When I was 13...

I probably would have thought that a portrait session was out of my reach. It would have seemed like something...undeserved, maybe? My inner self would have DEFINITELY wanted the experience, but I'm not sure if I would have followed through. By that age, I was already questioning my own validity. My body, my looks, my self worth. Who was I to put myself out in the world in bold pictures? That was for fashionable city folk. Not for my midwestern ass.

The truth is: I was scared. Scared that I didn't measure up. Scared that I would be made fun of. Scared that I wouldn't like what I saw on the other side. Scared that I wasn't good enough. And what does that even mean - not good enough?

How many of you are still having this discussion with yourselves? Still trying to talk yourself into being worthy of pictures. Still talking yourself into booking the session of your dreams, only to subconsciously shut yourself down over and over and over again. Still thinking that you need to lose weight to be camera ready.

Still negating the expense as frivolous and a waste of money. Still trying to feel "good enough."

Good enough for what?

I'm ending this cycle, and we'll start here with CeCe.

When a young woman like CeCe lands on my roster, I am so honored to have the opportunity to show her who she really is. To show her that she has many facets...that she is resilient, joyful, strong and filled with potential. I can show her that she can be a base player or a barista. A hippy or a hobo. Through pictures, she can see that she is powerful beyond measure, capable of so much more than she can currently see for herself. She can see the girl that she is, and the young woman that she is becoming.

CeCe said this about working with me: "I didn't have to be a professional-I could do what made me feel comfortable."

Don't we all want an experience where we can instantaneously learn to be comfortable in our own skin? Allowing the opportunity to see ourselves from a new perspective can be incredibly awakening. Especially in such a tangible and focused way.