For the past few years I have been focusing on finding my niche in the world of photography.  Ever since high school I have been drawn towards portrait photography - especially head shot style or modeling composite style images.  Over the years I have explored wedding photography, newborns, kids, and families, but nothing excites me the way that beauty photography has.  There is something energizing about working one on one with an individual to construct the very best image of them.  So, after years of exploring the industry I decided that I really wanted to start focusing on what it was that I was passionate about and so I overhauled my business plan, changed my logo, redesigned my website, and got to work creating a whole new experience for my clients.  

Jessica was one of my first clients to book a beauty experience.  She came with her good friend Sara (who you will meet next week) to experience a unique day of hair & makeup, champagne & laughter, and unforgettable memories.  Jessica is a wife and a mother of two beautiful young girls.  She is an artist herself, so in addition to valuing a day of pampering, she also seemed to value the creative process.  

Jessica basically radiates positive energy and has a smile for days.  Her laughter filled the studio and was absolutely contagious.  It was wonderful to watch Jessica slowly transform from this radiant girl (during the basic beauty look) to this stunning, sexy, woman for her glamour look.  Despite her nerves at first, by the end of the shoot you would have thought that Jessica lived in front of a camera.  Her energy connected so well with the lens.  

It is this natural progression of confidence, that I love most about my work.  Despite always telling them to trust in me, have fun with the experience, and just let go of all insecurities at the door, there is certainly a warming up process.  It is such a beautiful experience in itself to see the women I work with gain confidence and start to rock the session.  By the end of the day, these women are owning their beauty and the images can speak for themselves.  And this was definitely true with Jessica.

I loved the images that we were able to capture of Jessica - she truly looked stunning.  But even more rewarding than good images, is the knowledge that a client truly enjoyed their experience.  Shortly after our session I received an email from Jessica about her beauty experience.  She wrote:

"It truly meant the world to me. It's been a long time since I've felt like I wasn't invisible so to have an opportunity to spend such a lovely day with such lovely ladies felt great. I love the creative process and knowing how committed you were to us having such a great experience gave me the green light to try my best. It gave me a new found confidence and I thank you for that".

Wow.

As a wife and a mom of two young kids myself, her words resonated within.  I could identify with her use of the word "invisible" so well.    I also feel like each woman I work with makes me grow as an individual and a photographer.  There is a true vulnerability with being photographed, but when you let go and trust the process - the images come out so genuine and so true.