The real reason why

I’ve struggled with my weight all my life. I was bullied and struggled with depression in elementary and middle school because of it. I remember specifically in 6th grade being bullied because I had developed boobs and wasn’t wearing a bra yet. Young girls can be REALLY mean! The root of me hating the way I looked in pictures most of my life stems from these experiences. Those kids exploited that part of me and I really struggled to see past it for years. 

Now this isn’t some magical 20 years later “I’m now completely in love with my body” kind of story, because that would be a total lie. However while growing up I have come a long way in shedding those negative thoughts and perceptions about myself. One of the main reasons for this is my husband. He is attracted to me and loves me for who I am, how I look, and for reasons I could never understand!

No matter how critical of myself I get, I always fall back on this! Having him in my life has truly helped me on the hard days when I look in the mirror and see something out of a scary movie looking back at me. He sees me for the beautiful Beyoncé of a woman I am, even when I don’t. 

This is the reason why I’m drawn to photographing couples. When you’re in a relationship you have that person in your life! It’s clear that someone loves you for EXACTLY who you are, even if you don’t see it yourself! This is such a powerful thing!! Being able to capture the way your person sees you is powerful! The way they get a little smirk on their face when you belly laugh at a bad joke, or the way they wrap their arms tight around you when you curl up on their chest to snuggle. These are the moments of real emotion that are the focus when looking at your photos, not your double chin.