Isn't it ironic?
As a photographer, I’ve immersed myself in the art of capturing other people's lives. Their stories. Their adventures. Their emotions. Year after year, it’s been a joy and honor to be entrusted with the duty of making these precious moments last a lifetime. But while I’ve encouraged my clients to print off their favorite images to display at home, I can’t help but notice all the blank space on my apartment walls. Amidst the hustle and bustle of my professional life, I’ve forgotten to make my own memories. I don’t take enough of my own adventures. Scratch that, I wasn’t making the most of my own journey. But that changes today!
I’ve made a conscious decision to step in front of my own camera lens more often for two reasons. The first is so I will have physical copies of some of the best days and moments of my life. I don’t ever want to forget the good things that are happening to and for me. Some things are far too important to let slip away without documenting the moment. When I’m having a tough time or I simply want to reminisce, I need something to look at that’s NOT my phone.
The second reason I’m going to actively pursue photographing and printing images of myself more is so I will stay in touch with my client’s experiences. If I don’t take the time to understand what it feels like to be on camera, I won’t have the right tools and messages to help you guys feel and look your best. With those ideas in mind, I decided to begin with an impromptu photoshoot of myself this afternoon. Yes, I literally started as soon as I decided to put myself on camera more today!
Getting things started
I thought about pulling out my camera but the idea of organizing my gear and trying to frame things the way I would during a shoot felt like too much effort. This is just my baby step off the starting line, no need to get fancy yet! I grabbed my phone, a tripod and bluetooth remote control. Thankfully I went out to lunch with my husband earlier so I was already feeling stylish. It was tough at first. The sun was glaring and causing my pics to look foggy. That and it was HOT outside (this is June after all). I did myself a favor and sought out some shade. Once I had an ideal location, I started experimenting with poses.
I gained about 20ish pounds during the pandemic. With the new weight has come a new body that I don’t quite know how to shop for and a few curves where I wish they weren’t. I thought about standing, sitting and angling myself in ways that flattered my appearance and just started madly clicking the shutter button. About 80 images later, I decided to call it quits and sift through my options. Looking at the results, most of them were actually pretty good. Since I used my phone, quality control was limited, but I was happy with the way a handful of them turned out. I've added them below!
I'm glad I did I'm doing this
Keeping with my personal policy against over-retouching images, I only brightened the colors and cropped them to add a little artistic flair. Then I started typing up this blog post. I’m going to continue to photograph small moments and details of my day until I can fill up a book of memories. Then I’m actually going to print the book! But in the meantime, I’ll be sharing those moments (and photos) on my blog. I hope they inspire you to get out of your comfort zone, leave your apartment and try new things. As I explore local events and locations, I’ll be sure to share those stories with you.
I want to hear about your adventures as well! If you want to share your own fun, romantic and stylish adventures with me, tag me on Instagram, Tiktok, Twitter and Facebook. I’m on a mission to explore DFW and as much as the surrounding areas as possible. My username is my name! Keep bringing the love!
