Why do I do what I do? What gets me out of bed in the morning?

As a photographer, a creative and a young woman filled with SO much love and excitement about what I do, I feel like it’s important for people to know what I am passionate about and why I get out of bed in the morning.  I’ve been told by lots of different people that when I talk about photography or when I’m shooting  a session, my eyes light up and the joy inside of me magnifies. Although they may not know what really fuels me to give so much of myself to this art form, you know what?? They’re right. When I talk about photography or when I’m behind my camera I become overwhelmed with joy. I feel the light of God shining so bright inside of me that a lot of times it moves me to tears. So in today’s blogpost, I wanted to share with you my answer to one very simple, yet complicated question:

What am I passionate about?

To be perfectly honest, the answer is quite simple: it is because of YOU. I am VERY passionate about YOU and how you see yourself. My heart beats for helping women to break down the wall of society’s standards of beauty…and really seeing the masterpiece she truly is. As a woman, as a sister, as a daughter, a wife and a friend…nothing excites me more as a photographer than capturing the spirit of a woman and witnessing her discover herself.

Growing up, I didn’t feel pretty. My teeth weren’t straight, my hair wasn’t long and I was skinny. I’d rather stay inside and watch Bill Nye the Science Guy or Magic School Bus than go outside and play. I was nothing like the image of girls I saw on the television and for a while I took a toll on me. Chiiilllee….let me tell you…to this day, my teeth still aren’t straight and my hair isn’t Pocahontas long. I stand about 5’3, am skinny-thick and I still rather curl up with a book, listen to music or watch NCIS than go out. It took me YEARS to realize that…I. AM. BEAUTIFUL. And I’m not just beautiful because of my looks… I’m beautiful because I’m made in HIS image. I’m beautiful because of my spirit and my heart…because of the love inside of me and the peace inside of me. I’m beautiful because I believe I’m beautiful. As a matter of fact:

I. AM. RADIANT. 

I come across so many women on a daily basis, both young and seasoned, who simply don’t see themselves. They don’t truly SEE THEMSELVES. The woman with the gorgeous high cheekbones looks at herself and sees a wide face, the voluptuous woman who has amazing curves for days looks in the mirror and calls herself fat and starves herself to lose weight. The one who who works hard day in and day out and gives so much of herself that she’s too busy to even give herself a moment. I interact with some of the most genuine and beautiful women on a daily basis and they simply can’t see it. But I can. And the fact that they can’t see it, brings me to tears. These are the women that get me out of bed in the morning. These are the women who fuel the fire in my belly. WOMEN. LIKE. YOU.

(As I’m sitting here writing this, tears are beginning to stream down my face.)

My passion is the direct result of my prayer to God that He would allow me visually tell the stories of the everyday heroines I encounter. The ones who don’t acknowledge their own strength and fearlessness because they either choose not to or simply can’t see it. The ones who gives so much to others but feels bad for taking time for herself. The raw and natural beauty that God has uniquely given to us as women is what draws me to you. It’s what makes you stand out from a crowd. Even if it is a face full of freckles, plump lips or physical scars, I want to use my photography to help women break down the walls of insecurity, build up the walls of confidence and unleash the fearlessness within.

I want to celebrate the young modern girl who is the purest reflection of me…The one that is dancing on the stage of life to the beat of her own drum. I want to capture her as she glows from within because she’s discovered love, document her first steps on the journey of motherhood and honor the woman she’s become after she’s given birth to many generations and soak up the wisdom she’s acquired as she’s built her legacy.

I am so sick and tired of women not feeling like they aren’t good enough. That we aren’t pretty enough to take photographs. Because we’ve subscribed to pop culture’s school of thought that outward beauty fits into a nice little box. We have this idea of what the perfect woman is in our heads and because of it, we are convinced that we have to lose weight and change who we are before visually documenting who we are and where we are in life. If we keep waiting to become the perfect woman, we will be waiting a lifetime.

Ladies, we are not perfect. NOT A SINGLE ONE OF US. We have flaws, but God didn’t make a mistake when He made us.  He made us perfectly in His image. You are STUNNING. Your spirit is inspiring…your smile is encouraging, you my dear are ENCHANTING. The magic you possess is UNPARALLELED. 

We are amazing just the way we are and to give women…to give YOU an incredibly powerful experience where my passion and your magic collides…to give you a portrait of yourself that reminds you EVERYDAY that you are….BREATHTAKING…that you are FEARFULLY AND WONDERFULLY MADE…that is my GREATEST HONOR. THAT is my excites me to get out of bed every morning. THAT is what I am passionate about.

So to you….yea…YOU, the one reading this blog…the one who allows my passion to shine through and pushes me to be better, to never give up and who encourages me to get out of bed every morning, without even realizing it…THANK YOU. You are latest and greatest inspiration.