She was so enthusiastic about her upcoming shoot, yet so, SO nervous. I could feel her anxiety through email. I got a really spot-on feel for her personality and style through the words that she wrote in her first few messages. Before even laying eyes on her, I knew exactly the approach we would take for this session.
On the day of the shoot, Miss "W" came in with her tea and her all black everything. A girl after my own heart. It's no secret that black is my favorite color. I see a red door and I want to paint it black (second favorite song reference!). I'm also a mega bodysuit fan. And a fan of tea and hashtags. And a fan of people who own their style. We were going to get along swimmingly and I knew that when she said "I'm kind of visualizing all of these being in black and white."
I'm going to keep my own commentary to a minimum because her words are SO important. Read them. Seriously.
“Attract what you expect, reflect what you desire, become what you respect, + mirror what you admire.”
"Seriously. I don't think you EVEN know how much this whole experience means to me. Thank you thank you thank you thank you thank you!"
"A little over a year ago, I started my own business. It's been an amazing whirlwind experience of #getitgirl ... venturing into the uncomfortable world of self doubt on numerous occasions. Confidence is a little thing that I had always been lacking. There was always someone just a little bit better. There was always someone a littler more creative. 'I've never done this before' ... 'how the hell am I going to get this done?!' ... 'Why did I even say yes?!' ... 'I can't do this.'
So for the past year I've been really focusing on working harder than anyone else I know, pushing myself further creatively than I ever have before, + experiencing every opportunity to the fullest capacity that my little brain [+ heart] could hold.
I'm a true believer in 'fake it 'til you make it'... + 'make it work.' I say yes, + then figure it out afterwards. Mirror what you admire, right?
But. Let me tell you, girl. I DREADED saying yes to my photoshoot. Dreaded. Ugh.
However I knew that it would completely blow my husband away. Something that he would NEVER imagine I would do. So I HAD to do it."
"So, tonight I gave him a car & driver magazine, with one of the images tucked inside.... at the dinner table. I told him that his birthday present was inside.
It was SO fun to completely catch him off guard while he was just nonchalantly flipping through the pages. He was totally confused, + didn't even realize that it was me he was looking at. His reaction was PRICELESS. The first words out of his mouth?? "Wow babe, I'm really proud of you."
Not "this is hot!" or "you're so sexy"... but ... "I'm proud of you."
Of course, i started crying.
But it was EXACTLY the whole point of this entire thing. CONFIDENCE."
"Not to just have some photos to flip through when he feels like it. But to show him that I'm not just some "mom" who is overworked, exhausted, and usually highly caffeinated. To show him that I'm willing to push myself of out my comfort zone. To show him that I DO feel sexy, that I can still rock it, and that I'm not afraid to do something not just for him...but for myself. #confidenceiseverything
We had this whole long conversation about my "journey" to do this... [like seriously!? when does a husband ever said "tell me about your journey...."] so it was so so great for us to talk through everything I felt + experienced through the whole thing. SUCH GREAT MEMORIES."
"I'm sure that you hear all the time how transforming your photoshoots are... but seriously. It's so much MORE than just feeling sexy. It's the confidence of GET IT GIRL, of not backing out, of HOLY SHIT I DID THAT.
So THANK YOU, Kara. thank you TREMENDOUSLY. You have totally changed my life.
I canNOT wait to do it all over again, soon!"
I am so grateful to have been able to meet, photograph, and share this journey with this woman/mom/business owner. Yet another example of why I do what I do with such passion.
Can you identify with her? I sure as shit can!