This is the session that started it all. Haley needed some very specific images, for a very specific reason and asked me if I could help her. We spend very little time preparing for this session, which is lovely because that rarely happens. I feel like so much prep work goes into making sure the lighting is correct, and the outfits are on point, and the hair and makeup is consistent with the look we are going for. But this just happened.
Instead of makeup, Haley used a little oil on her skin to make it glow and feel fresh. I know what will not work for everyone, because we all have different skin types, but it was really liberating to just use oil. Sometimes stripping down to the bare minimum is a thing of beauty. When we are stripped bare, we become vulnerable. This is a crazy hard thing. As we get older, our walls get thicker. But Haley was such a fresh light that vulnerability was not even an issue. Thank you for making sure you didn’t bring any walls into this session. I don’t think we could have done it if we had just met each other, so yay to friendship!
After I saw these images, I knew that all my girls NEEDED a session like this. We have spent so much time together this year. Looking back at the gala, Sarah and I poked and bumped and forced them into poses. We literally hot glued Claire into her dress. These girls know us intimately! So it was worth every single moment to photography the girls like this.
The rest of the girls came in on a different day. The energy in the studio was amazing. They cheered for each other and supported each other in an incredible way. Mackenzie was the official cheerleader of the group. Her comments made everyone feel like they were their best self in that moment.
I feel like this type of session needs to become a staple for our studio. If you feel like you could never be this vulnerable in front of the camera, then you probably need it the most. Just try it. It felt so good. Wait one minute. You are probably saying, how do YOU know it felt good to be vulnerable in front of the camera? Well, I got in front of the camera too! Sarah snapped a few of me before the girls arrived. It was actually a great way to start the evening, because I knew exactly how they felt!
Getting back to Haley. She has had a great few months, because the pictures that were needed for a very specific project turned out to be the ticket to something great. You will have to follow her over the next several months to find out what this amazing thing is all about.
