons’ eyes. Beyond her photography, she serves as a Councilwoman in the Village of Bethlehem and as a Commissioner on the Arts and Cultural Commission. And at home, she finds balance in her garden. “Sitting in my garden watching the butterflies, listening to the humming of the honey bees, and teaching our boys about all the winged creatures that visit has become a daily ritual for us.”
Seeing Every Child’s Light
It was becoming a parent that changed the way Anna viewed photography most profoundly. “The little things carry so much weight and beauty to me now,” she says. “I love capturing the beauty in the mundane of everyday life. Being able to show another family how beautiful their life is right now—that’s what I love most.”
That same belief inspired the project that has become her passion. While living in South Carolina, she noticed how many families relied solely on school portraits for photographs of their children. “I realized that for some families, the only photos they had of their children were the ones provided by picture days at school — and even then, there are families that are unable to purchase them,” she explains.
Her response was to create SOULSHINE, an initiative offering free, joyful portraits of children in a safe and welcoming environment. Now, through a partnership with the Ohio County Public Library, she is able to bring that vision to families here in Wheeling. The very first session will be held on Saturday, September 27th, 2025 at the library, and it’s just the beginning of many more to come.
To register, please email: Carrie.leib@ohiocountylibrary.org
“I want all families to have access to beautiful, joyful portraits of their children,” Anna says. “I want them to see their soul shine, no matter what their family circumstance is. Most importantly, I want children and families to feel a sense of wellbeing and connection.”
Looking Ahead With Hope
Partnering with the library has given SOULSHINE local roots, and Anna hopes to see it grow through continued community partnerships. “Community is where my heart is, personally and with ARK Photography,” she says. “Through this work and through my documentary family sessions, I want to provide images that celebrate childhood, strengthen family bonds, and foster a sense of belonging.”
For Anna, this is more than photography. It’s about helping families recognize the extraordinary beauty in their everyday lives.
“My heart is bursting with joy over this project and the support it’s received,” Anna says.
