The Fierce & the Fem

Each woman that comes into my studio goes through a transformation that could rival a chameleon. In just an afternoon, my clients can go from glamazon, to the girl next door, to the seductress, to your silly best friend. And I love that word: transformation. It's a powerful word and it isn't just the hair and makeup that brings forth that shift. Don't get me wrong, hair and makeup make a huge difference in the process, not only aesthetically, but also in the way a woman sees herself.  But it's also the vulnerability a woman allows herself to feel while transforming into the woman I need to be present to capture all of her: from the fierce to the feminine.

The other day, while editing these photos of this beautiful young woman, I considered what she might eventually do with these photos. Will she stare at them and wonder who that is staring back at her? Will she gain a new appreciation for herself (let's hope). Will she proudly show them to her family, friends...boyfriend? I have no idea, but my follow-up thought was, how wonderful for her to have this moment in her life captured for all time.

Don't ever underestimate the importance of a photograph of yourself. It's a mirror, a history lesson, a question, an answer, a pondering, a memory....it can be celebrated, bring forth tears, laughter and all the other emotions too. But most of all, it's a story. It's a story of you. Now, doesn't that sound important??

Lovely makeover by Hannah Conard of Hannah Conard Beauty.