Women Are…

“If you can’t love yourself, how in the hell you gonna love somebody else?” —RuPaul

For the month of May, my model was my lovely momma. We decided to include her best friend, Olive, in the photo shoot and I’m so glad we did. My mom is a lover of animals, loyal to those who are kind to her children, and a bit silly. She knows how to make me laugh, is always there when I need someone to listen to me, and loves me more than anyone else on Earth. I credit my mom with giving me my resilience, a childhood filled with animals, and being my number one fan.

My mom lives in Washington now where she and her dog can take daily hikes in the woods, her favorite thing to do. While she was here for my daughter’s graduation, I had to get her in the woods for some photos. This little spot filled with oak trees and a few wild flowers was perfect. This shoot included way too many burrs in our clothes, a tiny bit of rain, and a lot of giggles.

Thanks mom for being a light in this dark world. I love you more than you’ll ever know.

What makes you proud?
My kids and grandchildren make me very proud!

What makes you feel brave?
When I’m out walking in the woods with my beloved dog Olive.

What gives you hope?
Looking into the eyes of my granddaughter and grandson. I hope for greatness for them both.

I’ve got over twenty photo shoots under my belt now and I’m starting to find my stride. I’m currently on a trip to Vegas with my daughter and her best friend, and leaning into a more documentary style. I’m experimenting with leaving the images a bit grainy, editing less, and exploring more with composition. I’ll be curious to see what others think of those images when I post them, and what you think of these. I also did very minimal editing on these, and I think I’m starting to find a sort of style I like. Let me know what you think, and check out the others in this series if you missed them.

Thought you might enjoy some extra photos of Olive. I’m particularly proud of the first shot as you can see the trees reflected in her eyes.

These were taken with my Olympus E-M1 MarkII, using a 14-150mm lens and edited with Lightroom Classic.

“You may live in the world as it is, but you can still work to create the world as it should be.” —Michelle Obama

For the month of February, my model was my dear friend Angy. We met in the fifth grade and became instant best friends. I’m grateful for her endearing trust in me, her incredible ability to always push forward, and her steadfast faith. She’s been the friend who always believes in big visions, reaches out when things are impossible, and never gives up on herself or others (me included).

Despite having a dreamy location, Red Rock Canyon outside Las Vegas, I struggled with light. We arrived just a bit too late and worked hard until I couldn’t see to take another shot. I brought my new flash, but I didn’t know how to use it. You’ll see an accidental shot at the end, and the effect is cool, but I couldn’t recreate it if I wanted to. Not yet! I’m looking now for an online class to take on tricky lighting. I’d love to abandon grainy shots for good.

Preparing for this shoot, I took a posing class, and Angy was a fantastic model. She trusted me to guide her through poses, even if they felt a bit awkward at times. I’m learning a lot about angles and creating triangles in my poses. It felt good to lead her and pretend confidence, even when I wasn’t sure we were getting usable images. What do you think? Do you have a favorite?

January: Lola

What makes you proud?
The depth of my relationships, and the quiet privilege of sitting in the audience and witnessing my daughters step into who they are becoming.

What makes you feel brave?
That flutter of butterflies in my stomach is my compass. When something feels both thrilling and terrifying at once, I know I am standing at the edge of something meant for me.

What gives you hope?
Every morning the sun rises quietly, without announcement or applause, offering the world another chance to begin again. And I hold a steady faith that, beneath it all, people are inherently good.