I’m on a bit of a mission. You’ve read how important I feel it is for Mom to get in the picture…and I’ve taken it a step further to say maybe Mom should even dare get a picture of “just” herself. So I was a bit thrilled that this Mom, Wife, Daughter – and recent Masters Grad – contacted me to get a portrait of her in cap and gown to send to her mother.
First of all, she wore those shoes. That in itself deserved a photo shoot. But, more importantly, I was super-proud of her. Sixteen years. That’s how long it took to get to this point. And for the last two – as I spent many hours in coffee shops and book stores to get my own stuff off the ground – I would run into her pretty frequently, and she was always working feverishly on something.
But besides that, I’ve had a chance to hear just some of her story. I kept thinking about her strength and sheer will as I photographed her. I don’t know all of my clients well, but there is often some happy, proud, or profound moment that I witness in my camera that makes me pause. As I clicked away, all I could think about was S’s determination. Not just to get through school. But to get through life. This is a face of strength:
I wish more women would see what I see sometimes. I know enough to watch out for decent angles, and straying lipstick…but what I really see, when a client is relaxed enough, is often a whole lot more than a portrait.
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It was a short session and a single location, but S and I had a lot of fun. Including the surprise blackberry bush we found that had somehow managed to sprout out of the side of a very urban building. Fitting, actually. And, of course, S was totally game when I suggested we stop for a quick snack:
Congratulations, Girl! You deserve whatever success and happiness comes your way.
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