It is amazing what a good photo can do for your self esteem!!
Along with a dozen or so other photographer friends, I am taking part in a 52 week photo challenge! I totally cringed when I saw that this weeks challenge was a self-portrait! Especially since the last picture of me posted to facebook was a picture of me with my husband on "date night" out eating dinner- and someone commented that we looked alike. Not great for the self-esteem. I love my husband dearly- but I don't want to have people saying I look like him.
I LOVE taking pictures of other people and making them feel good about themselves. Having my picture taken is another story. In fact, my New Year Resolution was to take more pictures of me with my kids. I should have been a bit more specific and said take more "good" or "great" pictures of me with my kids! LOL I've been doing my resolution pictures with my cell phone- like most people- which is great for a little memory of the moment- but not so good for self esteem! You get that double chin and eyes looking in weird directions trying to DIY!
Determined to not completely embarrass myself for this challenge I did my hair, put on make-up, and answered questions from my husband about why I was getting "all dolled-up". I started thinking how sad it is that for me to put on make-up and not have my hair in a ponytail, my family assumed a special occasion was taking place!
I half-heartedly took out the tripod, got out my bag of tricks, set up lighting and adjusted my camera settings, just as I would for a normal client session. I gave myself a little posing run down and normal "pep-talk" I give my clients- just in my head! I was so anxious and stressed that I was going to see my normal fat, double chin, old mom looking self, that I called my daughter to just click the shutter release a few times, so I wouldn't have to set the timer over and over in disappointment until I got something I could "fix" in photoshop to share with my photographer friends.
Amazingly- what you see above was the very first picture in that series. The only editing I did was a little wrinkle under my eye. I had it posted to Facebook in about 5 minutes after it was taken. I could've done more to it! I could've made it into more of a "portrait" than a "snapshot" -enhanced my eyes, smoothed my skin, etc. but I was ok with this- because this is me. This is how I hope people see me! This is how I think I should FEEL about myself.
I figured maybe I would get a couple of obligatory "likes" and a "nice picture" or 2 when I added it to FB, but I got more than that! 26 likes, 18 comments all saying things I haven't heard in years- like "you're gorgeous", "you look beautiful", etc. Even more than that, I actually got a few phone calls asking me "who took that picture?" And a great friend telling me I looked like a MILF and asking if my husband took that pic- because then she would hire him to do some of her and her mom because they want MILF photos, too! LOL
My friends can tell you I've ever been one to care what others thought
of me- but I won't lie....those comments made me feel great and even
made me cry a little bit.
All of this over a picture I dreaded taking. Do yourself a favor- take the time and have a GREAT picture taken of you! Don't wait until you lose a couple of pounds, or your life isn't so busy. There is always an excuse NOT to do something for yourself. NOT is usually code for FEAR. Whether you think so or not- you are completely beautiful right now! Just the way you are!
I really can't believe I'm about to do this- but, just so you see I am not exaggerating the horrific image I painted of myself earlier in this post: Here is that picture my husband posted just 2 weeks earlier, where we "looked alike" next to the new one so you can try to get that ugly out of your head!
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