“….any woman in the word who has ever looked in the mirror and not felt good enough…”

I imagine all girls and women can or have been able to relate to this statement at some point in their lives.  I know I’ve felt this way, and still do sometimes.  We’re only human, we’re our own worst critics, and we all have moments of discontent and fear of not being good enough for whatever matters most in our lives.

While alone, this quote spoke to me on a personal level, the entire sentence spoke to me on a professional level, and gave me a newfound inspiration and appreciation for my craft and what I can do for the everyday woman to overcome feelings of inadequacy and self doubt.

 “I want to photograph any woman in the world who has ever looked in the mirror and not felt good enough.”

World-renowned Australian portrait photographer Sue Bryce muttered these inspiring words during a photographer workshop in early March.  Not only is she an incredibly talented natural light photographer, she has a profound ability to interact with women and photograph them at their very best…to make them look at their own images (“the mirror”) and not only see themselves, but be amazed at the reflection.

Today, I was able to talk with a local trainer who, like many of us, is trying to take her small business to the next level.  She first inquired about taking headshots for her blog, then started chatting with me about the importance of having great images in her advertising, to put a “face” to the brand.  That is my WHOLE business as a photographer, so, of course, I understood.  She explained how she previously had images taken, but felt incredibly discouraged about how the images portrayed her body and overall image.  After all, how was she supposed to be encouraging women to look and feel their very best when she didn’t feel it herself?  It saddened me to hear this beautiful and FIT woman talking about how she felt insecure, and all because of a few poorly composed photos!  It was humbling knowing that even the most fit, inspiring people can have “down” moments and I hope I did a good job at putting her mind at ease.  I’ve seen how composition and lighting can come together to either make or break an image…I’ve been the subject of it, I’ve photographed it, and I do my very best to stay aware of this fact.  The camera does not really add ten pounds, it can only add ten pounds of self doubt if not taken in your best light.

 

I wish that no woman would ever need to look in the mirror and not feel good enough.  The before mentioned quote and today’s discussion brought me to a new level of understanding of how I want my photography to impact the lives of women and girls.   I feel empowered to help women (well anyone, woman, man, or child) feel their absolute best in their own skin and to cherish, not shy away from, their reflection.

 

Be beautiful.  Be amazing.

Be yourself.

 

-Melissa