Making Portraits
I love photographing people. I love making portraits. I say this time and again but I am obsessed with people - their faces, their bodies, and their souls.
I would say my specialty is in photographing women. As a woman I know how beautiful we are. There's so much strength that lies within every one of us that's purely breathtaking when witnessed in person. But as a woman I also understand the society we grew up in, teeming with expectations, gender roles, vanity-based judgments; and as a result, relentless self-consciousness about the way we look. We let the mirrors magnify our flaws, the media define beauty standards, and worst of all, we let ourselves strive for an unattainable perfection. In our heads, we hold onto unfavorable mental images of ourselves at our worst, analyzing and defining ourselves with critical negativity. Ask any woman and they can easily point out what they'd change about the way they look. I've photographed so many women, and consistently witness these insecurities in front of the camera. Everyone knows a camera doesn't lie. But that's only partly true.
I've trained myself to see the beauty in people. And as a photographer, I've learned to amplify that beauty in favorable lighting and flattering angles that enhance the star of the show - you. I want to show you the way I see you, and shatter those unbecoming self-perceptions. I see you beyond the surface of your skin and I want to remind you that you are more beautiful than you may think.
Sometimes I flip through photos from a new shoot, and gasp mid-click. A mini adrenaline rush washes over me and my eyes widen, mesmerized. I fall in love with the image on the screen. It speaks to me without words, just emotion. The moment frozen in time captured on camera feels cinematic and magical, and at first sight, I just know. It's the shot. That's how I see you. Look, it's you. Effortless. Genuine. Divine.
These are the moments I live for. These moments remind me how much I love making portraits.
