Where do I even start? If you’ve been following along, you’ve seen a new kind of shoot forming. Unravel is a chance for women to tap into who they are at their core, take off all of the layers of life, and fall in love with what they see. You can check out the blog to read more about my heart behind these sessions! Here I am, ready to FINALLY share the very first Unravel journey and I couldn’t be more excited!
Dream Team – Nicole Toledo Makeup Artistry & Jamie Lyn Hair Design
T came to me last year with a request. She knows that I help women see themselves in a new perspective, she knows that my goal is to remind them of just how stunning they are, she really understands the heart of what I do. BUT, she didn’t want boudoir. I’ve actually had so many women open up to me about this, like is there a way that we can do what you do without lingerie and being in the studio? SOOOO…I started dreaming up what that could look like and created Unravel.
The women who step in front of my camera are showing their bravery with vulnerability and a certain form of rawness. I truly believe that as they show up for themselves they feel a powerful shift in the way they see themselves. Although I won’t be able to share every babe’s story, T allowed me to share hers and I’m honored to show you a little peek into this incredible woman. Here are her beautifully written words about her Unravel journey…
“November is a month that’s historically been filled with changes for me. Some good, some not so good. Just in the last three years November held the change of becoming a licensed foster parent. It’s marked job changes. And changes in friendships and relationships. And then almost exactly a year ago I had an earth shattering and life changing medical emergency.”
Let me pause here and tell you this babe went THROUGH IT. Long story short, a mass on her liver (caused by birth control that she had been on for years, ladies we need to talk about this) was removed in a life saving surgery and left her with a scar all the way down her abdomen. WOAH. When she reached out to book her shoot I remember her saying that she can’t see past her scar. “I keep thinking that maybe a photoshoot where I can see myself in a different light may help me be a little more at peace with it.”
Diving back into her story…
“And with so much hard change comes ebbs and flows of your body changing. And suddenly you’ve turned thirty and you’re starting to see small wrinkles and find a grey hair or two. All in the midst of the chaos that is life. I was feeling a little lost and wasn’t being kind to my body or my mind. I mean, it’s a little tough to practice self love when you’ve got a 14 inch scar down the center of your abdomen that you never imagined would be there. So I enlisted the help of {Adena} to find the joy and beauty in myself, to help smooth my hardened edges caused by parenting children in a broken foster system, to help honor the stretch marks that came with too many ice cream runs with my son and learning to be gentler to this body I have: it’s forever after all.”
“And out of the journey came so much love, tears, triumph and happiness. Seeing yourself from a different perspective, changed things for me. Really glad I took a chance and did something a little out of my comfort zone. To all the women out there struggling to feel like themselves in the midst of parenting and work and life, I see you. See yourself the way those who love you see you. It’s worth it, I promise.” -T
It was so incredible to watch this babe throughout her journey. When we chose her outfits for her outdoor shoot in Boulder, CO, I thought it was really important that she DIDN’T cover her scar. When her goal is to see past it and mine is for her to see beauty in it, it has to be seen. And I’m so glad we did! The tan, long sleeve, off the shoulder crop was my favorite! BUT this color on her…obsessed.
T. Thank you so much for allowing me to share your story and your photos. Thank you for trusting me to show you my perspective and totally giving in to the WHOLE process, even the parts you thought might not be for you. You are such an incredible woman and everyone who has you on their side is so lucky. I’m fan girling you FOR LIFE.
