Woman. This one is for you.
Woman.
Let me remind you of a truth you already know.
If you have eyes that can cry, a voice that can laugh and a heart that can see,
if you’ve fingertips that can trace a line down a tiny nose,
toes that will dance you around a lamp-lit living room,
hands to hold a baby tight against your chest,
and lips to whisper softly to a sleeping child -
If you have eyelids that open each day when kissed by the morning light,
legs to carry you to the grocery store and to the park and to the playground and to another playground and to another goddamned playground…
if you’ve lungs you can fill with balmy evening breezes,
knees for resting on wet sand as you sift through sea stones and shells and salty pebbles
a cheek to place against cool earth as you listen for her beating heart -
If you’ve a palm in which that man of yours can place his own,
thighs to wrap around him in the night,
a warm, tired, exasperated, bemused or i’m-so-done-with-today smile to meet his when the kids are acting crazy,
feet for creeping quietly along the hall when day is done,
feet that run, feet that jump, clean feet, dirt adorned feet, sweaty feet,
and cold feet you can burrow into his warm spots when you crawl together into bed at night -
Then you are everything,
and you are infinitely wonderful,
and you are the most perfect specimen of living star dust, and
exactly and completely and entirely as you should be.
Just as you are.
Woman.
Even the most beautiful of beautiful folk can have a not beautiful photograph made of them.
That doesn’t make them not beautiful.
It just means someone made a photo that could have better shown her beauty.
I’ve had photos made for me and I know thoughts.
I want these images so dearly.
But what if I don’t like myself..?
What if I’m not proud of them..?
What if after everything I’m too ashamed for any soul to see them..?
What if the message the world sometimes sends me is true, and I’m not beautifully worthy at all?
My body may be strong, it may serve me so well, but I don’t know how to hold myself in front of a camera.
I don’t know how I’ll look through a lens, or whether I’m doing it right or wrong.
What if and what if and what if.
Woman.
Friend.
Sister child of this glorious universe.
This is where I come in.
This is why you’ve chosen me; I am the expert in such matters, so you needn’t worry.
Pretty pictures rarely make themselves, those images you’ve seen weren’t happy accidents.
I am coming to make you pretty pictures; ones that will show you yourself with clear eyes, the way the world sees you.
Mostly as I do this you’ll be completely unaware.
Stuff with angles and light, composition and framing.
Other times I’ll be gently guiding.
Things I may say during any given session:
Can you shuffle forward just a little?
So gorgeous. Now can I get you to twist toward the light?
Keep doing exactly what you’re doing, but let me just place your feet this way.
I’m just going to fix your dress at the back.
Do you mind if I tuck this strap?
This is super great - can we move this by that beautiful big window?
Oh that was adorable! Can you do it once more for me?
Sit a little closer to one another, let’s close that gap. Hip to hip, nice and tight.
This is looking amazing. Now make your mouthes be happy for me.
It feels a little funny, right? I promise you’re doing all the right things.
Nick, lean in and softly whisper to her what you had for breakfast.
Ignore the kids, they’re going to do what they do. I promise this is normal.
I could go on and on and on and on. : )
Woman.
We are going to make you photographs that will become a record of the words written on your most delicate heart.
I am going to deliver you stunning photographs.
I’m going to make images in which you truly see yourself.
Woman.
This is going to be fun.
I’ve got you.
You’ve got this.
Love, Michelle x
Pop over here to find out more about in-home story sessions with your little family.
This piece delves a little further into why in-home photography for newborns is so wonderful.
And here’s a newborn piece that explores why having photographs made with your newborn is so important.
If you’ve questions, you can drop me a message right here. x