Picture Yourself

I have very mixed feelings about selfies. On the one hand, it feels extremely vain to take a picture of yourself and then post it on the internet. On the other hand, sometimes you feel great and want to share that feeling with others. Millenials have often been described as having high rates of narcissistic traits, which doesn't come as much of a surprise. We were raised to put ourselves first, to believe in our dreams and told that we could achieve them no matter what. We tend to feel entitled and like the world owes us something for nothing. I struggled with this last year as I was job hunting. I felt like because of my education I should start out with a higher paying job that what seemed to be available. I think it's also due to laziness, but I so desperately wanted to avoid starting at the bottom of the ladder and "working my way up." 

As a photographer it's my goal to make others feel good about themselves. There are two extreme ends of the spectrum: either you love taking selfies and posting them all the time, or you dread the idea of your picture being taken and then posting it online. I've worked with several clients who have shared that they are working on feeling more comfortable in their bodies and looks and more comfortable sharing that confidence with others. When I share with them the finished product of our photoshoots, I love to hear the client's reaction. 

The other evening I worked on taking self portraits with my DSLR. It was way more nuanced that I anticipated, and I spent most of the time feeling frustrated with the focus/clarity, exposure, set up within my apartment, and then my face being the focus. I nagged at myself with several of the expressions that I made. I wanted to give up and scrap the shoot. But the more I played around with it, the more I got comfortable and confident in it. From that shoot, with it's wide range of emotions, I came out with three of my most favorite pictures of myself. I'm posting them here (and Instagram) because I love how they make me feel. I love my freckles in them; I love my hair in them; I love the simplicity of the black and white...

I love this work of photography. 

xxo

The Power of Words

I just stared reading The Four Agreements by Don Miguel Ruiz. The first agreement is Be Impeccable with Your Words. Don Miguel talks about the power of words, and the impact they have on our beliefs about our selves. Gossip, he says, has become the main was we communicate with each other; it's what we've learned to do from childhood. Gossip includes sharing personal opinions with those around us. Don Miguel uses the example of starting a new class, and another classmate telling you your professor doesn't know the material and is an awful teacher. Don Miguel goes on to say that even before the professor opens her mouth, you are forming an agreement with your classmates words that the professor is awful and you're going to hate the class. 

I've often thought about this idea, especially in the last couple months of starting a new job  where I'm meeting new people and forging new relationships. I don't think people gossip menacingly for the most part. I think it's an agreement that you learned as a child and don't think too much about as an adult. But the words we use have great power. I usually avoid listening to others warnings about certain people. Unless it's my family or inner friend circle needing to vent or process things, I don't want to hear it because I want to form my own opinions. 

Don Miguel then goes on to address negative self-talk. "Being impeccable with your word is the correct use of your energy; it means to use your energy in the direction of truth and love for yourself. If you make an agreement with yourself to be impeccable with your words, just with that intention, the truth will manifest through you and clean all the emotional poison that exists within you. But making this agreement is difficult because we have learned to do precisely the opposite. We have learned to lie as a habit of our communication with others and more importantly with ourselves." 

Self-compassion is key to growth and contentment. I'm working on it.

xxo

Love & Friendship

This couple is just the cutest. I met Lauren through yoga, and I initially "met" her husband Adam through Lauren's posts to Instagram of Adam dancing around the house and making her (and all of us on IG laugh). 

xxo

Family Affair

This past weekend I did my first full on family session and I am SO HAPPY with how the pictures turned out!

xxo

Under Pressure

I recently watched the documentaries released by Lady Gaga (on Netflix) and Demi Lovato (on YouTube). It blows my mind the amount of pressure young (and old) performers are under to be perfect. I remember when Miley Cyrus started getting edgy and inappropriate and although I didn't agree with her actions, I knew there was no way I could judge her for it because I had absolutely no idea what it was like to be her. 

In a lot of ways, I think that social media has created another level of pressure for non-celebrities as well. Because it feels like the end game is to become a celebrity (to varying degrees) from popularity on Instagram, YouTube, blogging, etc. Those in Demi Lovato's generation grew up with access to social media platforms at an incredibly young and impressionable age. I've often said how thankful I am that all of my teenage thoughts and emotions are tucked safely away in hand-written journals - not all over the internet. 

We need to be more real and honest. And we need to spend more time in face-to-face interactions. Yes, I know it's ironic writing that on a blog. But it's not about doing away with Instagram and the Internet. It's about finding balance and self-love in the midst of it. It's about knowing when to get off the apps because you start doubting yourself and your abilities after hours of comparing your self and your lot in life to others'. It's about making eye contact with those around you, especially in conversation. It's about sharing your struggles with those that you trust to reassure each other that we're not alone in our insecurities, painful experiences, and triumphs.

It's about finding more human connection.

xxo