I have always had a passion for telling women that they need to exist in photographs. As women, we are far too critical of our physical appearance and end up behind the camera more than in front of it. We say things like:
''I need to lose 15 pounds first'' or ''I'm not photogenic'' Sound familiar?
When was the last time you let someone take your picture?
I set out to prove to Calgary women that the word "photogenic" is a MYTH.
I decided to launch a campaign called 30 Days of Gorgeous.
I asked for women aged 35-55 to answer some open-ended, thought-provoking questions about beauty and what it means to them. I asked them to share their stories. Their responses blew me away.
The vulnerability of their open, honest thoughts about being a women is truly moving.
I knew I could show these women their true beauty.
I could not have predicted the joy I have felt in pursuing this project. With each of my clients we chat, make jokes, laugh, sometimes cry, and always hug.
I know I will never forget any of these beautiful women. I can't thank my brave participants enough for going out of their comfort zones and saying "YES" to 30 Days of Gorgeous.
So, today is my first blog post for this series.
Janet is the first of 30 women I will be featuring in this blog series.
I first met Janet at my Annual Personal Branding Event for 100 Women Who Care Calgary.
She sat next to me during the meeting, where we listened to a representative from Wellspring Calgary, for whom we had raised $31,500 at the previous gathering. He was a young cancer survivor who found the support and community that he needed at Wellspring. If not for his wit and humour, we would have all been in tears listening to his story. He proved that we had chosen the right local charity to support with our group donation. As with all 100 Women Who Care meetings, we listened to three moving nominations and voted for our next recipient: ARBI (Association for Rehabilitation of Brain-Injured). Immediately following the meeting, I got to work photographing new headshots for the ladies who had signed up for my Annual Personal Branding sessions. What a great time to connect with people. Everyone, including me, was on a high after doing do much good for our local charities. Janet was one of the lucky ones who had snagged one of the limited spots for a new headshot. I took a beautiful photo of her to use for her personal branding.
That night, I started promoting 30 Days of Gorgeous, so when she heard about it, she signed up right away.
Janet is a single mother of grown daughters who works as a Controller in the corporate sector. She is also an active member of Toastmasters, and of course, 100 Women Who Care Calgary. Not someone who would usually land on the cover of a magazine. She was a perfect candidate for me to prove to women in Calgary and beyond that REAL WOMEN have REAL BEAUTY and I know how to capture it in a photograph.
Janet could grace the cover of any magazine. I'm proud to feature her in this 30 Days of Gorgeous blog series.
Janet has a smile that can light up a room. She has such a fun wardrobe, and we got to play with many different looks during her session with me. She forgot all about her fears of looking contrived or stiff, and just enjoyed the experience. She was worried that she would feel like a little girl dressing up in her mom's clothes. After the session, I asked her how she felt.
''By the end of the session, I felt like the woman that I envision for myself (not the tired old woman that stares back at me from the mirror).''
Prior to photographing Janet, she said that she feels most beautiful whenever there are no mirrors around. Now, I hope another place she feels the most beautiful is in front of my camera!
Janet said her favourite part of this experience was feeling beautiful.
How about you? Do you remember the last time you truly felt beautiful? If not, give me a call!
Shoot.print.love.laurie
'It was everything that you promised...'
Janet shares her thoughts on the 30 Days of Gorgeous experience.
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