“True love does not come by finding the perfect person, but by learning to see an imperfect person perfectly” - unknown
The above quote can also apply to the way we see ourselves.
Today I’m writing about love… it’s wedding season, and love is in the air! I have brides gearing up for pin-up classes with their girlfriends but I also have many women who are about to be married and who sign up for a private boudoir session, an intimate and personal gift to share with their honey on the special night.
I called my business ‘for them or for you’… I suppose I could just have easily put a question mark at the end of that title. When a woman does a pin-up or a boudoir shoot, whom is she actually doing it for? More often than not, my client tells me that even though she is giving the pictures to her honey, she is actually doing it for herself – she wants the pictures to celebrate herself at this particular time in her life.
In truth, this is the greater gift. I remember one client writing to me and telling me that her husband was excited about the photo’s she gave him, but more so, he was thrilled by her enthusiasm for the experience.
The real gift is that of self-acceptance… to be truly comfortable with yourself, as you are now, is one of the greatest gifts that you can give to another. Thus the portrait that you give is the gift of yourself… both in print and in spirit.
My featured Goddess this month is Shannon. I photographed Shannon years ago when she first got together with the man who is now her husband. She gave the photographs to him as an intimate holiday gift. Since then, she has participated in 2 pin-up classes… one group class that I had set up here in my studio… and then a few years later she had her best girlfriends all come to my studio to celebrate her bachelorette party with private pin-up class.
What is gorgeous about my client relationship with Shannon, is that over the years I have had the opportunity not only to document her evolution as a woman, and but in essence the deepening of her relationship in incremental periods.
The constant in her photographs, is a set of pearls her husband gifted her when they first met. I’ll look forward to photographing Shannon as she evolves further into her womanhood… and eventually perhaps wearing her pearls when she’s 80…
Shannon speaks…
I wanted to give him something unique and beautiful. I expected him to receive sexy photos. Instead Isis captured part of my soul on film. He could see it on my face-the fragile dreamy hope of new love. That look made my nudity inconsequential. Isis helped me shed the emotional barriers I had erected after years of unhealthy relationships and photographed my naked spirit. I was able to share that with him.
When Isis told me about her first ever pin up girl party I was thrilled. It was wonderful meeting the other women and learning about them. Over quiche and wine we bonded…sharing stories of how our own personal body issues developed and why we wanted to do the class. We raided Isis ’s trunks and helped each other pick out outfits. We giggled and cheered each other on. We shared contact sheets. We are still friends.
When I pondered my bachelorette party I decided to share the amazing experience of Isis with my friends. I wanted them to see themselves through her lens and feel lovely and special. I wanted them to have permission to express themselves and truly own their “sexy”. One of my friends told me she had never thought she was beautiful until she saw the pictures Isis took. I am grateful to have had a part in their experience.
The next time I hope to be in front of Isis ’s camera again I’m planning on lovingly displaying a pregnant belly. My husband has truly made me believe I will always be beautiful whatever moment in life I am at and I know Isis can capture that beauty. Thirty years or thirty pounds will not diminish me in the eyes of those who love me. Isis we have a date for my 80th birthday. I’ll be there…with pearls on.
